The Remaining Few

Everyone's Got A Past

"He got his life completely ruined by the higher ups I dare say so myself. Mostly they go after your money but they...went after his family." Said a midget of an old man dressed in worn out clothes.

"T'was heresy they said. The feeble of an old man let them get away with it. He howls away at night regretting his weakness that day, hoping that his descendants forgive him for that same weakness." Said the old man. He sat next to Gideon in the waiting room, trying to start a conversation. Gideon himself didn't mind the awkward old man. He himself started to talk to him in a civilised manner.

"I'm sorry to hear that sir, seems the old man really blames himself for the world's problems. It is what it is I guess." Said Gideon to the old man. He removed his light colored beenie and slicked back his silk brown hair to speak more politely to the elder.

"No amount of money can buy lost time dear boy. I speak through experience. My mother told me the same. And she was a whore. That's why I don't seek riches and power. It can't buy time,love or truth. These three things are priceless." The old man implied as he scratched his nearly bald head.

Gideon wanted to say something else before he was summoned by his commanding officer. "What's your name sir?" Asked Gideon- "You can call me Howard." Said the old man. Gideon went into the office where he was called out and sat down on the very uncomfortable seat. Gideon's commanding officer Williamson requested a mission report.

"The mission was a disaster Commander. Three of my most trusted comrades died trying to find something that doesn't exist. The doctor's files were nowhere to be found. We searched the exact places we were ordered to and found nothing. The area is becoming more hostile and no amount of dead Marines will change the fact that we are being thrown into the frying pot. Conclusion...our mission failed due to lack of Intel." Said Gideon as he was frustrated that the marines are literally being sentenced to death every time they step out into the outside world.

"Let me stop you right there Corporal. Our Intel was reliable, so your argument why the mission failed is invalid. We've turned every stone for this kind of Intel. My apologies if my intentions were not pure enough. If it makes you feel any better, we've captured some "Remaining Few". If it's of any interest to you...those interrogation officers could use your help. Dismissed." Said the Colonel as he looked over some files from his table. Gideon left the office disappointed. When he looked around in the waiting room, Howard was already gone. He was a bit sad because the conversation between them felt genuine and pure. Gideon thought that he could learn a lot from him.

"No matter" he thought as he went over to the cafeteria below to find Adalia. He took the long and rusty stairs and had to walk down 2 levels to reach the cafeteria. He was still a bit sleepy but he had some things to do first before he could get some rest.

He opened the door to the cafeteria and looked around for Adalia. It took him exactly 13 seconds to see the long brown haired woman that he prefers as his "friend". She was always surrounded by her fellow marines that shot their chance with her. And as always, they were politely rejected. The marines saw Gideon coming and knew that they had to go away.

Gideon wasn't known for his patience with fellow marines. He only respected the higher ups, the elders, peasants and of course, his friends. He has his own reasons why but he never shared it with anyone. He went to sit at Adalia's table and she immediately asked him "so, how did it go?". Gideon's disappointed face spoke words and Adalia didn't linger too much. She knew which buttons to push.