Within A Stardust

Chapter 50 - Explosion

After confiscating the weapons, the variants caught Ross, then put him in the armor rescue vehicle. Gary and Chelsea are in the other, parked near the helicopter along with the ones who will transport the victims. After a few minutes, Nile goes out and it was followed by y/n. "Did you do a headcount already? Where's Stan?" Nile asks as he walks towards them. "Right here and, not yet." Stan said. "Ok, please do. We need to make sure everyone is rescued-"

A sudden explosion knocks everyone near the armor vehicle where Ross was put in. The variants disappear. Marj, Jonathan and the others,  run as fast as they can to help them. Then, Marj notice someone is in one of the rooftops nearby. "Jonathan, Binoculars." He throws it to her. 

When she look back to the source, there is a man with a bandage in his head holding an RPG-27, preparing to fire. She looks around and everybody has a person in their hands. Near the vehicle, there is a police covered in blood, unconscious, and not far is y/n in the same condition. 

"You gotta be shitting me." She didn't check the police and pick him up, then she tries to pick y/n too. Although she is not heavy, it is still slowing her down. 

"Marj! move out! He will fire!" Jonathan is shouting at the top of his lungs. 

Running to the left, y/n falls and she tries to pick her up again while still holding the unconscious one. The police came and they pull her as well. "Wait! Let me get her! Don't leave her behind!" 

"I'm sorry, we can't. He's-" The sound of the RPG shoots like a lightning then explodes. 

Everyone near the area saw how y/n and all her flesh disintegrates in seconds.

"We have to go, everyone get in the vehicles! We need to leave! He might fire another!" 

Lizzie, Saf and Stan have to be assisted to get in the chopper. They all have that shock, fear and pain written in their faces.

The chopper takes off and the remaining automobiles left all at once.

. . . . . 

Nile and the others that were injured are brought into the nearest hospital while the three requested to go back to Saf's house.

"That was the plan. I didn't tell you because it might fail. I'm just trying to keep us all safe." Stan said. "Keep us all safe and yet she's dead. What you are saying does not make any sense." Lizzie replied. 

Stan sighs. "I don't want to think she really is, perhaps it's a clone. She's a mutant temporarily. Maybe... when you wake up tomorrow, she-" Saf tries to think positive despite what they saw but Lizzie cuts her off. "Please, stop. I'm pretty sure you saw how her clones disappeared on the first shot... That makes her an easy target on the second. Yes, she's mutant, but that doesn't give her an exemption from dying. She's still a mortal." She said, staring out in the window.

With the way she said the words, she just lost all hope. 

"I'm just gonna buy something." Saf and Stan follows her with a gaze as she goes to the hall. "Do you want me to go with you?" Saf asks. No response. 

While playing with the glass he was holding. "Look after her. I'll try to find any signs of y/n.. alive. She has to be, I can feel it. We better upgrade davidson and include tracking." Saf sighs and shakes her head no. "If you just told us the plan, maybe we could have done something better." 

*Saf's POV*

After that little talk, everyone minds their own business. I had to relax for a bit because I was so pissed at Stan for not telling us that he had plans. It's like a 50/50 mission for y/n, an almost suicide mission. 

I want to think he is selfish, but at the back of my mind, he was trying to make sure that we will be safe while rescuing the hostages. Now, he's back at the lab making another research for the last serum he promised to y/n for the mean time since, he can't leave yet. 

None of us can't leave without security, It's too dangerous after that bombing. They would come back for us, can't hide away from that fact, but we're assured by Nile's friends that we're safe since they did something with the security system. I gave Jonathan and Marj the rooms on the second floor since they need to watch the outside perimeter 24/7 within the next few days.

8 pm

Stan's wife insisted that she will be the one doing the chores for the night and that I should check Lizzie. I look outside and she really is there, leaning her head on the post. Beside her, there's a lot of beer cans scattered. 

"You better head inside and get some rest. It's too dangerous to stay here." No response, so I take a look if she's already drunk or asleep.

She's staring at the road. I sigh. "You are contradicting your words. You're waiting for her to comeback." I lean on the post on the opposite side. 

I let silence fill the space since she won't respond and just focus on the summer's cool breeze while looking at the night skies. 

. . . 

A thought suddenly pops in my mind when I glance at her. "You know, you're like her right now." I said as I put my gaze back at the skies.

"The last time I saw her, she was so unresponsive." I glance back, Lizzie is now looking at me. "And that look. That face?" I point to her. "That was the same she was wearing before she was kidnapped for the second time." I said. "Did you guys plan that?" She sits, put her feet on the step below then put her hands on her legs. "It would be better if we did." 

Lizzie lets out a heavy sigh and look up at the sky.

I decided to pick the cans and clean the porch quick. "Ok, that's enough for the night. Good that I got here before you become wasted." After putting them neatly on the table. "Let's go inside?" I lend my hand to her. She just stare at it.  "Come on. Y/n won't want to see you this miserable when she comes back."