Cyber Chronicles 2: Prime Voyage

Chapter 20: Past

Lincoln stood at the edge of the facility, his gaze fixed on the retreating vehicles disappearing into the distance through a hidden route. His mind raced, searching for a way to rally his army, to let them know where to find him and the facility. Hopefully, there would be weapons that were still untouched by his attacks. He started to regret destroying them, but then again he did so because a peaceful resolution wasn't what he first intended to do. He rummaged through the emergency boxes nearby, hoping to find something that could act as a signal. 

Finally, his hand closed around a flare gun, and a spark of hope ignited within him. 

His body was weakened to the brink, Lincoln knew he could no longer rely on his energy manipulation unless it was an absolute emergency. He mustered the last of his strength and fired the flare gun into the sky, a desperate plea for his army to converge on the mountain where the facility was located. 

A flicker of relief washed over him as he heard the distant rumbling of armored vehicles approaching.

Once the vehicles of his comrades arrived, bringing most of the ground team to the scene, the tense atmosphere grew palpable. Among them were James and Thomas, two familiar faces from Lincoln's squad. The moment Thomas caught sight of Lincoln, his anger ignited like a fuse, fueling his rage. He lunged towards Lincoln, ready to unleash his fury, but James and several other soldiers swiftly intervened, holding Thomas back.

Through gritted teeth, Thomas shouted, his voice laced with frustration and pain, "Where were you, Lincoln? While we were out there fighting,  where were you? You were supposed to be with the flight team! Where were you?!"

Lincoln stood there, a heavy silence hanging in the air. He knew that no explanation would suffice, that his actions had veered far from the original plan. He couldn't tell them about his ability so he remained silent, accepting the anger and disappointment directed at him, unable to provide any justification.

Commander Damian approached, his stern gaze fixed on Lincoln. With a forceful push, he knocked Lincoln off balance, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Damian's voice rang out, filled with both frustration and confusion, "You were given a clear mission, soldier. Why did you stray? We were relying on you."

None of them suspected that Lincoln's deviation from the plan had been the very reason for the enemy's surrender. This led Lincoln to feel an unexplainable sense of loneliness. In the midst of the heated confrontation, Thomas's words cut through the air like a knife, striking Lincoln with shock.

"If you had been there... maybe... maybe Destry would've..." Thomas's voice quivered, his pain and grief intertwining with his anger.

Lincoln's eyes widened in disbelief and horror at the mention of Destry's name. The weight of those words pierced his heart, intensifying the guilt that already burdened him. His voice trembled as he pleaded, "Destry? What... what happened to Destry?"

Thomas's anger only escalated as he responded, his voice filled with anguish, "Destry... He fought so fiercely, like he was invincible. But when the enemy was retreating... it confused us all. And... They killed so many while they escaped... Those cowards... Oh god Destry... If you were there, Lincoln, then maybe.... Maybe he wouldn't have died!" He yelled his heart out and sanked down as the others let go of him. 

"No..." Lincoln's voice trembled with disbelief and denial. "This must be some kind of sick joke, right? Destry, where are you? You're pulling my leg, aren't you? You've always been a funny guy!" His words wavered, the desperate hope of it all being a prank evident in his tone. He chuckled nervously, unable to fully process the weight of the situation.

However, Thomas didn't take it lightly. Consumed by grief and anger, he couldn't bear Lincoln's apparent dismissal of the gravity of the situation. In a fit of rage, he lashed out, delivering a swift kick to Lincoln's head, knocking him onto the ground. "You think this is a joke?!" Thomas seethed, his voice laced with fury. "War is a fucking joke to you? Just because you're new to it? You think this is some kind of sick game?"