Defection (MentalModel!Brothers and OC)

Chapter 20

Darkness.

It was the only thing that surrounded me.

If I'm dead, this is definitely hell.

Despite the deep darkness wrapped around me, it still somehow felt warm. Like a heating blanket that was turned to just the right heat level.

"--on't want to bel--"

A familiar voice floated from the darkness, my fatigued focus trying to figure out where and who it came from.

"--aid it woul--"

Another voice let out a response to whatever was being said as a small, soft light appeared far in front of me.

"Hello?" I cautiously let the question hang in the silence as I carefully moved towards the speck of light, "Is someone there?"

"--t Admiral Crawford! Her sig--"

A name. My father's?

"--n't let them in here!" The voice became more and more clear as I moved towards the speck, reaching out with a hand and gently touching it before my eyes widened, the light swallowing the darkness completely.

Voices clamored around me as bright flashes suddenly filled my vision, the shouts growing louder and more urgent before a loud slam of wood completely cut off the noise. A few softer voices were heard closer to me as my eyes figured out how to crisp up the image I was seeing.

White foam-like ceiling tiles held up by bleached metal struts. Ceiling lights in every fifth or sixth tile that illuminated the area completely while the blank walls were painted a relaxing pale green color.

Definitely a hospital, or something with a recovery ward.

"--or now, no one else is allowed to enter the room except for myself and those serving under her."

"But, Admiral--"The first voice sounded like it was protesting.

"Do my orders no longer have power, Lieutenant?"

"Sir, with all due respect, I cannot exclude those on the Board or anyone else that holds a seat of power," Despite the obvious command balance against the speaker, he continued with bravery, "I know that she's your daughter, but she's still the admiral of a fleet made up of Fog vessels. I will not be able to keep the government from making their demands of her."

Daughter...? Ah, it's Daddy.

My eyes relaxed a little before widening further.

How the fuck did I get home?!

"It's the reporters that I don't want--Ash?" Hearing my father quietly ask my name stung my heart, my gaze quickly darting around the ceiling before I saw two people partially lean over me.

The face of my father was instantly recognizable, the scar looking just as vicious as it was when I left port.

The other face was someone unfamiliar to me, more than likely the Lieutenant that was talking to my dad about something.

"You're back in America," My dad started as I felt the bed underneath me shift in position, my upper body slowly lifting into a partially-seated position while the room around me revealed itself. The blank walls continued to a pristine tiled floor, completely clear of any dirt or markings while leaving the room feeling empty despite the hospital bed and multiple machines hugging its sides.

Yeah, I figured.

"The submarine within your fleet delivered you to us despite the Board barring entry into the port," Daddy continued, "It's been taken into custody, but refuses to listen to our demands. However, it has cooperated with our countermeasures to ensure that accidental weapons fire doesn't happen, and we have given it partial access to some nanomaterials for it to repair the damage it's taken from the battle. The other two battleships, the Scharnhorst and the Tirpitz, have remained in open waters...and seem to be acting as a blockade between Quincy and the Atlantic."