My mother turned her steely grey eyes on me, clearly as unimpressed as she always had been. There was no hint of concern for my obviously battered appearance. I hadn't seen her since 4 years before the apocalypse, and I had assumed she was dead, or gone mad.
"You're the one who saved me? What is all this? Do you run this place? Why didn't I know you were alive?" Once the questions started, I found it hard to stop, but she raised one finger to stall me, and some well trained part of my childhood psyche complied immediately.
"You've always been impatient…" she gestured to the table and I noticed a glass of pure, clean water and a plate with a little bread and cheese. My stomach growled loudly and I realised I hadn't eaten for a matter of days. My mother smirked at the sound. "... I thought you might be hungry. Apparently I was correct."
As usual. My brain filled in the unspoken words.
"Sit, eat. I will talk." While a large part of me bristled at following any instruction from her, my mouth had started watering. I limped gingerly to the table and sat down. The bread was fresh and delicious, and the cheese sharp and creamy. I sighed happily. My mum had crossed the length of the room and sat down opposite me, crossing one shin over her knee and leaning forward to scrutinise my face. I had no idea what she was looking for, but after a moment she started to speak.
"I'll start with the questions you so eloquently asked. Yes, it was me who saved you, more specifically, it was my men. This is a top secret military facility tasked with monitoring the Korean threat and neutralising it. Yes, I am in charge here. And finally, you didn't know I was alive because I wished it so. Top secret means exactly that."
Somehow her answers had only raised more questions for me.
"But I thought you worked for the government?"
"Yes, the government are in charge of the military, do try to keep up." Her face was expressionless, but after a moment she did elaborate.
"I lied, to you and your father. I never worked in Energy & Industrial Strategy. I worked with the Cabinet office, in a non-official capacity, to develop this team here. Unfortunately we were too late, as evident by the events some 6 years hence. Still, the job goes on, there's a lot of mess to undo."
"I don't understand… Why are you telling me this? Is it not top secret still?"
She looked at me impatiently, as if I were being uncommonly slow on the uptake.
"Of course it is still top secret. Korea must not know we are here. I'm telling you because obviously I couldn't very well hide it after we rescued you from that situation." There was a tone of distaste in the last word that made me bristle.
"Situation?! I have been plotted against, chased half way down the country, had my closest allies murdered, been drugged, beaten up and then set against armed soldiers with a dislocated shoulder!" I took a deep shake breath and angry tears threatened my vision. I blinked them away, knowing they would be taken for weakness.
My mother's eyes narrowed and I could tell it hadn't gone unnoticed. She leaned further forward and rested her hands on the table. Her voice was hard. "Yes and whose fault is that? Chasing that girl" She spat the word like an insult. "What is wrong with you? It was one thing, playing house before. The world ended and she married Benjen Easterly but you still follow her around like a love sick puppy!"
I got to my feet in one swift movement, my mouth opening to argue but she cut me off.
"Oh, sit down. I don't have time for your drama. She's back with her husband now and you are free to concentrate on the job I have for you."
I scowled and stayed where I was.
"I have no interest in working with you. I'm going to get Keri, and then I am leaving you to whatever the fuck all this is." I started towards the door, but she rose quickly to beat me, blocking my exit.
"I can't let you do that. I need your help."
I scoffed. "Help? What could I possibly help you with?"
For the first time in my entire life, I saw her look uncertain. It was subtle, but her feet shifted slightly and she looked away from me for a brief second.
"I don't have enough men for the next part of our plan. But there's a large contingent of ex guild here, and for some reason, they seem to all idolise you. I need their support to take out the Easterly compound, and I need you to lead them."
That got my attention, although I tried not to show it. Of course Ben was somehow involved, and that piqued my interest; my mother would know that. I needed to play it cool, and use it to my advantage. She would also know exactly what I would try to leverage.
I sighed. She had played me, knowing she would get the bigger prize.
"Should we cut out all the bullshit mum? You help me get Keri out of there, I'll help you with whatever you are planning."
The uncertainty in her earlier stance disappeared; yet another trick, but I did think the small, almost impressed, twitch in the left corner of her mouth might have been genuine.
"A very reasonable agreement. Will you consent to having our doctors attend you prior to your rescue attempt?"
I nodded my assent. She reached over to press something on the wall - there was a small silver panel that I hadn't noticed earlier. The door behind her swung open and two men in lab coats entered, giving my mother a swift salute before turning to me. She had counted on securing my help, that much was obvious. One of them gestured for me to follow him. I started past my mother, who was watching me impassively behind a caged expression. As I drew level with her, she reached out to touch my arm gently.
"I.. It is good to see you alive." She looked uncomfortable with the admission, and it made me uncomfortable too. It was the most affection I could remember her showing for twenty years. I nodded again as her hand fell away.
"You too." The words felt awkward leaving my mouth, and I felt a familiar burn rise in my cheeks that was echoed in my mother's complexion. We each looked away quickly, and I took the opportunity to hurry past her.
If my escort had any thoughts on our exchange, they kept it to themselves as I was quickly ushered out and into the corridor. The door swung closed, leaving my mother alone once more.
The hospital wing was impressively high tech; having not long since left a field hospital in a muddy tent I was especially set back by the equipment lining the walls, most of which I had never seen the likes of. Split into 10 perfectly identical bays, each with a bed and an array of monitors, I could tell only one was occupied, light blue curtains drawn tight around it. I was escorted to the bed directly opposite and handed a gown the same shade as the curtains my escort then pulled closed around me as they left, leaving me alone for the first time in days.
I stripped myself down unthinking, concentrating on nothing but the next item of clothing, stiff with sweat, mud and blood. Standing there for a moment in my underwear, I allowed myself a few shuddering breaths, hot tears flowing freely down my cheeks.
A politely quiet cough from just outside snapped me back to reality, and I scrambled to cover myself and sit hastily on the edge of the bed, scrubbing at my cheeks to dry away the tears. The curtains parted slightly and a young woman slid in, pulling them tightly closed again behind her. She wore the same style lab coat as the others, and her long blonde hair was pulled up into a tidy bun at the nape of her neck. She turned to me with a kind look in her deep brown eyes, which seemed at odds with the fairness of the rest of her complexion. A few freckles lined the cheeks that dimpled as she smiled.
"I'm so sorry to intrude, but I've been instructed by Major Evans to ensure you are made comfortable." She gestured to the bed with another warm smile. "Would you be so kind as to get settled for me?"
I laughed gently and did what she asked. "I very much doubt Major Evans was all that concerned with my comfort, but thank you." Her hands were warm and her manner gentle but professional as she began to check me over, noting each rome I winced at her touch.
"I might be paraphrasing a little." She admitted. "Plenty of bruising and a few places that could use stitches, but besides that and some malnutrition, you're not nearly as bad as I had expected, from the stories I'd heard." She finished up her examination and took a step back.
"I imagine they've been greatly exaggerated." A wave of exhaustion hit me, and I tried to stifle a yawn. It didn't go unnoticed and the doctor regarded me with a steady look.
"Perhaps. But for now I think what you need most is rest." She reached for the curtain, then paused, turning back to me once more. "Sleep. The rest can wait."
With that she was gone, and I could do nothing more than follow her instructions, my eyes already fighting gravity and losing. Within moments, I settled into an uneasy sleep.