The Hunt

[44] The Finale | Part: 2

"Aiden, no, please... don't," I stuttered, backing away so he doesn't pull me down with him.

"Felicity," he whispered, his hand finding mine. "We don't have time."

"No, no, please." I shook my head before I turned to Brandon who was too busy directing the aircraft to back out. "Brandon, don't do this."

"I have to, I'm sorry." His voice broke, followed by my heart.

I found myself staring at the back of his head in disapproval, all the anger that was once burning within, dissipating. "Brandon, please," I cried out, tears I had spent time fighting, threatening to escape.

"Let's go," Aiden said, quick enough to leave me no time for reactions.

"Aiden, no. No, no, please." My screams fell upon deaf ears as he grabbed my waist, ignoring my violent thrashing and efforts to break free from his hold.

Aiden jumped out, taking me with him, making my heart thump in sheer terror while my lungs completely blocked out all of my attempts to breathe, my restricted throat doing no less to help.

On the way down, right before I fell into the undoubtedly freezing water, my eyes caught a sight that'll last me a lifetime of trauma. A sight that felt ten times worse than my mother's death.

The hovercraft, with Brandon directing it, caused my ears to go deaf with the explosion it made when it collided with the skyscraper.

Time couldn't get any more slower.

I saw everything.

My eyes refused to miss every single shattered piece of what was previously a building, and a hovercraft which were now nothing but broken fragments, bursting with infuriated flames.

My back first came in contact with the glistening water, which made me gasp at the way it ever so coldly bit into my flesh before my body went numb as it wholly got enfolded within the depths of the ocean.

I saw nothing, heard nothing, and felt nothing.

It was as if the shock had cut everything keeping me alive out, leaving me nude to the newly discovered emptiness.

I was never the hero.

Mark was wrong.

I'm never going to be the hero.

Not after what Brandon had done for our sake.

All of our circumstances in The Hunt flashed before my eyes, the ones that cost me a mental scar each, playing vividly on repeat, bringing along the feelings I'd once felt because of them.

Nick's accidental murder, Kenric's naturally caused death, and Adriel's heartbreaking suicide. The way I was treated, the day I was taken back in and so many more thoughts I'd so regretfully be forced to call memories.

Brandon took our revenge for all of that.

He single-handedly killed Livelden's people and destroyed the whole 'Hunt' project. He ended it all.

A warm hand, contrasting with the frigid world I'd been so easily enveloped in, pulled me up to meet the surface.

When my head reached the top, I took in a sharp breath which got stuck in my water-filled lungs, consequently, causing me to start coughing up the substance choking me.

The rain was only worsening my situation, harshly reinforcing my coughing fit, but without a doubt, easing out the remaining flares of the explosion which wasted no time to subside due to the strong rain pour.

"It's okay, you're okay, I'm here," Aiden urged, desperately trying to calm me down. He brushed my wet hair back so it stayed out of my burning eyes, and wrapped his arms around my neck which pressed me to cry further as the image of my best friend raced through my mind.

Dead.

Brandon was dead.

"He's gone." I sobbed in his drenched tank top, my fingers capturing fists of it mercilessly as I tried to rid myself of the unexpected pain.

"I know," he whispered, stroking my hair gently. "He saved us all."

"Aiden, it's over. Everything's over."

It was true.

Hector's dead, the arena was in flames, Livelden's people who lived in the building were gone, and the building itself, which was the home of all the danger, was in ruins.

This was really it.

"Guys!" someone called, making us pull back from each other's arms to turn and look at the direction their voice came from.

Amelia, who swam in the midst of the group of high ranks, waved a hand in the air, her speed quickening once her eyes took me in.

I've got to admit, if it wasn't for Aiden's hand on my waist from beneath the water, I would definitely be struggling to swim considering how senseless and dull my body felt. And if it wasn't for Aiden's presence, which gave me a sense of comfort and security, I'd be crying my eyes out by now.

This wasn't just anybody. It was Brandon of all people.

My best friend.

The one I'd doubted all along even though he was truly innocent.

Lord knows how Amy will react upon finding the truth.

I'm sure she'd already put things together.

"What happened?" She panted, her eyes restless as they traveled over our surroundings, mostly the island on which stood the building with a decreasing fire. "Where's Brandon?"

At this, I averted my gaze and rested my head against Aiden's chest, trying to block out everything going on around me, and everything warring inside my mind, slowly rising and beating all sense in my body.

As Aiden spoke, his chest rose heavily and my ears caught onto the sound of his unsteady heartbeat, which somehow found a way to comfort me and ease my pain.

I didn't even care to see Amy's reaction to the merciless news, I didn't want to break down again because all I was forced to do right now, was lock away my emotions and focus on the future. The unknown.

"We can swim back, the fire is completely out," Lauren said, nodding her head towards the demolition I so hardly tried not to look at.

"Okay, you go, we'll follow," Aiden muttered, his hand finding the back of my head when I buried my face deeper into his chest, squeezing my eyes shut to will the tears away.

While the eminents and Amelia swam away towards the dim island, I kept still, my hands the only thing mobile as they tugged at Aiden's black top.

"Come on," he whispered, slowly but steadily, moving me with him through the soft waves and back to the island I never wanted to acknowledge again.

A/N one. More. Chapter. Ahhh my heart.