Chapter 11: Never Goodbye, Only 'Until We Meet Again' 

The next morning, bright and early we all met up on the outskirts of the city. I still had little idea of what I was going to do. Alec stood by his convertible, Max by her baby (a black Ninja 650), Logan by his Aztec, and the others and I by the truck. Eve and Kevin stood off to the side by Kev's truck, feeling out of place. 
"ID's and passports to get you across the border to Canada," Max said and handed the documents to Bullet. 
"Are we ever gonna see you again?" Zero inquired, his arms crossed against his chest. 
"Promise. Now I'm going to drop a little wisdom on you grunts, so pay attention. First time I got out in the world, I lost track of all the kids I escaped with. Spent the next ten years trying to find them. Don't let that happen to you. Stay together. You're family," Max stated with a dead serious look on her face. 
At the word family, I looked over at the others. They were my family, my real family. The people I grew up with and lived to depend upon. I needed them and they needed me to complete the circle. 
"Okay, I'm out of here before the waterworks start," Alec said breaking the moment. 
"Hold on. We have one last thing to do...as soldiers," Max said emphasizing the world soldiers. 
"And what's that?" Alec asked annoyed. 
"Pay our respects to those who didn't make it. Attention!" 
We all took the position of attention, except for the non X-soldiers (Kevin, Eve and Logan). Bugler began to play the taps and I closed my eyes. I refused to cry as I remembered Pez, Zel, Paige, Raine, Darien, Alpha, Magnum, Li, Jonah, Gabriel, and Kale. They were good soldiers; they didn't deserve their fate. I opened my eyes and stared at the blue sky above. We had began with 30 X6's in our barracks and now they lay empty. We had escaped and we were free, some against their will and some finally getting what they've dreamt about. I fell out of the familiar position of attention as Bugler ended his sad song. Max walked over to us and hugged Fixit and Ralph and bumped fists with Bullet and Zero. She ruffles Bugler's hair as though he had hair. I gave her a tight hug. 
"Take care of yourself," I whispered before stepping back. 
Max nodded and looked over at Alec. The two nodded a silent agreement of some sorts between them. Alec drove away from us, his past, in his car with the music blasting. I looked over at Kevin and Eve and then over at Zero. This would make my list of hardest things to do. I walked away from Zero and walked over to Kevin and Eve. I gave Eve a long hug and kissed Kevin softly. 
"They need me," I side softly to them both. 
"They'll need someone to help them blend in. I grew up with them and I want to be with them. I need them; I need to be around people who are like me. I can't go back there and be Kayla, now that I've come to know who Kai is again." 
"We understand," Eve said softly. 
I saw the look of betrayal upon Kevin's face and knew he didn't approve of it but accepted my decision. 
I gave them each another long and tight hug. I turned away from them and walked over to my family. 
"Come to say goodbye?" Zero asked softly. 
"Only if you intend to take me with you," I replied smiling. 
"You're going to come with us?" Ralph asked excitedly 
"We're family. We need each other," I said and hugged the four. 
"I need to talk to Krit," I said softly. 
I walked over to where Krit stood saying goodbye to his baby sister. As I approached he and Max gave each other a parting hug before Max walked over to Logan. I shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. 
"You're leaving?" Krit asked. 
"They need me more than you guys do." 
"You belong with them," Krit said, "my life was hell before I hooked up with Syl. I had to hide a part of myself from everyone, except her." 
"Are you in love with her?" I asked. 
"Syl? Nah. She's my best friend, like Max was to Jondy." 
"I'll miss you," I said softly, "I'll send letters to the B and B." 
"I'm going to get out of there too, I think. I need to find my other half." 
I gave Krit a long and tight hug that he returned. 
"Goodbye, baby sister," Krit said. 
I knew I must look shocked. 'Baby sister' was a term that Krit reserved for the X5's. I hugged him again and kissed his cheek. 
"Not 'Goodbye'. Until we meet again, big brother," I whispered before walking back to Zero and the others. 
I watched as Eve and Kevin drove away with Krit close behind on his Ninja. I felt a pair of warm arms wrap around my waist. I turned around in his arms and smiled up at Zero. 
"Ready to go?" he asked softly. 
"Yeah." 
"You sure you're ready to give up your life?" 
"That life was never mine," I replied, "Kayla's life was that. Kai's life, belongs with you." 
I tilted my head up and caught his lips in a soft kiss. When we separated, Zero led me back to the truck. We climbed in wordlessly and Bullet drove away from Seattle. I looked back only once. 
"Until we meet again," I whispered softly so that Zero couldn't even hear. 
"What'd you say?" he inquired. 
"I said, my name is Kai," I replied and rested he head on his shoulder. 
Zero pulled me against him, accepting my reply. I knew now that I belonged with these people. This was where I belonged, in a truck going down the highway to nowhere with Bullet, Ralph, Fixit, Bugler, and in Zero's arms. I knew I would see my friends again, and I knew I would find Krit. Besides, I think he's heading to Arizona. With us, it's never going to be 'goodbye', only until we meet again.