HISTORY - The Order - Vera Stone

You're Human, Xander: Part II

Veronica Crane was surprised to see Professor Grey, it was during this moment that most of the class, even Hamish seemed a bit surprised at his return to class. It was unexpected but no one was annoyed, in fact, a little cheer had rung out among the classmates. Grateful for Professor Grey to be teaching again.

"Hello, I know, I know. I was missed and you all can't wait to hand in the assignments I gave, right?"

Instead of the usual groans, some students would give, these ones actually cheered, having assignments in hand and he raised his eyebrows before his lips moved before he could stop himself. 

"Damn, you guys are bigger geeks than me. Pass them to the front row and I can see the great work from you all."

As he looked around, he noticed an empty seat, one that usually held Melissa Ramirez, he felt himself go cold. Why had she not been here today? Was she containing her crusade or genuinely ill? He doubted that it was the latter. 

"Have any of you seen Melissa this week?"

He asked curiously and every one part from Veronica had shaken their head, she only looked at him with a sad smile, seemingly understanding what he was going through.

He decided to move on with the class, his mind often drifted back to the words that Vera had stated. She wished to kill him, he refused to believe that, he had done nothing and she was a child, she could be saved. 

There was that voice again, the one in the back in his head that her eyes, the way she spoke. Calm and in control, she was ready for whatever was going to come next. She had a goal, she was determined to see it through to the end. 

-

The class had ended, leaving Xander to look over what the other professors had given his students. He was surprised, it seemed like he had a missed only a week's worth of classes. He was not that surprised but he could play catch up. 

"Veronica, is there any reason why you're remaining here? I never gave an assignment or anything of that sort. So mind to tell me why you are still here instead of oh I don't know, enjoying the weekend?"

Veronica looked at her professor, her eyes stared straight into his as if trying to convey a message. Yet all he waited for was an answer, the look in her eyes, the feel in the air was one of worry and the tension was there as if the missing Melissa had walked through the aisles of the classroom like death itself coming to collect a soul. 

"What happened that day? I just wanted to know, Melissa is missing and suddenly it feels like this campus is holding a lot more secrets and don't think I haven't noticed the way Hamish tensed all throughout class, just...please, let me help Professor."

"Oh yes, let the pet herself help you, Professor, after all, she's been trying to be up your ass these last few weeks, it's a wonder there's not a permanent solution to this."

Striding in like she was the Queen herself, Melissa stood there with a raised brow that seemed to mirror that of Professor Grey. 

She stopped in the middle row of desks, her eyes flashed with mischief. Her lips twitched with a smirk before she stopped, allowing herself to sit on a desk with confidence that seemed to be built by the second. 

"Melissa! What are you doing 'ere?"

A flare in her eyes and a snicker escaped her at the sound of his accent getting more prominent. His nerves were getting to him, it was certainly a nice thing to learn. 

"Oh don't worry guvnor, you're not on my list...I had to draw more of them out, yet. Alyssa Drake, Vera Stone, Harvey Winn, and many others. They are going to burn for what they did!"

Finally having enough, her professor stepped forward, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. He did not wish for this to happen, he would not allow her to shed blood or for her blood to be shed. It was not right, there was another way!

"Why are you doing this? Tell me, let me help, Vera stated that you took my teachings to heart. It was never meant to be taken this way, I do not want you to do this, do not be the first one to shed blood..."

And it seemed like that had made her snap, her eyes closed for the briefest of seconds, her hands clenching at the side of her thighs before she chuckled once again. It was not teasing, nor was it funny, it was just...different. 

"Me? The first one? My my, such the naive professor, the innocent one. I see that you really have no clue what they have done. What they did and what they will do to save their precious secret, I will be the one to bring them burning down to the ground."

"Ask Vera Stone or Alyssa Drake or any of those elitists about my mother, Lana, ask them what she did to deserve being shunned and then killed. ASK THEM! And then tell me, then see why my history will be just what they did. Why I will remove any mention of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose. Professor, I thank you...because of you, he-he-he, I am going to bring them hell on earth!"

And at the end of her speech, she noticed the way her professor looked at her. It was not pity, it was almost...understanding. She did not read him any more than that, she left the classroom, she had work to do...

As both Grey and Crane watched her leave, it was clear that Melissa Ramirez was a woman ready to kill anyone in her way, still, as they watched her, they wonder who else would be hurt on her crusade.

-

After that haunting speech, Xander found himself standing in front of a wide-eyed Vera Stone, she had quickly dawned a mask of indifference, yet the look she gave

"You killed her mother!? Vera, you killed her mother and you didn't give me the full story! That's why you came to my history class, she already took to it, she wants vengeance. She is justly owed that!"

And with a wordless clench of her right hand, Xander Grey was flung back into the wall and held in place for however long she wished. She took slow steps, making sure he understood what she was giving to him right now. 

"Do not dare come to me and tell me right and wrong, Grey. Remember what I am, what you are, and what I could do, just like that!"

A point she made with a simple snap of her fingers as a small cut was made on his face before it was gone with another snap of her fingers. 

"Silence, subservience, and observance. She disobeyed and she was rightfully brought down before she could continue her little rebel phase. Do not tell me what we did was wrong Xander because I know it was but there are rules! She failed to follow them, did I wish to separate a mother from their daughter!? Trust me, I would not, more than you know...I would never want that."

She finished her statement softly, allowing him to see a soft, more vulnerable side to her. Before she coughed, unclenching her right hand as she finally released him from her hold.

"I need you on my side Grey, she trusts you, you know her. I can see it, you also understand her. She wishes to avenge her mother but that cannot come to pass, from this moment on, Melissa Ramirez will be captured and questioned, after which she will be killed as is the way!"

Xander said nothing, he could only stare at her for a moment, his eyes gave nothing away but in his heart, he wished to save her. He could not just allow this but something told him, his morals would not win this time around and he would have to accept death in this new life at Belgrave University.