A Hero In The Dark

Chapter 127: The Lie

"Ready to go?" Miki asks outside the academy's main entrance.

It is late; close to midnight in fact. The Foundation prefers it that way I suppose.

"Give me a minute," I ask as I turn to John. Miki nods.

John, whom is dressed in dark clothes that blend with the night, holds me by my arms. From my arms to my waist to my neck to chin to cheek. His touch feels smooth like butter on bread and his cologne smells of mint in the cool nightly breeze.

Here he holds me and I hold him. Soft with care and a longing love. Our noses nearly touch, only an inch apart.

"Be careful Emily," he whispers with his breath close to my lips. "Remember, if anything happens-"

"I'll run," I finish, the response sounding practiced with the level of repetition it has had. "I'll run and I'll find you."

John smiles; smiles and closes his eyes and presses his forehead to my own.

"I love you Em," he says then, arm tucked tightly around my waist. "I love you and I always will. No matter what."

I don't say anything in response right away; only wanting to hold his beating heart in my chest a moment longer.

Until I whisper in turn, "I love you too. More than anything in the whole world."

There is a moment – however brief – where I can sense everyone stare at us in silence. Nine, Agatha, Malcolm, Lexa, Five, Einar, Colonel Archibald, Pixie, Gamera. But I don't care.

I don't care.

I want to hold John and I will hold John. As long as I need.

Until Nine steps forward, reluctantly still. As much as we fight to hold on to them, every great moment has an end. Nothing lasts forever.

"Emily?" Nine starts. "They're gonna think something is up if we delay any longer."

I only nod, not yet leaving John's arms until I find the courage to murmur so only he can hear, "I'll come back to you. I promise."

"Stronger than ever," he murmurs in return, as if to finish the statement.

That alone makes me smile wide.

Miki approaches behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder. Only then do I break away from John.

I take Miki's hand just as he warns, "This is going to feel weird at first. Just remember, you don't need to breathe when you are the wind."

I barely have the time to respond in any way before my stomach seems to flip and the world turns upside down. Suddenly I can see in every angle at once and I nearly panic at the disorienting spin effect that Miki's legacy creates.

Nearly. The only reason I don't is because of Miki.

While I don't have any hands – or organs for that matter – I can feel Miki's presence still close by.

"Don't let go," he says next to me, and in that moment, I wonder how I can hear him if my ears are as much wind as my body. Or how he can speak without a mouth or without choking in breath, like I feel the need to do. Though, as quickly as the thoughts came, they are gone when he continues, "This way."

And with that, it is like the whole of my body, essence, or being is spirited off and thrusted away.

...

Soon, we arrive in San Diego, done so by simply following the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Miki leads me past suburbs and forest and hillside and miles upon miles of beach. There are few people out at this hour, but those who are would only think of us as a stray breeze drifting from the northwest.

The travel speed is just as fast as Five's flight or my Eneration. And like when Five and I flew back to the HGA, I remember how much I missed this feeling – minus the nausea and dizziness of course.

Miki and I don't talk on the fly – not that it feels possible for me. Only when a man in black appears in view, standing on an old pier of rotten logs with a sea plane docked on the water, does Miki say anything at all.

"There," he says, his voice sounding somewhat dissatisfied and timid all of a sudden, despite the presence of a fancy plane. It's hard not to be impressed, but I suppose Miki is used to it.

We whip past the man, blowing his dark brown hair into his face, and land some dozen feet off.

When my feet finally come into contact with the pier's surface and Miki lets go of my hand, I immediately collapse to my knees and gasp in deep breaths. As unused to this new mode of transportation as I am.

"What the-! What is the meaning of this kid?! You were supposed to come alone!" the man shouts in a snotty American accent as soon as he lays eyes on me.

"Sorry," Miki replies at first. "She wanted-"

"I need your help," I interject, speaking for myself and bringing myself back to my feet, my gaze never leaving that of the man. "My life is in danger and Miki said you have people that possess the cure I need to survive."

The man in black raises an eyebrow at me before turning his attention back to Miki.

"Were you compromised boy?" he asks.

"No," Miki responds without an ounce of doubt or hesitation. "She is the only one that knows."

Then the man approaches me; walks a circle around me seemingly in inspection.

I know it shouldn't, but it takes me by surprise when he reaches for the pistol at my waist and yanks it loose. My hands fly up above my shoulders when he points it at me.

"And why are you armed?" he questions critically. "If you really need our help as you say, why ask for it with a weapon at your disposal?"

"It was only a precaution," I explain. "I didn't know where exactly I was headed or who I was meeting. I have gone through too much shit in the past 48 hours, but I have no desire to threaten you. I've been tested on and poisoned and had my legacies removed. I told the academy what happened, and they thought I was lying. They didn't believe me, and they didn't show any interest in helping me. I was going to leave and look for the cure myself – as impossible as it seemed – when Miki informed me of your many connections. Please, I'm going to die in 10 days if you don't help me."

He lowers the gun; scoffs. "You expect me to believe that? Everyone knows you worked alongside John Smith and the Loric to put an end to the Mogadorian invasion. What evidence do you have to prove that this isn't a sham?"

I look down; appear to be distant, and reply, "A lot can change in a year. I thought they were my friends. I thought we would still fight and protect one another once the war was over. It was stupid and naïve of me to believe that for even a second. They only see me as human now. A weak and powerless and insignificant human. I was hoping you could make me into the person I was or perhaps even better."

There it is. The lie is out. Now all that's left is to ensure he believes it.

I wasn't expecting it, but he actually smiles.

"What do you have to offer?" he asks then, staring daggers at me with an all too familiar smirk I used to get from the so-called Beloved Leader. I try not to sneer.

I don't avert his gaze; instead continue neutrally and unnerved, "I understand that you are in need of healers. I understand that Einar has abandoned your agreement. I know where he is and I can retrieve him for you. As well as an academy healer by the name of Taylor Cook. And once you help me get my legacies back, I can show you what else I can offer."

The man's smirk suddenly widens like I didn't expect it to.

Then he responds, "I'll inform my superior and we will see what we can do about getting your abilities back as well as curing you from such a disease that infects your body. Tell me, what does the cure in tale?"

"Astatine," I answer directly.

The man nods and gestures to the sea plane.

"Get in the plane," he instructs. "I gotta make a call. I'll be there momentarily."

And as Miki and I oblige, the man straps my gun to his waist, pulls out his cell phone from his pocket and dials a number.