The Winged Rebellion

Chapter 30: What can I say, Im quick to murder

Andromeda

I walk in to warn Diana and the team that surveillance sensors picked up movement a couple streets over and we might want to get out of here soon. Then I see him. I freeze, my legs going numb and refusing to move. My brain is trying to work 100 miles an hour, my mouth gaping at him. He was the White Wing Diana wanted to use? Breathe Andy, breathe. You can't let him get away again.

I lunge at him, dodging Diana's attempt to grab me, jumping over chairs and everything in my way to get to him. I elbow Alex out of the way, sending him flying into a table. Sebastian hasn't made any movement since he saw me, eyes locked onto mine. I push him into a wall, knife sliding out to press against his neck, pushing into his personal space. He gulps at the sudden contact, eyes raking over my face nervously.

"I told you I would kill you the next time I saw you," I whisper, and he just smiles at me. The crooked secretive smile he used to give after I would tell a dirty joke. I push tears back at the rush of memories, our little group that used to be so happy and full. Until he decided to go and kill one of us off, and take his group and leave. I scowl back at him, and push the knife further under his chin.

"Stop smiling. What kind of sociopath smiles when there's a knife under their chin?" I demand, and he laughs. Then he abruptly stops because laughing causes the knife to cut into him. I loosen the knife a bit, allowing him to talk.

"Andy, its not what you think," he says.

"How is it not what I think? I saw General Douchbag-Claude walk up to you, whisper something in your pretty little ears and then you went and killed Caelum. It is exactly what I think it is." I reply venomously, and his eyes soften sadly.

"General Claude told me to kill Caelum, it's true, but there was stuff behind the order. If you don't follow your Generals orders in the White Wings, they are legally able to do whatever they want to your loved ones, or your team, or you. He threatened me before Andy, and... the stuff he was going to put Liz and Alex and Topher and Nate through, I couldn't let him do that. So I learned to do what I was told, even if I really didn't want to. Andy, believe me when I say, I didn't want to kill Caelum. There was something else going on, General Claude knew everything about Caelum, his full name, everything. When I went in for my debrief, he had a file with Caelum's name on it out, and from what I saw he had been working with him for a long time Andy." Sebastian explains, and I study him, the way his blue eyes are pleading with me, his features open, hes not hiding anything. But thats the problem. He knew we were there, we could have rescued him and the team, Liz and Alex would have been safe. There was no reason to kill Cae, he could have killed General Claude even. Then General Claude wouldn't have been able to do anything.

Tears prick my eyes as I look back at him, "but you still killed him."

"Andy-," he starts, but I release him. I sheathe my knife and back away, shaking my head. Tears are still springing to my eyes, but I dont push them back this time. Let him see the pain that he's caused.

"Know this Sebastian: I wont kill you now because you are essential to this plan, but one day when you aren't essential, I will track you down and kill you. But until then, stay out of my way and out of my sight." I say, and turn away, walking away from this mess. I will never forgive him fully, I know that. But I hope one day, I will forgive enough not to hate him.

I glance back once as I leave the room, eyes finding Sebastian's as Alex helps him up off the floor. Nate strolls in, and starts talking with Christina and Diana. Christina excuses herself shortly after, following me out the back door and up the stairs to the roof.

"We seem to have a thing for rooftops, dont we?" Christina chuckles, sitting down besides me. She notices my tears, and grabs my hand.

"Oh Andy," she says sadly, "youre so strong."

The simple words of encouragement and praise reduce me to tears, and I sob into Christinas shoulder, as she murmurs sweet nothings into my hair. How is it that I've cried more in the last 8 weeks than I have in the last 8 years?

"Thanks Tina," I finally say, pulling back and instead focusing on the skyline drifting out in front of us. From the coffee shop roof you can see the center of the city, and all the skyscrapers that surround it. I love it.

Christina justs nods, and puts her head on my shoulder. It feels more normal to have someone leaning on me than to lean on someone else. The only person I was used to leaning on was Caelum, but now Ive gotten pretty used to leaning on Christina, and for that I'm grateful.

We stay there, watching the skyline in comfortable silence until Lyra pounds on the door telling us to: "Get the fuck out here before we leave you dipshits behind" Isnt she just the nicest?

We laugh, descending the stairs, and join my team. For now I can pretend that Caelum never existed, that Carson never fucked me up, that I never met Sebastian. For now it's me and a perfect bubble of imagination . Because soon, not even our imaginations will be safe. A war is coming, and we might not win this one.

This one was a bit longer, but it was um... intense...
I literally love Tina. I want to be her.
Love, -Alexandra Waterwings