Redemption

Chapter 25

The drone hums on. I am broken. I am done. I feel like there is no purpose for this mission. There is no purpose for anything. I've been broken. The society has won. I have been defeated. I have fallen out. I am a walking corpse. I am gone. I am dark. I am corrupted. I am angry. I am afraid.

"Mac, what is AoSA?" I demand, staring at the new pilot.

"They will tell you."

"Mac. They don't exist." my voice cracks. Claire died for nothing. Claire died for someone, something invisible.

"Yes, Avery, they do." Mac keeps his eyes straightforward, concentrated with the task at hand.

"Mac, I need to know what Claire died for." Claire feels weird on my tongue.

"No."

"How dare you? You think that Claire's death was nothing! Just another person slowing us down! Don't you?"

Mac snaps, "Avery, Claire's death has hurt you! I understand that! I hurt too! This rebellion? This rebellion will change the world, I swear to you!"

"You and your rebellion." I clarify.

"I am not the only one in this." he whispers.

"Yes, you are."

"AoSA, Avery? Is that what you want to know?" Mac spits.

"Yes, it is Mac." I spit back.

"Anarchy of the Society Alaska. It was the United States of America's federal bureau before and after the Purge of the People."

My mind explodes, "What was the Purge of the People?"

"After the war, a dictator took over. He started the Purge. He killed half the world's population with a nuclear weapon. The other half? He let die of starvation, wounds, diseases, everything Avery. He took in the last people. He started the Society, the Academy, termination, everything."

I don't reply.

"What Avery? You don't respond? Classic."

"What do you freaking mean?" I spit.

"Nothing at all, nothing."

The drone shudders. I look outside, pondering what I've been told. The land is getting less and less touched. I press my hand against the window. It's cold.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Canada." Mac points to a navigation system.

"How much longer?" I ask.

"A day at least."

I sit back into the hard chair, "Fine."

~

The nightmares are getting worse. Its been about 10 hours since our departure. I cannot stop thinking about Claire. Adelene comforts Meghan in the hangar, but I should be the one with her. I fall back to sleep.

I go dreamless.

I'm floating.

It's white.

I pass out.

~

"Avery?" Adalene shakes my shoulder.

I stare up at her, "What?"

"There's something you need to see."

I sit up to a blinding whiteness, just like from my dream. Adalene and a puffy eyed Meghan stare down at me. I get up. We've landed. I look out the window to see a building. Mac is in front of it talking to a tall, weary eyed woman with short blonde hair.

I get out of the aircraft.

"Mac?" I ask.

"Avery, meet Grace Thompson." he gestures to the middle aged woman.

I nod to the Grace, "Avery Rider."

"I've heard." she says, a smile pulling at her wrinkled cheeks. Aging came quickly to her. She probably carries the weight of the world.

"Well then, Ms. Rider, we have much to talk about."