Carry Me Home - A LEGEND trilogy (Marie Lu) fanfiction

20: Day

June stayed for three more days in the hospital. The doctors were surprised to find out how fast June was recovering with the wound she had. They told me that it was probably because I was there to look after her. Maybe that's true. Every time June and I were together, there was something on her eyes that really made me fall in love with her much more. And I could say that she was really happy.

Anden promised me that he would find who is behind this. It became his priority, that he couldn't even find a spare time to visit June in the hospital - or even let his soldiers do the job for him. He feared that some members of the government were allies to the perpetrator. It was otherwise impossible for June's shooter to be able to enter such event without being totally suspicious in the first place.

I, though, didn't even keep my guard down. I always stayed up with June every time that I could. I would just leave her side for a moment to check over Eden at home and change my clothes. Sometimes though, Tess would come with Pascao to do the watch or keep June entertained and busy. Those were the time when Anden would let me come over to his office and update me of how the investigation was going.

Today though, June is out of the hospital. She was discharged yesterday. Pascao watches over her today - I'd asked him to. Eden and Tess are at work. I've received another news about the ongoing investigation through Anden. He has invited me to witness the interrogation on one of the suspects. Anden himself is the one who greets me when I arrive at Los Angeles State Penitentiary.

"I'm glad you are able to come, Mr. Wing," he greets as he offers a handshake. I do take it. "I hope that Commander Iparis is alright and is resting now."

"Yes," I answer. "Likewise though. Thank you for inviting me over to watch the interrogation."

"By the way, Captain Velarde?"

A gentleman perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties (it's hard to tell, he looks incredibly young but his eyes are incredibly mature), wearing a captain's uniform with dark blonde hair in a military cut and strange dark blue eyes comes forward, and salutes Anden. "Elector," he states.

"I'd like you to meet, Mr. Daniel Wing, the Republic's most celebrated Champion. Mr. Wing, this is Captain Pierre Velarde, one of our military's pride." Anden introduces.

Captain Velarde and I shake hands. "Nice meeting you, Captain," I state.

"Likewise, Mr. Wing. I've heard a lot about you already," he states.

"Shall we proceed?" Anden suggests. "I hope you can do the walking and listening at the same time Mr. Wing, as Captain Velarde explains how this possible suspect was captured."

The three of us with four other guards start to move down the halls, going to the interrogation room. Captain Velarde starts saying, "We've gathered so little information from him. But we managed to get his name. Archer Graystone, much known as the Dark Scypher. He was captured in Las Vegas five hours ago. Immediately brought here when he was found under disguise as one of our soldier but failed the knot test, and was in possession of a M-16 gun that hadn't been registered onto us. I fear that it isn't already used in the Republic."

We finally make it to the interrogation room, with its one-way mirror. Inside is Archer Graystone, a man in his early twenties. He has his hands and ankles chained onto the chair. He is still dressed in a soldier's clothing, in an attempt to blend in at such city as Las Vegas - the central power of the Republic's military. Along with him inside the room are four other soldiers, with their hands holding their respective guns, ready to fire when ready or if the matter had come to worse. Captain Velarde salutes once more to Anden and to me before deciding to enter the room. Graystone immediately straightens up in his seat. Captain Velarde sits at the chair across from Graystone.

A full minute passes before Captain Velarde folds his hands on the desk between him and Graystone. He finally asks, "We have already gone with the basic. So I might go straightforward. Are you affiliated with the Colonies?"

Graystone gulps in but answers, "No. Not even the Patriots I might add."

"So, where does your loyalty lies?" Captain Velarde asks once again.

"To the old state. To bring back the Old America," he answers.

Old America? I remember once, my father coming home from the warfront with a quarter dollar to show that the Old America was indeed real.

What cuts me out from my thoughts is the coming footsteps down the hall. A soldier stops five feet away from us and then salutes to Anden. "Elector," the soldier leading the three others states. "Would it be possible if we excuse, Mr. Wing for an urgent matter?"

Anden gives a questioning look to the soldier but nods. "It's fine. Go ahead, Mr. Wing."

"Right this way, please," the soldier tells me and leads the way down the hall.

When we are beyond earshot, I ask him, "What's wrong? I have the right to know, yeah?"

"You'll finally know it when we reach the exit of the penitentiary."

"Why not now?" I insist.

"The soldiers who reported the case are there. You better ask them," he replies, his anger contained under his voice.

I nod then. I tremble in anticipation of what I am about to find out. I'm scared that it will be another bad news. I don't know what I can expect more. After some minutes, we are finally out the penitentiary. Clusters of soldiers are outside, their own trucks parked.

"What's going on here?" I ask the soldiers clustered in group.

They eye me for a moment before realizing who I am. Then, they give me a slight bow. That kind of respect indeed sucks, yeah?

"A letter was sent especially for you, Mr. Wing," one of the soldiers states, handing a piece of folded white paper on my direction. "We've found it on one of your friends' apartment."

I grab the letter as a mix of dread and curiosity creeps into my face. "One of my friends' apartment? What are you talking about?"

The soldiers gulp, waiting for each other to let me know the truth. "It was confirmed by your younger brother, Mr. Wing that the apartment raided by the rebels belongs a close friend of yours."

I shudder and I immediately know what else happened after the 'raid' that they were referring to. In order to lure me, they don't need to take a life of someone close to me or even continue sending me letters... possible that they will kidnap someone close to me as well. "Who is it?"

Deep down inside me, I am praying so hard that it wouldn't be June or anyone at all. But the soldier states the name clearly and without any doubt.

Tess.