Rush

«4»

Ember sat, but I remained standing. The man gazed at me, sizing me up. I had the sudden instinct to stand taller. I glanced around the room. There were large guns hanging on the walls, probably to intimidate visitors, but the real intimidation came from the last gun-- the one the man's hand was resting on, the small one in his pocket.
Upon the heavy mahogany desk was a bottle of whiskey, accompanied by two crystal glasses, and resting on the ground was a thick red rug. I couldn't help but notice how expensive everything looked, a stark contrast to the thin sheets and rickety bed frames in the hospital wing.
"Ember," the man said, turning his attention to her. "Please remind me of our agreement."
She rolled her eyes. "I do nothing to disturb the perfect plan that you've set up, and in return, I remain a level three. I've got it, X."
"I would not describe my plan as perfect, but yes, that is what we discussed. Now, what was my plan?" He spoke in a condescending tone, and I could see Ember tense in frustration.
"Prevent Alpha from destroying the newspaper building! That's what I did!" She insisted.
"But did I assign you to the mission?" X folded his hands together. His mouth was dangerously close to twisting into a smile, as if he had won a silent competition I hadn't realized the two of them were having.
"No! You didn't assign anyone!" Ember was almost shouting now.
"My point has been made." X slid his cushioned chair back, preparing to get up, but Ember wasn't done.
"But who was supposed to stop the damn building from blowing up? I was the only one there!"
The tall man sighed and relaxed in his chair again. "And you succeeded?"
Ember furrowed her brow. "At least I got more information."
"Pray tell, what is this information?"
"Tell him, James." She said smugly, reclining in her chair.
"Yes, James, tell me." X looked amused. James, tell him? Tell him what?
I cleared my throat. "Uh... Well, Alpha had agents-- agents?" I looked at Ember for confirmation and she nodded her head quickly. "Agents on the inside."
"There was a chase!" Ember blurted. "James was brilliant! His aim from a moving vehicle was better than mine, and I'm a level three!"
X had had enough, and slammed his hands down on the table, making me jump. "What do you want, Ember? Why do you keep doing this? Rebelling?" He got up and paced the room, but was sure to step on the expensive carpet as little as possible. "You were not to leave base. You were not to bring new recruits--"
"Recruit?" I interrupted. Both people shot daggers at me with their eyes. "Sorry, sorry," I muttered.
Ember quickly forgot me, however, and stood up herself, facing X. "I. Tried. To. Help." She said slowly.
"Sit down, Ember," he said, taking a seat as well. Then he turned to me. "James, did Ember explain why her 'mission' was so important?"
I shook my head. "No, sir."
"We controlled the newspaper. We controlled the information people consumed every day. Now can you see?"
I nodded. Of course. It was genius to control the media.
X continued. "We chose the names for Alpha and Omega. Do have any idea why?"
"No, sir," I repeated.
"Alpha started this whole... debacle, did you know? Alpha started it, but Omega is going to end it." Just like the Greek alphabet.
After a period of heavy silence, Ember spoke. "Is James a recruit now? Am I good? Can we leave?"
X straightened up. "Ember, you're on probation. You're off level three as well."
"What?" Ember almost yelled indignantly.
"Unless," X interrupted her. "James is level three now. You're partners. Train him, and I'll give you a mission. Break the rules again, and you're back to level one."
"Yes, sir," she said, and promptly stormed out, leaving me to jog after her.
"Wait!" I called. "I deserve an explanation."
She glared at me for a second, and then sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Well?"
Ember led me to a room full of beds and hammocks, setting her jacket on a hammock in the corner. She pointed to another close by. "You take that one." She tossed me a pillow and a thin blanket.
"I'm still waiting."
"Where should I start?"
"From the beginning, I guess," I raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been here?"
"Fifteen years."
"As long as it's existed?"
"As long as the 'war' has." She made air quotes with her fingers when she said 'war'.
"Where are your parents?"
"Dead."
"Me too," I said softly.
"For how long?"
"Fifteen years."
"Me too."
We stood in silence until I had the courage to ask another question.
"What does level three mean?"
"Rankings. Level one is the lowest. They can't go on missions or anything. They can barely leave. Level two can go on missions, but generally in groups. They're the ones who set off most of the bombs."
Most of the bombs. She said it casually, like it wasn't causing millions pain.
"Level three?" I asked.
"We have to go through special testing before we get placed on level three. I'm the youngest," she said proudly. "We go on special missions. Like preventing Alpha from blowing up the newspaper," she added bitterly.
"But I didn't go through testing. How did he--"
"How did X place you on level three so easily? You saved my life. And I'm one of the best out there." She wasn't bragging. I could tell it was true.
"And I'm your partner?"
"Looks like it."
"So what are we doing?"
"Now?"
"Generally."
"Waiting."
"For?"
"A mission? A disaster? Who the hell knows?"
"So what are we doing right this second?" I asked just as people began to flood in, climbing into beds and hammocks. I was shocked at the diversity of ages. A boy who looked about twelve was helping an old woman into her bed, and a young woman who looked about twenty-- only a year older than me-- rocked a baby in her arms and softly sang to it.
"Curfew," Ember explained.
"Oh."
"I don't know about you, but I'm sleeping," she said.
I climbed into my own hammock and wrapped the blanket around myself, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.
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