The Great War • Hunter

32.Purpose in Death

    Exploding the room and floating to the surface in the same glass tubes the defective clones were born from–that was the plan. It was their only chance of living.

    "I barely fit in this thing!" Wrecker groaned, climbing inside of the chamber. He placed his palms on either side.

    "Quit complaining. At least you're not doubled up." Echo retorted, gesturing to the tube he would soon be crammed into with Tech.

    Alona placed the last charge on the wall and glanced over at Crosshair, guilt running through her veins. She refused to look Hunter in the eye, she was afraid to get near Omega. She didn't know what had gotten into her, but Alona knew she would not allow herself to do that ever again.

    Looking down at the trigger button she held in her hand, Alona took a deep breath and watched the squad climb inside of their tubes.

    "Alona, get in the tube with Omega." Hunter ordered, already inside of his with Crosshair. Neither were too happy about it.

    Alona tucked her top lip between her teeth, glancing over at AZI. She can't go with them. She was dangerous, she couldn't risk hurting the people she loved. That was something Alona absolutely would not allow.

    Her hand shot out, throwing the droid inside of the tube with Omega. Alona forces the chambers to slide shut and stay that way, her eyes brimming with tears. She watched Hunter pound on the glass, shouting, asking her what the hell she was doing. He tried to force the door to open, but he didn't stand a chance with the Force.

    "Alona, what the hell do you think you're doing?! Stop!" Hunter shouted, more panicked than Crosshair had ever seen him. "Alona! Don't do it!"

    "Wh-What are you doing!" Omega shouted from her tube, banging her fist. Her eyes were filled with worry.

    Love makes you stronger, it gives you something to fight for.

    I love you, Alona mouthed to Hunter before pressing the button. The charges go off, blowing the windows. Water floods in faster than Alona could react, throwing her against one of the tubes. She quickly gets control of herself and begins pushing the tubes out of the destroyed laboratory.

    Alona holds out her hand again, forcing the debris out of the way and switching back and forth between that and the tubes full of people. She gave Echo and Tech's tube one good Force-push and they blasted all the way to the surface.

    The need for air began to send Alona's body into its survival instincts, but she fought against it and launched Wrecker's test tube up as well. Air bubbles escaped from her nose.

    Alona made it over to Hunter and Crosshair's tube, looking in at her love and giving a reassuring look before saying goodbye. She did her best to ignore Hunter's pleas for her to rethink what she was doing.

It was too late.

Their tube joined Wrecker, Tech, and Echo at the top. Alona looked around, unable to spot Omega's tube.

    Her heart rate picked up and Alona waved her arms around, looking aimlessly through the open ocean. She caught sight of AZI's eyes inside of the glass tube, being dragged down by an overwhelmingly large chunk of metal debris.

    Alona rushed down, waving her hand across the metal. It slides off and the tube starts slowly rising back up. Alona placed her hand on the glass, nodding to Omega.

    Alona choked, water invading her nasal cavities. She waved to Omega before sending it to the top to her brothers. Alona watched the tube, her tears mixing in with the ocean water.