The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

Chapter 24

Cora sat on the steps to the upstairs of the house as the group gathered around the kitchen. She picked at the fabric of her clothes as she hung her head low. Hunter noticed how quiet she had gotten when they returned back to the farm.

"Hm."  Tech said looking through his pad. "It appears all public transport is now restricted without chain codes."

"Which Cut can't sign up for." Suu said sitting across from the clone. "He'll be arrested when they discover he's a deserter." She looked to her husband.

"The next shuttle leaves in a few hours." Cut told the group, "Codes or no codes, we need to be on it."

Before anyone else could speak, Shaeeah's voice yelled from outside. "Mom!" Her voice was panicked. She came running in the house, causing Cut and Suu to stand. "Mom, it's Omega!" Hunter perked up, no longer in a relaxed position, "She went out past the fence!"

Cut and Suu raced towards the outside, both grabbing their blasters by the door. Hunter jumped from his seat and raced after them. Cora pushed through the other guys, grabbing her blaster that lay near the door. Suu ran up to the top of the house with her sniper. Cut and Cora stood with the other two children, keeping themselves as a shield to them. Hunter ran out into the field with only his knife. A cat like creature hissed and growled as Hunter hit it with his knife, stepping in front of a scared Omega. Suu, from the top of the house, fired down and hit the monster, making it growl again. Cora lifted her blaster and shot it in the side of the chest. It looked towards her and growled, before turning away and running back up the field. Suu kept shooting at it, making sure it would stay away.

Hunter quickly led Omega back over the fence, the ball the kids played with tightly in her grasped, pressed against her chest. Cora ran over to them, with Cut and the kids close behind.

"What were you doing out there?" Hunter's voice was rough and rude. "Do you realize you could've been killed?" He demanded.

Omega, who wasn't looking at Hunter, was too afraid. She hugged the ball, trying to make herself as small as possible. Cora pushed Hunter back with his shoulder, trying to get him to cool down. Cut stepped on, nodding sternly to Hunter to back off.

"Easy." Cut said. "She's not a soldier."

Hunter hard serious expression quickly turned into regret. His face softened as he looked sadly down to Omega as Cut got on his knees to comfort her.

"Are you hurt?" Cut put a soft hand on her shoulder. "Now, let's take a look here." His hand lifted her cheek and looked her over.

Cora got down next to her, Omega's eyes pained with tears as she looked at Cora. She turned to Cut again. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I was trying to get the ball." Omega leaned forward and buried her head in Cora's shoulder. Cora wrapped her arms around the girl and hugged her back. "I didn't know." Omega said between tears.

Cora looked up and saw that everyone in the group, looked to the girl with such sadness. Something they had become to used to, all the scary, dangerous missions, had seemed so frightening to a little girl. They all saw that shift and the unfamiliarity to this life verse Omega's.

"You're safe." Cora whispered, "that's all that matters." Cora picked her up, Omega's soft tears could be felt through the fabric of her shirt. She walked her back towards the house, with Cut by her side.

"Hey, kid. You all right?" Wrecker asked with concern.

"She'll be fine." Cut told them as he led Cora with Omega back into the small house. "Take her upstairs." Cut whispered as Cora nodded.

Cora looked over her shoulder and saw Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo all standing outside, watching the two with sadness in their eyes. They had no idea what they had gotten themselves into.

Cora held Omega and placed her sitting on the bed. She avoided the Senators eyes as Cora kneeled in front of her, taking the ball from her hands. She laid it next to her and grabbed the girls hands. "That wasn't your fault." She cooed.

Omega sniffed back her tears. "I feel like a burden." She admitted. "I can't fight, I can't do anything."

"You are not a burden." Cora said wiping her tears from her soft cheeks.

"I don't belong on Kamino, and I don't belong here with them. I don't belong anywhere."

Cora softly cupped Omega's face. "You belong here." She told her. "Things will be hard, and we all have to learn from this. But you belong here."

Omega's lips twitched as she leaned forward and hugged Cora. She hugged back and smiled to Omega.

She couldn't let Hunter leave her. This wasn't an option anymore.

"Can we go back on the ship?" She asked leaning away. "I don't really wanna be around Hunter right now."

Cora smiled and chuckled. "Of course." She understood that feeling of not wanting to be around Hunter all too well.

Cora lifted Omega up and balanced her on her hip. She walked downstairs and out into the field. She passed the guys but they said nothing as they watched Omega look away from them, almost in shame at what she did. Cora passed Hunter, and sent him a glare. Hunter rubbed his shoulder and looked away in shame.

Cora opened the ship and let Omega down. She sat in the back. She looked up to the sky and then back towards Cora. "I wanna be alone right now." She whispered.

"Okay." Cora nodded. "I'll be back at the house if you need me, okay kid?"

Omega nodded and offered a sad smile to Cora. The Senator gave a tight smile and walked off the ship. She walked back towards the house and sighed to herself. She lifted her her head and saw Cut and Suu talking with Hunter. The couple nodded and turned away from the Sergeant as Cora approached him.

"Where's Omega?" He asked.

"Back on the ship. She wanted to be alone." Cora said leaning on the outside of the house.

"How... is she?" Hunter hesitated with his question. Almost like he was unsure of what the right questions were.

"She's pretty beat up about this whole thing." Cora was honest. "She doesn't feel like she belongs with you."

Hunter sighed and looked towards the field. "Cut and Suu agreed to take her when they leave Saleucami."

"Hunter, no." Cora turned to him, no longer leaning on the wall.

"It's better for her, she'll be safer with them."

"Didn't you go back to Kamino to rescue her?" Cora's voice got angry. "You risked your team for family, she's family. Why pass her off then?"

"Because I-"

"No." Cora cut Hunter off. She waved him off and sighed. "I promised her I'd be there for her, because you couldn't promise that." Cora looked to Hunter with fire in her eyes, "She's a child, she needs your support! Not your demands and orders like a soldier." Cora turned away and walked off down the fields.

"Cora, wait!" Hunter yelled after her, he grabbed her arm as she jerked her arm from his grasp.

"No." She growled. "You don't leave your own behind, that's how this works. Yet here you are, leaving a child because you don't understand."

"It's better for her." Hunter narrowed his eyes.

"No it's not." Cora shook her head. "It's better for you."

Hunter watched helplessly as Cora walked off into the house, leaving him in the sunlight alone. He sighed and rubbed his face. Hunter really messed up.