"it's all pain when you fail to save those closest to you ain't it?...., look an old guy once told me......'do not relive the past, relive the future cuz that's what really matters'..., I agree with the guy cuz he's right....he was crazy old yh but wise, you stay stuck in the same fucking loop if you relive the past, but if you relive the future it all just new possibilities, kinda like a what if story" smoke Said sipping a drink while stareing at Zack who sat at the opposite side of the campfire. Chloe was already asleep then at that time.

  "Sure fucking way to to put it" Zack laughed taking a sip with him while stareing at Chloe then turning around to face smoke

  "I've got a question....."smoke Said

  "Really.....I guess it's gonna be a good one" Zack replied

  "Ok......., what type of death would you like, how would you love to die and when would that be?" Smoke asked he was making a point and wanted to know how Zack planned on turning off the torch

  "I'd say it don't really matter cuz in the end we all get bitten and killed *chuckles*, I'd like to to go out peacefully, knowing that won't and can't be possible I'd have to go down swinging.., the death of a warrior kinda like my style and the only code I live for, *stare at Chloe* if it comes to it I think I might die heroically taking the heat for..........let's end it at that" Zack replied stareing at the open sky while taking another sip then letting out a soft chuckle, he then diverted his gaze towards smoke

  "And you?....., how'd you love to go?"Zack asked

  "I never really think of it.....stupid and selfish as it may sound I don't wanna die, but after hearing your speech trust me I think I'll give it a thought" smoke replied with his usual smile.

  .

  .

  .

  FEW DAYS AGO

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  "I'm....I'm.....I'm beat dude *coughs*, can't hold on for long.."smoke smiles "I need you to promise me *sighs exhaustedly*" smoke continued gasping for air slowly, he was finding it difficult to breath and was continuously bleeding from his nose and mouth.

  "What......go on" Zack asked exhaling continuously, he was tired, his fatigue had increased since the beating and he wasn't getting any better

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "Please......you know I.....I.....I won't make it..." Smoke chuckled letting out a slight smile "promise me...when it...when it comes to it....... I'll be taking the heat"smoke Said he knew his time was limited and if it meant saving those close to him, he had to go out in style "you see I....I gave it a thought.....and I'd love to go down..sw.. swinging"smoke smiled softly, Zack felt like refusing but at that moment there was no other plan he had or could come up with, there was also no way they'd get out of there without a loss, someone had to take the heat..., he had planned on doing that but smoke offered already, he had to accept this

  "Sure pal....sure"Zack replied some tear escaping his eyelids while he gazed at smoke

  "Look.....even if you don't say...say it.., I....I know you love her......., just make sure you pro...protect her ok?"smoke Said.

  .

  .

  "Was the last thing I heard him say to me....., how'd it come to this?"Zack thought stareing at the night sky, the campfire was unusually silent, the whole atmosphere surrounding it felt lifeless. Smoke had always been the one to come up with a topic, he was dead now, they could as well accept this. It's been two days since they escaped but the hole remains, Zack was getting better, all his injuries were getting healed but why did he still feel down. The last time he felt this way was finding out his sister had been molested until she died, he wanted the pain to go away but it just stuck there like a banner reminding him o his inability and lack of strength to save a friend.

  "Chloe I know you can hear me..., how ya feeling?, how you holding up?"Zack asked, she was faking her being asleep and he knew it, Chloe had felt his death more than anyone else, she had gotten close to him not romantically but as a friend, he was the only person who she felt understood her completely, they had only known each other for some weeks but it felt like they had k ow each other for years.

  "Why did he do it?" She asked her grief audible

  "Was I so pathetic I couldn't save him....., I got all this abilities but can't do a damn thing right...if I was stronger I wouldn've saved him, would've protected him, he shouldn't be dead" Chloe said her words regretful while she spoke.

  "I always get people close to me killed, I lost my half my team once in a mission back in altera, I regretted it, vowed I'll change get stronger so no one gets killed but that was just for saying, I couldn't even save one damn guy," Chloe cried

  "i'm more guilty than you are Chloe, I let him stay, let him make the ultimate sacrifice *chuckles softly*, but smoke wouldn't want us griefing our hearts out like this would he?, look we gotta move forward, we gotta relive the future not the past, a wise guy told me that once" Zack said

  "You mean smoke don't ya"Chloe laughed a little

  "Wait a minute, how the hell do you know it was him?" Zack asked surprised

  "Might've easedropoed alittle on your discussion some time back, only pretended to be asleep"Chloe replied laughing softly, she was still griefing but smoke was right, she would never move on if she had her thoughts all hanged around his death, she had to move forward not stay reliving the past.

  "So you cool?" Zack asked

  "Yh....kinda" Chloe replied, the atmosphere felt better after her talk with Zack, not as much as it did when he was alive but enough for he to feel a little at ease.

  With the rise of the sun the duo were already standing on a little grave they dug for smoke, this was the best they could do for him at the moment, with a final goodbye they headed off. They needed to get across the zone as brie had told them earlier and that they planned on doing