"Morgan."

The name left Isaac's lips like a prayer was uttered to the heavenly father. I wondered how long it had been since he'd seen her. How much time had passed since he allowed himself to even think of her? A strange sensation washed over me. Could we finally all be together? At this point, we had all spent close to the same time apart as we had united and a mound of unanswered questions still remained but maybe... that did matter anymore.

Mother's eyes locked with those of Isaac. The uncomfortable energy that radiated off Ted was laughable. With ease, I took the few steps towards him and gently hip-checked him.

"I see you survived the wrath of Issac," I teased.

Ted's eyes fell to me, an eyebrow cocked in question. "Yeah, but did you? All Isaac kept saying was they were going to scramble your brain or some shit."

I pursed my lips and broke our eye contact. "Pretty much sums that up," I muttered to the floor. Unwillingly my mind drifted to the memories of mere minutes ago. Almost being forced into a torture chair. My mother used her mind to open our cell door. Her confession...

Ted dropped his voice lower and leaned in closer. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Am I? I was starting to think that maybe I never was or would be again. Too much had changed in a short amount of time. Too many truths came to light for life to ever be the same. I couldn't answer his question without either lying to myself or him. Time to leave.

"We need to move out," Issac announced, his back now turned from my mother who had made her way to join us. "Nix should have located the Lawless by now. We need to make our way there." His eyes gave me a pointed look, one that scolded me without commentary.

"Yeah, yeah. Worst idea in the history of ideas. I got it."

Ted let out a nervous chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. "Was still fun."

I nodded in agreement instead of offering more dialogue. We both knew we were in deep shit, even if the family dynamic had shifted.

My mother stepped closer to the group and spoke. "I know where all the sentries are but we'll have to move quickly. I don't know how long your friend out there can keep the ship distracted or how long Nix can go undetected."

Fucking hell, I almost forgot. The ship was alive. That would make things a hell of a lot more difficult. Isaac nodded as if the information was old and common knowledge. How much did he know? I mentally jotted it down on a sticky note and added it to the wall of accumulated ones along with why mom seems familiar with Nix.

"I'm obviously missing something but whatever, it's cool guys. Keep me in the dark. Wouldn't be the first time."

A soft snort leaves me in response to Ted's comment. He's not wrong, he's usually the last one to know anything in these situations which often leads to rash and sloppy decisions on his part.

"It's follow the leader Ted. Don't tell me you forgot the rules."

A sad gentle smile slid onto my mother's lips. "Voices down. Step softly."

Something was off, I could feel it but I couldn't place what. The air seemed thick with tension around us, almost stifling. As we began to move down the hall at a slow jog I watched the muscles roll in Isaac's back under his shirt. He was tense, more than usual. Was it because we still weren't out of the woods?

My eyes drifted over to Ted who's gaze surprisingly searched for mine. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question to which I offered a shrug. Apparently, the mood had shifted to the point it became obvious something was amiss if Ted could sense it.

We sprinted down countless halls, Isaac on the heels of my mom - Ted and I in the rear. We descended the third ladder before mother came to a standstill, her eyes clamped shut in concentration.

"What is she..." I slapped a hand on Ted's shoulder and brought a finger to my lips. It was so incredibly complicated I wasn't sure I'd ever figure it out myself, let alone explain it to Ted. Her caramel orbs fluttered open and sought the dark ones of Isaac. No words were spoken aloud but I knew internally a whole conversation unraveled. The evidence was in both their expressions.

"The bay where your ship landed has close to two dozen Eternite soldiers stationed there. Nix is on the outer back left wall undetected it seems. These are soldiers trained from a young age for mental warfare. I need to go in first."

"Morgan..." Isaac's voice dropped an octave as caution twisted around his words. "I can't let you do that."

"I'm the only one who can. You can't argue with that."

Tension sizzled in the air around us. I agreed with Isaac. I didn't care if there was logic to her plan, it wasn't an option. "There has to be another way," I whispered, unable to raise my voice any louder for fear of it breaking.

My mother's eyes connected with mine, soft and filled with affection. "Everything will be alright sweetheart. I know what I'm doing." The words fluttered around my mind like a lullaby. I wanted desperately to believe them, to put blind faith into them but I couldn't. I knew better.

My gaze raced to meet Isaac's. Is he really going to let her go in alone? The expression on his face was one I'd seen countless times in the past. It was the face he always made at the mention of my mother when I'd accuse him of not giving a damn about her. He had cared all along but he knew any action fueled by emotion wasn't the correct one. Even if he thought differently.

"No..." I breathed spinning back towards my mother but it was too late, she had already left. A strong hand took hold of my wrist as I tried to take off after her. "Let me go. Now."

Isaac's digits tightened, raw determination glinted in his pupils when my heated glare reached his height. "I'm not about to lose both of you. Not again."

With a newfound strength I ripped my arm from his grip, red prints marked my wrist like neon signs. I had so many things I wanted to say. How I didn't give two shits what he wanted and how I was so Goddamn tired of everyone else making choices for me- without me. Instead, I took off in the direction of the bay the Lawless waited in, my heart a steady drum in my chest as I sprinted down the corridor.

Eight long years I had waited to lay eyes on my mother again. Eight tortuously isolated years I yearned for her warm embrace to take away all the pain. Eight years filled with perpetual searching for someone I wasn't sure I'd ever locate. I refused to let it end like this. It couldn't end like this.

Rubber squeaked as I slid around the corner, the bay now in full view. Instinctively my eyes obtained the image of my mother a good way into the massive room. Panic rose in my chest and my heart picked up speed as I realized the soldiers she warned about had started to corner her.

My lips parted to call out yet no sound came out, her voice a disruptive surge in my thought.

"I have their attention. Get to the ship."

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the blurred outline of Ted as he rushed past on his way towards the Lawless. I couldn't understand why everyone but me was willing to step aside and let her sacrifice herself for us. Was I the only one not on board with this plan?

The atmosphere had started to take on an uneasy feeling. The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, an unseen chill lingered in the air that had nothing to do with oxygen. My mother's knees hit the floor with a bone snapping crack. The soldiers closed in on her, their pace lazy and unhurried. Her distraction had worked but once again, the cost was far too high.

"Nooo!"

The animalistic cry that left me sounded nothing like a person, though it had to be me as my mother's orbs shot up from the floor to find mine. Before I could begin to race towards her a strong arm caught my midsection and yanked me in the opposite direction.

"We need to go."

"Get off of me!" I shrieked in an absolute panic. Blood dripped from her temple as another soldier swung and made contact with the hilt of their sidearm. They were going to kill her, they intended to kill her. "We need to help her!"

In desperation, I fought against the firm hold of Isaac's arms. I could save her. I just had to figure out how to project my mind. No one had to be left behind, we could all get out, all I needed to do was push past my limits. Isaac's hold tightened further as I thrashed for my freedom, regard for his own inner demons officially thrown out the window. My eyes found my mothers and ensnared them in an intense eye contact she refused to sever. Every agonizing second splintered fragments of my soul, forever deserted on this ship along with her.

My previous shrill voice evaporated and in its place, the whimpers of a desperate little girl came. "Isaac please... they're going to kill her..."

She raised her chin and gave a single nod. I could feel her in my head before she even spoke and as Isaac's body hardened behind me it was apparent we received the same message.

"Take care of each other."

words- 1676
total- 20229
written- 04/29/2020
last edited- 04/29/2020