Dimension Travelers

Chapter 37

Part Five:

A big, bloody battle

As soon as the words leave Rick's mouth, I feel as if the world is falling apart. He can't just up and quit because his brother might not come back. Oh, that "might" being a very slim chance. I look over at Chloe. She has shock written all over her face. Firefly is totally and completely calm about this. How is she ok with this? Doesn't she know how much we need Rick?

"Have you lost your mind?!" I yell. "We worked on this mission for days, and now you just wanna up and quit? No way in hell! Over my dead, rotting body!" I pause. "We need you, Rick."

"Can and will. You can't make me." Rick says.

"If you won't do it for them, do it for me." Jared says. "I want to help you guys. I don't like it, either. But we need your help, Rick. Please don't leave." Jared pleads with him.

Rick doesn't say anything.

"Please, Rick," Chloe begs, "I know you think that you've failed by losing Jared, but you didn't. It was out of your control. But now that he's back, you can let go of the past. You can--"

"You don't know me! None of you do! I don't care about what you have to say! This stupid mission is gonna fail and you're all gonna die!" Rick pauses and looks at Chloe. "It's not like your parents care about you! I bet they're glad you're gone!"

"Rick, that's enough!" I yell.

Tears run down Chloe's face. We don't move. Without another word, Rick leaves. No one dares to stop him, not even Jared.

We all stand around in shock. Chloe faces us. She almost never cries in front of other people. But Rick hit a nerve when he said what he did. I motion for her to come to me. She walks over to me and I hug her, knowing that's all I can do. Jared looks at me. I shake my head as if to say, "Forget it."

Firefly goes over to the map and pretends to examine it. Jared goes with her. They discuss how long it will take for him to assemble everything. I know they don't need me for that. They can just fill me in later.

Chloe doesn't say anything.

I send her a thought: I'm so sorry about that. I should have said something earlier. I wait.

She clings to me, but I don't mind.

Then she replies: It's not your fault. But thanks all the same.

"You wanna sit down?" I ask her.

She nods.

I let go of her and we sit on a cot.

"He said that out of anger. He didn't mean it." I say, although I don't know if that will help.

"I know." Chloe says and wipes her face. "But it still hurts, ya know? Like sarcastic jokes that are supposed to be funny. They are, but they still hurt."

"Yeah, I know."

She takes a deep breath, "Now what are we gonna do? Rick was a key player. Firefly can't fight all those guards alone."

"I'll go with her. You can manage, right?"

"I guess so."

"Don't worry. He'll come around..."

"Even you don't believe that."

I sigh. "Yeah, you're right."

"You think Jared trusts us enough to go on with the plan?"

"Yeah. Otherwise, if he didn't, he'd have gone with Rick."

We're silent.

"What if Rick never comes back?" Chloe asks.