Hope (Based on Call of Duty Ghosts) (Final Book of the Faith Trilogy)

Chapter 32- Remember

Jason's POV: 

I felt like it was my fault, as clichè as it was, that Hailey had gone crazy. I never, ever should've had a plant so powerful near inexperienced power-wielders like Logan and Hailey. If that plant wouldn't have caught Hailey, none of this would've ever happened. 

"Jason?" 

I looked to where Merrick stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. His hazel eyes held that gaze of knowing. He knew exactly what I was thinking. 

"You know I have to." 

"You don't have to," Merrick shrugged, "but I know you want to." 

"Look, I don't want you to-"

"I'm not stopping you." 

"Then what are you doing?" 

Merrick sat next to me on the bench outside, the morning light of dawn stretching across the land. He looked out to gates- still open from Hailey. 

"I'm warning you." 

I looked to his narrowing gaze. 

"You're going head-first into a battle not meant for people like us. There's a possibility that you may-" 

"I know what can happen," I snapped and looked away, "and I'm prepared for it." 

"We aren't." 

I sighed, rocking forwards to stand up casually. "I'm going to try to stop this before it gets out of hand." 

Merrick let out a small huff of amusement. 

"What?" 

Merrick stopped. "Oh, Jason, it's already out of hand." 

"It doesn't have to be anymore." 

~~~

My old bones creaked as I moved along the path towards my destination. I figured I was growing old and frail, yet not as frail as this. It actually surprised me. 

After a while, I stopped to take a breath, leaning weakly against a tree. How I wished to be young and wild again, able to run and fight. 

"Come on," I told myself in a low mutter. "I have to get to the house on the hill." 

It was my little metaphor to earning a goal. If I managed to reach the "house" then I was reaching my goal. This house wasn't too far away, popping up through the trees as I walked. 

I pushed up the short hill, my breathing ragged. My eyes scanned the area in search of threats- no, not threats, but information. Every piece would count in the end. 

"Well, well, well...if it isn't the magician Jason." 

I stopped, looking up the hill a few feet to where a man dressed in dark clothes stood with his arms crossed. His green eyes scanned over me as if accessing the situation in its entirety.

"Alec, why not a simple 'hello' this time around?" 

He huffed. "I don't like to be simple all the time." 

"Very well," I pushed up the hill once more. 

When I finally stood face to face with Alec, I wiped small droplets of sweat off my forehead- proof that at least sweat would go into this. He eyed me and then turned, simply walking into the large, empty, warehouse-like building. 

"Come to pick a few flowers?" Alec asked. "Maybe have a cup of coffee as well?" 

"Not exactly," I felt uneasy.