Descent

Chapter 24

Dove's head was spinning in circles as to how they were going to accomplish this mission. Everyone seemed so gung-ho that Mai was still alive. The little bird wished she had half of the optimism they had - it was though spending her entire life split between being the Twin's lackey and used like a commodity by her mother had snuffed any light she had left. Perhaps it was harder to feel optimistic when she was surrounded by those she had once betrayed. Beside her sat Thomas, checking his gun, needing something to keep his hands busy, probably to take his mind off the fact that they were returning to the place were so many untold horrors took place. In the back, she could hear the soft snores from the heavily New Eden Priestess. Out of mere human curiosity, Dove peeked back, seeing the pregnant woman with her mouth wide open, completely passed out as her head rested on the shoulder of Mai's mother, Nayeli. Nayeli, opposed to Vittoria, was wide awake. She and Dove made the briefest moments of awkward eye contact. Nayeli had the eyes of a feline. They were soft, but there was a sense of danger and rage behind them. Dove quickly turned back around, wondering if she would even survive the next couple hours.

The flight was only five hours, and they were about half-way there, but it was dragging on in the most uncomfortable way. They were passing over the plains of an unnamed state, if state lines were even a thing to consider anymore. La Grosse Patate would need to be refueled soon so now seemed as good a time to get that out of the way since they had plenty of room to land.

"I'm bringing her down." Dove cautioned to the others.

Vittoria instantly sprung up, making it seem impossible that she had just been passed out minutes prior.

"Oh thank heavens, I can stretch my legs." She gasped, "Though if I stand this baby might just come popping out."

Dove looked to Rush who smirked regarding Vittoria's eccentric being, "You get used to it." He mused.

La Grosse Patate landed without a hitch, and it's occupants descended out of it, relieved to touch the ground, for however brief it may be.

"Where did you pack the gasoline love? I need to do something, I am stiff as a board." Vittoria continued to chime.

"They'll be in the aft on the right side, just make sure you walk around the front of the helicopter or you may hit your head on the blade unknowingly." Dove warned.

"Oh I love your cautionary detail." Vittoria responded, "You're not so bad for a Highwayman." Vittoria turned, snapping her fingers at Nayeli who seemed distracted by their surroundings, "Well be a dear friend and help me love!"

Thomas and Dove watched as Nayeli silently followed Vittoria to the other side of the helicopter. If she was to be quite frank, she was jealous of the lengths that Nayeli was going to retrieve her daughter. It was un-paramount. Immeasurable. The depths of that woman's love could probably blanket the world twice over. Dove once thought she could say the same for her own mother. If the scars on her body and psyche were of any indication, it was that Raven only had one priority, and Dove was not it.

"You do realize, my mother is not just going to let us leave peacefully." Dove said to Thomas who was still standing near, "She will chase you all to the ends of the earth."

Thomas, bit his lower lip, hanging his head low, "No, I figured that would be the case." He looked at her now, his words filled with caution, "How do you feel about all this?"

His question was simple, but it was loaded with more information than he knew. Or perhaps he did, but it was too touchy of a subject to come out and say it. Let's see, How did she feel about breaking into her mother's own self-made city fortified to hell and back? How they were staring death in the face? How there was a very high chance her own mother may perish somewhere in between? That right there was the real question. How would little Dayana react to losing her mother? The only family she had. The one person who, ironically had kept her alive all this time.