Son of Lorelai, Chapter Twenty
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Hundreds of raindrops rolled off her back, but Lorelai didn’t budge.
She hadn’t flinched since Jackson left her in Chicago. Thunder roared over the city as the rebels guarded her at a respectable distance. But even they were unsure when Lorelai would get up.
She’d never let herself be so vulnerable in her life, but she couldn’t help it. Massive tears poured out her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. Her whimpers could be heard throughout Chicago. In between her sadness, Lorelai felt embarrassed- she was constantly in the nation’s spotlight, but at least she tried to hide her tears. But not this time.
Her grief was too heavy for her to do anything.
Jackson… She bit her lip while staring at the wet street, as if he were still there. He doesn’t hate me… but I lost him anyway? Another tear rolled down her cheek, and a small, radio-static like noise came out her mouth. “I don’t want to be alone…” She shuddered.
Yet, the citizens of Chicago still moved on. Traffic didn’t stop- even though Lorelai was a huge roadblock, the vehicles just took another route. People were still darting down the sidewalk back to their apartments or bolting off to work.
Still, she always had her admirers- even the youngsters. Walking down the sidewalk were some curious children that weren’t afraid of her. They’d read the comics. They’d seen her on tv.
And they were appreciative.
After the rebels made sure they didn’t pose a threat to Lorelai, the kids crept toward her. And once they were right next to Lorelai’s hands- close enough for her to squash the children immediately if she wanted, they placed something.
Lorelai’s teary eyes glanced at the warm, miniscule lanterns as they touched her skin. Then she saw the children. They looked up at her, and smiled. Gave thumbs ups. Waved slowly. A few of the older ones even saluted.
Every child reminded Lorelai of her own.
Then the littlest one approached. He was around five, wearing a coat that was too big for him, and had freckles all over his face. He had no lantern.
He placed a rebel patch on top of Lorelai’s thumb.
“What comes from the ashes.” He quoted the meaning of the patch as he looked up at Lorelai.
Lorelai wished she could smile back. Or even nod. But all she could do was continue to tremble. Her sniffles grew louder as she looked at the patch.
I’m the one who made the quote.
Am I turning my back on it now… How am I supposed to rise up from this?
Eventually the children left, and things went back to being dreary. As cars honked and the birds flew away from the storm, Lorelai listened to all the city noises. Through the hollering sirens, jackhammers, and barking dogs, a young man made himself known. And he wasn’t just shouting anything.
He was calling out for Lorelai’s son.
“JACKSON!!!” A limbing blondie shouted from the sidewalk. “JACKSON!!!” He called out again, forcing his way through the crowds. “JACKSON, WHERE ARE YOU?!”
Just as he paused, even though it was just for a second, someone knocked into him.
He fell to the sidewalk- and wailed as soon as his injured leg touched the ground. Lorelai watched him as he struggled to get up, and soon enough, he turned to her.
He looked up- and he saw her face.
His eyes grew wide, and he forced himself to stand, even though it took everything he had in him.
The rebels saw a rebel patch stitched onto his sleeve, and let him pass. Once close enough to Lorelai, he immediately knelt down and bowed. Even if it killed him, he was determined to show his respect for the leader of the rebels.
Lorelai wiped away her tears, then tried to face him. “...how do you know my son?”
his eyes darted up. “I protected him on his journey…”
His words were barely audible for a human, but Lorelai heard him. “I stayed with him for as long as I could, but while fighting military soldiers on a rebel train, they dragged me to the ground. I- I haven’t seen him since.”
The rebel’s entire body was shaking. Had he not just failed to protect Jackson, but had he even let down his mother? The rebels' beacon of hope? The modern symbol of freedom?
The reason he was breathing right now and not being crushed?
“...I’m looking for him…” He muttered, his eyes growing wet as Lorelai looked into them. “Have you seen Jackson?” He whimpered.
Lorelai hushed for a moment. I can’t believe someone was looking over my son this entire time… why him, and none of the other rebels? What moved him? What made him see that my son is the most important thing to me in the world?
Whatever it might’ve been, he’s the reason my son wasn’t killed.
“...He left.” Lorelai's voice was heavy and low, but a spark of gratitude flashed into her eyes like the lighting above. To the rebel, Lorelai was his leader. She had to stay strong enough to at least keep saying things back to him. He had risked his life, over and over, for a kid that didn’t even belong to him.
And his eyes were even welling with tears over the fact that he, too, lost Jackson.
He sucked in his breath, then spoke again. “Kenny Severide.”
“Kenny…” Lorelai’s breath shook him as she whispered the name again. Why does it feel like I remember that name…?
“You’ve met me before, ma'am. You visited my uncle's ranch in Buffalo, Wyoming, in the dead of night. You lifted me in the palm of your hand, and asked me to point to where Lincoln, Montana was.” Kenny trembled.
…He’s that same boy… Lorelai knew he was telling the truth, since she had never told anyone else about that. Only he would’ve remembered meeting her.
“...thank you for protecting my son.” Lorelai said gently. A small tear rolled down Kenny’s cheek. “But I lost him…” His voice cracked. “I let him down… I let you down…” His face drooped.
“I’m sorry…” He whimpered. “...Please forgive me.”
“You did the best you could.” Lorelai's voice was lighter- as light as she could manage to make it without crying like the small rebel. She had done her best to protect Jackson too.
Lorelai breathed in deeply, wanting to think so. But, she couldn’t allow herself to.
“But he's beginning to make his own choices now…” She sighed.
“...tell me, ma’am… please…” Kenny’s head slowly rose back up to the giant. “Was I actually of any service to your family? Did you reach Montana?”
Lorelai nodded. “I did. I went there searching for my ex, but me and Jackson ended up building a life there.” Kenny slowly wiped his face. “Seven years of safety and happiness… getting to watch my baby boy grow up…” Lorelai sniffled. Why did all of that have to be ruined…? Why can’t I have my baby back? WHY?
“...Did Jackson find his father?” Kenny asked. Lorelai stayed quiet for a moment.
“...h-he’ll come back to you ma’am.” Kenny dared to say these fragile words on Jackson’s behalf. “I’ve seen it in his eyes. The way he shoots his pistol. He’s not just fighting to see his father- he’s fighting to stay alive long enough so he can make it back to you.”
“He doesn’t just love you, ma’am…” Kenny sighed. “He wants to make you proud.”
Lorelai was still- but her mind was cold and foggy. I am proud of him. SO PROUD. I-I know he looks up to me… but I’ve never wanted him to become what I am. A giant- no, a… “monster”.
But he’s no monster. He’s everything that I raised him to be- and SO MUCH MORE.
Do I tell him that enough? Do I tell him that I’m proud of him?
That no matter his size, strength, or anything in between, he’s still my son?
There was a silence between the human and the giant. They both looked at one another, with an understanding for each other. How could a human understand that a giant had emotions? And how could a giant comprehend that a human wasn’t just a squirmy plaything?
It wasn’t like Lorelai had forgotten to be human, and Kenny never forgot that Lorelai used to be human. In a way, she was still human.
And like all human mothers, Lorelai had made mistakes.
She acknowledged that now.
“...Kenny?” She mumbled. He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve fought hard enough.” “B-but-” “You’re on death’s door, rebel.” She glanced at Kenny’s leg. And after denying it for so long, he finally had to realize it. He was in no shape to keep going.
He nodded- accepting it at last.
Lorelai, after days of not moving an inch, got up on one knee. She shook the raindrops from her soaked hair like a goddess. Everyone stopped to look up at her.
Those who expected rage from her only saw grace.
Lorelai offered her hand out to Kenny. Gently, she began to say, “Let’s get you to a hospital-”
Suddenly there was an eerie static noise that came from every screen. With all of the civilian devices combined, they were loud enough to break through the storm. Lorelai froze, her eyes darting around to all the tiny people holding their phones in dismay- they all had the same problem. Kenny began to look, just as they broke into an outrage of complaints.
“WHY THE HELL IS MY VIDEO NOT PLAYING?!”
“DAMN IT! I was listening to my podcast…”
“I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS COVERAGE ON THE GIANT! WHAT THE HECK?”
“Bro, she’s right there-”
“I KNOW, BUT I’M TRYING TO GIVE HER SPACE-”
“She’s RIGHT THERE- SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT-”
“MAYBE I WILL WHEN MY MOTHERFUCKIN PHONE TURNS BACK TO THE NEWS!”
Some fights were breaking out as well.
Lorelai hadn’t used a phone in years, but whatever was going on had to be more important than news coverage of her- and she was the most important thing in the country. I need to know what’s happening…
“Kenny, do you have a phone?” Lorelai scooped him into her hand with careful precision. Kenny was starstruck- it wasn’t every day that you get to sit in the hand of a giant war hero. He just stared at her for a few seconds, then blurted out- “No… I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Okay… maybe one of the rebels guarding me has a phone- wait a second, what AM I THINKING?! I can’t see anything on that tiny screen! My eyesight is sharp but… not that sharp.
She looked down at the rebels. They have to be more familiar with the area than Kenny- “REBELS.” All the rebels standing guard immediately turned to their leader. “WHERE CAN I FIND A BIG SCREEN IN THIS CITY?”
The rebels brainstormed and butted heads for a moment.
“CROWN FOUNTAIN, MA’AM!” One of them shouted. “GO DOWN THE STREET AND ACROSS THE DUSABLE BRIDGE!”
Lorelai stood up and bolted toward the bridge, gripping Kenny a bit tighter to make sure he didn’t fall. But he was screaming at her every step- Kenny wasn’t used to moving THIS fast. In fact, he felt like he needed to throw up.
Cars veered away from Lorelai, forging a clear path for her to stomp craters into instead of trampling everyone in her way. She nodded to them, appreciative of the gesture.
The static crackled even louder as rain fell onto her face. Even if they couldn’t do a live broadcast, news reporters and cameramen recorded the giant as she raced down the street. Families watched from the skyscrapers, astonished and excited that she was moving again.
And then there was the bridge.
The sloshing waves of the Chicago River raged underneath the double decker bridge. The bottom carried vehicles. The top allowed people to cross, most of them running off the flag-bearing bridge to keep out Lorelai’s way.
If that bridge crushes underneath my weight, I take hundreds down with me.
Then she sped up- building up enough momentum for something massive. The people on the bridge dropped their phones and screamed. Cars honked as loudly as they could, begging for traffic to go faster so they could outrun the giant. Kenny gripped Lorelai’s finger, praying he wouldn’t slip out her hand and fall to his doom.
A second later, she jumped.
Lorelai soared over the bridge in a crisp, breathtaking motion. Everyone froze except for Kenny- who was still terrified. They gripped their kids. Their hearts raced. But they didn’t dare close their eyes.
Lorelai landed on the other side of the bridge, her feet punching a huge crater into the street. She took a slight glance back at Kenny. He was still clenching onto her, but other than his leg, he wasn’t injured. Then she looked behind her. “Good.” She panted, seeing that the bridge was still intact and she hadn’t crushed anybody.
“Everyone’s still alive.”
Moments later, Lorelai reached Crown Fountain, where two glass brick towers stood over hundreds of tourists. Normally, video images of Chicago residents would be displayed on the towers, and water would squirt out from their lips. But now, they were glitchy and packed with static, just like all the other screens.
Yep. Lorelai sighed, kneeling next to one of the fountains. That’s big enough.
“Kenny, you can look now.” Lorelai said calmly. Kenny flinched a little, then carefully peered out of Lorelai’s hand. “There ya go.” She smiled. Then everyone at Crown Fountain watched the screen quietly.
After a few more minutes, the screen showed one of the most horrible sights in decades. It could be slapped onto propaganda. It could be on the front page news. But it was etched into Lorelai’s head forever.
She saw her son, but in chains. A muzzle locked around his mouth. And a serum about to be injected into his body.
Lorelai trembled as she watched him struggle to get away. He tried to scream, but it did no good. Then a bright light flashed right in his face, making his pupils shrink.
This wasn’t just an exclusive message. Hatchford was allowing the entire nation to observe Jackson like a specimen. But Chicago wasn’t too happy. Kenny, the civilians, and all the rebels who’d followed along were shouting at the top of their lungs.
This is my fault… Lorelai growled. I shouldn’t have been trying to stop him from leaving… I should have done what he asked… I SHOULD HAVE WENT WITH HIM.
I could have protected him… I could have supported him.
Everyone had gone quiet when they saw Lorelai’s infuriated face. But she wasn’t going to hide her fury… not until Jackson was back in her hands. She was ready to destroy Hatchford’s little corpse, and he hadn’t even said a word yet.
And she only got angrier when he started speaking.
“Citizens of America, I have captured the offspring of my creation, the original Goliath. Inside this impenetrable cell lies the one and only, Son of Lorelai.” Hatchford paused for a moment, as if he wanted that to seep into everyone watching. It was a smack in the face to President Charles Redding. It eased those who lacked faith in Hatchford’s control over Lorelai. And for giant haters… well, it just made them feel good.
To Lorelai, it was a threat.
“Lorelai, if you do not willingly return to Goliath Program Facility, I will have your son injected with a new Goliath Serum called GS189. It does not enhance. It controls.”
Lorelai flinched at that word.
“And I will force your son to become my American superweapon. Even if it kills him-”
The civilians stepped away from Lorelai as she rose. Her silhouette towered above Crown Fountain. She was growing- almost as quickly as the rain fell from the sky. Kenny could feel her Goliath Cells generating underneath her skin- it felt unnatural. For a mere second, he wasn’t scared for himself, but for her.
It was painful, but she was used to it. She was used to all the suffering Hatchford had put her through, but-
“HE DOESN’T GET TO DO THAT TO JACKSON.”
When she marched back off into the city, she kept her word. Immediately, she rushed to find Kenny a hospital, and did so in a few minutes. Lorelai darted over to the emergency drive-thru area, and lowered Kenny’s body to a few nurses- but every doctor had come outside just to get a look at her.
“Be careful with him.” Lorelai warned. “WAIT! MA’AM!” Kenny looked back to Lorelai. “ARE YOU ACTUALLY GOING TO THE FACILITY?”
“YES.” She growled. Kenny gulped. “Are you going to bring the rebels with you?” Lorelai hesitated for a second. “He doesn’t want rebels.” She huffed.
And with those final words, she stormed out of the city.
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