Chapter 4: Unexpected Devotion

Distant. The shouting was so distant even with a Rocket kneeling over her bags, screaming to his comrades. Instinctively, Delia’s hand reached for the doorknob and slowly pulled it closer to her, concealing her form from the kneeling Rocket. Delia’s eyes failed to focus as she turned her back to the partially closed door. Swaying slightly, she stumbled to the side and collapsed, falling back against the wall. Sucking breaths reached out for a substance to calm her nerves. Her heart pounded in her chest, adding to her trembling. Slowly she felt her body go numb from the fear, her senses heightened. A murmur trickled from the crib, a small figure reaching up towards the ceiling. With its unanswered question the child released an ear-piercing howl. Delia’s hands shot to her ears, her mind racing with the consequences of the scream. Her movements rushed blood to her head, sending her into lightheadedness. As the blood pounded in her head, her body grew weaker and her vision slowly became hazy. The door creaked loudly, the open gap growing. A head appeared beyond the door, its eyes searching the room. Satisfied, the head disappeared back into the lobby, the door closing tightly. A shuddering sigh escaped Delia’s lips as her head fell to the floor, her body falling limp.

“All clear over here sir!” a black clad man relayed to his commander.

“Well check around back! She has to be here somewhere!” the commander ordered, frustration lacing his voice.

A single Rocket emerged through a set of swinging doors. “Yes?” the commander inquired, his voice carrying the same edge of frustration.

“Sir,” the Rocket began with a salute, “I believe I have found our experiment.”

“You have found the child?! Get him and bring him to me!” the commanded ordered, his eyes filled with excitement.

Another salute from the Rocket and he walked through the doors he had entered. A hollow thud echoed through the room as the commander stood alone; sobbing.

“Uh..h..hh.”

Darkness gave way to more darkness as Delia slowly opened her eyes. “Wh..what happened?” she asked into the darkness, her eyes searching the shadows.

The only response was her own labored breathing. A bead of sweat rolled from the corner of her eye, making its way to her lips. The salty taste tickled her dry mouth, arousing a light cough as she choked on the moisture. Regaining her breath, Delia ran a quivering hand though her damp hair. ‘This is too much for me to handle. I should just turn myself in and let things go back to normal, well as normal as they can be.’

As the last thoughts ran through her head a shimmering light appeared on the wall. The blue hue of the light raised curiosity in Delia as she lifted herself up on an elbow, laying on her side. Straining her muscles, Delia sat herself up, back against the cold plaster wall. Her attention focused on the crib where the two babies lay. Misty lay sound asleep under her small blanket. When she turned to look at Ash her eyes grew and her lips quivered. There her son lay, a shimmering mass of blue goo. Her shaking hands slowly lifted, reaching out for her son. “Noo…..” she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her head lowered, her hands covering her tear stained face.

“Rose? It is Rose isn’t it?”

“ye..yes it.. it is.”

“Please come with me.”

The glow had disappeared. The tears had dried. Delia still sat against the wall, her face still set in disbelief. A click came from the door, breaking the silence that had lingered over the room for some time. Delia’s disbelief became fear, her body huddling into the shadows. The familiar creak of the door filled the room again, light spilling through the crack. Another click and the lights within the room snapped to life, unmasking the shadows. Delia’s muscles froze, her body concealed from the entering person by a cluttered bunk bed. A grunting sigh conveyed the frustration of the person standing in the doorway. Peering over a bag situated on the edge of the bottom bunk, Delia spotted a Rocket standing the doorway, arms crossed. “They don’t pay me enough for this crap,” the Rocket complained, shaking his head.

With that said, he stepped forward into the room and ventured to the crib. Standing at the side of the crib, he leaned on the rail. “So you’re the little punk who’s been giving us the hard time,” he sneered, a smug smirk strung along his face.

Shaking his head, the Rocket simply stared at Ash, his facial expression never changing. To Delia decades passed, still huddled out of sight, as the Rocket watched her helpless baby, asleep in the crib. ‘It’s over,’ she thought, laying her head on her knees.

“Randle!” a voice called, an air of command hung in the tone.

“Huh?” the Rocket turned hearing his name called, “Oh, sir!” he snapped a salute as his commander walked into the room.

“Is this the place?” the commander asked, quickly scanning the room, his eyes spotting the hidden Delia.

“Yeah, but I though you wanted me to bring the child to you,” Randle replied, his complexion showing his confusion.

“Change of plans,” the commander replied, removing his side arm from the holster.

“S..sir? Jer….Jeremy are you feeling o..ok?” Randle stammered looking straight at the loaded pistol.

“Just fine thank you,” Jeremy snarled, depressing the trigger, releasing the only necessary round.

Randle’s limp body dropped down, his head hitting against he railing, leaving a splatter of blood on Ash. “Pathetic,” Jeremy grumbled, kicking the lifeless body under the crib, “You can come out now Delia.”

Trembling, Delia rose from her hiding place and slowly stepped closer to Jeremy. “No need to be afraid. I’m here to get you out of here.”

“But y..you were supposed to make sure I didn’t escape.”

“Those were Giovanni’s orders, not my choice. I fulfilled my duty many years ago and saw how he treated you. I thought better of you and hoped you’d get away from that accursed man.”

“Th..then why are you still in the organization?” Delia inquired, her fear dissipating.

“I choose life over death, and trying to leave would be certain death,” Jeremy replied calmly.

“But what you just did! They’ll kill you for it,” Delia cried in shock.

“At least I died for a cause this way. Your kid will be the end of this evil empire; the beginning of a new era.”

Tears welled up in Delia’s eyes again as she stared at the man giving up his life for her’s. “Get out of here before they figure out what’s happening, please Delia get away…” Jeremy trailed off his head drooping, his shoulders slumping.

A smile broke through Delia’s saddened features. She walked to Jeremy and embraced him. It was a warm embrace, one that she hadn’t felt for so long. She wanted to stay here with this man; she finally understood how devoted he was to her under the cover of complete obedience to Giovanni. “Please Delia, leave, and take Misty with you too. Rose will be waiting in nearby house.”

Sighing, Delia broke the embrace and kissed Jeremy lightly on the cheek, a tear clinging to her lips. Licking away the tear, she walked around the still Jeremy, standing in front of the crib. “How do you want me to leave? I can’t just go walking through the front door…” Delia trailed off.

“I’ll help you out the window.”

“And what about my stuff?”

“It’s gone. I got it to Rose before she escaped.”

“O..ok” Delia replied, her voice beginning to tremble.

Taking hold of the window crank, Delia opened the window and, with Jeremy’s help, climbed out. Carefully each baby was handed out and cradled against Delia’s chest. “Now go,” Jeremy ordered softly.

A light nod affirmed the order and Delia turned away, her pace slowly picking up. Entering into the woods, Delia began to hear the shouts of Rockets entering the room being met by lead and fists. Turning, she saw the mass overwhelm the man she had suddenly fall for and take his life with no remorse. Determination grew in Delia; her need to not only survive but thrive was stronger than ever. She took off running as fast as she could with the babies. The shouts be came more distant and soon they were just echoes off the trees, an afterthought of a previous life. This was the new beginning that she had hoped for. The tempo of her run slowed yet she continued with determination. Coming to the crest of one of the many rolling hills Delia stopped and began to catch her breath. Several houses were now in view, a collection of buildings that stood out against the natural background. Taking off again Delia raced towards the buildings hoping one would contain Rose and a place to rest again. Breaking out of the forest and into the clearing, Delia stopped and stared at each and every house. Slowly walking she passed by each porch hoping for a sign to guide her. At a small brick house several people sat out in a set of chairs enjoying the late night quiet. As she neared one of the three that inhabited the porch drew her attention. Standing directly in front of the porch, both babies squirming in Delia’s tight hold, the familiar one turned to look at her. “Delia?”

“Rose?!”

Rose leapt from the porch and embraced Delia tightly, “You made it!”

“Yeah… yeah I did,” Delia smiled, shifting the babies in her arms.

“Oh here,” Rose offered, taking her child from Delia’s hold.

“Thanks…. Thanks for so much” Delia responded, her body tired from the run and all the excitement.

“Lets get you into bed,” a woman offered from the porch, rising from her seat.

“Yeah, lets. These people are going to house us for the night and then send us off tomorrow,” Rose informed helping her friend up the stairs and into the house.

Situated in a bed, her baby in an old wood crib, Delia drifted into a deep sleep, though she still thought of Jeremy. “His unexpected devotion was one of the greatest blessing in my life….” she trailed off falling into deep slumber.

To be continued…