Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Six

Hanna stared at the key in her hand, guards on either side of her as they stood in front of a locked door. Hanna let out the breath she was holding. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Guys?” 

“HANNA!” Hanna looked up in time to see Lui rush forward, wrapping her in a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Lui exclaimed, holding her tight. 

Hanna did not move. She did not speak. She barely breathed. She simply stood rooted where she was, icy to the touch. Lui gasped and let go, stepping back suddenly. “S-sorry! I’m sorry! I forgot you-...” Lui stopped, tilting his head. He was expecting her to be angry. She wasn’t. She didn’t even look annoyed. She looked empty. “Hanna? Are you ok?” Lui asked. Hanna shook her head and slowly looked up, first at Lui then at DJ. 

“Hi Hanna,” DJ said with a wave and cautious smile. “It’s good to see you. How are you?” 

Hanna’s face looked like she wanted to cry, but her voice was cold and void of feeling. “Why are you here?” Hanna asked.

“Well,” Lui started slowly. “Seems this friend of mine is in a rough spot. I promised I’d be there for her. No matter what. Sooo...” Lui grinned at her. “Here I am!” Hanna looked away. 

“We’re here to help,” DJ said, stepping forward. “Sorry we’re late.” 

“Yeah.” Lui chuckled. “Seems our friend left us stranded in…” Lui turned back to DJ.

“Svalbard,” DJ offered. 

Lui nodded, turning back to Hanna. “Stranded in Svalbard without a ride.” His attempt to make light of the situation did not have the desired impact. 

“Maybe you need a better friend,” Hanna muttered, refusing to look at him. 

“If there’s an opening, you’ll be the first to know,” Lui said quietly with a smile, eyes never leaving her. 

Unbeknownst to the group, EDJ was watching from his seat in the control room, munching on popcorn. A tech glanced at him. “And you’re telling me they’re oblivious to this?” the tech asked, pointing at the screen. 

EDJ nodded. “Very much so,” he said before eating another handful of popcorn.

Back in the room, Hanna turned to DJ. “Why would you want to help me?” she asked. “I’m a potential threat.”

“Because, potential threat or not, you’re still our friend,” DJ answered sincerely. 

“Yeah!” Lui agreed. “Friends stick together!” 

DJ took a more serious tone. “We saw the ultimatum he gave you…”

“Then you know what has to be done,” Hanna answered. 

DJ shook his head. “It doesn’t have to be that way, Hanna. You haven’t made a decision yet, right? We can still find a way to fix this.” 

“There’s no fixing it,” Hanna said, anger and sorrow in her voice. “I killed all those-” she stopped herself and took a breath. “I went after EDJ so he would stop hurting people and I’m the one that ended up doing the most damage. He was right. I wanted to fight him. I can’t keep this evil locked in forever. I really am-...” She looked down and sniffed, working to control and hide the slew of emotions. “I’m evil.” 

“The fact that you’re remorseful about your actions tells me you still have the capacity for good,” DJ said with compassion in his voice. 

“Hanna,” Lui started softly. “You’re not evil. Your immediate reaction when Iul kidnapped us was to rescue your friends, regardless of the cost.”

“Exactly,” DJ chimed in. “How could we not stay friends after everything you did for us?”

Lui nodded. “What you did in that room… that’s not who you are. Iul is to blame here, not you. Please let us help you.” Lui stepped forward, but Hanna stepped back.

“You need to stay away from me,” Hanna warned. “Please... Don’t make this any harder than it already is.”

“You’re really going to do it?” DJ asked in disbelief, initially thinking they were making progress.

Hanna glared at DJ. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” Lui said quietly, reaching for her hand. “Hanna, please. This isn’t-”

“STAY AWAY!” Hanna shouted, sharply turning to Lui with a glare. 

Lui’s hand stopped midair and he stared back at her with wide, hurt eyes. “O-okay.” Lui stepped back. “S-sorry.” He turned away, tears gathering. 

“You need to leave,” Hanna said harshly, looking back at DJ. “Before I hurt anyone else. Before EDJ locks you up again. I don’t think I’ll be able to save you next time. I’m… beyond help now…” 

“I don’t believe that,” DJ said, disappointment evident. “But we’ll leave you alone, if that is what you wish.” DJ stepped up to Lui and attempted to pull the Other along, but Lui would not be moved. 

“No…” Lui whispered, still trying to make sense of the situation. “No, I can’t. I want to stay and help.” The glare from Hanna made him reconsider. 

“She needs to fight this battle herself,” DJ said, gently tugging Lui toward the door. As they passed Hanna, DJ turned to her. “Will we ever see you again?” 

“I don’t know,” Hanna answered. “I think the best thing for you to do would be to stay as far away from me as possible. I can’t be trusted.” 

“Come on, Lui. It’s time for her to fight this,” DJ said, leaving the room. 

“O-okay…” Lui looked Hanna in the eyes, still hurt. “I trust you, Hanna. I trust that you can make things right. I hope you’ll be ok.” He followed DJ out of the room. 

A guard outside the door handed DJ and Lui their weapons back, as EDJ promised. The guard pointed down the hallway. “Follow this hall, the exit’s the third door on the left,” the guard instructed. DJ walked in the direction indicated. As soon as they were out of sight of the guards, DJ ducked into a room and pulled Lui inside. 

“What are you doing?” Lui asked. “The exit’s tha-”

DJ put a finger to his lips and nodded to the side. 

“Oh, got it,” Lui said in a hushed voice. He looked around the room they happened to be in, observing his surroundings. A plate of half-eaten food was on a little table next to a vase of red roses. One rose was on the ground in a pool of water, fully wilted and dead. The two sat and waited.