Liana

by Jade


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Author's Note:  I thought maybe some people would like to know about Liana's past life...this is basically the turning point for her. Enjoy!




**********



"Liana!" I whirled when I heard my name. Reklae was running after me down the alley, something hidden under her worn, threadbare jacket.

"You got away?" I asked breathlessly.

She nodded. Then she glared at me, "Damn it Liana, I told you to stay low!"

"And let them cuff you?" I retorted, "Bite me!"

She tried to glare at me a little longer, then laughed. "Okay, okay, I admit it. You kicked ass, little sister."

"Don't call me that," I told her, mock-serious, "What did you get?"

"This." She reached under her coat and brought out a pack of jello and some string cheese.

"Al-RIGHT!" I almost cheered, "Yes!"

"Improvement over peanuts?"

"Oh yeah."

Reklae hooked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"We'll save it for later. Gotta make it last."

I briefly studied her straight, golden hair. So different from my own strangly mouse-colored strands.

"Not necessary," I told her, ready to enjoy this moment to the fullest, "Look what I palmed off of somebody."

Reklae's expression turned dark, "Liana, what the hell did you do?"

I laughed, "Calm down. This is GOOD. For a change."

I reached into my pocket and drew out two twenty-dollar bills.

"Forty bucks!" Reklae whooped.

I was about to say something when movement at the corner of the street caught my eye.

"Reklae," I pointed. She gazed in the direction of my finger.

"Holy ****," she hissed, "Volunteers!" The venom in her voice echoed the pain and anger she had felt over all these years.

I never knew my parents. I could care less about them. But I-loved Reklae. And I hated those that had caused her so much bitter grief and pain.

"Let's get out of here," she grabbed my arm. I quickly stuffed the forty dollars back into my pocket.

"How do we even know they're after us-" I started to protest.

"C'MON," she tugged at my arm.

Too late. They'd spotted us.

"There they are!" the leader shouted, pointing at Reklae.

We took off.

My breathing started quickening in my chest, but I wasn't tired. My leg muscles were in shape; I sometimes did this kind of running everyday up to thirty minutes just to get food.

Reklae was ahead of me, her shoulder-length hair swishing back and forth.

I followed her. Vaguely, I heard the sound of laser shots behind me. They got clearer and closer until one barely missed my shoulder.

"Reklae!" I yelled, "Faster!"

She didn't need to be told twice, I quickened my stride. Now I was starting to feel the effects of this. My legs started to ache.

"Keep going!" she yelled back. I didn't need to be encouraged. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the Volunteers gaining.

Reklae sharply turned a corner and I followed her. They were just behind us now. I could see their facial features in detail. A bolt lanced out and missed me by a hair's width.

"Shoot to kill!"

Oh. ****.

I speeded up more- if that were possible- until I was running beside Reklae.

"What are we going to do?" I gasped out.

"Keep going. The mall. Inside. Not far. They wouldn't dare shoot," she rasped out.

Suddenly, my ankle gave under me. I cursed as I fell to the concrete.

Pain stabbed up my leg. I looked down and saw a puddle of blood forming.

"Liana!" Reklae turned back.

"Keep going, you idiot!" I screamed.

"Liana-"

"Keep going!"

"Get up! Run!"

I tried to stand, but something was lodged in my thigh. I tried to move, but the shrapnel shifted, cutting muscle. I cried out.

Reklae was beside me now. I pushed her away.

"Get out of here!" I told her, "Go!"

"No!"

The Volunteers were on us.

The leader knew he had me cold. He aimed his bazooka at me.

I could never elude the blast. He was only five feet away.

"Get OUT OF HERE!" I screamed at my sister.

"No! Please! Get up! Run!"

The Volunteer squeezed the firing stud.

The shot came at me in slow motion. Everything fell silent except my heart pounding in my ears.

Then,

"LIIAANNAAAA!" Reklae, launching herself in front of me. I saw her back block out my view. And then her body jerked in mid-air. It warped, twisted.

And then she was gone.

Time returned to its normal speed and I heard myself screaming.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Reklae! REKLAE!"

She couldn't be dead. Oh God no, she couldn't be dead.

But she was.

In my rage, I reached inside my wound and pulled out whatever it was lodged in there. A huge piece of glass. I hurled it with all the strength in my arm at the Volunteers.

I scrambled to my feet. It hurt. But I was to numb to feel it or to care. One thought kept echoing in my mind.

Reklae, Reklae, Reklae.

I ran. My sister's last command. Her plea. Get up. Run.

And so I ran.



***

My eyes snapped open. I stifled my scream. My whole body was shaking. I looked around me. It was still dark. Maybe around 4 in the morning. I was huddled against an alley wall, trembling. Reklae still haunted my dreams. As did what I had done to her killers.

I pushed back my gnarled hair with bleeding hands. I studied my palms. They were still cut from the glass of the window I had broken. Accidentally.

I shifted and winced inwardly at the sudden pain in my thigh. It had been years since my sister's death. But I would never forget it. Every detail, every sound, every word, had been burned into my brain forever. And I bore a physical mark of what had transpired. The long, deep gash in my leg had become a scar. The scar would fade over time.

But it would always be there. It would never go away. I'm not sure I want it to.

I curled my myself into a ball, shivering now for lack of heat. Cold rain was sliding down my bare arms and legs. I made a note to get decent clothing as soon as possible. My bad leg felt like it was on pins and needles. The cut muscle still hadn't completely healed.

Sometime later, I don't know when, everything blacked out, and I was asleep.

I awoke to bright sunlight and people walking on the streets. I automatically searched around me for Reklae.

"Hey, Re-"

Then I remembered she was dead. I fought back the sudden tears that stung my eyes and choked my throat. Reklae wouldn't have wanted me to mourn her death, I knew. Reklae would have wanted me to keep going, to survive. I couldn't help but mourn. She was my sister, the one person I had ever loved. I stumbled out onto the streets. The supermarket was just a block away. I wasn't sure I was fit to run if I needed a quick getaway, though. So I had to make sure I did this perfectly. No mistakes.

I reached the supermarket in twice the time it usually took me. Damn this leg. I looked up at the long, one-story building. I peered at the words.

G-I-A-N-T E-A-G-L-E

I felt a small flush of pride, in spite of myself. Reklae's persistent lessons in reading had paid off. Giant Eagle. It would have made her smile.

I strolled casually around to the back of the building. It was even harder now not to attract attention because of the state I was in.Shower, I thought, I need a shower. Maybe I could pay my way into that swimming place Reklae had talked about. She said they had showers there. Making sure I was alone, I took out several toothpicks and a needle and began picking the lock.

***

I limped back to the alley I had started out in. It had gone perfectly. Except for that little the staff-person who had spotted me that ensued in a fight in which I had to make some people bloody.

Yep. I leaned back against the dirty brick wall, panting. Everything had gone perfectly. I waited for Reklae to say "Damn it, Liana..."

Her playful reprimand never came. The same emptiness that had been with me ever since IT had happened now gnawed at my insides more painfully than ever.

It was ironic, I thought. I'm only 14 and I kicked ass.

A lot of kids my age would probably have given anything to have my combat skills, my physical prowess. They didn't know the price that came with all of that.

My wound stung. I glanced down at my leg, pleased to note I had succeeded in scrubbing away most of the dirt. I smiled faintly, recalling my shower. I had decided, to hell with paying. They probably would have called the cops when they had seen the condition I was in anyway. There had been yet another back door.

I love toothpicks.

My hair was still stringy, but it wasn't all bunched up in huge rats any more. It lay wet and lank against my neck. I shook my head, sending water spraying. It was late afternoon now. The sidewalk along the streets were really crowded. I sauntered up to the mouth of the alleyway, just watching people go by.

And the I saw her.

A tall blonde woman, striding through the seething mass of humanity like a queen.

I almost screamed out "Reklae!"

But I restrained myself. I knew it wasn't her. She was too old. But damn, she looked exactly like her! The same bright eyes. Powerful stride. Shining blonde hair. Fine, cultured eyebrows.

Who was she? Something told me I couldn't lose her.

But I couldn't just follow her for a week. Desperate, I ran back into the alley and grabbed something from my other set of clothes. The high-tech thing I had. The one device that had been the most helpful to me and Reklae.

I charged after her through the crowd. Nobody noticed. Everyone was pretty much charging just like me. The was an empty space ahead of me. I ran into it before anyone else could claim it. She was just slightly to the right of me. I changed my angle and slammed into her.

My hand slapped up to her shoulder to plant the bug on it as I did.

"Sorry!" I gasped out.

"It's okay," she said absently. I turned and steered myself out of the crowd. I ran back to my alley. I searched frantically for the receiver. Carefully, I pushed the small device into my ear.

I don't think my eyes ever went wider than that.