rescue

Chapter 20: Rescue - Tears burned in his bloodshot eyes as he looked up at Iona. "Did you find them?" Iona stood slowly. Shame written across every line of his face. He shook his head. "I couldn't. I only had descriptions. I searched as long as I could..." He sat back down. "I'm sorry, brother." Arthur stepped forward. "He fought for hours. Calling their names to anyone who would listen. It became so dangerous we nearly lost him. I had to launch a separate extraction mission just to bring him back." Arthur met Ethan's eyes. "He refused to leave without them." A pause. "Know this, Ethan. We tried everything." Ethan wiped his face. He stood, movements suddenly calm. "I'm going to Earth. I will find them." "I'm coming," Iona said immediately. Elizabeth caught them before they reached the portal. "The Imperial Army is already there. They're stationed across major cities. Taking people to rehabilitation centers." She paused. "They aren't killing humans. That means Kate and Nessa are alive." Ethan nodded. "There's a center near your home. But it's impossible to infiltrate quietly. If you go, you go loud." She looked straight at him. "They won't show mercy to Sentries." "I'll find them," Ethan said softly. "Or I won't come back." Earth greeted them with silence. Not the peaceful silence of sleeping cities, but the hollow silence of shock. People wandered the streets with vacant eyes. Some stopped to vomit. Others collapsed against walls. Imperial ships drifted overhead like carrion birds. They didn't make it a hundred meters before a patrol spotted them. Dark colored humanoid robots Along their backs, glowing spheres pulsed steadily. Soulless machines. Ethan let Hephaestus work. Energy beams cut through armor. Explosive rounds detonated with precision. He didn't let them close. Iona burned through formations, crushing cartridges in his fists. His eyes blazed white. But more exotic units kept joining. Their progress slowed with each block. When the number of machines became too great, Iona fell. They swarmed him immediately and pinned him down. Ethan kept fighting, but he didn't last much longer either; the conquerors captured him too. Pinned to the ground with an machines metal foot on his face, Ethan screamed desperately Suddenly, a roar pierced the air. Just another monster brought by the Army, thought Ethan, pressed against the ground. As the thought crossed his mind, a massive black creature plowed through the alien robots holding Iona and Ethan. This gave them the chance to scramble to their feet and see what had saved them. The sight astonished them. The three-meter-tall wolf that had once tried to kill them was now tearing the aliens apart. Their shock multiplied when the wolf looked at them and nodded. Arthur's voice snapped them back to reality. "Meet the fourth member of your team. A gift from Eli and me..." Moral surged Fight renewed but suddenly something changed. The enemy pulled away. Split into two lines. A path appeared between them, leading to the rehabilitation center. They ran it quickly. Ethan rushed toward the entrance. A white figure stepped in front of him. He stopped. Froze. "Ani?" She stared at the ground. "Please. Step back. There is no need for bloodshed." Iona stepped forward. "What are you doing? This isn't you. Please don't do this." Her eyes filled with tears. "No. You listen to me, Io. I know what will happen..." She paused. "Let him finish the process. This way, we avoid bloodshed. And people will be saved." Disappointment hardened into anger in Ethan's eyes. "People are walking around like zombies. Look at them." He spread his hands. "How can you stand on this side?" A tear slid down her cheek. "You don't understand, Ethan." Iona stared at her, unable to speak. "Ani. Move. Now." She wiped her tears. "I can't." Ethan took a step forward. "My family is in there." "Family?" "Yes. They're inside, Ani." Desperation showed on his face. "Please. Don't stand in my way." Her eyes dropped to the ground. Something decisive settled inside her. "Come. I'll help you find them." Rows of capsules stretched endlessly. The translator decoded labels. Separated by gender. By age. Timers counting down. They moved to the female section. Then Ethan saw her. "Nessa!" He ran. Pulled her into his arms. She didn't react. No smile. No heart shape. Nothing. He froze. "What did they do to you?" His voice broke. "Forgive me..." Only then did he see Kate. Her capsule still active. He tore it open. Removed the helmet. "Kate. It's me." Her eyes opened slowly. "Nessa... Ethan." That was all she could say. Ethan looked at Ani with furious eyes. Tears gathered in hers. "I'm sorry, Ethan." He gathered them both and ran. they stepped outside, Ani told them to go. The infantry obeyed. Ethan ran. He had barely taken two steps when a sentry landed in front of him. The asphalt cracked. Darthein. His gigantic metal-armored frame blocked the path. Iona cracked his fingers. "Move, or I'll tear your head from your shoulders." A second sentry appeared. Hovering. Eyes glowing white. Verssa. "Return those humans to the capsules." Ethan took a step back. "No." Verssa turned to Ani. "This is betrayal of the Emperor." "I will answer to him myself. Let them go." Verssa smiled cruelly. Jealousy choked her. The newly arrived sentry stood above her in hierarchy. "They are not going anywhere." She raised her hand. Pointed at Ani. Her palm began to glow. "Either you put those humans back or I kill her." She rose higher. Created a shield with his other hand. Wolf growled showing hes teeth to sentries Hes eyes were burning "Don't move. She warned the wolf Than switched to ani If you vanish or even move a finger, I will blast them." She pointed to Kate and Nessa. "Make your choice, human." Darthein's voice shook Ethan. "Ethan, please," Iona begged. "They are alive they won'tharm them. Please put them back. We will come later. I promise Please." "Iona, no." Anis voice was strict "Ethan." Her voice cracked. "I never wanted to harm them." Verssa's hand kept charging."Time is running out. Are you returning them or not?" Ethan looked at Kate's face. Still mumbling her daughter's name. He looked at Iona. "What if they never wake up?" Blast. The impact smashed Ani into the wall. She dropped unconscious. Iona screamed. Ran to her. Grabbed her. "No! Noo! Ethan, help! Help!" Ethan froze. Darthein raised his hand. "Give them to me." He almost grabbed Kate. Ethan, scared, took a step back. Then a roar. Loud. Terrifying. "He will buy you some time," Arthur's voice crackled. wolf attacked. Pinned Darthein to the ground. Ripped metal flesh from his neck. He screamed. Wolf switched to Verssa. Ethan ran. "She's alive, Ethan. She's breathing," Arthur said as he entered the portal. He brought them to the laboratory. Elizabeth and Cirrus waited. They scanned immediately. Kate repeated names softly. "Nessa. Ethan. Nessa. Ethan." Nessa stared into nothing. Ethan's voice shook. "They laughed. They always laughed. Even at my worst jokes." Elizabeth turned to him. "I've never seen a human brain like this." Ethan knelt beside Kate. Kissed her forehead gently. "Kate. If you can hear me, just know—I love you. That day in the park, that's what I wanted to tell you. You are my light. My hope. You always were. I will always love you." Tears dripped onto the floor. Then he kissed Nessa's hands, holding them like they were made of glass. Elizabeth couldn't hold her tears either. "I promise I will do anything to bring them back." Her voice shook. Ethan nodded. "Thank you." He wiped his tears and left. Outside, his face changed. The grief vanished. Replaced by something colder. Harder. He ran. Into the central building. Through corridors he'd walked a hundred times. Toward the Mind's chamber. The golden hologram appeared. Ethan hurled a chair at it.It passed through the light and shattered against the wall. "You did this!" "I am sorry. You needed to see what you're facing." "You could have brought them here! They would have been safe!" "There is no safe place from him. Not even here." Ethan's anger cooled into disgust. "Did you choose me to kill him?" "You are like him." Ethan recoiled. "After your accident, your pain reminded me of Xeid's. But unlike him, you found salvation in two humans." His voice trembled. "Is that why you used them?" Silence. "Why do you think I can kill him?" "I don't think you can." The Mind looked down at him. "Tell me this: When you understand that what happened to them will happen to every living being in the universe... what will you do?" Ethan stared at the floor for a long moment. He could have asked another question. He had many. Questions about justice. About morality. About whether the Mind had the right to use people like pieces on a board. But none of it mattered now. He looked up at the hologram. His eyes were cold. "Give me the army."