The Program [COMPLETED]

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"It's impossible," Virgil argued, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. "There's absolutely no way."

"I warned you that it'd be risky," Roman retorted. "We have the people, and if we don't strike first, Orion will."

Aiden sat down on a nearby log, rubbing his temples in agitation. He, Virgil, Theo, Roman, Farley and Zariah had been bickering like this for as long as Roman had introduced them to his plan.

As it turned out, Aiden was not the only one capable of coming up with shitty plans.

"You want us to go underneath the Eskium warehouse, through the tunnels, while we create a diversion along the airstrip," Theo repeated slowly. "This is one hell of a plan, Roman. How will we prevent our soldiers from getting mowed down by gunners?"

"You've been to the warehouse, haven't you? Have you seen all the crates of resources that are along the airstrip? We can use them as cover. They'll be destroying their own resources while our troops advance. Meanwhile, our team will be using the underground tunnels to infiltrate the warehouse and eliminate Orion," Roman persuaded, crossing his arms.

"We're using our friends and loved ones as human shields. While we're doing the easy work, we're letting them take literal bullets for us. Not happening," Virgil growled. "This isn't right."

"You say that as if taking out Orion will be simple," Farley mumbled. "I'm not so confident."

"You're agreeing with this idiot?" Virgil awed, turning to Farley.

"I don't see you coming up with any plans," Roman raised an eyebrow at Virgil. "You know that my plan is foolproof. Once you accept the risks, you'll come around."

"It makes sense," Zariah admitted. "I don't want to consider the alternative. Unless anybody can come up with a better plan, I vote to follow Roman's strategy."

"Aiden? You haven't said anything so far," Theo spoke up, a numbness to his voice.

Aiden shifted from where he sat, glancing upwards at his friends. His gaze flickered between them, unsure of what to say.

The risks were great. If they didn't succeed, the battle would surely be over. There was no backup plan. It was an intense finale to Orion's twisted game, and only one group would emerge victorious.

It was everything that Orion had ever wanted.

"It's your call," Farley added quietly. "We'll follow you no matter what."

Aiden stood up, brushing the dirt from his pants. He smoothed out his jacket, a meager attempt at repairing his sense of authority and dignity.

"I won't let Orion pick us off one by one. The people of Creatan won't go down without a fight, and trust me, we'll give it to the Other Worlders," Aiden decided.

"Brother, I know you're upset about Ran-" Virgil began, before Zariah glared at him in warning, shaking her head slightly and silencing him mid-sentence.

"This has nothing to do with Rania," Aiden insisted sharply, flashing Virgil a wary glare. "We'll never win unless we get to Orion. This is the only way to do it."

"We should establish a cavalry," Theo remarked, "and an air fleet, with gunners, bombers... you name it, we'll need them. You can bet that Orion will have helicopters gunning people down."

"Theo, you're the best flier we've got. I'll leave you to assemble the other pilots. Choose the people you know are exceptional when it comes to flying. You'll be the leader of the air team," Aiden ordered.

Theo blinked in surprise, but his expression quickly melted into one of confidence and determination. "I'll get started as soon as we sort out everyone else's roles. But what about those of you on the ground team?" he frowned.