Setting the World on Fire

Chapter 11: Sweet Blasphemy

Cindy looked at Jack who was looking at Ashley who was still under the anesthetic.

"It's been fifteen minutes." Cindy said impatiently. CC agreed.

"How soon is 'soon'? Will he wake up within ten or fifteen more minutes or is it gonna take an hour?" CC asked the group that had gathered in from of their sleeping friend.

No one answered and CC just sighed. He took in the surroundings. The walls weren't painted very nicely, but this was a rebel camp. There were potted plants on a table next to Ash's bed, and one of the plants was a cactus. He quickly glanced at the others, Andy was in deep thought and then ran a hand through his hair.

Andy was worried, sure his friend had lived through the surgery, but that didn't mean he would live.  Hell, it didn't mean anyone who wasn't already dead would live even for another hour.

And that's when he heard it.  From the radio he had been given by Zach.  That God-awful sound he could never forget.

He couldn't remember a time when they were filled with good, with hilarity, with proper things.  Andy could only remember the siren.  And it wailed.  Until the craft flew away leaving all life to rot and decay.

Planes.  Bombers.  Death bringers.  Living nightmares.

"Let's move."  It was Jake, with a protective gleam in his eyes that was scary.

"He's right."  It was the red-haired captain, Gerard.  Gerard grabbed Ashley's bed and took them down into the lower levels, leaving anyone else behind.  It happened so fast Andy, Jinxx, CC and Jake didn't really know what was happening.  Jake knew that he had to protect his Jinxx.  And that, took priority.

Andy hustled to grab Jack's hand as well as Laura's.  He felt responsible for the two of them.  Jake pulled on Jinxx's hand and they helped Gerard push Ashley once they reached the lowest level, where people were starting to gather.

"Please organize orderly."  Someone yelled through a megaphone to the rebels and civilians who had been removed from their homes.  People were mostly calm but then a mother started crying as she couldn't find her child.  Cindy felt a pang of sorrow for the mother.  But she turned away and wiped the tear that was forming before anyone noticed. Jinxx looked to Jake and then back at the mother before saying something.

"Let me help her."  Jinxx said as he noticed the mother and how she curled into herself. No one was helping her and he felt he had to help her. He somehow felt he needed to do this. Like if he didn't, he wouldn't be worthy of living. Maybe he was crazy, maybe he wasn't. He just needed to help her.

"Baby.  Please."  Jake pleaded softly despite the noise in the large concrete room.

"I'll be back, I promise."  Jinxx kissed Jake's lips briefly before jogging to the mother and helping her calm down.  Another loud wail was heard from the topside and then the even louder crash.

Jake scrambled to Jinxx and the mother, before seeing a small child, who was wandering near some lines of people.  They were checking in for role call.  Jake ran over to scoop the kid up, she had longish blonde hair that was partly braided, and was wearing a pink shirt and black pants.  She had green eyes that were filled with fright and was sucking her thumb heavily.

"Shush it'll be okay."  Jake told the little girl, and he brought her back to the woman, who thanked him and hugged her daughter close to her body.  Jinxx patted the woman's back as she cried happily and walked to Jake before they stood in line with their group to get checked in.  Gerard hurried up the elevator, explaining that he had to help and left them there.

"I've gotta help, stay safe." Gerard said running away from them.

"Stay safe, Gerard." Andy mimicked.

Near the surface, troops were scrambling to get the antiaircraft guns firing to maybe shoot down some dangers.

"Let's move, we gotta get at least one up before another wave!"  Gerard barked to the soldiers. 

A female one came up to Gerard and said, "Sir, gun Alpha is almost up, she needs more ammunition before she'll actually be able to do any damage.  Guns Beta and Charlie are still disconnected."

"Why weren't these guns operational before?"  Gerard almost screamed at the young woman.

"The engineer in charge just died yesterday, sir."  Gun Alpha started lifting up near the surface just as the start of another siren wail was audible.  The gun got topside and started firing, hitting the bomb and the bomber plane, the plane slammed into the earth and the bomb's explosion was felt the first few floors down.

"Get Beta and Charlie up, NOW!"  Another officer screamed at some soldiers.

"Winters, get more ammo and feed it into Alpha!"  Gerard yelled at a passing private.

"Yes, sir!"  He screamed as he ran to the ammo deposit.  More screaming as the platform on Gun Beta stopped working.

"Gun Charlie is up and operational, sir."  Someone told Gerard.

"Get more ammo for Charlie, Filam."  Gerard told the young soldier, who then scurried away.

"What's the ho-"  Scccrrrreeeeee---ttt ttt ttt.  More gunfire and sirens filled the air as everyone in the room did their respective jobs, hustling around and checking the guns. Making sure as few people as possible would get hurt.

"Gee. I'm so sorry. Mikey. Mikey-he-he didn't make it. He saved my life. He pushed me inside when he eats the siren wail, then he yelled for the other guys." A man with short black hair and piercings and tattoos told him.

"Hurry the fuck up on that ammo, private!"  Someone near Gerard screamed to a young man who must've been scared shitless.  The young man mumbled and ran off in reply, returning with an armload of ammo and handing it to the ammo-manners of each of the guns.  They waited a half hour before declaring a standstill and letting non-necessary personal a rest period, or switching staff.

Below, people were beginning to calm down, no one was allowed back upstairs until two hours had passed however, so everyone just stayed put.  Any people who could help up-top were sent up to help relieve the tired forces.

Ashley woke up about an hour and fifteen minutes after the bombs had stopped, and everyone greeted him and examined what happened to him, up until the point he had awoken,

"Can I get out of bed yet?"  Ashley asked irritated.

"Not yet Ashes.  Just get some rest."  Jinxx said, with Jake wrapping an arm around Jinxx to comfort the smaller man.

"So you two finally happened."  Ashley chuckled at the couple.

"We-well-we haven't we-w-we aren't-"

"Yes."  Jake interrupted his boyfriend/friend/crush.  Jinxx blushed and turned his head to Jake.

"Really?"  Jinxx asked questioningly.

"Really."  Jake said.

"Awwwhhhhh."  They other muttered quietly.  Jake rolled his eyes at the comment but smiled. Gerard felt a tear but held it back, he couldn't cry yet.

A/N:  I hope you like this chapter, forget me updating weekly, I'm not gonna promise anything.  But I do promise to finish the book.  Eventually.  Please comment and whatnot. No points for knowing who Mikey is. Sorry.

-Ronnings