Domgre

20

The three day ride back to the compound was long and boring. Their handler decided the best use of their time was going over mistakes she'd noticed during the raid, most of which involved them. If they weren't sleeping they were being quizzed. By the time they pulled into the tunnel, Evie couldn't contain her excitement.

"Oh yeah, Inaki would like to see you." Evie nodded and moved to get out of the car but their handler wasn't finished. "Both of you." They looked at each other for a moment, "Get cleaned up and go to his office."

The first shower after a mission was always the best. She washed her hair and her body and finally got out and got dressed and headed back to their room. When she walked in Khaira was pacing. She looked up at her entry, stopping momentarily. "He's going to get me isn't he? I bet the handler has sent him an itemized list of all my short comings. Evie he's going to-" Evie grabbed her by the shoulders, "Talk to us. I'll be right there, Khaira." She nodded, took a slow breath, and put on a smile. "Ok. Let's get this over with."

"Hello Khaira it's been a while." Khaira grinned, sitting sideways in the chair near Inaki. "What's up Junior?" He sighed but the smile on his face said he was amused. Evie couldn't even begin to fathom how she'd said that to his face. "I see you haven't changed. How was the raid?" They looked at each other for a moment, Evie was the first to look back to Inaki. "It went well." He nodded, "Your handler tells me you had issues. Are you alright?" They both nodded and, though he didn't seem convinced, they were dismissed.

They were alone in the room for a while before the door opened, Evie already knew who it was. She slid under bed, she didn't want to get a lecture right now. Her handler's shoes stopped a few feet in but quickly continued to the other side of the room.

"What the fuck was that?"
"I believe you just walked in, Miss."
"You're a snarky little shit aren't you? I don't know how my sister ever put up with you."
"My old handler?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sure, but it seems the apple doesn't fall far."

Khaira sounded level-headed and calm but Evie knew that wasn't the case. Evie silently prayed she didn't put her hands on her. Khaira would never forgive her. She didn't know if she could either.

"Oh very funny. Truly entertaining. The same could be said for your downright pathetic performance on the field. You're here to make my charge look good. Maybe you could learn a few things from her."
"Yeah maybe I could. But wouldn't it be better if I just did absolute shit so you could more easily put her on a pedestal?"
"Shut up. I'm supposed to reform you but there's obviously no helping you no. You stupid, insolent child. My charge is the only successful one in this program, you sure are a testament to that."
"I've heard it all before. You're going to have to try a little harder with your insults."

Skin on skin. A loud slap. Evie gasped.

There was a beat of silence, heavy breathing on the other side of the divider. Evie grabbed our from beneath the bed, waiting quietly on the floor. She didn't dare interrupt. Footsteps came her way and Evie froze, her handler stared at her for a moment, clearly surprised, she didn't look back. The door shut hard on her way out. Evie climbed to her feet, quietly moving to Khaira's bedside.

"Remember our talk the other night?" Khaira looked up, "I can't ask that of you." But Evie wasn't just talking about their shared handler. She thought about her previous one too. She thought about Khaira's previous one, but they were already dead. "She hit you, didn't she?" But she didn't need to ask. Red was already beginning to rise onto her cheek. She didn't answer.

She put the plan in motion the next day.

"Inaki?" Inaki looked up from his desk. He looked tired. She thought of the pictures of his father that had been set up over night around the compound. The anniversary of his death. Inaki smiled but it was obviously fake. She didn't bother to call him on it, she was probably lucky to get any smile at all. She took a seat across from his desk. "Do you remember when you showed me the project files?" He nodded, she should've waited until tomorrow. "Would you mind if I looked at them again?" He shook his head and rummaged through his desk for a moment, producing a thick file. Before he had only given her a small piece. He was tired. She felt bad for taking advantage of his state but she hadn't known beforehand. She thanked him, took the file, and left.

She laid it out of the floor for the two to look through. They set the other kids files aside and looked through their own. Evie scanned through the pictures of her until she found a list of handlers. The first was Elijah Mire. Interesting. A knock at the door had them both shoving them files beneath her bed but the opening of it offered only Isaac. He gave them a quizzical look but came and sat with them anyway.

They talked for a while. Isaac offered very little as always, but they seemed to get along fine. He told them about how he'd been taking care of a mess of kids the past few days, leaning back on the weight bench. Khaira and Evie looked at each other, they knew exactly where those kids came from. Isaac didn't seem to. He didn't ask.

Curfew came and went. Isaac stayed over that night, or at least it seemed like he would. They snuck out to get a midnight snack. Evie found herself barefoot in the kitchen, going through the cabinets before she came across a bottle. She thought of the three female recruits she'd convinced the rebels to get, walking in on them drinking, how happy they'd looked. She put two bottles in her shirt. Isaac stared at her what seemed like minutes before he gestured them out. Khaira caught him by the shirt. "You head back. We'll be right there." But Evie didn't understand. Khaira grinned, taking her hand and moving quick down the hall.

They arrived outside of Inaki office, no light shone beneath the door. She pushed it open but Evie just watched. It felt wrong. She'd never disobey Inaki. She couldn't. Bending the rules was one thing but to break in to his office? "We need those files, and I don't know where they are." Khaira assured her, Evie stepped over the boundary, pointing to a collection of cabinets. She gave her the names, Elijah Mire and their current handler, Mya Long. She watched her sneak across the room, rifling the cabinets silently before she tucked a few files under her arm and hurried back toward her, catching her in a lopsided hug.

They moved back to the room, the files tucked into their shirts along with the bottles in Evie's. Isaac was waiting for them. Evie produced the bottles as Khaira disappeared behind the divider and appeared a minute later. The three stared at the bottles before Isaac grabbed a knife from somewhere unseen and fought the cork out. "Cups?" They shook their heads. He nodded and offered the bottle to her. Evie has never had wine before but it smelled awful. Still, she drank. She coughed hard, muffling it in her arm as she passed someone else the bottle.

The night continued like this until they finished the bottles. Evie felt light. Happy. Giggling. The three snuck back down the hall to dispose of their winnings, unable to stop giggling before they made it back to the room and laughed so hard Evie thought she might throw up. The night slowed down after that. Isaac talked a lot when he was drunk. It was nice.

"I should probably go back." Isaac moves to get up, "Noooo, stay here!" Khaira grabbed onto his arm from the floor. He rolled his eyes and sat. The fun continued.