Pa’s hands dropped from my face. He reached for Xander’s shirt and nodded.
“That’s more than I could hope for … Ace.”
When he set his head back against the wall, his eyes became glassy and a tear trailed down the corner of is cheek.
“Pa, please don’t leave me. I love you.”
“I love you too, Jia. I will always be here.” He placed his hand on his heart , looked at me and then it was like something switched off inside him.
I sucked in a sharp breath and the tears pour from inside my soul.
As I looked at my father I saw him as my father. not the person who’d done so much wrong. Not that man who terrified me with all the ways he could shock me. It was the first time that he didn’t look like a monster.
“Papa…” I touched his cheek which now started to feel cold.
Xander placed his arm around me and I looked to him.
“Xander… my father…”
“I know I –”
Footsteps echoed down the hall. It was only the sound that snapped me back to reality. We were still in this place. The Ra were still very much at work and I didn’t think it mattered that Balthazar was dead.
The instinct to flee washed over me, but… how could I leave Pa?
How could I leave Pa here?
“Jia, listen to me, we have to get out of here now. We have to.”
“I can’t leave him here like this.” I shook my head. “I can’t Xander. I can’t just leave him.”
He tightened his grip on me and gazed deeply into my eyes. “I just promised your father I’d take care of you and keep you safe. I promised him Jia. I promised him. Please let me do that. Pleaseallowme to do that.”
My shoulders tensed and I nodded realizing I didn’t have much time to think.
The footsteps were getting closer and were now accompanied by voices. It was definitely some of the men here. I could tell.
I stood up and Xander took my hand. One last look at Pa and we left. As soon as I moved numbness filled my body.
I ran as fast as I could with Xander next to me. We got to a path that led down a staircase. It was still part of the factory style set up but rougher looking like no one ever came out back here.
We went down to where the drains were and then it all changed to a tunnel like passage.
No one was chasing us but we were still going.
A light appeared ahead of us and I prayed it was daylight.
We got closer and my heart soared when I saw that it really was daylight. Sunlight streamed through the panels leading into the tunnels.
We went outside and the air filled my lungs.
I cast my gaze around me and saw that the situation was in hand.
Surrounding us was what I called an army.
It looked like the whole US army had come in to help.
Xander lowered his gun but kept hold of me.
It was over.
All of it was over and Pa was dead.
The thought brought the tears back and I broke down when Xander pulled me into his chest. Close to his heart.
