Crossfire ~ {Book 2 in the Emerald of Annihilation Trilogy} #Wattys2017

Chapter 22 ~ Love alone

Dylan Tanner lay on his bunk. Not affected by his roommates' loud snoring and tossing in their beds. He pulled out his phone and looked at photos of him and Lily. How long would she be away? It had been nearly 4 weeks since they had left on their 'quest'. 

Dylan missed her. There was no denying it. He feared for her safety. Why did she always have to leave him for something dangerous? Did she love him? If so, why would she leave him then? A sigh left Dylan's lips as he rolled onto his side, a photo falling from his jacket pocket that hung on the wall near his bed. He stretched out his hand and retrieved the photograph. It was one of his mother, him and his father. 

A tear escaped his eye as he gazed in the dim room at the picture of what was once a happy family. the edge of the photo was charred. Just looking at it brought back even the strangling smell of smoke and the screams of his mother. The shouts of his father and the tearful crying of himself. 

That night was the last he had ever seen his dad. The night it all started....for him and his mother at least. The beginning of their flight from Viper. Dylan looked at the photograph with watering eyes. "I-I'm sorry dad..." He whispered. "I lost the Jade, I let it get into enemy hands...I-I let you down.....all you were ever trying to protect....I've let it gone to vain..." Dylan's hands trembled, and he crumbled the photo in his fist. The emotional stress was too much. 

He stood and left the room, exiting the base and wandered the lonely streets...alone. The cool air of November tickled his neck and teased his hair. Strangely it reminded him of how his dad would tussle his hair and tickle him when he was younger. 

Dylan's fists clenched in his pockets. First, his dad died and his mother in danger. Now the girl he loved left him on a death mission. Who would he have if she didn't come back? Would Viper kill his mother? would they kill him?

Now that Marcus Houston had the jade he would make the injection that would make his men invisible permanent. He would take over the world! Leaning his back aginst a stone wall, Dylan slid down. Thoughts of the future bombarded his mind. Thoughts he had had when he and Lily were living a normal life. thoughts of purposing to her and raising a family....growing old together.....

A lone tear slipped down the young man's face. His dreams of a future with Lilly had been dashed to pieces. Like glass on concrete. 

It began to rain.

 Dylan didn't care. His life was a mess. He wanted a normal life. That's all he wanted. Was that too much to ask for? Rain soaked Dylan although he had his jacket over his head. droplets trickled from the ends of his bangs onto the hard, dry concrete. 

He closed his eyes, rain dripping from his eyelashes. Memories ran through is mind. one stood out and left him shook, trembling, and his blood boiling. 

~Flahsback~

Thunder shook the house and lightning flashed. Rain pelted the house like bullets. 5-year-old Dylan shot up out of bed. His stuffed lion clutched to his chest. Fear tugged at him. He whimpered. "M-mommy? Daddy?" He heard nothing at first, then yelling caught his attention. It sounded like his father and another man. 

Dylan got out of bed and walked out of his room, easing his bedroom door open ever so silently. Even if he didn't the Thunder and men yelling would have drowned it out. Young Dylan made his way, one step at a time down the steps to the main floor of the house. 

The yelling got louder. Sitting on one of the steps, Dylan peered through the bars of the railing, down to where his father was arguing rather loudly with a man about the same age as his father if not a bit older.  The man had this evil gleam in his eyes. A look of aggression in his face. He had mystery in his attire and pure poison in his tongue. 

Dylan's eyes flickered to his father. He looked tired. Like always. He had a protective glare in his eyes and pleading words of anger in his mouth. "Marcus! You and I both know I could never give you the code to that algorithm! It's just too dangerous! What you are doing.....It's....its inhumane!"

The man's threats made Dylan tremble. He clung to his lion tighter. "Please, Marcus! I'm begging you to leave me and my family alone! I will call the authorities if you continue to threaten us." The man laughed. A long, evil, blood-curdling laugh. "I have more allies then you could ever imagine Daehyun. I will be back. And if you don't have the information for my plans......" 

His eyes drifted up to the staircase, where little Dylan sat trembling, eyes wide. His lips curled into a snake-like smirk. "Then your family will pay the price you owe. And I will get what I want. With you dead...or alive."

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed, lighting up the evil man's face. "Dylan!" He looked up to see his mother, who gathered him up into her arms and carried him to his room. "Mommy? Who was that man? He-he was scary." 

His mother sighed softly and brought his blankets up to his chin. "He was.......your father used to work for him......that's all...." Dylan reached for his stuffed lion. "Is he going to hurt daddy?" His mother's eyes held sadness. Her son had seen and heard too much for his young age. "He won't hurt your father...or us....your father is a strong man. He'll protect us." 

Dylan snuggled his lion. "Like Superman?" His mother smiles a little. Her son was so innocent and fragile. How she wished he could stay like that all his life. "Yes, Dylan.....exactly like Superman." 

She kissed the top of his head and walked to the doorway, pausing to turn off the light. "But Mommy......" Dylan's soft voice held regret and doubt in them. His eyes rested on the stack of comic book in the corner of his room. A sadness that filled the whole house. A whisper that was left ringing in her ears after she left the room.

"Superman dies......."

~End Flashback~

Dylan sat in the rain, his hands trembling and his mind racing. The man who murdered his father........was Marcus Houston. The man he had walked past, all these 4 months they had been undercover.....he had killed his father, chased his mother and him for years and now had the key top destroying mankind. 

He had to get the jade back.....but how?

Hahaha! Cliffhanger! I love doing this...butI feel guilty at the same time lol! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Vote, comment, and anticipate the next chapter!