Redeemers

Chapter 5: the Redeemer

Suddenly, a metallic hand wraps around the wrist of her injured arm.  She calls out in pain and an automated sounding voice says, "Citizen, stop struggling, I am here to help you."

She opens her eyes to see that a green metal hand is clasped around her wrist.  She is being rescued by the green Redeemer. Shock stops her cold in her tracks, never had she imagined that she, of all people, would be rescued by a Redeemer.

The Redeemer heaves her up onto the roof and she is finally able to get a good look at him, or what she can only assume is a him.  A green metallic suit encases the entirety of his body.  The suit seems streamline as if it is easily maneuverable for the wearer.  Annora stares, awestruck.  She has seen the Redeemers from far away before, but never this close.  She suddenly feels ashamed.  It would have been much better if she was saving him instead of the other way around.

Her eyes finally reach the top of the suit.  The person's head is totally encased in a green helmet with a black band which seems to be the place that he is able to see from.  The moment her eyes reach the plate, the Redeemer abruptly lets go as if she had shocked him.

She scrambles away, stands up, and lamely states, "Thanks."  It then dawns on her that she should still be running.  This Redeemer may have knocked out any guards in this vicinity, but there will be more on the way. 

She whips around and dashes toward the back of the roof, ready to jump when the Redeemer suddenly says, "Et mens mea salute."  To anyone else that would sound like gibberish, but to her it means much, much more. It is her family's safe phrase. 

The phrase that her father ingrained in her brain as soon as she could talk.  She could still remember him coaching her through the difficult syllables telling her, "Annora, if you ever hear this phrase, it means that no matter what they are your friend.  Trust this phrase, Nora, and this phrase only.  There are some people out there who may want to hurt you.  If they say this phrase, know that Daddy sent them."  Annora remembers nodding, and the tickle fest that followed. A father's pride lit up her fathers face when she recited the phrase correctly the first time.

This Redeemer has to know her father if he knows that phrase.  The first sign of her family she has seem in years.  One that she can't just walk away from, especially not after what just happened.

She turns around and says the final part of the phrase, "Meae salus mea." She pauses, waiting for the Redeemer to lunge at her and demand where her father was, or to go ahead and shoot her. Maybe she is insane for allowing this to continue. Any number of things could have happened since that phrase was last uttered.

The Redeemer reaches up and Annora takes a step back.  He sticks his hand out and says, "No, wait."  Annora freezes deciding to listen, no matter what her better senses seemed to be telling her. This Redeemer could lead her to her family.  The Redeemer takes the helmet off, and the face she sees shocks her to the core.

Chestnut brown hair, blue eyes, eyes that mirror her own, "Malcalm?" Her voice implores without her bidding. Her big brother, the boy she idolized as a kid, wishing nothing other than to be him.

She takes a step back again.  Her brother is a Redeemer.  All this time.  Has he been looking for her?  Was Vandrin right?  A million questions once again flood her mind, making it impossible to think about anything but the boy that stands in front of her.

The boy nods his head, "Annora."  She steps toward him, looking over him.  A flood of emotions fill her, washing away all reason.  Before she can think the better of it, she rushes into her brothers open arms.   The suit makes it hard for the hug to seem genuine, but she knows deep in her core that it has to be. He whispers in her ear, "I missed you, Nora."  With those few words some of her fears are quelled.   If he missed her than how could her have left her.  They will have to talk about it later.  She pulls out of the embrace and smiles at her brother, "What took you so long?"