(heeeey everyone! It's. freaking New Year's Eve :D sorry for the late update. i scrapped what I had originally wrote - something more light hearted - but it didn't fit. My friend noticed when thrip these comments I turn into an 'illeterit drunk foreign' apprently ;p she's not wrong XD anyhow I realized I'm a dumb dumb and I finally realized how to PROPERLY update the story. So now spelling is fixed in past chapters. Going to another hockey game tonight so I'll post as soon as I can! Shout out to all the people who have reviewed me - every time I see one I freak out! Keep em coming! BTW's OVER 700 read?! OMG :D I love you all! if I get to 1,000 imma faint! Anyhow, ENJOY :D)
Mariah woke up to the morning sun shining onto her face. As she sat up, she blinked. It was strange. All the times she had woken up at home, her room was dark. The warm sun felt nice across her skin. She sat up, looking over to the empty bed. Mariah slid out of the bed, also noting that Riley was gone. It was so quiet. That was something that was not foreign to her at all. Her feet touched the cool floor and she stood up. Looking over at the clock it read 7:20. It felt later than that. She did go to bed fairly early, though. Yesterday had taken quite a toll on her. It felt very alien to Mariah – why were they keeping her here. Were they onto her? When she had checked her bag, the contents seemed untouched. Maybe they did care about her wellbeing… no that could not be it. Mariah was naturally suspicious. Opening the drawer, she saw another set of clothes had been left for her. This time, they seemed to be smaller. Mariah could care less. As long as she had something to wear, she was fine. Changing into another set of clothes pained her side. Her arm could take the pain. It was starting to get easier. When she had finally finished changing, she walked over to the window. Down below, she could see the buildings going on for what seemed forever. It reminded her of home. That was a sight that soothed her soul.
Part of her kept wondering where she was. Yet another part never wanted to find out. If she knew, it would not change the fact she was not home. Knowing where she was would solidify the notion she was far into enemy territory where they thought they were safe. Ignorance was bliss in this case. She had to be in the America's, though. Her father had told her about this place when she was younger. Growing up, she was usually living somewhere in Caracas, Venezuela. Her father had once explained to her why, but those words had been lost long ago. Now, the only words that stood out in her mind from him were words she did not want to hear.
"Just like dad."
Many people had remarked to her over the years just that. It should not have bothered her. Up to now, it did not. It was starting to chafe against her since her injury. It had given her much time to contemplate what she had done and who she had been over the years. Mariah tried to see what could have been different over the years. If her father had been the person he once was. Once again, she was finding herself wondering about what had happened to him. Why were Ghosts the enemy? Mariah tried to think back to when she had first been told about them. They were 'bad men'. Why were they bad? Her father had given no rhyme, nor reason. They were just bad. Her father had a reason to call them bad… did he not? If there was a war involving them… they had to have done something.
Mariah needed to stop thinking about this. They were the enemy. There was no evidence to dispute that. For now, she would keep treating them like that – the enemy.
"I see you're awake."
Mariah turned to see Hesh standing in the doorway. He looked well rested. Riley was not in sight.
"Yeah." She turned towards him, flashing a small smile.
"Hungry?"
"Not really…"
"Hesh," Merrick burst into the room, "mission briefing in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir." He left the room, his eyes narrowing at Mariah.
"Do you know where you're going?" Mariah looked up at Hesh as innocently as she could.
"I think somewhere in the Amazon."
The Amazon? Dad was saying he was spending Christmas there… I wonder what plan they are devising…
"Try not to get hurt." Mariah looked up into his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Mariah did not know what to say after that. She stood there, eyes locked into Hesh's. This mission hopefully would not reveal anything about her to them. How could it though? She was just getting paranoid, once again. Nothing was going to happen. Maybe by the time they got back, she would be healed enough to leave. That would be a miracle. Miracles existed right? She had never been a religious person and she was not ever going to start. It was a huge load in her opinion… or was that her father's opinion? It did not matter at this point. Nothing really mattered.
"Well I have to go to the mission briefing." He left with that and Mariah stood there, watching as he left. She was starting to get irked by their constant watching over her. It was obvious. She was not under strict guard, but she saw the men keeping a close eye on her. Hesh tried to talk to her as much as he could. The conversations were usually the same. How are you doing? How are you feeling? It never changed. Mariah knew he was trying to be sensitive towards her. All he knew about her was she was found somewhere that no child should ever be. Mariah still did not know what to tell Merrick. He was waiting for an answer. All he saw was an apparently scared child. The only thing Mariah was scared of at this point was being discovered. It haunted her mind of what they would do to her. She had heard – and seen – what her father had done to men who were against them. What were these men capable of? Merrick was their commanding officer. He would deal with her if need be… but how? Ever since she had been here, she had not seen them act in any way that would be deemed as hostile. Maybe she would find out during their mission. One of them – she had not figured out who – would have to stay back as mission control. They would not just leave her unattended while they went off on a mission. Even she would have questioned that. A small part of her hoped she would be allowed to sit in mission control and follow along. Another part of her wanted to try to find a way out while they were away. Yet, there was also a part of her that wanted to stay. Even after her short while here, she felt welcomed. It was something that should not have affected her in the slightest, but it was starting to.
Mariah reclined back onto her bed, not wanting to leave the isolation of her room. She was relieved that they were going on a mission. It would be ample time to sit and think of what to say. Merrick was the only thing that kept gnawing at her. There was something about him that Mariah could not put her finger on. Something was behind his eyes that made Mariah contemplate his motives. He seemed to care about her but at the same time he was very cold with her. He reminded Mariah off her father, oddly enough. Mariah did not know exactly what it was with Merrick, but she did not trust him. It was not like she trusted anyone else here. No, it was something more than that. There was something behind his old war filled eyes that Mariah could not sense. This off put her to a new degree. Usually she was the one doing this to people.
Mariah furrowed her brow as she thought back to the events that had brought her to this foreign territory. Thinking back to it, where had the knife she had stored in her boot gone? She had it when she fell. The gun had stayed in the vent... but where was the knife?
Oh crap... my initials were on that knife... that's the one I took from dad's office all those years ago. If Merrick has that I'm screwed. I need to get it back.
Mariah sat up quickly in her bed. If she was not hyped on pain medication, that would have hurt. The only thing that was on her mind now was getting that knife back. She could not just break into his room... could she? Wait, this could work in her favour. While they were on their mission, she could steal the evidence.
"Mariah."
"Hun?" She spun around towards the door, not noticing Hesh had opened it.
"Merrick wants to talk to you. It's urgent."
Shit shit shit shit shit shit...
"...okay..." She replied, as meek as she could.
Mariah got out of bed and walked over to Hesh. Something had changed about his demeanor. It was because of the briefing, in her opinion. What else could have happened? Mariah did not know the way he was taking her. Were they not going to Merrick's room? Hesh turned down the second corridor. Mariah had never gone down here yet. It was practically identical to the other. There was one door on the left. Hesh approached it and opened it. He waved Mariah in. She stopped once she saw the rest of the Ghosts looking at her.
"Why am I here? I thought you were doing a mission briefing..." She looked around the room. It was fascinating. In the center, a large computer table was displaying information about the current region they were going into. Around the room, papers were strewn about. Towards the back of the room, a picture caught her eye. It was a picture of her father. She found herself absentmindedly running her hand across the length of the scar.
"That's precisely why you are here." Merrick motioned for her to approach him. She cautiously made her way over, never wavering her eyes from his. He was sizing her up. It was not going to work.
"I don't understand," she looked around the room, trying to look overwhelmed (it was not far from the truth), "how can I help?"
"When we found you in the Federation base, did you hear anything they were saying? Maybe a passing comment about The Amazon?
"Well," Mariah paused, unsure of what to say, "I don't remember..."
"Think hard, this is important." He gripped her shoulders slightly, causing her to look up into his eyes.
What do I say?! I know father is going to be there for Christmas. I can't tell them that though. Think Mariah! What have you heard about The Amazon... well... actually...
"I remember one man saying something..."
"And...?"
"They said that the transformation was moving along."
Mariah watched as they all went silent. They all knew something that she did not. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hesh become enraged. He took a knife he had strapped to the side of his boot and threw it at the picture of her father. Mariah stopped herself from lashing out at him. It was still her father he wanted to harm.
"Calm down Hesh." Merrick warned, looking over at the picture. The knife had landed on his scar.
"Who's he?" Mariah asked, putting a blank expression on her face.
"A bad man." Keegan replied.
I've heard that before.
"Why is he a bad man?" Mariah walked over to the picture. It was above her head but still in her field of view. This was her chance to find out who he was from them.
"That is for another time Mariah," Merrick walked over to her and pried the knife away from the wall. She saw him glance over at the knife and then her, "thank you for your help. There is things I need to discuss with my team before the mission."
Mariah took the hint and left the room. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.
