The Last Revolution by R.T. Carpenter Page B

between two buildings where a soldier was strangling one of the guards. Alden swung the gun and gave it a quick fire. He didn’t need to look back to know he had hit his target.
    Jumping over a fallen palm tree, Alden pulled a knife from the back of his belt and chucked it at another soldier a couple of meters ahead. He caught up to the body before it hit the ground, retrieved his knife, and kept moving. Slamming against one of the walls, he took protection from the chaos around him. He was only a few meters from the fusion reactor building; he had to hurry.
    As he prepared to run the remaining distance, a weak and startled scream came from somewhere behind. It sounded familiar. He tried to push it out of his mind but couldn’t. Turning and walking the other way against the length of the building, he peered around the corner. Two dark silhouettes stood a few meters away; one directly in front of the other.
    Rain splattered against the buildings and sidewalk. It was impossible to tell what was going on. He’d been spotted; the individual in front sprinted off into the woods. He was carrying something large. The remaining figure collapsed to their knees.
    Alden sprinted towards the kneeling figure.
    “Father McKinley!” Alden yelled.
    Sliding across the wet pavement, he was able to grab hold of him just before he hit the ground. He laid Father McKinley’s head on his shoulder for support. Blood seeped down Alden’s pants mixing with the puddles forming around them. From the depths of his soul, Alden experienced the most incomprehensible pain and anger flooding to the surface. He was back there, on the mission, covered in blood.
    “Help! I need a doctor. Somebody please help!” Alden screamed at the top of his lungs.
    “My boy. You came for me.” Father McKinley looked up at him. He tried to reach out his frail hand and touch his face.
    “Helllp! Please somebody help!” Alden’s eyes stung, he couldn’t catch his breath. Debilitating pain surged through his skull once more.
    “Shh… listen to me. No one lives forever,” Father McKinley said.
    “Noo…I can’t lose you too!”
    His back arched in pain. “Promise me something.”
    Alden wiped his eyes. “Anything.”
    “Forgive Gabriel for everything that’s happened between you two.”
    “Why?”
    “Don’t worry about that now. Just promise.”
    “I promise.”
    “Alden, you are meant for something far greater than this place.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “I upgraded your wrist deck, please take it back.” He fumbled the device out of his pocket and handed it to Alden. With that, Father McKinley gave several harsh coughs. Bright red blood trickled down the side of his mouth.
    “I need a doctor! Please!” Alden gasped for air as he yelled. Rain poured down around them. Thunder crackled overhead. Gunfire and faint explosions could still be heard in the distance. His words were lost the moment they left his mouth.
    “Alden, please look at me,” McKinley said in a soft voice.
    Alden dropped his gaze once more, wiping the blood from Father McKinley’s face. “I’m so very proud of you. No matter how dark things get, always remember that I’m proud of you.”
    Alden could barely hold back his sobs. “I can’t lose you. I need you. Please, please stay with me. The doctors are on their way. They’re coming.”
    Father McKinley smiled once more through broken pain. Alden grasped him tight. “Who did this to you?”
    Leaning in close, he could see Father McKinley beginning to struggle to speak. This was followed by several body spasms and the gut-wrenching sound of liquid bubbling inside his lungs.
    He mumbled several words, but the only one that was audible was “Khasim.” Father McKinley’s chest rose and fell and then all was still. Alden felt like all sound had drained out of his world, there was a deafening pressure on his temples and an invisible force was squeezing the life out of him. Each breath was more laborious and it was all he