Losing Troy, Part 8

Audrey stood as if waiting for an answer, but she knew one wasn't going to come. Pain wracked her body from being crushed, and she knew there was no way she was going to make it. Or fight anyone.

     When you need Him most, He'll be there, her mother's voice echoed in her head.

      Audrey took in a deep breath, kneeled, and silently prayed, Oh Lord, I can't do this without you. I know I haven't always sought your will, and I know I'm not perfect. I'm sorry. Dear God, I need your help so badly here...I can't defeat Jolie on my own and Troy...he's gone. I don't know where. I can't find him; I need your help. Lord, help me, strengthen me, and guide me. Amen."

      She let her eyes stay closed a few moments longer and felt a stillness, a peace, settle over her. Slowly, she rose to her feet, finding she felt restored.

     Thank you, God.

"What was she doing?" Jolie murmured to herself. She'd never seen something quite like that.

     "She's praying to someone or something," the warrior noted.

     "Well, I knew that, just...I didn't think Audrey was a Christian," Jolie responded a little sharply. "Okay...she's moving around the control room now. Everything's working as planned."

     "You need to speed the plan up," the warrior warned. "This ship needs to get to the Assembly Point soon."

     "We can do that," Jolie grudgingly allowed. "Have one of the warriors go ahead and hook the boy up to the system."

     The warrior nodded and called for one of his soldiers to complete the order.

Audrey moved around the control panel, before finding one screen that showed her the layout of the ship. Thank you, God, for that one, she whispered silently, her eyes scanning for the quickest route to the escape pod. The pod-sized ship they'd come in and docked with had already left to re-join with the dreadnaught.

     "I can't leave without Troy," she told herself. "I just can't. But the core..."

     She wasn't sure what she needed to do--take the core first, and then come back for Troy? Or save Troy and then both of them and the core got out of there?

     She stood there for a moment, indecisive, clenching and unclenching her jaw as she thought long and hard. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but she probably should get the core back to the Shadow Elite, and then head out after Jolie so she could get Troy back.

     "I'm so sorry, Troy," she whispered, before powering down the control panel and dashing for the pods.