Embracing Love and Power

Chapter 10 - The black elite

It had taken Tillie two more days before she finally felt better. Althea had been sitting next to her bed for the past few days. By night Ace had taken over and guarded her. They had talked every night, Ace hadn't told her about her mother, but he had told her other things. Step by step Tillie began to trust him.

At first Tillie had refused to go outside, but Althea hadn't stopped asking, so she finally gave in. Althea had helped her in a pair of black jeans and a sweater. Tillie had looked skeptical at Althea. "This sweater isn't yours, isn't it?" She asked. A blush appeared on Althea's face. "No, it's not." She replied. "Does he know?" Tillie asked. "Does who know?" she answered innocently. "Althea I don't like being used." She said sternly. "Maybe he doesn't know. But he needs a push in the right direction. I saw the way he was looking at you. He wants to interrogate and test you, but you are not ready for that. He must think of you in a different way." She said. Tillie rolled her eyes. "I am not here for a romantic getaway." She replied. Althea giggled at her words.

"So, what's your plan exactly?" Tillie asked. "I'll show you around" "And hope nobody notices us?" Tillie looked at Althea with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah basically." Tillie groaned, she knew it was stupid and she had a gut feeling that they were going to get caught. If they walked into Timber he sure as hell would put her to the test. She didn't know if she was ready for that. But then again, she was going nuts being here in this little room and listing to Althea's whining. She needed a good fight to clear her mind. So she finally caved: "Fine, we'll go."

The more Tillie sneaked around with Althea the more she became convinced that it was all a bad idea. Althea moved between the containers and behind the training ground to show Tillie around. She felt that her shoulder was still playing up, if she would be cornered she wasn't sure that she would win.

Tillie and Althea hid next to the training fields as they observed the soldiers. Timber was barking some orders at his men. Even though he looked handsome as hell, Tillie couldn't help herself but roll her eyes. They were strong, but they could be so much better if they stopped working with their pick order and started working as a the team. Althea sighed loudly beside her. "Do you want to get caught?" Tillie asked her. "How much longer do you want to keep watching them? If I had known you were this boring I had left you in the infirmary." Tillie grinned at Althea. "Sure princess." She said with a plain look. "Don't do that." Althea was on the brink of crying. "Do what?" Tillie asked. "Everyone treats me like a spoiled princess, unless he is around. Don't do it too." "Then don't act like one, Althea." "We can always give them a score." She giggled. "Althea, shut up." Tillie replied with a smile of her own.

As they stood there watching the soldiers, suddenly someone grabbed Althea by the shoulder. "Princess why are you starring at them when you can have fun with me?" A dirty grin appeared on the man's face but before he could do anything else, Tillie had grabbed his hand and cracked it behind his back. The man began to scream loudly drawing all attention on them. "Who's the little princess now? Show some respect." Tillie hissed between her teeth. Within seconds they were surrounded by soldiers. And Tillie found herself standing face to face with a fuming Timber.

"Are you deaf? Or do you have a death wish?" Timber snarled at Tillie. "I didn't know I was a prisoner." Tillie replied with a blank face. She saw that Althea was about to intervene, but she stopped her. "I told you to stay in the infirmary until I would let you out." Timber said sternly. "Timber it's my fault, I begged her to come with me." Althea tried to plead with her brother. But it was as if he was ignoring his sister. "I agreed, I wanted to see what the famous black elite is all about." Tillie answered as she took a step forward, showing that she wasn't intimidated by him. "And for the command part you're not my leader, so no I am not deaf. " Tillie added oil to his fire.

Tillie studied the man in front of her, he was fuming at this point. She could feel that his authority wasn't tested much. "What's your problem?" she asked. "You are" Timber replied. "Boss, take it easy. Remember who she is." Tillie saw how someone tried to calm him. "Makin, you are right. That's true, how could I forget she is the famous Breaker." Timber mocked. A gasp went through the crowd. "Now let's see if the gossip holds any truth." He said with a dirty smile on his lips. "No Timber you can't do that. She isn't healed completely." Althea pleaded. It started to annoy Tillie. "Bring it on, or are you too much a coward to fight me?" she replied. Tillie hadn't backed down she still stood face to face with him.