Finally alive (Book 1)

XIX

'Promise me you will stay here, Sena.' Jake had his arms on my shoulders, his face serious. 'You need to let your head heal.'

'Jake, I'm not a child. And my head is fine.' I say, raising my eyebrows at him.

'I know. You just have this glint in your eyes, when you have something planned. And whatever it is, don't do it.' he answered narrowing his eyes.

'I won't.' I defend, feeling a twinge of guilt. He was right; I had a plan up my sleeve.

'Good. Stay safe.' he says nodding, and I nod back. I hate lying to him, but I had to do this. For my sanity.

'You too.' I say, watching Jake walk away. I refocus my attention to my mate. He had his chin high like he always did, and he clutched his bow and arrows.

'Oel ngati kameie.' he says determinedly, placing his palm on my cheek.

'Oel ngati kameie.' I say back, smiling at him. He breaks into a smile too, and I nearly flipped over my tail. 'You should do that more often.' I whisper, reaching up to kiss him lightly.

'We have our whole lives for that.' he states confidently and my breath hitches. The prospect of being with him for the rest of my life thrills me, to say the least. I look at him star-eyed, as he grew serious.

'I'll be back.' he rests his forehead against mine. 'Nga yawne lu oer.' [I love you.]

'As do I.'

With that, everyone capable of flying an ikran or riding a direhorse was off to defend our home. I just hope everybody will come back in one piece.

But now, I must carry out my own plan. I admit I'm nervous, but this needs to be done. I want to see Selfridge eye to eye. And make him pay for being a selfish, backless doughnut.

'Where are you going?' Mo'at's voice echoes behind me, and I hunch slightly. Nothing ever slips through her vigil eyes.

'I need to do this one thing.' I say turning to face her.

'What thing?' she asks sharply.

I swallow. How can I explain the tsahik that I was going to kill someone? 'I need to talk to a human. Maybe teach him a lesson.' I say slowly, watching her reaction. She keeps her unblinking eyes on me while coming closer.

'I understand.' she says simply. 'Just be careful, my daughter. You are not alone.'

While I huff in relief that I wasn't scolded, my heart stops for a moment. 'I beg your pardon, what?' I gape at her retreating figure. I shake my head from any unnecessary thoughts and whistle. I need to focus on the mission.

Silas lands in front of me, his yellow eyes boring into mine. 'Hey, boy. We have someone to visit.' I pet him gently, my fingers tracing his snout.

We take off with ease, and I send another prayer to Eywa to look after us today.

As I approach the compound, my hands become sweaty and doubts started taking over. What am I really going to do here? Am I just being irrational, ignoring my own voice of reason, going to the Hell's gate?

My train of thought is interrupted when I hear alarms blaring in the compound. My heart rate doubled as I saw avatars running with a bulldozer towards the building. I hold back, observing how this will unfold. When they ram the glass with the hand of the bulldozer, I swoop down and slide off of Silas.

My heart skips a beat when I hear gunshots, and climb up using the bulldozer. I see several avatars pinning down humans with guns, as they covered in fear.

Amid the chaos, my eyes catch the man I needed. I dodge out of the way of a fellow avatar, jumping over the broken glass and onto a table where Quaritch was sprawled on the floor, mortified.

'Hi there. We need to talk.' I say crouching while baring my fangs.

'Sena? What are you doing here?' I hear a familiar voice rang from behind me. I turn to him, tilting my head.

'Nicely done over here, Max. Jake would be pro..' I cough like oxygen was knocked out of my lungs. I lose my balance and tumble off the table. I try to take a breath but I feel like oxygen was suddenly made of liquid.

Another gasp of air and I'm in my human body. Alarms were blaring and I realize that something bad had happened to the little pod house. I focus back to the link, hoping I'd get back to tell Max we need help, but my head was too fuzzy to do so.

I yank the pod open, trying not to breathe in the gas, but it was difficult to control my lungs not to take spastic breaths.

I set my feet on the floor and eye for the exo-masks. I shamble towards the box containing them, my hands shaking more than a mild earthquake.

C'mon Sena! Focus!

I finally yank one out just as corners of my eyes get dark. I let out a desperate cry as I yank out the mask and try to fit it on my face, trying not to give in to my jello legs.

As I take a liberating breath of oxygen I notice that Jake was on the floor, his chest convulsing. My heart stops, although it was beating in my chest quite ferociously. Just as I take a step, Neytiri climbs through the broken window.

In two big steps, she was at Jake's now not breathing body, and my hand traveled to my belly, feeling it churn. I bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from heaving. She puts the mask on and in a few torturous seconds he breathes in, and both of us cry out in relief.

I slump against the pod, my hand over my chest now, taking in the oxygen.

After a few minutes, I hear Jake's voice call my name. I see Neytiri set him on his wheelchair, as they held hands, his mate kneeling next to him.

'Are you okay? Quaritch nearly ended us both.' Jake asks wide-eyed, looking at me for any injuries. 

'He's dead.' Neytiri clips, glancing outside briefly. Relief washes over me, as I walk towards the door with them behind me.

As we step outside, I look around. 'Now what do we do? I need to get back to my body.. I blacked out at the worst time.'

'Why would you say that?'

I bite my lip, avoiding Jake's eyes. 'I went to Hell's Gate. Before you say anything, Jake. I needed to go. And I didn't do anything, this whole shindig happened..'

He cuts me off. 'I knew you'd go. You don't know how to hide your agenda.' he grins, and I look at him dumbfounded. He starts laughing at me, Neytiri joining soon after.

I fake a pout, my mouth twitching too. I could feel the tension evaporating, but something still felt off.

Like when you do everything on your agenda, but some part of my brain just keeps nagging you, like you forgot something.

We hear rustling on the right, and immediately tense up. But when one of our people show up, Marek, we relax.

But his facial expression made my stomach drop, as his eyes zeroed on my face.

'Tsu'tey; poan leskxir! [Tsu'tey (was) hurt]