Once Again

Chapter Forty-Nine - A Race Against Time

Picture: TR by Dreamin-8-bit

Oh boy we're close

A Race Against Time

The next morning, they went over their plan. Rogue was extremely stubborn, Echo noticed, and had insisted he bandaged himself up. He was bleeding, too, worse than Puppet or Echo, but he was determined to stay in the fight. He would take Tristam down, no matter the cost. Echo was terrified for Braken. Was he okay?

"So, what's the plan?" the Rebels repeated, murmuring to themselves or calling out to Rogue.

"It's not much of a plan, I'm afraid," he answered regretfully, but they didn't seem to care. So he shrugged and said, "Alright. You guys will have to be the distractions. I have to get up close to Tristam, and since I have this to deal with now ..." He poked his torso and winced. "... it'll be a lot harder."

"What are you going to do?"

"What if Tristam kills him?"

"What are you going to do, Rogue?"

"Are you going to kill him?"

Rogue hesitated. "I don't know yet. I'll do what has to be done."

"If you don't kill him, what's to stop him from killing us?"

"I'll do what has to be done," Rogue repeated firmly.

"But he's evil! You have to kill him!"

"There's still good in him," he insisted.

"That good is clouded by Solar," Echo said softly. "He's being controlled. If you can take out Solar without killing him, there's a chance, but if not ..."

"I don't want to kill him unless there's no other way." Rogue stood up defiantly and stumbled, cringing again. "I'm sorry."

"Listen," Puppet said, his voice hinted with anger. "We'll be fine, whether Tristam is killed or not. Don't you trust us?"

"The idea is to all rush in at once," Rogue said, starting to pace back and forth, his hand against his wound. "Use the element of surprise. He won't expect us to come so soon. Surprise will only work for so long, though. Echo and WRLD, I want you guys to round everyone up and get them out of camp. Others may have to fight, but try to get everyone out while distracting Tristam. This could potentially get messy. Everyone else ... just keep him distracted."

"Some plan that is," someone muttered.

Echo smiled a little, despite the foreboding feeling that had settled among the group. He'd have a chance to get Braken and Alyssa to safety without having to engage in the fighting. WRLD gave him a friendly nudge and smiled back.

Even so, Echo couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen.

It seemed they were standing around the camp in only minutes. Echo focused on breathing in and out, attempting to calm himself before the fighting began. He was tired of being afraid. He was going to be strong. Alyssa needed him to be strong. If he wasn't able to get them out in time, he was terrified of what would happen. And his two stab wounds - so far, the pain was mostly annoying, and he wasn't bleeding too much, but if that worsened, he'd be in trouble.

He glanced over at Rogue to see him adjust his grip on his sword and shift his weight with a grimace. How had the stars failed? Were they undoing time, undoing their healing power? How was that even possible?

Rogue caught him staring and flashed him a worried grin. He may be afraid, but he was trying to be strong for the other Rebels. This misfit Rebel leader had more heart than anyone Echo had ever met. He wanted to protect the ones he loved, and he was willing to do almost anything to do so - even at the cost of his own life.