Towards Love

45.death

The Olo'eyktan decided that it was time to put an end to the climate of fear Quaritch had managed to settle on his own within the Omatikaya clan. A real manhunt was organized, gathering volunteer hunters and warriors. Some would track on the ground and others in the air with their ikrans. To have an advantage over their enemy, it was decided that the hunt would begin after the eclipse. The clan knew well how to navigate by the light of bioluminescence alone, perhaps Quaritch still hadn't gotten used to it. In any case, they had to try. Although Neteyam wanted to join them, Jake and Lola were adamant that he could not keep up without getting hurt again.

"Okay, be carefull please. The kids need both their parents."

"Yeah they only have one and a half at the moment." Lola smirked looking at her mate's disappointed face. "Trust me, I would rather suffer these little devils all day than stay in bed or with Norm."

"I know love. But you are getting there so don't rush it. We'll get him and bring back everybody in one piece."

"Especially you, Lo'ak and dad please."

"Promise." Lola raised her right hand presenting her pinky finger to Neteyam. He looked at her confused. "What is this?" She gave him a childish smile. "On Earth we do this when we make an important promise. We shake our little fingers and say pinky promise."

"And what happens if you break it ?" Lola shruged. "It's for the symbolic. Nothing happens." Neteyam thought about it for a moment then entwined his pinky finger with hers. "You and your human traditions. Weirdos." She playfully stuck out her tongue at him, then he drew her to him and kissed her greedily. Lola heard someone yell her name from the ikrans' spot. "Okay, I have to go lover boy. I'll see you when we come back." She started to go towards Jake and the others but she felt pulled back. Neteyam kissed her one last time before whispering. "I love you." She smiled at him lovingly. "I love you too."

***

Lo'ak and Jake were part of the ground team and Lola was leading the team in the air with Hapi. They communicated from time to time to coordinate their movements and to inform each other of a potential lead. She could see them moving among the plants thanks to the bioluminescence emitted by their bodies. "There's something going north. It might be him. Lola, go ahead and tell us what you see." She heard Jake through her communication device. "Copy that." She signaled the Na'vi flying with her to move in the direction indicated and told Hapi to pick up the pace. Scanning the forest, they moved as quietly as possible through the treetops not to alert what the hunters had spotted. A shape was indeed advancing through the flora of Pandora. The ikrans followed it for a moment so that their riders could identify what it was. Lola squinted her eyes as if that would help her see better. It wasn't big enough to be a direhorse or an emerald hexapede but it wasn't small enough to be a viperwolf or a mongrel. It had to be a Na'vi. 

Reaching for her neckless, Lola spoke to Jake and Lo'ak. "There's a good chance that it's him. I couldn't identify any animal moving like this through the forest. If one of you can go faster to get closer, we could be a hundred percent sure."

"Got it. I'm sending someone. Don't lose him."

"Copy that." Not losing sight of the moving form, Lola waited to see a second form appear in her field of vision. She soon distinguished someone running after their prey. He approached the fugitive. Close, perhaps too close. Lola held her breath for fear that the hunter would be spotted. The young woman then saw him raise his fist, signifying that the creature was indeed Quaritch. She had a strange urge to jump for joy. They were finally going to finish him off. "Jake, it's him." The Olo'yektan didn't even bother to answer, she knew that he had launched his troop in pursuit of the ex-marine. She instructed hers to deploy in v-formation. The Omatikayas on the ground did the same, encircling Quaritch little by little. When she saw that he couldn't escape, she told the riders to land and stay hidden in the bushes in order to keep the surprise effect. She armed her bow and positioned herself behind a tree allowing her to see the back of her ennemy. He was facing Jake and Lo'ak who were on the front line.

"Quaritch it's over, you have nowhere to go." She couldn't believe her ears. After all he had done, Jake was still trying to be diplomatic. The soldier must have thought the same thing because he burst out with a sincere laugh that made her hair on her arms stand. "Sully are you really trying to ask me to turn myself in? I thought your dream was to see me die."

"Oh it is. But I don't stoop to your barbarism. I want my whole clan to see you, put a face to your name and watch you die. They have a right to watch the skypeople who made them suffer for so many years finally disappear." When Quaritch answered, she could hear his smile. "You have me flattered Jake Sully. I didn't think I was that famous with the savages." From her hiding place, Lola could not see either Lo'ak or Jake. So she couldn't see their faces or try to communicate with them. What were they waiting for to spear him in the heart? As Jake was still trying to negotiate for Quaritch to surrender, she saw him pull something from his back. Something that was held in place by the waistband of his pants. The darkness did not allow Lola to distinguish what it was. 

It was only when he moved his hand and the rays of the moon hit the object that the young woman understood what the ex-marine had in mind. A last death before dying. He wanted to take Jake or Lo'ak with him. "Oh hell no." The scene then happened in slow motion. As he walked towards the father and son in an innocent manner, Lola cocked her bow, her hand pressed against her cheek, pulling the string that held her arrow. When he was close enough, he pulled his armed hand from his back and prepared to strike. She came out of her hiding place and didn't give him time to choose his victim, she shot the arrow that immediately went into his chest. This stopped instantly his movement. His hand frozen in the air, he lowered his head towards the weapon now piercing his heart. Suddenly taken by an excess of rage, Lola shot her second arrow while advancing towards him. This time it went through his leg, causing him to flinch. He was now on his knees in front of Jake and Lo'ak.

Their faces were now visible and she could read the shock in their eyes. She didn't care, they had been too lenient with Quaritch and he had tried to fuck with them again. She entered the field of vision of their enemy who looked up at her. She cocked her last arrow and pointed it at his head, still impassive. He had a thread of blood running from his lips. Just before he collapsed she heard him whisper. "An angry female again..." The young woman remained tensed, her bow bent, staring at Quaritch's lifeless body. Lo'ak had to step forward and force her to lower her weapon to bring her out of her trance. "Hey, look at me." Their eyes met. The young man's full of concern and the young woman's still full of rage. "Are you okay?"

"Never been better."

Author's note
And we're done with Quaritch. What did you think of the chapter? Don't forget to vote and comment :)