Broken Knowledge

Chapter 35

Alan gaped at the decimated remains of his hometown. This was where he was born and raised. And this was where all his old friends and allot of good people lived.

And it was all gone.

And then there was the bodies.

Alan could see so many good people and friends, all dead. He could only gape at what he was seeing. He fought to hold his composure.

"When did he bomb it?" Alan said, his voice shaking.

"We estimate less then 6 hours ago." Kris said."And I'm sorry to say there were no survivors."

"Did y'all confirm this wi-"

"Yes Alan," Kris interrupted."We used the A.H.D. drones. There's nothing. They're all gone. I'm so sorry."

Alan put his hands on his head, distraught. He walked through the remains, seeing the remnants if his beloved home.

Then he began recognizing the bodies.

"Big Al?" He said shakily, looking at a fat negro boy."No, not you, why you dude."

Big Al was loved by everyone. He was always making everyone laugh and his jolly personality could cheer up even the worst people.

And there he was, bullet wounds decimating the fat boy's body.

He saw various other people he had come to love dead. Anna-Marie, the star soccer player, Butch, the football captain, Hannah, an old lover of his.

And then he saw Mr. Ospen. He was a teacher loved by everyone. He was nice and always tried to help students. He even gave one girl 150,000 dollars so she could get her life back together. And she paid him back 3 years later. He helped everyone the beat he could and Alan used to have long friendly debates with him about sports, technology, and other things all the time. Alan enjoyed the talks with him.

And there he was, half of his body crushed under rubble, with a price of metal pole impaling him through the chest.

Alan couldn't hold his composure anymore. He fell to his knees and cried. He cried because the Dictator had truly taken almost everyone and everything he loved. And that he mercilessly killed good and innocent people.

Mara got down on her knees beside him and put her arm around him. She out her head against his in an attempt to comfort him. But he cried and cried because he has lost so much, and somehow the Dictator always figured out how to take more from him.

And Mara began to fear for Inkopolis. If the Dictator had bombed Alan's home so mercilessly, how did she know he wouldn't do the same to her beloved city. She knew Inkopolis was in danger, but she knew there was nothing they could do about it. Inkopolis had declined help, and they were on their own if the Dictator attacked them.

After Alan regained his composure, Kris walked up to him and said,"Alan there's something you need to see."

Alan followed Kris to where his house used to be. Wait, where his house still was? All the buildings in the town had been destroyed, except his house. It stood tall snd proud, untouched by the bombs.

"I'll let you go inside yourself." Kris said.

Alan entered the house, Mara close behind him. It seemed like nothing had been touched, everything was exactly how he remembered. Alan went upstairs and went into his old bedroom.

"This used to be my room,"he said."And that was mom and dad's, and that was Ally's and that w-was Lily's."

Tears began to run down his face as the memories of that night where the Dictator took his family away, and ended their lives painfully and without mercy.

Mara hugged him, pressing her forehead against his.

"We'll avenge them one day," she said."Not today, not tommorow, but soon, that sick bastard will pay for all that he's do-"

Mara was suddenly yanked away from Alan with a startled cry.

"Mara!" Alan yelled. Then he saw the smug face of Rat4's leader as he pulled Mara towards a Particle Transporter Portal. Alan lunged forward in a desperate attempt to get to Mara, but 2 pairs of strong hands grabbed him and prevented him from going forward.

"End of the line little boy." Rat4's members said.

With a mighty roar, Alan ducked and threw one of his restrainers over his head. The other punched him but Alan took the hit and punched him right back, then tripped his feet out form under him.

Mara saw how hard Alan was fighting to get to her and she wasn't going to let those efforts go to waste. She slammed her foot down on the Rat4's leader's. He yelled out and his grip loostened. She turned into her squid form and quickly got some distance as the man gaped at what he was seeing. But he quicky regained his wits and went after her.

Mara switched back and used the momentum of her standing up and aimed a heavy upper cut, slamming her fist into the man's chin. She kicked him on the stomach and he stumbled back. Then she punched him in the face and he stumbled back and fell through the portal.

When the Rat4 members saw their leader fall through the portal, they quickly ditched their efforts to restrain Alan and beelined for the portal. But Alan yelled,"KRIS!!!" and tackled on of the men. Mara dived down and wrapped her arms around the legs of the other, tripping him.

Kris and several soldiers rushed in and the Rat4 members looked up to see several gun barrels pointed at them.

"Don't move or we blow your fucking brains out." Kris said.

"Shit." The Rat4 guy that Mara had tackled said. He raised in arms in surrender. The other copied.

Mara and Alan stood up and rushed to each other's side.

"Did he hurt you?" Alan said, putting his hand on her cheeks(face you dirty fucks), looking her over.

"I'm fine! Are you okay?"

Alan sighed in relief and hugged her, pressing her body against his.

"I was afraid I was gonna lose you too." He whispered into her ear, tears of relief running down his face.

"You won't," she whispered back."I promise."

Kris' soldiers had cuffed and removed the men from the house. Alan and Mara followed, holding hands.