Chapter 3
The small apartment Dom led me into was at best the size of a one bedroom standard apartment. There was about twenty square feet of actual carpet floor to move about on the middle of the room … And it was just one room. There was a small door near the other side of the room which I figured was a bathroom. The reason for such little space was because of the five beds that were pressed up against the walls. I sighed as I realized they were all just pressed against the walls with the carpet space in the middle. Circle of beds with a little playing room in the middle, I thought grimly.
"You think this sucks? We all have to share one bathroom." Dom said offhandedly. I cringed and could feel myself mentally die a little. This was going to be two days of hell. I was already informed that we couldn't roam around the grounds easily because of security issues, so we had the hallway and our room to occupy for the next two days. At least I get my own bed, I thought. Luckily it was about five in the afternoon so we could hang out then go to bed early... Plus, I was exhausted. I set my jaw in a funny way as I thought through all these things at once. Dom gave me a funny look and just smiled at my expression. I noticed all the beds were twins and I thought it would be hilarious to see them sleeping in such small beds. The bed was roomy for me, though, I grinned as I set my stuff on the bed that was at the far end of the room and away from the most clutter.
I heard a gruff sound and saw Marcus walk in. Marcus Fenix was our squad's leader and a sergeant. I definitely could say I looked up to him and I saw through his gruffness to see a genuine person underneath… Sometimes. We both had been through hell and back. Both of us were far from perfect but we made due with what cards we had been dealt. Dom and Marcus fist-tapped or did some sort of man-greeting, and I just smiled at him and gave a small wave. He made a grunting noise in what was almost laughter at my gesture and put his arm on my shoulder and roughly shook me for a moment.
It was truly amazing that I had been able to work with these monster humans for the last few years. It started as a program to get some of the new, green members off to a good start; let them run with the big boys, learn the tricks of the trade, and grow up a bit. It was pretty much a failure, as most would get their heads blown off. I was one of the lucky ones who made it… And I just never left.
"Good to see you got those rooks out alive… I thought you just might shoot their damn heads off for being so green." It was my turn to laugh.
"I need to give James an ass-whooping, he's such a damn nuisance," I said in a grumble. Marcus simply nodded in agreement. Man of few words, I thought to myself.
"Where are the love birds?" I said nonchalantly about Cole and Baird. The two always seemed to be together and the three of us had a humorous suspicion they were secret lovers. They, of course, got very angry when we mentioned this to them. I heard Dom snicker with his reply.
"They're probable just getting of their Raven now… Times must be getting harder if the people up top are splitting us up to do separate missions," Marcus and I nodded in agreement.
"Well I'm starving, how does a girl get some food around here?" I said when I realized I hadn't eaten in almost a day. With a swift tilt of his head to move us out of the room the three of us made our way out of the cramped quarters. As we walked through endless hallways I couldn't help but think about what the next few days would bring…
It was midnight of the same day and Team Delta was filling into our small room. I heard Baird whine and start grumbling.
"Jesus Baird, you're such a whiny little bitch," I said to him as I pushed him. He didn't even move and I ended up pushing myself backwards slightly, which he noticed with another grunt.
"This sucks ass Nikki, why wouldn't I complain?" he growled back. I smiled and actually gave a laugh as he removed his goggles and threw them into a bag under his bed.
"You take those things off when you sleep! Damn, you look like a different person!" I could hear laughter coming from everyone else in the room. Baird chose to ignore me and started to stand up. I always made the same jokes, and always got a response at his expense… I had seen him with those things off many times. He really did look like a different person, though. I instantly made a squeaking noise and ran towards the bathroom door, beating him there. I was definitely not going to let the boys go first and screw up the bathroom.
I normally would just be happy wearing a thong and giant shirt to bed, but I decided I should actually wear some clothes… I opted for a tank top and shorts. I threw my hair back and made my way out, after having had a shower, done my hair and straitened it, brushed my teeth, all the things girls like to do… I definitely didn't like the way military girls were portrayed; all dirty and such… I was a really clean person. When the COG decided to give us amenities, that is. As I trotted out delicately and jumped onto my bed and sat there cross-legged, I noticed the guys looking at me with bemused expressions.
"Took you long enough baby," Cole said ruffling my perfect hair as he passed me. I used my fingers to flatten my hair and began to feel tiredness pulling at my brain. I shook it off as I realized the guys were going to stay up late and… I guess do guy stuff, what ever that was. Despite the fact that we had been a team for nearly three years, I never really slept in the same room with them unless we were on a mission or in a jam.
I faintly listen to what Dom, Bird and Marcus were saying to each other from their spots on their beds as I hummed lightly to myself, something I knew the guys all wouldn't notice. I was interrupted by a giant form sitting on my bed, sinking it down significantly.
"What's up hun?" Cole said as he threw an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him playfully. I laughed and clawed at his enormous arm, trying to pry him off. Cole knew about all the shit I went through and was I guess what I could call one of my best friends… We had a great friendship and he always knew the right things to say and do to cheer me up. I looked at his huge, scarred form and just smiled at how comfortable he was to be around.
"Nothing much CT, just thinking," I said, CT being a nick name I called him, short for 'Cole Train.' He ruffled my hair, again, much to my annoyance but didn't move off my bed.
"Ya, right," he said, clearly unconvinced. My team and a few select people in the COG knew about my past, but to most it was a secret. The glimpses I had told Cole about didn't seem to bother him, though, and he treated me as just a normal person. I remember then Baird found out, he had a field day of pissing me off. He still brings it up and makes me very, very pissed off. You pick your friends and where you want to be in life, not your family. When I first stumbled into the streets Jacinto it was just a week or so after Emergence Day, and the people who found me and dumped me at an orphanage quickly discovered I wasn't a 'normal' child. I was transferred and just a few days after arriving in Jacinto I was put in touch with the 'higher people,' as they told me when I was first brought in, because they thought I was just a kid and wouldn't understand a chain of command.. It was quite the opposite, actually. I spilled to them everything I could about how to defeat the Locust. Boomers, Reavers, Corpsers…
I told them all their weaknesses. I betrayed my people. From the age of ten I was in foster homes, but the whole time I was kept very close to the military and always in training. I officially enlisted at 18, and since then I have been fighting on the front lines. I had even gotten us out of jams a few times by talking to the enemy or a random Locust would recognize me and not kill me out of hesitation or shock, which would result with a bullet through his head… It was just as hard seeing a Locust get shot in the head as it was a team mate. But that was something I would never confess to anyone, not even Cole, and take to the grave.
"Just thinking about my past is all," I said to Cole, trying to push it out of my mind. He gave me a huge hug, which cracked my back, before he threw me in a disheveled pile on the bed, slinking over to his own too small area. He threw me a smile over his shoulder as I mumbled, "Ya, thanks, Cole," but I couldn't help myself from grinning. As I pulled myself under the covers and let my head hit the pillow, I hoped that I wouldn't dream about any horrific images from my past.
