CHAPTER 9

The following day, the marines and Jericho spend their day at the base camp, packing their things and preparing to return home. Brody approaches Jericho as he looks to him.

Brody Kelly: Thank you. For everything. Words can't even come to mind on what to say and how thankful we are for you.

Jericho: You're welcome. I only did what was right, Brody.

Brody Kelly: I know my fiancé is probably freaking out. But it'll be a surprise when she sees us tomorrow.

Jericho: Love is a very powerful emotion, Brody. Especially for someone in your position. Coming out here to fight and defend your country, protect the innocent from the very evils of this world, it can either motivate you or destroy you.

Brody Kelly: Have you ever loved someone, Jericho?

Jericho: No. At least, not in quite some time. And that's my decision. The last person I let into my life and love me ended up dead. I can't let that happen again. I won't let that happen again.

Brody Kelly: I understand. I think Allyson has taken a liking to you. 

Jericho looks behind him then back to Brody.

Brody Kelly: I'm only saying.

Jericho: When the time is right.

Brody Kelly: Are you going to fly back with us or leave the way you came?

Jericho looks at him, knowing what he is talking about.

Jericho: I'll catch a flight with everyone.

Brody Kelly: Good, because I know everyone wants to meet the hero that saved their loved ones. We leave in four hours.

At the airport, the marines board their plane as Jericho is preparing to when he turns around but does not see Railer anywhere and walks on board. Jericho takes a seat next to Brody as they all strap in and the doors close up. The plane's engines fire up with a loud whine and starts to move then taking off into the sky. The flight is smooth and most of the marines fall asleep while Jericho remains wide awake. All he can think about is where Railer is, and if he has arrived to Crow's Nest. 

Cpl. Allyson Jenkins: Try not to dwell on it.

Jericho: What?

Cpl. Allyson Jenkins: Whatever's troubling you. I've been there. 

Jericho: If you knew only half what goes through my mind, you would understand.

Jericho looks over at her as she nods in silence.

Jericho: What they did to me all those years ago, it's something that hurts to even think about. All the time I see people walking around, going about their daily lives, I see families doing activities especially now with Christmas almost here. Makes me understand that is something I can never have.

As he speaks, most of the marines open their eyes and listen as he talks about his past and his current life.

Jericho: That man you saw me fighting was my brother. He name is Westin. They call him Railer because of his ability to rail into objects and not feel any ounce of pain. When I was young, me and Westin used to be really close. We were inseparable and one day, this mercenary group attacked my neighborhood and took all the children and executed their families. We were taken to this lab, stripped down into hospital gowns and experimented on. They did things to us I won't go into detail, but it got too extreme that they mangled my face and other parts of my body.

Tears start to form in Allyson's eyes as the others listen to his story.

Jericho: Eventually, I gained the courage to escape and when they were prepping me for another experiment, I broke out, killed them, grabbed Westin, another hostage named Monica and escaped. We ran into the woods and came across an older gentleman that took us in and raised us as his own. We called him father, but he was a superhuman and taught us how to better our powers and how to harness them. Westin became more experienced and overtime, became obsessed with revenge. Westin and Monica started to turn to their violent sides and when father tried to stop them, they killed him and left me alone. Since then, I've vowed to use my powers to protect and defend the innocent. I've had many chances to kill them, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. When you care and love someone despite who they are now, it's hard to do it.

Jericho goes quiet as he wipes his eyes then unbuckles his seat belt and stands up. He unzips his hoodie and removes it to reveal the gruesome scars that cover his body from all the experiments, much to the shock and horror to everyone else. Putting his hoodie back on and flipping the hood over his head, Jericho sits back down, crosses his arms and closes his eyes to nap.

The plane lands at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where the families and loved ones are waiting for the marines to step off. The latch opens and all the marines and other soldiers gather their belongings and start to walk outside as Jericho remains sitting there.

Brody Kelly: You coming?

Jericho: I don't know. I feel if I go out there, nobody will accept me.

Brody Kelly: What? What are you talking about? Look, people already know what you did and that you are the one that got us here in the first place.

Jericho: People like me aren't exactly acceptable in society, Brody. 

Cpl. Allyson Jenkins: That's not going to happen. They all know you are a hero.

Cpl. Ameyo Jurgo: We will make damn sure of it, too. Come on. Let's go. Come meet everyone.

Jericho takes a deep breath as he unbuckles his seat belt and stands up to walk outside with them. Once outside, Brody finds Michelle as she runs to him and throws herself into his arms, sobbing in happiness at his safety. Ameyo is reunited with his wife and two sons while Allyson is greeted by her parents and two sisters. Jericho stands there, taking in the reunions of all the marines and families as Brody walks over to him with Michelle.

Brody Kelly: I'd like you to meet my fiancé. This is Michelle.

Jericho holds his hand out to shake hers, but she instead hugs him tightly, thanking him as he looks at Brody, who shrugs, and he returns the hug. The other marines he rescued introduce their families to him as well, all thanking him over and over for bringing them home. All except the ones who died, and Jericho looks to see the caskets of the deceased soldiers with American flags draped over them. The families mourn their losses when the wife of one of the fallen soldiers looks over at him and starts yelling and cursing him, screaming that it was his fault they are gone and has to be held back. Jericho looks down at the ground, blaming himself.

Brody Kelly: Come on. Don't listen to her. It's not your fault.