outside.”
Slowly, after giving Luke what harsh looks they could, the Dark soldiers left the room, followed immediately by Thompson, Ranjak, the Monolith, and the other members of the group. Hendrick gave a snappy laugh seeing Sable and Vyvyr in handcuffs and nudged Sable in the side as they went through the door. “You should really get a hand on that aggression issue of yours. It’s out of control.”
Sable gave a small laugh as they exited. Pontious was the last to leave, giving the two one last look before closing the door behind him.
The room was completely empty now, and the two stood in complete quiet. But Luke had barely noticed the change. Feeling his daughter hugging him drew new life from him. For some reason, everything up until this point, even prison, seemed like an afterthought. Luke gave her a moment longer before pushing her back and looking at her.
“You’re a woman.” Luke remarked as though it was something he never thought would happen or he’d live to see happen.
Tess raised her hands and shrugged, averting her eyes and grimacing. “It’s been over six years...”
Luke smiled while feeling her hair though there was discontentment in his voice. “I can’t see too well, kid. This many stabilizers make it hard.”
Tess stepped back and her smile disappeared. She put a hand on Luke’s shoulder.
“So…” She started disappointedly. “So you can’t see me?”
His smile persisted as he replied. “I can see that you have your mother’s face and my hair. You’ve stayed in shape too. I’ve always been afraid of having a fat kid. I was lucky with you and Lazarus.”
“Yeah you were…” She said, her agreement being more of a response to create the appearance of paying attention. She got down to her knees and lowered her head. “Dad…”
“Yeah?” He responded while getting down on the floor beside her. Tess moved her mouth slightly as though to speak but immediately closed her it. She instead put her arms around him and pulled him close.
“The things that you did at the battle in Olsgrad canyon… is it…”
She didn’t finish it. It didn’t seem within her ability. She had said enough though and Luke had plenty idea of what it was she was referring to. He returned her affection and replied.
“I’ll tell you about it someday.” He finished. Tess looked up at him and saw his face still smiling at her. She returned the smile and hugged him again.
“What about the prison?” She asked him. “Can you tell me about that?”
Luke shook his head. Tess nodded and went quiet.
There was a loud thud outside the door that drew both their attention. Tess stepped forward and Luke held an arm out in front of her. “We can go back to my place and talk.” He started towards the door and stretched an arm out to open it, pausing as he looked to his feet and then to Tess, giving her an amused look. “This isn’t how I imagined this to work out at all.”
Tess laughed and went to join Luke.
The door opened and everything outside was teetering on the precipice of utter chaos. Not only were there Dark soldiers everywhere, but Dark civilians had joined into the fray, yelling curses, insults, all aimed towards the Ditrinity. Ranjak and Thompson stood at their front, basking in their celebrity and facing the Ditrinity head on. Hendrick, Vyvyr, Pontious and Sable stood in the center of attention. Sable and Vyvyr kept quiet, keeping a simple eye out for anybody who might become physically aggressive while Pontious defended himself and Hendrick actively antagonized them. But seeing Luke emerge from the office changed the focus entirely. No longer were the Darks concentrated on the Ditrinity. Their animosity towards the group was based around the fact that they were direct associates of Luke Semprys, and now here he stood, alive and in the flesh, right in front of them.
When Luke emerged, standing at the office’s entrance with Tess at his side,
Slowly, after giving Luke what harsh looks they could, the Dark soldiers left the room, followed immediately by Thompson, Ranjak, the Monolith, and the other members of the group. Hendrick gave a snappy laugh seeing Sable and Vyvyr in handcuffs and nudged Sable in the side as they went through the door. “You should really get a hand on that aggression issue of yours. It’s out of control.”
Sable gave a small laugh as they exited. Pontious was the last to leave, giving the two one last look before closing the door behind him.
The room was completely empty now, and the two stood in complete quiet. But Luke had barely noticed the change. Feeling his daughter hugging him drew new life from him. For some reason, everything up until this point, even prison, seemed like an afterthought. Luke gave her a moment longer before pushing her back and looking at her.
“You’re a woman.” Luke remarked as though it was something he never thought would happen or he’d live to see happen.
Tess raised her hands and shrugged, averting her eyes and grimacing. “It’s been over six years...”
Luke smiled while feeling her hair though there was discontentment in his voice. “I can’t see too well, kid. This many stabilizers make it hard.”
Tess stepped back and her smile disappeared. She put a hand on Luke’s shoulder.
“So…” She started disappointedly. “So you can’t see me?”
His smile persisted as he replied. “I can see that you have your mother’s face and my hair. You’ve stayed in shape too. I’ve always been afraid of having a fat kid. I was lucky with you and Lazarus.”
“Yeah you were…” She said, her agreement being more of a response to create the appearance of paying attention. She got down to her knees and lowered her head. “Dad…”
“Yeah?” He responded while getting down on the floor beside her. Tess moved her mouth slightly as though to speak but immediately closed her it. She instead put her arms around him and pulled him close.
“The things that you did at the battle in Olsgrad canyon… is it…”
She didn’t finish it. It didn’t seem within her ability. She had said enough though and Luke had plenty idea of what it was she was referring to. He returned her affection and replied.
“I’ll tell you about it someday.” He finished. Tess looked up at him and saw his face still smiling at her. She returned the smile and hugged him again.
“What about the prison?” She asked him. “Can you tell me about that?”
Luke shook his head. Tess nodded and went quiet.
There was a loud thud outside the door that drew both their attention. Tess stepped forward and Luke held an arm out in front of her. “We can go back to my place and talk.” He started towards the door and stretched an arm out to open it, pausing as he looked to his feet and then to Tess, giving her an amused look. “This isn’t how I imagined this to work out at all.”
Tess laughed and went to join Luke.
The door opened and everything outside was teetering on the precipice of utter chaos. Not only were there Dark soldiers everywhere, but Dark civilians had joined into the fray, yelling curses, insults, all aimed towards the Ditrinity. Ranjak and Thompson stood at their front, basking in their celebrity and facing the Ditrinity head on. Hendrick, Vyvyr, Pontious and Sable stood in the center of attention. Sable and Vyvyr kept quiet, keeping a simple eye out for anybody who might become physically aggressive while Pontious defended himself and Hendrick actively antagonized them. But seeing Luke emerge from the office changed the focus entirely. No longer were the Darks concentrated on the Ditrinity. Their animosity towards the group was based around the fact that they were direct associates of Luke Semprys, and now here he stood, alive and in the flesh, right in front of them.
When Luke emerged, standing at the office’s entrance with Tess at his side,
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