They Called Her the Devil

Chapter 48, Izzie

Nora and Daniel were dead.

If only I'd escaped with Xander and Leo. If I'd only jumped a little faster in front of the bullet. If only it were me being buried in the old graveyard three miles from the base. If only I could be with both sets of my parents.

I hadn't even known my mother was dead until my father was gone too.

My pillow was stained with tears from the night before. I'd cried myself to sleep missing Daniel and Nora. I was going to smash through the walls of the building and run straight to Alex.

Alex. My baby brother. I was going to wrap him in my arms and be okay as I pushed away my grief to care for him.

Lia wrapped her arms around me in a hug from behind. She'd stayed with me on and off to comfort me. I'd barely gotten out of the bed since she'd helped me into it two days ago.

"It's going to be okay Hermosa. I promise it will get better."

I sobbed harder. It would never get better. Lia just held me; I wanted to hug her back but didn't have the energy to move.

Alex must be so scared. I'll bring him here as soon as I can.

But I couldn't bring Alex to the Legion. It was no place for a child. Xander would take care of him.

I'd have to go back to the Order. I couldn't leave little Alex alone. He was the only family I had left.

I never even got to call Daniel dad like I'd always wanted to.

Then my bedroom door opened and Dawn strolled in. My hand reflexively went to the gun on my nightstand. Dawn was a backstabbing tortuous snake.

"Hey girls. Sucks about your dad Iz." Dawn said.

Lia's knife hit the doorframe an inch away from Dawn's head.

"I won't miss next time. What the fuck do you want?" Lia snapped, as her grip around my shoulders got tighter.

I defied my typical nature and leaned further into the safety of the blanket. I wanted Dawn to leave, preferably in a body bag.

"Just wanted to tell Lia I loved her idea to poison Xander to get the Silver Order base location. Can't wait to see if it works."

And then Dawn swooped out, leaving chaos in her wake.

Lia wouldn't do such a thing. She wouldn't. She knew I cared about Xander like a brother. She knew my family was at that base and that Death wouldn't hesitate to bomb it if he found the location.

"Why?" the word fell out of my mouth. "Why would you do that?"

"Izzie I swear the poison was never meant to kill him. Kate had MC-57 on hand for-" her guilt was all I needed to know.

"For what Lia. For after you got the location of our base. Or were you going to wait until Death killed all of my friends and family."

I pulled myself out of bed with surprising energy, grabbed my x-com, and started for the door.

"Hermosa, please! I had to help the Legion, I'm so sorry."

"I don't care. My parents are dead. You want to kill my brother. You want to kill everyone. I never want to see you again."

As I looked at her for the last time I saw the tattoo winding around her arm. Several lines of code that when typed into and x-com displayed the words: 'I love you'. A meaning I hadn't told her yet.

I slammed the door behind me.

I sprinted past the elevator and to the stairs. I had to find Kate and stop her. I had no idea where she'd be so I took my x-com out and brought up the security camera feed I technically wasn't supposed to have.

The Devil was in a first-floor sitting room with Xander. Then I took off towards the room. A maid had placed a tray of food in front of him.

My feet were flying as I raced down the stairs.

Xander had found me scared and alone at fifteen. I'd escaped a life of misery with no options and he'd helped me reach greatness.

He'd loved me when nobody else had bothered.

We'd fought together and saved each other's lives more times than I could count. He was my best friend. And a world without him just wasn't worth living in.

And as I slammed through the stairwell door and raced toward the sitting room I prepared myself to take on the Devil herself fully unarmed.

And when I heard shouting I just kept running towards him.

And when I felt hands wrap around my wait I turned and I fought.

I kicked and bit and screamed for Xander.

Because if he could just hear me everything would be ok.

If he could just make it a little longer I could fight them off and save him.

My teeth were bloody though I wasn't sure whose blood I tasted. My nails had scraped through flesh. My head hurt from being slammed against the floor.

And as the guards dragged me screaming from my best friend I swore to myself I'd never trust Lia again.

She'd murdered Alexander John Silver. The greatest man I'd ever loved.

The next thing I knew I was lying on the floor of a gray prison cell. I shakily stood and winced from my injuries and lack of MC-57.

Then the door came into existence and I leapt for it.

And the lock must have been on the outside since I didn't see it.

And banging repeatedly against a door, hoping against all logic that it would open, was the only option left to me.

And Xander couldn't be dead. He just couldn't be dead He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead.

Xander just could not be dead.

***

Hi people! What will happen to little Alex? Will Izzie ever forgive Lia? How do you think Izzie will react when she finds out Xander's alive? Please vote and comment, I want to know what you think!

-Jade

P.s. this is by far one of the most emotional things I've ever written. I was almost crying towards the end.