The man I'm looking for is dangerous.
As I wait at The River, I take the time to overthink.
Danielle's List of Sh*t That Could Go Wrong:
1 You get betrayed. 2 You get murdered. 3 You have to change, again.
A red haired woman approaches in the distance.
"Are you the Destroyer?" she asks. She seems more like a fan than concerned if I'm going to kill her too.
"Yes." I say. This is my contact, I found her months ago after departing from Tre and Gianna, after Kayden died, again.
She sits down across from me. "My name is—"
"Xena. You work closely with the head of Tempest," I say. She nods.
"I can get you in, but whether or not you do good is completely up to you. Don't make a liar out of me." She says.
Xena has brown eyes, red hair, and an army green vest that looks like she got it from military surplus store.
"I just want in," I say.
Xena nods. "You know you're the first person to request this since before the war?" She asks.
I look around at the smoking city. "Is that so?" I ask.
She hefts her gun, "We have high hopes ridding on you, Destroyer."
___
An hour later, we're walking a tunnel path to the Tempest headquarters. I look over at Xena, who has a permanent scowl behind her gun, which she has pointed right in front of her waiting to shoot anything that comes into her way and ask questions later.
"I can feel you staring at me," she says absently. I turn my attention to the beam on my rifle.
"What am I supposed to expect when I get there?" I ask.
Xena looks over at me and chuckles.
"We aren't going to the organization yet. I still have to train you," Xena says.
I glance at her pointedly, "I came here to fight not to train." I say.
She stops at a shack-looking place. It's on top of most of the wreckage, so it has a heavy smell of toxins and chemicals. It has a nice view of the burning city below though.
"I'm not going to let you embarrass me in the Orientation Duel." Xena says simply.
Xena ducks as she enters the shack, and I follow.
"Orientation Duel? Never mind— of course there's an orientation duel," I mumble.
Xena laughs loudly.
"Did you expect to get into a top secret organization without an orientation?" She asks.
I shrug. "You never know." I say.
Xena's red hair flows in the wind. She stands on top of the wreckage, looking over the city.
"The greatest danger in your mission, is your undying loyalty. I must train you to be heartless, ruthless, and if you fail, you'll die. I will not go easy on you for long," she says.
"I never wanted an easy training," I say.
Xena turns to me and smiles. "You don't know what you're asking for." She says.
I look around the wreckage. So many people died in one night. So many lives were lost and for what? Kayden died twice for what? For me? For a dead cause? For nothing?
Xena sits down crisscrossed. "Sit," she says.
I sit down across from her and put my hands in my lap.
It's taking everything in me not to ask questions. More specifically, 'Why the hell are we sitting here like kindergartners on a rug at story time?'
Xena seems to read my thoughts. "Calm your mind, and breathe. Focus on what matters most," she says, closing her eyes slowly.
I keep my eyes open, watching for any attacks that might come. The only person in front of me is Xena, and she's trying to get me to close my eyes to "meditate" but what if it's a trap? It's a trap.
I stand up silently and draw my gun. In a split second Xena sweeps my legs out from underneath me. I land hard on my back, groaning.
"What the hell?" I demand.
Xena sighs. "Your distrust in me will never serve you." She says.
I stand up. "You just told me not to be too loyal, and now you're telling me that I'm being too defensive, which one is it?" I say exasperated.
"You need to learn the art of balance. In order to maintain a true balance, you must learn the difference between foe and comrade. You decide who is your foe, but your true comrade will always find you." She says.
"How am I supposed to know the difference?" I ask.
"That is what this exercise is for. If you can sit in my presence, aside from your own nerves, and feel comfortable, then you know the difference between foe and friend." Xena explains.
"So what did you have to sweep me off the ground for?" I ask.
Xena stands and smiles. "That, you will have to figure out on your own." She replies.