<Episode 15>
Upward Momentum
The Army helicopters circle around in the sky, with no place to land on the broken bridge, that’s all they can do.
Soldiers rappel down from the helicopters and quickly go to check on the fallen soldiers.
One soldier reaches Sergeant Jackson, the first thing he notices is the blood gushing out from his head.
Soldier: damn, Medic!
The rest of the soldiers scatter to tend to the wounded Juggernaut Unit. Looking ahead of the bridge, some civilians suffer minor wounds.
Nero didn’t take any notice that there were civilians around the bridge as he went all-out on the Unit of soldiers.
Commander: that son of a bitch, attacking us wasn’t enough so he goes and hurts civilians as well!?
Soldier2: Commander, we’ve managed to find all the members of the unit but one
Commander: who?
He pauses in realization.
Commander: Don’t tell me...
Soldier2: yes sir, we can’t seem to locate Lieutenant Enzo
A wounded civilian approaches.
Soldier2: I’m sorry sir but for your safety, you’re going to have to stay back, the bridge is on the verge of collapsing at any moment
Civilian: he fell
Commander: what?
Civilian: the other soldier, he fell off the bridge into the water
Commander: the water?
The Commander and one soldier walk up to the broken part of the bridge and stare off further down, but only notice nothing but the waterfall.
Commander: you, get a team and head down there!
Soldier2: yes sir!
The G.S.S. helicopter flies over the bridge. Surveying the tremendous damage done to it.
Harper: it seems we’re late
Nielson: a single Reborn done this?
G.S.S.: I’m getting a high reading of gamma waves, headed off to that direction
Nielson: back to the city? Why?
Harper: who cares? Turn back
Nielson: (what is he doing? Why all this back and forth?)
A few miles off from Shinku Bridge. Nero glides in mid-air, heading back to Sapphire City, in his hands he holds tightly at Leo’s pendant. Memories of them together, fighting off Infectids, and laughing together come rushing back. He hopes when he finally finds him, everything will return back to the way it was, but then another memory makes its presence in his head, the last encounter he had with Leo, the hellish battle between brothers. Severed ties, severed friendships, severed bonds. He can’t help but think, if and when he finds him, what will happen? A happy reunion? Or… another hellish battle? Either way, there’s only one way to find out what will happen. He must find Leo first.
*
Future Sight.
Sid paces back and forth, anxious and worried, not knowing whether Nero is alive or not. The sun has already begun to set, hours and hours have past since he left.
Sid: yo Adakis? Can’t you use your abilities to figure out where he is or that he’s alive?
Adakis: I’m afraid I’ve reached my limit today, I can’t
Sid: man, all this waiting is killing me!
Adakis: Sid, have a seat and calm yourself
Sid: ...
Adakis: you have to calm down, Sid
Sid: I can’t calm down, Adakis. Nero could be captured right about now, and you’re telling me to take a seat?
Adakis: jumping into conclusions and making up scenarios in your head won’t help
Sid: yeah? Well neither is sitting
Adakis: ...
Sid: man, I wish Alexis was feeling better right now, she’d have been able to help tell us whether he’s all right
*
Beneath the Shinku Bridge lies heavy currents of water leading to the everlasting waterfall of Shinku Bridge, also known as “The forever falls”. The Commander sent three soldiers down to locate or find the body of Lieutenant Enzo, they follow along the path, in hopes of finding anything that could tell them if he’s around there. An hour and a half of searching has gone on and still nothing, but finally, after the long search they notice something floating from the water.
Soldier3: hey look over there!
At a distance, something that looks like a body floats above the water, it may be a log but in times like this, they check everything that comes above water, and it turns out to be what they were looking for. Lieutenant Enzo, lays floating face down above the water like a lifeless body. The soldiers rush over to him and pull him out of the water. His body is covered in bruises suffered from the fall and the beating that Nero dealt to him.
Soldier2: how is he?
Medic: he’s not breathing, I’m going to have to do CPR on him
Soldier2: do it, do it!
The medic goes to work on Enzo, first five deep chest presses then followed by breathing into his mouth. Then he does it again in the same sequence several times but no response from the Lieutenant.
Medic: I don't think it’s working
Soldier2: keep at it! We can’t lose the Lieutenant, do you hear me!?
The medic continues the CPR, this time seven chest presses and he takes deep breaths and breathes into his mouth. Nothing.
Soldier2: come on, come on!
The medic continues the sequence several more times and still nothing. All hope is lost but he tries a couple more times and finally, Enzo coughs out the water from his lungs.
Soldier3: holy shit it worked! You did it!
Soldier2: thank God
Medic: he’s breathing but he’s not out of the woods yet, he has a weak pulse, we have to get him to the infirmary
*
Army Base - Infirmary
The sun has set, darkness has taken over the day. Many wounded soldiers line up outside of the infirmary, most of them haven’t been tended to yet, the medics and army doctors must deal with the more severe cases, the whole Juggernaut Unit and Lieutenant Nadia Green all have life threatening injuries and must be tended to first.
Asami waits outside and looks in through the hospitals observatory as the surgeons work to save Nadia’s life, the woman who jumped in front of the razor sharp Reborn feathers and pushed her out of the way in time, with no regard of her own life. All Asami can think about is that she should be the one laying in that bed instead of Nadia.
Iwasaki and Amber stand not far from their Lieutenant, but enough to give her the space she needs to be alone and not bothered.
Iwasaki: I thought she didn’t like Lieutenant Greene
Amber: ..it’s not like that at all, I mean yes they don’t get along now but back in the day, those two used to be inseparable
Iwasaki: what?
Amber reaches into her pocket for her pack of smokes, she pulls one out and places it in her mouth. Searches herself for a lighter but doesn’t find it.
Amber: uhg, fucking Higgens
She remembers that she forgot to take back her lighter from him after borrowing it to him.
Amber: you got a light?
Iwasaki shakes her head and goes back to asking.
Iwasaki: what do you mean they were inseparable?
Amber: exactly what it sounds like, I don't know the details but I know that Lieutenants Asami and Nadia started off in the same year, they were even in the same unit
Iwasaki: really?
Amber: yeah, story goes that they were an unstoppable duo, way back before the Infectids came along and this whole shit-storm about Reborns
Iwasaki: if they were so close then, what happened?
Amber: that’s a question you need to ask them, because I have no clue
Standing in the corridor and leaning against the wall with her unlit cigarette still hanging from her lips, Amber looks around and finds a doctor heading her way.
Doctor: hey, you can’t smoke in here
Amber: but I’m not smoking, see? It’s not even lit
Doctor: if you want to do that, take it outside, there are lives at stake here
Amber: ug, fine
The doctor walks away.
Amber: tight-ass. Hey, I’m going outside for a smoke, you coming? But first I need a lighter
Iwasaki still baffled by what she was just told takes a moment before answering.
Iwasaki: ..yeah
Amber: right
*
Future Sight.
Sid has finally stopped pacing around, his legs are tired and he’s taken that seat he previously was so reluctant to take.
Sid: that’s it, I’m done with this waiting, I’m heading out
Adakis: where are you going?
Sid: to look for Nero
Adakis: are you sure that’s a good idea? It’s dark out
Sid: I've rescued him from the army once, I can do it again
Adakis: Alexis can awake at any moment. And what would you want me to tell her?
Sid: The truth, Adakis. Just tell her that I went out to go look for Nero
Adakis: she’ll especially be hurt by the sound of that, Sid and you know it. You know how she cares for you, since the death of Esme… she hasn’t really been herself
Sid stops in his tracks after hearing the name of the love of his life uttered.
Sid: that was low of you Adakis…
Adakis: I know… but how else was I going to get you to reconsider?
Sid: you just had to mention her name
Adakis doesn’t respond to him.
Sid: fine… I’ll stay
The door to the shop opens up suddenly, Sid draws his dual pistols.
Nero approaches from another room and just stands there.
Nero: I won't need any rescuing
Sid: dude! You’re back, what the hell were you thinking!?
Nero: I was thinking I needed this
Nero shows him the pendant.
Sid: you… got it?
Nero: ...
Adakis: I take it you have what you wanted
Nero: yes
Sid: wait, what happened to Enzo?
Nero: what had to happen
Sid: you didn’t kill him… did you?
Nero: he’s probably dead. If the fall didn’t kill him, it gives me another opportunity to do it again
Sid: The… fall? Nero, what happened?
Nero: stop asking me stupid questions Sid. Now, Adakis...find my brother
He orders.
To Be Continued...
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Reborn: Ascension
ActionThe story takes place after the events of the past. It's been a year and a half year ago since Nero has been captured by the army, and Leo went missing, leaving Sid to come up with an idea of how he's going to get him free from the army's hold. Sid...
