Valentine is back and would like to point out that she has no political agenda whatsoever.
-Wavelength-
"Oi, you two!" Luckily Paulo and Li heard the footsteps before the shout and so were able to sneak out of the secret room and get back to work unnoticed. Max walked in, looking upset; his wild hair was even crazier than when he'd left and in the space of half an hour he'd gone from looking upbeat to incredibly tired. He looked at them both and their innocent smiles gave nothing away. "It's almost time to…" He swore quietly as his phone started ringing, he retrieved it from his pocket and practically shouted a greeting. "What do you want?!" He snapped impatiently and the other two jumped. Their smiles faded as Max's anger subsided and was replaced with worry. "When did it happen?" He nodded at the answer; forgetting people can't see you when you're just on the phone. "I'll be right there." He ended the call and looked up to Li and Paulo. "Amber Middleton collapsed ten minutes ago-"
"Collapsed?" Li said fearfully and there was no answer to her for Max was already moving. Li looked to Paulo who tried to give her a reassuring look but wasn't sure if it worked. They ran out of the room, after Max who was making his way to the hospital.
-The Top-
"No way," Alex said, examining the man in the photograph and looking back at Razor to see any resemblance.
"I look like my mother," she said nonchalantly as her finger passed over the photograph. "And you," she looked up at him again to let her cat-like eyes pass over his face, "look like your father." She observed with a small smile. "I wonder what the connection is?" She said out loud and Alex's brow furrowed as he tried to remember if his dad had ever mentioned anything.
"My dad's with the SAS." As soon as Alex mentioned this Razor's eyes lit up.
"Mine is with the SRR." She explained. There was a moment of silence in which Alex noticed Camille was not herself; not the familiar, insensitive, tough-talking tyrant he'd grown to know, but now she seemed more human.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly as it was unlike Razor to stay quiet for so long. She hadn't taken her eyes off the photograph and Alex was beginning to worry.
"They look very close," she pointed out, not really listening to him. "But that can change, right?" She looked up and Alex was caught off guard by the way the sunlight in her eyes would glisten and for a moment was left breathless. "People change, don't they?" She said bitterly and handed the picture back. She turned away from him and looked out to the skyline. Alex had no idea what to say; he had never seen her this way, he'd never really thought she'd be capable of showing anyone how she was feeling. "What is it about you?" She asked suddenly and looked over to him, "that makes me feel like I know you?" Alex smiled.
"Like we've met before?" Alex agreed with her. From the first moment she had threatened him, he knew there was something familiarly affectionate in her murderous intent. Like she had done it before. She nodded and in the dying sunlight was surprised to find that she was beginning to feel warm even though the darkness was drawing nearer. "Well we probably have," Alex said softly, "considering our dad's know each other." Razor smiled.
"When we were kids-"
"Back when you were just Cammie." Alex reminded her and she gasped in offence.
"And when you were adorable." She indicated to the child in the picture.
"I am adorable!" They laughed and Alex was just happy to see her smile again. Slowly the smiles faded and they looked at each other again, trying to figure out what it was that was so memorable about each other. They jumped as Camille's phone rang she smiled apologetically and put the phone to her ear.
"Hey, Ma…what?" Alex, who had been leaning against the railing, stood up straight; ready to run for he could hear in her voice they were about to. "We'll be there." She put her phone away and was already running.
"Raze?" Alex called after her and she remembered he was with her; she'd been alone in this place for a long time so it was strange to have someone with her.
"Amber Middleton collapsed about fifteen minutes ago." She said and kept running. Alex was lucky he'd done training before coming to this place; she ran with great speed and he had to try his hardest to keep up. In no time they reached the hospital, it was the easiest building to miss in this place because it was perfectly ordinary. Unlike the other buildings that all had a theme or strange architecture this building looked like classrooms could have been inside. But as they entered Alex changed his mind; the overwhelming smell of disinfectant and unnatural cleanliness made it clear this was a hospital. In the foyer they saw Hex, Paulo and Li sat on chairs. They stood as the other two entered. Razor simply had to look at Hex and he told her exactly what happened and without a word she went into a side room to see Amber. Alex was going to follow but Paulo held him back.
"Hex," Alex turned to the boy, who looked slightly shaken, his green eyes flicked up to Alex and looked away before he sat down and clasped his hands together. "Has anyone seen you?" Hex knew what he meant.
"They don't need to, I'm fine." He said unconvincingly.
"You don't look it." Li said seriously and sat down next to him. Paulo and Alex stood opposite them and tried to listen for anything going on in the room.
"I just," Hex sighed, "I want to see Amber." Is all he said and the others nodded, wondering what else may have happened in the Administration Block that afternoon.
"Where's Amy?" Was the first thing Camille said as she entered the room. She looked over to see Amber lying in a bed, suffocated by the sheets almost. The dark skinned girl raised a shaking hand in recognition of her friend. "Are you alright?" She asked Amber quickly and the Junior medic, Max answered for her.
"She's doing fine now but we need to have a serious talk." He said pointedly and the adult Medical Officer, who no one knew the name of, the kids referred to him as Doctor Who, nodded to confirm Max's comment.
"That's right." He said wisely, "need to have a real heart-to-heart." Doctor Who was a short, fat man who constantly had a smile on his face and Camille often wondered how many patients felt comforted by a man who looked manic all the time.
"Later," Camille said and again asked; "where is she?" It looked like no one was going to answer and they heard the front doors of the building open. In a flash Razor left the room.
"Camille!" Max called after her; he knew what was coming and it wasn't good. He smiled at Amber, "excuse me." She tried to smile back as he left but found she had no energy. She hated it; she could hear everyone talking about her and she could say nothing herself. Max walked out, the doctor stayed to continue writing up on Amber's file.
Alex, Paulo, Li and Hex all looked up and stood quickly as the front doors opened. The girl they knew as Amy, walked in and looked surprised to see them all which was difficult to see considering her eyebrows were so far above her eyes. At the same moment Razor walked out of the side room and the others turned to her as well, Max followed and greeted them all with a wave. They noticed Camille's eyes narrow on Amy who, they were surprised, was able to stand her ground and not cower beneath such a glare.
"Care to explain," Camille said each word with such venom that the others were sure Amy would be dead by the second syllable, "why you left them in a locked room?" She whispered dangerously. Amy smoothed back her hair haughtily. "I'm waiting for an answer." Hex, who was still sat, looked past Alex to see Camille's hand on the handle of her bokken and was gripping so tight her knuckles turned white.
"I wanted a drink-"
"That's not a very good answer." Camille said and squared her shoulders, put one foot in front of another and Li recognized the pose instantly.
"I don't need to answer you-"
"You will when things concern kids in my squadron." Camille was not letting her get away. "Hex?!" He jumped up as she addressed him and stood to attention. "How long were you left for?" Hex tried to remember.
"About twenty-five minutes-"
"Liar!" Amy shouted at him and Hex was taken aback. Razor noticed Hex's posture, shaking hands and slow speech; she looked pointedly at Max who nodded.
"Are you lying?" Razor asked and Hex shook his head.
"It takes me four minutes to type up one sheaf of documents," Hex said and everyone smiled slightly; Hex paid attention to detail all the time, "and I did all of row A…that's six sheaves…twenty-four minutes." Amy opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"I'm going straight to Pierce with this." Razor said suddenly and even Max was surprised.
"You wouldn't dare," Amy said scathingly and Razor smiled.
"You don't mess with anyone in my squadron." She said seriously, "it was unacceptable behavior from a junior." Razor said and looked over to the four teenagers that made up the audience. "you can stay or you're free to go." She said to them and they stayed where they were, she smiled. "there's a kitchen over there," she nodded down the hall, "help yourself." She walked back to Amber's room. Max walked over to Hex.
"Hello…Hex, is it?" He said uncertainly and Hex nodded. "Let's take a look at your heart rate." Everyone, who had been looking at Amy as though she should crawl back into her hole, looked away as she became embarrassed.
"That girl has no clue what she's getting herself into." Amy muttered and Paulo stood up.
"Razor is just looking out for Amber." He said protectively and Amy scoffed.
"Yeah, leave her alone." Li said from behind Paulo. Amy turned to them and looked Alex up and down.
"If I were you I'd stay away from Razor." She said ominously and Alex, who had been looking over his shoulder, turned around to her fully.
"What're you talking about?" He said slowly and Amy smiled.
"You'll find out soon enough." She said and left, leaving the others to look on after her and they saw, outside the first stars of the evening were twinkling above them.
"Max?" Alex looked down to him as the medic knelt next to Hex, "what did she mean?" Max sighed and stood up.
"That girl has hated Razor since the word go." He shrugged, "no one's sure why; Razor may be arrogant and vain but still, she's good at what she does." Max shrugged. "You either love her, hate her or stay the hell away from her." He said and walked away. "I need to speak with Amber. Razor said you can stay here or leave, but Amber won't be leaving the hospital tonight." And with that he left them and the four looked at each other with a growing sense of dread.
I know not much happened but I felt that was a long enough chapter- I don't want to ruin it!
Reviews appreciated.
