Chapter 19 Deliverance

A loud alarm rang in the hallways shaking every animal to their feet. Zarda and osborn darted into the living room with wide eyes.

"What n' the world is that, mate?" Asked osborn.

Zarda was breathing heavy, his heart thumping in his ears. He cautiously walked over to the front door and peeked out. He noticed others had done the same. Thy all stepped out and met zarda in the middle of the hallway. The light fixtured to the ceiling, flashed red as the alarm blasted loudly throughout.

"Everyone we have to go back to the bunker." Zarda said. Unfortunately they had to move quick unless they were discovered by hopkins. He went back inside, but not before dismissing them all. He went back to his room to put on his shirt and jacket.

"Get dressed osborn we're leaving to the bunker!" Shouted zarda, from his bedroom.

Osborn just faintly heard his words as he was still trying to wake up from a peaceful night's rest.

"What you say mate?" Asked osborn, walking into zardas room.

"I said get dressed. The alarm is probably hopkins. We have to return to the bunkers asap." Replied zarda.

"What, no mate not the bunkers. Oh, I hate that damn place." Said osborn turning to go put back on his clothes.

He had stripped down to his underwear during the night. He liked the way the cool sheet felt against his skin. Soon the animals were outside the rooms again waiting for zarda. He met them out in the halls once more.

"Keep your keys on you just in case this is a false alarm, we'll stay here again tonight if that's the case. Let's head out." Stated zarda.

He led them towards the dreadful bunkers once again. He could hear the soft rhythm of their footsteps behind him. As they moved closer the smell of rotting flesh perfumed the hallway. It was putrid to the smell. Zarda and others covered their mouths with their shirts or jacket sleeves. A few animals began to gag from the stench. Above the gagging reflexes, Zarda began to hear voices inside the bunker. He quieted everyone and made them listen.

He realized it was two familiar sounds. He darted off inside the bunker towards them, leaving the others staring in shock. Dane darted in, then Osborn, then the rest of the animals ran after them like lost puppies. Zarda twisted around cage after cage, following their voices.

He stepped around a corner onto an open aisle, staring down at three silhouettes. The shadowy figures turned immediately. One short shadow began to run towards him. He braced himself firmly in case he was in for an attack. Instead, the shadow became clear and two out stretched arms embraced him tightly.

It was delilah, she had returned, and behind her walked up soldier Gibbs and Anderson smiling happy to see zarda alive. In gibbs hand he gripped not his gun as usual, but the beautiful staff of zarda's.

Zarda's eyes teared up, he was so thankful to have them all back, and most of all to see his gift returned. Behind zarda slowing to a halt, was the large gang of animals. The sight must have been overwhelming to the soldiers and delilah. They stood with their mouths gaped open and wide-eyed. Delilah looked back up at zarda and wiped away his tears with her tiny hands.

"Your back. I've missed you." He said to her.

She pulled his face down to kiss him. Pushing back she replied.

"I've missed you too. I told you I'd get your staff and I brought your friends with me. We have to hurry. Things have gotten weird, and it's only going to get worse. You and your friends have to flee today." Said delilah, with urgency.

Zarda trusted her judgment and nodded yes.

"You're coming with me right?" He asked.

Delilah smiled and didn't respond. Zarda asked again. He had to have an answer. She took in a deep breath and exhaled.

"I don't think I can zarda. Where you are going, into the woods. It's not safe for me." She said.

Zarda shook his head no.

"You'll be with me, I'll keep you safe." He replied.

Soldier gibbs walked up beside them changing the conversation.

"Hey friend. I have something for you" Said the soldier.

He handed zarda's staff over to him.

Zarda eyes flashed bright. He took a hold of it with his right hand. As his fingers gripped tight, a purple electric charge shot through his arm down into his hand. He looked it over to see if any damage was done. He was happy to find it was unharmed.

"Thanks brother. It's good to see you one last time." Zarda said in a downcast voice.

Gibbs pressed his lips tight and looked at the ground.

"Anderson and I will do our best to get you as far away as we can from here. Like I promised you before, and I always keep my promises, but delilah is right. You all have to leave tonight. She has to remain back with us. I give you my word she will be okay in our protection." Stated gibbs.

Zarda was grateful to the soldiers and looked over at anderson. He was just walking up to wrap his arm around zarda's shoulder. He squeezed him tight.

"Don't worry about delilah she's in good hands." Anderson replied.

Zarda's couldn't believe he just got her back, and now he was going to be separated from her, too. Zarda's heart was breaking inside. His chest heaved up and down. Delilah laid her head against it and cried.

"It doesn't have to be this way. You can come with me. I need you delilah. Don't break my heart like this." He said.

There was nothing he could say or do. She had already made up her mind for her future and for zardas safety. She looked up at him, teary-eyed.

"I'm going back home to my parents for a bit. I explained the craziness going on here at Nexus, and they agreed I needed to be back with them. Soldier gibbs and anderson promised to keep watch over me and my family. If I ever want to see you, they will take me to your location. I can't go with you, but I'll always be with you in spirit. I'm sorry zarda." Delilah said.

Zarda broke inside, he pushed away from her, walking back a few feet. Zarda bent over with his hands on top of his knees sobbing bitterly. He felt faint and couldn't catch his breath as steady. Zarda hated this feeling, he hated love now. All it ever seemed to do was rip him apart. In his mind he vowed to never love again. He stood back up to face the soldiers.

"Get us out of here. Just so you know I'm going to burn this place to the ground." Said zarda.

His demeanor flipped within seconds. Zarda's face had turned from a sad look to a stern angry grimace. He didn't look or talk to delilah for the rest of the time. Even though she made several attempts. Anytime she went to grab a hold of him he cast her hands off and walked away. Delilah's heart ached, she felt she had made the wrong decision. She couldn't change her plans now. Everything was already in place. She was a very, organized girl. Delilah didn't know how to be one of those who could just live a life at the flip of a coin. Delilah took in a deep breath and watched the soldiers.

Gibbs sent anderson out to start the large army truck, they called the Cadillac deuce. It would hold all the animals in the back, with delilah, anderson, and gibbs in the front cab. It was going to be the ticket out of this place.

In no time anderson had the truck up and running, they could hear the engine rumbling outdoors. It was time to leave. Soldier gibbs walked them all out back towards the truck. One by one they climbed up inside and found a seat. As a team they helped up some of the weaker animals. Osborn was inside helping pull them up, while zarda lifted them from the ground.

Everyone was inside the deuce except for zarda. He turned to gibbs and told him to wait. Zarda walked back over to Nexus and gripped his staff firmly. He could feel the creator's powers tingling inside of him. It felt wonderful to have it spark through his body again. Soldiers gibbs and anderson watched zarda outside the truck. Delilah stared out at him from within the cab. It was the first time she was finally going to see why zarda wanted his staff back. The animals too, hung their heads over the side rails, waiting and watching.

Soon zarda was engulfed by a purple orb of energy. He lifted his staff and spun it above in a circular motion. The energy swirled inside, into a vortex like a tornado. Flames the color of the energy he possessed burst forth. It grew bigger in size as they traveled directly at the building.

A loud explosion collided into the wall causing the earth below to shake. The building caught on fire fast. Some of the rooms inside Nexus, zarda remembered contained explosive chemicals boiling in glass beakers. When the fire made its way to them, It was like several bombs going off, igniting a massive explosion destroying the inner core of Nexus.

The building was burning to the ground just as zarda had said he would do. Satisfied he turned back to face everyone. They glared in horror, looking at his eyes glowing purple. They slowly faded back into the beautiful gold. Delilah teared up and looked away, as he looked inside the cab of the truck towards her. Zarda noticed her avoiding him and felt even more rejected. The purple enerfy disappeared. He hung his head and climbed into the back with his new friends.

Gibbs and anderson watched the flames rise. Gibbs knew they needed to leave before attention was drawn to them. He hopped in quickly, yellimg for anderson to het in. Soldier gibbs put the truck in gear, and sped off onto an old side road far, far away from Nexus. Gibbs was planning to take him beyond the mountains into the deep forests of Montana. The soldier didn't know why he was being drawn there, he just was.

Long hours they traveled deeper and deeper into the forest. They endured the bumps and dips along the way. Luckily, for them, no one passed them on the way as they traveled. They could see the smoke billowing up into the clouds behind them. It wouldn't be long and the fire station and police department would be arriving. Zarda sat stiff holding his staff in his right hand, not making eye contact with anyone around him. Even though he felt horrible about delilah, he had peace that he and the others would be much safer now. No one spoke a word. The back of the truck was completely silent. The animals watched Nexus burn in the distance as they drove further away from it.