All the Space Between Us (A Deathless Series Story)

Episode Thirty-Three: Explosions (Part Two)

YURI

I step forward, my palms sweating and my heartbeat already picking up to a nearly dangerous rhythm. I can feel myself in the beginning stages of losing control--I've been here before--but I need to be a few steps closer if I want to make sure, without a doubt, that President McCleary dies. 

I am a nuclear warhead, but I need to be precise. I feel sorry for the people and the families around me... but so many more will die if I don't do this. I bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from crying.

I'm next in line. 

"Ticket and identification, sir," the guard orders.

"I, uh, I don't have them... I thought these tours were self-guided."

My blood pressure raises. My cheeks feel warmer. I need to make this worse, though.

"They are, but we can't let just anyone in the White House, sir. I'm sorry, you'll have to come back another day. Next!"

I don't budge. 

"Sir, step aside."

My temperature raises. I push the guard. 

"Make me," I tell him.

The guard's expression changes to one of wild, angry confusion.

"Yuri!" Someone shouts from way down the line behind me.

I turn around. Tempest! No!

"Sir, get out of the line. Do not make me use force," the guard tells me.

I need him to use force. I need to be angry, but I also don't want Tempest to get caught up in this. She was supposed to be in Hicksmon, or whatever it's called in this time.

I have to make a decision--the hardest decision in my life: Do I combust or do I let history happen all over again?

I love Tempest. But I can't let the world and the future down. 

I turn back around, despite the fact that Tempest is running up the line towards me. Neo was behind her. They could have had a nice life together. I could have done them that favor.

"I'm not moving. You're going to have to remove me by force," I tell the guard.

He grabs my arm, and punch him in the face. He holds his mouth for a moment before punching me right back. Before I know it, I'm red with heat and anger, and three other guards come to arrest me. I kick and scream and listen to Tempest's last words--"Yuri, stop! You don't have to do this!"--while I know damn well that it's already too late. Now I do have to do this, because my body has already passed the point of no return. 

It's too late. 

I take one last breath, and then... I go nuclear.