Return to Atlantis

Chapter 24 - Surrender

The once glorious Cyrus was now unrecognizable as a scorched wreck. The part where it dug head first on the ground was reduced to rubble and as for half of its body parts, only its burnt skeletal framework that feebly stood can be deduced; the ground where it rested blackened by soot and ash.

Fortunately, this remote shoreline of the gulf is devoid of civilians and communities and no one on the ground was caught in the crash.

The ship, or what remained of it, had already cooled down after the last 24 hours thanks to the September rain.

Alec had been treading his way into the once grandiose lobby; now a wet, gloomy ruined interior where sunlight could barely penetrate. He didn't know why he's come here or what he expected to find.

'We're just asking the same questions,' his mind kept repeating. 'Just the same damn questions,'

He closed his eyes, tightened his fist, and thought of Lindsey who was taken away by the aliens.

He thought of the civilians caught up in all of it.

He thought of the wasted lives of so many people.

He thought of his many dead comrades...especially Julian. His best friend....gone forever.

He clinched his fist and closed his eyes tightly. 'Why is this happening?' he thought.

'It has to end, it needs to end.'

But in his mind, somehow he disconcertingly felt that this is just the beginning.

He opened his eyes when he thought he heard footsteps.

He saw Ava Kinski walking alone in the ruins.

As he stared at her, she stopped on her tracks. She turned her head to her side to look at him and Alec could see a fleeting expression of an almost imperceptible wonder mix with confusion and annoyance. But he thought he was just imagining that because almost immediately he was now looking at her stone hard face again.

They stared at each other for a moment until Alec spoke - under his breath, his eyelids low. "I knew you'd be here."

He wasn't saying it to her, but to himself.

He then heaved a sigh of relief and looked up at her. "I thought you're-I mean, are you all right?"

She was wearing the same outfit that was not as crisp as it once was.

Her response didn't come immediately. She looked away and said wryly, "Stop asking nonsense, private."

"Hey, I was just worried about you-"

"Return to Sybil, private. It's all over,"

"W-what?" Alec shook his head "No. Not without you."

She started off.

"You don't understand, Miss Kinksi," Alec trailed after her. "You need to go back to Sybil immediately. Judging from everything that's happening, they must have a very important reason for your immediate presence in Sybil."

"I would know that, private," she said sharply.

"What do you know?!"

"It is not your business."

He felt his face flushing. "Damn, it's my business! It's everybody's business now! The world is at the brink of destruction...we've got invaders...your father's barrier has been disarmed!"

She halted and with her voice not raising a pitch, she retorted, "I play no part in all of these."

His face distort in confusion. He could see her shoulders heaving from behind. "Wha---I didn't say that! --- but you might as well be!"