Chapter 31 Reclaiming the Lost

After completing boring 50 laps around the academy grounds, she made her way through the academy gates, her thoughts shifted to Ewan. She hadn’t seen him since her return, and she wanted to check in on her friend.

With a small bag of freshly picked apples in hand, she arrived at the military hospital and navigated through the hallways until she reached Ewan’s private room. She knocked gently on the door before stepping inside.

 Ewan lay on the bed, propped up by a couple of pillows, his face lighting up in a genuine smile as he spotted her.

“Hey! Aria—oh, sorry, I mean you go by Liana Hale now, that’s right. Dyar filled me in on the details.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a long story, but I’m getting used to it. How have you been, Ewan? Thought you could use some fresh fruit.”

 She placed the bag on his bedside table. 

 “I’m still wrapping my head around it all, honestly. You... you’re already back out there. Dyar mentioned you just left the hospital a few days ago, and now you’ve joined the academy. That’s… incredible, Aria—I mean, Liana. How’ve you been holding up?”

Aria looked down, her fingers tracing the edge of the bed frame. 

“So far... I’m doing fine if you ignore the fact that I lost everything. Almost everyone close to me are gone.” 

She lifted her gaze to meet his, her voice steady but filled with bitterness.

 “The only thing keeping me going is my terrible personality... this… freak body I was left with, and this anger inside me - to kill every single one of those damn mutants. That’s all I have now.”

He reached out, placing a hand gently on her arm. 

“Aria… listen. I know what it’s like to feel like everything’s been taken away. But you - you’re still here, fighting. I imagine the strength that must take. I lost everything too, I can't even go back to the fight even if I wanted to. My arm and leg were broken. And even when they heal, my time as a pilot is over. But you can still fight and even if everything’s different, even if you feel like a ‘freak,’ you’re still you, Aria Lock I know. You always were a fighter and will be.”

 “I don’t feel like ‘me’ anymore, Ewan. Not even close.” 

She lifted a hand, examining it with a faint look of distaste. 

“I’m wearing fake skin, moving with borrowed strength, and a fake name. Today, I ran 50 laps around the academy but didn't feel it. Under this fake skin hides the real me, half mutant half machine, and a tiny part of me that struggles to stay sane.”

“Then use it. Use this strength - whatever it is, wherever it came from. But remember, it doesn’t mean you have to lose yourself in the process. There’s still a place in this world for the person you are.”

A hint of a smile touched her lips.

 “I will, Ewan. I’ll use every bit of this strength, everything I have, to hunt down Raptor 01 and the rest of the mutants. But to do that, I’ll need a teeny, tiny favor from you.”

 “A favor, huh? Just a small one?” He smirked, knowing well that Aria’s 'small favors' usually came with a big price.

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.

 “Nothing complicated or hard. Just... your ID card to access the outside level of Beehive."

Ewan blinked, caught off guard.

 “My ID card? To access the outside level? Aria... you know the protocols around leaving Beehive. They’ve doubled down since the last attack. And given your current situation, if HQ higher-ups hear about this they will roll your head. This isn't just bending a few rules. It's practically inviting a security lockdown if you're caught.”

He hesitated, considering the risks. 

“But... if it’s you, I know you’re not doing this without reason. I’m just not sure I want to ask what that reason is.”

“If you want to know, I plan to reclaim Combelt IV.”

Ewan’s eyes widened, but she continued before he could interrupt.

“I’ll take one of the cars from the hangar and head out to the city ruins. The Combelt IV is still out there, and I know it’s just waiting for someone with the guts to bring it back. If it’s even partially operational, I can work with that. I’ll tow it back myself if I have to. Once it’s here, the science division can patch it up, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll get my shot at piloting it again.”

“Aria… that sounds insane. There’s a reason HQ ordered a lockdown after the last attack. No one’s even supposed to be thinking about recovery missions right now. They don’t want any more losses.”

“Exactly. That’s why this works. No one’s willing to take the risk, which means no one’s keeping an eye on me. If I go, I’m not putting anyone else at risk. If I fail, they don’t lose any more resources or people. But if I make it back with not one, but two recovered mechs, maybe then HQ will realize I’m worth keeping around. They’ll see I’m not just a freak they can discard because they’re afraid of what I am now.”

 “You’re gambling with your life, Aria. And even if you do make it back… do you think HQ’s going to change their minds? You’re talking about going right against their orders.”

“They can choose to accept me, or they can choose to waste one of the most advanced pilots they’ve got. Either way, I’m not going to sit in a cage and watch the world burn when I know I can do something about it. Raptor 01 and those other mutants are out there. If HQ won’t act, then I will.”

 “Aria, the second you leave, you’ll be marked as a rogue. They’ll be looking for a reason to bring you down even harder if you come back empty-handed.”

“I know,” she said in a calm voice.

 “But I don’t plan on coming back empty-handed.”

"But hey! If anyone asks, just say you don't know anything. If it makes you feel better, just think that I went to take a fresh breath of air. That's all." 

He shook his head, exhaling sharply. 

“You’ve always been impossible to stop once you’ve made up your mind.”

 A reluctant smile crept onto his face.

 “Alright, fine. I’ll get you my ID. But promise me something... don't take unnecessary risk.”

“Don’t worry, Ewan. I do not plan on kicking the bucket until I’m the only mutant left on the face of the earth.”

She paused for a moment, there was a fierce intensity in her gaze, a fire that burned deep within her.

“Bye, Ewan,” she continued, clutching the ID card tightly in her hand.

 “And when I’m the last mutant on this planet, I will end it once and for all. No more mutants.”

With that said she left the hospital room.

“Hey! Aria! What is that supposed to mean?!” Ewan called out as he watched her walk away but the answer never came.

“What the hell is she thinking?” he whispered to himself, “Aria, don’t do anything stupid,” he warned quietly as he leaned back against the pillows in his hospital bed. He stared at the door she had just exited, hoping she wouldn’t put herself in danger. 

“Just come back in one piece,” he whispered to the empty room.