The Hawking

Chapter 13: Explosion

This chapter is narrated by Olivia Woods.

After that bomb landed inbetween us, the Hawks began to yell. "Come on, guys!" Fern says to her friends. "We gotta warn everyone!" And with that, the enemies flew past Lucas and I and around the corner. We both exchanged glances, but thought nothing of it. I ran for the exit, now that it was unblocked, and took a step outside. That's when I realized that Lucas was still, holding Star close to his body. He stared blankly at the ground as I went up to him and rubbed his arm.

"Lucas, hon..." I said. "...what's wrong?" "Fern..." he muttered. "Fern was going to say...that my parents aren't dead...They're alive! We have to find them!" He attempted to run the other way, but I clutched his jacket sleeve and stopped him.

"Lucas, you dumbass." I said with a glare. "There is a bomb three feet away from us." We both looked over at the ticking bomb. "If we don't leave now, we could be blown to bits! And it's not just you and me!" I look down at his sleeping sister. Lucas followed my move. He was silent for a while, then looked up at me and sighed.

"Okay." he said. "Let's go."

I smiled as we rushed to the door. I burst it open as we take off into the sky. As we flew closer to the woods, I saw two moving dots. What the...?

I then thought of all that had happened, and realized it must be Hedwig and Avery. As we flew closer, I heard their voices.

"I thought you said they would know it was us!" Hedwig's voice boomed.

"They do!" Avery argued. "At least, I think they do."

We flew up to the boys, both of them stunned to see us. They grinned as they dashed towards us, and we all embraced in a group hug. That was the moment Star woke up. She yawned and stretched her wings as she focused her eyes on each of our faces. "Olivia?" she said. "Avery? Hedwig?!"

She gasped as she looked at her brother. "Big Brother!" she yelled, jumping up to hug his neck. They stayed like that for the longest time. Finally, realizing we were outside, she pulled back and looked at us.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Well, after you fainted, me and Lucas came in and took you from them. Thanks to Alex, we were able to get past The Hawking, until that bomb came between us, and-"

That's when I was interrupted by the girl.

"Alex? Bomb?! Is he still in there?! We have to save him!" Star attempted to jump out of Lucas's arms, but failed to do so. Star bursts into tears as she buried her face in her brothers chest. I look at her, then look back down at the Lab. I knew exactly what I had to do.

"I'm going in." I stated. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you nuts, Liv?!" Lucas asked me. "That bomb could go off at any time! There's a chance you could die!"

"It's a chance I'm willing to take for a new friend of ours." I look at the faces of my family, the closest thing I had to one. They all looked worried, but Lucas, sweet Lucas, looked at me sentimentally. He came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll come with you." he told me as he handed Star off to Hedwig. Star began to protest, but me and Lucas were already taking a nose dive down to the building.

~

After landing lightly on our toes and briskly entering the building, Lucas and I dashed for the end of the hall, where the cage room was. We finally reached it. I grabbed the knob and entered the room. There, sulking in the corner of his cage, was Alex. He had his bright wings covering his entire body. He sniffles as Lucas slammed the door behind him.

We run over to Alex's cage, and, using one of my bobby-pins, we unlocked his cage. I opened it and grinned at Alex's back.

"Alex!" I said. "Come on! We saved Star, and now this place is about to explode! We gotta get out of here!" He said nothing. I tilt my head to one side and look at Lucas, who gives me the same confused expression. "Alex?" I ask. "Are you going to come?"

"No." he stared blankly.

"What?! Why not?!"

"I want to die."

"Alex, don't say that! You have so much to live for!" Lucas stepped up.

Alex turned to us and glared.

"What the hell do I got to live for, huh?! A stupid kid who has no idea what the Lab wants to do to her?! A pack of bullies who want to hurt me just because of thought?! A man who I thought loved me, but then turned out to be a backstabbing bastard?! A rusty cage I have stayed in since I was created?! This hellhole, who thinks of me as a mistake?! Everyone just hates me! I have learned to accept it, but then SHE came around and started showing affection from me, then that cracked open my lover's interest, and now they both despise me! So again, tell me, STARLOW and WOODS, what on Earth do I possibly have to-"

"Alex!" a booming voice said. We all three turned to the door to see Sam. Oh, no.

"Thank you, Sparrow, Robin. I'll take it from here." That was the only thing Sam has ever said to me that wasn't aggressive or compulsive. Sam walked past us and to the cage, where the cardinal gasped as tears rolled down his face.

"Sam?!" Alex exclaimed. "W-W-What are you doing?! There's a bomb about to go off, and-"

"Alex." Sam said in a somewhat stern tone. "Can you shut your mouth for two minutes, or do I have to come in and "shut it for you"?" Alex shut up quick after that. Sam opened his cage and held out his hand to him. I expected Alex to take it, but he just crossed his arms and glared at his superior.

"Oh, so now you want me?!" Alex said sarcastically. "What happened to that earlier?! You took off, and left me here, heartbroken and alone..." His voice trailed off. Sam groaned as he stepped into the cage and took Alex by the arm.

"If you step out with me, I promise you, you won't regret it."

That was just enough to get Alex to run to him, hugging him tightly. Sam held him as he took a step out of the cage. Alex's feet never touched the ground.

"Just because I am letting you go this time doesn't mean I won't be back for you." Sam said to Lucas. With that, he walked out of the door and flew down the hallway.

I was to flabbergasted to realize what just happened. Lucas snapped out of it quick and dragged me down the hall. I could feel the tension rise as the ground began to rumble. I looked above my head to see a giant chunk of the concrete roofing heading down for us! Lucas must have saw it, too, because he pushed me forward as it came crashing down. I fell on my hands and knees as the crash sound echoed through the corridor.

I coughed and fanned the dust as I saw what happened. The boulder fell on Lucas's right wing! I gasp as I try to push the boulder, getting no results. Lucas looked up at me weakly.

"Olivia..." he said. "You...You have to go..."

"What?! I can't just leave you here to get killed!"

"But if you stay...then we'll...both be dead..." He groaned as he held his shoulder. "Go. Now."

I really didn't want to, but I obeyed his order and ran for the exit. I slammed the door open and took off.

The sound of the explosion was so deafening, I couldn't even hear my own thoughts. The huge flames and smokes had enough force to push me forward, making me fall to the ground and black out.

Before I did, I thought about Lucas. It was unlikely that he survived, and...I didn't tell him I loved him... Now I never will...

Lucas...