Hellfire • L.A.

We Are The Pawns

I'm not sure how long I was out for, but when I do wake up I see that I'm still in the infirmary. Outside the window I can see that it must be around seven or eight at night, as I can see the pale moon starting to glow.

When I try and sit up sharp pain runs through my body and my chest aches.

That's right, broken rib.

Eventually I'm able to force myself off of the cot I've been sat on and make my way down the hall. The infirmary is a few doors down from Perry's office and so is the kitchen, so I decide to poke my head in to say hey before getting some food.

Grasping along the wall to help me walk, I inch my way towards the only person I want to see right now. I knock on the door three times, but there's no reply. I knock again and do a little pattern in hopes he'll recognize it's me. There's still no answer. Cautiously, I crack open the door and literally poke my head in a little bit. The office is completely empty. There's no candle lit.

"Perry? It's Lux." I open the door all the way and step in. It's eerily quiet. There's not even a candle lit, and it looks just like he left it earlier this morning. After receiving no reply except for the silence I leave.

Maybe he's just in the mess hall...

As I make my way down to the dining area the uneasy feeling I had before the expedition returns to me.

Lux it's nothing. Calm down.

When I get closer to the big doors leading into the mess hall, I can hear voices. Even though I probably shouldn't, I press my ear up against one of the giant wooden doors to listen in.

"Erwin I'm telling you, if we could only capture the female! It has to be another shifter." It's Hanje's voice. I can't say that I'm surprised she's wanting to go back out. That woman will do anything for science.

"Not yet, we've lost too many. We need time to recover, and not just the scouts."

After coming to the conclusion that it's not an important meeting, I turn the nob on the door and step in.

The conversation immediately comes to a halt when everyone sees me. Hanje, Mike, Erwin, and Levi all turn their heads to look at me as I walk into the room. The four of them are sitting at the usual table for the superiors, and everyone seems to be in casual clothing except for Erwin. There's no cadets or other scouts which probably means most everyone went ahead and called it a night.

I don't blame them.

"Lux? How are you awake?" Hanje stands up quickly and looks like she's about to walk over to me, but Mike grabs her wrist. She stares at me for a moment and then looks back to Mike, reluctantly sitting back down.

"Why wouldn't I be? It's just a scratch." A confused chuckle escapes me.

"Well, for one thing you have a broken rib. I figured the pain would make you want to sleep. But also, I gave you a sedative."

My eyes go wide and walk quickly over to Hanje.

"You drugged me?!"

The brunette laughs nervously and scratches the back of her neck. "No, of course not! It didn't work obviously."

I feel like smacking the back of her head but before I can I remember why I'm here. I inhale deeply, and exhale the breath before looking to Erwin.

"Commander, do you know where Perry is? I thought he might be here since he wasn't in his office, but it looks like I was wrong."

Erwin's face pales, and for a moment I think he actually looks scared. A man as strong as Erwin Smith can only be irked by a few things...

My mind wanders back to that place it was a few moments ago in the hall. Immediately my throat tightens up, and it feels like I have more than just internal bruising.