Hero

The blaring sound of the alarm shocks me awake.

How long has this alarm been blaring? Where am I?

And then it dawns on me. Emily lives here.

I hop out of bed and swiftly search all the rooms.

Ain't nobody here.

When I dash outside, I see a crowd of people and chaotic scenes, and my heart starts racing.

Swifters grab their kids and rush them inside while the elders say goodbye to the youngsters.

They're armed and in a hurry as they dash to the walls.

What's going on? Do the Freaks attack? Have they already gotten inside?

Falcon! I need to find him.

Finally, I reach the parking lot and feel a wave of relief when I see Falcon in his regular spot. I waste no time and grab my trusty crossbow and arrows from the trunk.

I make my way toward the nearest wall.

A line of armed individuals stretches before the stairwell, creating a tense atmosphere. I'm barging my way through the crowd, getting dirty looks and hearing disapproving whispers.

Once I reach the top of the stairs, I see the whole thing.

The sun makes the sky red, and the salt flats shine. A young man stands to my left while an apprehensive, overweight man watches the gate to my right. Both clutch rifles in their hands.

The gate swings open, making a thunderous noise, and unveils a never-ending line of wagons. The vehicles' rooftops shine like diamonds, and their engines roar.

People armed with spears and rifles hang out of windows.

In awe, I whisper, "The warriors of the Swifters. A Silver Fleet."

This means war is about to go down.

I'm scanning the scene, hoping to spot Emily and her parents. With all the crowds, it's nearly impossible to tell who's who.

They might be in town, caught up in all the excitement.

I fight my way back through the crowd.

Once I reach the ground floor, I sprint toward Falcon. My thoughts whirl through my mind in a maddening whirlwind. The jungles, my mission, beckons me. But most importantly, I need to find Emily.

Where could she possibly be in this mess? Does the city have a sanctuary where she can go for safety? Did she join the fight?

I put one foot in Falcon and...

"Hey, you!" a familiar voice calls out.

Sweat trickles down my back.

There she is, in the same attire she wore when we initially crossed paths. She now wears her scarf in a way that only covers her mouth and nose. She's wearing new sunglasses with brown lenses that hide her big brown eyes.

"Where are you going?" she asks, her brows furrowing.

"Where am I going?" I reply, pointing at myself.

"You're joining the fight?"

Join the fight?

"Uh, yeah," I lie. "No, I mean-"

"Good, "she interrupts, her voice filled with relief.

"Where were you guys? "I ask.

"Before the alarm, we wanted to wake you up. I left you a note and waited for you at the town centre... Then the alarm went off. So I returned to our house, thinking you were still there. You weren't there either, so I thought of Falcon. "

"Haha, too bad. You were wrong about me... I was already preparing, "I say and swallow hard.

I missed the letter entirely.

"I see. Well, then you can use my help, "she insists.

"No, no, no, I'll be fine, "I say.

"Of course you will, "she says." You can shoot and drive, can't you? "Emily laughs.

She opens the door and takes a seat in the passenger side. I follow her lead, passing her the bow and arrows before taking hold of the wheel.

What did I get myself into?

As we drive toward the gate, a gatekeeper halts us. We both throw up the Swifter's hand sign, and he gives us a nod, letting us through. When we see the people lining the walls, their cheers fill the air.

"Hero! Hero! Hero...! "their voices chant.

Thanks, Antoine.

The crowd's chants of my name fade into the distance, and Emily looks at me, puzzled.

"What happened to them? "she wonders aloud.

"No idea. "I chuckle. "Are you sure?"

"Sure about what? "she asks.

"We can just drive to paradise now if you want to, "I suggest with a mischievous grin forming on my face.

Although somewhat of a joke, if she agrees, we'll leave this chaos.

"Yeah, right, "she replies, disappointment clear in her tone. "I'm home and have no plans of losing it."

I knew she would say that.

My focus returns to the road ahead, my gaze fixed on the glimmering line of vehicles stretching into the distance.

We need to catch up. It's time to unveil Falcon's true potential.

"Strap in, "I command Emily, and she fastens her seatbelt.

With a swipe through the menus, I locate the ludicrous mode and tap it.

"You better lean back."

She looks at me and shrugs her shoulders. "Why?"

I press the accelerator past the kick-down point. The launch thrusts Emily back into her seat. "Woo-hoo! "she exclaims, taking a deep breath.

We laugh together, our fears forgotten. Emily's boldness shines through as she says, "Let's get them."

And with that shared resolve, we speed forward, ready to face whatever lies ahead.

As the Swifter vehicles draw closer, our car merges into the line. Gestures from the nearby vehicle prompts Emily to open her door just as we come within a metre of the car beside us. She pushes the door open, extending her arm to receive an object hurtling towards her. In a display of agility, she catches the walkie-talkie thrown by a woman hanging halfway out her window.

Nice catch.

The woman, adorned in gleaming silver armour and windswept black hair, shouts over the roaring wind. "Keep the channel clear, "she commands. "Nice car, "she adds.

Emily responds with a thumbs-up.

A car approaches, heading in our direction.

I think it's a scout.

As it passes us, it executes a swift U-turn and joins the line again. The realisation hits me: the Freaks are on their way.

Why not hold off until the Freaks arrive at Freedom Town ? Or maybe not. It could heighten the risk of their breach, endangering innocent lives.

A plan takes shape in my mind.

What if I distract the Freaks and disable a few of their vehicles? With Falcon, the fastest car on the planet, evading their attacks should be doable.

The pieces fall into place, and I feel a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Without hesitation, I snatch the walkie-talkie from Emily's grip.

"What... What are you doing? We must keep the channels clear. "

"Trust me, "I assure her.

Opening the channel, I make my presence known." It's Hero. Over. "

"Hero? Who... Wait a minute. The one who saved Flash? Over, "the leader says.

"Yeah, that's me. I want to advance on my own. Over, "I declare.

"Hero, no, "Emily protests, pulling at my shirt to dissuade me.

"Trust me, "I repeat, locking eyes with Emily.

Understanding passes between us, and she releases her hold on me.

"Why would you do that? Over."

"This may sound crazy, but I have an idea. I believe I can disable some Freaks and create chaos, allowing you all to make your move. Over."

Emily's voice quivers. "Are you sure about this?"

I nod, my resolve unwavering ."Go on. It sounds like a brilliant plan. Let's hope it works. We'll catch up with you then. Godspeed, Hero. Over and out."

"Hero, you better know what you're doing," Emily whispers.

I don't.

Doubts swirl within me, the weight of responsibility pressing against my chest.

Yet, at this moment, I choose to embrace uncertainty and forge ahead.

The speedometer blazes at a staggering one hundred and sixty miles per hour, and the once-unbroken dark line ahead splinters into a flurry of twenty distinct dots. The sight leaves me breathless.

"You better pray for a miracle, "she murmurs.

I feel the same way; my mind goes wild as I beg for a miracle.

God, please keep us safe. We need you; don't bail on us.

Suddenly, the dots become vehicles you can actually see. Buses with oversized tyres roar our way.

I'm getting a bad vibe about what's coming up.

On the bus's roofs, spikes jut out, while armoured Freaks brandishing guns and other weapons fill both the interior and the rooftops.

Crazy fools!

I focus on a bus far down the line. Falcon brushes against the bus's outer surface before executing a drift.

"Hold on!" I yell.

Emily braces herself as she clings to the door handle. The screeching tyres bring us to a sudden halt.

"Now it's your turn, Emily. Get the crossbow."

She discards her scarf and glasses, tossing them into the backseat before retrieving the crossbow and quiver filled with arrows.

She loads the bow.

"Remember," I continue, my voice steady. "When you think they're about to make a sharp turn, shoot. Aim for the outer front wheel. I'll lure them in for you."

Emily nods, attempting to mask her fear with a confident gaze. However, her wide eyes reveal that she's as scared as I am.

The fine sand settles around us, and I take stock of the impending threat—four vehicles, including the bus we grazed.

The remaining Freaks behind us continue to advance towards Freedom Town, undeterred.

Without a moment's hesitation, I press the pedal to the metal. The engine whistles with unleashed power as we hurtle toward the Freaks.

Once again, we skim past the bus, executing a breathtaking one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn while keeping pace with our quarry.

Anger and madness distort their faces as they shout amidst the bus's noisy engine, but their trash talk just motivates me.

The four vehicles give chase.

Maintaining their speed, I position Falcon for optimal targeting, ensuring Emily has a clear shot parallel between the outer bus and his other yellow neighbour.

The loud sound of gunfire erupts from the Freaks' windows, bullets ricocheting off Falcon's bodywork.

I duck, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Is everything okay?" I pant, my voice strained.

Emily nods. "They didn't hit me, "she confirms.

"Good!"

Sweat trickles down my body, clinging to my clothes as tension electrifies the air.

An explosion reverberates through the vehicle, jolting us from within.

"Holy crap! Rocket launchers?" Emily yells.

"Stay focused," I say, mustering every ounce of strength to steady my nerves. "Fire an arrow at the driver, but don't kill him. Just upset him... He'll try to ram us if you miss, I think."

The nose of the bus aligns with Emily's side mirror, and on my side, the other bus and two cars converge, closing in on us. On the roof of the nearest bus, figures of madness work to ready a harpoon with a chain. Two others reload the rocket launcher.

It's now or never.

Gunfire continues to erupt.

Emily seeks cover behind the door frame, her grip on the crossbow unyielding. "Hero!" she screams.

A bullet pierces the window beside me, missing its mark. I hunch down, then search for Emily. Relief floods through me when I locate her unharmed.

"Jeez, that was close," I mutter.

"Were you hit?" I ask.

She shakes her head.

"Wait for them to reload," I urge. "Then, it's your turn."

BOOM! A deafening explosion engulfs Falcon's rear, the car lurching from side to side.

"Emily, now! "I yell, my grip tightening around her jacket as I steer Falcon.

She leans halfway out of the car, her body held by my firm grasp. She's locked in, aims at the driver, and lets the arrow fly. It gets him through the driver's window and grazes his face.

"Nice shot!"

It's no surprise that their bus surges forward and swerves in response. Emily fires another arrow, targeting the outermost tyre.

Boom! The tyre pops, and the bus goes flying. I pull Emily back into the car's safety as Freaks gets catapulted off the roof, plummeting to the ground. A rocket slices through the air, exploding with a thunderous impact next to the fallen figures, sealing their fate.

The overturned bus careens forward, crashing into the second bus, which folds in half. This launches the remaining rooftop warriors into the air. Rockets go up in the sky, leaving smoke behind and making loud explosions when they hit.

Emily shuts her door, cutting off the chaotic scene unfolding behind us.

A colossal cloud of dust billows around us, blinding us from the devastation we've left in our wake.

I manoeuvre Falcon, seeking a better view, and scan the scene, searching for the other two cars.

They're nowhere to be found.

Out of nowhere, two massive explosions go off, making metal screech in our ears. The dust in front of us catches fire and turns into black smoke.

"Holy crap! Those must have been the two cars! "I say.

It's crazy how they didn't even think twice before driving into the dust.

But I can't waste time dwelling on their mistakes. The rest of the Freaks are still heading towards Freedom Town, putting innocent lives at risk.

Assuming no one survived, I press the pedal to the metal, urging every ounce of speed from Falcon's electric motor. The electric motor's beeping blends with the loud tyre noise, pushing us to keep going.

"We must hurry!" Emily yells.

I nod.

Huge billows of dust rise on the horizon.

It's the Silver Fleet.

With each passing second, we draw closer to the Freaks.

Explosions on the horizon.

We're too late. The battle has already begun.

The air is thick with dust and the scent of burning fuel. Vehicles explode and crash into each other.

Emily and I almost join the fray. Our eyes meet, understanding the task at hand.

Let's go.

Falcon surges forward, its silent electric speed contrasting with the thunderous roar of the Freaks' monstrous vehicles and the Silver Fleet's. We navigate the chaotic battlefield, dodging and weaving.

Emily springs into action as we approach a group of silver-armoured cars under heavy fire. Her fingers load an arrow into the crossbow, and then she scans for targets. With impeccable aim, she releases a flurry of arrows on the buses' tyres and drivers, each finding its mark.

Freaks get blown away or thrown off their wheels—not that it matters. They just won't quit, and they send out their crazy spiked cars to crash into and take over the Silver Fleet's defences.

I'm manoeuvring the car to dodge the Freaks, and Emily is shooting arrows to take down any cannibals.

As we navigate the chaos, a silver armoured car comes under heavy fire, its occupants struggling to hold their ground.

Without a second thought, I positioned the Falcon as a shield to defend the Silver Fleet car from the Freaks' relentless attacks. Bullets bounce off Falcon's body, and the cannibals freak out when they see their attacks don't work.

Hold on, my old buddy.

Emily jumps at the chance. She shoots three arrows at the driver, taking out the Freaks' ride. The tyre blows out, the engine sputters, and all hell breaks loose with the cannibals. And they exit their car.

The Freaks come at us. BANG, BANG, BANG. The bullets tear through the air with a vengeful fury, striking down the cannibals one by one.

"Thanks," one of them says, giving us the salute. 

I nod, and we press on.

With every well-aimed arrow and clever move, we're saving lives and winning the fight.

The Freaks keep coming, even outnumbered, driving their monstrous buses and laughing and screaming battle cries.

Emily keeps shooting arrows at the Freaks, never missing.

It's almost over.

I drive Falcon away from the battle for a better view.

The sand and dust settle, unveiling a scene of chaos. Flaming cars overturned and scattered across the terrain, emitting billows of black smoke that blend into the blue sky.

You can hear the cries of injured people trying to escape from their smashed cars. Lifeless bodies strewn across the sandy landscape intensify the haunting stillness of the scene. The remaining mobile Freaks rush towards their battered vehicles, trying to escape our clutches.

Amidst the wreckage, I count six silver vehicles of the Swifters, shattered and torn apart, with corpses strewn around them.

I look up at the sky, and my eyes start to water.

It's over... isn't it? Mom... Dad... Blaze... I'm sor-

"Hero? Over," a voice crackles through the walkie-talkie, jolting me from my thoughts.

Startled, I fumble to respond, "I-I'm here. Over. "

"Thank God you're still alive. Over."

"Yeah, we both are. Over," I reply.

"Where are you? Over."

I honk in the hope she finds us.

A loud honk cuts through the air, drawing our attention.

"Here they come," Emily announces.

"Are you okay? "

"Yeah," she assures.

A sleek silver convoy, around ten vehicles strong, moves toward us in a powerful V-formation. It's amazing to see.

A woman steps out of the central car as they halt before us. We get out of Falcon and come towards each other.

The slim leader with blonde hair and a sharp face oozes both grace and toughness. She looks stunning with her bright blue eyes and red lips. Her silver armour reflects in the sunlight, making her presence even more intimidating.

"Uh... Wow!" she exclaims, her eyes sweeping across the aftermath.

Dizziness engulfs me, and I struggle to maintain focus. I'm about to have another blackout.

"Hero, right?" the same lady says.

"Uh, yeah?" I respond, fighting to stay present.

"So, the stories were true. You are a real saviour. Nice work," she acknowledges, chuckling. "Who would have thought a young male saved us several times from these filthy creatures?"

I press my palms to my eyes, hoping to see clearly again. Despite my improved vision, the distracting background makes it difficult for me to concentrate on the leader in front of me.

"Who would've guessed," she says, a wry smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

I nod, a small smile playing on my lips.

The woman adds, "It's time to go home."

With weapons at the ready, Swifters stand guard while the defeated Freaks lie on their bellies—several of them surrender by raising their hands in the air.

Regardless of their state, they load the captured Freaks onto pickup trucks and drive off.

"We'll meet you in Freedom Town later," the leader says.

She shakes Emily's hand.

Everything gets blurry again; I can barely see what's around me.

The silver fleet goes away, and Emily waves at me.

I can't handle it; I drop to my knees.

Drops of red fall onto the sand.

What the...

I catch some of the splashing drops in my palm.

It's blood trickling from my nose.

"Hero, are you okay?" Emily's voice echoes in my mind as her hand approaches my shoulder.

"Yeah, I feel..." I trail off.

Emily's worried face disappears as darkness takes over once more.

"Hero!"

____

Emily

Not again.

It's worse this time. He's bleeding from his nose now.

My heart races with fear and concern. The silver fleet is already distancing itself from us.

I need to get him in Falcon and start the car.

With both hands, I drag him towards Falcon, my mind racing for a solution.

I hop into the car and unleash a primal scream of frustration. With all my strength, I hoist him up, gripping his coat.

I take the time to adjust his posture and settle him into a comfortable sitting position.

Now what?

The car remains unresponsive, no matter how hard I press the pedal.

How do I make this thing work?

I press every button in the car, but nothing happens. A fingerprint icon appears as I reach out and touch the centre console screen.

Could it be that simple?

Grabbing Hero's limp hand, I press his thumb against the screen. Falcon's systems come alive, though I can't be sure, as it remains silent.

With a gentle press of the pedal, the car moves.

As we drive towards Freedom Town, I steal glances at Hero, his peaceful expression as if asleep. My hand caresses his cheek, a mix of tenderness and worry filling my heart.

What possessed you to do this? You surprise me every time.

Stay strong. I will get you home.

____

Hero

As I struggle to pry open, my eyelids cling together, heavy with stickiness. With both hands, I rub my tired eyes, wiping away the remnants of dried tears from my cheeks. Confusion floods my mind, accompanied by a gnawing sense of unease.

Where exactly am I? How long was I out?

Summoning the strength, I sit up, my gaze meeting Emily's as she glances at me from behind the wheel.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh... I... I feel... okay," I respond. "Where are we?"

Emily's lips smirk softly." You're quite the weight. We're driving back. I used your fingerprint."

A wry smile tugs at the corners of my mouth.

She knows she needs my fingerprint.

Driving back?

Ah... Freedom Town. Of course.

Desperation intertwines with a twisting sensation in my stomach.

"Can you stop for a sec?"

Emily obliges, bringing the car to a stop. Without a moment to spare, I fling open the door and stumble out, overcome by an overwhelming need to empty my stomac​​h.

A vile green substance mixed with prickly pear fruit and bile splatters onto the ground as I retch.

I wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my jacket, left with a lingering taste.

"Hero, you were bleeding from your nose."

"I know... Hold up."

I throw up again.

Emily strokes my back. "Take your time."

I cough. "I'm not sure why this is happening again. Maybe my body says it's done... Take a chill pill."

"Haha... Maybe it has. Come on. Can you walk?"

"Yeah."

Pushing aside the lingering discomfort, I return to the car.

We drive for a few minutes.

"What was that anyway? "Emily questions, her eyes seeking mine.

"What do you mean? "

"You... You're..."

I can't hear the words she mumbles. "What did you say? "

"I said you're not okay, not okay at all!" Emily's voice cracks.

Her eyes fill with tears.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Shut up... please," Emily pleads, her words laced with a hint of pain.

An unpleasant silence stretches between us, filled with unspoken turmoil.

I get how big of a deal this is. What I asked her to do could have killed her. She probably thinks I don't give a damn about her. All I can do is apologise.

"Sorry... really, I'm sorry," I mutter.

"It's okay, it's okay... You know... I was just hoping... I shouldn't have... Maybe I didn't expect you to be that way."

She takes a shuddering breath, wiping away her tears with trembling hands.

"Emily, once again... I'm sorry. I should have thought more carefully and taken everything into account. I..."

"No, it has nothing to do with—"

She stops talking and embraces me, leaning over the centre console.

I'm frozen, not sure how to respond. As if on autopilot, I wrap my arms around her, feeling the warmth and comfort of our embrace.

It's okay... It's all okay.