Ark (#Wattys2016)

Suspensions And Suspence

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing."

-Theodore Roosevelt

"I cant decide if you are the luckiest agent we have ever had or the most reckless!" Laurel's yells could be heard throughout the entire facility. I flinched, never hearing Laurel raise her voice to anyone. Reese, Dylan, Jasmine, Theo, Zane and I were standing in her office, lined up single file like we were waiting for a firing squad. Baz had taken Micah down to the infirmary, although he didn't necessarily go willingly. It had taken me nearly ten minutes to convince Micah that nobody was going to hurt him and that he was safe at Ark.

The red haired witch was pacing back and forth in front of us, her hands waving in the air in frustration, light blue sparks flying from her fingertips. We made sure to keep our distance for fear of being accidentally being set on fire. I looked down at the floor and muttered, "Well, everyone else seems to be going with the first option."

Zane snickered quietly as Laurel fixed her gaze to glare at me. "Do you think this is funny, Mr. Hayes? Do you find the fact that you just put your whole team's lives at stake humorous? Is it hilarious that you disobeyed an order from a senior agent, went into an possibly dangerous situation without any back up, and nearly got yourself killed?"

"In my defense, the wound has already healed, ma'am." I told her, moving my left arm a little to prove my point. The gunshot wound had healed by the time we got back into the states and to the old boarding school that served as headquarters for Ark. Turns out, most of the facility was underground, the upstairs serving as training rooms, dorms and offices while the basement levels served as the infirmary, cells for hostiles, and weapons storage rooms. Ark hid in plain sight, always ready for an attack.

"I am NOT in the mood, Mr. Hayes!" Laurel bellowed, pointing a sparking finger in my face. I lowered my gaze as she continued, "And don't even get me started on the boy downstairs. We know nothing about him and you decided on your own to add him to this already messy equation. For all we know, he is a threat to you, me, and everyone else in this facility."

"Exactly!" I cut her off. "We know nothing about him, just like we know nothing about me. Do you want to throw me in a cell, too?"

"This is not the same, Mr. Hayes, and you know it." Laurel's eyes narrowed and her voice was filled with venom.

"No, its exactly the same." I told her, a lump forming in my throat. "You're right. I don't know anything about Micah, but what I do know is that those people at Rebirth Genetics had him locked in a cage, like an animal, cutting him open everyday. They were running tests on him like he was a lab rat. I know that I joined Ark to help people and I know that NOBODY was going to help him so I did something about it. But most of all, I know that if I had a chance to do it over, I would still break him out of that hellhole."

Laurel's face softened, her voice becoming quieter and less harsh. "Mr. Hayes, while your heart was in the right place, I'm afraid that your actions today call for an immediate suspension."

My heart clenched up as the look of shock filled my team's faces. Zane stepped forward, opening his mouth to argue, "Suspension? You cant do that!"

"I don't want to do it, Mr. McKinley, but the rules are the rules and they must be followed. In this case, I wish I could make an exception but, unfortunately, I cant." Laurel sound exhausted and emotional as she went to sit in her chair with a sigh. Rubbing at her forehead, she looked up to us and said, "You are all dismissed. Mr. Hayes, you may return to duty when your suspension is over."

"But-" Zane began as the rest of us filed out of the room. I grabbed his elbow and shook my head.

"No. Just leave it, dude." I told him, pulling him towards the door.