Endless Summer

Epilogue

Two hundred and four days ago...

Dawn is breaking as Diego trudges through the rainforest, his hands bound tight with vines. He sighs. Welp, looks like I'm heading to the belly of the beast...

Several Watchers armed with amber blades escort him on the journey.

No way I can outrun these guys. They mean business.

Diego's foot catches on a tree root, and he trips forward, skinning his knee on a rock. A blue hand gently extends before him. Diego looks up. The unmasked leader, his golden eyes somehow kind, offers help up. Diego hesitates, then takes it.

"Thanks."

The leader nods. "Tuun dominai."

As the group resumes its march, Diego scans his surroundings.

My only choice is to make a run for it. We're coming up on a ridge close by. Maybe if I can beat them to it, I can slide down before they catch me.

He swallows hard.

This is crazy, but it's my only shot. And it's probably the plan YN would come up with, so...

Diego takes a deep breath and bolts. He shoulders one guard out of the way and ducks under another's outstretched arms. Diego meets the unmasked Watcher's eyes as he goes. The leader alone does not react. He simply watches. Diego scrambles through the trees.

The ridge is just on the other side of these bushes! I'm almost there!

He fights through the bushes and into the sunshine. He skids to a stop. The ridge looks down into a broad valley and a sprawling village of Watchers. Below in the town, dozens of Watchers look up at the commotion.

"Aw crap..."

Earlier that night...

Lila hurries through the halls on the fifteenth floor of The Celestial, looking over her shoulder. Behind her, a Watcher gives chase, wielding a sharp spear of amber. Lila races into an open room to hide but the Watcher follows her in.

"Oh no..."

The Watcher corners her against the large window, fifteen stories up. Lila cowers, trembling. Lowering the spear, the Watcher closes in with a length of vine to tie her up. As he draws near, Lila unleashes a vicious flurry of fists, each strike expertly targeted and brutally delivered.

Lila's punches pulverize his trachea, his orbital bone, his ribs. He drops the spear. Lila grabs it and circles around, now cornering the Watcher by the window. The enemy heaves, wounded. Lila blows her hair out of her face and stares down her prey.

"Now then." She narrows her eyes. "Where is Everett? What have you done with him?"

The Watcher looks at her through the mask, his eyes soft and lost.

"Everett! Where is he? Rourke! Tell me! Rourke, you understand?"

Lila's voice cracks from sobs.The Watcher just looks at her, confused.

"The Hydra!"

The Watcher's eyes light up with recognition then fear.

"That's right, now you know who I'm talking about. Where is he?"

He shakes his head. "Lok rii damal'nuun..."

Lila breaks down in tears, dropping the spear. She covers her face in her hands. "You... you don't know anything... do you? Then what good are you?"

Her eyes flash with fire. She kicks the Watcher square in the chest. He flies backwards, shattering the window, and plummets fifteen stories. Lila cracks her neck and sees herself in a mirror. She fixes her hair, tucking it behind her ear, and walks out.