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Nathaniel stared at the photo in his trembling hands. Tears gushing down his face as memories flooded his mind. He bit his lip to stop from screaming out in pain. He was alone in his room tucked in the very back corner. He threw his head back and looked at the ceiling, trying to stop the tears. He tapped his head against the wall for several minuets. He looked back down at the photo and smiled weakly, everything he had ever done was catching up on him. He lifted his spanner, which had fallen beside him, and examined it. Guy had given it to him several years ago to help boost his confidence.
Nathaniel was a normal kid living on the streets in New York when the Aliens attacked. He was an orphan of thirteen with no life, no goals or hope. He wandered the streets gathering what little food there was to feed himself and a small group of humans hiding in an old apartment building. It was dangerous but he had no other options.
One day he walked a bit too far and the Alien Sentinels saw him and attacked the street he was in. A resistance group emerged and helped the families get away but the offense was too great. Nathaniel did something stupid. He threw himself out in the open to distract the Aliens while the others escaped. Crying, he stood there arms out screaming at the Sentinels. One reached down and knocked him aside like a small pebble. He hit the ground hard, his head bleeding and then when he was about to be crushed someone jumped on him.
Surprised he looked up and saw a young girl lying on top of him. She coughed, blood pouring out her mouth. She fell back onto the ground and when he sat up and saw three more humans and another in a wheelchair. He watched in horror as the girl died and dubbed him Nathaniel. He didn't know what to do but grab her hand and when he did something sparked, not like in his heart but through his arm and to his brain. He fell back into another persons arms and was taken away while the girl died in what looked like her brothers arms.
He was taken back to the Underground which became his new home. He quickly adapted to the new surroundings but still felt out of place. He was assigned to a team alongside two girls and three boys. Emilie, Olivia, Tomas, Jaymes and Aaron. They all seemed very strong and talented but he had no real skill and when Guy offered him a place on the Ops team he quickly learned lots of basic skills with computers and machines. He became a team player from a distance. He didn't go on missions with the others as he feared he would be a burden. He was quiet tall like the other boys but smaller in frame. His blonde hair was always a mess, oils and dust was always there and something like grease, oil, black soot or something was always on his clothes. He always had a spanner in hsi pocket and a device in the other. He was different from the others.
He always wondered what they have gone through but to be polite, he never asked. As the years went on he became a proper member and soon the others began to accept him. Tomas was hesitant at first from all the things that happened back in New York but soon, after some pushing, opened up a little. They became a strong team and Nathaniel loved it, being a part of something bigger with a cause. Everyday he was surrounded by people who actually loved him. Who cared enough to ask if something was wrong or if he was doing fine in training.
When he and the others were betrayed by Guy nothing could have been more crushing. Since they left Washington he has felt nothing but dread and uneasiness. He tried his best to hide it from the others because along the way they discovered powers, something he lacked. All he did was work on machines and computers. The months flew by and they were in Rio and he still had no power. All his life, he just wanted to do something great and worthy. He was always the one who was kicked to the side first. When Emilie had shot that fireball at him and scared the shit out of him, he was glad as that had opened the door into his inner strength. Even though he was a little late, he felt like he could contribute more to the team now he had powers.
I can help more. Maybe I won't be so weak that they forget about me. This is my time to shine and be ready for anything. I can't let anything drag me down. After all, I am just a lowly boy from the New York streets, orphaned like a lot of kids now-a-days. But...but. I can do this. I won't ever back down. It's my turn to show what I can do for this team and everyone else coming to fight.
'Nate?' Tomas said knocking on the door, 'Are you in there?'
'Yeah,' he wiped his tears away, 'Come in.' Tomas opened the door and shut it behind me, 'What's up?'
'I came to talk to you.' He's never done this. Something must've happened otherwise he wouldn't have said anything to me. What's this about?
'What's wrong?'
He sighed and took a seat next to his "brother" and looked him in the eye, 'How are you feeling about all this? Honestly, don't smudge the truth or I will know. How do you feel about this?'
Nathaniel gulped. Tomas was actually taking interest in what he was thinking! He looked down at his toes, 'I was just thinking about New York.'
'With Guy?'
'No. The first time I met you guys. That time in New York.' He whispered and Tomas sniffed, 'I was just remembering everything from that day and now that I think about it, it's been fucking horrible. Nothing we have done has even made a difference. All you guys got your powers months ago but I only got them last week. All I wanted was to be like you, Aaron, Emilie, Olivia and Jaymes. It just wasn't fair because I felt like the odd one out. Because I joined later after the death of your sister, I felt like the odd ball. I was so different from you five and I thought I could never keep up. I stayed behind a lot from missions because I was afraid of being a burden to you all. You were already great heroes within the Underground and all I ever wanted was to be like you!' Tears streamed down his face, 'Now we have to fight the whole alien race head on. I'm so scared. I'm so scared I'm going to lose you all in a blink of an eye. I don't want that...I don't want that. I just want all this to be over and the earth can thrive again with humans walking on the soil. But what if we don't succeed? What if we die tomorrow and never make it to the King's Castle? What if, what if, what if! All of this is bullshit. There is always the chance we will die, even in the next minuet and yet I'm crying like a baby.' He wiped his tears again, Tomas sat there dumbstruck, 'I'm not scared of dying. I don't give a shit about what happens to me, just if you are safe then I am happy.'
Tomas leaned back and stared at his "Brother" and held back tears. Have we been neglecting him that much? Has he always felt this way? He reached over and pulled Nathaniel into a tight hug, 'You don't have to be scared because we will win together, no one will die. We will save this earth for the good of the human race. Sure we have to sacrifice our bodies but we'll be together. Don't lose your cool now. Aline wouldn't have wanted that, she would've wanted you to thrive and be happy. Not depressed. This will all be over soon and we will face this together, you are my brother and nothing will ever change that. I can guarantee Alina is looking down from Heaven right now agreeing with every word I say. This is only the beginning and Nathaniel, my brother, don't give up just yet. All this, like I said, will be over soon. The Aliens will never come back again and torture us like they have. You will never, ever be a burden to us. We all love you and you can't let us sya otherwise because whatever you may think now, we will still love you. You are the backbone, our eyes and ears. You were always with us whether or not you were physically there. You guided us along the narrow paths and gave us light in the darkest of caves. We will stand together like we always have and bring this era to an end. Nothing can stop us and that's good. Chin up brother. The big fight is just about to begin and we all must be ready to give it our all. Emilie, Aaron, Jaymes, myself and Olivia will always be next to you as you have been there for us.' Tomas pulled back and clasped his brother on the shoulder and chuckled, 'After all, you are basically the go of lightning now a great warrior. All we can do is fight now.'
Nathaniel sobbed into Tomas's shoulder and held the photo to his chest, 'Thank you!' He screamed into Tomas's black shirt, 'THANK YOU!' Tomas stroked the back of Nathaniel's head and smiled, 'Tomas....' Nathaniel sobbed and looked into his eyes, 'Alina was a great person?'
'Yes she was. She was always smiling, when killing and saving people she smiled. Her joy was contagious and she was awake and alive. Nothing could stop her. She was a force to be reckoned with,' he laughed, 'When I was found by Guy I was worried she was dead. I was clinging for my life and when he walked up and showed me her face I had to get to her. That's how we ended up in the Underground. By then, Emilie, Olivia and Aaron had already joined. Jaymes joined a few days later after we found him outside Washington with a small group of people. Alina had led us to them even though she was only six. It seems so long ago.'
'I'm sorry for what happened to her,' Nathaniel said slowly, 'If I hadn't jumped out like I had maybe she would still be alive right now with you. If I could go back and change that I would.'
'Don't say things like that ever.' Tomas growled, 'What happened to her wasn't your fault. Don't think for a second I blame you for what happened. If she hadn't died you wouldn't be here. If you change that all you have done will have been for nothing. Don't wish for something like that ever, don't throw your life around like that because we need you here. Alina's time was up and that's okay. Its been a few years so we have all grown accustomed to it but don't think that we'll swap you two out in a blink of an eye. That will put us through a whole different world of pain.'
'Tomas....' Nathaniel looked up and stood next to his brother, 'I won't ever say things like that again. I'm sorry.'
Tomas sighed and laid a hand on his brother smiling, 'This is our time Nathaniel. What's wrong now?'
Nathaniel's face was in knots, something just struck him. He saw flashes of images and words passed his ears like a ghost whispering in his ears, 'It's nothing. I thought I heard something.' Tomas shrugged and walked out. Nathaniel lingered holding a hand over half his face and staring at the ground in horror, What the fuck was that? It flashed past again, the same words being repeated.
"I must sacrifice my body in order to save you! LEAVE NOW OR YOU'LL BE KILLED BY LUCIUS OR GUY OR WHATEVER THE FUCK HIS NAME IS! GET OUT OF HERE! REI GET THEM AWAY!"
There was no denying it. That was Emilie's voice. Those images thought, fires, ice pillars, winds like nothing else and soil flying everywhere. That's our battle field. What's this about Emilie though? Taking our powers to save us....? Oh no. Nathaniel raced out the door and down the hall to see Pym walking towards him, Nathaniel felt his sweat bead on his face as he panted. Running wasn't really his strong point, 'Pym!'
'My, my Nathaniel! What on earth's wrong? I thought you were with the others?' He asked as Nathaniel came closer.
'Pym...I need to ask you something....'
'What is it? Fire away!' He smiled.
'It's about Emilie.' He looked up and Pym's face became very serious, 'I Can hear her voice, but the words I haven't heard before. They are in the future tense. What am I hearing?!'
Pym's face remained unchanged, 'So you've unlocked that ability huh? I was hoping it wouldn't pop up till later on but I guess there is no choice now since you know. Emilie is going to sacrifice her body with all six powers inside and destroy the aliens. Thus recreating the earth. I hope that you understand why this must remain a secret.'
Nathaniel stepped back in shock, 'No. Why would she do that?'
Pym looked away and back at him with a hurt look in his eyes, 'She doesn't want to lose you. She couldn't bare the thought of you dying when she promised every one of you that you'd see the new age. When she learned that you would have to give up your bodies, well, she came straight to me and she told me her idea. In return I told her when the tattoos on her arm were. This is her resolve and I advise you to not interfere. This is her mission and her mission alone.'
Nathaniel walked past Pym and didn't look back. He walked into the courtyard and saw everyone training. Emilie was blasting a rock when she saw him and waved. He avoided her gaze and she stopped, confused as he went over to some metal sheets.
How can she smile and wave when such a burden is upon her shoulders? I guess that's how it's always been. She's carried everyone's load. I don't understand why she doesn't share it with the rest of us.... 'She doesn't want to lose you. She couldn't bare the thought of you dying when she made that promise....' Stupid Pym. Emilie will find a way.she always has....right?