Maverick

The sirens started when the Walker elevator doors opened. We made it to the lobby where the transport was located with relative ease, thank goodness. But it was only a matter of time until someone found Cavil’s dusty remains. Ash was covered in blood, moving in a haze as screams filled Cavil’s tower. The siren was loud, but not as loud as the pulse in my ears. Seeing her kill Cavil was likely a sight I’d never forget.

Blythe and another Companion I’d often seen her with were pacing in front of a transport. Once they saw Ash’s red-stained hands, they jumped to action. “What the fuck happened?” Blythe asked while looking at me.

“Cavil’s dead. We have to go,” Ash replied. Her voice was monotone, and I knew she was in shock. Looking down at her hands, I noted that they were shaking. A layer of sweat covered her forehead.

“What about Jade?” the other girl asked. She ran her fingers through her short, black hair and bit her lip in distress.

“Cavil took her. We can’t go back for her. If you want to live, then get the fuck in the transport, Lowe,” Ash replied. She didn’t sound like herself at all. The girl I knew would crumble at the thought of leaving someone behind.

Had I finally destroyed her? I destroyed every good thing in my life.

Blythe and Lowe exchanged weary expressions before nodding.

Every single bone in my body ached. It felt like there was no cartilage in my joints. “Here,” Ash said before digging in her corset top and handing Cyler and me both pills. She wouldn’t meet my gaze, and that broke me. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was ashamed. “It’s the death pill.”

We got into the transport in silence. Lowe made quick work of pressing buttons on the dash, and as the garage slowly opened, I let out a curse when I saw guards loitering outside. The small group snapped their attention to us and began walking over, but just before they could intercept us, a loud explosion of fire and destruction went off in the distance. Clouds of flames filled the sky almost immediately.

“What the fuck?” Cyler asked while placing his hand on the window and peering outside. The guards were temporarily distracted, and Lowe took the opportunity to input the coordinates.

“Take it now. I’m not sure where the barrier is. You’ll want it off before we leave here,” Ash said quickly.

Staring down at the pill in my palm, I weighed the pro’s and cons. I was only about eighty percent sure that we’d wake up. Our bodies had just experienced some traumatic damage, and I couldn’t be for certain that this pill wouldn’t push what little life we were clinging to over the edge. But we didn’t have much of a choice, and I refused to tell Ash. She’d insist we stay, otherwise.

Once again I found myself making one of the hardest decisions of my life: Risk her, or risk myself. In the end, I’d always pick her happiness and survival over mine.

Blythe handed us water, and the guards ahead started running around like mad men, as if unsure where to go. Glancing at Cy, I placed the pill on my tongue and gulped it down. After we wordlessly exchanged a look of solidarity, he quickly followed suit.

The darkness started to claim me, and I made sure to stare at Ash. I wanted her to be the last thing I saw, just in case. The transport jolted forward and flames engulfed the sky outside, giving her a red silhouette of fire. She looked beautiful.

“Wow,” Lowe began, as my vision went black. “You really are Queen of the Walkers.”