109 CHAPTER 108 OLD TIMES

"There, lower the plane there," Alex said, pointing to the empty space with his clutches. 

"Are you certain?" Anabel asked, with confusion lining the edge of her eyes. She looked older than the first time Alex had seen her. Too many worries. If only she could stop bothering her brains about Jeff's wellbeing perhaps the crinkle on the side of her eyes would not have appeared.

"Yes, I am sure," Alex said, looking away from the older woman to the window.

The vast land was covered with green and blue. For the trees and the plants, there was no sign of life anywhere. That was the reason why the woman had asked the question. Alex didn't blame her. With all the trouble they had faced, he would have been worried if the woman was not showing concern at the least. But if she wasn't too preoccupied with worries, she would have been able to see the glamour hiding the place from the eyes of invaders. 

It's been three weeks since they left the prison. They have been airborne ever since. There were about 30 people that had left the prison. Six had died in the attack with general Zack, and 10 had been injured. Those who came out with no wounds were trying to keep the tension, which was already building up. That their supplies had finished added more pressure on the shoulders of those who were tending to the injured. They had not said a thing yet, but Alex could read the silent words. The way they lowered their heads when they walk, avoiding the eyes of everyone, said it all.

The Air Tripler hummed and started the descent when Nimrod lowered the lever. They skittered down towards the brush of green and pink. Tall trees stood on every side, which made the place Alex had picked the perfect cover for their Air Tripler. So far they had not been followed, but if peradventure someone was tailing them, then this place would serve as the perfect cover to give them the edge over any attack.

Three years. Alex breathed in deeply, failing in all his attempts to keep his thoughts from wandering. It's been three years since he ran away from home. The Regent and the Defiant-3 had been his home since his parents were killed. They had sheltered him, fed him, and clothed him. But at the last hour, he had betrayed them and had run away with the very thing which they had spent all their life and money pursuing.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Nimrod asked from the control seat.

"Sure," Alex said.

"You look as if you will need a nap or something. 

"No I am," Alex nodded weakly to the face of Nimrod which was visible on the mirror hanging above the dashboard. He too had a dark patch that hung like a hammock on his eyes. Nobody had slept for the past two days. They were all staying alert, keeping a close eye on any imminent danger. 

What will the Regent say if he sees me? Alex's stomach taut like some knitting thread on a needle. That was the millionth time since he stopped counting that the question was dropping into his head. The fact that he wasn't feeling any guilt made the matter worse. If he remembered correctly, one thing the Regent hated most was someone who would not take responsibility for their actions.

"Now what next?" Nimrod said.

Alex unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up. He had pointed to the direction where he thinks the plane would land, but his wandering thoughts would not let him keep a sane mind. He hadn't noticed the plane landing.

"You are not strong yet, Master Alexander." Joci's voice boomed as she appeared to stand beside him. 

The yellow shirt and pants she wore today blended with her twitching fair skin, making her body transparent. If the attack had not hit the engine of the Air Tripler, Joci's features would not be twitching and all the wounded in the plane would have recovered to full health by now, including him.

"I am fine," Alex said as he stood up from the chair, using his clutches. 

The wound was on his legs, but he was glad that they had not damaged any of his bones or vital organs. At the onset, he had been convinced that he wouldn't walk again, but time and some more medications had saved his mind from such hopeless talk.

"I can still get you more medication if you want to," 

"No, Joci, no," Alex shook his head, "No medicine. I am fine." That was a lie, and a sweet one. He was under convalesces, but nowhere near fine. The muscle under his thigh region was still burning, and he was still in clutches. The truth was that he hated drugs. 

His stomach rumbles as if advising him not to give in to Joci's enticing words. If oral dosage forms were made for him, then every drug vendor will as well close up their medicine store. The smell of those drugs usually made him queasy. Thank the heavens Teresa was not here. She was the only one that could force him into taking medication or face the consequences.

"I must speak with the Regent," Alex said, leaping towards the door.

"No, no way. I won't let you go there alone. Not under your condition." Nimrod said, hurrying towards him.

"Nim, I am fine" 

"That's every reason why I should come with you. You know, just to make sure you remain fine."

Alex grinned but nodded in agreement. The door of the Air Tripler was just lowering to reveal the green face of the forest when Alex noticed someone standing behind them.

"Mrs. Peters?" He called, looking at the woman who stood behind them. Her two hands were tucked inside the blue jeans she wore. She had even girdled her hair to a ponytail, and those bright eyes of hers reminded him of Jeff.

"You will also need an elderly brain too,"

"Okay," Alex stressed the last part and returned his gaze to the depressing door. He was glad to have the mother of his best friend with them, but on the other hand, he was feeling somewhat uneasy. There was something about the woman that seemed unnatural. Something dark about her. Maybe it was because Jeff was not with them. That was the only perfect explanation at the moment.

Nimrod was the first to step out of the plane and he helped Alex out. Anabel, on the other hand, had removed her hands from her pocket and was fiddling with a white metallic object. 

A small smile parted Alex's lips when he realized that the object was a Candor. He didn't make any reference to the Candor in the woman's hands. He had seen her used them when general Zack had attacked their ship. For a woman her age, she was a badass. The way she had handled those invaders back in the ship…

Alex bit down the fears that had suddenly clothed his skin. Invaders. That was the only name they could call those dark metallic creatures. At first glance, one would have thought that it was the keepers, but it was not until morning the following day, that they had realized that the creatures looked nothing like the keepers, even though they were made of metals and insulating tubes. But what are they?

"Easy buddy," Nimrod said.

Alex took his outstretched hands and leaned on him, letting him guard his steps as they made it down the hill. The morning air was fresh and soft, blessed with the voice of the birds that sing home the lost night. Most of the trees had forgone their green lustral and were picking up the pink color. That was the effect of the crumbling world Jeff had pointed out once.

Crumbling world. Alex hissed quietly. He remembered this place. They had come here several times to pick seeds as children. The only thing that seemed a bit off and new was the color of the leaf and the sudden coldness. The grasses had grown in clusters too, suggesting that no one had been here for the past three years.

"You had a younger brother?" Anabel asked, breaking the silence that had enveloped them for heaven knows how long.

Alex lifted his head away from the trees and grasses to his left, just some pace away from him where Nimrod was.

"Abigail," Nimrod said. His face glittered with grace as if the name alone brought peace upon his soul, "Five years of age. The best sister and only sister I had ever had." He finished, grumbling the last part.

"Sorry about that," Anabel said calmly but without regrets, "We all had lost something. In times like this, sacrifices have to be made. But the tears and memory of our lost ones will forever be in the prints of our hearts."

"Yeah," Nimrod nodded, "I guess that's true. I remember hearing that once. The memory of Abigail is what is keeping me. After our parents died, we had gone through hard times. I had promised Abi, that I would keep her safe. I should have kept her safe."

Nimrod trailed off, and Alex saw him wipe the tears away.