I Now Realize

Chapter 20: Unexplainable Events (part 3 out of 4)

"But don't worry, Akio." Declan patted Akio on his head as if they were father and son. "These walls that surround us are made of a special material that makes it difficult for certain people trying to track us down. So you'll be safe here."
Akio blinked in surprise; grateful for the help he was and his friends were given. He slouched on the chair and folded his left arm and face palmed, trying to calm down.
"What's wrong, boy?" Declan tried to console Akio by ruffling his hair.
"I'm worried about my friends." Akio's throat ached from trying to control his emotions.
"I understand." Declan stared at the ground and slowly shook his head.
"Um, do you mind if my friends and I stay for a few days?" Akio's eyes pleaded.
"Why, of course. I wouldn't mind at all." Declan shrugged.
"Thank you so much." Akio and Declan shook hands and both stood from their seats to join the others...

Three days later...
Alue's hideout, 3:40 am
"What's the plan?" Sasha asked.
"For the war against Astoroth, we need to evacuate this hideout," Alue folded her arms and continued to explain. "Our people could go somewhere secluded, but with my other allies."
"What do you mean?" Sasha sat on the glass table and stared at the touch screen map that showed the locations of Astoroth's base and Alue's hideout.
"What I mean is that twelve people will only go to war." Alue leaned against the wall and glanced at Jake and Sasha.
"That's suicide!" Sasha abruptly hit the glass table. "How can twelve people possibly go against thousands of Blooders?!"
"Who said we going against thousands in one day...?" Jake smoothly asked as his ice blue eyes glistened.
Sasha creased his forehead in confusion from Jake's question.
"Jake and I have finished off almost half of Astoroth's army. We have been slowly finishing them off." Alue explained.
"How could you?" Sasha was astounded.
Alue shrugged and slightly raised her voice. "I know that wasn't the correct decision, but what do prefer me to do? Do you prefer to see thousands of our people die and see others suffer for their loved ones? Because I know how that feels. And I don't want others to feel that again."
"Well, I don't know anything about my sister! I don't know if she's alive, dead, or turned into those Blooders by now!" Sasha covered his face with both hands.
"Yeah, and the only solution for you was to be sober and complaining about it." Alue started to lose control of her temper.
Jake decided to not say anything for the moment and only observed.
"'Boo-hoo. 'I lost my sister.'" Alue imitated Sasha's loss and turned emotionless the next second.
Jake and Sasha were agape from Alue's words and couldn't believe what she was saying...
"We all lose a loved one. Your not the only one going through pain, Sasha. Hybrid or human, we all go through pain!" Alue rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Most stories don't have happy endings, Sasha. Wake up! That's not how the world works. There's always a sacrifice: even death for that 'happy ending' to happen. The benefits after this war are not for us, but for the next generation. Think about that."
Sasha slumped onto a chair and sighed. "But you're supposed to save people..."
Jake scratched his forehead in stress and sighed. "Heroes are not perfect, Sasha. Even leaders fail."
Sasha bit his lip and rested his forehead on the glass table. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Your sister is all you have left as family. I understand that. But if you're just going to complain and stay sober about and not fight for your sister, you got some nerve to be doing nothing about it." Alue glared at Sasha and snorted.
"Alright," Sasha shrugged and slapped his knees. "Who are the twelve people that are going to take out Astoroth's army?" He glared back at Alue in disbelief and crossed his arms.
"I was thinking Jake, Blackraven, Kira, Jaceline, Isaya, Red, Jules, Violet, Skull, Dean, maybe you, and I." Alue and Jake glanced at each other in agreement and both made eye contact with Sasha.
"We're giving you a choice if you want to join us in the war. Think about this carefully." Jake warned him.
"We will give you... A week to think about joining us." Alue said.
"Oh, I'll think about it..." Sasha carelessly stood and stomped out of the room; slamming the door behind him.
"What if Sasha chooses to not join us?" Jake asked.
"I have someone who take Sasha's position if Sasha doesn't want to join us. But I only did that because...he's so stubborn. I honestly don't know how Blackraven promoted Sasha to be a tracker." Alue shrugged in hopelessness.
"Not to mention that he is going through a rough time since the incident with his sister." Jake rested his chin on the glass table and crossed his arms in front of him.
"To be honest, I don't want Sasha to join so that he doesn't go through any more pain. But that's his choice, not mine." Alue sighed and sat next to Jake, placing her head on his shoulder. "Plus, we have bad news."
Jake lifted his head and turned to Alue. "What is it?"
"Basically, the humans that don't live underground with us are starting to notice our existence." Alue smiled and closed her eyes while Jake chuckled...