Into Ruin

Chapter 23 The Return

Olivia didn't stop for rest or sleep on the way back until Reggie caught up with her and forcibly stopped her bike. Her arms were trembling and breaths ragged, but it wasn't from the exertion. She was a coward, trading the lives of two capable young men for her own. Stopping would only give her more time to focus on her actions. At least in motion, she could fixate on the pain and aches of her muscles and joints instead.

Reggie stood in front of her bike, hands on the bars, straddling her front tire. "We're going back to the camp about a mile back. Quinton's ankle can't take many more days like this."

Reggie's breaths came out in wheezes not quite as pronounced as hers. Tears stung the back of her eyes and her mouth grew dry.

"You did the right thing," he said with a sigh.

Olivia couldn't even put on forced a smile. It would have been hard for him to say, knowing how much he liked and mentored both Gunnar and Matt. She didn't trust her own words to come out clearly.

"We only had a short window and realistically we couldn't get them out. Those boys are tougher than you give them credit for, and they're in this together now."

But all she could picture was Gunnar lying in a cell bleeding and in pain, and Matt not far off.

"Chin up, we'll be back soon and you can see your men again," Reggie teased.

She narrowed her eyes and Reggie's grip on the handlebars loosened.

"Or just the one. Avoid Marcel if you can. I can tell him what happened."

Olivia's shoulders relaxed a touch, until a day ago that thought would have consoled her, but now she didn't want to face anyone with the knowledge of what she'd done. It would be painfully obvious, especially to those waiting for their return.

"So, can I step away from the bike? You're not going to pull an Energizer bunny and power all the way home or collapse in the ditch? We can go back to camp?"

Taking the cue from her nod, he got back on his own bike and they resumed their ride back at a slower pace. Reggie's words caused her mind to leap to Edward. He'd react to all of this by consoling her, holding her, and telling her it wasn't her fault. As much as she craved that, she knew she didn't deserve that. Marcel would blame her decisions for two more lives lost and he wouldn't be wrong.

***

Several days dragged on as Olivia berated herself. As they navigated through the city, Nouveau Depart's carefully maintained greenhouse stood out against the warehouse. A few people ran back into the warehouse, shouting. Olivia smoothed her hair, tugged her ponytail tight and put on a brave face.

The large door to the warehouse that would have let in delivery trucks creaked open and the community members watched them arrive like they were stuck in the concrete. It wasn't until the road-trippers grew closer that anyone made a move. Maybe they could sense her failure already.

Amelia walked up to her husband and embraced him briefly before the two pulled away and stared at each other like strangers. Reggie managed to maneuver Marcel out of Olivia's path by throwing an arm around his shoulder and distracting him with news about Vegas. Relief flooded her for a fleeting moment.

A man with a beard and bruised nose looked at her with a familiar smirk, a green shirt hugging his arm muscles closely.

"Ground control to Major Olivia," Edward said. "My face is up here."

Olivia fell into his open embrace, too tired to react to his statement. "How long have we been gone? You look different."

He gave her a gentle kiss that helped block out her thoughts for a moment. "Too long."

As they pulled away and she looked around, it was clear that other people were thinning as well. Marcel's face looked gaunt as his cheeks receded in. Her eyes travelled back to Edward quickly, in fear that Marcel would take it as a cue to approach her.

"How is the food supply?"

"Meager. We've been waiting out your arrival to move to new ground." He managed the news with a smile but his hands rested on his stomach.

New ground would mean the boys, even if they miraculously found their way back, would still be lost. "We can't move," her voice came out far more panicked than she intended.

"Unless you want to recreate your favourite zombie film, we'll have to."

She wrote the remark off as Edward just being his usual self. "We- we left two behind."

Edward's eyes widened.

"It was fight or flight and we didn't have the manpower or resources to come out alive." That was what she told herself to sleep at night, not that she believed it nor could she sleep.

A whimper from the nearby Mastiff caught Olivia's attention. Vita stood with it, eagerly watching the approaching team on the horizon. Nate had hung back to keep pace with Quinton and they were just arriving. Olivia sighed as her stomach flew to her throat like it had skydiving into the first colony. She owed it to Gunnar to break the news to her. 

The blonde teen tensed as Olivia grew closer until her wide, eager eyes narrowed and her near smile faded into a scowl. "It's not something I want to hear, is it?"

"I'm really sorry, Vita," Olivia started.

"Don't bother, I should have known better," she said before turning away from the door.

"Vita, wait," Olivia called out but the girl didn't stop.

She made a beeline for the quiet, front lounge area. Olivia took time to prepare herself to break the news as she approached. Her solace was that the boys were still alive when they left, hardly alive, but close. When Vita looked up from her perch on the worn couch, her face was frozen between sorrow and rage, but she had no problem telling Olivia off with tears streaming down her face. Then she clutched her legs to her chest.

Olivia sat down a cushion's distance from her. "He's alive, Vita. He's just didn't come back with us."

Vita picked at the skin around her nails. "Why? Was it better there?"

"He was hurt and his identity was compromised."

The tears stopped for a moment and Vita sat a little taller. "Then I'll go find him! You'll take me, won't you? If you won't, Reggie will."

Olivia's heart beat faster. She wished they had gone back every day, but there was no changing it now. Yuri and the others were likely long gone as well. "You can't go after him. We left for good reasons and their defences will be at their highest now."

In a quick motion, Vita flew up off the seat and stood in front of Olivia. "I don't care. We'll find a way in. If you did it once, you can do it again."

"He also asked me to deliver a message to you. It has to do with his apprehension." It was the worst time, but Olivia was struggling to steer the conversation elsewhere. Maybe she could pull this off, just like a Band-Aid.

Vita waited and stared, arms wrapped protectively around her stomach. "A man you both knew, Rob-" Vita's face paled at the mention. "He's alive, and he's in Vegas."

Olivia had to reach forward quickly to catch the frail girl before she hit the ground. It was a good thing Olivia never had a child because she was downright awful at taking care of these troubled teens.