The Gathering (65 page)

“I'm going with you,” Sean said.

“I need you here.”

“Why?”

Sean walked over to Alia and grabbed her arm.
 
She turned to him, her face again wet from tears.
 
He felt as though he had been punched in the stomach.
 
Her pain was all consuming and she had been holding back.
 
He could see it in her eyes.

“I need to know the Fail is protected, Sean."

Sean shook his head and tried to turn away.
 
Alia grabbed his face in her hands.

“I need you here.”

He grabbed her hands and held them to his mouth and then grabbed her into his arms, holding her tightly.
  
She welcomed the embrace.
 
She was so close to falling off the edge that she wasn’t sure she could do what she had to in the coming days.
 
Sean closed his eyes.

“I want to kill them.”

Alia pulled back to see Sean’s face.
 
Tears of anger and sadness rolling down his face.

“A part of her was mine too, Al.”

She leaned up and kissed him, long and soft.
 
She knew what he meant and he was right and for a short while, they stood holding one another, staring at the flames, the flames so much like the ones they had seen only hours before on Spirit Hill.

93

Tanner awoke and sat up in his chair as he looked around.
 
The hospital, they were still in the hospital.
 
He felt a hand on his arm and looked up to see Sara.
 
She smiled at him.

“You ok?”

Tanner nodded and turned back towards the bed in front of him.
 
Chris was still unconscious and pale.
 
Tanner leaned forward and rubbed his face.
 
He felt himself begin to well up and fought back the tears.

Alisha was dead.
 
Chris was in a coma.
 
They had taken Coeli, Chelsea and Hannah.
 
He wanted to hurt someone.
 
He wanted them all back.
 
Sara grabbed his arm again.

“Stop it.”

He looked at her.

“You can’t bring Alisha back," Sara said.

“I know.”

Sara softened her grip on Tanner's arm as he watched his brother.
 
She sighed.

“They just made an announcement that all those of age can either defend the Fail or go help rescue the girls.”

Tanner’s mouth dropped and he turned back to look at his brother.

“You’re staying here, right?”
 
Sara asked.

Tanner shook his head.

“No, I’m going.”

Sara let go of his arm and turned around.
 
Tanner sighed and got up.
 
He turned her around to see her crying.
 

“Scott’s going, too.”

He held her.

“I have to go after them, Sara.
 
For Chris, for Alisha and for me… I have to go for all of us.
 
I think Scott has to go for Sam… and for you.”

He pulled back and wiped the tears from her face.

"You have to have faith, Sara.
 
Mom would never let anything happen to any of us if she could stop it.
 
She'll get them home, it’s just that Scott and the rest of us have to help her."

Sara nodded her head.

"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier.
 
What if…"

"What if?
 
Dad always said you can't live a life full of 'what ifs.'"

Tanner kissed her forehead and moved over to Chris.
 
He leaned down and whispered something in his brother's ear.
 
He grabbed the top of his brother's head and held his face to Chris's.

"I love you, Man."

Tanner then let him go and moved to leave, only stopping to again kiss Sara's cheek.
 

"C'mon, we should see how the other kids are doing."

He held out his hand and Sara took it.
 
They walked out the door of the hospital room and down the hall.
 

94

"I have to get them back."

Sam packed a bag as his mother watched.

"I don't understand why you have to do this, Sam."

Sam mindlessly picked up a shirt and shoved it into the bag, unwilling to look at his mother.

"Look at me!" she yelled.

He stopped and turned.
 
Her delicate features were worn and tired and he felt his heart breaking.

"She's everything to me, Mom… and Chelsea… I have to go."

Lily Hearst walked over to her eldest child and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I thought this was all over."

"It is never ever truly over, My Love."

Elena had slipped quietly into the room and Lily turned to her mother.

"Oh, Mama, make him understand… please."

"Lilliana, Sam understands more than you think.
 
He knows what must be done."

Elena walked over to Sam and gently touched his face.

"The universe is made up of the dark and the light with much gray in between.
 
Evil comes in all forms and it never dies.
 
War is the necessary result, unfortunately.
 
I have seen much of it in my life… too much.
 
For centuries our people have been the victims of hate, but here in this new world, we all have learned to tolerate one another."

She took her daughter's face in her hands.

"This is a world worth fighting for, Lily.
 
This mission is more than just a rescue.
 
It will define the future.
 
This is your son's destiny.
 
Be brave, My Love."

"Oh, Mama!"

Lily let go of Sam and grabbed her mother, sobbing into her chest.

"There. There now, My Love, have faith."

Elena looked at her grandson and smiled.
 
He felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"You, Boy, must accept the inevitable and go without fear.
 
Go willingly and without fear.
 
Remember that, Samuel."

Sam nodded.
 

"Sam?"

Larry and Corey Hearst had entered the apartment and walked to the bedroom.

"I take it you're going?"
 
Larry asked.

"Yes, Sir."

Corey stepped forward.

"Me, too."

Larry looked at Corey and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No, Son… I need you to stay here and help protect the Fail.
 
I need you to look after your mother while I'm away."

Corey started to protest, but Larry squeezed Corey's shoulder.

"Don't argue with me, Corey, please."

Corey stopped and lowered his head.

"Yes, Sir."

Lily detached herself from her mother and walked over to Larry.
 
She stood in front of him with angry, accusing eyes.
 
Then she slapped him and started to cry.
 
She continued to slap and hit him and he let her carry on for a few moments as she her vented her anger and frustration, then he grabbed her and held her close.

"I'll bring her home safe, Lily, I swear it.
 
I'll bring her back."

"I want all of you back…you bring everyone back."

The Hearsts held one another until it was time to gather in the Dining Hall.
 
Elena, Lily and Corey watched Larry and Sam head out.
 
As they walked across the village, Elena watched as a raven landed on Sam's Shoulder.
 

She smiled.
 

95

Alia sat down in the main room with the children.
 
Their eyes were red and swollen, as were Alia’s, and she took a deep breath.

“I need for you all to understand that I’m going to get Coeli and the girls.”

“No, Mommy!” Sara and Rebecca yelled.
 

Brandon started to cry quietly and Brian frowned and tried to hold back his tears, desperately wiping away the wetness around his eyes.
 
Kaley put her hands over her eyes and Tanner looked at his mother.
 
Amanda got up and started to cry.

“You promised!!
 
You said you weren’t going anywhere… you promised!!
 
You’re a liar!!
 
Just like Alisha, you're both liars!!!”

“Amanda, please try to understand…”

“NO, LIAR!”

Alia grabbed Amanda who started hitting and kicking her.
 
Alia let her tears fall and just tried to hold Amanda close until she gave in and collapsed in her mother’s arms, sobbing.
 
Alia continued to rock her youngest as Lisa climbed up on her lap as well.
 
Alia wrapped her other arm around her.

“I don’t want to leave any of you, but I have to get your sister.
 
Rona said I had to go.
 
I can’t let your sister die because I didn’t go get her.”

Tanner looked up at his mother.

“I’m coming with you.”