“Just my wrist, I can stand,” I say, basically wiggling away, and trying to stand, which hurts because my dress whites are basically burned to my skin but I don’t think I’ve ever been held like that by somebody in my memory and it felt creepy even if he is only trying to help. also he called me sweetheart but then he thought I was dead and my head is wringing so that might have just been general ‘oh my god she’s dead’ affection and not creepy affection.
“Okay—um---don’t---okay you are---be careful, here,” he stands and takes off a black jacket and hands it to me. he’s not in his uniform that’s random. Okay.
“What, no that’ll hurt,” I say, taking it with my good hand.
“Yeah your shirt is sort of ah burned off and onto you put that on,” he says, “you’ll get infected or something otherwise.”
“Okay,” I am too numb and incoherent to argue, he wraps it around my shoulders and I wince painfully.
“Now, we need to get you out of here,” he says, looking around. There is fire licking its way along the ceiling and igniting a few pipes.
“Tyrell, he was planting a bomb,” I say, as my mind comes back to me, “I tried to stop him---what are you doing here?”
“Looking for you! You were missing I---I came looking for you,” he stutters.
“How’d you know I was missing?” I ask.
“I didn’t see you, at the reception, thing----I just knew you were----you and Tom and Card and Leavitt, are all down here, apparently, I’ve sent them up,” he says, “I came looking for you.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Of course, now, I think the elevators are that way---”
“They are that way Harris you have the sense of direction of a pre-pubescent cephalopod, you literally just came from them---look we’ve found explosives we’re trying to keep them away from the fire---Liesel can you really not feel third degree burns? I’ve read a variety of literature about it but I’m curious about the actual sensation---”
“My arms are full of explosive materials can you please punch him in the throat for me?”
Leavitt and Card come up from the actual direction of the lifts, with their arms full of what are apparently homemade explosives.
“I can actually get you in trouble for talking to me like that---” Harris begins.
“Thing is you can’t-----”
“Did any of you see Tyrell? He was right near me when the bomb went off?” I ask, realizing Harris ought to have found him and me.
“No,” Harris says, shaking his head.
“Great, the insane bomber is wandering around somewhere Jason style half burned up and my arms are full of bombs,” Leavitt growls. His neck is all bruised. I don’t dare ask what happened to him he doesn’t look happy right now and honestly it probably has to do with something Titus did.
“He’s got to be worse off than me, we were right near the blast,” I cough.
“I’ll find him---Card, Leavitt I told you to go to the lifts,” Harris says.
“Here, get the fire blanket from the kit over there we’ll wrap these up---,” Card says, taking the explosives from Quentin, “And how do you plan on finding him you couldn’t even find the lifts a minute ago.”
“Well it doesn’t matter because I have no idea where he is and I should have known where the lifts are it’s my brain that’s damaged not my eyes,” Harris retorts.
“We did go to the lifts the asshole decides to push his girlfriend in so she’ll go up and then stay down here playing hero,” Quentin says, going to the wall where a pathetically small fire extinguisher and a fire blanket kit are.
“There are another set of lifts over there, and she knows that, she probably hit the fire alarm and come right back down,” I say.
“Good, another minor is wandering around in a burning building,” Harris says, taking a deep breath, “All right, we are all going up and waiting for the fire crew to come in.”
“No, I’m going to find Tom,” Card says.
“No, you are not, you don’t even know if she’s down here,” Harris says, as Titus dumps his armload of explosives into the fire blanket Quentin brings back.
“I wouldn’t love her if she weren’t and I do so she is,” Titus calls over his shoulder.
“Let him go. Maybe he’ll die,” Quentin says, encouragingly, “Wouldn’t that be great?”
The entire building is up in flames now. Tt started down in the energy rooms, the marshalls said. I told them we’re still missing cadets, they say the fire is burning to hot in the top for them to go in just yet. so I stand and watch it burn.
“Well well,” Thorn is here as well, standing in front of the line of horrified families, most of whom are happily reunited with their cadets.
“Don’t say a word,” I say.
“What did I tell you? Dark cloud,” he says.
“Card is one of the missing,” I say, harshly. That boy probably burned up. That irritating, far too clever BOY, is probably dead in there right now.
“I know, I’m not saying it’s his fault, I’m saying the end is coming, and he is a main player in it,” Thorne says.
“I thought they had you on medication,” I say, with a sigh.
“Medication doesn’t make it go away,” he says, then he melts back into the crowd. I sigh and watch the flames.
Because he’s right.
The end is coming. I just don’t know how we can stop it.
I cough in the smoke. Shouldn’t there be a fire suppressant system in this place? There should be, I’m sure of it. I’m beginning to regret coming back down here it was stupid of me but I am too stubborn for my own good sometimes and despite myself I love that idiot Titus Card, and I’ll not let him burn up to save me. It’s only him I’m worried about. Liesel and the others will have gone to the other lifts like sensible people but not Titus, he’ll be wandering around down here playing the hero because he thinks it’ll make me more likely to kiss his stupid face.
In retrospect, I really shouldn’t sabotaged the fire suppressant system, but, if I am hospitalized for smoke inhalation then she’ll be even more likely to kiss me. that thought makes me smile.
“Why the hell isn’t there a fire suppressant system?” I ask, holding the explosives nervously. The committee voted that just leaving them someplace even wrapped in the fire blanket defeated the purpose of collecting them in the first place, so I was elected to carry them.
“There is, somebody probably sabotaged it,” Liesel says.
“Same person who sabotaged the lifts, damn,” Harris punches the controls since that will obviously make them work better, “I don’t suppose any of you know another way up?”
“We came down these,” Liesel coughs.
“There’s bound to be stairs,” I say.
“Those are blocked off as well,” Tyrell is standing behind us, giggling. I turn around, with a sigh. He’s half blown up, as bad as Liesel, except he’s got crazy going for him so he doesn’t care.
“Just tell us where the stairs are and maybe they’ll give you a padded cell with a window,” Harris sighs.
“Tyrell, come on, just come out with us, you’ll burn up too,” Liesel says.
“Yeah, plus, Titus is down here if we all go now maybe he’ll burn up,” I say.
“Card? Card is here as well---good everyone joins the party now,” Tyrell giggles, leaning against one of slightly on fire ducts. “Time to burn up Mr. Card. You do know it’s all him don’t you? He tried to kill me, not the other way round. But you don’t believe me do you? Because I’m quite mad. Well, I’ve got something to tell you. he’s quite mad as well----we’re all---all mad—” he starts laughing uncontrollably.
“Did I hear my name taken in vain?” Titus asks. It would be bold but he says that whenever somebody says his name and he’s ostensibly not around.
“Card, join the party, it’s a barbeque, roast Cadets, with a touch of MTI,” Tyrell giggles, looking up as the flames crawl across the ceiling.
“Really?
Doesn’t look like they’ll be done in time, do you think this will help?” Titus asks, taking something out from under his shirt and tossing it to Tyrell. The insane cadet barely catches it. it looks like plastic explosive to me but what would I know?
“Titus that was not a good idea,” Harris says.
“Yes, lovely---no tricks no---no always tricks with Card, Card tricks,” Tyrell says, tossing it back. “What is it? Plastic explosive?”
“No, it’s my tablet, I just needed you looking this way so she could do that,” he says, and Tom is suddenly behind Tyrell, dropping him with a kick to the back of his head.
“Impeccable timing, as always, Tom,” Card says, walking over and kicking Tyrell in the face for good measure.
“Please tell me you two planned that,” I say. I have a feeling they didn’t.
“No, what were you going to do if I weren’t standing there?” Tom asks, folding her arms.
“It’s not my tablet it’s actually a bomb,” he says, fiddling with the tablet, “Well it is my tablet but I’ve rigged it with explosives so that it will go off.”
“Okay---let’s put the bomb down,” Harris says, “And get out of here.”
“It’s defused now don’t be so melodramatic,” Card says.
“These are the lifts I came down, I’m assuming they don’t work now?” Tom asks.
“No, Tyrell got to them before we got here,” Liesel says, coughing. Harris moves to help her but she shakes her head that she’s all right. She doesn’t look all right.
“There should be stairs as well,” Titus says.
“Yeah, but I don’t know where those are,” Harris says.
“You don’t actually need to speak anymore we know you don’t know anything---”
“Titus be nice,” Tom says.
“I don’t want to be it’s getting harder to breath,” Titus says, coughing. There is an awful lot of smoke.
“Shouldn’t there be some sort of rescue crew looking for us?” I ask, about two seconds before the lift doors open and a stream of anti-fire foam hits me in the back.
Chapter 18
S o, being attacked by angry firemen is not pleasant. I feel bad for fires. In the firemen’s defense, they had no idea we were down there nor did they have any reason to think we might be down there. But I still couldn’t walk or see properly for about two hours since the pressurized stream of foam threw me halfway across the entire energy room and into a duct. My only consolation was that Titus was thrown the entire way across the energy room and into the opposite wall and then he was pounced on and hand cuffed. Apparently they thought he was mad bomber. No idea where they got that idea considering he had an IED in his hands. But whatever.
My mother had shown up for the ceremony, which was needless to say postponed due to the entire academics building burning down. A little of it blew up too. Apparently Titus and I didn’t find all the explosives.
Oh speaking of Titus, his family never showed up. I feel bad. I know, I know. Don’t worry I still hate him. but it was sort of lonely to see him standing there, bandaged up, one arm in a sling, eating cake and drinking milk and reading off of a tablet, while everyone else reunited and laughed and smiled and talked. He was alone. I didn’t wish that loneliness on anyone.
“I can’t believe you’re safe.”
“Mum you can let go now,” Quentin says, wiggling a little. He’s got a bandage on his head and he’s a bit scrapped up, his neck is badly bruised, but he’s blessedly and wonderfully ALIVE.
“Don’t scare me like that,” I say, feeling tears in my eyes, “I can’t lose you. not my sweet Quentin.”
“Not me too?” he asks, quietly, as I finally let him go to look at him.
“No, not you. you sweet, wonderful, handsome you,” I say, stroking his cheek, “My beautiful boy, don’t you ever, dare, think you’re not worth it or no good or it’s all too hard because you, just you, are made of the best stuff in the universe.”
“I love you mum,” he says, hugging me again, his voice cracking with tears, “Love you forever.”
“Love you forever,” I whisper.
“Hello, mum,” Liesel says, awkwardly, the words strange on her lips. I’m standing in the corner of her hospital room, looking signed and as invisible as possible. Liesel didn’t even really ask why I came, so I really didn’t say anything I’m good at that. I only just got out of the exam room myself, I’m banged up pretty good but apparently my head can’t be damaged because there’s not enough in it to break, so you know, I’m fine. I just forced my way in here and started quizzing her to make sure she was all right, which she seemed to appreciate as annoying as it probably was. now her mum and sisters have been brought in to see her.
“Hello,” her mother says, staring at her sweet daughter so small and frail looking in the bed. her other two daughters stand behind her, in matching dresses, their Sunday best no doubt, both holding little bouquets of flowers for their big sister. I smile a little. A real family. Here I stand in the corner in a grey-shirt, black cargos, with my hair and face burned up a bit and my eyes bloodshot and running from the fire suppressant foam. Well I started out the day looking presentable.
“What happened? Are you okay?
“Was it exciting?”
The two little girls break the ice, hopping eagerly onto their big sister’s bead and giving her the flowers.
“A little, it was a bit scary too,” Liesel says, hugging them as much as she can, they’ve got her well bandaged up to prevent infection in the burns. But her eyes are bright, she’s feeling much more herself than she was a few hours ago. “I couldn’t wait to meet you guys.”
“We couldn’t wait to meet you either---”
“No we missed you---”
“Like forever---”
“I missed you too,” her mother says, stepping forward, “I’m so glad you’re okay ---when you didn’t come out---”
“I know. I’m sorry,” Liesel says, “I wouldn’t leave you---I had no idea that would happen---”
“No, I know---you were very brave---what I’m trying to say is, I’m proud of you, even if it scared the life out of me,” she says, taking her daughter’s hand.
“Me too,” Liesel says.
I do not mutter an assent, considering I aged about ten years seeing Liesel lying there like that. I also say nothing because I really don’t want them to notice me because this is terribly awkward and I’m a coward I had my courage up this morning but after both of us nearly dying I’m not doing so well.
But Liesel’s mum notices me anyway. She’s really looking around for something to wipe her eyes with but I’m standing there in the corner smelling like smoke and fire suppressant fluid and trying to disappear completely so she sees me.
“You---you came up to us at the reception---,” she remembers, vaguely of course. I’m dressed differently.
“Yes, my name is Rellion Harris,” I say, heavily, looking only at Liesel, “I’m your father.”
“What?” she says, staring at me blankly.
“I didn’t tell you, because it’s against regulation, of course, to have been training your class---and I didn’t want you to get in trouble so I didn’t tell, but---I had to meet you,” I say, hearing my own voice crack, “I’m so sorry, so sorry, that’s why I’ve been so secretive this whole time, I was afraid to message you at first in case they were reading it----but that’s why I never told you my name or what I did---I couldn’t have you get in any trouble if they found out---I knew I’d get in trouble but---I just had to see you. I had to be there for you, I couldn’t leave you in this place alone, not any longer I know you have been---too long, but now that I can be here, I had to be.”
“That’s why you were down there---,” she realizes, I have no idea what I said when I was sobbing over her body but I’m sure it was something emotional. Excessively so given she thought I was her MTI.
“Yes, when you weren’t upstairs with your mum, I went looking for you---on which note do not scare me lik
e that, ever---screw what she said about being brave, do not, do not die on me,” I say, almost laughing, she actually smiles, now at me. for the first time. ever. I just look at her eyes.
“I’ll try,” she says.
“You jeopardized your job to stay here and take care of her?” Liesel’s mother realizes, understanding bits and pieces of what we are saying.
“Yes, I’m an MTI---on the of the Space Force instructors,” I explain, turning back to her and tearing my eyes from Liesel, who is still studying me, rationalizing my messages with the man who can’t march a flight as well as she can, and who woke her up at four thirty every morning. “Needless to say we are supposed to transfer to other duties if a child is in our training class.”
“You could have been fired,” she says, surprised, studying me as well. No doubt she always assumed I would be some sort of an idiot, which of course I am. I’m just a well meaning idiot.
“But---you’re Space Forces, why didn’t you have visiting rights with me? If you wanted to meet me?” Liesel asks, hurt.
“I had you before I enlisted---once I did I fought to have my rights back dated but they wouldn’t allow it. I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head, “I was young and stupid and that’s no excuse but---I regretted not knowing you every day since they told me you were born.”
“So have I,” her mother says.
“We have that in common then,” I say, looking at her, “We both missed our little girl.”
“And you have me now,” Liesel says, leaning forward to take both of our hands.
“And I’m never going to let you go,” I say.
“Hey,” I say, walking up behind Titus. he’s sitting reading and drinking warm milk. One of his arms is in a sling, and he’s got a bad bruise over one eye and I think that’s from Leavitt, but other than that he’s no worse for the wear.
“Good Evening, Cadet Tom,” he says, smiling and turning.
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