On the helocarrier medics tried to heal Mary as the pilots steered us away from Das Monströs Flugzeug. They said they wouldn’t bring Franz because he had a Nazi emblem upon his vest. 

I begged them to get a medic for Franz and one soldier said, 

“Why do you even care for this enemy?”

I didn’t answer. None of us spoke, except for Ernest. He kept talking to himself about about happy things. It seemed he was trying to calm himself down because he couldn’t take it. I knew inside he was still really sad, though.

Later, the soldiers came back saying that Mary was gone. Finn had fallen to his knees great sobs coming forth and Ava stared at the ground crying. Ernest bursted out of his “happiness” stuff and started sobbing. I stared at the soldier in shock and disbelief. It can’t be. Mary had to be alive! She had to!

We were taken away by a helocarrier. I put my head against the cold window, a headache forming, and tears welled up in my eyes. Mary had died. This was too much for us. I must’ve fallen asleep because Jacy woke me up saying we had landed in Japan. We found Prime Minister Akamine, Secretary Saito, and Mr. Osborne waiting outside.

“Mr. Novachez,” Akamine said. “I see you have stopped yourself from telling the Nazis the whereabouts of the files with the serum’s structure. Good job.”

“Mr. Akamine?” I asked.

“Yes, Dylan?” Prime Minister asked.

“Well, the Nazi’s leader, Franz, he well…” I trailed off.

“What is it, Dylan?”

“Franz kinda changed sides, but his assistant, Klaus, shot him.”

Akamine frowned. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “He is most definitely dead by now. But this Klaus man. What about him?”

“Franz shot him. I think he is dead.” I told him. 

The Prime Minister grimaced. “Finally, this bloodshed is over. I hate war.”

“Yep,” I agreed.

“I am sorry about your friend,” the Prime Minister said. The memory flashed back in my head. The blood. The screams.

“You are a good kid. You know that, Dylan?” he asked.

I looked at out the destruction of Tokyo. 

“That’s not true,” I replied.

“What is that you say?” said Akamine.

“I led them here. If I would have given it to them in America, They would’ve never destroyed this city.”

“You didn’t know that at first,” said the Prime Minister. I sighed. I should’ve. And then, I remembered the cure Franz gave me. 

“Oh, here,” I said pulling it forth and handing it to Prime Minister Akamine. I told him what it was for and he said it would be useful for the rebuilding North America.

“When will we be able to go back home?” I asked.

“It may take a while. For now you will be schooled in the U.K. They are building a big shelter there.”

“Oh,” I said staring at the ground.

Later that day, we were drove off with Ekon Osborne to the hotel we had originally sheltered at. For me, it is was hard to sleep that night and I knew that was true for everyone else. Even Jacy was gloomy that previous evening although she had known Mary for a short time.

Finn and Ava were grieving the most. Ava had been crying the whole time and I could still hear her in the other room, her sobs long and depressing.

“Ernest?” I asked him. 

He didn’t answer. I heard him mumble in his sleep.

I got out of bed and crossed the room and to the window. I looked and saw the destruction. In the distance I could see the crashed “Das Monströs Flugzeug ”. Even though it was in the far distance, I could still see the flames rising into the sky. It was a terrifying sight, but I still knew the war was over and there was nothing to fear.

With Mary’s blood on my hands, I felt guilty and responsible for her death. I meant that I had just witnessed her die right in front of me. Well, I guess that was war. You had to see people die. It was a force of life.

Soon, morning came and Ernest awoke. He headed downstairs, asking for me to come with, but I declined and continued sitting next to the window, looking at the rising fires.

...

There was a soft, tap on the door, and I heard Ava’s voice quivering. 

“May I come in?” I got up from the window seal and opened the door. 

Ava was standing there wearily, her eyes bloodshot and drooping. Her usual straight hair was sloppy and tangled. She must have had a bad night.

“Dylan?” she started. 

“Yes?”

“The serum,” Ava continued, tears forming in her eyes. 

“You could’ve used it. To bring her back to life,” I sighed. I could’ve. 

“Friedrich said the serum had many possible outcomes. He said it was hard to tell what would happen.”

“But he said in the recording that it wold most likely bring someone back to life, after their death!” Ava countered, her voice raising, still cracking though.

“I know,” I said, my voice cracking just like hers.

...  

I walked among the streets of Tokyo, watching the soldiers, capture the reptilian creatures that remained. Smoke was in the air. The fires were slowly dying down. Buildings were broken and cars were flipped upside down. It was almost as if a hurricane or tornado had attacked Japan. Parts of broken walls lay on the ground. So many broken items and buildings had covered the ground that I could barely walk two steps without running into something. The sky was completely gray and the wind blew through my messy hair. My clothes were torn and covered in mud, dirt, and blood. 

I wondered about how long it would take for America to recover. I thought about where we would live in England. Would we be fostered?

I thought about everything leading up to this point. And I knew that my life was not like an ordinary kid’s. No, I was destined for a strange life.