When Can I See You Again - Owl City

I've been saving this song for a while now. Had to wait till just the right time to use it.

Well, about 2 1/2 weeks into the new school year. The summer was wonderful. This Labor Day weekend, I saw my family off at the Atlanta airport before driving back to TN. Like I've said before, they came to the states and we hung out all summer, traveling to different places. Alas, it was time for them to leave me behind at school again. Ah well, at least I'll see them again over Christmas break.

Oh! I almost forgot. Those questions you guys sent in for my characters? Yeah. I got done with the interview a while ago, so I forgot about it. But no more, here goes.

Savvy: Welcome! Welcome! I’m Savvy and I’ll be your host today on the Q&A Show!

For today’s episode, I have a series of questions for the characters of The Promised Land.

Welcome Caden, Eden and Shiloh! Just have a seat right here. Very well, first question goes to the twins: Caden, how did you and Shiloh get infected?

Caden: Same way anyone does, came in contact with the virus.

Savvy: Could you be more specific?

Caden: If I have to... The town we lived in was hit with a bioshell carrying the virus. Everyone was infected. We lived. Most didn’t. That’s the only difference.

Eden: …and the fact that you have superpowers doesn’t play into that at all, does it? >_>

Caden: *shrugs* Details.

Savvy: Now that you bring it up, Eden, what do you think of their powers?

Eden: Caden’s creepy.

Savvy: …Is that comment about his ability specifically or just about him in general?

Eden: Just in general.

Caden: …I get that a lot.

Eden: *turns to Shiloh* Can you explain your power to me? I still don’t really know what you do.

Shiloh: … *shakes head*

Savvy: Next question is to Shiloh. Oh hey, you want a notebook or something?

Shiloh: …

Savvy: *hands Shiloh a whiteboard* Now then, have you ever used your power to a greater extent before?

Shiloh: *shakes head*

Savvy: Fair enough. Eden, what kind of impact do you think seeing this future and knowing the fate of mankind will have on you if you ever make it back to the past?

Eden: If? Does that mean I’m not going back?

Savvy: Answer the question, please.

Eden: I don’t know. I guess I’d do something to make the world a better place?

Savvy, Caden, and Shiloh: …

Eden: What? You expect me to know how to stop a world war? I’m just here until I find a way to get home.

Savvy: Let’s try not to start WWIII prematurely. Next question is for all three of you. Who is your favorite superhero?

Caden: Batman.

Savvy: Good choice.

Shiloh: *draws Captain America’s shield on whiteboard*

Savvy: Very nice.

Eden: David Tennant.  

Savvy: Um, I’m not entirely sure that counts.

Eden: Viggo Mortensen.

Savvy: Eh, still doesn’t count.

Eden: Chris Hemsworth.

Caden: *whispers to Savvy* Does that count?

Savvy: Not really, but it’s close enough and I’m tired of arguing with her. Next question. Cay, why is the Atari so heavily based in the area you’re in?

Caden: Ironically, they’re not. While there are Atari forts lining the empire perimeter, most are based in star cities. Especially Polaris, the capital. That’s where Z lives, you know. The Atari we ran across at the beginning were lookin-

Savvy: Ok, ok. Enough storytelling, that’s my job. Eden, if you got infected with the virus, what would you want your power be?

Caden: That’s assuming she outlives the virus.

Eden: *smacks Caden* If I could choose? I would say time travel. That would be pretty cool.

Caden: *folds arms* And what would you do with such a power? Stop the war?

Eden: I would go back to my own time and start a new clothing trend. Seriously, fashion is severely lacking here.

Savvy: … You’re joking, right?

Eden: Pfft, of course I’m joking! …but seriously. Can I trade outfits or authors or something?

Savvy: No. Next question. What are your favorite colors?

Caden: Red.

Shiloh: *Writes on whiteboard* Green.

Eden: Blue.

Savvy: Caden, what’s Hope’s color?

Caden: Why don’t you bring her in and ask her yourself?

Savvy: That was the only question they sent in for her.

Shiloh: *Writes on whiteboard* She likes pink.

Savvy: Thank you, Shy. Caden, what happened to your parents?

Caden: Why are these questions so depressing? We’re in the middle of a disease infected, war-torn nation. What do you think happened to them?

Savvy: Sorry, touchy topic. Let’s go with something happy. What are your hobbies?

Caden: I used to play soccer a lot. I enjoyed that.

Shiloh: *mimics playing a violin*

Eden: Watching movies or shopping.

Savvy: Obviously. Well, that wraps up the questions for today’s interview. If the readers have any more that come to mind, I’m sure they’ll send them my way. In the mean time, I think we will continue with our story, The Promised Land. Thanks for reading!

The Promised Land: (Part 18) The Pretender

Lifting his gun, Caden said in a loud voice, “Who are you working for?”

Hunter raised his hands in innocence. “Calm down, Blitz. Put the gun awa-“

Caden shot the ground next to Hunter’s foot. “Let’s try this again. Five teams walked into that facility, four walked out. I know you killed them so tell me who you’re working for!”

Hunter smirked. “Looks like you got me, kid. I’m actually surprised you didn’t catch on sooner.”

Blitz shot again, this time in Hunter’s chest. “WHO?!”

The man didn’t flinch. Caden watched the blood stop pouring from the open wound and crawl back to its source. The wound closed as the metal bullet fell out and hit the floor. Caden grimaced. He wasn’t expecting that.

“I had really hoped you could be reasoned with.” Hunter said as he drew a sword from the sheath on his back. Taking a step back, Caden unleashed five more bullets into the adversary, two of them headshots. Just like the first one, the five wounds closed and five bullets clinked harmlessly on the ground. 

“Then let’s start talking.” Caden took a few more steps back, his red glare ever present. “You killed our squad. I want to know why.”

“Simple. They weren’t supposed to outlive the mission. Neither were you.” Hunter calmly swung his sword up and let the flat of the blade rest against his shoulder. “I’ll give you a break, kid. If you hand over the package, I’ll let you walk.”

“What do you want with it?” Caden spat before he stopped to think about it. He was really getting tired of the conversation, but he had to give himself time to find a weakness.

“It cuts out the middleman, if you will.” Hunter took the blade off his shoulder and started walking toward Caden. “So you do have it.”

Cay’s stomach flipped, but he stood his ground.

“What’s it gonna take to get you to tell me where it is?”

“Sorry.” Caden smirked. “I don’t negotiate with grays.” He shot the four solitary light fixtures hanging from the ceiling and flooded the room with darkness.

Caden dove for cover behind a shelf and thought, “If I can’t see, neither should you.”

Heavy footfalls indicated Hunter was getting closer. “I’m too old to play hide and seek, kid.”

“Who’s hiding?” Cay jumped out from his cover and shot Hunter again. Neon blue light streaked across Caden’s vision and he ducked as the sword sliced through the air near his head. Shooting again, he rolled out of the way, but rammed into a crate. In an instant, the blue light came crashing down on the crate, just inches away from his face. Diving between the giant’s legs and twisting around to shoot him in the back, Caden got up and ran. He turned a few corners and hid behind another crate, trying to catch his breath as silently as possible. He listened intently for a sound, any sound, as he silently pulled a clip out of his pocket.

He didn’t hear any footsteps, but Hunter’s voice came in loud and clear. “You can’t kill me, Blitz. I know. I’ve tried for over thirty years.” Hunter’s voice got closer. “On the plus side, I age well.”

“He’s really getting on my nerves,” Caden thought. With one fluid motion, Caden dropped the empty cartridge, reloaded, and shot Hunter again. Blue lightning shot out and Cay flipped over the sword that nearly took out his legs. Another bolt nearly impaled the teen, but he deftly avoided that attack as well. He took off running again, this time with Hunter right behind him. The massive man’s longer legs made it easy for him to catch up and nearly overtake Caden. In the darkness, Cay just barely had time to turn before running into the wall. He kept running until he found himself trapped in a corner with Hunter blocking his exit, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Caden pointed his pistol at the attacker.

“Try all you want, Blitz. I’ve killed grown men twice your size.” Hunter’s stride slowed as he approached his prey.

“So have I.”

Cay could hear the victory in Hunter’s voice. “You haven’t got a chance.”

“Who are you working for? The Emperor?!” Caden shouted as he unleashed another volley of bullets.

A deep laugh echoed off the wall. “Not exactly. Life isn’t as straightforward as you want it to be, kid.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Caden saw the blue light swipe toward him from his left. Acting fast, he turned and flipped backwards over the blade. Attempting to execute a backward handspring in the dark, Caden landed on his free hand wrong and crashed on the ground. As pain laced up his left arm from his throbbing wrist, Cay tried to get up quickly enough to avoid the next attack. Before he could do so, Hunter clamped one large hand around Cay’s throat and slammed his head into the wall. Grunting in pain through gritted teeth, Caden fought for breath and clawed at the muscular arm with both hands, his fallen gun out of reach.

“You know,” Hunter said casually. “It’s a miracle you made it out with the package at all. Now tell me where it is.”

“Never,” Cay barely managed to choke out. Hunter let go, but delivered a heavy fist to Caden’s ribs and another to his face before letting him crumple to the floor, gasping for air.

“Do it for your brother, kid. If you don’t have it, I’m going after Boomer.”

“Fine… I’ll tell you…” a broken Caden whispered between wheezes.

Hunter leaned in close to hear him. “I’m listening.”

Caden took another breath and spat out the blood leaking from his cut and bruised lips. Watching Hunter turn from grey to light blue, Cay’s mouth twisted into a grim smile before he whispered, “Finally, some light.”

“What?”

Grabbing Hunter’s head and bashing it against the floor, Caden ripped the pins out of four mini-grenades, shoved them into the stunned man’s open mouth, grabbed his gun, and ran for the door. Pulling the pins out of as many grenades as possible while still running, Caden threw them behind him as he exited the building. The explosions that followed shook the ground and ignited the facility.

Caden collapsed next to Ezra’s minivan, out of breath and out of energy. Pulling himself into a sitting position with his back against a front tire, he rested for a bit to catch his breath. With a shaky hand, he rubbed the back of his pounding head. His wrist throbbed, his side ached, his lip bled, and his throat burned, but he was still alive.

“I need to get to Jericho…” he thought. Grunting with a wince, Caden pulled himself to his feet and went to the medkit in the van’s trunk. He downed a few painkillers with half the bottle of water and wrapped his wrist with an ACE bandage. Going to the front of the vehicle, Caden noticed a jeep sitting behind some debris. Not willing to take any chances, Caden shot holes in all four tires before starting up the van and leaving.