Fading World ( Part 6 )
After Jack was taken away by the military, Linzy turned sharply to Hamilton, blocking his path as he made to enter the Parliament building.
"I know a way we can get to the army headquarters and help Jack," she blurted out, urgency lacing her voice. Just then, Cynthia arrived, breathless and pale, her earlier blood transfusion doing little to mask the lingering effects of anemia.
"Well, come on! Spit it out!" Hamilton's hope ignited at the prospect of rescuing his friend, but it was tinged with skepticism.
Linzy reached into her dress pocket, pulling out Timothy's wallet—the same one he had entrusted to her before their world had crumbled.
"Before he died, Timothy asked me to look after his wife if he didn't make it," she said, her voice shaking but resolute.
Hamilton's brow furrowed in confusion. "I still don't see how that connects to Jack."
A determined grin spread across Linzy's face. "Timothy's wife works as a doctor in the army, and according to him, she's been posted to their headquarters , where they are taking Jack. He and your commander served together in the Mage Association. If we tell your commander about Timothy's request, we could leverage that connection to go to the headquarters and save Jack. We can tell him that we want to go save Timothy's wife ,"
Hamilton shook his head, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "This will never work, not even in the wildest imagination. The army headquarters is one of the most secure facilities in the nation. She'll be safer there than anywhere else we could take her."
"But we have to try! You never know," Linzy insisted, her voice rising with desperation. She couldn't just sit back and do nothing while Jack's fate hung in the balance.
"What's the point? You'll just get dismissed, and you'll all end up getting yelled at for nothing. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience," Hamilton said bitterly, his anger spilling over as he turned away, determined to end the discussion.
"Dammit, Hamilton, don't you care about Jack?" Linzy snapped, the fire in her eyes igniting an unspoken bond of loyalty that ran deeper than words.
"The balls on you, Linzy! You think I don't care? If Jack had listened to me for once, he'd be here right now!" Hamilton's voice cracked, emotion seeping through his anger. "You two never listen to a damn thing I say. When trouble comes knocking, I'm the bad guy?"
Linzy's resolve faltered for a moment, but her spirit remained unbroken. "Fine! If you won't help, I'll find a car and drive myself to the army headquarters!" Her voice trembled with a mix of defiance and fear.
"And where do you think you'll get one? Are you going to steal it and end up in handcuffs like your boyfriend?" His words were sharp, intended to cut, but they hung heavy in the air, each word a reminder of the stakes they faced.
"Asshole!" she spat, fury igniting once more.
At that moment, Cynthia stepped in, desperate to quell the rising tide of animosity between them. She could see the fire in both their eyes, and fear gripped her heart at the thought of either one throwing a punch.
"Please, calm down, both of you. Arguing will get us nowhere," she said, her voice steady as she placed herself between them, the tension almost palpable.
The sight of Cynthia, fragile yet fierce, instantly brought shame to both Hamilton and Linzy. The fight fizzled as they registered the worry etched across her face.
"I'm sorry, Cynthia," Linzy murmured, her bravado crumbling. The fight had been a desperate attempt to protect Jack, but she recognized the futility in their hostility.
"I'll try to talk with the commander," Hamilton said, his tone softening as he sought redemption. His earlier anger dissipated, replaced by a flicker of resolve.
"And this is the last time I want to find you two hurling insults at one another," Cynthia concluded, injecting a note of cheerfulness into her words, hoping to restore some semblance of camaraderie. "We need to focus on Jack, not each other."
Commander Henry Wilberforce sat quietly in one of the empty offices inside the Parliament building, the muted sounds of chaos just outside a stark contrast to his contemplative solitude. In his hand was a photo of a younger Timothy, vibrant and full of life, alongside himself, both captured in a moment that felt like a lifetime ago. They were fresh recruits back then, brimming with dreams and aspirations, unaware of the tumultuous world that awaited them.
Their paths had crossed in the Mage Association—Timothy, a business school graduate, expertly navigating the labyrinth of bureaucracy within the Association, while Henry was thrust into the field as an active mage, often sent on perilous peace missions in war-torn countries.
The toll had been heavy, especially for a third-class mage like Henry, who bore the brunt of danger and uncertainty. Yet, through it all, Timothy had been his anchor, orchestrating behind the scenes to ensure Henry's assignments were in the rear formations, far from the frontline bloodshed.
It was a selfless act of friendship, one that had allowed Henry to gain invaluable experience and, ultimately, to rise to the rank of second-class mage.
Now, he could hold his own on the battlefield, an achievement forever overshadowed by the haunting truth that he owed it all to Timothy—a debt he had never anticipated would remain unpaid, sealed with Timothy's untimely death.
As he sat there, grief pooled in Henry's chest, an ache made worse by the stark reality that he had always envisioned himself as the first to fall. Life had played a cruel trick, taking Timothy before Henry could repay the loyalty and sacrifices that had shaped his career and, indeed, his life.
"Excuse me, Commander. Hamilton is asking to see you," a subordinate said, gently opening the door to the office, interrupting Henry's somber reverie.
"Let him in," Henry replied, tucking the photo back into his coat pocket as a bittersweet reminder of what he had lost.
Hamilton entered, his usual bravado replaced by an unmistakable unease. "Sir, there's a favor I'd like to ask of you."
Henry's brow furrowed, suspicion creeping in. "Didn't you already ask me to give your friend a chance, Hamilton? I did, and look where that brought us—nothing but a waste of valuable time."
"I apologize on behalf of Jack Kamphar, sir. This matter, however, concerns my former boss, Mr. Chester," Hamilton said, releasing the bait, his voice steady but urgent.
Henry's expression shifted at the mention of Timothy's name. "Timothy Chester? Well, go on, will you," he urged, intrigued but wary. The name conjured a mix of emotions—nostalgia, sorrow, and an undeniable sense of responsibility.
In that moment, as Hamilton prepared to speak, Henry felt a flicker of hope that perhaps Timothy's legacy could be honored, even now, through their actions.
Linzy paced nervously in the shadow of the Parliament building, her mind racing with thoughts of Jack. She and Cynthia had stepped away from the chaotic crowd, seeking a moment of clarity amidst the swirling uncertainty of their circumstances.
"I still think it's a bad idea," Linzy insisted, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes darting towards the entrance as if Jack might suddenly appear.
"Going out there in search of him—it's reckless." the truth she wasn't going to admit gnawed at her.
Cynthia sighed, glancing at her friend with understanding. "I think I'm with Hamilton on this," she stated bluntly, her tone firm yet gentle.
Linzy raised an eyebrow, half-smiling despite her anxiety. "You waited until Hamilton was gone to tell me that, didn't you?"
Cynthia shrugged, a flicker of amusement crossing her features. "I didn't want it to look like we were ganging up on you. You know Hamilton—he'd just press the gas and rush us into trouble."
Linzy chuckled softly but quickly sobered. "I appreciate the gesture, Cynthia, but you know me too. Jack risked his life to get us out of that hellhole at the company building. I'm not going to abandon him now. I can't."
Just then, Hamilton reappeared, a worried expression etched across his face. Linzy immediately pounced on him. "So, how did it go?"
Hamilton ran a hand through his hair, clearly rattled. "Turns out the commander had already made plans for a helicopter to get Timothy's wife out. We're lucky he and Timothy go way back."
A flicker of hope ignited in Linzy's chest. "So we can go?"
"You're free to go with the pilot," Hamilton replied, though his gaze shifted uneasily. "But I have to remain here pending assignment. The choice is yours, Linzy."
"I'll go," she declared without hesitation, her resolve steely.
Hamilton turned to Cynthia, his expression pleading. "And you? Are you sure you want to do this? It could get dangerous."
Cynthia met his gaze, determination in her eyes. "We'll be back before you know it," she reassured him, surprising Linzy with the unexpected strength in her voice.
"Cynthia, you don't have to come. You're still recovering, remember?" Linzy objected, concern etching lines on her forehead.
"I insist," Cynthia countered, shaking her head firmly. "Someone needs to keep you in check lest you go around assaulting everyone at headquarters while searching for Jack. You know how you can get when you're worried."
Hamilton sighed, feeling the weight of the day's arguments settle on his shoulders. The commander had started raising concerns about the increasing danger of monsters lurking around the Parliament building, and he knew he couldn't afford to have both of them getting into trouble.
"Okay, but if you go, you have to promise me you won't do anything reckless," he said, his voice stern yet laced with concern.
"I promise we'll be very careful," Cynthia said, nodding earnestly. "And now that I'm going, you'd better take care of yourself. Eat enough food and get plenty of rest. I'll know if you don't." Her playful smile broke through the tension, lightening the moment.
For a fleeting moment, Cynthia wanted to hug him, to bridge the gap created by fear and uncertainty with warmth and comfort. But shyness held her back, leaving her emotions hanging in the air like an unsaid promise.
Hamilton caught the glimmer of vulnerability in her eyes, and for a moment, the chaos surrounding them faded away. "I'll do my best here," he finally said, his tone softening. "Just… come back in one piece, alright?"
"We will," Linzy affirmed, her heart swelling with gratitude for her friend's unwavering support.
With that, the two women left for the hangar.
Soon, the two ladies were aboard the helicopter, soaring into the dusk skies. From their elevated vantage point, the devastation wrought upon the city unfolded beneath them like a grim tapestry.
Once-vibrant neighborhoods lay in ruins, remnants of homes reduced to smoldering debris. The fires from the previous nights had mostly extinguished, but in their place stood charred structures barely clinging to their former identities, a stark reminder of the chaos that had erupted.
The Rein River, a symbol of national pride and heritage, had burst its banks, transforming into a raging torrent that swallowed streets and buildings alike. Floodwaters surged through the city, turning familiar landscapes into unrecognizable swathes of murky chaos.
Canoes bobbed precariously in the floods, occupied by desperate souls paddling through the wreckage, seeking to salvage what little remained of their belongings.
The sight tugged at Linzy's heart; these were people grappling with loss, their faces etched with despair as they navigated the treacherous waters of their devastated home.
"Linzy, somehow this feels like the end of the world," Cynthia whispered, her voice barely audible over the thrum of the helicopter's rotors.
Her heart ached for the countless lives claimed by this disaster, for the families torn apart, and for the futures shattered.
"I fear you're right," Linzy replied, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene below.
Just then, a new portal ripped open above one of the flooded sections, its edges pulsating ominously.
Massive torrents of black fluid spilled forth, a harbinger of the horrors to come. From within the darkened maw of the portal, a colossal finned reptile emerged, slicing through the thick, murky waters with terrifying grace.
It vanished beneath the surface, leaving only ripples of dread in its wake—a stark reminder that the nightmare was far from over.
As they flew on, the enormity of their mission weighed heavily on Linzy's shoulders.
They were witnesses to the crumbling of their nation and world, teetering on the edge of collapse.