A Breath of Fresh Air - e.w.

39

When Lia emerged from the water, she immediately felt Ellie's hand cover her mouth. Lia furrowed her eyebrows at Ellie, only just looking behind her to see the WLF patrol through the cracks in the wall. She nodded her head at the auburn-haired girl, silently following Jesse and Ellie through the water.

"Sniper sighted at the marina. I repeat, sniper sighted at the marina. Likely a trespasser."

Lia turns to Jesse and Ellie, mouthing Tommy? Which they reply with a shrug. The girl let out a sigh, following Jesse up a rope up onto the top, overlooking the WLF patrol. She turned to Jesse, following him and looking down where she spotted the marina.

"Ellie," Jesse whispers the girl, "We can get to the marina through here."

"No," Ellie shook her head, "We're taking their boat."

"You heard them, right? They're talking about Tommy."

"We don't know that."

"Who else would it be?" Jesse questions, his tone turning agitated towards the girl.

"If it is him, he'll be gone by the time we get there. Abby is where he'll be headed, so if we just foll-"

"What if he's in trouble?" Jesse cuts Ellie off.

"He can take care of himself," Ellie shrugged, causing both Lia and Jesse to stare at the girl. One with disappointment and the other with anger.

"Jesus Christ."

"The best way to help Tommy is to go after Abby," Ellie justifies. Lia stays quiet at the two as she closes her eyes and shakes her head, "You do this, I'm not saving your ass again."

"And if I go with him?" Lia questions, "You gonna save my ass?"

Ellie's lips part as she stares at Lia with a frown. Jesse saves her from saying anything, "I really hope you make it," he says quietly before heading towards the hole in the wall and towards the marina.

"I'm sorry," Ellie says to Lia before turning and jumping off the side and back down into the water.

Lia stands there, not sure who to follow in the moments. Does she do the right thing and go after Tommy or follow her heart and go after Ellie?

"Go," Jesse says to Lia, stepping back forward before he left, "make sure she doesn't get her ass killed. I'll go find Tommy."

"Be safe," Lia whispers to Jesse who nods.

"Be smart."

Lia pauses at Jesse's words. She feels his eyes staring into her and she feels a lump in her throat at those words. Even though Jesse says them all the time, this time it really hit her.

Lia turns to where Ellie jumped down, following after the girl and diving into the water. She swam to the other side, opposite of where she first jumped in, and emerged with barely enough breath as she tried to stay quiet.

Her eyes pause on a patroller ahead of her. Lia noticed an opening beside him, so she quickly held her breath and dove under water. When she emerged again, she was careful before grabbing his back and pulling him in the water, her knife ready to plunge itself into his neck.

When she felt the life leave him, Lia quickly pushed his body away and ducked out of water again. She pulled herself out, slowly walking up the stairs where she saw another two patrollers. Lia waited for the two to separate before she threw her first knife and then threw another. Once they were both down, Lia retrieved her knives and went to the edge to try and spot Ellie.

Lia found the girl crawling around on the other side. She waited for Ellie to look up, and when she did, Lia waved to the girl to let her know she was with her.