Project Renegade: Genesis

Epilogue

Two weeks later

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The sun shone brilliantly, and the bright colors of the winter day felt offensively cheerful. Struggling to hold back the pain, tears flowed steadily and silently down the brothers' faces.

Ryan's tears hit the side of his mother's coffin. He gripped the edges, embarrassed by his own tears. No matter how many people he had saved that day, he couldn't save her.

The entire city was grieving.

His mind flashed back to the news reporters cheering for Project Renegade. It didn't feel earned. Entire blocks had been reduced to rubble. Countless people were dead.

Alex sat beside Ryan, wanting desperately to say something, anything, but every word died in his throat. He could only sit there and quietly hold his friend's shoulder.

Ryan blanked out in the middle of the service. All he could think about was one question.

Was I strong enough?

Adam was wheeled to the podium. The brothers stood behind him as their father faced the crowd, his face still marked with bruises. 

He rubbed his wedding ring, his trembling hands struggling to hold steady. It was only a matter of time. He broke down, collapsing forward into his lap as tears poured from his eyes.

Max and Ryan took the lead. Max clenched his fist, forcing the tears that ran down his face to stay away. The room fell into an eerie silence that said more than words ever could. 

"Mom was amazing." Ryan's voice cracked. "She died a... she died a hero."

"Without her, we'd probably be two entirely different people." Max sniffled.

"When we heard the news... it was devastating." Ryan's voice broke. "I can't tell her I'm sorry."

Max looked toward the police force.

"We can't change the past, but we can't just give up here. We have a city to rebuild. She would've worked day and night to see us back to normal."

Ryan took a shaky breath.

"We...have to keep going. Even when it hurts. "

~~~~~~

The feeling of loss struck them like a knife in the back. Cold snow burst from the grey clouds above. The black hearse slowly drove its way down the center lane, followed by the procession.

Adam was ruined. It was more than crying. It was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of everything. Ryan sank to his knees at the sight of the grave, staring inside in silent grief. 

~~~~~~

The cold wind howled as the family's cries continued. Alex watched in the distance, his pounding headache from his wounds deterring him from speaking.

Ava's sister, Allison, tried to comfort her brother-in-law. He eventually collapsed from his wheelchair, bawling into the dirt. 

Jennifer watched her mother hold her uncle, biting her lip to keep herself from breaking down.

Ryan and Max sat away from everyone else beneath a tree. Its branches rustled in the wind, the only sound between them. Jennifer walked over, but the dead look in their eyes stopped her.

She glanced toward the entrance of the graveyard.

Zoe, Karla, and Michelle had arrived. Dante sat on the hood of his car while Ray awkwardly approached behind them.