SHADOWS OF THE PAST

Lena's POV I never would have guessed returning here. Standing at the brink of ruin, exactly as before. Tension permeates the air, every pulse resounds in my ears. Nearby gunfire breaks through the turmoil as I look for Finn. I want nothing to lose him among this craziness. "Lena!", Over Here! From behind an overturned vehicle, Finn's voice cuts through the noise and I see him gesturing furiously. Adrenaline pumping through me, I run toward him. "What the Hell happened?" Breathless from the race, I gasp and feel anxiety chewing at my gut. Not this, but Jacob was meant to guide us to Beckett. Finn flashes concern and wrath in his eyes. "We put ourselves up. Jacob knew something was to come. He made use of us as bait. Like a slap in the face, the awareness strikes me. I ought to have seen that approaching. Finn had not blinded me like Jacob's appeal had. He had been cautious from the beginning; today I can see why. I get embarrassed as much as wrath. I continue, attempting to keep my voice calm: "We have to find him." "He could still know where Beckett is. "Or he might be guiding us to our graves," Finn says, clearly frustrated. Lena, we cannot keep haplessly following him. We must act for ourselves. I nod, appreciating the accuracy in his comments. I had been entirely preoccupied with locating Jacob, therefore neglecting the larger picture—our struggle against Beckett. The actual adversary is him; so, if we are to prevail, we must have a strategy free from Jacob's whims. "Let's regroup with the others," I say, looking around the street for any indication of our squad. We have to develop a fresh approach. one unrelated to Jacob. A few streets down, we discover the others gathered in an abandoned structure struggling to breathe and evaluate their circumstances. I could feel the tension in the air and saw fear in their eyes. I lured them into this predicament after they had gone through hell. "Lena!!" Sarah hurried over, her face blanched. "We expected you to be done for! What transpired out there? "We were ambushed," Finn says, his voice strong. "Jacob ran through for us." Our strategy has to be changed. Their expectations weigh hard on me and their confidence rests mostly on my shoulders. "We cannot depend on Jacob anymore," I continue, pushing assurance into my voice. "We have to locate Beckett according to our own criteria. He does not expect that. "Do you have an idea?" Sarah probes, her brow wrinkled with worry. I inhale deeply and let ideas gather into something feasible. We broke out into two squads. One to set up a distraction; the other to get inside Beckett's estate. I will head the diversion crew. You choose the others and head for the complex, Finn. Finn, apparently not persuaded, raises an eyebrow. "Do you feel it is safe for you to leave? What happens should Jacob discover you first? "He won't," I answered, a flash of rebellion lighting inside me. "I understand his point of view. I'll call him forth. He will leave the compound unsecured if he is seeking me. Finn opens his lips to dispute, but I can see resolve in his eyes. He is aware of my non-back down attitude. Alright, he says. But we have to move quickly. Not on our side is time. I have both excitement and anxiety as we get ready to divide. Though it is dangerous, the idea may just work. I meet Finn and discreetly convey our strong connection. "Stay safe wherever you find yourself. After the detour, we will reconfirm. "Be careful, Lena," he replies, seeming worried. I nod and force a grin to cover my own worries. I will. I promise you. My heart thumping with every step, I guide my crew toward the turmoil outside one more look at Finn. Though the weight of the world rests on my shoulders, this time I am not terrified to carry it alone. Gunfire and explosions surround me as soon as I leave into the open. I move fast, senses sharpened. I must be strategic, to take advantage of the anarchy. I see several Beckett's men gathered close by, their expressions tight as they get ready for the next combat surge. Now or never, I say to myself. I grab my gun, inhale steadily. As I'm ready to squeeze the trigger, Jacob, a familiar person, steps out from the shadows. He had been trailing-minded after me. "What are you doing here, Lena? He yells, his voice combining amazement with worry. "Saving my team from you," I say, my finger hovering over the trigger. You turned away from us. You risked us. Jacob lifts his hands in surrender, his countenance changing from perplexity to real anxiety. "I never intended for any of this to come about. I felt I could manage it. I considered myself able to guide you to safety. "Safety?," I laughed and slowly lowered my gun. You have guided us directly into the lair of lions. Beckett, Jacob, is beyond your influence. He is making use of you. "I'm trying to help!" he says, approaching closely. We are still able to make this work. Just give me an opportunity to show it. My heart leaps. Though another part yells at me to be careful, part of me wants to believe him and trust the man I once knew. Jacob, you have had your opportunities. I cannot gamble with my team once again. He advances still another step forward, desperation written on his face. "Please, Lena," I need you to once more believe me. We still can beat Beckett united. A thunderous explosion shakes the earth under us and sends trash flying in every direction before I can reply. I trip and my instincts kick in to help me get back on my feet. I see Finn and the others pushing forward in the turmoil, their looks stern and focused. "Lena!" Finn's voice cries out across the noise. "Get down!" My instincts take control at that point. I duck, rolling to the side as gunfire starts all around. Jacob is here next to me, staring terrified. "What do we do?" he cries. "Follow me!," I shout, the surge of adrenaline pumping through my blood vessels. "We have to go to the others! Hurrying toward Finn, we weave through the confusion as bullets fly by. Finn's eyes show determination as he guides our group to safety; his assurance is like a lighthouse among the damage. He has always been the consistent anchor; I see how much I need him right now. Finn looks at me as we get near the others, worry evident over his face. "What the fuck happened? Jacob where? I say, "He's with me," a sense of remorse in my response. Finn's shoulders show the stress, but I keep on. "He wants to be of assistance. We cannot be leaving him behind. Finn's face is inscrutable. Are you sure he's not only attempting to play us again? "I'm not sure," I say, the doubt wriggling inside me. But all of us are dead if we do not cooperate. He looks sharply at Jacob for a little period. At last he nods, although I could sense mistrust still in his eyes. "Okay. Still, you both walk on thin ice. One mistake will cause you to be out. Jacob looks back at Finn, a flutter of comprehension crossing between them. His voice firm, he continues, "I promise, I'm on your side." "Let's close this together." Reunited as a tiny crew, we negotiate the city's trash going ahead. The noises of battle surround us, and the stakes seem more than they did years before. Fear and drive combine in my heart. We are entering the lion's lair, but this time I am feeling direction. "Lena," Finn says, dragging me away momentarily. "I want you to promise me something should this go south." Anything, I say, my heart thumping. You will leave here, promise me. Regardless of everything. I will not lose you to this. I look at his eyes and feel his words weigh. "I promise Finn." I won't leave you either though. Jacob interferes before he can reply. We must pay attention. Beckett is not waiting for us to organize our performance. Finn looks at me and says we will chat later; I agree and turn my attention back to the current work. We go as one, negotiating the anarchy, driven to permanently bring Beckett down. I sense the tension in the air as Beckett's complex draws closer. Every stride carries uncertainty, and I see the terror in the eyes of the others. But collectively, we are here and that gives me strength. Finn murmurs, quietly, "We're almost there." Maintain sharpness. Leading the way is Jacob, whose attitude combines remorse with drive. Like all of us, he is battling his own demons. He could have made errors, but right now he is here and I have to believe him. When we approach the last barrier before the compound, I hear voices on the other side— Beckett's.