The Last of Us part III Ellie's Redemption

Natasha Horne

Soon enough Ellie and Jane were called for to see Horne.
"About fucking time."
"Ellie remember what I said."
"I'll behave until we're out of here."
"Just until then, I'll look forward to your potty mouth when we're done with all this."
Ellie looked at the floor and nodded. "We're two kids being sent to teacher again."
"It's fine because I'm the prefect and this prefect has your back."
Ellie responded with a brief smile.

Jane knocked as they entered her headquarters.
"Come in, I've been expecting you!" Presumably Horne, Ellie guessed.
As they entered a massive, sterile white room full of writing boards, files and and a big screen, five people were seated around a long row of tables. A map with detailed coordinates inked in red and blue lay in front of them.
"Hello, Jane and Ellie, I'm Natasha Horne, to my right is Julio Gomes and Perry Stanton, on my left is Heather Waters and my daughter Melissa."
Natasha had a mix of Asian and Caucasian, and was as tall as the two men seated next to her.
Melissa looked up, said nothing and looked away, Ellie instantly disliked her. Heather smiled, she had blonde fuzzy hair and freckles.
Julio gave the women a respectful nod.
Perry didn't even look up, his head was shaved and he was built like a truck, Ellie had a deep desire to smash a bottle over his fat head.
"Sit both of you. I know all about Ellie here and what you want from me, but first I'd like to talk to you both about something else before we get to that."
Ellie sat and crossed her arms, looking intently at Natasha.
"Is there something wrong Ellie?" Natasha asked.
"Yeah actually, I..."
"No problem." Interrupted Jane.
"Miss Middlemass, If Ellie has a problem I'd like to know before we proceed."
Jane sighed.
"I'm not a kid in detention, I just want to get to Clairmont, and give him a chance at a cure. I want to get going as soon as I can, I don't want to bother anyone or be bothered by anyone." Ellie explained.
"You don't talk to my mom like that!"
"How about I just punch you right in your face Melissa? Or do you just act tough because you're protected?"
Julio smirked at this, obviously amused.
As much as Jane had warned Ellie to behave, nothing could stop her from admiring how her friend clearly feared no one.
Natasha waved her hands about. "Enough! Ellie you clearly feel uncomfortable here, just listen to me for one whole minute then it's your turn. We'll get everything in place for you tomorrow morning."
"Fine, be my guest."
"Thank you very much Ellie. Now you both know I've approved your trip to Indiana..."
"She'll get killed by infected, look at her."
"Perry don't interrupt..."
"Hey Perry why don't you test me, you'll have one of these chairs wrapped around your fat ass by the time we're done." Ellie's eyes were blazing, Perry was going red like a radish.
"I don't care if you're a skinny kid, you fuck with me I'll kill you."
"Leave her alone." Heather told him.
"This twerp wants help then proceeds to threaten us."
"No Perry, just you and Melissa, Julio and Heather seem okay to me. Sorry about their poor manners, I must rub off on people quicker than I thought. You'd better continue Natasha before Perry makes a huge mistake."
"No more threats! You'll be gone tomorrow with my blessing but obviously I want a favor in return."
"Kill infected, yeah, blah blah, where do I sign up?" Ellie was on the ball with these Bengals.
"You're sharp Ellie, you and your friends earn their bed and board tonight. The five of us will be going too, we get a huge sweep done, it's a big area and because you murder Mr Daniels you're obviously someone who won't mind joining in some infected slaughter."
"Only fair, just say the word, that okay Jane?"
"Like you say Ellie, it's only fair."
Ellie reiterated her story to Horne, this time Melissa and Perry kept their opinions to themselves. They disliked Ellie as much as she felt the same contempt for them.
"So if I get this straight Ellie, you want to do this incredible task as a last wish for your father?" Natasha asked, in a way Ellie found distasteful.
"Yeah, he saved my life more than once, I stupidly never told him how grateful I was, I regret that every day. I want to do this for him, and for other people who are lucky enough to have a dad like mine."
"But Joel wasn't your real dad was he?" The leader of the Bengals smiled back.
"He was my fucking dad! More than that right there is your daughter!"
Melissa got up and went to grab Ellie in a rage, Ellie grabbed her by the wrist and twisted.
"Fuck!" Melissa cried.
Natasha separated them. "No more, you two out. We'll see you both very soon. I can't say I won't be glad to see you go."
Ellie smirked. "I'm as popular as ever."
"I'll get you, you goddam little bitch!" Melissa was being held back by her mom.
"No, we need to keep our heads. I'm not going on a hunt with everyone fighting." Jane piped in.
"There, finally someone with some grey matter. No more fighting and I mean it, even you dearest daughter or you'll be put on report."
Melissa was still steaming, but she looked at the ground ashamed of herself. "Understood."
"Okay then, as Jane says we keep our heads, we're better than that." Natasha looked at Ellie, Ellie turned away for the door.
Ellie was glad to leave the room, they would saddle up within the hour to go on another hunt.
"Before you say anything Jane, I'm sorry okay? I just don't like grunts staring at me like I'm pond scum. Also that comment about Joel, I wasn't going to tolerate it."
"We got away with it Ellie, this time, I'll admit you made me laugh in there. Yeah it's like Natasha found what you were saying funny, I've met her before, she's usually so nice. I don't know, maybe she's having an off day."
"I couldn't care less how her day is going, clearly she doesn't care about mine. Thanks for not telling me to shove it and leaving me too though because I'd probably deserve it. I do try really I do but people set me off, I can't just sit there and tolerate it , Joel wouldn't, my uncle Tommy wouldn't, I've told Curtis to never tolerate it either."
"I'm not leaving you, I'm not Dina." Jane put her hands to her mouth in surprise. "Shit, sorry that came out wrong, I only meant...I'm sorry."
Ellie waved the apology away. "I just want to get our favor payed, if them people in there leave me alone we're good. I'm not tolerating another Zara."
"We'll keep our heads down and do our job. We're good at that at least and they won't be able to question that. Come on, we'll get Curtis and Lance then we'll go over your breathing exercises."
"Oh haha Jane."
Curtis and Lance were entertaining themselves with a magic trick Lance had learned with a pack of cards.
"How did it go?" Lance asked.
"Ellie managed to piss everyone off." Jane began to laugh.
Lance raised his eyebrow at Ellie.
Ellie exhaled and shrugged. "There was five of them, Horne made fun of my dad, her daughter insulted me and some knuckle dragging grunt next to her was looking for a fight. What can I say, my sparkling personality and prize winning smile gets them every time."
Curtis was laughing too now. It was infectious, Lance joined in the jollities.
Ellie didn't join in. "I'm worried her daughter is another Zara, they want the typical favor from us. Do a hunt, earn our keep, I just want to get out of here tomorrow."
"You didn't start the fight with Zara, so don't start a fight with anyone sis, they can't blame you for anything. Fuck them, the four of us have each other's back."
"Yeah don't worry Curtis I know and I'm grateful, you know that."
"None of what happened to Zara was your fault." Curtis added.
"Not everyone would see it that way bro. This time tomorrow we're long gone."
"I'm surprised you still want to go to Indiana after all this, you've got more courage than me Ellie, I'd have turned back by now." Lance put his deck of cards away.
"It's for Joel, I have to Lance. When me and Curtis get back to Jackson you'd better believe it's the quiet life for me and Curtis after that. Kill some infected, sure, but other than that get back to the community life. I've got a lot of apologizing to do when I get back."
"Everyone will forgive you sis."
"Maybe, but I've made huge mistakes, I'll have a lot of making up to do."
Curtis nodded. "Let's worry about that nearer the time."
"I agree, that's easy compared to where we're going." Ellie took a deep breath, exhaled, patted Curtis on the back and said. "Time to get this bullshit over and done with, I feel like I've said that way too much."
"Who'd have thought sis, people wanting favors for favors. That's just the way it is it seems."
"Bengals aren't much different to the Black-horns, we just make ourselves sound like we're not just mercs." Lance added.
"We're not quite like them Lance."
"Jane I'm not saying there's not good people in our group, but there's bad too. One thing for sure, we're nothing like the New Eagles. The Pegasus, well they seem okay enough for fanatics."
"I'm not going to lie, apart from you guys I don't really like anyone from any of these groups. I'll never join them and they're nothing but an annoyance. I understand some of what they do and why they do it, but, who cares what I think? Forget it, time to do what we do, kill."