Undorn: The Beginning

Part Thirty-Four

Bones, Region of Orrosta

Location: The Hospital

"Mate," someone was shaking him. "I said mate, Catherine needs you." It was Orwell. Bones groaned. He pulled Beo's sleeping form closer to his body out of a reflex he hoped would become a habit.

"Mate," Orwell was still shaking him. "She said it was important. And it's already almost 9 a.m. You two will miss breakfast."

Bones smiled into the skin of Beo's shoulder, where he was currently nuzzled. The two of them had been awake for, well, for a good portion of the night.

"Don't," Beo's muffled voice came before Bones could answer. "Do not go Bones."

"Bones," Orwell sighed deeply. "I'm under strict instructions. You were supposed to be there 10 minutes ago."

Bones muttered a curse. He never wanted to leave this bed.

"Bones--"

"Shut it Oz. I'm coming."

Beo let out a groan that faded into the sheets of Bones' bunk. Again, Bones cursed. He got up, ruffling a hand through Beo's hair as he did so. "It'll be so quick," Bones told him, even though nothing Catherine ever had to say was even in the realm of quick. He bent down and kissed Beo's head. "So quick. I'll be back before you even get up." It was a lie, and they both knew it. 

But Bones had promised Beo. He had promised him a Catherine-free day and he wasn't getting one. So he fed Beo false reassurances, pulled on his clothes, then left, because soon, Beo would know everything. And he would get it.

"Took you long enough." 

Bones fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Catherine, Delarose, and Catherine's resistor-in-chief Marcus were already gathered around her massive wooden desk, their eyes pouring over a long scroll of paper with faded black ink scratched in textbook straight lines. They looked like blueprints. Old blueprints. 

Delarose was the only one of the three who bothered to look up at him upon his entrance. She squeezed his shoulder and offered a small smile. He saw so much of Beo in her smile.

"So," Bones rubbed his hands together, approaching the papers they had been discussing, finger tracing, and mulling over. "What's this? And why did it require my attendance and an early wake-up?"

Catherine tore her eyes away from the desk only to give him a pointed stare. "Blueprints of the Fort. Everything is vital in this stage, Bones. We're finalizing plans. This is imminent."

Bones cocked an eyebrow. "We're finalizing plans and yet you still haven't told us who is going to be the face of Undorn at the end of it all."

Catherine tucked her hair behind her ears. Bones had known her long enough to know this was a nervous tick. Pride ballooned in his chest.

"Well, Bones, I don't think that truly matters--"

"Bull shit." He ignored all three sets of eyes that were now trained on him. He focused only on Catherine. "We all know it matters. In fact, it may be the single most important piece of this whole plan. How are we going to rally our people around a nonexistent leader? We need someone for these people to look to, to trust, to believe in, and rally behind. They need hope, Catherine."

She nodded. "I understand that."

"And it can't be you." He paused, but nothing in her face changed. So, he continued. "You're an Aldrich. Everyone knows that now. No one is going to get behind an Aldrich replacing an Aldrich. So you, your son Orgon, neither of you are fit to lead. I know you don't want to hear it, I know you have been working so hard for this, but it can't be you."

"So?" She crossed her arms, suddenly defensive. His words had struck a chord. "Who do you suggest then, if not my son?" Bones resisted the urge to point out that she neglected to mention herself in that category.

Bones stole a glance at Rose. She was tight-lipped, but as soon as she caught his eye, she nodded, encouraging him. Hesitantly, he went on. He had been preparing this speech for a while on top of dropping hints to Catherine, but she had done nothing but ignore him. 

"There's one person I can think of who can be what we need. He's everything we need, actually. I know he's young, but he's a natural leader. He's selfless. He has military experience. He's someone we can all get behind. He's the type of person you want to succeed. He's..."

"He's your lover," Catherine cut him off. "And that makes you a bit biased, wouldn't you say?" 

As it turned out, Catherine had not been ignoring him. She clearly knew who Bones had all his support behind.

"And he's my son," Delarose had a knack for stepping in, keeping Catherine in check, and always remaining on Bones' side. Catherine had a habit of challenging Bones on every word that came out of his mouth, yet she still demanded his presence in these meetings and heavily weighted his opinions. It was a mystery to him. "And I guess that makes me biased as well, but I'm not stupid, Catherine. You wouldn't have chosen me to be Lufe's resistance leader if you thought so. But Thomas is right. Biondi was made to be a leader. You know him. You see the way he carries himself. You see the way he cares about us--about all of us. He can do this, and he can do it well."

Catherine was silent for a moment. She tucked her hair away once more. "He would never agree to it. He doesn't want this."

"Exactly," Bones told her. "That's why he's the perfect person to do it."

Catherine let out a lengthy, conciliatory sigh. "So you'll get to work convincing him then? I trust you'll have him ready to be briefed by the end of the week."

Bones couldn't help but grin. "Yes, ma'am. I will."