Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

MEMOIRS OF HAVAS [13]

(SET TWO YEARS BEFORE HAVAS IS BREACHED)

'Human ideals are both inconsequential and all-consuming. We live and breathe the evanescent, and as it is stolen from us, as it always will be, we finally grasp the truth.

Life, and all in it, has neither meaning nor value. And that, in of itself, makes us truly free.

Choose your own meaning, as you are freed by meaninglessness.'

-An unseen extract written by politician Warren Krüger, not long before his death.

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MEMOIRS OF HAVAS

13

Beneath Northern Wall Sina, The Krüger Tunnels

Lorelai returned to the tunnels after that. Her actions in the Underground City had been too foolish for words. Why had she saved that man's life? The answer escaped her.

The ocean of guilt was no quieter. If anything, it seemed to grow with every step she took away from that city.

Lorelai knew she was a coward for leaving, but, she just didn't have the strength anymore. Her eyes were tired; her heart battered beyond recovery. Her poor conscience was screaming. She must escape Warren and this metal nightmare of a labyrinth.

The trains delivered Lorelai back to Havas in barely an hour. She was going to go home, she guessed, accept defeat and wait to die quietly.

She'd taken her bags already. Now, all that was left was finding the strength to open the door and accept the future was unchangeable.

How could she gather the strength to give up like that? How could she just accept her love was a monster, and she could do nothing to change him?

She paused, staring at the ground.

"Leaving so soon?"

Lorelai turned. Warren was at the end of the corridor, his gaze steady upon her.

"I think my departure has been long overdue," she mumbled.

Warren nodded, leaning on the metal wall. He'd seen this coming, Lorelai moved like a chessplayer, and this was just her latest move. It didn't hurt any less though. "I heard you went to the Underground." He turned his gaze accusingly. "Not trying to sabotage me, are you?"

She huffed out a cold, dead laugh. "No, don't worry. You'll still be able to murder a couple thousand at the least."

His eyebrow quirked up slightly. "You hate me," he commented.

Lorelai didn't bother meeting his eyes. "No. I love you too much for words, Warren. I have to leave because I can't watch you like this any longer."

"Don't pity me," he snapped.

"I'm not pitying you."

They were silent. The tension ran thick between them.

Lorelai, as always, performed an extraordinary act of strength. She moved to look him in the eyes. "This is it for us, my love."

"Lorelai, please-"

He fell silent as she cupped his cheek in her palm. "I don't know what's right or wrong anymore, Warren. I have no moral high ground over you. But it breaks my heart to see you this way."