Success of the Broken Banner

Chapter 14: Bridges Burned

 Days blurred together since we interrogated the man, since my world shattered with the revelation that our mission to save Frankie was all for nothing. I couldn't fathom how my best friend, the heart of our resistance, could be a TEO leader. The truth gnawed at me, refusing to sink in.

My bedroom window, overlooking the motionless world, had been my only solace. Echo and Kilo checked in often, their visits a fleeting distraction from the churning in my gut. Echo stayed nights, a silent guardian against the nightmares that threatened to consume me. But with dawn, he left, giving me space to drown in my thoughts.

I knew I couldn't hide forever. Frankie's betrayal had to sink in at some point. But the weight of it – the worthlessness, the defeat – threatened to suffocate me. Everything we fought for, every loss... it was all for her twisted cause.

A sigh tore from me as I leaned back, a headache clawing at my skull. I rummaged through my bag for the pills Kilo had scrounged up. Frustration bubbled over, and I upended my bag, spilling its contents across the floor.

A folded paper caught my eye, lying next to my boot. Frankie's letter. My heart twisted as I picked it up, unfolding it with trembling hands. This time, no fear or anxiety swirled in me. Only burning anger. Every word was a lie, a knife in my back.

With a shaky hand, I fished a lighter from the mess on the floor. The flame danced, taunting me. I touched it to the letter, watching the fire spread, the words disappearing in a blaze of truth. I held it until the pain forced me to let go, the burning remains falling to my desk in a smoldering accusation.

"Fuck you, Frankie."

As the fiery blaze dwindled, a spark of determination ignited within me. This mission was far from futile. Countless innocents remained, subjects of grotesque experimentation, unsuspecting souls marching toward the facility's gates in search of refuge, only to find their doom.

"We have to take TEO down," I whispered, my gaze fixed on the dying embers that had once consumed the incriminating documents. The flames had reduced them to naught but smoldering ash and acrid smoke. With newfound resolve, I pushed myself up from the desk chair, my footsteps echoing through the bedroom as I descended into the unknown.

The conversation on the living room couch died as Kilo and Echo turned to face me, their expressions inquiring. "Well, well, well. Look who's decided to leave their cave," Kilo remarked, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice. I stood frozen at the base of the stairs, scrambling to collect my thoughts, to find my voice amidst the tumult of emotions.

"What's brewing in that head of yours, Amelia?" he prodded, his smile unwavering. "You look like you've seen a ghost... or finally found a purpose."

"This mission isn't over." The words hung heavy in the air as I stepped into the living room, my eyes locking onto Echo. They watched me, their gaze intense with unspoken questions. I sank down beside them on the couch, my jaw clenched in determination.

"Everyone headed to that supposed sanctuary is walking into a trap," I spat, the bitter taste of betrayal coating my tongue. "We have to stop Frankie and TEO. Burn that monstrous place to the ground."

Silence greeted me, thick and heavy. I braced myself for the arguments, the voices of reason telling me to run, to hide, to survive. But it never came.

Instead, Kilo's voice cut through the tension, his words a battle cry. "I'm glad you're back, kid. This mission is far from over."

A fierce grin spread across my face. I leaned forward, my elbows digging into my thighs, my hands clasped together in a white-knuckled grip. "You said we'd start combat training when I'm healed," I ground out, my eyes darting to Kilo. "I'm healed. Let's get to work."