A Crow In The Darkness

11 Garbage

1300 hours, December 27th, 2021
Location: The Facility, East Lab

I leaned over Elliot's shoulder, the girl who had taken samples of Dr. Greene's blood two days ago. We had to proceed with our training after the incident, which explains why it's taken us so long to get results. We simply had only slivers of time to continue our work throughout the day.

"So?" I say, wanting some news. Whether they were to be good or bad.

Her left eye is squeezed shut as she takes a look through the scope then scribbles something down on a piece of paper. "Well, so far it's not a match."

My fists clenched with hope.

"What are you gonna do about it, Blane?" she asked, looking up from her work. "if—you know—it wasn't his doing?" she chose her words carefully. But somehow still made me tense up.

My brows furrow, "I'm not sure..."

But I was sure. I knew exactly what I expected myself to do, and I would do it with or without Kade and Ander, no doubt about it. This would burn an everlasting fire within me until I could put it out. And I had to put it out.

Elliot didn't know my plan, but she sensed it. She put the thought aside and continued to work on Dr. Greene's potential murder. Everyone on my rank wanted some form of confirmation, but on the other hand, we were scared of letting the lower ranked kids in on the drama. We all know that they will find out sooner, since, you know, they wont be seeing Dr. Greene ever again.

I walked back down to my barracks, I had 20 minutes to spare and figured that I would try to get a little bit of shut-eye in preparation of evening training. As I walked, my back felt warm, and I sensed that someone was behind me. I speed up, not because I felt in danger, but because I didn't want to have to deal with anyone right this moment.

I flash my badge at the door and it opens before me, letting me and the person behind me in. I turn around, quizzical.

"Why are you avoiding me?" it was Ander.

I scoff, sitting down on my bed. "Psh, what makes you think I was?"

"Whatever," He rolls his eyes in somber. "I hear what people are saying."

"Saying?" I quote, sitting up from my bed so I could look at him.

"You're full of vengeance."

My eyes narrowed. I stared at him, not knowing what to say. I fall back down on my bed. "It's the right thing to feel right now. its the only thing for me to feel right now." My eyes fall closed.

He grabs onto the bed rail. His hands squeaked under the pressure he applied to the metal. "We don't even know who did it. Whether that be Dr. Greene himself or someone else."

My eyes slowly open and I sit up once again. "Ander, of course we do." I shift. "the whole set up when we found him was proof enough to know."

"You don't know that." He sneers.

I scoff. "Oh, but I do." I lay back down, closing my eyes once again.

I laid there for a while, thinking that he had left but he didn't. he didn't move an inch.

"Get the fuck out," he spits.

I shoot back up, ready to initiate war, but Ander's back is facing me. I was dazed, until I realized that he'd said that to someone sitting on their bed, reading, on the other side of the barrack. The kid was just as shocked as I was.

"I said, get the fuck out."

He flinched at the boy, and instantly he gets up, not worrying about where his page was, but whether or not he'd be quick enough to the door before Ander whipped his ass.

Ander watched the boy as he ran out the door fearing for his life. And my eyes stayed glued to Ander, wide and glazed.

"Get up," At first I didn't register what he had commanded me to do. He says it again, "Get up."

I stutter, and he grabs me by the hem of my shirt, guiding me. "You're a Private and I'm a Sergeant. Get the fuck up."

Perhaps he was taller than me. But the aura he gave off made him stand so powerfully. I hunched my shoulders. He sneered, frighteningly.

He steps closer, inches from my face. I had to give it my all to stand my ground. This was the first time I would realize that I will never be bigger than Ander.

"You," he growls, "you never knew Michael like Kade and I did. And you never will. So know your fucking place and stay the fuck out of his business. If anyone is to seek vengeance, or even investigate his death it will be me, Kade, Howard and Eena." Specks of his saliva hit me, burning me. He reeked of anger. And he made my heart beat through my chest with embarrassment and fear.

I didn't know who Eena was, perhaps his wife, I thought.

"I would punch you right now." He says, blatantly.

"Then why don't you?" I challenge, not knowing if I really should.

He didn't say anything back. He looked contempt. He had said everything he wanted to say. He knew he had left me wanting more. He knew he was above me, that he towered over me. I have to come to terms that I will never tower over him.