The Dangers of Saving a Life

Chapter 27: Milo

Hock note: The life Milo saved had in turn saved Professor Aidan and his student army. However, the rapid inflation of space-time from the powerful infant's dark energy caused mangled wreckage throughout the college campus. Axion's attack was thwarted, but the place lay in ruins. 

Milo landed with his elbow poking into the fleshy part of some larger individual.

"Ooommmff," he said.

"Sorry about that." He tried to remove it. Unfortunately, in the effort, he pushed his elbow further into the individual's gut.

"Ouch, stop that."

"Sorry dude."

"Just get off of me."

That was the problem. Another part of him landed amid a jumble of other bodies. His legs lay intertwined with somebody else's legs, his left arm pinned under another body, and he might have damaged his wrist.

What happened hadn't been a bomb. Nothing blew up. Instead, space itself inflated rapidly like a balloon. Then, almost instantaneously, shrunk back again, except in a warped and jarring manner, causing massive damage. He heard the thunderous booms of ships, robots, and tanks thrown into buildings or crashing to the ground. It sounded as if the college might have been torn apart, or worse, as if the world ended.

Luckily, the world didn't end. Although it hurt to breathe and it hurt more to move, he eventually disentangled himself and stood. Maybe a rib and his wrist felt sprained, but he ignored it when he heard the groans and cries from others. Bodies lay throughout the area.

If the situation on the third floor was unsettling, however, the view through the window qualified as horrifying. The mangled and twisted wreckages of ships, robots, and war vehicles were strewn around the entire area. They were jammed into bombed-out buildings, lying on their side, or sticking out of the ripped and torn ground cover. Wreckages of some sort covered everything.

Professor Aidan already moved from one person to another. "Are you okay?" he said, "Are you injured?" he asked another. "Do you need an ambulance?" he said to a third.

Multiple sirens sounded in the distance, growing closer.

Milo rushed to check on Cale Vals, tripping over bodies and people untangling themselves, terrified Dr. Chocka had already gotten to him. When he found him, although the nursemaid had toppled, the infant remained snuggly in its fat white arms. The deft and secure robot didn't let go. It even fed the baby with another of its arms. "Oh, you're such a good little boy. Let Aukle give you some more to eat. That's it. Oh, you're doing so well."

The fat white face smiled as Milo leaned over and gently lifted little Cale from the soft wide arms. It hurt his wrist and he felt a jab from his rib, but then lightning struck. He felt the familiar zap of the energy, his pain was forgotten. He felt strong immediately.

"It's okay," he said as his tiny hand grasped her index finger. "Everything's going to be okay. I've got hold of you. Nobody's going to hurt you now."

As he said that, though, he scanned the area for the bushy-faced doctor. He found him not far away sitting on the floor, acting as if his arm might be broken, the arm which he had formerly held the wand.

"Are you injured?" Professor Aidan approached the doctor. "Your arm. Lie down and I'll call medical."

"That baby..." Dr. Chocka said.

"That baby is astounding," Professor Aidan said. "Did you see what he did? Amazing. He's more powerful than I imagined."

"Powerful..." Dr. Chocka said.

"He's our best weapon. We're going to rebel. You saw what he did. We're going to defeat Axion."

"Weapon..." Dr. Chocka said.

Milo felt the professor's activity in the extra dimension. "Would you like to join us? After all, the baby is so powerful with the energy. We could use a good doctor of dark energy."

"Join you..." Dr. Chocka said. "Yes, Chocka will rebel against Axion."

Milo's eyes happened upon Kwin, her hunched shoulders, her arms hanging limply by her sides, and her head down as her eyes peered through the tangled hair hanging over her face. Milo saw his chance.

He meandered over to her, sort of, with small and tentative steps. He weaved lethargically around others who were holding bruised or broken limbs.

"Do you want to hold him?" he said after finally arriving in front of her.

She stood straighter, brushed her hair away from her eyes, and extended her hands, shaking slightly. But they were both so nervous during the exchange that they nearly dropped the infant. Cale jerked suddenly and slid from Milo's hands before Kwin had her arms firmly in place.

"No," Milo said, terrified. "Don't let him- no- you can't- don't let him-"

Although Cale's tiny arms and legs spasmed, Kwin jumped to catch him. She was amazingly fast and coordinated, catching him securely in her arms. She brought him close up to her chest and held him tightly. 

There was a long moment when neither of them spoke. Too long. It stretched into eternity. But the baby had his magical effect on them. He giggled happily and flailed with his tiny arms.

Milo seized the opportunity, "He likes you."

Kwin's posture solidified as a smile spread across her face. She had a magnificent smile. It sent bombs exploding in his chest, the likes of which had nothing to do with the baby's energy. 

"How about that walk you promised me?"