The Number Above our Heads

Chapter 18 Lukis

I look up from the rifle in time to see Viron fall. Everyone around stops fighting and looks over at him.

I can't believe I did that, I can't believe I did that, I can't believe I did that, I say over and over again in my head. Res looks up and searches for me in the building. Her eyes fall onto the window and lock onto mine. I get up quickly and grab my rifle. I race out of the building and find Res on the field. She looks over at me but before I can get closer, she is suddenly swarmed by Viron's army.

"Res!" I try to get through them. I hear her yelling as the mob starts moving towards the castle. I grab a gun from the ground and start shooting at them. They start to fall and some of them back away. I run up to Res and find her face bruised and bloody and her clothes ripped.

I pick her up and help her stand. She seats for a moment before leaping up and wrapping me in a hug. I hold her for a moment as she whispers softly into my shoulder.

"You did it, you did it. You killed him," she repeats. She then goes motionless and I realize that she's passed out.

"Res!" I hear Blythe say as she comes running across the field. She looks at me and her face goes red. I lay Res down on the ground. "What happened to her?"

"Some of Viron's soldiers attacked when he died, I don't know why. I helped her up and she just passed out," I shrug.

"Too much excitement probably," she laughs. She looks at me suddenly serious. "We're going back to the station, remind me to talk to you when we get there. I have some explaining to do."

I watch as she runs off to find Rycker. I feel a pat on my shoulder and see Alaric behind me. "What happened to her?" He asks.

"She was attacked when Viron died and passed out," I explain.

"Can you carry her?" He asks and I nod. "Good, bring her to one of the pods and we'll go back to the station."

I do as he says and find my pod, I load her in then hop in. I close the door and start up the pod. "Why are we going back so soon? Shouldn't we stay and celebrate?" I ask through my earpiece.

"We can't stay here. If we did, we would be killed immediately by Viron's followers. We have to let someone else take over before we can come back," Millais explains.

"What if one of Viron's followers takes over and does the same thing?" I ask.

"Then we will come back and kill every one of Viron's followers and destroy the Castle. Lukis, this was just a small battle in a large revolution," Alaric sighs. "This is a lot bigger than you might realize."

The pod starts up and I launch. Res stirs at the feeling of it. I reach over and take her hand. She opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Hey, you good?" I ask.

"Yeah, I feel better. Hey Lukis?" She says.

"Yeah," I ask squeezing her hand.

"I love you," she says as she passes out again.

"I love you too," I answer.

.  .  .

I sit in the kitchen with the others discussing what our next move should be. Everyone talks at the same time over each other.

"We should wait for someone to take over, maybe they will be better than Viron," Rycker says.

"We all know that isn't true," Millais fires back. "One of his followers will take over."

"Should we try to get someone of our own into office?" Blythe suggests.

"No, we will let this play out and see what happens," Alaric responds.

"Maybe we should let someone else fight the rest of this war, we've done our part," Rycker suggests.

"That's not enough, everyone is still too scared. No one will help us," Res shakes her head.

"You can't be too sure about that," Millais says winking.

"Will other countries help?" Blythe asks.

"Every other country hates us, if we ask them to help they will just backstab us and betray us in the end," Alaric answers. "We just have to let this play out and step in when and if we need to. For now, we wait. No one can leave this station and go to Earth unless instructed otherwise. I must go to my room now."

He nods at us then stands up to leave. Millais stands to until Blythe speaks up. "Actually, do you have a minute? I have to tell you all something."

Alaric looks at her suspiciously but sits back down. "What is it?"

She looks up at me and Res but looks away quickly when I catch her eye. "Well, I don't really know how to start but I will say it simply: Viron was my father and Lukis is my brother."

We all sit there for a minute, shocked. I let the words go through my head a few times trying to get them to sink in but they don't. I look at Res but she is staring at the table unmoving.

"I-I'm sorry for not telling you. I couldn't, I felt like I was betraying you just by being born," Blythe says. I notice tears forming in her eyes.

Alaric is the one who finally speaks. "You aren't betraying us by telling us this. It shows us how strong you are because you carried this with you, even through Viron's death. You helped us defeat him, you couldn't be more loyal," he says. She smiles weakly at him but goes back to staring at the table.

"How? I don't know anything anymore. Explain, explain what happened," I say almost begging.

Then she does. She tells me about our parents divorcing and my mother trying to hide me. She tells me how Viron found me and killed my new parents. She tells me how our mother worked so hard to erase my memories of him. Then she tells me about how my mother changed my power.

"My power?" I ask.

"She changed everything about you, Lukis. She worked so hard to hide you from Viron. She even changed your name," she says.

I stare at her dumbfounded. I can't even speak. Luckily Res asks it for me.

"What was his name before?" She asks.

"Axe."