I Am Number Four

Four suddenly understands as he watches Bernie Kosar grow: Bernie is a Chimæra, one of the shapeshifting animals from Lorien. Four realizes that Bernie Kosar is actually Hadley from his visions, and he has been protecting him and Henri for a long time. He remembers the gecko that always watched him from the wall when they were in Florida, which he now realizes was Bernie Kosar. As he watches Bernie Kosar grow, he can hear Bernie in his head telling him that he has to run. He realizes that this is another Legacy: He can communicate with animals.

Bernie Kosar has grown into what looks like a dragon but with no wings. He is smaller than the beast but just as menacing. Again, Bernie Kosar tells Four to run as he and the beast begin to attack one another. Four watches in horror as the beast sinks its teeth into Bernie Kosar’s throat. Mark appears and grabs Four from behind, telling him that they have to go. Four screams that they need to help Bernie Kosar, who is struggling to breathe. Bernie Kosar looks at Four and tells him that he has to go as there isn’t much time. Four refuses to leave him behind and lunges out of Mark’s arms. He sprints toward the beast and stabs a dagger through its eye, killing it.

Four looks down at Bernie Kosar, who is shrinking back to his normal size. He can’t tell if he is alive or not. He feels something looming over them and looks up in dread. 

Four is flooded with relief when he looks up and sees Henri. Henri gives Four a stone from the Loric Chest called Loric salt. He tells him to put it in his mouth, and it will slow and numb the dagger’s effects.

Henri tells Four that Six has been badly injured, so Sam carried her back to his truck. Four tells Henri that Bernie Kosar saved his life and asks him if he knew that Bernie Kosar is a Chimæra. Henri says he has always known, and that Bernie Kosar has been with them since they were on the ship. Four looks down at Bernie Kosar and sees he is still breathing, just faintly. He gently picks him up.

They start to make their way out of the woods, but they are surrounded. On one side there are nine armed soldiers, and on the other is a beast. Four accepts the inevitable: They will not make it out alive. Henri surprises him by looking at him and smiling. He squeezes his shoulder and tells Four that he is so proud of him and that they did all they could. They hug tightly, and Bernie Kosar stirs enough to tell Four to have courage. Four is terrified that death is here but is happy that he doesn’t have to face it alone.

When they reach the football field, they stand in front of the beast. It can sense them, but it doesn’t seem to have any of the rage or malice that the other beasts had. Instead, it seems sad and afraid. Four opens him up to the beast and sees through his eyes that the beast has been tortured, starved, and locked up for its whole life here on Earth. Four tells the beast that he and the beast share a common bond in that they have both been wronged by the Mogadorians. He asks for the beast to join him and fight back against them. The beast joins him and begins to take out the soldiers.

Henri is hit with something and thrown 30 feet away. Four pulls Henri into his lap and cries when he sees that he is struggling to breathe. He tells Henri that he is so sorry; they should have left when he said. Henri tells him that everything he needs to know is inside the Loric Chest. He says to read the letter in the chest and find the other Legacies. He tells him that coming to Paradise was not just by chance.

Before he takes his last breath, Henri tells Four that he wouldn’t have missed a second of their time together. Four begins to sob with despair as he holds Henri’s corpse. He sees a scout approaching, but he is too numb to care. The scout comes to an abrupt stop, a butcher’s knife through his chest. Behind him is Sarah. She drops the knife and runs to put her arms around Four and Henri. 

While Four is asleep, he experiences a memory of the day he met Henri. He remembers his grandfather introducing Henri by his Lorien name, Brandon, which he only now remembers after all these years. His grandfather tells him that he and Brandon are bound to each other. Four tells Brandon he is pleased to meet him, and Brandon looks at him with kind eyes, full of promise, and tells him the pleasure is all his.

Henri wakes up, the pain from the battle returning. Worse than the physical pain is the pain he feels at losing Henri. He sobs when he feels Sarah beside him. She kisses him and tells them they are in a hotel 30 miles from Paradise. After the battle at the school, Mark carried him to Sam’s truck, and Sam carried Number Six, who is recovering from her injuries in the next room.

Four notices Bernie Kosar sleeping at the bottom of the bed. Like Four, he has cuts that are beginning to heal. Four cries and smiles with relief and gratitude and thanks him for saving his life. Sarah hugs Four and tells him that she knows he has to leave. She vows to wait for him, no matter how long it takes, and says that her heart belongs to him. He tells her that he feels the same.

In the room are three packed bags, Henri’s computer, the Loric Chest, and the money from Henri’s last withdrawal. There is also an envelope with his name on it. Sarah says she found it in Henri’s bedroom when they went there to gather Four’s belongings. Inside the envelope are all of the identity documents Henri made as well as another sealed envelope addressed to Four. Four knows this must be the letter Henri was talking about before he died, but he doesn’t have the heart to read it yet.

Before they leave, Six uses her Legacy to create a fire so they can cremate Henri. Before they do, Four kisses his forehead and says goodbye. They put the ashes in a coffee can and put it on the dashboard of Sam’s truck, and Four feels comforted knowing Henri is still traveling with them.

Four and Sarah share an emotional goodbye before he, Sam, Six, and Bernie Kosar hop in the truck. Four is overwhelmed by the sadness of leaving. He watches out the rear window as Sarah and Mark wave goodbye.