A trip top the past

For Queen and country

Tegan tried to get her up again – not that that would have a problem for him normally, but she didn't want him to help her – to touch her even – and she drew back from his hand, shaking her head violently – and then holding it, wincing.

"What is wrong?"

The voice was soft, still strong – and owned by another Breedmate – Gideon's mate.

"Savannah!"

But Savannah gave Gideon just a short look, lovingly, yes, but short, because her eyes were fixed on the young woman on the floor. She was a pitiful picture, hurt, scared – and so fragile, with bare-feet and only wearing a hospital gown and various bandages. Savannah stepped up to her, softly touching her shoulder. This time she didn't flinch, but looked up.

Savannah looked in the young Breedmate's face, seeing tear-filled, green eyes in a pale white face, a nasty scar under her left eye – and a pain so deep it was intoxicating, mixed with sheer panic.

The woman feared this place – more precisely the men here. And she did so much, she tried to get on her feet again without wanting any help, eying the knife that had fallen on the floor, but she didn't dare to get it.

"There, there… Sh…"

She carefully laid her arm around the woman's shoulders to stabilize her and give her some security. Her look was disapproving when she passed by, guiding the Breedmate to the women's working room and shut the door close.

Gideon sighed.

"That could have worked better."

But Tegan shook his head, getting up again, dusting off his trousers.

"Not really. According to her memories the situation was called for as soon as she would meet members of the Breed. I am curious what happened though. Can't have been nice – and not long ago."

"What did you feel?", Lucan asked.

Tegan's ability to know about a person's feelings as soon as he touched them had come in handy more than once. And right now it would be the key again, at least as far as Lucan could judge that right now.

"She lost someone. Someone dear. Looked like her father, by his age and how they interacted in her memory. – And by a Rogue."

Lucan cursed. No wonder she had been scared like hell when Tegan had showed her what he was – what THEY were.

Niko looked at them slightly puzzled.

"What happened here anyway?"

"We found her on a patrol. - Gideon, can you find out more about her? You have her occupation and her name after all."

"Not sure if that is her real name, but I can try. – And we better don't get near her so soon again, not until she chooses that herself."

"We can't avoid her all the time, Gid."

Gideon nodded.

"I know, but at least… Be a bit careful around her, okay? – The others need to know too, of course."

Lucan sighed.

"We have to meet up to inform them we have a guest anyway – and Gideon? Can you cover up what happened at the warehouse? For the MI6 especially."

"Sure."

They were not alone in the women's working room, but the eyes they met were friendly – a little confused, some of them, but friendly.

Savannah made her sit down on a chair, while she got a few cups and a kettle, shortly talking to a woman with long, blond-red hair.

Another, a petite woman with elfish short, bright blond hair and light amethyst eyes came near the young woman, seating herself on a chair next to her. She smiled softly.

"Hello, dear. Our men gave you a bit of a rough greeting, hm?"

She nodded insecurely.

The blond woman's smile widened.

"Don't be scared, it's okay, you are safe here. – I am Elise."

The woman with the blond-red hair came back with a blanket and carefully put around the shivering Breedmate's shoulders and smiled.

"My name is Gabrielle, but most call me Gaby. – What's your name?"

She bit her lip, still looking around a bit hectically.

"Milena…", she whispered silently.

"Welcome here, Milena!", the woman who they had called Savannah said heartily and put down a cup in front of her.

"I hope you like hot chocolate?"

Milena nodded thankfully.

"Yes, thank you."

She took little, careful sips.

"What… Where am I?"

"You are at the headquarter of the Order, still in Boston, but quite a few hundred meters under the surface.", Gaby explained.

"'The Order'?"

"How much do you know, Milena?", Elise asked, watching her seriously.

"I… I am a Breedmate and they…"

She glanced to the door.

"They are members of the Breed, yes. – You had experiences with other Breed members before, hm?"

Milena nodded silently, clutching the cup in her hands.

She had something different to think about still… When Tegan had touched her, it had felt like he would suck some of her memories, some of her fears out – or not out… Not sucked out. But… Dragged out and exposed to the light of day – at least for Tegan.

She placed the cup on the table again and took her hand to her mouth absentmindedly.

"Alright, Milena Kučera is her real name indeed. The whole ID is real – and so is this here."

Gideon waved Lucan and Tegan over, showing them digital files – medical reports.

The two Gen One vampires looked at the files – and their eyes widened.

They were listed there. Her scars. Every single one. Every broken bone, every bruise her body had ever been bearing. And they were numerous.

Then Tegan glanced at one special file. – And sucked the air in with a hiss.

"Fuck, they are…Lucan, look at that!"

Lucan did as Tegan had told him – and hissed as well. The reports started with the pictured of a little girl in a white dress. – Or what had been a white dress. It was stained with blood and dirt, the pale body of the child – she must have been nine back then, her communion – was bruised and bloody, her eyes big and terrified, screaming a silent scream of horror.

He looked at the date. September 2001. Fuck. That meant…

"Gideon, how old is she EXACTLY?"

"Twenty yesterday."

He cursed, even though he had – if he was honest – assumed and almost known that already.

"The reports! Are they all from her being IN SERVICE?"

Gideon shook his head.

"She wasn't in service back then, but she snugged out a lot – her parents died when she was nine – you have seen the picture. An MI6 Agent took her under his wing, he had saved her and she was clinging to him like mad. – Same man died in service a week ago."

Lucan sighed.

"So you say she kind of lost her 'father' a second time.", Tegan said.

Gideon nodded.

"…And one more thing.", he pulled out the medical report he had written himself, handing it to them.

Lucan flipped the map open and scanned the writing quickly, then looking at the pictures – and clenched his teeth.

"Gid, are these, what I think they are?"

He pointed at the pictures of her hands and her wrist. The back of her hands were red, as her index fingers were and the inner side of her wrists and her knuckles. They had noticed that before, when she had run. But only shortly – and here on the pictures the marks causing the reddening were still visible. Double crescents, always same size, sharp enough to hurt some smaller veins and redden the skin, cause small bleedings underneath the skin, blunt, human teeth, biting, again and again.

"She is biting herself. According to the number of bites and how deep they go she is accustomed to that, so for a long time already."