FOREVER

 

"I SIT HERE LOCKED INSIDE MY HEAD,
REMEMBERING EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID.
THE SILENCE GETS US NOWHERE,
GETS US NOWHERE WAY TO FAST."
STAIND, FOR YOU
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

CHAPTER 1

 

THIS IS NOT REAL. IT CAN'T BE. EVEN THOUGH MY MIND IS SCREAMING THE TRUTH, I CANNOT ACCEPT THAT SHE'S GONE. SHE'S TOO STRONG. THIS IS ALL JUST A HORRIBLE GAME, AND ANY MOMENT NOW I'LL HEAR THE FAMILIAR GROWL OF HER MOST TRUSTED FRIEND, HER NINJA. SHE HAS TO COME HERE. THIS IS HER THINKING PLACE. THE PLACE SHE RUNS TO WHEN SHE NEEDS TO BE ALONE. OUR PLACE. I'LL JUST KEEP WAITING FOR HER HERE.
FOREVER IF I HAVE TO.

 

IT'S BEEN 2 DAYS SINCE MAX DIED, AND SO MANY THOUGHTS FILL MY HEAD IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE SENSE OF ANY OF THEM. LYDECKER'S PHONE CALL DIDN'T HELP MUCH EITHER. THE NERVE OF THAT MAN. HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DEATH, AND NOW HE WANTS MY HELP. FAT CHANCE. HE'S LUCKY I DIDN'T KILL HIM ON THE SPOT. BASTARD. I WANTED TO STAY WITH HER, TO BE THERE UNTIL THE MATICORE FREAKS CAME TO CLAIM HER BODY, BUT HE HAD OTHER PLANS.    "SHE'S GONE, LOGAN!" HE SCREAMED."IF YOU DON'T LEAVE NOW, YOU'LL BE NEXT. TRUST ME ON THIS. THEY WON'T LEAVE YOU ALIVE TO TELL THE TALE. AND HOW CAN YOU PUT HER BODY TO REST IF YOU GIVE UP NOW?"
AND IF HE HADN'T UTTERED THOSE LAST WORDS, GIVE UP, I WOULD'VE STAYED AND WAITED TO DIE WITH HER. I WANTED TO DIE WITH HER. BUT SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND MADE ME LEAVE WITH HIM. AND NOW I HATE MYSELF FOR IT.

 

WHAT GOOD COULD I BE TO LYDECKER NOW ANYWAY? SURE, I COULD HELP HIM HIDE OUT, KEEP HIM OUT OF THE SPOT LIGHT UNTIL MANTICORE TOTALLY DISASSEMBLES, BUT THEN WHAT? THERE WILL BE NO MANTICORE AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BIO LAB. SO LYDECKER WILL BE A FREE MAN, AND I'LL BE HERE. WITHOUT HER. ALONE.

 

AS I SLIDE DEEPER INTO THE ABYSS THAT USED TO BE A SANE MIND, MY THOUGHTS ARE INTERUPTED BY THE SLAMMING OF THE FRONT DOOR. FOR A SPLIT SECOND, I GIVE MYSELF THE COMFORT OF BELIEVING THAT IT'S MAX, AND THIS HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE WAS JUST THAT. A NIGHTMARE. ALL TOO SOON I SEE THE FAMILIAR FACE OF MY ONLY FRIEND. THANK GOD FOR BLING.

 

"HOW YA FEELIN'?" HE ASKS. I CAN'T EVEN MUSTER UP THE STRENGTH TO ANSWER, SO I JUST NOD. I  NOTICE ORIGINAL CINDY LURKING BEHIND HIM. SHE LOOKS LIKE HELL. I GUESS I'M ONE TO TALK.
MAKING MYSELF SPEAK, I TURN TO HER. " HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP? " I ASK, BARELY A WHISPER.  I CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT HER THAT SHE'S FALLING TO PIECES. MAX WAS HER BEST FRIEND, HER BOO. SHE LOOKS JUST AS LOST AS I FEEL. SHE MANAGES A FAINT SMILE AND ANSWERS " I'VE BEEN BETTER. NOT TRYIN' TO BE RUDE BUT I CAN'T STAY. GOTTA FINISH GETTIN' THE HOUSE BACK IN ORDER. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT THESE." SHE HANDS ME A BROWN PAPER BAG, LABELED 'HER THINGS'. MY HANDS START TO SHAKE AND ONCE AGAIN I'M HIT WITH THE RAGE OF THAT NIGHT. I KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BAG, OR AT LEAST WHO THESE THINGS USED TO BELONG TO. UNSURE IF I'M REALLY READY FOR THIS NOW, I OPEN THE BAG. IT SMELLS LIKE HER. INSIDE IS WHAT'S LEFT OF MAX'S BELONGINGS. THE NIGHT SHE DIED, MEN ARMED WITH ENOUGH AMMO TO KILL THE ENTIRE COUNTRY STORMED WHAT USED TO BE HER APARTMENT AND TOOK ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS PROOF SHE EVER EXSISTED. HOW CINDY MANAGED TO SAVE THESE THINGS IS BEYOND MY GRASP. " WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? " I ASK. "I THOUGHT, WHEN THE GAURDS CAME...." SHE SMILES, A REAL SMILE THIS TIME. " DID YOU REALLY THINK I WAS GONNA LET 'EM WALK AWAY WITH EVERYTHING? GOT THE NINJA TOO, ONLY I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO CARRY THAT. KEYS ARE IN THE BAG."

 

DIGGING TO THE BOTTOM, I FIND THEM. " SO WHERE ARE YOU HIDING IT? I CAN GO PICK IT UP, GIVE MYSELF A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE FOR A WHILE."
" ACROSS FROM HER PLACE, THE NEEDLE. " SHE SAYS. " HID IT PRETTY GOOD WITH A FEW BOXES AND SHEETS. COULDN'T REALLY BRING MYSELF TO GO BACK AND GET IT, YA KNOW? "
" YEAH. " I ANSWER. " THANKS FOR BRINGING THESE. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO."

 

BEFORE SHE CAN RESPOND, THE PHONE RINGS. BLING RUNS TO ANSWER, BUT I STOP HIM. " I GOT THIS ONE. " I SAY, NEARLY TRIPPING OVER HIM TO GET THERE FIRST.
" YEAH, LOGAN HERE." NOTHING BUT SILENCE FOLLOWS. "HELLO? ANYONE THERE?" ALMOST READY TO HANG UP, I HEAR A VOICE AT THE OTHER END OF THE LINE. "LOGAN? LOGAN CALE?"

 

"YEAH? WHO'S THIS?"

 

"LOOK, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO CHAT. MEET US AT THE NEEDLE. WE HAVE INFORMATION ON MAX." 

 

AND THEN THE LINE GOES DEAD.

 

-----------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 2

 

AN HOUR OR SO LATER, I STAND AT THE TOP OF THE NEEDLE, WAITING FOR THE UN-NAMED CALLER TO SHOW HIMSELF. IT SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY, BUT I FINALLY SEE TWO FIGURES WALKING SLOWLY TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE NEEDLE.  " LOGAN? ARE YOU ALONE?" I HEAR A VOICE ASK.
" OF COURSE." I ANSWER. " NOW JUST WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON? YOU'D BETTER NOT BE MESSING WITH ME. AFTER THE WEEK I'VE HAD TO FACE, I'M READY TO SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER."

 

AS THE FIGURES COME CLOSER, I CAN BEGIN TO MAKE OUT THE FACES OF THE ONES WHO ASKED ME HERE. KRIT AND SYL. I THOUGHT THEY HAD GONE ONCE WE ALL REALIZED MAX WAS DEAD.

 

" KRIT, SYL? I THOUGHT YOU WERE LONG GONE. WHAT BRINGS YOU BACK TO THIS GOD FORSAKEN CITY? PLEASE TELL ME YOU FOUND HER BODY. " THE LAST PART COMES OUT NO MORE THAN A WHISPER. I WANTED TO HEAR THAT MAX HAD BEEN FOUND, ALIVE, AND THAT ANY MOMENT NOW SHE WOULD BE MAKING HER WAY TO THE NEEDLE, AND BACK TO ME.

 

KRIT LOOKS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE, LIKE SHE'S READY TO POUNCE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF DANGER. SYL STANDS ALMOST AT ATTENTION, AND TURNS TO LOOK AT ME.

 

" THAT IS A VERY COMPLICATED QUESTION. YES, WE FOUND HER BODY, BUT SHE ISN'T DEAD. IT TURNS OUT THAT ZACH GAVE HIMSELF A BULLET IN THE HEAD TO GIVE MAX ANOTHER CHANCE, AND NOW RENFRO IS BEGINNING THE RE-PROGRAMMING PROCESS...... " EVERYTHING ELSE SYL SAYS FALLS ON DEAF EARS. I FEEL SO NUMB, YET EVERY PART OF ME SCREAMS FOR HER. EVERY FIGHT, EVERY SPECIAL MOMENT, EVEN THE SILLY CHESS GAMES FLASH THROUGH MY HEAD. I HAVE TO GET HER BACK HOME. WITH ME. SHE HAS TO KNOW THAT I'M STILL HERE, WAITING FOR HER RETURN.

 

" LOGAN!!! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME? " KRIT SCREAMS. " I JUST FINISHED TELLING YOU WHAT'S GOING ON TO FIND OUT THAT YOU'RE NOT EVEN LISTENING! ARE YOU EVEN HERE WITH US? " WOW, SHE LOOKS REALLY PISSED. SHE TURNS AND STOMPS OFF TO WHERE EVER THEY CAME FROM.

 

" I'M LISTENING.  I JUST MISSED THE LAST PART. IS SHE REALLY ALIVE? " I CAN'T LET MYSELF BEGIN TO BELEIVE THAT SHE MIGHT BE ALIVE. NOT YET. I NEED HARD, MATERIAL PROOF.

 

SYL STEPS FORWARD TO HAND ME SOMETHING. A SMALL SURVEILANCE TAPE. MY HANDS START TO SHAKE AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS.

 

" WE GOT THIS FROM THE NEW MANTICORE LOCATION, SOME NASTY OLD GOVERNMENT-OWNED BUILDING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. THE TRICKY PART IS GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE FACILITY. THE BUILDING ITSELF IS JUST A FRONT. THE ACTUAL MANTICORE HEART IS ABOUT 500 FEET UNDERGROUND, WITH SECURITY CHECKS EVERY INCH OF THE WAY. WE HAD TO MAME AND KILL A FEW OFFICERS TO GET THIS, BUT AT LEAST WE KNOW OUR MAXIE ISN'T REALLY GONE. THE NEW OPERATION ISN'T AS BIG AS THE OLD MANTICORE, MAYBE ONLY ABOUT 15 ROOMS TOTAL SPACE, BUT THEY DO HAVE ONE THING GOING FOR THEM. THEY STILL HAVE A FEW SOLDIERS AND THEY HAVE OUR MAX. " HE STOPS TALKING LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR KRIT LAYING ON THE HORN FROM THE CAR BELOW.

 

" THAT'S ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. NO BRILLIANT PLAN TO BRING HER HOME, BUT WE ARE GOING BACK TONIGHT TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET A LAY OUT OF THE PLACE AND CHECK OUT THE SECURITY LEVELS. " SYL CONTINUES TO STAND LIKE HE'S WAITING FOR SOMETHING.

 

" SO WHERE DO I COME INTO ALL THIS? " I ASK. " I CAN'T HELP YOU GET IN. THIS IS A NEW LOCATION THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. "

 

SYL SMILES. " I THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER ASK. TAKE A LOOK AT THE SURVEILANCE TAPE, SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE MISSED. ANY CLUES OR IDES WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ALSO, SINCE WE KNOW YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING A 1st CLASS HACKER, SEE WHAT YOU CAN DIG UP ON THE OLD MANTICORE MAINFRAME. IT MAY LEAD YOU TO THE NEW ONE. " WITH THAT SAID, HE TURNS AND STARTS TO LEAVE.

 

" HEY! " I SCREAM AFTER HIM. " HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU? IF WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS I NEED A WAY TO REACH YOU. "

 

HE THINKS FOR A MINUTE. " WE'LL CALL YOU. WE HAVE NO MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, OTHER THAN A PAY PHONE. "

 

I SUDDENLY REMEMBER MY CELL PHONE, HIDDEN AWAY IN MY JACKET.

 

" I HAVE A PHONE. HERE, TAKE THIS. IF ANYONE BUT ME CALLS, JUST TELL THEM I CAN BE REACHED AT HOME. CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, AND I'LL DO THE SAME. "

 

HE TAKES THE CELL AND IS GONE IN A FLASH, LEAVING ME HERE ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS. ONLY ONE THOUGHT STANDS OUT FROM ALL THE OTHERS.

 

SHE IS ALIVE. AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

 

AND WE WILL BRING HER HOME.

 

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