Shadows of Reform (Probably being edited)

Chapter Six

"Go! Go! Go!" 

Jason kicked down the door. Bullets flew from the left, an ambush. He ducked behind a low wall just long enough to hear the gunfire cease, then he returned fire with his Pincer. Three headshots.  

An explosion resounded to the left. Artillery fire! Jason threw a grenade in the direction of the blasts, clouding the opponent's vision. He ran forward, straight in to the enemy. The embattled soldier looked dazed as Jason rammed his bayonet through the man's spine, sending wood splintering in all directions.  

Next came the buggies. Jason drew his handgun, and utilized it in combination with the rifle to drop the gunners as they rode forth.  

Two more targets appeared out of the ground. The solution was simple. Jason threw his right shoulder backwards, jamming the stock of the weapon into the first soldier, and then he pulled the trigger, using the first target to steady the shot that splintered the second. Both dropped back down. One more target remained, and Jason was already out of ammo. But he still had some materials left... 

"Stop! That was quite good, but I don't expect you to finish. Pack it up, and come on back--" 

The knife stuck into the last wood dummy, right on the nose.  

"Well, I guess you are ready, hmm? Then we have no time to waste. Get some rest, your uniform, or patch, will be ready when you wake. We venture for Edging at dawn." Ryan showed Jason through the doorway at the exit. Jason couldn't wait for his first assignment. It had been only a few days since he was undertaken by the Reform for their Agency program, and now he was going to be number eleven, the second-in-command to Ryan himself.  

Things were looking up for him, now that he would be able to get revenge on Melody's killers.

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Julius Dragger knew the time was coming. Jason was working for the Reform now, and now he was going to be fighting the Order. Time was working against the old man, and he knew it. With Jason in the enemy's hands, he would have to warn the Order himself. But there were things he would have to leave behind, and people. The girl was no exception. She was a doctor, not a warrior.  

"So you're going to leave me here? While you go off to fight Jason and the Agents?! That's crazy! I knew I couldn't trust you!" 

This saddened Dragger. "Please, just listen--" 

"What is it? You tell me it is good to hide from Jason, and then you leave to go fight him? Did he do something to you?" 

"No. But he has done something I cannot let him do." 

"Join the one group that he has revered all his life. Oh yea, that seems logical!" 

"Quiet, you're going to make a scene." 

"Security would have found us already. You said they were waiting for Jason when he walked outside, right? Why didn't they take us as well?" 

The place was just ahead. Julius made sure the girl was still following him, then continued forth. "They struck a deal with him. Now he owes them a debt, just like so many people in this nation." 

"Couldn't he just pay them off?" She was thinking of the wrong debt. Dragger sighed. 

"No, he cannot. No one can. Not the Reform." This was the place. "Here we are." 

The girl read the sign. "The Dusted Dancer? You're going to leave me at this place?" Her face looked worried and angry at the same time. "A disgusting shack?" 

"No, but I can if you would like." She was still annoyed. "Now, follow me." 

Inside was still as dark as Jason had described it to him. Yet now was much better than before, as it was not crowded. There was relatively no one around to bother him and his friend as they strode into the room, and Julius spotted the person he was looking for.  

"Camellia? Damn, still as good looking as I remember." 

"Julius." She spoke in a joking tone that reminded him of how puzzling she could be. "What brings you here at this time of day?" she danced around the platform, "Here for a show?" 

The girl looked at him as if he were a pedophile. Right now, he thought, she wants nothing more than to get the hell out of here. Great. 

"No, I have a task for you. This here is a close friend of mine. I have some business to attend to..." The girl looked at him furtively, "...outside of town. Can you watch her until I return?" 

"Have I ever steered you wrong?" Camellia spoke the sentence as if it had a double meaning. 

"Not yet. Just keep her safe, okay? Nothing fancy." 

"Gotcha." The twenty-five year old woman looked right at the girl, and she could see the surprised look on her face. 

"Wait..." the girl looked confused, "you're leaving me... with her?"  

Camellia took that as an insult. "I happen to be very good at-" she stopped herself, then leaned closer, in a whisper: "close quarters combat, so watch yourself. I'll keep you safe, okay?" 

The brown-haired girl by Dragger's side spoke up. "Fine. But you better tell Jason about me when you see him!" She almost yelled the sentence. 

Julius turned to leave, but on the way out, he turned back to Camellia and the teenager.  

"Melody?" 

"Yes? Melody twisted to face him.  

"Don't give Camellia any trouble, okay? And stay safe."