Thrice Upon A Choice

Chapter XIII

Bess

I stacked up the bandages and shoved them into the medical bag, zipping it up, before reaching for some tools and packing them into the side pocket. The bag was bulging and as I pulled it over my head and stumbled a little at the weight of it. But I dealt with the sash over my chest. I had to go help Andy.

The coming down of the wall had been broadcasted and I had heard it happen. It was being labelled as historic, and Corra was taking full credit, and more.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and I froze. An older man with a receding hairline pushed the door open, stopping when he saw me.

"Captain Jao," I said, and quickly saluted.

"What are you doing, Officer Gao?" the Captain asked me, seeing the bag over my shoulder and the open and empty drawers I had been shifting through.

"I'm required in the field, Sir," I said, the lie coming easily to me.

"By whom?" Jao asked.

"Commander Seok, I think," I said, innocently.

"I just spoke to the Commander, she didn't mention hailing the extra medicals yet," Jao said, eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I had an officer come in here and tell me to get ready. I'm just taking orders," I said, quietly.

That was the problem with men like Jao. They saw women as a tier below them and if I was to appear at all fragile, he'd quickly decide that attacking me wasn't worth his time. Smith was the same. I used to use the same tactic on my brother when we fought as children. I could take a punch but as soon as he got the upper hand in a fight, I'd recoil and he'd take pity on me and stop. As soon as he let his guard down like this, I'd strike and hit him hard. I used this skill here in Corra, where one wrong move could have me thrown in jail and set for the firing line.

"Alright then," Jao conceded, "Get your things and catch one of the trucks before they leave."

"Yes Sir," and he left.

I grabbed a couple more things before turning to the door again, but again, I was stopped. Four people crowded the doorway, three boys and a young girl.

"Where are you going?" Dan asked.

"Nowhere you guys can come," I said simply, shrugging on my coat.

"Bess—" Luke started.

"Guys, I'm serious. There's things I gotta do now."

"You're going to the battle, aren't you?"

I turned to the girl, short and slim, incredibly pretty, with long dark curls and a pale, heart-shaped face, "Rosie, there's things I haven't told you guys. Things I can't tell you guys. But right now, I need to be there, and every moment I'm not, a friend might die, one I could save."

"We're coming with you," Luke said, walking in and picking up his coat from where it hung.

I knew Luke had always liked me, and I had liked him too this past year, but Andy was my priority. She was my endgame, not Luke.

"Don't be stupid, you'll get yourself killed," I said, striding for the door.

"And you won't?" Dan asked.

"First thing you don't know about me," I said, reaching into the front pocket of the bag and pulling out a gun, "I can hit a bulls-eye from fifty meters."

Rosie crossed her arms over he chest, "Good for you. We're coming."

"You can't—"

"We are," Dan said, grabbing a med bag and hooking it over his shoulder, "But you can lead if you want."