natcat

This Means War

"Wasn't it just." I agreed with Daisy as we followed Joe and Spencer. "I don't really know what I'm going to do... There's a lot of unknown. Is it worth it for me to stay here for who knows how much longer for a war that might not end despite the efforts these guys are doing? I mean, we've been through a lot, don't get me wrong, but I'm not really sure I've actually given anything to this fight. Nothing I've done has made a difference yet... I don't know, maybe that's just not how it works." I thought hard for a moment. "I guess it's never one persons effort that ends a war, it's the collaborative effort of a country. These guys are that image in front of us right now, they're working hard and giving so much so that everyone can go home and rest at the end of it- not just us."
We meandered along in silence for a bit as we twisted back through the hallways Isy had led us through so confidently before. I really didn't know where I was headed, all I could do was keep Joe and Spencer in sight and hope they were on the right track.
"I don't know, Daisy. I think I need to sleep on it. Do you still think you'll leave?"

This Means War

I watched Em as she left the room through the grey door that Isy had led us through only minutes before. How the tables had turned since we'd walked into the room... I'd expected to be faced with a decision or two, but to have our right to leave potentially be taken from us for who knows how long was something I hadn't predicted. Or even thought about. I definitely needed time.
"I suggest we resume this conversation tomorrow morning." General Thomas started speaking slowly, breaking us out of our stunned states. "Take the time to think about what I've said. Daisy, Joe," She nodded to each of them, "If you stick with your decisions to carry on without knowing what we're doing here, there will be no need to come along with the others in the morning."
I hardly dared to look at Joe, but chancing a glance I saw him sitting there tight-lipped and frowning at the blank table before him.
"You may go, I'll see you here at nine o'clock sharp." General Thomas turned away and strode behind her desk, switching her focus so quickly to the next important matter she had to deal with that night- our groups sudden divided state was simply a blip in her universe.
"Thank you, ma'am." I said before I stood, eager to forget about the last few moments we'd just experienced.
Joe, in silence, was quick to move as he scrapped his own chair back and strode out with Spencer close behind.
As the door swung shut once again, I grabbed the back of Daisy's chair and begun pushing her from the room.

This Means War

We were all looking at Daisy. I didn't know what to think, or do, or say. What if what they were doing here ended up changing the course of the war? What if we could be a part of that? Save lives... our country...
"Well, I'm with Daisy." Joe chimed in after a moment and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm ready to get back home as soon as possible. I've given enough to this war. I'm tired and I'm opting out."
General Thomas looked between Daisy and Joe with a soft smile.
"Of course, understandable. We have all given so much to this war. Some have had much more taken from them than we could each imagine."
I sensed Nina shift beside me and turned to see her eyes narrowed in on Joe, looking livid.
"Nina?" I asked, almost afraid to find out why she looked that way.
"Joe. You are an absolute shithead. You have given nothing to this war. You've taken every loophole you could think of to get out of having to actually fight, or actually work hard to help the people around us. Your goal has been nothing but to get out of here. The only time you've actually done something useful was when we were suddenly escaping and making tracks towards what you wanted. Did you even think of what we've given to this fight?"
Joe was speechless. His sister was suddenly furious with him. I was just as shocked as he was. Nina's pent-up anger hadn't showed once since we'd met them.
"Spencer's fought and had way too many close calls. On missions you wriggled out of." Nina continued, jabbing an accusing finger at her brother. Spence looked uncomfortable as he shrank down into his chair. "Em lost Lou. Do you remember him? Nice guy, in love with our sister- died on the front just after we'd been drafted. And me? You know what I've lost, Joe. You know."
Em had a tear running down her cheek as she looked between her siblings. General Thomas stood before us all, silent as tension burnt through the air. She held herself well though, clearly she'd seen a lot of these types of arguments before.
"Look at Daisy, Joe. Look what she's given." Nina's voice was now trembling, her anger was alive but simmering as other emotions came forward. "She almost lost her life out there. And Sam, he's already saved our asses way too many times. He's risked his life for us. For people he doesn't even know. Look at what they've given."
"Nina-" Joe started but she scrapped her chair back as she stood abruptly.
"Just- don't, Joe." She turned away, marching to the door we'd just come through. With one quick movement she had pushed it open and disappeared, leaving us in a heavy silence.

This Means War

The General looked about the room at the numerous computers and digital materials that were organised in a manner only the people who worked there seemed to understand. "There are many things going on here. We are actually the only Til base left standing within fifty miles. It's astounding you six managed to stumble upon us." She turned to us and put her hands on the back of an empty chair. "Before we go much further with our discussions, I need to know all of you are comfortable with our no returns policy." She smiled. "Well, that's what I like to call it, but it's really much more serious."
"Serious how?" Em asked, looking at her siblings.
"It's more like once you know the details of what we are doing here you cannot leave so as not to jeopardize what many people have put so much into. You may decide not to partake, but you will have no choice but to wait at the Grey base until what we've aimed for is complete."
It made sense. I didn't like it, that's for sure, but I could understand why.
"What? You'll keep us here like prisoners if we don't go along with your plans?" Joe threw his hands in the air, frowning hard at the General.
"You need to understand. If you don't want to know what we're doing, then that's fine. Relax, recover, then be on your way. But if you want to find out before being sure you'll stay to help, you won't have a choice. We can't risk anyone getting captured by the enemy and having the information tortured out of them. It has indeed happened to us before and since then we've created this policy. You're either in it or not."

This Means War

"I'm General Thomas. I'm guessing you have assumed this already." She smiled kindly and gestured to a large circular stainless steel table in front of us. "Please, take a seat."
She stood waiting for us to react and slowly we each took a seat around the table. Em pushed Daisy's chair in beside the chair I'd just sat down in, then took a seat on her other side.
She turned to Isy who stood near the door with her arms folded. "Would you like to stay? Otherwise, Lieutenant Parsons said to be looking for you on Level 3."
"Sure thing. I'll drop by later, if that's okay." Isy smiled at General Thomas, ignored all of us, and left the room letting the door swing closed behind her.
"Well, I'm sure you have many questions." General Thomas joined her hands together as she began pacing around the table. "I hope you know, that you are genuinely safe here. Nothing is required from you if you wish to relax and recover from whatever you have been through. Though you should know that there are certainly things happening here."

This Means War

Isy stared at us, shocked momentarily, only to let out a laugh.
Nina raised a confused eyebrow at me and I shrugged.
"You guys have no idea. You really don't." Isy started and rested a hand on her hip.
"Then tell us." Spencer said and I could hear the confidence in his voice.
"I would." She tilted her head at the youngest in our group. "But, unfortunately for you, I can't."
"What do you mea-"
"If you would just give me a moment," She cut Joe off with a glare. She was clearly getting tired of being questioned and interrupted, "I can at least tell you, that we are one hundred percent a Tilerian Base. Hard for you to believe, I get that. At least everyone in here has been in your shoes. Even me. So hop off your high horse and wait a second. You really think it's me who's got the authority to explain what we're doing to a bunch of kids like you? Follow me, shut up and I'll take you to them."
Isy turned away and marched off, her frustration was evident, something you could taste in the air. But so was ours, so without a second thought I strode after her, determined to get the truth.

This Means War

I followed along listening with the others, but couldn't shake the feeling Isy was avoiding something.
"Hold on." I said and Isy stopped where she was walking and turned to look back at me, causing the others stop as well. Spencer started to say something, but I could hear Nina finally thump him. "We're not just going to follow you around this place without knowing what's going on. We need to know everything. Whatever the 'important stuff' your operations room is doing, we need to be in on it if we're staying here. We've been messed around too many times recently to just sit back and trust the first person that says we're safe."
Isy smirked. I couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.
"Hold your horses, Chief." She said as she stared me dead in the eye. "We're getting to it."
"But you're taking us past the operations room." Joe stepped forward and Isy pulled her gaze away from mine. "You said we didn't need to worry about all that 'stuff'."
"I did say that, but, your big boss here has just told me you're interested in 'all that stuff'. So..." she paused as she looked over the lot of us. "We're getting to it."

This Means War

"Who knows." Joe shrugged beside me as we followed Isy out of the dining hall.
"Maybe she's going to take us to the prison we were always meant for..." Spencer said suddenly and I looked behind me to see whether he was joking or not. He had a grin on his face and Nina looked like she was ready to slap him.
"Or," Joe emphasised, "Maybe she's taking us on a tour of the Grey Base, Tilerian Safe Haven, in the midst of Jaxlor territory. This place is insanely well hidden, if it really is a Til base then they've done well to stay so low key."
"But that makes me wonder what they've actually been doing way out here." Nina chimed in. "They haven't sent any troops along to help the bases that were attacked while we were in them. To help the people that died there... There's so many people here just sitting around and eating."
"Maybe they couldn't. Maybe they've got something bigger planned and they couldn't risk blowing their cover." I suggested and Joe looked sideways at me.
"That actually is the most likely scenario. No wonder we call you plan man." He patted my shoulder and I looked ahead, keeping Isy's bright head in sight.

This Means War

"Look, why don't we just-"
I stopped abruptly as I saw Isy coming towards us from across the room. Spencer frowned at me and tapped me on the shoulder.
"Why don't we just wh- OW - why did you do that?" Joe had whacked Spencer on the arm to shut him up, he'd obviously noticed Isy as well.
"Hey guys, how are we settling in?" She asked as she pulled up a spare chair and sat down on it between Em and Spencer.
"Fine." Spencer said looking at the table still rubbing his arm.
Em rolled her eyes at her brother and smiled at Isy. "We're great. Thanks. It's been amazing to eat a proper meal."
Isy nodded knowingly. "I know what you mean." She looked around at us and tucked a strand of her flaming red hair behind her ear. "So I'm guessing you strangers will be wanting to know what this is all about? Am I wrong?"
We all sat quietly, not denying what she'd asked. I glanced down at my empty plate, also feeling silently embarrassed for thinking anything bad about this place, or about Isy.
"Well, then. Why don't you follow me? We'll walk and talk." She pushed her chair back, stood up and walked away. Not even waiting for us to follow.
Joe scraped his chair back and looked at the rest of us as we sat, hesitant. "Oh, come on. This is what we wanted to know, right? Let's go."

This Means War

"I had the longest shower." Spencer said through a mouthful of potato as he sat himself down beside me.
"I think we all did. To be honest, I'm surprised we didn't drain the hot water out of this place." Joe looked around the room again, his eyes scanning the tables surrounding us. He paused a second, the leaned in to the middle of the table, lowering his voice. "It's like they're not even phased by us. Don't you think that's weird?"
I looked around and understood what he was saying. No one even cared that there were six new unfamiliar faces in the room having dinner with them, they were carrying on as if this was the cafeteria at high school, nothing seemed to be able to put them off their meals.
"Mm, maybe they're so used to new people? They might get stragglers all the time?" Em suggested as she cut into her steak.
I shrugged. "Seems odd for somewhere so difficult to find." I said before stuffing beans into my mouth.
"I wonder what kind of base this is. There are so many people here. They seem too relaxed... but what are they doing down here?" Nina added her two cents and looked around the table at the five of us.