The Carriers

Chapter Twenty Nine (finale)

She nodded hesitantly and let go of my hand. "Okay." With that, she scurried off to find 'Cal.'

When Luci was out of earshot, Leiana continued. "What happened to Matt?"

"He.." I trailed off, not really wanting to bring back the mental image of Matt getting tortured that I'd been trying to keep out of my mind. "They.. they needed a password... Matt was the only one they knew had it."

She pursed her lips angrily and shook her head in disgust. "They're never going to stop."

She was right. There was no way to really stop them. They could run all they wanted, but there was nowhere to go; who knew how far F.E.A.R's reach on earth was. Even if they got away now, how soon before they get caught again? How many more people would die the next time?

"Let's not think about that.. We have to focus on what's ahead right now.. or we'll never get off this godforsaken ship."

"I know.. But what happens when we're off?"

".. I don't know.. I'm sure Arey has something in mind."

"Yeah, because Arey is sure trustworthy.."

    I studied her frustrated and frightened expression. "Hey.."

    "What?"

    "I know how you feel.. We don't have any other options, though. Anything is better than just going back."

    She scoffed and shook her head. "Yeah.. It doesn't make it any easier."

    "Tell me about it.."

    "So- if you don't mind me asking- what sort of password did they need from Matt?"

    "Um-" I hesitated. "The kind that makes sure they get to New Eden without getting blown up."

    "By New Eden?"

     "Yeah.. Basically all they needed was the password to the only weapons system keeping them from getting to New Eden."

     "And taking it over..."

     "Exactly."

     "Great.. and what purpose do we serve exactly?"

     "Sending a message.. By executing us."

     "Oh." She took a deep breath as Arey threw open the escape pod chamber's doors at long last. "What message would that be?"

     "'Freak out.' 'We're going to kill you too.' Along those lines." I looked around at the massive room. It was probably five stories high with probably two to three hundred escape pod hatches covering the entirety of the far wall, ladders and platforms leading up to the higher placed ones.

      "They really hate us don't they?"

      "You have no idea.." I thought about how intense Brealyn's fury at New Eden and it's leader's was. Leiana knew it. Matt knew it..  I knew it.. These people would stop at nothing to destroy our planet and take everything stolen from them -their freedom, their families, their very lives. Nothing could stop them.

     I stood back and watched as Arey one by one opened the hatches to several escape pods. People climbed in a few at a time; Luci, I could see, was carried by Cal and gently taken into the third pod. I relaxed a little seeing her one step closer to safety.

     Leiana turned to me. "I'll go help them board. See you on the other side, friend."

     I looked at her, unsure of my next words. "Okay, but.." I hesitated. I had made a decision in the back of my head, but saying it out loud was admitting it to her and myself that I was about to do something very stupid. "Um.. can I ask you for a favor?"