Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 50: Camouflage

Not ready to come face-to-face with another Hound, Kaila tried turning the handles to all the doors she had passed but none opened. Looking around more frantically she moved quickly seeing a dip in the wall for a trash bin. Moving the bin and putting it in front of her small body, she hid as the thunder of marches passed.

Peaking out from her hiding spot Kaila took a moment to collect herself. Pulling herself together she ran down the halls putting as little pressure on her feet as possible trying to mute her pace. Unlike in Lauren's department, Kaila was trying to map her way around in her head. At least she was familiar with many of the twists and turns back in D5. Here was new territory. She had a lot of ground to cover if she wanted to make it to Lain.

The longer she searched the bare halls the more she seemed to lose her way. With every ticking second that passed she had also forgotten the direction in which she came from. Going around in circles for a few minutes Kaila was glad she wore the helmet, it blocked her face nicely preventing any stray eyes from seeing her frustration building up.

Looking down at the black carpeted floor, she could see the vent openings. Thinking of an idea, she looked over opposite to the vents trying to image what she would see if she were still in the tunnels. Trying to put herself back in her own shoes from moments earlier, she attempted to relive that cold event.

Looking through her old perspective, Kaila was shocked to find that she had indeed remembered coming this way. The direction of a pot plant seemed to face one way as Kaila stood, but after she changed her perspective the entire pot seemed to shift with it. Continuing on she made it to a fork in the road.

She was presented with two paths. One direction she could hear the muttered chat of Hounds, while the other was filled with horrific screams that made her ear hurt.

Thinking back to the vents, she started down the path where the vents would be able to see. Keeping to the left she strayed down the path containing many Hounds. In a long open hallway there were cell doors wide opened. Slowly approaching one she peaked inside. Kaila gasped seeing the heart aching scene of a poor man being tortured.

She ran past all the rooms not wanting to stick around for any of them. Keeping her eye on only the room numbers she noticed she was only at room 303. 'How did I even end up this far from Lain?' She questioned continuing to run past the rooms with ease. Kaila was more surprised that none of the Hounds had noticed her running past their rooms. Then again, she thought, they were too busy with their patients to notice her. 'I need to get Lain of this place before any more damage is done!' She was determined.

Exiting the opposite side of the hallway, she pumped her fist in the air signaling her success for the time being because the halls seemed like a never ending cycle when she was presented with another set of two paths. Sticking close to her original plan, she stayed close to the left walking down and running quickly past the open cell doors each with three Hounds in the room.

Just as she was about to make it past the next set of rooms Kaila was stopped when a Hound walked around a corner standing in front of her. Kaila's face was only up to his mid-chest. Looking up until her neck hurt, she watched as the faceless man stared down at her. "Where are you going?" He asked grabbing ahold of her scrawny arm firmly.

"Uh..." she couldn't even find words still out of shock.

"Where's the rest of your uniform?! You want to get your unit in trouble! You must be one of our new cadets! State your name!" The man yelled.

Kaila eyes drifted down below the mask seeing his suit was unlike any other Hound. Whereas, they normally were plain black suits with heavy armor under, his had white accents on it. Occasionally having a piece of metal or a pin on his uniform.

She hadn't even realized she hadn't responded yet, until the man behind the mask was so close to her face that she could smell the odor coming from under his suit. "I said state your name!" He repeated.

Remembering what happened last time with Mary, Kaila was quick to her feet to think of a replacement. "Name...uh my names Riley." She recalled the old name of a girl from her department.

"What unit are you with?! They'll be pretty disappointed when we go report to them your out of uniform! And on your first real mission too!" He screamed.

"Huh...unit?" She said too loud allowing the Hound to hear her. Being filled with annoyance at the new cadets ignorance and horrible attention to detail he was getting ready to slam her against the wall. Just when she felt like he had caught her, she felt an even louder and stricter voice behind him call out.

"What is going on here?!"

Kaila froze and shook with terror hearing the voice so close to her. But what made matters worst was how badly shaking the Hound was at his words. Kaila felt his hands shivering as they held her tightly.

"Oh uh sir, it's you..." the frustrated Hound said with uncertainty as Elias stood only a foot away. "I was just telling this cadet to get her head out of the clouds. She's out of uniform and can't recall basic information like her unit." He reported.

As Elias stepped forwards, the Hound moved out of his way making space for him to get in front of Kaila. She watched as he eyed her up and down. Seeing the clothes on her body he stared into the darkened helmet intensely. "Lauren? Is that you?" He asked.

Kaila was surprised to hear that. She had forgotten she was wearing Lauren's outfit. Thinking back to it she remembered how the girls shared similar body types, Lauren was only slightly taller and more toned. But it was only noticeable when they stood side by side. Without anyone to compare her with, she was a mirror image of Lauren.

Not thinking, she nodded her head as her shoulders relaxed. "What're you doing here? You should be in your department. Luke's in charge here, you know that." He told her.

Fearful of using her voice she shrugged her shoulders. Elias raised an eyebrow of suspicion when no words followed. "Why are you wearing a Hounds helmet? I thought you hated the look of them."

Once again she shrugged her shoulders. Elias only stepped closer pinning Kaila's back against the wall. "Take off the helmet." He instructed coldly with dark eyes.

Shaking her head with sweat dripping down her face she watched in horror as Elias's strong hands came up to it as if to pry it off himself. Holding onto it tightly she tried resisting.

But that only caused his face to glow red in anger. "LAUREN!"
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Let me know what you thinks going to happen to Kaila. Thanks Lexx signing off