“Would you like to say something?” Peter’s voice pulled Dave out of his stupor somewhere along the road. It took him a moment to realize Peter meant the funeral. Dave shook his head, and Peter nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll keep it short.”
Too soon, Skull pulled up at the Evergreens Cemetery. Dave didn’t ask how the gates were open for them in the middle of the night, knowing just how far headquarters’ limbs reached into the city. He couldn’t see a soul but knew there were men both on the ground and in the air, making sure civilians wouldn’t come too close, on the off-chance someone decided it was fun to hang out at a cemetery at night.
They carried her down the snaking path, past tombstones and crypts, straight to the gravesite. Dave, Peter, Chad, and Marco, followed by Skull with some strange, long bag, and two dozen more people. There were just enough lights on for them to see the surroundings, with the moon hiding behind the clouds.
They put the coffin down, and Dave’s heart raced all of a sudden. It washed over him then, the realization that in mere minutes he would have to say goodbye, and he wasn’t ready. He would never be.
He drew a strangled breath, unzipping his jacket, letting the cold wind numb the burning sensation in his chest. His feet carried him away from the gravesite, away from it all, down a winding path to the trees.
He stopped, knowing Peter was right behind him.
“Breathe,” Peter’s reassuring voice sounded at his side just as he was about to start suffocating. Dave felt Peter’s strong grip on his shoulder, somehow grounding him.
“Why did you let me stay and work for you?” Dave’s voice came out so low, he wasn’t sure Peter heard him. He turned to look at his boss. “You said you needed an assistant. I never once felt like you needed my help.”
Peter looked at him for a minute before dropping his gaze. “I did it for Elena,” he confessed quietly. “I saw you two in the infirmary. I’d… never seen her so excited before.”
Dave bit on his lip, shaking his head in denial of everything that had happened, everything that had led to this. His gaze slid over the dark trees and gray tombstones.
“You made her happy, Dave. No matter what I did, I could never make up for everything she’d lost, and you made her forget all that. If I had to kidnap you or pay you, I would. For her. So if you want to blame someone, blame me.”
“None of this is your fault. It was my choice to stay, to go pick up that damn camera, to—”
“This is not on you.” Peter’s hands closed on Dave’s shoulders. “And I know it feels like it’s happening too fast. God, I’ve buried so many friends, and it’s just as surreal every time. But this,” he raised a hand to indicate their friends at the other end of the path, “this is the goodbye you say for her. Your goodbye can take weeks, even months, and it’s okay. She’ll be with you forever. And this is just a ceremony for Elena and the people who’ve come to honor her.”
“Not too many, huh,” Dave muttered, peering into the dark.
Peter arched an eyebrow and pointed his index finger skyward, wringing a surprised look from Dave.
He threw his head back and stared, mouth open in amazement.
The sky over the cemetery was swarming with people, too many to count, too many for them all to be from headquarters. They were a black cloud over his head, waiting for a signal to descend to the ground.
“How…” he breathed, turning his eyes to Peter. “It’s more people than we have.”
“It’s the allies. We’re working with them to track down the Commandos. Our men took a break to join us here, and the others followed them.”
“They know about Elena?”
“Word travels fast.” Peter gave a slight shrug. “People are worried, Dave. Their friends, kids are missing, and the only hope they have is that the Commandos have kept them alive all this time. Elena’s death was a blow for all of them. They’re scared and angry. They want to help.”
Dave swallowed, thinking over Peter’s words. “Do they know what the Commandos have done to me? What I am?”
“No. No one must find out. They think you were one of us from the start.” Peter glanced at his watch. “It’s almost midnight. You feel better?”
Dave took a deep breath and zipped his jacket back up. “Yes, I think so.”
“Let’s go, then.”
They headed back, a comfortable silence settling between them. Dave looked sideways at Peter as they neared the spot where the others were waiting. “Thanks.” I know this is hard for you, too, he didn’t say.
Peter only nodded. All around them, dark figures were descending to the cemetery, nothing but hushed whispers filtering through the darkness as everyone found a spot.
Dave stopped by Chad’s side, with everyone’s careful eyes on him.
“You okay?” he heard Chad’s quiet voice and nodded.
Dave turned his eyes to the coffin, noticing a big box of flowers next to it. He stepped forward, but Chad touched his arm. “I have one for you.” He handed him a single red rose, and Dave saw that everyone was already holding one, too.
“All right,” Peter said. “I suppose everyone who wanted to come is here by now.” Peter tilted his head at the coffin, for Dave to be the first.
On wooden legs, Dave approached the grave and laid the flower on the smooth black wood. Peter was right behind him, then Chad and the girls, and the others’ faces all blurred together, his body turning numb from the cold by the time everyone
