Prologue: The One That Wasn't Afraid
You think you're so damn smart.
You know everything there is to know.
About me.
And what I'm doing.
I guess I really let you down.
I guess I wasn't trying hard enough.
And I should just shut up.
And write the music.
You're right.
I never should've fallen in love.
'Cause I'm supposed to be a machine.
Well guess what!
I'm the one who's still on stage.
I'm the one that wasn't afraid.
So maybe I should take your advice.
And maybe you should get out the way.
Ha!
I'm coming through, yeah.
And nothing's gonna stop me now.
Say you're only trying to help.
That you don't want to see me get down.
But you don't know the work I put in to get out.
I'm sick of this town.
I know just what I want.
And nothing's ever stopped me before.
So what gives you the right to change me?
I'm better off just being a whore.
You're right.
I NEVER SHOULD'VE FALLEN IN LOVE
I'm supposed to be a machine.
Mmm, guess what!
I'm planning out my next move.
I know what to do when
Everything's gonna start coming up roses.
With or without a person like you.
Ho!
I'm coming through, yeah.
And nothing's gonna stop me now.
Highly Suspect- "Guess What"
Delta Red Barracks
MI-6 Headquarters
London, England
It was dark. Sleep had alluded her for longer than she had left before morning, but still Cammy lay in shocked silence, mind racing. At least part of this was typical for her. She couldn't recall being able to sleep before any other missions, why should now be any different? Sure it wasn't a mission, rather her vying to lead one. It would be her first and then add the personal stakes of that mission being to find and rescue the Dolls and she had plenty of reasons not to sleep. But that was just part of why she hid in the barracks praying no one saw her and mistook her sleeplessness as a sign of weakness. Before when this would happen she'd had Cranky to ease her worries. And it was only now in this strange state of shock that she fully recognized the pattern of codependency that had been the past 5 years of her life with Craig Crankurt. Worse, it's not like she hadn't tried. She'd gone to Cranky a few hours ago. Cammy had done what she always did and went to see him. But he was just...gone, and that was precisely why she laid alone in the dark running through it over and over again.
As Cammy approached the familiar property she'd stood frozen, eyes locked on an unfamiliar sight. Staring at the letters on a new sign, she wondered if they were in a foreign language. They weren't, she just couldn't believe it. 'Under New Management' in bold letters stared back at her from the window of Cranky's bar as she stood alone in the empty streets. Her heart dropped into her stomach. She didn't know what she had expected to find. She approached the window, reading the smaller print. 'New franchise opening in New York City'. Cranky was gone. Cammy didn't know how long she'd stood there on the street, eyes wide, mind racing. That feeling hadn't left her now that she was laying in her cot, feigning sleep and running through every bad decision she'd ever made, mainly falling in love.
It was the very moment that her watch beeped 0500 that Cammy heard the door to the sleeping quarters open. After all, routine was everything in Delta Red, and it had been all that held her together for the past few months. Why should today be any different? She rolled over and swung her legs over her issue cot just as the bottle of orange juice hit her lap.
"Let's go, White" her comrade Lita Luwanda urged. "Ten minutes til it's time to start."
"Even today?" Cammy complained though she already knew the answer.
"Yeah, even today. That group of old men meet all the time. Today is just another day."
Easy for her to say Cammy thought to herself. She knew better than to test Luwanda when it came to weapons training. Just because Cammy's months of work was culminating today with the panels decision apparently didn't mean Luwanda was going to let her miss another session. Twisting open the juice, Cammy rose before she stretched and took a big gulp.
Life was simple at Delta Red which was exactly what Cammy needed right now. Work was her everything, mainly the campaign against Shadowlaw. That included her tireless work to convince the higher ups that retrieving the Dolls was fruitful enough to invest in. Not to mention also having to convince them that she, as a former agent of Shadowlaw, wasn't a liability. Even if she got the go ahead, how in the hell was she going to pull this off?
Tossing the now empty juice container into the trashcan in the gym, Cammy dutifully approached the mats, pausing only to wrap her fists with tape before she slid her red wrist guards over her hands. Luwanda wordlessly awaited her and was not one to dawdle, so stood ready, resisting the urge to tap her foot with impatience. Her comrade was a force to be reckoned with in battle and showed no less mercy in training. A green tank top and Delta Red issue fatigue pants that matched Cammy's own, save for a white tank top, was Luwanda's outfit of choice. While Cammy's blonde hair hung in a tight braid down her back, Luwanda's blonde length fell around her like a second skin. A simple match with her required all of Cammy's attention, and was just the ticket to keep her mind off of Cranky being out of her life and the impending meeting. She sunk into her fighting stance, eyes meeting Luwanda's, waiting for instruction. In one quick beat Luwanda darted, signaling the lesson starting with the resounding smack of her fist against Cammy's forearm.
"More on weapons today." Luwanda said with a smile. She took a step back, slipping a switchblade out of her pocket. Cammy had her hair pulled into one braid instead of two for this very reason. Luwanda was merciless in training, deriving a sick sort of pleasure in teaching lessons to her trainees. Chopping off one of Cammy's braids was a prize Cammy wasn't going to allow her.
"Disarm then attack?" Cammy questioned as she swung her arms side to side, popping joints in her neck.
"Disarm then attack with weapon." Luwanda specified flipping the knife around her thumb. "I want you to win with the weapon."
"Wait?" George Ginzu's voice exclaimed, suddenly appearing at the doorway to the gym. "This is happening? You said you'd tell me the next time this was happening! Dammit!" He scrambled for his smart phone as he muttered. "McCoy will never believe me if I don't have proof and I've got fifty pounds riding on this."
"Excuse me?" Cammy questioned as the youngest of her fellow soldiers leaned his lanky body casually against the small set of bleachers, aiming the camera lens of his phone at her, his messy blonde mop of hair peeking out from behind it. "You and Matthew are betting on my training sessions?"
"There's not much to do between missions." he replied, not looking up from his mobile device.
"At least tell me you bet on me?"
"No offense, but weapons are kinda Lita's thing." he shrugged as Luwanda stifled a laugh.
"That they are and don't forget you're next, Georgie." Luwanda responded with a wink. " And sucking up won't earn you my mercy. So McCoy bet on White then?"
"Yeah, how'd he put it? Said 'she's got some rage and I'd bet on that any day'."
"Smart man." Cammy stated before she advanced on Luwanda, who'd never left her ready stance. Luwanda tried to push her away with three quick swipes of the blade. Typical strategy. Cammy was supposed to duck away, but instead she turned to the side, letting the blade scrape across her wrist guards. She grabbed Luwanda's wrist and twisted, breaking her grip and the knife hit the floor. Luwanda swept Cammy's feet and was above her in an instant, holding the knife at her throat.
"Let me be more clear." she said with threat. "Disarm your enemy and arm yourself. A weapon on the ground is useless to you and an opportunity for someone else."
Cammy shoved Luwanda away and was up in her ready stance again. This time Luwanda attacked, jabbing at Cammy's face and torso. She dodged the attacks, watching for an opening. The attack pattern was ruthless, leaving Cammy with only a split second to anticipate the next move, which in turn left virtually no time to launch an offense. Cammy rolled to the side, the distance helping her breathe. As Luwanda approached ready to stab Cammy upon rising from her feat, Cammy stayed low allowing her to slip under Luwanda's defenses. Cammy rose up, locking her arm under and around the arm that held the knife. In disabling her attack Cammy was able to get Luwanda pinned, her weakened arm letting loose of her weapon. Seizing the opportunity, Cammy caught the hilt of the blade with her free hand just as Luwanda attempted to twist from her hold. A quick spin and tightening of the arm lock left Cammy's chest against Luwanda's back, arm reaching around holding the blade at Luwanda's throat.
"That's match." Cammy gloated with a smile as Luwanda tapped Cammy's wrist, indicating the match was indeed won. Cammy released her and handed back the knife as Ginzu pouted.
"Really? Come on Lita!"
"Her win is my win and your loss." Luwanda responded before she quickly threw the knife towards Ginzu, blade embedding into the wooden bleacher and inch from his thigh. "I'm still the best and don't you forget it."
"Woah!" Ginzu yelled as Cammy and Luwanda laughed good-heartedly. Luwanda could be intense sometimes, but her intentions were the best as were her skills. Cammy removed her gloves as Luwanda grabbed the phone from Ginzu and spoke into the camera, hyped from the fight.
"I guess rage wins this time Matthew, but I'll put one hundred pounds on myself versus you any day and so will George." she stated as she wrapped her arms around his neck playfully. "Won't you George? Just let me know the time and the place!"
Cammy smiled at her team mates games and grabbed a towel in preparation for a shower as she headed for the gym's exit.
"Hey White!" Luwanda called, tossing the smart phone back into Ginzu's hands. "Training's not done."
"Colonel Wolfman will kill me if I'm late to the meeting," Cammy called back earnestly, trying to make a hasty exit. "and I still have some things to do first."
"I expect you back, rain or shine to make the rest of this one up." Luwanda ordered as she waved goodbye to Cammy.
"Don't forget to come by the lab so I can update your phone with the new software." Ginzu reminded her as a goodbye, standing and stretching in preparation for his own training with Luwanda.
"Gotcha, Ginzu." she saluted, so thankful her team had treated today just like any other day.
"And kick proverbial ass at the meeting." Ginzu added.
"Yeah, no real ass kicking, White." Luwanda followed up. "You know, unless you have to."
Holding Facility
MI-6 Headquarters
For some reason the worst of the worst individuals in any sort of facility were always held in the basement and MI-6 headquarters was no different. As opposed to other such places Cammy had been to in her life, both personal and professional, these halls were well kept. If it wasn't for the heavy steel doors with tiny windows revealing the bars and cell inside, one would think it was just another office complex. However, she knew exactly where she was headed because she'd come here almost every single day since Vega DeCerna had arrived at MI-6 headquarters. As of yet, she still hadn't gotten one more solid piece of information out of Vega. Sure there had been bits and pieces he'd revealed, rabbits to chase down holes only to find nothing. Worse off, there had been the times where his tiny clue made everything come together and she got one step closer. She questioned whether this was intentional or not. If she was dealing with the Vega she'd known to date, she would say most definitely it was intentional, but she'd never seen him the way he'd been over these last three months. Cammy wasn't sure if it was a game, the imprisonment, the isolation or if she'd just broken Vega in her initial interrogation. No matter the reason, Cammy tried desperately but seemed to do little else but entertain Vega. Still she persisted.
Scanning her ID badge before she reached for the gate, Cammy ascended the stairwell, down one more level to where Vega was being held. They'd kept him in isolation as a security measure. As was the armored guard 24/7. The last thing MI-6 needed was to be the ones who let Shadowlaw retrieve Vega. Luckily for Cammy, to cut down on risk in pass offs, the guard shifts were twelve hours which made it so much easier to get some time alone to speak with Vega.
"Hey Grant." Cammy offered casually as she produced a pack of cigarettes and tossed them to the guard. "I've got you if you want a break."
"I don't know what I'd do without you, darling." he replied thankfully, not missing a beat as he repeatedly slapped the box against his wrist. "He's lucid today." he added in reference to Vega as he walked away.
This had become typical. Agent Grant was dedicated and would never leave post, but nicotine addiction and Cammy's status was enough to make even the most dedicated among them cave on protocol. When Agent Boone was on post he wanted candy but never left, instead listening to what she could only assume was bad techno on his headphones. Agent Ryder opted for sandwiches and sunshine. Even if they just stepped upstairs, Cammy managed some semblance of privacy to discuss things with Vega. She'd earned it and everyone knew damn well Cammy was the last person on Earth who was going to allow Vega to escape. It was safe and secure but as far as her emotions went, if was far less safe.
Stepping around the corner revealed three simple cells in a row. The outer two cells were empty which left Vega with only one solid wall. Even still the cinder block expanse of space was littered with markings in blood, a result of Vega's psychotic moments. She'd photographed and studied every single word even though they spanned four languages, the words seemed unrelated to anything but Vega's past. Otherwise the cell was neat, as was Vega who sat on the ground in his tan prisoner jumpsuit with his knees to his chest, long golden hair falling around his shoulders.
"I do not have any information for you, just as I did not yesterday...or the day before." Vega offered without looking up at her.
"Of course you do." Cammy bit as she approached the simple desk across the room from the cells and leaned on it. "You just won't tell me."
"You are not playing fairly. What do I get for my information? I am afraid that I tire of simply your presence."
"If the information you provide leads to-"
"Blah, blah, blah," Vega interrupted as he stood, approaching the bars to his cell. He moved with menace but still had been showing signs of wear due to his imprisonment and interrogations. There were bruises surrounding his icy blue eyes which met hers as he pulled his mouth into a wide grin. "That does not interest me."
Cammy sighed, folding her arms across her chest. It wasn't as if this was like before. Throughout her life,Vega had hurt her in ways she never knew existed including being the one who stole her life and gave it to Shadowlaw. However, now she held the power and was no longer Vega's victim.
"Fine, I'll bite." Cammy forced herself to play, desperate for any advantage she could gain. "What's it that does interest you?"
Vega straightened his body, walking from one end of his cell to the other, eyes not leaving Cammy's as he spoke. "You, of course."
"You're looking for self disclosure?"
"Is that not what you are asking of me each time you come?"
"My motivation is different."
"We each have our goals," Vega offered with a wave of his wrist, continuing his slow pace. "what is so different about that?"
"Just get to the point, Vega."
"You have come here often." he stated factually, before he narrowed his gaze. "One could even assume that your are with me more often than the one you claimed to love."
"Don't you dare put his name in your mouth." Cammy quickly interjected as she straightened from her relaxed position, uncrossing her arms which she hadn't even realized she'd crossed. Vega had strangely enough avoided the topic of her and Cranky's relationship times before. She figured it would only be a matter of time before he attempted to prod her for information, but why today of all days? It's like he knew. He somehow always knew.
"Oh do not be shy!" Vega followed up smoothly. "Aside from your reaction, I have nothing but time here you realize. One tends to notice things."
"I've been working." Cammy avoided. "Not like the information you've been giving me is gold."
"You cannot hide it. Your free time is spent with me."
"Yeah, playing these damn games with you trying to free the others you helped to enslave!" Cammy yelled, turning to leave. Vega ran to the corner of his cell closest to her, pressing himself into the bars.
"Lie to yourself to your hearts content Camilla, but official business does not typically begin with a bribe." he matched her, referencing her arrangement with the guards. Cammy froze knowing she was caught, knowing that Vega was right, and worse off, knowing she was about to speak out loud about her breakup with Cranky for the first time with Vega of all people.
"We broke up." she confessed simply, praying Vega would be satisfied and knowing he was just getting started.
"Because of me?"
"No."
"Because of you?" he pressed excitedly.
"...yes." she said as she turned and stared at Vega defiantly, owning her choice. Her bravery agitated Vega as indicated by his rate of pacing increasing. He stared back like a hungry lion ready to pounce with words intended to maim.
"I am happy you took my advice to heart, Camilla."
"I said it wasn't because of you."
"Your actions speak otherwise."
"Your desperation speaks volumes, Vega!" Cammy snapped with a raised voice. "You try to act so cool and calm and forget I know everything. It's really pitiful how you try and maintain this semblance of control."
"Camilla..." Vega threatened, body now tight and still as his chest heaved. His eyes glazed over with rage. Vega really hated not being in control and Cammy standing up to his verbal attempts at torture seemed to tease his slight hold on sanity.
"Oh really the psychotic act is getting old." she taunted as she stepped closer to the bars. "The truth is you're being extradited to Spain soon, you know how this works. Your time with us has been a breeze in comparison to what's about to happen there, but you're too stubborn to cooperate." At this point Cammy knew what she was doing, she knew the buttons to push and was very familiar with the scene unraveling before her. "This was supposed to be an exchange."
"Oh yes, information." Vega recalled, resuming his pacing, but at a faster, more menacing rate. He was loosing control and it showed in his movements rather than his words. "A man is nothing if he does not have his word. I am at a loss however. What is it you would like to know?"
"Oh come on, you know I want more information about Decapre."
"Of course," Vega purred, looking up to indicate he was thinking before he broke out into a wicked grin. "She used to scream so loud during the experiments."
"Stop it, that's not what I meant."
"I remember as Marc Antoni drug her in, her screams were the loudest of you Dolls by far!" he reiterated, gripping and subsequently climbing the bars with ease. "And her eyes were oh so wide and scared. It was wonderful."
"You sick son of a-"
"Bitch!" Vega screeched, shaking the bars with his hands and feet, his entire bodies momentum filling the small space with the deafening clang of metal against metal."Let me out and we will do this right I swear, Camilla." he screamed. "I will show you who you are through pain. I will bathe in your blood!"
"You want pain?!" Cammy yelled, incensed at this threat.
"I would revel in it." he said with a desperate moan, reaching his arms out between the bars, offering his veins to Cammy like a Venus fly trap. "Come closer."
It was when Cammy was within a foot of the cells and Vega's reach ready to deliver on her promise that a firm grip on her upper arm made her turn. She looked up roughly forty five degrees and met the dark brown eyes of Matthew McCoy. Without a word he used his grip to pull her from the holding area silently. Vega continued to scream obscenities at her, but the specifics were muffled by space and McCoy's hard glare.
"This isn't what you're supposed to be doing." he chided with genuine concern as he released her arm, in turn crossing his own over his broad chest.
"It's good for my morale." Cammy shrugged casually, trying to as nonchalantly as possible cover the fact that she was just about to break all protocol and lay hands on Vega.
"Sure that's what you'd tell the higher ups if they found out, but this is me." McCoy pressed.
"So you're going to bother me more about it?'" Cammy bit, annoyed at McCoy instantly calling her out. Of course, this wasn't their first conversation on this topic. Cammy rubbed her hand over the back of her neck in a vain attempt to remove the tension "Next thing you're going to say is that to truly heal I have to forgive him, right?"
"I just hate seeing you do this to yourself."
"I'm not doing anything to myself, I'm doing it to him! I've got the power, I've turned the tables."
"But Vega is still the one you're sitting with at that table you so expertly turned."
Cammy scowled as her adrenaline subsided. Maybe McCoy was right? He was the calmest of the lot of misfits at Delta Red despite his intimidating size. Maybe all of this was just a way for Vega to have power over her still. Regardless, Vega had still slipped up, it was still useful information to Cammy's search. If only she could share that fact with McCoy. Then she was sure he'd understand. But it was too risky, especially with the counsel so close to making a decision. She needed to stay clean and so did her team. So rather than fight McCoy's very true point, she avoided it in lieu of being able to secretly follow the lead Vega had inadvertently given her.
"You said yourself I've got some rage." she quipped as she turned to leave "You owe me a drink in the least for that fifty pounds you got out of Ginzu."
"White..." McCoy's face dropped as his voice trailed.
"Look I heard what you said, okay?" Cammy pressed, only receiving a nod and suspicious smile from McCoy. "I'm late to meet with Juli and I promised her I'd be there."
Medical Wing
MI-6 Headquarters
Cammy remembered these halls well. Many times over they'd brought comfort upon returning from a mission. Upon seeing them, she knew she was back with the good guys and that everything would be okay. She only hoped that the soft blue walls gave the same feeling to Juli. Since the former Doll had entered the treatment program offered by Delta Red, Cammy questioned it's comforts. Facing the demons that people like Cammy and Juli had was hard enough on its own, but Juli had agreed to do it having every memory recorded and scrutinized by the military. If it hadn't been voluntary Cammy would have stopped things a long time ago. Sure it was for a good cause, but the idea of it and seeing it were two different things and was the hardest part. It was why Cammy had made it a point to come to sessions when she could, trying to help Juli remember or be there to commiserate or anything else that might help her.
The truth was in the five months that Juli had been participating in the program developed by Delta Red, her memories, the information they'd discovered had revealed several previously unknown Shadowlaw links and bases. The intelligence gained alone was unheard of nevertheless the potential of the implementation of the intelligence. Juli agreeing to treatment was a big part of why she even had a chance at making MI-6 allow her to spearhead operations to rescue the Dolls. Decapre was a different story, but Juli was helping with that as well, albeit under the military's radar. She shook her head and breathed deeply as she softly knocked on the door before entering. She was late and the session had already started. The conversation didn't cease upon her interruption.
"I remember it was hot that day," Juli recounted to Dr. Rodmovic, decorated military man and head of his field in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Juli seemed so fragile on the small sofa, brown hair pulled into a bun, her legs curled up against her chest sharing her story. "So hot that my hair kept sticking to my face. We were waiting for the target to arrive home, just sitting on the roof, waiting to kill him. People don't talk about the waiting. There's a lot of that and brainwashed assassins aren't the best conversationalists." Cammy quietly took a seat off to the side of the room as Juli continued with her memory, unfazed by Cammy's typical late arrival. Juli knew it didn't mean she didn't care. "After what felt like forever, the car pulled up. But something was off. There was only supposed to be the senator, but he had his kids and then I...I just-" Juli's voice faltered as she looked to her hands in shame.
"That's when I ordered you to just kill them all." Cammy stated taking shared responsibility, recalling the incident from their shared time as puppets, though it seems Juli was just now able to verbalize it. Juli looked to Cammy, eyes rimmed with unshed tears and nodded.
"And so I did it." Juli shared pointing to three photos laid across a small coffee table. "I killed all three of them without hesitation." Her face sunk into her hands.
"But..." the doctor urged Juli after some note taking and silence.
"But," Juli replied with frustration, looking the doctor square in the eyes. "It wasn't really me. It wasn't really Cammy. It was Bison."
"Yes."
"You know I can repeat and rehearse it all day long, it still doesn't change how I feel!" she cried, standing, signaling she was done.
"It will." Cammy offered. "One day it will."
"Cammy's right." Dr. Rodmovic said as he began collecting his things. "But until it does I don't mind the skepticism. As long as you keep showing back up. And keep doing your meditation exercises." He smiled as he made his exit on those parting words, Juli nodded and wiped her face.
Cammy stood and offered Juli to take her seat again and Juli obliged. After all, this had become as routine as these sessions, especially after Cammy would speak with Vega.
"If you need to wait we can." Cammy offered, getting right to the mission at hand for the two former Dolls. "I'm sorry I was late."
"I know the meeting is today." Juli replied with understanding. "I'm fine. Besides, helping with this is all that's getting me through the healing crap."
Cammy smiled. She really did like Juli. In her she had someone else who seemed to care about retrieving the rest of the Dolls for more reason other than to stop Shadowlaw. She also had someone as relentless, perhaps more so, than she was.
"So Vega slipped again." Cammy began. "He mentioned a 'Marc' this time. I dug through everything and found a name. Marc Antoni Gauldera."
"You think he's the one? The man with the green eyes?" Juli asked in reference to the only memory she had from being taken as a young girl.
"I don't know." Cammy admitted. "You're going to have to tell me." Cammy produced a photograph and laid it on the table face down. "His rap sheet is so long it's probably still printing but I did manage this photo."
Juli stared at the backside of the photo for a long moment. Cammy knew she'd look, she had no doubt. Juli was brave as hell to be doing what she was doing at Delta Red. People had a hard enough time running from their pasts yet Juli faced hers constantly. But this was more personal and they didn't have to talk about it because Cammy just knew. Vega had been the one to take Cammy into the hell of Shadowlaw. Juli was about to look at the face of the man who very well could be that person to her. Her Vega.
Juli reached out and touched the photo tentatively before abruptly flipping it over. Her eyes focused silently on it, the Spanish man's image staring back, matching their silence with his smirk.
"Vega said something along the lines of 'Decapre screamed the loudest of everyone when Marc brought her in.' Trying to get at me. But I still caught it." Cammy softly shared as she watched the horror of recognition slowly spread across Juli's features. She also didn't mention the fact that Vega's taunt had gotten to her. "So I searched. With the information I read, it's plausible. He could be-"
"It was him." Juli stammered, grabbing the photo in her fists looking more closely as if it would change. "At least with me. It was him."
"So that means he might know." Cammy placed her hand reassuringly on Juli's thigh, but couldn't hide her exhilaration. "He could give me the proof I need."
"So what are you going to do?" Juli questioned, shoving the photo back into Cammy's hands as if it could physically harm her. "Do you think he's Shadowlaw?"
"I don't know for sure. But I'm going to find him."
"Then what?"
"I get the information out of him." Cammy said simply, now standing to pace.
"Someone not in custody but with a laundry list of criminal activity is just gonna tell you he kidnapped young girls?"
"I don't know, Juli." Cammy said exasperated. "I'll figure it out. It's all I've got. Even if she's not my sister, she's one of us, right? I have to try."
"I know. I'm sorry." Juli explained from her seat. "I just...even seeing a picture..."
"Vega's mentioned Marc Antoni before, but only when his state of mind is off, and never in reference to something to do with Shadowlaw." Cammy added with full understanding. "He's familiar when he speaks of him. It sounds like he's a mentor."
"As in he trained Vega?"
"Seems like it to me and that means he's bad news."
"Well I'm glad it's you and not me." Juli added as she stood. "I'll take my horror in a controlled setting. I have no problems leaving the missions to you, for a while."
"Just let me know if you remember anything else." Cammy said with an honest smile. "I promise to keep you updated."
Suddenly the door to the room burst open to reveal a frantic Colonel Wolfman. He barreled into the room in full dress uniform, his shoulder length auburn hair slicked neatly under a red beret.
"What the hell are you doing here, Cammy?" Wolfman yelled, only pausing for a brief second to acknowledge Juli with a slight nod of his head before he continued. "I've been trying to find you for an hour. The meeting is starting soon!"
"What?!" Cammy exclaimed as her heart leapt into her chest. She looked to her watch, finding she hadn't even worn it. "Oh my God. I lost track of-" Cammy was cut off by Wolfman physically pushing her towards the exit.
"These aren't the type of people that will tolerate being kept waiting." Wolfman asserted to her as he shoved her dress uniform into her hands before he made his way down the hall. "They're not me."
Guilt flooded her. Her visiting Vega and the resulting fact searching mission had put her way off schedule. Cammy couldn't think of one thing to say to explain herself because while Wolfman wasn't stupid and knew all too well she'd visited Vega, he had no idea about the frequency or content of those visits and she certainly wasn't going to tell him. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about explaining herself because Wolfman continued to berate her as she trotted alongside him, swinging her arms into the sleeves of her dress uniform as they went.
"I cannot believe you. You've been working months at this, keeping ME up all hours with questions and now that it's down to the wire it could all be ruined because you're late."
"I'm sorry, Colonel." Cammy said as she matched his hurried pace down the hospital corridors.
"It's as if nothing I've been saying has sunk in."
"I really appreciate the help." She wasn't lying. Colonel Wolfman's aid in all of this was essential. Not only was he letting her take point on this mission, he was risking himself and his reputation to vouch for her to the higher ups. Cammy didn't know if she would have made it through without the focus he'd brought into her life, both in joining Delta Red and more recently.
"You forgot about your mission." He stated simply.
"I haven't forgotten for a second!" she defended as they made their way across the causeway connecting the medical wing with the main compound. "I'm ready for this. You said to channel everything into the mission and that's what I've done. That comes with balancing a lot."
"Well maybe I just didn't want you to do anything stupid." Wolfman confessed. "But I should have known you'd find a way. You always seem to find a way."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment." Cammy smiled, stopping while they had even the smallest moment of privacy in the empty space of the causeway. She finished buttoning her long jacket. "Turn around." she asked Wolfman softly. "I can't very well wear fatigue pants under my dress." Wolfman sighed at her but obliged. Cammy took the opportunity and spoke softly as she properly adjusted her uniform. "Look, I'm not going to pretend things are perfect with me, but this mission, I've got this. I've never wanted something more in my life."
"I truly believe that Cammy." Wolfman said with his back towards her. "But upper brass is different. They're always looking for how it can benefit them. What's right isn't always the number one concern." Cammy put her hand on his shoulder, signaling that she was done dressing and he could turn around.
"I can't say that the greater good is always my main concern either." Cammy admitted as she reached an took her red beret from his hands, placing it on her head. "But I'm here doing the best I can."
Colonel Wolfman nodded in understanding and gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"
Cammy looked at the door for a long moment. This is what she'd joined Delta Red nearly ten years ago for. This is what she'd lived and breathed for. This is what she'd survived for. This was how she'd survived. She wasn't foolish and neither was Colonel Wolfman. Whether or not she got the go ahead for the first legitimate mission to find and rescue all the girls Bison had kidnapped and made into mindless Dolls, it would be her life's mission. Even still, this was as close as she'd ever been to rescuing the Dolls. All she had to do was remember that, and she was no longer afraid.