Anarchy | Book Two, The Genesis Series

Eleven

As punishment for the dreadful outcome of her mission in China, Amber had been relegated to overseeing the training of Genesis' second-wave recruits for one week, as well as being taken off of squad duty for a little bit longer than that.

She couldn't say it wasn't deserved.

It had only been three days since the incident. It was still being broadcasted on pretty much every news station known to man. She figured it would probably go on for at least another month or so. An Elite's face was publicized and thrust into view much more than any human's could ever be.

Especially when casualties were involved.

Seeing her and her teammates' faces displayed along with the bold, crimson news banner 'thirteen killed, more than thirty injured' had nearly suffocated her. She could barely manage to believe it was real.

But it was. There was no getting around it. The blood of thirteen people was on her hands.

Amber couldn't shake the harrowing image of their mission's immediate aftermath from her mind. The mangled bodies. The echoing screams of the survivors mingling in with the deafening wails and shrieks of the injured. The chalky surface underneath her feet running red with the thick blood of innocents.

That was on her.

One would've thought snow was clinging to her spine with the way she shuddered.

Clad in a white tank top and black sweats, Amber stood in the center of The Battleground—one of Fort Sentry's chief training and recreational areas. Her chestnut-brown hair rested in a lax ponytail, rolling over her shoulder as it often did.

"Something bugging you, Amber? You're chewing on your hair again."

Amber's brow creased. She only chewed on her hair when she was nervous or in deep thought about something. She'd been trying to rid herself of the irritating habit for years, but it didn't show any sighs of disappearing anytime soon. Freeing the strands from her mouth, she whipped her head around to thank Jade for checking on her.

But her eyes weren't met with Jade.

Instead, they were met with Bianca.

Her emotions flipped like a light switch. In order to make sure everything went smoothly, Director Callan had assigned Amber a partner to accompany her in the tutelage of the new recruits. It seemed that God had it out for her at the moment, since that partner had just so happened to be Bianca.

A chill pierced her bones all the way to the marrow. Bianca's mere presence was a blatant reminder that Callan's trust in her was waning.

Could she really blame him, though?

"Why would anything be bugging me, Bianca?" Amber grumbled, her voice clipped as she threw a sneer her way. "I mean, it's not like I'm responsible for the deaths of thirteen innocent people. It's not like the media's branding Elites as loose cannons 'cause of my mistake. No, everything's just fine and dandy over here."

"Okay, there's no need to come with all that." Bianca shot back, annoyed. "Jesus, Amber. I was just trying to—"

"Funny, I don't remember asking what you were trying to do." Amber laughed dryly. "Look, I don't need anyone to pity me, alright? Especially not you. I can take care of my problems myself."

"Alright, if you've got an issue with me, maybe address it some other time." Bianca retorted, nostrils flaring briefly. She gestured to the recruits standing in two columns before them. "But right now, we've got a class to teach."

Amber nearly froze, blood rushing to her face. She'd completely forgotten that the eight recruits had been standing at attention, awaiting instructions throughout their entire argument. She mentally facepalmed. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Bianca was right on this one; bickering with another teammate in front of the recruits couldn't be setting the best of examples.