𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

67.. FAMILY (log.vi)

Thomas's heart seized in his chest as he watched Bea stumbling back, her hand gripped to where the bullet grazed her.

"No!" His voice broke as he cried out, sprinting towards her.

The Right Arm teens' circled around Thomas, forming a protective barrier as he lifted Bea into his arms. Her breathing was shallow and pained. "Thomas..."

Thomas held her tightly in his arms, his grip desperate. "No, no. You're going to be alright." He repeated the phrase like a mantra as his eyes darted around, searching for a solution.

As the Right Arm teens made their escape, the sounds of Verena's ship crashing into the ocean faded into the distance.

They were safe, but the battle wasn't over yet.

Thomas knelt on the ground, still holding Bea tightly against him. "Keep pressure on your wound," he said, his voice urgent. "Please, just hold on."

They arrived at the destroyed city, the sight was one of complete devastation.

The once-grand building of the Iron Lion base now lay in ruins, reduced to crumbled stone and twisted metal.

Vicky, Sonya and Nancy were still waiting by Prim's lifeless body, tears streaming down their faces.

The sight of Prim's still form hit them like a wave of grief.

Thomas's grip on Bea faltered, the reality of their recent loss crashing down on him. "Prim..." he murmured her name softly.

"Dad! It's Bea!" Thèrèse called out, fresh tears brimming her eyes.

Vincent, Jorge, Vivian and Mary were alarmed and immediately went into action as they saw the dire situation Bea was in.

Vincent knelt down next to Thomas, his eyes fixed on Bea's wounded side. "Let me see. I need to assess the extent of her injury."

Thomas reluctantly loosened his hold on Bea, allowing Vincent to work. He watched with clenched fists, desperation and worry etched on his face.

Bea felt an intense agony rip through her body as the bullet had grazed her side.

She gasped for air, the asthma isn't helping, her entire form shaking. The blood slowly trickled from the wound down her side.

Vincent delicately lifted Bea's shirt to examine the wound, his experienced eyes taking in the extent of the injury. It was deep and bleeding profusely.

"I need to stop the bleeding," he told Thomas. "Hold her down, this is gonna hurt."

Thomas nodded. He did as Vincent instructed, gently pinning Bea down to prevent any sudden movements.

Mary approached with a clean cloth. She gently eased it between Bea's teeth.

"Bite this," Mary said softly, her eyes filled with sympathy and concern. "It will help with the pain."

Vincent gently probed the wound. "It's a deep graze. The bullet is still lodged in there, I have to pull it out."

"I'm sorry, Bea," he said grimly. "This is gonna hurt like hell."

With a quick, yet careful motion, he delved into the wound, his fingers searching for the bullet that was embedded in her side.

The pain was instant and excruciating, tearing through her body like a thousand knives. Bea let out a scream that echoed like a wounded animal in pain.

Her body convulsed, her fingers grasping the dirt of earth tightly. She bit the cloth hard, her screams muffled, her body shaking violently.

All the while Vincent relentlessly searched for the bullet lodged inside of her.

The Right Arm teens hovered nearby. All of them were crying, holding onto eachother. Thomas leaned over Bea, his hand holding hers tightly.

Vincent's hands worked quickly, digging into the wound. Finally, with a forceful yank, he removed the bullet.

The sickening sound of the metal exiting her body was followed by a rush of blood. Vincent let out a sigh of relief.

"Got it."

Thomas clutched her hand, his grip tight and reassuring. "You're okay, you're okay." His voice was shaking, his eyes fixed on her face.

He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, trying to soothe the pain that racked her body.

But Bea's entire frame continued to tremble, her teeth clenched on the makeshift gag. The agony from the extraction tearing through her body. She struggled to control her breathing, her chest rising and falling in sharp, erratic gasps.

Vivian was sobbing. She cradled Bea's head to her lap, "Oh, Bea. My strong heart."

Bea's head lolled weakly in Vivian's lap, her eyes fluttering open for a moment.

Her gaze shifted, her amber eyes landing on the sight of Prim's motionless form.

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and with all the strength she could muster, she managed to extend her trembling hand toward her baby sister.

Vivian's gaze followed Bea's, her own tears streaming down her face. She gently guided Bea's trembling hand towards Prim's, letting her fingers lightly brush against her sister's motionless ones.

Jorge emerged with Prim cradled delicately in his large arms. Her body seemed so small and fragile against his strong frame.

He walked over to where the Right Arm teens, Mary and Vivian were gathered, their faces etched with grief.

Vincent wrapped an arm around Thomas, patting his back. "Son."

The teenagers formed a tight circle around them, clinging to one another, their bodies trembling.

Thomas couldn't speak, his words choked up in his throat.

He watched as Jorge gently laid Prim down on the ground, his heart heavy with grief. Thomas crouched down, his hand rubbing across Prim's cheek gently. His baby sister.

The teens wept uncontrollably, huddled closer together, their bodies touching and their hands entwined. The loss was fresh, the pain raw.

"Glader's stick together, that was our greatest weakness and our great strength."

★