Regeneration

Chapter 31 - The Safe Zone

I closed my eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over me. Inhaling deeply, the fresh country air invaded my lungs. The sound of the waves crashing below gave me a strange sense of clam.

I hadn't felt in the slightest clam since we left Barcelona. I had been on edge, not knowing what to expect next. The hunters had grown in numbers and took control of Spain.

We were now in Calais, France. Two hours away from our destination. It was our last pit stop before we reached the safe zone in Brighton.

I looked over to Marco who was draining the last bit of fuel into the helicopter's tank. The chopper was perched on a grassy cliff that overlooked the dazzling French coastline.

"Hey," Romero said as he stood next to me.

"Hey," I held my arms, hugging myself, "Stunning isn't it."

"Yeah," he said without taking his eyes off of me.

My eyes searched his briefly before I looked towards the ocean again. The way the smooth blue waves swayed was entrancing.

"I always dreamed of visiting France one day," I smiled a half-smile "I never thought it would be under these circumstances." My smile faded.

"If we had met under different circumstances..." He half smiled at the thought.

"Okay Amantes, wrap it up, time to go," Marco hollered as he climbed up into the helicopter.

We were now flying over the English Channel, the majestic blue sea below us. In the distance, I could see that we were approaching the land mass that was Great Britain.

As we got closer a swarm of conflicting emotions hit me. I was glad to be going somewhere I would be safe, but the thought of possibly leaving what's left of my family back in Barcelona and lowering my chances of finding them stung.

Was I losing them forever now?

Barcelona was drifting away with every passing moment, I could only pray that they were somewhere safe too.

I glanced at Romero beside me who would soon be gone too. It was strange how the thought of soon being away from him made me feel.

The helicopter soared over green pastures, grassy hills and meadows of wildflowers.

"It's funny how beautiful things look down there," I said not to anyone in particular.

An hour had passed and the day was darkening. The shadows of the night now creeping in.

"There it is," Marco said gazing ahead.

The large gray enclosure was shaped like half of a cylinder laying flat on the ground. There were bright lights around illuminating the building in the darkness. We were still a bit far from it when the fuel light began flashing red.

"I just need to find somewhere to land," Marco said, "We'll walk the rest of the way."

"Where are you gonna land a helicopter in the middle of a city?" I questioned.

"You'll see Hermosa," Marco said before he dropped the chopper a couple of feet.

The aircraft was now flying low, close to the roof of buildings.

I suspected that he planned to land on one of the roofs, but none of them looked suitable for a helicopter. It seemed that Marco had noticed this too.

I gasped suddenly as Marco dropped the chopper a few more feet, dipping between the large buildings that lined the streets.

He's crazy, I thought.

With skill, he flew the chopper between the buildings above the roadway before hovering over a cross-street. Slowly he began lowering the helicopter onto the street.