Shadows of Reform (Probably being edited)

Chapter Eight

Melody was quite nimble, Jason realized, as he chased her among the ruins around their home. His father yelled after them.

"Don't get lost now!" His mother looked over from the garden, as if she could not believe he was going off into the other buildings.

"I'll be okay, dad!" Jason spoke quickly so that he would not lose Melody. She was not far ahead, but as he moved closer, she became much faster than he thought. Dodging and weaving among the wood and metal, she was practically one with the structure, and Jason tired himself out trying to follow.

"Melody? Ugh, where did she go?" He switched from chase mode to search mode, allowing the adrenaline to leave his system. He slowed down greatly.

"Sister? Hellooooo?" Jason became worried. Had she actually gotten lost? "This doesn't look good..."

"Gotcha!" a figure dove from the shadows, causing Jason to step back. She lunged forward, wrapping herself around his legs. Jason lifted Melody from the ground, and brought her to chest height. Which wasn't very high for him.

"You thought you could escape me!" Jason laughed like a mock super villain. "I've got you now."

Melody squealed with laughter. "No!"

"Tickle time!" Jason descended upon his sister. She screamed, and tried her hardest to wriggle free. Then came a scream of a different kind.

This scream came from his mother, who Jason could see was being dragged by two heavier men. His father was nowhere to be seen.

"Michael, help!" his mother continued to scream, hoping someone would hear her voice.

Michael rushed forward from one of the broken structures, swinging a blade. He chopped clean through the first opponent, and moved for the second, when a bullet tore through his shoulder. Michael fell to the ground, screaming out his wife's name. "Sarah!"

Sarah was being held by the second of the two men, who watched as another man came out from beyond Jason's view. Melody tried to stand and say something, but he held her down. The scream came out as a whimper.

"Mommy..."

The third man spoke. "Why did you have to fight? We could have taken you alive, you know."

Jason heard mumbling, his father tried to speak, but couldn't. He was dying, and the other man knew it. Why didn't he do anything?

"And now you die. Your wife will come with us, though, as she may still be of some use." The man holding Sarah chuckled.

They walked away, leaving Michael in the sand. By the time Jason worked up the nerve to walk over, his father was dead.

------

"Oh, god." Jason was awake again.

"Yo, you okay?" One of the newer soldiers noticed Jason waking up. He realized he was sweating badly.

"I'm... fine. My past was not as fun as I remember."

"Wanna talk?"

"No."

"Alright then. We moving out?"

"Yep. Name?"

"Samson."

"Stay close to me, I might need the help."

"Gotcha. Alright, let's go!" Samson assisted Jason in rousing the other soldiers. They hadn't heard any transmissions since the battle, so they decided to move forward with the plan.

"Okay, we know the plan. Use the buggies to provide cover for the transport, and punch through the gate. Samson," Jason looked in the direction of the recruit, "and I will make our way through the back. Prisoners are allowed, but not necessary." The crew smiled at that remark. "Let's move."