CHAPTER 31

OCTOBER 25TH, 12:12 A.M.

--LEO--

Leo watched a bright streak flash across the sky, barreling east at high speeds. He knew what had just happened. He stared blankly at the dissipating wake, not at all surprised by Boone’s departure. Just as long as he came back soon enough. They would have to make do with who they got for the time being. That includes the currently indisposed giant monster that goes by the name Frank.

The battle was over, but his roars still echoed through the night as he searched for more. Leo holstered his axe on his back and started to follow Frank’s voice. His search would end quickly as he plowed through the wall of fire nearby. His body smoldered, his head whipped back and forth, thirsting for more challengers. Leo approached behind him, grabbing his enlarged shoulder.

Frank spun around; his massive fist clenched as he threw a punch down at Leo. He quickly intercepted the fist with both hands, stopping it in its tracks. A wave of energy discharged from the impact, booming off the nearby buildings, but Leo stood unaffected.

Frank gathered his senses, realizing it was his friend that stood before him. His fist began to shrink in size; the rest of his body followed suit. After a few moments, the same Frank they all knew was back.

“Apologies, my friend,” he said for his impulsive attack. “That was Boone overhead? Fleeing once again?”

“Who else could it be?” Leo replied.

Frank scoffed. “I somehow knew this would happen.”

“You and me both.”

“I believe he will return.”

“Let’s get to St. Grad,” Leo said, walking towards the base.

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Believe Boone will return.”

“I’m not concerned about it. We’ll prepare to fight as is. If he comes back, then it’s as if we have extra firepower.”

Frank mulled his teeth. “I’m glad to see you are using it has motivation.” Leo nodded. “It is causing me great aggravation. Our recent events have been building on me. My emotions were unchecked during our battle. I need to have better control.”

“It worked out for the better, didn’t it?”

“Perhaps. But that is not how I wish to handle myself. Strong men utilize their anger to fight. Stronger men conquer it. When put beyond your rage, your mind is most sharp. Wouldn’t you agree my friend?”

“No,” Leo answered candidly. “I don’t think it’s possible to conquer your rage. It’ll break anyone eventually. Better to let it out from time to time.”

“Ah. Perhaps you are right. I shall use that as my motivation.”

“Spite?”

“That is a harsh word,” Frank laughed.

“Whatever gets it done,” Leo commented. “Prove me wrong.”

They entered the main gates of St. Grad, stopped now by a mob of refugees waiting for admission.

“Close the gates!” troops yelled overhead. With a deafening boom, the worn motors kicked on, pushing the metal gates until they sealed in the middle together, finally securing the civilians inside.

“So many in need of shelter,” Frank muttered to himself. Leo stood on his toes, craning his neck as he tried to look over and around the swarm.

“I see Tommy,” Frank tapped his shoulder, pointing him out. He stood off to the side, away from the crowd, keeping a watchful eye on everyone. But Leo saw who he needed to get to.

“You go on ahead,” he said. “We’ll meet up later.” Leo stepped away from the unorganized lines that funneled into processing. He walked up to the checkpoint, stepping over the barrier and onto the other side.

“Hang on there,” a soldier stopped him. He stood in front of Leo, awkwardly staring. “Can I see some identification?” Leo turned his hands upwards before dropping them to his sides again.

“Are- are you with that guy?” The soldier pointed at Tommy.

“Yeah.” Leo sidestepped the young soldier. Watching the refugees from a distance, just in front of a nearby building, Laurel rubbed her eyes with her forearm. She held her injured hand close to her body, still clearly feeling the pain from the forceful amputation. She eventually heard Leo’s footsteps, looking up to meet him. Her face instantly looked overwhelmed. By relief, by happiness, grief, all of it.

“Hey,” Laurel said shaky, latching onto him in a tight embrace. She buried her head in his chest, letting out a deep sigh. “Are you okay?”

“You’re asking me?” Leo remarked. “Let go. Let me look at your hand.” She didn’t listen. “Let go,” he repeated, gently grabbing her wrist from around his shoulder. He held it delicately, examining the jerry-rigged bandaging she applied. Her hand was swollen and purple from the zip-tie tourniquet. The bandages were soaked with blood and dirt. It was all in bad shape.

“How’s it looking?” she asked.

“You’re missing a finger.”

“So that’s what it is.”

“Here,” he said, snapping the zip-tie off her wrist. “Before we have to chop the hand off too.”

“I can’t believe I let this happen,” Laurel scolded herself.

“What’s done is done. Come on, let’s get this cleaned and wrapped up properly.”

Leo took her hand, guiding her to a nearby large medical tent, set up for the incoming refugees.

“You’ve been here before?”

“I have.”

“How is it as far as vacation spots go?”

“The beach isn’t so bad.”

Laurel hummed under her breath. They entered into the tent, not completely packed just yet, but the beds were beginning to fill. A nurse soon approached them.

“You can sit down on this bed right here, a doctor will be-“

“It’s okay,” Leo interrupted. “I can take care of it. Save your doctors time for the people out there.” The nurse was confused at first, but it didn’t take her long to realize they weren’t your average refugees. She nodded and walked away.

“Let’s be quick,” Laurel commented. “I don’t want to hold up a bed.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“When did you learn how to be a medic?”

“Back home. Part of my training.”

“A man of many talents, I see.”

Leo smirked, gently turning her hand over and back, more closely examining it this time.

“How’s the pain?”

“You know, not so bad as of right now.”

Leo started gently unwrapping the bandages, peeling back blood-stained layers.

“There was this couple,” Laurel began as he kept working. “Pulled them out from a car in the middle of the highway. They were young, twenty maybe. The girl was pregnant, and… are you listening?”

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

“Well, anyways, she was just hysterical. Never caught her name, but she was glued to me all the way here. Had to get a soldier to pry her off me.”

“Is she okay? With the baby and all?”

“I hope so. I didn’t see any wounds on her, but the stress couldn’t have been good.”

“Do you want to go check on her later?”

“You’d do that with me?”

Leo nodded.

“Yeah, I would like that,” Laurel said with a smile.

The bandages were removed until the stub of a ring finger was revealed. The wound was dried, scabbed over with a small tip of what’s left of the bone sticking out.

“Hmm.”

“What’s hmm?” she asked, slightly worried.

“The bone isn’t cleanly cut,” he explained. “I’m going to have to trim it down.”

“Trim it down? Cut more off?”

“You don’t trust me?”

Laurel winced, shutting her eyes hard, mentally preparing herself. “Okay, just make it quick.”

“Here,” Leo said, handing her a rag. “Not ideal, but you can bite down on this.”

“Okay,” she said with a nervous exhale. Leo surveyed a tray of surgical tools nearby, searching for the right item.

“Can’t you use your axe?” she asked.

“Why would I use my axe?”

“It would cut better than any of those.”

“It’s too big. I don’t want to cut any other fingers off.”

“Please. It’ll be the quickest,” she pleaded. “I can do this.” She put her hand against the corner of the table in front of her, laying out the finger nub on it. “You won’t cut anything else.”

“It’s not a good idea, Laurel,” he dismissed. Leo continued his search, finding multiple tools that would be suitable, but undeniably less effective than the blade of his axe. She would be awake for this; sawing through a bone would be agonizing.

“Fine.” He unhooked his axe from his back, carefully holding it by the blade over her finger. “You ready?” he asked.

Laurel stuffed the rag into her mouth, burying her face into his shoulder. She hummed unintelligible words through the rag, which Leo took as confirmation. With careful precision, he clipped off the bone cleanly. She groaned in pain. Her whole body tensed up, pushing herself hard against Leo’s body.

“Done,” he said, setting the axe down by his leg. Laurel sighed, pulling away from him. He took the rag from her mouth and tossed it aside of the bed.

“Good job,” Leo congratulated. He cleaned the wound and began stitching it closed.

“You think I’ll live?” Laurel asked sarcastically.

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

She kept quiet while Leo remedied her injury. He took extra care to go slow and safely to not hurt her. After several stitches, he wrapped it up in clean bandages and held her hand gently in both of his.

“Thanks, Leo,” she said softly. He smiled in response, grabbing the rag he tossed aside, cleaning dirt off her forehead.

“Is this how you imagined your October going?” he asked.

“There’s still time for it to turn around.”

“You picked out a Halloween costume yet?”

“I’m more into giving out candy.” Laurel smiled as he wiped her cheek. “I’d kill to see you in a Halloween costume.”

“Never got into it.”

“What? Halloween?”

“Yeah. Wasn’t my thing I guess.”

“Then why did you ask me about a costume?”

“Just making conversation.”

“Well now you have to dress up.”

“No, that’s okay.”

“I’m gonna bite you.” She giggled, nipping at the air close to his hand.

“I might like it.”

“Shut up.”

Leo finished wiping off her face, locking eyes with her for a moment.

“Come on. Let’s get back to the others,” he said, kissing Laurel on the forehead. She grabbed his face, pulling his lips onto hers.

“Yeah,” she whispered, sliding her legs off the bed. Leo lifted his axe, seeing a drop of Laurel’s blood on the blade. He stared at it; something about it made him freeze. A drop of crimson. It hung on the sharpened edge, threatening to fall off. He shook off the feeling, soaking it up with the rag before hooking it onto his back.

Alarms blared. Incoherent yelling of commands layered over one another.

“What’s going on?” Laurel asked.

“I don’t know.” Leo jumped to his feet, peeking outside the tent. Soldiers sprinted to the entrance; there was a force at the door. “Stay here.”

“Bullshit Leo! I’m going to help!” She fired back, storming to the exit of the tent. Leo stood in front of it.

“You need to-“ She touched him on the shoulder, her fingertips glowing pink. It felt as if the air drained from his lungs. His throat tensed up. For just a moment, he lost his ability to speak, just long enough for Laurel to move past him uncontested.

“Damn it, Laurel,” he muttered to himself after his speech returned.

He exited the tent, spying a trail of pink magic ascending off the ground and up the side of the wall. Laurel flew up to the top, looking down outside. Soldiers climbed up staircases to meet her at the lookout positions.

“On the walls! Get up high!”

The refugees still awaiting admission disregarded the checkpoint, running further into safety in a panic. Leo sprinted, weapon at the ready, meeting up with Tommy by the main gate.

“What’s happening?”

“Fuck if I know.”

They stood just at the giant metal entrance, ready to fight back whoever dared to invade.

“Where’s Laurel?” Tommy asked.

“She’s on the wall.”

“Alright, we need eyes on them,” Tommy commanded. “I want you on the ground outside.”

“We don’t have enough men to have a ground force. We need to keep them high on the wall.”

“I know. Hold your ground at the gate as long as you can. The guns will be on high ground. Frank will be waiting on the inside.”

“Keeping them outside is paramount,” Leo rebutted. “We need everything on the gate.”

“We can rebuild the gate. We can’t bring people back to life. If you get overwhelmed, we open the doors and force them into a chokepoint. Frank will be waiting with a nice surprise.”

The alarm continued to blare steadily. Leo scanned the wall, imagining the incoming hostile forces.

“Okay,” he finally agreed. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll be on the wall,” Tommy said, loading his railgun. “Good luck, Leo.” He turned to the gate, which opened slightly, just enough to let him out.

“Hey,” Tommy called for his attention just before he exited. “Now’s not the time to play hero. If there’s too many of them, fall back.”

“Aye, aye,” Leo muttered. His demeanor turned cold. His expression was stiff. He was ready to fight.

The gate shut loudly behind him. Leo held his axe low, the blade hanging just above the ground. He took a few steps before planting his feet, acting as the only physical defense against an indeterminate force.

“Ready!” Sergeants coordinated their troops. “Hold fire until my signal!”

Leo dug his toes in. He could hear them.

“Eyes on! Looks like an armed squadron!”

“Hold!”

Leo grinded his teeth together. His axe began to glow. The sound of tank tracks approaching came into focus.

“Drones up! Hold until sitrep!”

He grew anxious. He couldn’t push ahead on his own. His best bet was to let them come in sight of the guns on the wall. The waiting made him jumpy.

“Ready!”

He felt a presence enter his mind, like a gust of wind blowing past his ears.

“Be careful,” Laurel whispered into his head.

“Hold!”

“Come on, come on,” he growled.

“Stand down!”

Soldiers from atop the wall yelled down. The commanders relayed the message.

“Stand down! Friendlies!”

The approaching force finally came into view. American forces, marching to the front gate. But not on Rayshe’s orders. The gate started to open behind Leo. The motors groaned as they pulled open the metal partitions. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused, but pleasantly surprised. He wasn’t expecting they were going to get any help.

“It’s friendlies,” Tommy said, coming out through the gate behind him now.

“I can see that.”

“That means move out the way, jackass.”

Leo realized he was still standing in the middle of the driveway, staring down droves of trucks and tanks. He stepped back inside the fortress, standing out of the path for the incoming reinforcements.

“Had me convinced for a second,” Tommy remarked. “Could’ve gone without the theatrics.”

“You can only make a first impression once.”

“Yeah. Now they can help reorganized the refugees they sent scattering into the base.”

Lieutenant Reeves met up with Leo and Tommy, watching the battalions approach.

“There’s prayer number two.”

“Who?” Tommy asked.

“The 37th and 300th Marine Infantry Battalions. I told you we had more on our side.” They entered the fortress in organized formations, fortifying their strength. A smile began to creep on his face. They now had a fighting chance. “This way!” he yelled, directing the newcomers.

“Well shit,” Tommy said to himself. Leo glanced at him. “What do you think about that?”

“What do I think about that? It’s good.”

“It’s good,” Tommy mocked his response. “We might just make it to Halloween.” Leo smirked as they watched the reinforcements arrive. “Got a costume picked out?”

“We we’re just talking about that.”

“Yeah? What’d you come up with?”

“I think Laurel and I will just give out candy this year.”

“Don’t get lazy on me now just because you got a lady.”

“Careful now.”

“You’re not going to do shit.” Tommy smacked him on the shoulder. Leo rolled his eyes. “Maybe I’ll drag your ass out downtown instead.”

“Maybe I’ll tell her you said that.”

“Please don’t.”

They chuckled in the aftermath of their pointless banter. Inconsequential, but important in keeping sane through all this.

“Hey,” Lieutenant Reeves called behind them. “Tell me now so I know what I got. Are you guys with us?” They looked at each other silently. “I understand if you have places to be, but we could really use the help.”

They had two Pieces and no idea about where the third is, making protecting what they had their biggest priority for now. A civil war ravaging the country makes St. Grad the safest place for them. It also provides them with the best chance at fighting back against Rayshe and his army. They would be smart to officially join the rebellion.

“We’re not going anywhere Lieutenant,” Tommy said. “We’re with you.”

Reeves nodded. “Come with me. We got a lot to discuss.”