Year 12 (First Draft)

-Chapter 26-

  "I can't believe they brought you to me," Kane says, "I'm sorry I doubted it was you... it just seemed like something they'd do, you know? Pretend to be you."

  I nod, knowing exactly what he means. The Government makes us question our reality daily. It's what they're good at.

  "What happened?" Kane asks. My breath catches. I don't want to lie to him, but if I tell him right now why I'm here, there's no chance on this Earth I'll convince him to leave later.

  "A small rally by the Leader's mansion," I lie, focusing my gaze to connect with his own, "A couple Agents came in, and grabbed me before anyone could get to me."

  Kane looks less than convinced but still nods, slowly, processing what I've said. "Andrea," He says, "and mom and Anya. How are they?"

  I smile, but my smile quickly fades, and Kane's eyes go from questioning to concerned. "Is something wrong?"

  I take a deep breath thinking of all he's missed. "Your mom is doing fine, but she had a pretty big episode. She thought you were there, back at Headquarters, and you weren't. She came running to get us... I thought that maybe..." I stop, hating how Kane has the ability to make me feel this way. "And Anya, the Government went after her and her parents. But, they're safe at Headquarters now. And Andrew-"

  Kane's eyes dart to mine, and his body is rigid. "Andrew? You've met Andrew?"

  "I have," I confirm, "he's been a major help. He said you sent him a letter."

  "I did," Kane begins to explain, "but he wasn't ever one to write back, so I never knew if he was even alive. I just had hope."

  "He showed me your last letter," I say, my voice shaking a bit with nerves.

  "I meant everything I said," Kane says, and I know exactly what he's referring to. He told Andrew how important I was to him, how he needed Andrew to care for me.

  I sit back, resting my head against Kane, our backs pressed up to the cement wall, our legs sprawled in front of us as we sit on the cold ground. His arms wrap around me. And it feels so sickeningly natural that I wonder how I've been able to make it without him. He's a sturdy rock in a blur of sand. He's the beacon of light on a foggy day, and I'm finally finding my way back to shore.

  "How're the guys?" He whispers against the top of my head.

  "As well as can be expected," I say, "they miss their leader."

  "They had a pretty great replacement," He counters.

  "I'm a far cry from a great replacement," I scoff, "Besides, you can't be replaced."

  Kane laughs, kissing the top of my head.

  "I'd say the same about you," He says. I feel a shiver run down my spine. I feel expendable. I feel like that's become my sole purpose in life, but now it's my life for Kane's. For some reason that means something. For some reason, I've become important, and not just to Kane.

  "I appreciate that," I say instead of attempting to discourage his statement. I may not believe in myself, but he does, and more importantly so do his followers. For their sake, I need to believe in myself.

  "You really scared me," Kane says, his tone quieter, as though he doesn't know whether to continue or not, "that day at the rally. When your UCP glitched... I felt helpless up there, and when you were shot..."

  Kane trails off, both of us knowing how it felt. The weight that had fallen on our hearts, the fear that had gripped us.

  "I wish I could go back and redo the whole thing," I say, my voice wobbling. "Those people, they shouldn't have had to die. They were innocent. Yet, here I am, I'm alive. It doesn't seem fair."