Auroracrest Peaks, Aegis Prime State
***
The motionless but alive Calyx was carried by two soldiers as their helicopter landed, three armed soldiers accompanied them, exiting the landing zone. Kristo sprinted behind them. Luke wanted to go with them but Nica prohibited it.
"Luke, no. Let them be," Nica said.
"What are they going to do with him?" Luke sobbed. He felt anxious that Calyx received his unfortunate fate. "Is he going to die?"
"It is not your fault," Nica answered empathetically.
"It's my fault! I led you all to danger, Nica. We should not have gone deeper into the forest. I did not know. They were there. I did not know."
"Nobody knew, Luke," Nica's hand softly fell onto Luke's shoulder. "It's just a rare happenstance."
"What are they going to do with him?"
"We don't know."
