June

Eyes.

It's always the eyes that haunt me the most. After time passes, the faces become blurred and murky but the memory of their eyes are left untouched.

It's not like I didn't have my fair share of seeing dead people. I was only fourteen when I shadowed Metias on his assignment to track down and kill a runaway prisoner of war. We cornered him in an alley, where the prisoner pleaded for his life. I still remember the fear in his dark almond eyes, searching for an escape route in the narrow alleyway before he realized he was trapped.

I never gave the dead prisoner a second thought until I remembered his haunting last words years later in a dream. "Please," he had begged. "Don't kill me. I just want to go home." His glance darted from me to Metias before he took one hesitant step forward. "That's your sister, right? I have a younger sister just like you. Her name's Frankie and she's only thirteen. I have to get back to her, I promised her I wouldn't leave her. Please, have mercy. Let me go and I swear I'll never set foot in the Republic again." Metias shot him anyways, because that was what the brother I knew would do- he was obedient, the perfect soldier. He was taught to ignore every word the enemy said and just focus on the task.

And after my beloved brother was murdered, I watched people fight and die for a cause they so strongly believed in. I watched Thomas order soldiers to massacre a crowd that chanted for freedom until every protester fell to the floor, bleeding to death. And I couldn't help them. I had turned my back towards the bloody hands that reached out, pleading for help.

That dying crowd is an unforgettable memory. And so is Jameson's death. She haunts me the most, always entering my worst nightmares. Her eyes were not filled with rage, fear, or sadness as she fell to her death. Jameson had a thin viper-like grin etched on her pale face, her cruel eyes filled with twisted amusement; one last sign of triumph. She acted as she won something when she lost her life.

Liam Stryder was different. Unlike Jameson, he died afraid. He died because I failed to do my job once again. That is my flaw- like Metias, I ignore what the supposed guilty say. And until someone gets hurt or something goes wrong, I don't realize that I got the wrong person. It happened once with Day, and now history repeated itself with Liam.

"You don't deserve to be commander," a voice hisses in my head.

"You're nothing but a coward," says another.

Then Jameson's face appears. She smiles cruelly and taunts, "Poor Little Iparis. So weak, so pathetic. Pity. I used to think you were like me, but it's a shame I was wrong. Perhaps one day you'll understand. Love makes you weak and soft." She laughs harshly. "It will end you."

I gasp and my eyes fly open. I abruptly sit up from my bed, panting for breath. "Just a dream. It's just a dream," I whisper to myself. My eyes fix on my surroundings in this unfamiliar room. After a moment of sheer confusion, I remember that I went to Day's apartment when mine was labeled a crime scene.

The room is still dark, but sunlight is spilling through the small crack where the two curtains meet. I slip out of bed silently, trying to not wake up Day, who's snoring away on the couch. I pull on my boots and then scribble down a message for him when he wakes up.

Have to go, I'm late for my shift. See you soon. ~June

Before I leave, I feel a sudden urge to kiss Day. I lean over and give him a light kiss on his forehead. He stirs, but doesn't wake. "See you later," I whisper before I sneak out the door. I feel guilty that I didn't tell Day what really happened yesterday but I just don't want him to know. He shouldn't be dragged into this.

I stop by my apartment to grab a fresh uniform. I avert my eyes from the living room, although the room has been scrubbed clean of blood. It looks as if Liam was never murdered here. I shudder as I remember Liam's blank pale eyes before I force the image to disappear. I change clothes and leave my apartment as quick as possible- I can't stand another moment in these rooms.

As I walk down the streets, I hear a voice call out, "Commander!" I look over my shoulder and see a teenage girl jogging towards me, her blond ponytail swinging from side to side. I squint through the sunlight, my eyes widening when I realize who it is. I swallow hard.

"Hey Selene," I say, biting my lip. She somehow has grown an inch taller within the past few weeks, reaching the same height as her deceased sister. "Did you want something?"

"I heard about Liam," she says after a pause. I curse silently in my head. How did she find out? I specifically told the soldiers to keep the story out of the news for her sake. No one knows about his escape and death except for the few soldiers that were involved. "So is it true? Is he really dead? Was he innocent?"

I squeeze my eyes shut before I reopen them. "Yes. And Liam wasn't the one who killed Amy." Just admitting that sends a guilty pang to my heart. I helped condemn Liam, an innocent man.

"I knew he didn't do it," Selene confesses. "I was just so angry at him for everything he did. I wanted someone to blame."

"What did he do?"

Selene bites the inside of her cheek, obviously uncomfortable. "He and Amy were together, but superior and subordinate relationships are against the rules. I was the only one that knew about them, and Liam had threatened to hurt me if I told. So I kept quiet, and Amy seemed so happy with him." She pauses. "But then she began coming home with bruises and I was ready to tell someone on the day….on the day she died." Tears fill her eyes.

"If Liam was abusing Amy, how were you so sure he didn't kill her?" I ask.

"Because I know Liam would never kill Amy. He may have hurted her, but to some extent, he still loved her in his own twisted way." Rage gnaws at me. If I had known, I would've punished Liam right away because Amy was my friend. And for just a second, through my anger, I truly believe Liam deserved his death.

I hide away my fury from Selene and force my voice to be emotionless. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" I ask.

Selene shakes her head. "I wanted to offer you my help," she says.

"Your help? For what?"

"Finding the killer, obviously. For personal reasons."

Promise me you'll take care of her, Amy's last words echo in my head. "No. I don't need your help," I say. "You're too young."

Selene flushes red. "I'm sixteen. You were only fifteen when you were sent to catch Day," she counters.

"Day wasn't a dangerous killer," I point out.

She grits her teeth in frustration. "You already know I'm more than capable to help you. So why won't you let me?!"

"I promised your sister I would look after you. And by looking after you, I mean making sure you don't go on some suicide mission hunting for an experienced murderer. I am not letting you get killed because of your rash decisions."

"Fine," she says stubbornly. "If you won't let me help you, then I guess I'll just look for the murderer by myself." A smug smile crosses her face; she knows she's won the argument.

I sigh. "Fine. You can help as long as you promise you won't get hurt."

"Deal," Selene says, a triumphant smile on her face. "Oh and one last thing. Can you convince my school to graduate me early? You know, like how your commander did when you were fifteen? I have the highest marks and everything."

"Ha. Nice try but no. You're staying in school." She pouts at that. "You better go before class starts; you don't want to be late for school. Just meet me after school in my office."

"Okay." She pauses. "Thanks," Selene adds hastily before turning back and running towards the Drake campus.

"What was that all about?" says Pascao.

I jump and whip my head towards his direction. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"You usually hear me when I'm coming. You must've been really absorbed in that conversation to not have," he observes. "By the way, why were you talking to Selene Ross?"

"Why do you want to know?" I shoot back.

"Okay okay," he raises his hands in surrender. "God it was just a question, don't murder me princess!"

I roll my eyes and shove him lightly. "Don't call me princess."

"You got it, princess."

I crack a smile. Pascao is always there to lighten up my mood, no matter what. "Can I ask you a question?" I ask, my seriousness coming back.

"Sure, shoot."

"If a teenage girl wanted to help with a murder investigation, would you let her?"

"Would depend on the situation, but Selene is like a mini you. She's smart and practically skipped all of high school and went straight to college. Just like you," he says with a smile. "And it'd be nice to see things in a different perspective, right?"

"I guess," I sigh. "I just don't want her getting hurt."

Pascao puts a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, she won't. I'll babysit her 24/7 if you really need me to."

"Selene wouldn't like that," I say.

"Trust me, she would. Everyone loves Pascao!"

"You're getting too full of yourself," I tell him jokingly.

He puts a hand on his chest, feigning shock and hurt. "Am not! How dare you suggest I'm vain?" He breaks into a grin. "Just watch, princess."

Pascao yells, "Everyone loves Pascao!" as we pass by the cadets in Batalla Hall. This earns him a few snickers and someone yells back, "I love you honey buns!"

I roll my eyes. "Guess you're right," I say with a laugh.

"Oh princess, haven't you learned already? I'm always right," he declares good-humoredly. The skin around his playful gray eyes crinkle.

"I think you better go control your cadets before they lose all respect for you," I joke.

"Nah, they already have," he says. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. Day's back from Antarctica, right? Tell him I said hi."

"Sure," I say as Pascao walks away to train the cadets. I turn and walk towards my office, ready to take another shot at the case.