The Legend (17 page)

 

chapter 25

W
hen I explain my plan further, Reed's outburst is only the first dissent. My father and Aidan also vehemently oppose my idea, and Veronica looks as though she might throw up.

“No way I'm going along with that,” Reed insists.

“For once, we agree,” Aidan echoes his denial.

“I'm not asking either of you, I'm telling you.”

I knew that they would disagree the moment Reed realised he and I would be separated. I can understand it – the last time we were apart tragedy struck, but I cannot let his guilt influence my decision, which is strategic and necessary.

The General waits for silence before asking, “Who would you take?”

“Kwan and Quinn,” I announce confidently. “And Michael,” I add, smiling encouragingly at him. “Plus, I want Heath and the other two NUSA soldiers who were travelling with him and Oliver. That leaves Reed and Jethro here, in charge of the Legion.”

“Not happening,” Reed echoes, but I ignore him.

I know that my choices are unexpected but I have thought this through. I am also certain that Mason
will not leave Kenneth's side, and I will not put Jethro anywhere near his traitorous brother. Quinn, I have come to learn, has no such scruples. Taking Michael into the States is also a smokescreen. I do not want him involved in the fighting at all, and I plan to leave him somewhere safe before we launch our attack on Kenneth.

“Why the NUSA soldiers?” Kwan murmurs and I strain to hear him over the argument that has broken out at the table. “Why not a team of your own men?”

“Because they're defectors. I'm hoping that with any luck they can convince a few more NUSA guards to jump ship. At the very least, Kenneth's men might hesitate when faced with fighting their own.”

Heath had sought me out the day after Oliver's death to thank me for intervening and calling the General out on his actions. His previous loyalty to the General has cooled drastically. While devastated by the loss of his friend, he had affectionately pointed out Oliver's lack of intellect, and he did not blame us for what had happened, although he appreciated my defence of his fallen comrade.

“If it's esprit de corps you're after, you'll need me,” Fiona interrupts, and we all turn to look at her. “I was a captain in the NUSA army and I specialised in training our recruits. There are a lot of men inside who see me as a mentor.”

“I want Fiona,” I declare immediately, and a few people at the table chuckle.

“What about me?” Aidan demands and the table falls silent at his raised voice.

“What about you?” I ask, meeting his gaze levelly. I will not be swayed.

“What part do I play in this plan?”

“Unless Kwan declares you ready for battle, you'll do nothing. If you do happen to get through your training in time, you will stay here and protect our people. I will need some soldiers in the town itself in case any NUSA soldiers decide to expand their search outside the Academy.”

“I want to go into the States.”

“What you want is irrelevant.” My tone leaves no room for argument. “If you are a member of this army you take instruction from me.”

“How will we ensure they don't enter the town first?” My father changes the subject.

“We're going to lure them in.”

“You're going to lead them straight here?” he asks and I nod.

“When they get close enough to Gainesville we'll send out bait. We need to make sure they head straight for us and bypass the town.” I shudder as I think of all the women and children we have sent into town. There is no way we can allow NUSA anywhere near them.

The General has stationed men at various points throughout the neighbouring cities so that we will have advance notice if and when Kenneth's convoy is heading our way. In the meantime, there is nothing left to do but wait. If I thought Kwan was pushing us hard before, it is nothing to the gruelling training he is subjecting us to now. Morgan's defection has affected all of us, but Kwan particularly. Morgan is his protégée, he has always felt bound to protect her, an almost paternal affection. NUSA had taken his wife, and now Morgan too. Heath and his two friends – Matt and Rory – are also feeling the burn of Kwan's training. They are not unfit, given that NUSA insists on regular physicals, but they are also not used to spending so many hours a day undergoing intense, relentless exercise. Matt in particular is often heard moaning in the dining hall after a session with Kwan.

As I make my way to the dojo for Aidan's first official training session, my mind is so caught up in other things that I do not notice Jenna until she is standing right in front of me, a no-nonsense expression on her face. She is holding a shamefaced Alex by the hand.

“I've just spent over an hour looking for him,” Jenna explains as Alex squirms, trying to break her hold on him, “only to find that he had sneaked up here. He was playing in the park when I found him.”

“Alex!” My gasp of outrage is completely genuine. The thought of Alex sneaking back into Lakeside, unbeknownst to me, when we are potentially facing a full NUSA military strike makes me feel faint. Even the fact that he would travel the distance from town all alone is worrying. Then it dawns on me that Alex is never alone.

“Where is she?” I snap furiously.

Brooke is hiding near one of the old water fountains not far from the park. She emerges sheepishly when I call her name.

“Sorry,” Alex mumbles his apology at ratting her out.

“You shouldn't be sorry,” I admonish. “It's not safe here. It's dangerous, and it's even more dangerous for you two to be travelling here on your own. I forbid it, do you hear me?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Say it like you mean it, Alex.”

“Yes, Mom.” His voice is softer now and a little shaky, as if he might burst into tears, but his eyes are anything but apologetic. If I didn't know better I would say he looks almost defiant.

“Brooke is your responsibility.” I drop my own voice to a murmur as I repeat the same words Jonathan Moore spoke to Aidan all those years ago. “You need to look out for her, to keep her safe. Can I trust you to do that?”

“Yes, Mom,” he utters for the third time, only such is his sincerity that it's the first time that I am convinced.

I walk the three of them back to the main gates and I hug both children tightly.

“Don't forget – you are only allowed to leave town if Jenna brings you, or if your father or I come and fetch you.”

“But you don't!” Alex yells, catching me off guard. His face reddens in embarrassment at his outburst but his jaw is stubbornly set.

“What do you mean?” I ask, bewildered.

“You don't fetch me! You just leave me there on my own. Why can't Dad stay with me, if you can't?”

I had never really thought of Alex as a true casualty of our war until this moment, and the sadness that accompanies this realisation prevents me from saying anything to begin with. I know that Alex misses us, that my duties keep me away from him far more than I would like, but he has always taken it so well it has never occurred to me that he might be feeling emotionally abandoned. I had taken for granted that he was simply a well-adjusted and easy child.

“Alex,” I get down on my knees and take hold of his shoulders. “Your father and I . . . we have work to do. We . . .”

“I know!” he snaps. “You have to win, you have to fight. It's all you ever do. And now it's all Dad does, too.”

It has in fact been only a few days since Alex was moved to town, but it is easy to forget how slowly time passes for a child who is suffering the pangs of loneliness. I am mortified that I didn't see it before – see the hurt a
nd the pain shining so blatantly in his eyes. Have I really been so focused on my goals that I have neglected my own son? I thought that I had hidden from Alex the darkness that had consumed me after losing the baby, but apparently that was not the case. I think back to the day that Alex and Brooke witnessed me punching a wall, and it dawns on me that he hasn't been the same since. My actions had unsettled him – had made him insecure and angry. I know that he had expected Aidan and me to get back together, and when that hadn't happened he had seemed distant but had never mentioned it. Now I see that he hadn't moved on at all – he has simply kept everything bottle
d up, festering inside his little soul.

Jenna has led Brooke away from us, giving us some privacy, but I can see from her expression that this outburst is not entirely unexpected.

“Alex, listen to me. I know it seems that way to you, but this won't last forever. We are very nearly finished, and then it will be over. For good. We'll be together and nothing will ever take me away from you again.”

“I don't believe you,” he gulps, fighting back the tears.

“I promise. And I promise I'll come and see you as often as I can until then. You're happy in town, aren't you? With Jenna and the others?”

“Yes,” he admits reluctantly. “But I miss you. And I miss Dad.”

“I know you do, baby. We miss you too. I just need you to be strong for a little while longer. Can you do that for me?”

He doesn't answer and it cuts me to the core, but I am the parent and I cannot afford to fall apart. I need to be strong for him. Not wanting to show him how affected I am, I stand and drop a kiss on his head.

“I'll see you soon, baby,” I murmur, but before I can say anything else, he scampers off to stand beside Brooke, refusing to look at me.

Jenna makes her way back to me, sympathy reflected in her bright blue eyes.

“I'll keep a stricter eye on them,” she promises.

“Thanks,” I nod, embarrassed. I know it's not her fault the children ended up here. Even without Alex's abandonment issues, they would have come back. Those two are more like Aidan and me than I ever realised.

“He'll be okay,” she murmurs, squeezing my hand. “Everything will be okay.”

“I hope so, Jen. I really hope so.”

 

 

chapter 26

“Of cou
rse he's affected,” Aidan insists when I finally reach the dojo. “He's a little boy.”

I had quickly filled Aidan in on what had happened with Alex earlier, but despite my own emotional state, he appears unconcerned.

“You didn't hear him, Aidan. He's hurting . . . really hurting. I'm worried about him. What if he sneaks back here again?”

“I'll talk to him.”

“But . . .”

“No buts. We are the parents. The best thing we can do is to act like nothing happened.”

“You didn't see his face.”

“I've seen it a hundred times,” he corrects. “Every time he didn't get his own way in the last six years. But, trust me, if you react he will only get worse.”

I know that Aidan knows better than I how to deal with Alex, having raised him single-handedly for so many years, but it goes against every maternal instinct I have to ignore Alex's pain.

“He will have forgotten about it already,” Aidan murmurs, as though reading my thoughts. “Just remember to act as though nothing is wrong – he needs us to set the boundaries. If we act as though it's not a big deal, he will believe it's not.”

“It is kind of a big deal, though,” I reply.

“Just don't let him know that.”

“I don't like it.”

“Of course you don't. It's hardly my ideal solution either, but what else can we do?” he asks helplessly. “We can't leave the Academy, and there's no way Alex can stay here. We just have to endure it until this is over. Alex will be fine,” he tries to reassure me, and I try to remind myself that he knows Alex best, but every nerve in my body is aching to mend things with my son. “He'll cool off, Rebecca, trust me.”

Aidan lowers his voice as the others file in and I am forced to drop the subject. As I turn away from Aidan, I spot Reed standing in the shadows nearby, watching us intently.

I am nervous as I watch Aidan sparring for the first time, a part of me hoping that he will not make the grade. My anxiety keeps me quiet, and I watch in utter silence as Kwan calls Aidan up to take his turn opposite David. David has been in the training programme for a few weeks. His physical fitness has improved dramatically under Kwan's tutelage, but despite the newfound abs he is still a far cry from the average Legion soldier. It makes sense that he is a good person for Aidan, who is also new at this, to face first.

Much to my surprise, and reluctant pride, Aidan beats David easily – too easily. The Power of Three is remarkable, even in its most raw state. Unbelievably, even Jethro is next to succumb to Aidan's superior strength, although it takes a lot longer. Out of the corner of my eye I see Reed watching, a mixture of emotions on his handsome face as Aidan helps Jethro to his feet. Aidan is not triumphant or cocky, he is dead serious, his focus undeniable. I catch Kwan's eye and he doesn't need to speak for me to know what he is thinking. Aidan needs to be pushed, and there are only two people in the room capable of doing so. Nodding, I get to my feet.

Aidan doesn't argue or dispute me as his new opponent. I bow low, maintaining eye contact, and then I circle to my left. Aidan mimics my actions. A hush has fallen over the room, every eye fixed on us.

I stop suddenly and feint to the left, but Aidan stands perfectly still, not falling for my ruse. I circle the other way, and he marks my every move.

“Smarty pants,” I smile, beginning to enjoy myself. Aidan doesn't reply, but the corner of his mouth twitches. Seizing his momentary distraction, I blur forward, leaping into the air and thundering down towards him, my arm pulled back, but by the time I hit the ground he is gone. I turn around to find him standing in the precise spot I just vacated, regarding me curiously.

“Scared?” I tease.

“Of those little twig arms?” he scoffs. “Not likely.”

I lunge forward, delivering a series of perfectly executed Taekwondo blows. Aidan blocks all of them, but he doesn't expect the knee to his groin and as I make impact he drops to his knees, clutching the afflicted area. I hear Reed's groan of sympathy behind me. Aidan's face is visibly pained as he staggers to his feet but he quickly resumes his fighting stance.

“More?” I raise my eyebrow.

This time, Aidan goes on the offensive and he charges straight at me. It is hardly an ingenious strategy but I am surprised, and it takes me a second longer than it should to react. Aidan manages to grab hold of my hair, pulling it painfully and twisting my body to bring his arm up around my neck. No one is more surprised than he is when he manages to lock me in a choke hold, and I use his apparent shock to my own advantage. I hear Reed drawl “bad move, Braveheart” as I bend at the knees, arching my back and throwing my weight forward. Aidan catapults over my head, completing a three hundred and sixty degree tumble before landing on his back. I place my sneakered foot over his neck and Kwan calls us back to position.

“Still think I have twig arms?” I call and he nods.

“It's not her arms you should be worrying about,” Reed chuckles.

I circle again, slowly closing the distance between us until we are only a few feet apart. Reed would never fall for this, but Aidan misjudges the distance between us as safe, thinking I can't reach him. I launch my attack by jumping straight up into the air, sweeping my leg around in a roundhouse kick which knocks him off balance. As he stumbles backwards, I jump again, bringing up first my right and then my left foot, both connecting just below his jaw. It's a risky move because I invariably end up on my back, but Aidan flies backwards, landing again with an audible thud on the wooden floor. By the time he has opened his eyes, I'm standing above him.

“I tried to warn you,” Reed laughs.

“Reed,” Kwan calls, amused, “seeing you're such an expert, why don't you show us all how it's done?” Reed swaggers towards us and Aidan g
rins as they pass each other.

I click my neck left and right and jump on the spot, shaking out my arms. Sparring with Reed is always a tough challenge – I lose as often as I win.

“All right, Tiny,” he drawls, extending a long arm and beckoning me with one finger. “Let's dance.”

We go at it for almost twenty minutes, neither of us able to pin the other down. My chest is heaving and despite the coolness of the air, I can feel the sweat trickling down my chest and between my breasts. Desperate to end it, and against my better judgement, I try the same roundhouse kick that had been Aidan's undoing, but Reed throws out his arm faster than I can track, and knocks me aside. Unable to correct myself, I land heavily on my right ankle, which gives an ominous crack as I collapse to the floor.

“Tiny!” Reed crouches beside me, his face pale. “I'm sorry!” He is so contrite that I laugh even as tears of pain spring to my eyes.

“Not your fault,” I gasp, breathing slowly through my mouth.

“Is it broken?” Aidan bends down beside us, gingerly reaching for my ankle and turning it infinitely gently to the left. I give a yelp of pain and Reed rolls his eyes.

“I'd say so,” he murmurs. Surprisingly, he excuses himself immediately, claiming he has something he needs to do.

“I guess chivalry is well and truly dead,” I remark drily as I watch his departing figure. “It'll be healed by morning,” I add as Aidan helps me to my feet.

“I know,” he replies lightly, “but you can't walk on it, so I figure the least I can do is help you home.” His smile is dazzling.

“It suits you,” I say truthfully, “the Power of Three. You're not as uptight as you used to be.”

“I'll take that as a compliment.” He removes one arm from around my waist to open my door and we shuffle inside.

“It is.” I wait while he pulls back the covers and then I slump onto the bed. He lifts my legs gently and then pulls the covers over me. “You've changed, Aidan.”

“Look who's talking,” he counters.

“Alex needs one of us to stay alive. He needs one of us always to be here for him – to take care of him.”

There, I said it. This is the crux of my concerns. I have always known that I may not survive this war. But Aidan . . . Aidan was supposed to be safe. He and Alex were the reason I started this in the first place.

“Alex will have us both, Bex. I promise you that.”

“You shouldn't make promises you can't keep.”

“I don't. And,” he smiles mischievously, “I promise that I will kick your ass the next time we go head to head.”

“You're delusional.”

“McCoy is pretty good,” he points out grudgingly.

“He's the best,” I speak without thinking, but Aidan only smiles.

“That's funny . . . he says the same about you.”

I shift uncomfortably and he steers the conversation back to a safer topic.

“How's your leg?”

“Already tingling. I'll be good as new before the sun is up tomorrow.”

“Get some rest.”

“It's the middle of the day.”

“You have a point. Give me a minute.” He leaves abruptly, but is back a short while later.

“Backgammon?” I laugh, catching sight of the board under his arm. Aidan had tried to teach me to play when we were kids. I was never really any good at it.

“Now,
this is something we both know I can beat you at,” he brags, settling down at the foot of the bed.