The Stigma (by Koltin Scott)

Chap. VIII

"He that can rest is greater than he that can take cities."

–Benjamin Franklin

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Elizabeth

       I sat on the bed gazing into space; China flashing through my mind. The training and discipline didn't help those of WWII and nor does it help me. The pictures of the flesh melting from the police in that car, leaving skeletons, the pain in mobsters eyes when I killed their own, and the screaming of innocents being silenced continues to reverberate through my brain.

       Sarah came by my door, oblivious to the fact that I wasn't completely dressed. I have been in the inner circle for only a few days but the six year old was bonding with me pretty quickly. She seemed so innocent, so... well... six,

      "Are you coming to breakfast?"

      I looked at her as if processing what she asked, I was really tired from short sleep due to the memories of China,

      "Yeah," I said with a reassuring smile, "I will."

      I dressed and went into the hall to meet two sentry guns. They were of basic design, but the Baron has been amping up the security of the mansion through manpower and turrets. If I didn't know better, I could have triggered the paranoia, but seeing how Magmantis joined the Dragoons I defer that I am the least of their concerns.

       In the dining hall we sat down to a replica of Louis XIV's table; and it all felt odd. Not that the table was odd; it was extremely extravagant! What was odd was the food...

      Prepared before us was pancakes, hash browns, and scrambled eggs. All this- this normal food on such a table with all these 'rich' people was odd. It was like we had an entire menu of IHOP catered to us but cooked even better, and the majority of the table wasn't too crazy for it.

       Except the Baron, he was crazy about the stuff, and he ate his eggs and hash browns topped with ketchup and his pancakes drowned in syrup. Everyone was eating and carrying on and I caught Él Doug's eye, he winked at me. I rolled my eyes.

       Men...

       When the Baron had finished eating he rested his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers,

       "We have had a great deal of things on our minds here of late," he said in that deep raspy voice that always sounded serious, "I think  it's high time that we  visit," almost dramatically, "the Rink."

         Obsidian and Sarah pumped their fists and shared a high-five, Thread Walker rolled her eyes in a way that no-one saw, Alien sulked back into his chair and I couldn't control myself turning pale. Was that a crime rink? What is all that they do here? They... kinda sold me to the Wo Shing Wo; what else is there?

       My gaze had met two other people's glares. Was that jealousy in their eyes? Contempt? No, Waya and AoDD were watching me go pale with distrust...

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       I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I just couldn't. I was a girl again, in the company of my father in this very place. Knowing that the Baron was quite literal in a off way, I should have expected something like this.

       We were in the galleria's ice skating rink; but I didn't expect "Rink" to be so literal in this sense. They were skating around like... almost like teenagers. Especially the Baron and Thread Walker.

       I quite quickly picked up that the Baron and Thread Walker had a thing for one another. The Baron thinking that it was a secret was... I don't know. This new world is so different but not different.