Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE CALVARY IS HERE!

(told in perspective of Zana)

As we rounded the corner of the road with our reinforcements, it already looked bad. The car that Andrometa had taken was now parked sideways, most likely being the only cover Matthew and his team had. Every Sol and Luna that they could bring was there, and they were now heavily firing at their almost defenseless position. "Move out!" I yelled to my troops. They jumped out the backs of our trucks and moved into position. "Delta team circle back to my location, we need people to watch our flank. All medical staff, get ready for anything." I barked. The Delta team circled back to the truck and the medical staff began to prepare stretchers and first aid kits. "Fire!" I yelled, shots rang throughout the field, the Sol and Luna gun fire turned from the car to us. Our driver stepped on the gass and quickly drove to Matthew's team. We swerved around and I got out of the car and found them huddled around something, their faces lined with fear and remorse, I couldn't quite see what they were covering. "Why the long faces? We didn't have to come with reinforcements you know..." I suddenly peeked above them and realized they were huddling around a body, "...oh..." I said in realization. "...is he?"

"Yes." Cassandra told me, looking up with a saddened face. "W-we couldn't save him. I couldn't save him..." She jumped up into my arms with tears streaming down her face. "I loved him so much Zana, so much." Cassandra cried. I hugged her tight and rubbed her back to comfort her.

"Med team check the others for injuries, Delta team keep covering us." I motioned with one of my hands.

A chorus of, "Yes Ma'am!" Echoed around and they all got to work. Cassandra had now buried her head into my shoulder. She was shaking, and for the first time ever, she seemed scared.

"It's alright Cassandra, it's not your fault." I coaxed.

"I-I just can't believe he's..."

"I know." I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "This is what happens in the course of war." I sighed and shook my head. "How are we doing on the distraction?" I yelled into my comm.

"We're not doing well ma'am, there are a lot more than expected." Someone answered from the radio.

"Just hang in there a bit longer, we'll try to get these guys safe as fast as we can." I looked at all of them.

"We'll see what we can do." The person answered.

"No! We can't go without Matthew and Andrometa!" Danny yelled.

I gave her a confused look and suddenly I realized two were missing. "What do you mean you can't go without them? Where are they?" I tapped my foot like an aggravated parent. They all immediately pointed to the mountain. "Of course." I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I wish my nephew wasn't so careless, and yet, I knew he couldn't help it. "So where is that one guy that was with her, Antonio I think it was..." They all gave me horrified looks.

"Wait, Zana you mean Tony? As in the Tony who shot Andrometa, right?" Danny seemed genuinely concerned. The mood immediately changed.

"What? He's the one who shot her? Oh gosh I-" I had just realized I let him into the med bay, the Media base, he could've stolen any files, anything, and he was nowhere to be found. I started frantically pacing. "He could've gotten ahold of anything, anything, he could know everything. Wait, he left with her, where is he? Did he come out of the car?" They all shook their heads and I slowly peeked into the car to check if he happened to be in the car. "Did Andrometa mention anything about him when she got out to help Matthew?"

"No." Everyone shook their heads.

"Alright, I'll be sure to ask her afterwards." I sighed, I didn't want to pass this off like it was nothing, but I needed to focus on the task at hand.

"Ma'am?" My radio blared.

"What is it soldier?" I responded.

"Our forces are slowly dwindling we can't hold them back for much longer."

I turned away from the walkie talkie to Matthew's team. "You guys in fighting condition?" I looked at them and they all nodded. "Alright then, soldier I have a few reinforcements for you. We need to hold them off while Matthew and Andrometa get to the top."

"Yes ma'am." The soldier answered and I stepped aside to make way for Brutus' body, I gave it a sad look then looked at Cassandra. I sighed, she was actually taking this better than most people.

"What are Matthew and Andrometa even doing up there?" I looked at them once again.

"Trying to end the war." Pandal responded.

"How?" I was confused, you couldn't end a war by climbing a mountain I suddenly looked up then I realized where we were. I looked the mountain up and down. "Nevermind, these are the Mystic Mountains aren't they?" They all nodded but seemed confused. "Don't worry about it." I smiled and they all shrugged and hopped into the truck. I looked back to the mountain. This is where they went, this is where my sister had gone. I stared at the top. "Oh Marge, why did I ever let you go? I loved you so much, even when Mom didn't approve what we were doing, even when you ran off with Mark, I ran with you too." I stepped towards the mountain a few times and I could just feel her there. "So why wouldn't you let me go with you?" I remembered the afternoon she left like it was yesterday. Marge and Mark were frantically throwing things into suitcases, Matthew sat in the corner, bewildered and confused. Mark picked Matthew up and set him on the bed.

"I need you to stay with Zana for now, alright Matty?" Mark had knelt down to be eye level with his son.

"No! I don't want you to leave!" Matthew started crying and jumped off the bed into his arms. Matthew held tight and refused to let go, it took Marge a good pull to detach the two.

"Look sweetie, it'll only be for a week or so, we'll be back in no time." Marge knelt down and wiped his tears.

"Can't I go with you?" Matthew had pleaded.

"Not this time Matty, maybe next time." She had given a faint smile and I had tried to stay strong, to not cry. Not only was he loosing a mother, but I was loosing a sister. Marge had picked Matthew up and placed him in my arms. Then they left and I put Matthew down, he bolted out of the door suddenly and I scrambled to try to catch up to him.

"Matthew! Come back!!" I yelled after him. He didn't even turn his head, he just kept running. He finally caught up to his parents and leapt into his Dad's arms, tears streaming down his checks.

"Please don't leave Daddy!" He buried his face into his father's shoulder, grasping onto a little toy car. Mark had set Matthew down and wiped his tears.

"I know you don't like being away from us, but Mommy and I need to go do something. And I need you to stay and help Zana for me, can you do that?" Matthew had given a nod and Mark stood up he then ruffled Matthew's hair. Just as he started to walk away Matthew latched onto his leg.

"Can't I go with you?" Matthew pleaded.

"Not this time..." Mark told Matthew who started to tear up. "Be brave my little Matty." He then took off his leather jacket and gave it to Matthew.

"But I don't want you to go." Matthew cried. Mark picked him up and set him in my arms.

"Don't worry Matty, you'll be staying with Zana until we get back..." I felt a paign of guilt in my heart, because I knew that they weren't coming back. Then once again, Mark told Matthew to be brave and both Margaret and Mark left in their SUV. I had searched for months once they had disappeared, hoping that they were still alive, desperately searching for something that wasn't there. That's why I had let Matthew go on the mission in the first place, that little ember of hope had still somehow kept burning deep down inside. But also deep down inside, I knew that my sister and brother-in-law were gone, and they were never coming back.

"Ma'am?" A soldier lightly tapped my shoulder. I gave an eye roll and quickly turned around.

"What is it soldier?" I asked annoyed.

"Um...we're....um waiting for your orders Ma'am." He answered sheepishly and I realized I needed to get back to commanding.

"Move out troops! We need to buy Matthew and Andrometa all the time we can!"
TO BE CONTINUED