CUS 9; Cinco Encounter

ENCOUNTER 8

Blade's footsteps faded down the hallway, the three men exchanged significant glances, their earlier suspicions reignited by her abrupt departure.

Simon broke the silence first, his voice low and gravelly. "Something's not right."

Sab nodded, his usual cheerful expression replaced by a look of concern. "Aye, it was like flipping a switch. One moment she's all smiles, the next..."

Garen's imposing figure tensed, his blue eyes narrowing. "Ja, there is more to her than she lets on. Perhaps... we should investigate further."

The room grew heavy with tension and unspoken questions. The men, united in their growing suspicion, began to quietly discuss how to uncover the truth about their enigmatic new teammate without compromising their unit's cohesion or mission readiness.

The next day, chaos erupted at the camp. Two soldiers were discovered within the dense, untouched forest—an area so remote. Few dared to venture there. Their throat had been brutally slashed, their bodies were covered in vicious bruises, as if they've been used as punching bags, beaten relentlessly before being discarded like lifeless husks.

The discovery of the two brutalized bodies sent shockwaves through the camp. As news spread, tension and fear gripped the soldiers. Sab, Simon, and Garen were among the first to arrive at the scene, their faces grim as they surveyed the gruesome sight.

Simon crouched near one of the bodies, his masked face unreadable. "Professional job. Clean cuts, minimal blood spatter. Whoever did this knew what they were doing."

Sab's usual jovial demeanor was replaced by a hardened expression. "Aye, and they wanted to send a message. But to whom?" His brows creased with questions.

Garen's imposing figure loomed over the scene, his blue eyes scanning the surrounding forest. "This is... troubling. An inside job, perhaps?"

As the three men exchanged worried glances, the air was thick with unspoken suspicions and growing unease. The peaceful routine of the camp had been shattered, and now everyone was a potential suspect.

Blade had yet to appear at the scene when one of the soldiers mentioned spotting a woman heading into the forest several days earlier. The man who saw her couldn’t identify her due to the distance, but he could make out her silhouette and the long hair, enough to determine it was female.

The revelation about a mysterious female figure seen in the forest days ago sent a ripple of tension through the gathered soldiers. Simon, Sab, and Garen exchanged sharp glances, their thoughts immediately turning to Blade's conspicuous absence.

Sab's brow furrowed, his Scottish brogue tight with concern. "Has anyone seen Blade this morning? Bit odd she's not here, given the circumstances."

Garen's imposing figure tensed, his blue eyes scanning the crowd. "Nein, I have not seen her since yesterday's... training session."
Simon remained silent, his masked face unreadable, but his body language suggested a growing unease.

The crime scene grew heavy with suspicion and unspoken questions. The connection between the murders, the mysterious female sighting, and Blade's absence was impossible to ignore, casting a shadow over the team's fragile trust in their new companion.

Blade was still unaware of the sudden turn of events. She had overslept that morning, exhaustion from restless nights finally catching up to her. In a rush, she threw on the standard uniform—shirt and pants—before stepping out of the quarters.

A quick bandage wrapped around her sliced palm to keep it from bleeding. As she moved through the camp, she noticed people casting her lingering, meaningful glances. Her brows furrowed in confusion, sensing something was off.

As Blade moved deeper into the camp, the tension in the air was undeniable. Soldiers whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting towards her before quickly looking away the moment she noticed. The furtive glances, the murmurs—it all felt unnervingly deliberate, as if something had shifted overnight, and she was at the center of it.

Sab, seeing her coming, approached her, his usually cheerful demeanor replaced by a serious expression. "Blade, where have you been? There's been an... incident." The wary on Sab's face, visible.

Simon materialized beside them, his masked face unreadable but his body language tense. "Two soldiers found dead in the forest. Throats cut. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Blades brows creased even more. Her frowning gaze questioning the way the lieutenant asking her. The heaviness of suspicions thick in his tone.

Garen loomed nearby, his imposing figure casting a shadow as he studied Blade intently. "Someone mentioned seeing a woman in the forest days ago. Interesting timing, ja?"

The air crackled with suspicion and unspoken accusations as the three men waited for Blade's response, their eyes fixed on her face and the fresh plaster on her palm noticeable.

Blade was genuinely startled about the news that the three men told her. Her brows furrowed as she suddenly sensed something was wrong about their words, "you guys...suspecting me?" Blades voice hinting with disbelief and distress.

The tension in the air thickened as Blade's question hung between them. Sab's expression softened slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.

"We're not accusing anyone, lass," he said carefully, his Scottish brogue tinged with concern. "But you have to admit, the timing is... peculiar."

Simon remained motionless, his masked gaze fixed on Blade. "Your absence was noted. And that cut on your hand, care to explain?"

Garen shifted his imposing figure, his blue eyes narrowing. "We are merely... seeking answers. In times like these, trust is crucial."

"You don’t need to hide it—I can tell you’re suspecting me. Frankly, I’m disappointed," Blade said, her voice sharp with restrained frustration.

Sab, Simon, and Garen were visibly startled, exchanging uneasy glances as her words hung in the air. It was clear she had caught them off guard.

The atmosphere around them was charged with a mix of suspicion and a desperate hope for a reasonable explanation. The three men waited, their body language tense, as they silently urged Blade to provide some clarity to the troubling situation.

"This is frustrating. Before you even start investigating, you’ve already put me in the spotlight, allowing others to throw stones at me before you’ve uncovered the truth," Blade said, her voice tight with frustration.

"Well I believe we're... atleast friends. And maybe before you guys approaching me, interrogating me indirectly, you would at least try to hear me out first..."

The three men exchanged glances, their faces registering the weight of Blade’s words. The shame and embarrassment were palpable, leaving them momentarily speechless.