"Is there anything going on between my brother and you two that I should be made aware of?" Thietian drums his fingers on his desk, giving us both a dead cold, hard glare. His mouth and eye twitch from his heated gaze as John and I stand there looking at him confused.
"You mean other than helping him build machines with a vaster array of more efficient weapons?"
I'm baffled, staring at him with my mouth open as I roll my eyes in bewilderment. "Is that a problem? I mean you don't have us doing much on our days off here at HQ, so why not put our idle hands to work. Plus B, asked us to help."
I shrug like its no big deal, "Why would we not help out just one of our allies, but help out everyone else? Besides, when's the last time you took a day off? Or let Cass have a day to himself to be with his family?" I cross my arms now irritated that I feel that I have to defend our actions and call him out on his constant dominance of Cass's body and time.
"CASS UNDERSTANDS I'M A LITTLE BUSY AND NEED THIS TIME RIGHT NOW!" He slams his hands on the desk and stands up, supporting his weight on his palms against the desk.
"Elena does too." Thietian mumbles as he takes a few seconds to calm down.
"Why ARE you so concerned of us helping him?" John scowls at him as he leans back crossing his arms in his seat. "I don't have to be a redcap to know there's something you're not being honest about. The way you and B both regard each other with very little trust in each others actions... It's concerning to us too. Why would you not want us keeping a closer eye on him?"
'Oh... John, you're good.' I think to myself. 'Why not let us keep an eye on him, if you don't trust him?'
Liking where he was going on the matter I add to it before Thietian says anything.
"We don't know what he did to you, but he's helping us for now. We've trusted you this far. Why are you not trusting us?"
There's silence for a minute before Thietian sighs, flopping down heavily into his chair. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired and concerned. Some one or some group is messing with the bottles, diluting them to be less effective. Everything was looking good at first, but these last few waves he's sent out have taken two, three times the amount territory than what they were before. Countries are already complaining about the refugee camps and low supplies not just for refugees but even their own people. The death toll for both enlisted and civilians keeps rising..." He covers his face, "Elena is worn out, but trying her best. Little John is trying to learn how to pull himself up to walk around now. He said 'mama' the other day."
Thietian's voice breaks and he quickly stops himself to take some ragged breaths. John and I exchange a guilty frown before Thietian speaks again, dropping his hands from his face and clearing his throat.
"Anyways.. You are right. I shouldn't have doubted you two. I do know better than that. I'm sorry."
*Knock-knock*
"Come in!" Thietian shouts to the door and Suites comes in with some files. "You two can go get ready for your station along with your troops." Thietian dismisses us with a firm nod and a twitch of the corner of a smile at us.
"Here are the files you asked for, sir." Suites walks past us with a nod, handing the files over as we leave.
We're walking down to the locker rooms for our teams when Suites jogging to catch up to us.
"Hey! Where the hell have you guys been when we're off rotation? Everyone was wanting to get together and have dinner, play cards, or something of that nature but you're never around to invite."
"Sorry, we've just been busy working on a few different things lately. We'll try and make it to the next one, as long as things go well with this rotation." John scratches the back of his head as he answers.
'I guess we haven't been spending time with our friends lately.'
"Yeah, you're working on some things? Anything you could tell me about? Oh, please tell me you've got a sweet new weapon we get to use and kick these pieces of filth into surrender!" Suites pleads with a smile that lights up his whole face.
"Wish I could tell you that, but no. It'd be nice though." John doesn't betray any of the lies he just said, keeping the same amused look on his face.
"So, I guess we're going to Libya? Ready to get sand in your ass crack?" Suites chuckles as we continue.
"Ha!" 'Oh he left this open..' "I don't know what the heck you're doing to get sand in the crack of those suites, but whatever it is... I know your doing it wrong."
We're having a good laugh as Suites flips me off before we split up to go to our separate locker rooms. I'm walking into the females area, taking note of everyone that's already here getting ready. Lars and his brothers had already helped us take care of getting all the battle gear refitted with Vartonix's hide, making sure that no one was left out. As I suited up, I felt my smug smirk cross my face thinking about it.
"What are you smiling about?" Lily approached me, anxiously reading my face for clues as to my laid back demeanor.
Shaking my head with a light scoff, "Just Suites, being Suites. You know how he can be a clown." I shrug it off. I hate having to lie, but we have to treat everyone as if they are the mole. No exceptions.
Lily eyes me and nods, "Yeah, he's a clown alright." She rolls her eyes as I finish strapping my Katana to me and check my clips and weapons are in order.
"You ready to go kick some tail and put some noses in the sand?" Suites asks us as we make our way out of the locker room.
"Speak of the funny devil..." Lily mutters just loud enough for me to hear. I hold back a smirk that threatens the corners of my mouth.
"Yes, lets get a head count make sure no ones missing before we do briefing." I give Lily a nod and she goes to grab the rosters for the assembled teams under my command.
"So Suites, I was thinking, ever give being a Platoon leader a thought?"
"A Platoon leader? Me?! Seriously, a clown like me?" Suites is looking at me like I've gone crazy or I'm just pulling his leg.
"Yes, You. You may be a clown and have fun when you're here at HQ, but I notice how you change depending on the situations. I think you're more than capable of being one. I think you would make a great one in fact." I bump his shoulder with my own and he smiles hesitantly, questions in his eyes.
"You don't have to say yes, just think about it for now." I smack his shoulder lightly and go over to Lily to check up on the rosters while every one is still filing in.
When everyone had been accounted for a few minutes later, I pulled up the map on our briefing screen.
"Okay, listen up! You all know the way this goes. We'll be snapping to Libya, on the border with Algeria and Niger. The Erlking has really been testing our areas lately. Now, please don't be disappointed. Where we're going is not where the main source of the action will be. His troops are amassing farther west in Algeria, far away from our area."
Grumbles could be heard at the sound of us being so far from combat. I raise my hands and grab their attention back to me.
"Hey! Pipe down! Let me finish." I lower my hands back down and continue pointing to areas of the map.
"We'll be helping the men on the border, while being on standby if we're needed to help evacuate civilians. All cities and towns within a hundred miles of borders have been evacuated closer to the coastal areas, where there are battle cruisers to cruise ships to help with evacuations if need be. We're not sure what the Erl's plan is but be prepared for anything everyone." With the end of my little briefing, I send out the notices to the Squad leaders. Everyone was to remain within the specific area and coms on at all times.
Everyone is with their respective groups and the MU's (magic users) snap their team members to their posts. Soon we are engulfed in hot, dry air that provokes thirst as it saps the moisture from even our breaths. Sand dunes that shift and move with the breeze can be seen around the concrete already damaged buildings and walls of sand colored stone that surround the main part of the town and oasis.
The broken walls are littered with gunners and tanks, drones and some of B's machines can be seen farther off. After checking in with this posts commander, we go and set up in our area, watching the horizon and the screens for movement.
You can feel the tension in the air that surrounds us, the silence is deafening, making me question if the vibrations I'm beginning to feel are real or not.