Alliance

Chapter Sixty-Eight

"Yes, he is still breathing. I think the bleeding stopped. Dad, have the paramedics ready."

"Mel, they are here waiting for you to land. He is going to be okay."

"I know. It's just..."

"Mel, you will be home soon."

"I know. See you soon Dad."

I sat the communicator down. Tears threatened to fall but I held them back.

We were on the plane for four hours. Because of Ben's injuries we were landing in Chicago instead of York. Ben needed surgery and the Alliance hospital in Chicago was closer than York.

After we took off from Vegas, Maisie had helped me wrap a piece of cloth around Ben's chest to keep the bloodied cloth in place. While we wrapped the cloth around Ben, I searched for an exit wound and did not find one. The bullet was still inside Ben.

As we flew, Ben leaned against me, his head resting on my left shoulder, his body covered mine. In case of any turbulence, I tried to hold him steady. In the four hours, he never woke, groaned, or moved. Every five minutes I would check his pause.

The blood, thank god, had stopped bleeding. I tried to avoid looking down at the cloth I grabbed back in the jeep to stop his bleeding.

The piece of clothing I pulled out of the duffle was the hand-stitched, beautiful baby blue and white scarf. The one I bought to give to Audrey. Now the scarf was a red, bloody mess.

"I am preparing to land," Chris called back to us from the cockpit.

Small windows were built in the plane. Though I could not see the ground from where I sat, I could see the morning clear blue sky above us.

I felt the plane descend. I held Ben tight. Curling my legs on the other side of him, trying to keep him still. My hand added pressure to the scarf.

He looked so peaceful in my arms. Like he was asleep. I prayed he was asleep and not in a coma.

The plane landed with a soft thud. The breaks rocked us until the plane halted.

"Noah, open the door," Chris called back. Noah, who sat in the seat before us for the entire ride, stood quickly to open the door.

Doctor Hunt was there when the door opened, he used Noah's hand to get up. Hunt barely looked at me when he rushed to Ben. He analyzed Ben's wound. "The bleeding stopped." Hunt checked his heartbeat. "Pulse is weak. But he can move."

Hunt turned to the door where two medics were getting on with a stretcher. Hunt moved aside to allow them in. "He is good to move, but be careful."

The medics nodded. One medic put a gait belt under his legs while the other had me push Ben up to put a gait belt underneath his shoulders, around his chest. With Hunt holding Ben's neck, the three men transported him to the stretcher. They belted him to the stretch and pulled him out of the plane.

Hunt straightened. He turned to Chris. "I am Doctor Hunt of the Alliance," he said, "are there any other injuries?"

Chris shook his head. "No there is none."

Hunt nodded before turning to me. My eyes were still on the open door. "Ensign Sparrow." My attention snapped up to Hunt. He held out a hand and helped me stand.

His eyes were calculating my nose and spot on my forehead. "You are to meet me for an examination before the day is through." I opened my mouth to speak but Hunt nodded. "Ben will be fine."

I nodded. Hunt turned to jump off the plane and I followed him.

Outside a group of people were waiting. General Cox, Ranger Allen, Admiral Welch, and Commander Cedar stood to the side with a group of people I did not know. King Roth stood in the center. His gaze on the gurney that was pushed into an ambulance. Queen Amelia jumped into the ambulance after being.

Dad stood to the side of the crowd.

My heart almost burst seeing Dad. I took an uneven step toward him. At last, tears rolled down my cheek and threw my arms around Dad's neck.

Dad hugged me tightly back. We both ignored the fact that we stood before military leaders. That Dad and I had duties since we were an admiral and an ensign of Alliance. Instead of speaking to King Roth, which I should have been doing, I hugged Dad.

Dad pulled me away. "God, you look terrible."

"Thanks," I wiped the few tears away. I turned to face King Roth. "May I present Christopher Nelson and Carl Evans. Leaders of the Rebels and Wasteland."

The two men stepped forward with Jesse, Noah, and Maisie behind them.

"Welcome to the United Regions," King Roth said, taking a step forward.

Chris also took a step forward. "I want to apologize for the methods we used to get ourselves here. But I hope you understand my reasons."

Roth nodded once. "I understand. We will save the political talk for when we arrive in York. For now, you are welcome to a hotel in Chicago until we leave." Roth led the group toward a line of cars that would take us to Chicago.

The rest of the group followed, leaving Dad, Welch, Cedar, and I behind.

"Welcome home Ensign," Welch said to me.

I smiled, "Thank you, Admiral."

The thought of finally being home felt strange. Around us was green grass and trees. I had grown used to seeing the dead Wasteland.

Looking up at Dad, he pulled me into a half hug. "Let's get you cleaned up."