My Covert Bodyguard

54: Spilling Scarlett

My opponent had me in a headlock, and I was struggling to breathe. I kept my mind alert, though, as I grabbed onto the arm around my neck, and kicked back into him. He fell face forward, and just as he was about to land on me I rolled away. Swiftly, I moved on top of him to hold him in a trapped position, sitting on his tailbone, tangling my arms around his, and putting all my dead weight on him so he couldn't move. I couldn't keep him down for long, though, because he was a lot bigger and stronger than me.

The moment the speakers announced for team A to visit General Vaughn's office, I leapt off my opponent. 

"Good match!" I called to a grumpy looking team C member. I joined the rest of my team as they walked towards the office, each of them adorning red ribbons tied in their hair or around their wrists. I couldn't help but hold myself high as we walked, in sync, both in mind and formation, through the busy hallways of the Legion Headquarters.

When we entered the office, the General barely glanced up at us. "Team A, thank you for your duty. I expect a report from you all by the end of this week." When we didn't leave, he glanced up inpatiently. "That will be all."

I cleared my throat. "General, if you don't mind me saying so, the information we were given was inaccurate. We were informed that this mission was one of surveillance at a neutral base, when in reality it was an enemy base. We killed over 10 men on the Wanted List that night, and it couldn't have been further from a surveillance mission. It was most clearly a black operation where we assassinated people."

I noticed slight discomfort in the General's demeanor, but he was very good at hiding it. "I will take note. I am sure the Shadow Legion was not aware of this."

"Pardon me, sir, but the Shadow Legion was fully aware of what base was occupying the island of Ni'ihau. I looked on our servers, sir, and there were extended lists of the people who occupy that base, and blueprints of their perimeters. The Legion was fully aware that it was an enemy base. The question is why you chose to lie to us and send us in blindly." Sandy stood tall as he said this, but I could see his knees shaking. His thin arms and his pale hands, with a stark red ribbon across his wrists, were trembling. I couldn't have been prouder of him.

"You hacked into the Shadow Legion's servers? How dare yo—"

"What we are trying to say, General, is that we will not be accepting any further missions until we know we can trust the Legion's word once more. You cannot send us into an assassination attempt without our knowing. We will not be continuing professional missions until we are promised the utmost truth." Niko recited these words with such strength, the General looked stunned.

"Do you understand that you could be delaying your graduation significantly by rebelling like this? Roselle will hear about this, you know." He looked dead into my Scarlett-green eyes, but I didn't waver.

"My aunt doesn't scare me, but she sure as hell should scare you," I smiled and saluted at him, "sir." I added as an afterthought, as we left the room with adrenaline coursing through our veins.

* * * * * *

I got out my text books to start studying just as my great aunt Helen walked into my room. "I head about the ruckus you caused with General Vaughn today. I always did think he was somewhat of an ass." She winked at me, and I laughed.

"Aunt Helen, it was insane, our mission."

"I heard all about it. I would have warned you, but unfortunately I didn't find out you were heading to an enemy base until you'd already left."

"I got something good out of it though. All of team A, they're on our side now."

Her eyes widened. "All of them? You have a good eye, darling."