Commander Nykon Reev
When Evlon ran across the field, I knew I needed to follow him. He was up to something. I knew it from the look on his face. This was a trap, but we were prepared for it. I ran after him. Then I stopped. I looked at the sidelines. I saw a circle of soldiers surrounding the medical team, and I could see Amber among them. She was safe. I continued running after Evlon.
“Wait for me!” I heard a familiar voice say. I turned to see Rizim running at my side.
He laughed. “Hey, I went a complete round in the games. I didn't comp out like you did,” he gave me shit back. “Ready for this?”
Together we ran toward the war game complex tunnel that would lead to the exit.
“What is she to you?” I heard a voice shout at me. I stopped running. I turned to see Evlon standing there. He still had his ax in his hand.
“There you are. Too scared to complete in the game so you had to stage all of this just to make sure I did not defeat you?” I said stepping toward him.
“I do not know what you're talking about,” I said, tightening the grip on the weapon.
“I saw you talking to her. She is my property. I took her from Earth. She is my slave. I will have her back,” he said.
His words struck rage inside of me. I snarled. There was no way in hell I was going to let him get her.
“I do not know what you mean. But whatever human you are talking about, you will not have as a slave again. We do not allow it,” I said and then swung at him. Once again, we were in the throes of a fight, only this time it was not regulated by any referee.
Boom! He nailed me in the ribs with the blunt end of the weapon. It was the exact same spot that I had been hit a month before. I doubled over.
I heard him growl. Hearing his voice let me know exactly where his head was. I wards with the weapon. The metal of the ax grazed his cheek. It took off skin. He fell backward. He quickly rolled away onto his feet. I stood my ground ready to go another round. But instead, he took off. I couldn't believe it.
“Nykon! There you are. I thought you had been shot. I turned behind me, and you were not there. Come! Remember the plan!” Rizim shouted at me as he ran towards me.
Fuck. I wanted to stay and defeat Evlon. But I knew that the plan was bigger than my revenge. I ran with Rizim, fighting our way out of the stadium. We got into the open air. We knew exactly where we were going. It was one thing that the Waysaw had working against them. We used to live in the city as well, many years ago, and we knew exactly where everything was located. This was an advantage that we had that they did not. We ran straight for the water plant.
“There! That's the entrance!” Rizim shouted at a round door on the side of a brick wall.
It took both of us to pull it open. Once we opened it, we were inside. We ran to each critical structure. I planted bombs. This was our plan. Destroying the water structure would put the Waysaw city in a state of emergency for several months, perhaps even a year. It would cripple them. Without their water source, they would not have the time and energy to initiate a raid on us or on Earth. It was a good plan.
“Done! Go! Go!” I shouted to him. We ran out of the water structure the same way that we came in. We closed the door. We did not want to give anyone a heads up what we were up to. Just then, a speeder landed. It was right on schedule.
It hovered as the door opened and Rizim and I grabbed onto it and pulled ourselves up into it.
“Good,” the soldier said as he sped away. I looked down on the chaos. I could see our soldiers had the upper hand. The plan was working.
“The package has been delivered,” the soldier said over the radio. “Clear the water plant area. Twenty seconds,” he said. Then he began to count down over the radio as he drove out of the city. Every Grantsions soldier cleared free of the water structure. They knew it was about to blow. Hundreds of speeders joined us at our side as we sped out of the city.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of explosions went on and on as the bombs were detonated. Rizim and I shouted in victory.
It was only then that my thoughts turned to Amber. Did they get her out? What could I do at the moment? I wanted to ask over the radio if the medical team had been evacuated, but I know that no one would be able to confirm in the chaos. It would only make me frustrated and angry. I would have to wait and see until I returned to the village.
I had a good faith that the soldiers guarding her got her out. It was their one and only job, and there were many of them. We had skilled and loyal soldiers and I only hoped that nothing had thrown them from their task.
Finally, our speeder landed in the village. Many others were landing around us. The courtyard was full of Grantsions cheering in victory.
“Father!” I heard my son, Neton, shout. He ran to me. I knelt down beside him and pulled him into my arms. I was so happy to see him.
“There you are,” he said as he had to me tightly. I was sure that Keirin did not tell him where I was; I made her promise to not tell him. I did not want him to worry. He was too young to understand what was going on. He only knew that I had left and would return. So now he was happy to see me.
“In a sense, yes. It all depends on how many return,” I said looking in the direction of the speeders still coming in.
“I am glad that you returned unharmed. As usual, the village owes you much,” she said.
“I don't know about that. It was a team mission. I could not have done it alone. It took all of us,” I said.
“I am thirsty myself. Let us get something to drink,” I said grabbing his hand and walking him over to the tables that were set up, giving the soldiers water and medical attention. I looked around for Amber. I did not see her. I was starting to get nervous and panicked. But with my son and my ex-wife at my side, I could not say anything. I could only look. It was then that I saw her. She was talking to her human friend. But she was not looking at me. Amber turned her back to me and walked away. I did not know if she had seen me or not. But a large smile came across my face. Tension left my shoulders knowing that she was safe.