The end
(Currently unedited)
Arey led us down a hidden flight of stairs that ran down at least three floors. We finally reached a hallway at the bottom of the stairs. Arey went ahead to make sure the way was clear; once she had done so, she waved to let us know we could keep following her.
Luci's panic attack seemed to have subsided, but I still held on firmly to her hand to make sure she knew I was there.
While we walked I overheard a conversation going on about Micah.
"Have you seen Aiva and her brother?" One person asked.
"I haven't, no... They probably died the first night."
"Her brother's a traitor." Someone else interjected. "I saw him with those monsters. He was wearing the uniform and everything."
"Are you sure it was him?"
"Without a doubt."
"Bloody.." he trailed off. "We're all gonna die aren't we?"
"Olivia?"
I looked down at Luciana, who was still shakily gripping my hand. I prayed that she hadn't heard the conversation I had just heard. Her beautiful, bright eyes stared up at me with a certain look of intelligent concern. I smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, Luci?"
"Where will we go?"
"I-" I sighed. I really didn't know. I had no idea if there even were any places on earth where F.E.A.R wasn't. New Eden didn't want us- and for good reason- and Earth was full of people who wanted us dead. Would any place be safe for us? I didn't know. "I'm not sure, Luci, but I promise we'll be safe soon."
"Will we go back to earth?"
I nodded. "I think we have to."
"But that's where the bad people are."
".. I know."
"Would they catch us again?"
"... I won't let that happen again."
"How?"
"I-" I stopped, unsure of what to say. "I.. don't know."
"Olivia!"
I looked up from the floor to see Leiana emerging from the crowd. "Lei!"
"Wow it's good to see you alive!"
"Same to you!"
She wrapped her arms around my shoulder in a relieved embrace. I returned the hug with my free arm. Leiana and I weren't especially close, but still it was good to see a familiar face.
"Where did they have you?" She asked as she let go and we continued along with the group.
"I don't know.. I think I was drugged the whole time."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. When I found Matt he told me it'd been a week, but I've only been awake for like a day and a half."
Leiana's expression grew somber. She looked down at Luciana and gently placed her hand on her back. "Hey, Luci, why don't you go see Cal?" She forced an excited smile. "He could give you a piggyback ride!"
Luci glanced at me nervously.
Sensing the urgency in Leiana's voice, I nodded to encourage Luci to go.
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?"
She scowled suspiciously. "What?"
"Take care of them for me.. especially Matt. He deserves to start something new."
Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head. "What are you saying, Olivia?"
I grabbed her hand and locked my pleading eyes with hers. "Promise me that?"
"I- of course I do! But- please tell me you're not going to do something stupid!"
"It's-" I sighed. I could hardly believe what I was saying either. "This ship is the only one they have, but it's powerful. They're going make their way to New Eden and destroy everything. They're going to kill everyone!"
"Olivia-"
"If we escape, we'll be safe, but what happens to our home? Every innocent person on New Eden will die!"
"Stop.."
"The founders were horrible people, and the council sends assassins to murder families, but they're not the only ones up there. And they're not the only ones Brealyn will murder."
"So what? You're staying to blow up the ship?" She let out a short, dismissive laugh. "No. Not happening, Olivia."
"I know I don't sound like I'm thinking straight-"
"Ya think?! You're not!"
"F.E.A.R. will destroy everything! I have a family up there! A lot of us do. I can't just run away while I know what's going to happen to them if I do."
"Olivia," she grabbed my hand and looked at me with pleading eyes, "I understand why you want to do this, but you don't have to. Those people are not your responsibility; you don't have to sacrifice everything for them."
I smiled, "I'm not sacrificing everything," and put my hand on top of hers, "My family's still alive. So are you. And Matt, and all of us here.. I don't really want to do it, and if there's a better way I'll take it, but if this is what someone has to do nobody else should have to."
"If I can't change your mind.. I'm coming with you."
"No. No, they need you. Your skills are too valuable."
"Olivia.."
"Please, Lei.. You have to understand; I can't let anyone else die because of my mistakes."
"I do.." She finally agreed after a minute of hesitation.
I nodded gratefully and drew her into a hug. "Thank you."
She returned the embrace. Blinking away tears, she pulled away after a moment and patted my shoulder encouragingly. "Good luck to you, friend."
"Thank you.. Goodbye, Leiana."
She bit her lip and took a step away. "Goodbye.. Olivia."
With that, she turned and made her way to the others to help board everyone, leaving me to figure out my path forward. I looked over and saw Matt being helped aboard by Alex and some one else. I had to go talk to him. I couldn't tell him what I was planning, but in some way I had to say goodbye.
I made my way over and asked them to hold on.
"Hey, Matt, how are you feeling?"
"I've been better," he admitted, "on the bright side I don't really have to walk."
I chuckled, "I hope the ride isn't too bumpy this time."
"Ah well, cant be any worse than the last one."
"Heh, yeah no kidding."
"Are you coming with us?"
"What?" My heat sank. How did he know??
"In our pod? Or are you going on a different one?"
"Oh.. heh, yeah no.. I'll go with Arey just to talk about the.. plan.. and stuff."
".. Okay.."
Alex looked at me suspiciously. I avoided eye contact with him.
"Anyways, I just wanted to say bye."
"Are you okay?"
"What? Oh.. yes, I'm fine." I forced a short laugh. "Just nervous is all. I don't want this to go wrong."
"Okay.." He forced a smile and pulled me into a hug. "See you on the other side, Liv."
"Yeah.." I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, savoring every second of it. "I'll see you, Matt."
"Can I kiss you?"
"What?"
"If you want to?"
I chuckled and agreed. It was short and awkward, but it meant the world in that moment.
Alex gave me a questioning look as I let go of Matt and pulled away; he knew something was wrong.
"Where are we going anyway?" Matt asked.
"Arey will have something in mind. She knows F.E.A.R better than any of us; she'll know where is safe."
"I hope so.."
I smiled and squeezed his hand one last time. "Goodbye, Matt."
"Goodbye."
With that, Alex, still looking at me with that distrusting glare, helped Matt aboard the escape pod. Once Matt and a few others were inside, he came over to me and whispered, "What are you doing?"
I stayed silent for a moment, knowing I couldn't tell him either, but there was no point trying to fool him. "Just take care of Matt will you, Alex?"
"What are you doing?"
"Please don't worry about it."
"Look, if you're thinking about doing stupid and self sacrificial, I'm not going try to make that decision for you. Keep in mind the consequences you'll force on everybody else."
"I already have. And I'm not doing anything if there's another way."
He nodded, "If by some chance this is the last time I see you, I was happy to meet you."
"Same to you.. Thank you for everything, Alex."
"Thank you.. Matt's in good hands; I promise."
I nodded gratefully.
As he turned away and climbed inside with the others, I took one last look at Matt, who sat strapped to his seat with his head leaned against the walls and his eyes closed.
"Goodbye.." I whispered.
I noticed Arey helping organize passengers into separate pods and made my way over to her.
"Good, you're here," she began as she tossed a bag of supplies into my arms, "hold that will you? Please and thank you."
"You're welcome.." I watched as she hurriedly rushed around the place, giving prepackaged backpacks of supplies to each pod. "Arey, can I talk to you?"
"Sure what is it?" She asked, not stopping or slowing down.
"Alone?"
"Oh, uh.." She stopped for a moment and looked at me. "Sure.. But make it fast. We have to launch in like four minutes."
"Ok, yeah.. You know better than any of us where is safer, so I just needed I just needed to ask if you have any sort of plan on where to take them."
She furrowed her eyebrows at me. "'Them?'"
"Do you know any safe places?"
"Of course I do. Why are you acting like you're not coming?"
"It's..." I hesitated, but I knew I had to tell her; I needed her help if I was going to go through with this. "Is there a way to destroy this ship from the inside?"
"As irresponsible as it is... Yes, there is; something about destroying valuable information if we ever got caught, but it has to be done manually from the control room."
"I see.."
"But you already understand that don't you?"
"... I can't let this ship reach New Eden. If it does they'll destroy everything."
"You do realize the council is just as bad a F.E.A.R right?"
"Yes, but they won't stop at the council; plenty of innocent people live up there too. Including my family."
"So you're going to kill everyone on this ship -including yourself- to stop it? To protect the people that tossed you and your friends away like garbage?"
"I don't like it either.."
"Then why are you doing it?"
"Because I don't want anybody else I love to die because of my mistakes. I don't want to run away to protect myself anymore; if this is the only way to keep the unthinkable from happening to millions of innocents then my life is irrelevant."
"What about the people here? They're not innocent, but don't their lives matter too?"
"I don't want to kill anyone. If you know a way we can get people off without putting my friends in danger, please let's do it."
"There.. could be a way."
"Good. What do we have to do?"
"There're communications systems on each of the pods. I could hack into the speaker system on the ship once your friends and I are a safe distance away to warn everybody onboard to flee. That would give you away, though; they'd come for you."
"Would you be able to wait until I've already set it off?"
"If you and I could talk to each other, yes. There should be a private communications system in the control room as well. If I gave you a code to reach me by, you could get ahold of me once you've set it off." She pulled a notepad and marker out of the backpack she carried and ripped out a page to scribble down some information. "This will lead you right to where you need to go. They'll have noticed you guys are gone by now, so all the security should be out searching, not guarding the control room."
"'Should be?'"
"Hopefully.." She folded up the paper and handed it to me, "there's a password written here that will activate the self destruct; enter the code at the bottom of the page to reach me once you've done it. If I don't hear from you, I'll just assume you're dead and leave."
"Understandable.." I tucked the paper safely in my pocket. "Thank you, Arey.. For everything."
"You're brave, Olivia. Nobody will forget what you did for them; I'll make sure of it."
I chuckled. "Good luck out there. Take care of them."
"I will." She held out her arm for a handshake; I took it, and she gave me a reassuring nod.
It was time to go. No more time for sweet goodbyes.
I couldn't bear to think too much about it, so took off back towards the exit and on the path Arey laid out for me without taking another second to be sentimental or consider my actions. Once outside the pod room, I checked the paper Arey gave me. The map led to the complete side of the ship, it would take a little over ten minutes to get there.
She was right, I didn't run into a single agent until I got to the control room, where one stood absentmindedly hunched over a hologram screen computer. I took a deep breath to ready myself and pointed my gun at him.
"You don't want to be here," I spoke up, startling him to spinning around to face me.
"Who- what are you doing here?"
"I'm going to blow up the ship," I declared as I cocked the gun, "you should get off. Now."
"I can't let you do that." He tried to come off as threatening, yet I could tell he was just as frightened as I was.
"Did they even give you a weapon?"
"I'm.. I'm just a janitor.."
"Go then. Unless you want to die on this ship."
He held his hands up and slowly made his way to the exit.
I let him go. Maybe I shouldn't have; he was obviously going to run and tell the others, but I couldn't just shoot him. The whole point of this operation was to keep people from dying as much as possible.
Oh well, I'd just have to move faster.
I looked around for a big, obvious self destruct button, but instead all I found was the computer. Hoping for the best/the worst, I typed the password into the command bar on the screen.
Enter.
"Self destruct, initiated in t-minus ten minutes." An automated voice declared from the computer.
I breathed a sigh of relief, but this wasn't over. They were going to come for me.
I hurriedly entered the communication code into the computer as well. A radio signal came up and I heard a vague voice from the other side.
"Arey? Is that you?"
Static.
"Olivia?"
"Yes! Is this Arey?"
"Yes. Did you do it?"
"It's done. Have you guys left."
"We're safe. All of us."
"Thank you.."
"No, thank you... I'll give the warning now."
"Okay. Goodbye, Arey."
"Goodbye, Olivia. I'll make sure everyone gets out of this alive."
The connection ended abruptly. Over the intercoms I heard Arey's voice ring out, "Attention everyone aboard The Leviathon. This is not a drill. Self destruct has been activated. If you don't believe me check your communication watches; stay on board at your own peril. You have been given permission by General Brealyn to evacuate at any cost."
The announcement ended. Clever Arey. They might be panicked, but they might not leave if they think they'll be punished for it.
I take a deep breath and walk over to a large window on the far wall. I can't get to the pods on time, but this view offers me some distraction from impending doom.
I sit down and lean against the wall, looking out at the view of Earth and New Eden. From here, they look so close; almost like they aren't two completely separate worlds. The sun can be seen right between the two, connecting them with its shared light. New Eden sparkles like a silver jewel in a way I've never seen before; earth looks like a polished lapis sphere with the deep blue oceans on the surface, dotted with green and white smears of paint. It's peaceful.
There's little point in being sad. I'm here, but Matt is safe. Leiana is safe. Alex. Everybody. My family is safe. No matter what happens or would have happened, I can rest peacefully going out knowing that without a doubt the people I love will live another day.
I hope the future holds good things for them.
I'm trying not to think about Matt; I feel guilty whenever I do.. I wish I'd have told him, he deserved to know that was the last time he would ever talk to me. I wish there was another way where he wouldn't wind up hating me, but at least I know he's safe. Maybe some day he'll forgive me.
Mom and dad and Ella might not ever find out. That's okay.. I'd rather them believe I'm building tents in the forest, fishing and tending a garden for food, and safe. Ella's still young; eventually I'll fade from her thoughts- just a distant, happy memory of a sister that had to go away a long time ago. That's okay with me.
This isn't where I thought I'd be spending my last moments. It's not ideal, and I'm scared; yet, somehow I'm at peace with it.
I see a few dozen escape pods flying past the ship and off towards Earth. F.E.A.R took the warning; they're going to safety.
The door opens.
Not again...
Exhausted, I look over to see Brealyn leaning against the doorway, her gun pointed at me. She looks like she's been through hell; her face cut and contorted into a furious scowl, her hair disheveled, and her free hand drenched in blood holding her side. She's been shot.
I just look at her; it makes little difference to me if she shoots or not.
She's just standing there, glaring at me like she'll kill me at any moment, but her hands are shaking. Finally, she gives up and drops the gun on the floor. She limps over toward me with her face in her hand.
"It's all over," she says over and over again as she slumps down against the wall across from me, "They're all gone."
"You'd rather them all stay and die?"
"I did." She removes her hand from her face and looks me in the eye. "So did you."
I can't look at her, so I turn my head to the window.
"Congratulations!" She says weakly with a raspy laugh, "You win."
"My friends are still alive, so yes," I throw an angry glare at her, "I win."
"Hm. Where did that get you?"
"Isn't there any other place you can silk?"
"No." She starts to laugh, but ends up in a coughing fit, causing her to curl up from the pain in her side. "Mmmm... Everybody else ran away or died; it's just you and me. I'm not waiting for death in silence; silence leaves room for thoughts."
"Is that such a bad thing?"
"Yes."
"I don't think it would kill you to reflect a little on everything you've done."
"Hm.. No, that won't kill me, the explosion you set off will."
I refuse to answer that.
She chuckles, "I get it. Really.. There's people you love on the line. When you actually love someone your own needs don't matter."
"What do you know about love..."
"Really? Do you not remember anything from my villain origin story?"
"Did you just call yourself a villain?"
"I'm not a moron. I not so foolish as to actually believe what I've done is noble or good. I know when I'm doing something wrong; morality just doesn't matter to me anymore." She looks out the window, allowing the light to shine in her eyes. "It's a silly concept anyways.. But love does matter; cliche as it is. My family sacrificed themselves because they loved me enough to give me a chance to survive. Love changes things- changes people; I let myself love once after my family, and it ended the same way."
"Is this your redemption arc or something?"
"Hell no."
"Hm.."
"How much longer on that countdown?"
"I'd rather not know."
"That's fair enough."
"For what it's worth.. I'm sorry about everything my people did to yours."
"It's not worth much, but thank you," she says with a short laugh.
"I just wish the people knew what their government was doing."
"Would that even make a difference?"
"Maybe not, but maybe it would.. At the very least they deserve to know; the council has to be held accountable."
She doesn't say anything for a moment, "what if I told you there was a way?"
"What way?"
"Would you do it?"
"I- of course I would, but how?"
"A broadcast. We're close enough here that I could hack into any digital screen on the entire planet."
"You haven't tried this before now?"
"They would have never listened, and it would've given our position away. Maybe if you, one of their own, do the talking they'll be willing to hear it; besides, we have nothing to lose now."
"What- yes. I'll do it, but we have to hurry."
"Got it!" She stands up a bit fast than she should've, and nearly falls to the ground, just stabilizing herself at the last second. She hobbles over to the computer and types as fast as she can manage. It took her a minute or two. "Here," she finally starts as I make my way over, "Stand in front of the screen, when this red light starts flashing you can start talking. Keep it short, but make sure you say everything you need to say."
"Right here?" I take my place and watch for the light to start flashing.
"Perfect."
The light starts flashing; I panic for a second, unsure of what to say. It takes me a second to find the words, but finally my thoughts come together and I know exactly what to say.
"People of New Eden, my name is Olivia Blaire. I was one of the infected during the outbreak, and I was a Carrier. I was sent to earth where we crash landed in the wrong place; the council didn't want us to end up in this place because they knew if we did we would discover the horrible truth of what they've been doing in the shadows behind the backs of the people. When humans left earth, there were some left behind; instead of allowing those who remained in peace, they tried to cover up what they'd done by killing everyone they'd left. The killing hasn't stopped. They continue to send rangers, interplanetary assassins, down to earth to continue wiping them out. They'll stop at nothing to end all human life on earth; that's why I'm asking you to take action. Hold the council accountable. Stop the slaughtering of human life. If our race is to continue existing, we cannot allow this any longer. Don't look away."
I look over at Brealyn, who has tears in her eyes. She mouths, "Thank you."
I look back at the screen to see the little timer in the corner at less than a minute. "I-" I have to swallow the lump in my throat, "I love you mom and dad, and Ella. I miss you."
I step away from the screen to allow Brealyn to end the broadcast. I walk over to the window, tears streaming down my face, and look out at the duel planets.
"I don't know if it will change anything," Brealyn begins as she comes up behind me, "but thank you."
"Yeah."
She stands next to me and looks out at the scene before us. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it came to this."
"That's not great as far as apologies go."
"Sorry.. Like I said, I don't care much about mortality, but you're a good person, Olivia. If this is how it ends for me, standing next to an enemy, I'm glad it's with you."
"That was kind of nice," I joked, trying to force myself to forget, "I wish I could say the same."
"Well.."
A loud crash interrupts us and shakes the ship.
Brealyn, in surprising burst of comfort, wraps her arms around me as I cry out in fear. "It's okay." I feel like I should push her away, but I can't. Any embrace is a welcome one.
Over her shoulder, I look out at New Eden one last time. My home.. Memories come flashing in my head, bad ones and good ones. I welcome the thoughts as distractions, but also to fondly reflect on everything that's led me here one last time.
I miss home. I miss the smells of the bakery down the road from my school. I miss the movies. I miss my mom's potato soup and my dad's pizza. I miss playing with Ella. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss Kyle. I miss Matthew.. And I miss that damned hospital where I spent my last moments on earth.
Even now as I'm trembling with fear, I can still comfort myself in knowing that I loved and lost. I can rest easy.
It's peaceful.