Republic of Tactics

Republic of Tactics: Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Next thing I know I'm taken into her mansion. One last look at her. The gunshots of bullets killing the congress members.

The fancy hallways decorated in art and photos of leaders and cities in the country. I am silent. My conscious recalling that innocent people died today. Just normal people. Like me, only I'm famous in the eye of the rebellion. I'm to depressed to say or do anything so I just keep my head down low as we pass long faced nurses. Jery's wife, taken in on a gurney. There's the smell of chocolate once more. I just feel my tiger tooth as I walk.

Koppe. Dead. Nothing more I can say. My inner emotions pour from my eyes. My Bestfriend, his innocence got him killed. He wasn't just my companion, in the eyes of the Alphas, he was my ally. Why? Because of me. I don't even know if his mother is dead. I hope so, then they'll be together. Why didn't they just kill mother? There's something more I'm missing. But I'm too tired to waste my energy on confusing alterations.

A hovercraft waits in a wide street. The normal one. That reminds me of so many horrors that reappear in my dreams every night.

When I board, I feel empty. Unexplainably sorrowful.

The flight was all during the night. I remember when I first met Scarlet and Joyse and Flux and Keene. Playing poker and drinking champagne. Not knowing whether or not the odds were in their favor or not. Or their destiny in the war.

Then, Scarlet and Joyse join me and Olden.

"This is hard. But I was just told that the rebels want you to visit each city where the other Elites come from. You did a good job Bovise. Thanks." Says Scarlet, then walks into the restroom. Joyse just sits there, not really looking at me.

"All your stuff from Dertus was sent to Septimus. Which is now your new home. There's a big reconstruction plan in Septimus. More homes and stuff." Joyse says. Then turns her chair around to look in the dark sky.

I fall asleep only to be awaken by turbulence on our approach to Septimus. The fact that me and Olden will see Mother and Derlie cheers me up when we land.

Outside, the sun brightens everything. Even the ash seems to disappear from the rubble. More and more tremendous patches of grass and green roots are starting to grow from the ground. The gravel street that almost feels like home.

There they are. Mother, Derlie, and the nurse. Who I thought was dead by now. They are shocked and amazed on all levels. But it's when Mother sees Olden when her mouth hangs open.

"Ol- um.... I," she was speechless. Olden just went in to hug her. His eyes pouring slowly. Mother begins to sob and Derlie simply stands there in awe.

"Is it really you?" Mother asks shakily. Her tears drip from her chin. Derlie also begins to tear up.

"Olden?" Derlie hugs Olden unhesitantly. A few more sobs and cries until they see me.

"Bovise. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your grandfather putting you through this." Says mother. Then she hugs me tightly.

Derlie tells me she's happy to see me and that it will all be fine.

"Well. Olden, we have a lot to talk about. If you want to of course." Mother adds. Olden nods and walks with mother and Derlie. Leaving me and Amelia together. She's wearing a white cloak and her hair is cut.

"I knew you could make it." She kisses me on the lips.

"I'm glad you're okay. Listen, I know we don't really know eachother so well. And I want to change that." I tell her. She nods slightly before reaching for my hand. I kiss hers, then she says,

"I love you too."

We walk around some of the streets. My cheers never ending. Claps, whistling, yells, all around me. I tell Amelia all about what I went through. Even though it hurts to recall. Then she told me her point of view.

I froze when we reach a graveyard. Rows and rows of elegant tombs with carved names in the marble tomb head.

Salina Duyine. Ruhert Cornelius. Cadmiss Leverdin.... Wolace Jiren. His tomb is a nice maroon with a small gate around it. His face carved into the marble.

Ellis Cyn. No better than other tombs. Only this one has a photograph of a woman and a little girl.

"Lets go." I say to Amelia. She doesn't tell me anything so I break the silence.

"How are the patients? Anything new?" I question.

"Well, we are low on painkillers and pillows. But we're makin' it." She says. I only nod and look at her.

"Did you see? The execution?" I ask her.

"We all did. All of Polame did." She answers quickly.

"Listen...."

"Don't worry. You're still my commander." She says.

We walk back to the hospital. That is now back to being apartments again. I decide to call this point of Septimus Bo. Marking many things.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. We are proud to introduce Jules, as the new leader of Septimus." Payton says on a small stage where only Ivory, Lowen and Sterling stand. We all clap and salute. After a celebration, the big screens turn on and reveal the tempering images of York. Along with images of the deceased and hardly no respecting tribute to Dorothea and Jery. Meaning our victory.

A York citizen speaks about how her husband was killed and that she was blind to seek freedom. They show only the photos of the congress members with backround music. But at the end, there is no Polame seal.

Instead, the flag of the elites. Only it has been elegantly encrusted in silver edges and Victorian designs. Every screen then goes off.

I then see mother by herself, maybe reflecting. This is my chance to talk to her.