"Going somewhere?" a girl said.
I turned around and looked at Xena.
"Yes." I answered.
"You're supposed to be in the brief. We were discussing suicide bombings." Xena said frustratedly.
I glanced at her red hair then back to her stressed expression.
"What pisses you off so badly about suicide bombings?" I asked.
"My father. He was killed in a bombing. It's a bit of a stressful topic," she replied, rubbing her temples.
"Everyone important got killed in The Explosion. Get over it," I mumbled, and continued walking.
"You don't have to be a b*tch all the time," Xena said in an assuring tone.
"You're insufferable," I said.
I turned and opened the door to my bedroom.
"We all know you aren't yourself—" Xena started.
"—Nobody is! Nobody, okay? Why is me changing any different than you? You were a goddamn police officer, and now you're a criminal, how crazy is that?" I snapped.
Xena stared at me. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm here if you need me. But apparently you are completely fine, locked in your little killing spree that you call a life," she said, and walked out.
"Son of a b*tch," I mumbled.
I glanced around the room. The room reminds me of the one I stayed in back at Aera Taqa. It reminds me of Zero— Kayden, sitting on the edge of my bed and asking me how I was. He didn't plan to tell me that he was the man I became a killer to avenge. Maybe he couldn't have told me. It sounded like he made a deal with Caligula— for my safety. It makes my stomach churn. The man I loved— still love, sold his soul for me. Other girls would feel accomplished. I feel like it's all my fault. It's not sweet. It's not heartwarming. He died in place of me, twice. And both times I had to watch the life pour out of him. It's inhumane to watch the love or your life die twice.
Most people only die once. But Caligula is a different type of killer— he holds a different kind of death. He kills the soul of the victims first, then uses their bodies as vessels— half-living, undead warriors for his army. He uses his Powers— Anastasis and Tempus— resurrection and time.
It reminds me of a story my stepmother used to tell me when I was little to scare me.
There was a man, he was older than time— he called himself a god. He would posses his vessels and use them for his will. She told me that for centuries he would corrupt kings and queens, slither into the high places and destroy empires from the inside. She described him as an emotion, "The Wicked One" she called him.
Which is why I believe he's the devil himself.
Turning toward the door, I braced myself.
Khienan should be coming any second to yell at me and tell me that I'm done.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
I turned, and saw a face at my window. I hefted my rifle and walked towards it, before recognizing the face— it's Tre. I thought he was knocking before I realized he was trying to break in. I quickly opened the window and looked at his bloody face.
"Tre?" I whispered.
"Danielle!?" He whisper—shouted.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing!" He said.
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" I asked again.
"I'm blowing this sh*t. They work for Caligula, and now you do too," he shook his head.
"We work against Caligula, dude." I said.
"We?" he raised his eyebrows and stepped into my room from the makeshift window. "Looks like you're close with the people here," he added.
"I'm here to get what I want. I need them to train me so that I can take on Caligula," I said.
"Fine. But I'm still blowing it," he grabbed a few grenades from the backpack.
"Tre! Please! I need this," I explained, "Its the only way I'll get Kayden back," I said, searching his face for the tiniest hint of a change of heart.
"No," he said, walking toward the door.
"I'll come back! Just, please, don't,". I begged.
"Danielle Wilder, begging?" He mused.
I hardened my expression, remembering who I am.
"My people will murder you in a heartbeat, and I won't be able to help you," I told him.
"Wow." he said, placing his hand on the door handle.
Then Khienan knocked on the door.
"Don't do this," I warned.
Tre turned towards me. "Fine." He said.
"Go," I pointed to the window, and he ran towards it to get out and climb up the escape pole.
After he was gone, I opened the door.
"What?" I asked.
The sound of an automatic going on startled me.
Khienan raised his gun and aimed it in the hallway, returning the fire.
It must be serious, since he wasn't offended by my lack of a 'Sir' in my sentence.
"We've been compromised." he said from behind his M16.