The Glass House: Chapter Twenty Seven
Sep. 4th, 2009 12:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolfanficsTitle: The Glass House
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderfulrana_narsilion <3
Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas; implied Tim/Craig, Hamish/Andy (after a fashion. XD)
Word Count: 4,936
Chapter: 27/32 [Previous]
Warnings: language, angst, smut
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Summary: Charles finally arrives back at the new haven with Andrew and the others. Andrew has to deal with what he's been told to do and what he wants to tell Julian before Seb spurs Andrew into action once more.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Once Charles was awake and had made sure Andrew was fit to travel, they didn't spend much longer at the motel. Charles was anxious to get home, and so was Andrew to some extent. Charles had a feeling if they didn't go now, while the city was still waking up, there would be too many soldiers around for them to get through without being caught. After a call to Julian to tell him they were on their way, they set off, stopping to change the plates on the truck and pick up some breakfast.
Chris and Andrew sat in the front, talking about everything but what had happened, while Caleb and Craig were hiding in the back, partly so Craig's wings were easier to hide, and partly so they could maul each other without disturbing the others. Charles drove, praying desperately for a clean run and no cops to stop them. He wouldn't relax until they'd arrived back at the township in one piece. It was all he cared about now that he'd found Andrew, Chris and Craig.
Julian was so glad to hear they were okay. He hadn't slept well the night before. But they were coming home now. He drank his coffee with relief. Now they could properly focus on the rebellion.
He took another look at the plans before him. Their attack would be a huge operation. It had to be right. There was no room for error, not with so many soldiers and vehicles in need of organising. He'd just had word from their groups up north that they'd acquired some fighter jets and tanks through capturing a small isolated military base and wanted to know how they should be used.
Julian wasn't thrilled at the prospect of having to reorganise everything. There were only so many places jets and tanks could be utilised, especially if they were coming from the north. He gazed at the map before him and took in where all the bases and targets they'd selected were and whether the new forces could be deployed to take out any of them.
There. A small base settlement just on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. It was almost a direct path from the rebel base in question. They'd already assigned two artillery groups to that section; they were to take out the main base infrastructure to allow the ground troops an easier time at defeating them. The addition of the new fighter jets brought the number of planes they had to 80. They were in squadrons of five to best maximise their use across the country. It wasn't ideal, and larger squads would be better, but the rebels only had so many planes and had to use them in the best way possible. No one had dared factor in any vehicles or planes they would capture during battle, mostly because they had no idea if they would even manage that. Their overall plan was a swift-moving force that didn't stop for anyone. Swift and decisive, that's what they wanted to be. Adam didn't want them to lose the initiative. The State must always be kept on the defensive.
Julian sighed. He'd been doing this all day. It was supposed to be a distraction to stop him thinking about Andrew, but it did the opposite. He kept tracing roads with his finger, wondering if that was where they were and if that was the way they were coming home.
Chas arrived back from scouting around lunchtime and found Julian sitting at his desk looking miserable. Julian looked up as he saw him enter, pleased for yet another distraction.
"They're coming back today, yes? So why are you looking so miserable?" Chas said.
"Still worried about Andrew. I mean, sure, Charles said he was fine and I believe him, but I'm not so sure he's going to be well enough to fight," Julian said.
"What happened to him was not your fault, Julian. Now, are you gonna cheer up? Just bumped into Adam, he wants a word over lunch," Chas said.
"Oh, right, sure. Well, better not keep him waiting," Julian said, getting to his feet.
"Good man," Chas said.
Arm in arm, they headed off to the mess to find Adam. Julian put his worries about Andrew aside. There would be time to fuss over him when they arrived. There were other more important things that needed his attention then.
Adam was eating with Tim when Julian and Chas found them. Chas offered to get food so Julian sat down and waited.
"Apparently you wanted to see me?" Julian said.
"Yeah, wanted to discuss Andrew. Look, I know he's not back yet and we don't know his condition, but I'm concerned about him. We don't know what they did to him when they arrested him before. What if he's spying for them? How can we be sure our security's still safe?" Adam said.
"Much as I hate to admit it, I've had similar thoughts, myself. Him running off with Craig and Chris like that has me suspicious. I don't think it was his decision to do that, though. I think there were other forces at play. But I just can't see any reason behind that than to enable the State to capture rebels and torture them. I'd rather we didn't make any assumptions until we've heard the full story from them though. Us speculating over roast beef achieves nothing," Julian said.
"It's not even good roast beef, man. Look at this shit. I've eaten better roadkill," Chas said, taking a seat next to Julian as he brought them dinner.
"In the current situation, I hardly think we're in any position to complain, Chassy. Just eat it," Julian said.
"This is the downside of relying on capturing supply trucks. Then there are few around, we don't eat well. I've had a few reports that most are heading to Army bases in secret. That means one thing only: that they're getting ready to launch some sort of full-scale attack. All that food is going to feed the soldiers. The convoys are also taking different routes each time, so we can't even lie in wait anymore. We're doing the best we can," Adam said.
"And, of course, we can't just start stealing from the people. That would do us no favours. What should we do then?" Julian said. He crinkled his nose up as he took a bite of the beef. It was tough and dry.
"I've got scouts looking for warehouses. The food has to come from somewhere. If we can locate those, it might be easier to track the trucks and ambush them. Got a couple of tentative locations, but nothing confirmed yet," Adam said.
"And in the meantime, make do with what we've got," Tim said.
"Indeed," Julian said.
"Do you think we should have let Andrew fight at all? We knew his history, and we still let him pick up a gun and fight," Julian said.
"I've wondered that since he joined us. I know he and Charles are damaged, they're not the only vets who are, but sometimes you need to trust people. Besides, they said they were fine, and neither showed any signs of distress, so I let it go," Adam said.
"Just like Craig, hey?" Julian said.
"Yeah, just like Craig," Adam said with a sigh.
"Jesus, Adam, don't look so defeated. What kind of soldiers did you expect this rebellion to have?" Chas said.
"You're right, of course. Though you can hardly say the State soldiers are any saner. What a waste of humanity," Adam said.
There were murmurs of agreement from the others. They were reminded of their own scars. Rebels they might be, but society had left them broken and needed to be reminded of that every so often. Occasionally Adam doubted the sense in sending damaged soldiers into war, but what other option did they have left? It was fight or be slaughtered. Fighting was their last chance.
They'd hardly stopped all day. Charles was too scared to stop for more than ten minutes at a time. However, they'd made good progress and they were only an hour or so away from the township now, and the sun was getting lower in the sky. They had seen very few soldiers around; given Julian's warnings about increased security, Charles didn't like that at all. He was sure they were going to turn a corner and run into an ambush or something and get killed.
Then they did turn a corner and found an abandoned supply truck. The back doors were hanging open, showing them the food still in the back. Charles slowed the truck. It was a goldmine. That food would keep them going for a week at least. However, soldiers don't just abandon supply trucks. Maybe it was an ambush.
"I don't like this at all," Charles said.
"We need that food. Who cares if it's an ambush?" Chris said.
They pulled up alongside the truck. Peering inside, the two occupants had been slaughtered. Craig and Caleb had clambered out from the back to see what was going on.
"Oh, that's nasty. Who do you think did that then?" Craig said.
"Hard to tell. Could be anyone. Though why they left the food behind is anyone's guess," Chris said.
"Maybe they didn't know it was a supply truck. Maybe they thought it was just an Army truck. They do look the same," Charles said.
"Should we take the cargo then?" Craig said.
"Wait here," Charles said. "Caleb, grab a rifle and scout around. You guys stay here."
The street was quiet. Charles and Caleb, rifles clutched close and ready to fire if needed, looked around to see if there were any obvious hiding spots or tripwires. The landscape was flat and somewhat barren. It was farming country, so there was little in the way of bushland. There seemed to be no obvious places to hide.
"Maybe there's a bomb," Caleb said as they stood in front of the open doors, pondering the risks of taking what was in there.
"If there was, it should have blown by now. Those soldiers have been dead at least a day. This isn't a road with a lot of traffic. If there had been a bomb, and someone else had come across it, it should've exploded by now. A bomb seems unlikely," Charles said.
"I reckon we should drive our truck out of the way and throw rocks at it to see if that triggers anything," Caleb said.
Charles stepped forward and pulled one of the doors open. Nothing happened. There was, however, another body in the back. Its mutilated skull screamed silently at them, soaked in blood. It hadn't been visible from the truck as they'd approached, hidden in the shadow of a shelf.
"Oh, Jesus Christ! Ugh. Maybe we should leave this. No idea how badly contaminated the food is," Charles said, holding an arm in front of his nose to protect against the sight.
"Good idea," Caleb said.
Charles pushed the door closed and they headed back to their truck. Perhaps it was best to leave it for now and just get back home again.
"So, verdict?" Craig said.
"Body in the back. I ain't touching any of that food. Let's get out of here," Charles said.
"Poor guys. What a way to die," Chris said, gazing over at the abandoned truck.
"Better them than us," Charles said. He revved the engine and drove off.
Just as the abandoned truck had almost disappeared from view, there was a huge explosion and a plume of fire. The truck was no more.
"Told you there was a bomb," Caleb said.
"Little shit. Good thing we left and didn't hang around," Charles said.
"Oh, come on. How obvious a trap was that? No way was there not going to be a bomb somewhere. Must've used motion sensor triggers or something to set it off when someone came to investigate it," Caleb said.
"Since when do you know so much about bombs?" Craig said, looking at Caleb.
"I once dated a Lieutenant-Colonel," Caleb said.
"Sure you did, you scamp," Craig said.
"Okay, so he was only a non-com Sergent, but whatever. He was in the Army at any rate. He was a good fuck. Taught me all about how to be a soldier in return for screwing his arse every day and spanking him. I've had worse relationships," Caleb said.
"I'll screw your arse when we get home, Caleb," Craig said.
"Not if I get there first," Caleb said.
"Will you two cut it out? Can't you think about something other than sex until we get back?" Charles said.
"Right, we know when we're not needed. Come on, Caleb," Craig said as he clambered into the back, grasping Caleb's wrists tightly.
They clambered back to where they had been and shut the others out. Spoilsports. The movement of the truck was strangely erotic now that they were alone. Craig lay on the floor, his back to the main cabin, while Caleb straddled him, pulling him into a kiss.
"God I missed you," Craig breathed.
"I missed you too. Are you really okay? It's not like you just went for a joyride into the bush," Caleb said.
"I've suffered worse. At least Andrew's okay," Craig said.
"Yeah, that's true. Just, you know, stop me if it's getting too hard, okay? Don't want to upset you any more than necessary," Caleb said.
"Thanks. Now are you gonna get naked or not, hmm?" Craig said, slipping his hands up Caleb's side. He was not prepared to admit how much he appreciated Caleb's concern. There were certain things a fullwing would never admit to, no matter how scarred they got.
They arrived back at the township late afternoon. Andrew had never been happier to be back. He was tired of being led around by voices and being totally out of control. He was trying to ignore his new mission. He had spent the journey pleading for some space to get his head straight before attending to their wishes while trying to convince Chris he was okay.
The truck pulled up outside the main building. It was quiet. Wearily, they left the truck and headed inside. It felt good to be out of the truck at last. Andrew was ready for a proper bed. He leaned on Chris as they went, not quite feeling up to walking by himself.
"Charles? Mind if I go lie down a while? Tell Julian I'll see him later," Andrew said.
"Sure. Go rest up. You deserve it," Charles said, squeezing his shoulder gently.
Andrew gave him a smile before he let Chris lead him off to their room. Charles watched them go. Craig gazed after them, wondering what was going on in Andrew's head.
"Well, go on. Don't let me keep you from your desire to fuck each other senseless," Charles said, noticing the way Craig was clutching Caleb's fingers.
"I was just seeing Andrew off. We're going now. You can handle Julian on your own," Craig said.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Charles said.
Alone in the corridor, he went to find Julian. Once he had done that, he could go sleep now that the ordeal was over. Back to worrying about the rebellion.
Back in their room, Andrew lay down gratefully, curling up as he settled at last. Chris sat on the bed next to him. That Andrew was clearly traumatised was of no surprise to anyone. Chris lay a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. Chris had no idea how long it would take for his mind to heal. Even he was beginning to doubt Andrew should be allowed to fight when the rebellion came.
"You okay?" Chris said softly.
"Glad to be home. Hold me?" Andrew said, looking up at him.
"Sure," Chris said, giving him a smile.
Chris lay down behind him and held him, dragging the blanket up to cover them both. Thank the Gods they were both safe and back home. That was all Chris cared about. Andrew closed his eyes and let himself sleep. He hoped he wouldn't dream. Dreaming had become exhausting and he wasn't sure he had the energy for that.
Charles headed straight for Julian's room, hoping to talk to him now that they'd arrived back. Julian was still pouring over the battle maps when Charles entered, shifting all the little units around like chess pieces or toy soldiers.
"I'm back, Jules. Miss me?" Charles said, coming in.
Julian looked up. "You took your time. How is he?"
"Sleeping, apparently. Chris took him to their room. I figured there was no point in rushing him," Charles said.
"Fair enough. He probably deserves it. I'll talk to him when he's feeling up to it. Anything else to report?" Julian said.
"Found an abandoned supply truck on one of the back roads. We would've salvaged it, but there were three mutilated soldiers in there, and it was rigged up to a bomb. No idea who did it though. The bomb exploded when we were far enough away to not get hit by it. Someone's been setting traps," Charles said.
"Shit. I'm glad you got away. I'll let the scouts know in case there are others out there," Julian said.
"Good idea. I mean, it looked like a one-off, but you can never be too careful," Charles said. "How's the plans going?"
"Don't ask," Julian said, scowling at the map.
"That bad, huh?" Charles said.
"It would be fine if the other groups stopped sending me notes telling them about new stuff they've captured. I have to keep reassigning everything to make sure we've got the best plan possible," Julian said.
"Shall I leave you to it then?" Charles said.
"Hmm," Julian murmured, shifting two groups as he tried to work out whether a particular base required more tanks than another.
"You do know that road has no troops on it, yes?" Charles said, pointing at a small road on the other side of a river that lead between a few bases.
"Ahh, shit! I didn't see that one. Fuck!" Julian cursed, moving north the group he had been trying to assign to a route further south.
Charles patted him on the head and left him to his planning. He decided it was time to eat and headed back to the mess to see what was on offer for dinner.
Andrew woke before dawn the next day. His sleep had been restless, but thankfully free from dreams. He was tired and wouldn't have minded a bit more sleep, but he couldn't quieten his mind enough and decided he might as well get up. Leaving Chris in bed, Andrew pulled on some clean clothes and headed out to wander around the town, looking for space to think. While he appreciated Chris' attentiveness, and would never tell him to stop, Chris didn't quite understand that what Andrew really wanted was time alone to think. Andrew wouldn't tell Chris anything until he'd had time to process it all for himself, and in order to do that, he needed to be alone.
The base was quiet. The few people awake were those on patrol and night watch. Wandering through the corridors helped. Moving helped him think. He did several laps of the main building, wandering every corridor he could find as quietly as possible before he decided to go outside. He passed Julian's office as he went and glanced inside. Julian was still awake, or had just woken up, and was glaring at the maps he'd been dealing with earlier. He looked up as he saw Andrew.
"Hey. There you are. You okay?" Julian said quietly. He got up and stretched.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Not tired enough to sleep. Brain won't shut up," Andrew said, leaning against the doorframe. "I was gonna go walk outside. Wanna come?"
Julian glanced out the window, catching the first glints of sunlight through the trees. "Yeah, sounds good," he said.
Julian grabbed a coat and followed Andrew outside, linking their arms together. The town was bathed in the silent stillness of pre-dawn, and there was an aching chill in the air that would only go away when the sun properly rose.
"I was hoping you were still awake, you know. I wanted to talk to you alone, you know, without Chris buzzing around my head," Andrew murmured.
"You caught me waking up. Can't even remember when I fell asleep. I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Julian said.
"I don't know anymore. The voice is gone, though. I'm not trapped anymore. Truth be told, I don't really remember much of what happened. I figure that's probably for the best. I've got enough bad shit to deal with from the war. Don't need anymore," Andrew said.
"I see you changed your hair," Julian said.
"Apparently so. I don't know how I got that either. Or the wings. I just remember waking up and they were there," Andrew said.
Julian glanced behind him to see the translucent wings fluttering softly against his back. "I'd consider yourself lucky, mate," Julian said.
"Yeah," Andrew said.
They walked in silence for some time until they found a small park. They took a seat on a nearby bench and watched the sun poking up from behind the trees. The play equipment was broken and the paint chipped to the point of obsession from the seesaw, its wood flaking and warped over time.
"What is it you want to tell me?" Julian said.
"So many things. But I just-I can't-" Andrew paused. "Things aren't over, but just trust me. I'm not working against you."
"I never thought you were," Julian said.
"Yes, you did. So did Adam. But I don't blame you. I'd think that too. You know that raid at the warehouse? The old one? I called them. The voice told me to. I didn't dare disobey," Andrew said.
"It's okay. It's not your fault," Julian said.
"I know. I've killed a lot of people in my life. How did I let that happen?" Andrew said, stifling a laugh.
"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," Julian said.
"No, it won't. This'll go on for years. Plan for a long battle, rather than a short insurgence, and we'll be more likely to win," Andrew said.
"Already covered, but thanks for the advice," Julian said.
"Good. I didn't think you'd be that stupid. You know what war's like. It goes on and on and on and never really ends," Andrew said.
Andrew drew his knees up to his chest as he fought off the memories again. Ironically, the one memory he did have of the kidnapping ordeal was a memory from the New Zealand war, and that poor boy he'd almost killed-
"War is ghastly. I-I don't think I can fight again, Julian. I'm so sorry. I just can't," Andrew murmured.
"It's okay. I understand. I was thinking the same thing. I know what you went through," Julian said.
"I'll do anything, but don't make me fight. I don't think I'll be able to control myself again," Andrew said.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you," Julian said.
Andrew took a deep breath as Julian brought him into his arms. The dawn was making him feel particularly fragile, and his mind was battling to stay sane. Andrew wanted to speak, but something told him he'd said enough. He curled into Julian, thankful for his understanding.
The rebellion headquarters were a hive of activity a few hours later. Nowhere was this more prominent than in the war room, where Adam, Wil and the other senior rebels made ready their final plans for battle. The rest of the rebels trained and readied their weapons, preparing for the coming onslaught. Everyone would be valuable. No one was allowed to do nothing, not even Andrew.
After talking with Julian, they had returned to the mess hall for breakfast. They ate in silence. Julian headed off for meetings with Adam and the rest of the senior rebels while Andrew went to shower. Chris was long gone when he got back to their room. He'd left a note for Andrew, telling he was doing weapons stocktaking with Charles. Figuring he wouldn't be back for a while, Andrew changed his mind and got back into bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep. He was in no mood to socialise, not when he had fellow rebels giving him dirty looks. He closed his eyes and curled up, quickly falling asleep, and this time, he did dream.
Andrew was in Sepulchre's shrine room, his translucent wings shimmering in the candlelight. He sat before the shrine, the strange sword he had acquired resting on the ground before him. He had his eyes closed as he concentrated, murmuring prayers he couldn't understand.
"Azai," Seb said, appearing for the first time since they'd moved the safe haven. He rested a hand gently on his shoulder, pleased to see him.
"Sepulchre," Andrew said, looking up at him. "You appear at last?"
"Things are important. It must be done. You require one final piece of knowledge before I can let you go," Seb said.
"I'm all ears, Seb. What do I need to know?" Andrew said.
"You must master the sword, or it will master you. Take it. Only when you learn its name will you be able to control it. You will only be allowed to ask it once. If you do not guess correctly, the sword will destroy you. I do not ask this of you lightly. But it must be done. You have two days. Return to me then when you are ready to answer the sword. As usual, do not speak a word of this to anyone. Reveal it and forfeit your life," Seb said.
Andrew breathed deeply, taking in his words, a strange fiery light swirling around him.
"Stand and face me. I must look upon your face again," Seb said.
Andrew opened his eyes and stood up, turning around to face Seb, his wings gently waving behind him. Seb stood as he always did, bare chest tattooed with sacred marks. His wings were as great as ever and his bright green eyes conveyed that same deep wisdom that made him the legend that he was. He smiled down at him warmly, reaching out to rest his hands on his shoulders and bring him closer to him.
"My little Andrew, this has not been easy for you, I know. My, you have grown so much. There are the growing seeds of wisdom in your eyes. You will be revered for this role you have been chosen to perform. You look glorious, radiant and shining. I'm so proud of how you've coped with all this. I wasn't sure how you'd deal with it after I'd picked you for this, but you've proved my decision right time and time again. You do shine with beautiful light, and you shine so brightly. If anyone can learn the name of that sword, you can," Seb said.
"You're too kind to me. I'm not that special. I'm just doing what I have to do. Anyone could've done what I've done," Andrew said, shying away from praise.
"You are humble, and yet you are great. No one else would've been right for this role. You do understand the gravity of what you must do?" Seb said.
"I do, and I don't like that I'm the one who has to do this, but it must be so. I have wrestled with my conscience over this, it hasn't been easy to accept this, but there's no other choice. I'll do what I must," Andrew said.
"And you will do it with beautiful light shining from your wings. Now, go, you are wasting valuable time. Be at peace with yourself and come into your full power," Seb said.
"Later, Seb," Andrew said as Seb vanished into the air.
With a smile, Andrew picked up the sword, bowed to the shrine and left the room, knowing he had to get this right or their whole rebellion would be at stake.
Andrew lay in bed, mumbling words in a language he could not speak, a hand clasped tightly around the sword hilt. He didn't notice Chris looking in on him. Chris stood in the doorway, peering through the crack in the door, as the sword glowed and Andrew murmured. Afraid of the strange feeling the room had acquired, Chris shut the door and left him alone.
When Andrew opened his eyes again, it was night time. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ready to get up. The sword was humming, and one single word was etched into his mind, the strange pronunciation not so strange now. Had he found it?
Andrew had breathed the word before he could stop himself, the letters rolling off his tongue as if they were meant to do so. The effect was instantaneous. The sword came to life and Andrew knew he'd got it right. The sword fitted into his hand and claimed him. He could suddenly see the great power the sword possessed, and what he would have to do with it to secure the country's freedom. It shocked him. It showed him both terrible suffering and righteous victory. Andrew's wings glowed bright again for the first time since he'd left the caves.
He stood up, clutching the sword firmly. He knew what he had to do.
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderful
rana_narsilion <3Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas; implied Tim/Craig, Hamish/Andy (after a fashion. XD)
Word Count: 4,936
Chapter: 27/32 [Previous]
Warnings: language, angst, smut
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Summary: Charles finally arrives back at the new haven with Andrew and the others. Andrew has to deal with what he's been told to do and what he wants to tell Julian before Seb spurs Andrew into action once more.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Once Charles was awake and had made sure Andrew was fit to travel, they didn't spend much longer at the motel. Charles was anxious to get home, and so was Andrew to some extent. Charles had a feeling if they didn't go now, while the city was still waking up, there would be too many soldiers around for them to get through without being caught. After a call to Julian to tell him they were on their way, they set off, stopping to change the plates on the truck and pick up some breakfast.
Chris and Andrew sat in the front, talking about everything but what had happened, while Caleb and Craig were hiding in the back, partly so Craig's wings were easier to hide, and partly so they could maul each other without disturbing the others. Charles drove, praying desperately for a clean run and no cops to stop them. He wouldn't relax until they'd arrived back at the township in one piece. It was all he cared about now that he'd found Andrew, Chris and Craig.
Julian was so glad to hear they were okay. He hadn't slept well the night before. But they were coming home now. He drank his coffee with relief. Now they could properly focus on the rebellion.
He took another look at the plans before him. Their attack would be a huge operation. It had to be right. There was no room for error, not with so many soldiers and vehicles in need of organising. He'd just had word from their groups up north that they'd acquired some fighter jets and tanks through capturing a small isolated military base and wanted to know how they should be used.
Julian wasn't thrilled at the prospect of having to reorganise everything. There were only so many places jets and tanks could be utilised, especially if they were coming from the north. He gazed at the map before him and took in where all the bases and targets they'd selected were and whether the new forces could be deployed to take out any of them.
There. A small base settlement just on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. It was almost a direct path from the rebel base in question. They'd already assigned two artillery groups to that section; they were to take out the main base infrastructure to allow the ground troops an easier time at defeating them. The addition of the new fighter jets brought the number of planes they had to 80. They were in squadrons of five to best maximise their use across the country. It wasn't ideal, and larger squads would be better, but the rebels only had so many planes and had to use them in the best way possible. No one had dared factor in any vehicles or planes they would capture during battle, mostly because they had no idea if they would even manage that. Their overall plan was a swift-moving force that didn't stop for anyone. Swift and decisive, that's what they wanted to be. Adam didn't want them to lose the initiative. The State must always be kept on the defensive.
Julian sighed. He'd been doing this all day. It was supposed to be a distraction to stop him thinking about Andrew, but it did the opposite. He kept tracing roads with his finger, wondering if that was where they were and if that was the way they were coming home.
Chas arrived back from scouting around lunchtime and found Julian sitting at his desk looking miserable. Julian looked up as he saw him enter, pleased for yet another distraction.
"They're coming back today, yes? So why are you looking so miserable?" Chas said.
"Still worried about Andrew. I mean, sure, Charles said he was fine and I believe him, but I'm not so sure he's going to be well enough to fight," Julian said.
"What happened to him was not your fault, Julian. Now, are you gonna cheer up? Just bumped into Adam, he wants a word over lunch," Chas said.
"Oh, right, sure. Well, better not keep him waiting," Julian said, getting to his feet.
"Good man," Chas said.
Arm in arm, they headed off to the mess to find Adam. Julian put his worries about Andrew aside. There would be time to fuss over him when they arrived. There were other more important things that needed his attention then.
Adam was eating with Tim when Julian and Chas found them. Chas offered to get food so Julian sat down and waited.
"Apparently you wanted to see me?" Julian said.
"Yeah, wanted to discuss Andrew. Look, I know he's not back yet and we don't know his condition, but I'm concerned about him. We don't know what they did to him when they arrested him before. What if he's spying for them? How can we be sure our security's still safe?" Adam said.
"Much as I hate to admit it, I've had similar thoughts, myself. Him running off with Craig and Chris like that has me suspicious. I don't think it was his decision to do that, though. I think there were other forces at play. But I just can't see any reason behind that than to enable the State to capture rebels and torture them. I'd rather we didn't make any assumptions until we've heard the full story from them though. Us speculating over roast beef achieves nothing," Julian said.
"It's not even good roast beef, man. Look at this shit. I've eaten better roadkill," Chas said, taking a seat next to Julian as he brought them dinner.
"In the current situation, I hardly think we're in any position to complain, Chassy. Just eat it," Julian said.
"This is the downside of relying on capturing supply trucks. Then there are few around, we don't eat well. I've had a few reports that most are heading to Army bases in secret. That means one thing only: that they're getting ready to launch some sort of full-scale attack. All that food is going to feed the soldiers. The convoys are also taking different routes each time, so we can't even lie in wait anymore. We're doing the best we can," Adam said.
"And, of course, we can't just start stealing from the people. That would do us no favours. What should we do then?" Julian said. He crinkled his nose up as he took a bite of the beef. It was tough and dry.
"I've got scouts looking for warehouses. The food has to come from somewhere. If we can locate those, it might be easier to track the trucks and ambush them. Got a couple of tentative locations, but nothing confirmed yet," Adam said.
"And in the meantime, make do with what we've got," Tim said.
"Indeed," Julian said.
"Do you think we should have let Andrew fight at all? We knew his history, and we still let him pick up a gun and fight," Julian said.
"I've wondered that since he joined us. I know he and Charles are damaged, they're not the only vets who are, but sometimes you need to trust people. Besides, they said they were fine, and neither showed any signs of distress, so I let it go," Adam said.
"Just like Craig, hey?" Julian said.
"Yeah, just like Craig," Adam said with a sigh.
"Jesus, Adam, don't look so defeated. What kind of soldiers did you expect this rebellion to have?" Chas said.
"You're right, of course. Though you can hardly say the State soldiers are any saner. What a waste of humanity," Adam said.
There were murmurs of agreement from the others. They were reminded of their own scars. Rebels they might be, but society had left them broken and needed to be reminded of that every so often. Occasionally Adam doubted the sense in sending damaged soldiers into war, but what other option did they have left? It was fight or be slaughtered. Fighting was their last chance.
They'd hardly stopped all day. Charles was too scared to stop for more than ten minutes at a time. However, they'd made good progress and they were only an hour or so away from the township now, and the sun was getting lower in the sky. They had seen very few soldiers around; given Julian's warnings about increased security, Charles didn't like that at all. He was sure they were going to turn a corner and run into an ambush or something and get killed.
Then they did turn a corner and found an abandoned supply truck. The back doors were hanging open, showing them the food still in the back. Charles slowed the truck. It was a goldmine. That food would keep them going for a week at least. However, soldiers don't just abandon supply trucks. Maybe it was an ambush.
"I don't like this at all," Charles said.
"We need that food. Who cares if it's an ambush?" Chris said.
They pulled up alongside the truck. Peering inside, the two occupants had been slaughtered. Craig and Caleb had clambered out from the back to see what was going on.
"Oh, that's nasty. Who do you think did that then?" Craig said.
"Hard to tell. Could be anyone. Though why they left the food behind is anyone's guess," Chris said.
"Maybe they didn't know it was a supply truck. Maybe they thought it was just an Army truck. They do look the same," Charles said.
"Should we take the cargo then?" Craig said.
"Wait here," Charles said. "Caleb, grab a rifle and scout around. You guys stay here."
The street was quiet. Charles and Caleb, rifles clutched close and ready to fire if needed, looked around to see if there were any obvious hiding spots or tripwires. The landscape was flat and somewhat barren. It was farming country, so there was little in the way of bushland. There seemed to be no obvious places to hide.
"Maybe there's a bomb," Caleb said as they stood in front of the open doors, pondering the risks of taking what was in there.
"If there was, it should have blown by now. Those soldiers have been dead at least a day. This isn't a road with a lot of traffic. If there had been a bomb, and someone else had come across it, it should've exploded by now. A bomb seems unlikely," Charles said.
"I reckon we should drive our truck out of the way and throw rocks at it to see if that triggers anything," Caleb said.
Charles stepped forward and pulled one of the doors open. Nothing happened. There was, however, another body in the back. Its mutilated skull screamed silently at them, soaked in blood. It hadn't been visible from the truck as they'd approached, hidden in the shadow of a shelf.
"Oh, Jesus Christ! Ugh. Maybe we should leave this. No idea how badly contaminated the food is," Charles said, holding an arm in front of his nose to protect against the sight.
"Good idea," Caleb said.
Charles pushed the door closed and they headed back to their truck. Perhaps it was best to leave it for now and just get back home again.
"So, verdict?" Craig said.
"Body in the back. I ain't touching any of that food. Let's get out of here," Charles said.
"Poor guys. What a way to die," Chris said, gazing over at the abandoned truck.
"Better them than us," Charles said. He revved the engine and drove off.
Just as the abandoned truck had almost disappeared from view, there was a huge explosion and a plume of fire. The truck was no more.
"Told you there was a bomb," Caleb said.
"Little shit. Good thing we left and didn't hang around," Charles said.
"Oh, come on. How obvious a trap was that? No way was there not going to be a bomb somewhere. Must've used motion sensor triggers or something to set it off when someone came to investigate it," Caleb said.
"Since when do you know so much about bombs?" Craig said, looking at Caleb.
"I once dated a Lieutenant-Colonel," Caleb said.
"Sure you did, you scamp," Craig said.
"Okay, so he was only a non-com Sergent, but whatever. He was in the Army at any rate. He was a good fuck. Taught me all about how to be a soldier in return for screwing his arse every day and spanking him. I've had worse relationships," Caleb said.
"I'll screw your arse when we get home, Caleb," Craig said.
"Not if I get there first," Caleb said.
"Will you two cut it out? Can't you think about something other than sex until we get back?" Charles said.
"Right, we know when we're not needed. Come on, Caleb," Craig said as he clambered into the back, grasping Caleb's wrists tightly.
They clambered back to where they had been and shut the others out. Spoilsports. The movement of the truck was strangely erotic now that they were alone. Craig lay on the floor, his back to the main cabin, while Caleb straddled him, pulling him into a kiss.
"God I missed you," Craig breathed.
"I missed you too. Are you really okay? It's not like you just went for a joyride into the bush," Caleb said.
"I've suffered worse. At least Andrew's okay," Craig said.
"Yeah, that's true. Just, you know, stop me if it's getting too hard, okay? Don't want to upset you any more than necessary," Caleb said.
"Thanks. Now are you gonna get naked or not, hmm?" Craig said, slipping his hands up Caleb's side. He was not prepared to admit how much he appreciated Caleb's concern. There were certain things a fullwing would never admit to, no matter how scarred they got.
They arrived back at the township late afternoon. Andrew had never been happier to be back. He was tired of being led around by voices and being totally out of control. He was trying to ignore his new mission. He had spent the journey pleading for some space to get his head straight before attending to their wishes while trying to convince Chris he was okay.
The truck pulled up outside the main building. It was quiet. Wearily, they left the truck and headed inside. It felt good to be out of the truck at last. Andrew was ready for a proper bed. He leaned on Chris as they went, not quite feeling up to walking by himself.
"Charles? Mind if I go lie down a while? Tell Julian I'll see him later," Andrew said.
"Sure. Go rest up. You deserve it," Charles said, squeezing his shoulder gently.
Andrew gave him a smile before he let Chris lead him off to their room. Charles watched them go. Craig gazed after them, wondering what was going on in Andrew's head.
"Well, go on. Don't let me keep you from your desire to fuck each other senseless," Charles said, noticing the way Craig was clutching Caleb's fingers.
"I was just seeing Andrew off. We're going now. You can handle Julian on your own," Craig said.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Charles said.
Alone in the corridor, he went to find Julian. Once he had done that, he could go sleep now that the ordeal was over. Back to worrying about the rebellion.
Back in their room, Andrew lay down gratefully, curling up as he settled at last. Chris sat on the bed next to him. That Andrew was clearly traumatised was of no surprise to anyone. Chris lay a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. Chris had no idea how long it would take for his mind to heal. Even he was beginning to doubt Andrew should be allowed to fight when the rebellion came.
"You okay?" Chris said softly.
"Glad to be home. Hold me?" Andrew said, looking up at him.
"Sure," Chris said, giving him a smile.
Chris lay down behind him and held him, dragging the blanket up to cover them both. Thank the Gods they were both safe and back home. That was all Chris cared about. Andrew closed his eyes and let himself sleep. He hoped he wouldn't dream. Dreaming had become exhausting and he wasn't sure he had the energy for that.
Charles headed straight for Julian's room, hoping to talk to him now that they'd arrived back. Julian was still pouring over the battle maps when Charles entered, shifting all the little units around like chess pieces or toy soldiers.
"I'm back, Jules. Miss me?" Charles said, coming in.
Julian looked up. "You took your time. How is he?"
"Sleeping, apparently. Chris took him to their room. I figured there was no point in rushing him," Charles said.
"Fair enough. He probably deserves it. I'll talk to him when he's feeling up to it. Anything else to report?" Julian said.
"Found an abandoned supply truck on one of the back roads. We would've salvaged it, but there were three mutilated soldiers in there, and it was rigged up to a bomb. No idea who did it though. The bomb exploded when we were far enough away to not get hit by it. Someone's been setting traps," Charles said.
"Shit. I'm glad you got away. I'll let the scouts know in case there are others out there," Julian said.
"Good idea. I mean, it looked like a one-off, but you can never be too careful," Charles said. "How's the plans going?"
"Don't ask," Julian said, scowling at the map.
"That bad, huh?" Charles said.
"It would be fine if the other groups stopped sending me notes telling them about new stuff they've captured. I have to keep reassigning everything to make sure we've got the best plan possible," Julian said.
"Shall I leave you to it then?" Charles said.
"Hmm," Julian murmured, shifting two groups as he tried to work out whether a particular base required more tanks than another.
"You do know that road has no troops on it, yes?" Charles said, pointing at a small road on the other side of a river that lead between a few bases.
"Ahh, shit! I didn't see that one. Fuck!" Julian cursed, moving north the group he had been trying to assign to a route further south.
Charles patted him on the head and left him to his planning. He decided it was time to eat and headed back to the mess to see what was on offer for dinner.
Andrew woke before dawn the next day. His sleep had been restless, but thankfully free from dreams. He was tired and wouldn't have minded a bit more sleep, but he couldn't quieten his mind enough and decided he might as well get up. Leaving Chris in bed, Andrew pulled on some clean clothes and headed out to wander around the town, looking for space to think. While he appreciated Chris' attentiveness, and would never tell him to stop, Chris didn't quite understand that what Andrew really wanted was time alone to think. Andrew wouldn't tell Chris anything until he'd had time to process it all for himself, and in order to do that, he needed to be alone.
The base was quiet. The few people awake were those on patrol and night watch. Wandering through the corridors helped. Moving helped him think. He did several laps of the main building, wandering every corridor he could find as quietly as possible before he decided to go outside. He passed Julian's office as he went and glanced inside. Julian was still awake, or had just woken up, and was glaring at the maps he'd been dealing with earlier. He looked up as he saw Andrew.
"Hey. There you are. You okay?" Julian said quietly. He got up and stretched.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Not tired enough to sleep. Brain won't shut up," Andrew said, leaning against the doorframe. "I was gonna go walk outside. Wanna come?"
Julian glanced out the window, catching the first glints of sunlight through the trees. "Yeah, sounds good," he said.
Julian grabbed a coat and followed Andrew outside, linking their arms together. The town was bathed in the silent stillness of pre-dawn, and there was an aching chill in the air that would only go away when the sun properly rose.
"I was hoping you were still awake, you know. I wanted to talk to you alone, you know, without Chris buzzing around my head," Andrew murmured.
"You caught me waking up. Can't even remember when I fell asleep. I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Julian said.
"I don't know anymore. The voice is gone, though. I'm not trapped anymore. Truth be told, I don't really remember much of what happened. I figure that's probably for the best. I've got enough bad shit to deal with from the war. Don't need anymore," Andrew said.
"I see you changed your hair," Julian said.
"Apparently so. I don't know how I got that either. Or the wings. I just remember waking up and they were there," Andrew said.
Julian glanced behind him to see the translucent wings fluttering softly against his back. "I'd consider yourself lucky, mate," Julian said.
"Yeah," Andrew said.
They walked in silence for some time until they found a small park. They took a seat on a nearby bench and watched the sun poking up from behind the trees. The play equipment was broken and the paint chipped to the point of obsession from the seesaw, its wood flaking and warped over time.
"What is it you want to tell me?" Julian said.
"So many things. But I just-I can't-" Andrew paused. "Things aren't over, but just trust me. I'm not working against you."
"I never thought you were," Julian said.
"Yes, you did. So did Adam. But I don't blame you. I'd think that too. You know that raid at the warehouse? The old one? I called them. The voice told me to. I didn't dare disobey," Andrew said.
"It's okay. It's not your fault," Julian said.
"I know. I've killed a lot of people in my life. How did I let that happen?" Andrew said, stifling a laugh.
"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," Julian said.
"No, it won't. This'll go on for years. Plan for a long battle, rather than a short insurgence, and we'll be more likely to win," Andrew said.
"Already covered, but thanks for the advice," Julian said.
"Good. I didn't think you'd be that stupid. You know what war's like. It goes on and on and on and never really ends," Andrew said.
Andrew drew his knees up to his chest as he fought off the memories again. Ironically, the one memory he did have of the kidnapping ordeal was a memory from the New Zealand war, and that poor boy he'd almost killed-
"War is ghastly. I-I don't think I can fight again, Julian. I'm so sorry. I just can't," Andrew murmured.
"It's okay. I understand. I was thinking the same thing. I know what you went through," Julian said.
"I'll do anything, but don't make me fight. I don't think I'll be able to control myself again," Andrew said.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you," Julian said.
Andrew took a deep breath as Julian brought him into his arms. The dawn was making him feel particularly fragile, and his mind was battling to stay sane. Andrew wanted to speak, but something told him he'd said enough. He curled into Julian, thankful for his understanding.
The rebellion headquarters were a hive of activity a few hours later. Nowhere was this more prominent than in the war room, where Adam, Wil and the other senior rebels made ready their final plans for battle. The rest of the rebels trained and readied their weapons, preparing for the coming onslaught. Everyone would be valuable. No one was allowed to do nothing, not even Andrew.
After talking with Julian, they had returned to the mess hall for breakfast. They ate in silence. Julian headed off for meetings with Adam and the rest of the senior rebels while Andrew went to shower. Chris was long gone when he got back to their room. He'd left a note for Andrew, telling he was doing weapons stocktaking with Charles. Figuring he wouldn't be back for a while, Andrew changed his mind and got back into bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep. He was in no mood to socialise, not when he had fellow rebels giving him dirty looks. He closed his eyes and curled up, quickly falling asleep, and this time, he did dream.
Andrew was in Sepulchre's shrine room, his translucent wings shimmering in the candlelight. He sat before the shrine, the strange sword he had acquired resting on the ground before him. He had his eyes closed as he concentrated, murmuring prayers he couldn't understand.
"Azai," Seb said, appearing for the first time since they'd moved the safe haven. He rested a hand gently on his shoulder, pleased to see him.
"Sepulchre," Andrew said, looking up at him. "You appear at last?"
"Things are important. It must be done. You require one final piece of knowledge before I can let you go," Seb said.
"I'm all ears, Seb. What do I need to know?" Andrew said.
"You must master the sword, or it will master you. Take it. Only when you learn its name will you be able to control it. You will only be allowed to ask it once. If you do not guess correctly, the sword will destroy you. I do not ask this of you lightly. But it must be done. You have two days. Return to me then when you are ready to answer the sword. As usual, do not speak a word of this to anyone. Reveal it and forfeit your life," Seb said.
Andrew breathed deeply, taking in his words, a strange fiery light swirling around him.
"Stand and face me. I must look upon your face again," Seb said.
Andrew opened his eyes and stood up, turning around to face Seb, his wings gently waving behind him. Seb stood as he always did, bare chest tattooed with sacred marks. His wings were as great as ever and his bright green eyes conveyed that same deep wisdom that made him the legend that he was. He smiled down at him warmly, reaching out to rest his hands on his shoulders and bring him closer to him.
"My little Andrew, this has not been easy for you, I know. My, you have grown so much. There are the growing seeds of wisdom in your eyes. You will be revered for this role you have been chosen to perform. You look glorious, radiant and shining. I'm so proud of how you've coped with all this. I wasn't sure how you'd deal with it after I'd picked you for this, but you've proved my decision right time and time again. You do shine with beautiful light, and you shine so brightly. If anyone can learn the name of that sword, you can," Seb said.
"You're too kind to me. I'm not that special. I'm just doing what I have to do. Anyone could've done what I've done," Andrew said, shying away from praise.
"You are humble, and yet you are great. No one else would've been right for this role. You do understand the gravity of what you must do?" Seb said.
"I do, and I don't like that I'm the one who has to do this, but it must be so. I have wrestled with my conscience over this, it hasn't been easy to accept this, but there's no other choice. I'll do what I must," Andrew said.
"And you will do it with beautiful light shining from your wings. Now, go, you are wasting valuable time. Be at peace with yourself and come into your full power," Seb said.
"Later, Seb," Andrew said as Seb vanished into the air.
With a smile, Andrew picked up the sword, bowed to the shrine and left the room, knowing he had to get this right or their whole rebellion would be at stake.
Andrew lay in bed, mumbling words in a language he could not speak, a hand clasped tightly around the sword hilt. He didn't notice Chris looking in on him. Chris stood in the doorway, peering through the crack in the door, as the sword glowed and Andrew murmured. Afraid of the strange feeling the room had acquired, Chris shut the door and left him alone.
When Andrew opened his eyes again, it was night time. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ready to get up. The sword was humming, and one single word was etched into his mind, the strange pronunciation not so strange now. Had he found it?
Andrew had breathed the word before he could stop himself, the letters rolling off his tongue as if they were meant to do so. The effect was instantaneous. The sword came to life and Andrew knew he'd got it right. The sword fitted into his hand and claimed him. He could suddenly see the great power the sword possessed, and what he would have to do with it to secure the country's freedom. It shocked him. It showed him both terrible suffering and righteous victory. Andrew's wings glowed bright again for the first time since he'd left the caves.
He stood up, clutching the sword firmly. He knew what he had to do.