Chapter 37: A Past Revisited

There were no cheers awaiting Echelon 3 as they returned from their suicide mission, only looks of horror and pity. The woman with the unwavering smile approached Lee, attempting to lend her motherly care to the wounded. However, Lee, shaking her head, refused, and continued forward back to the dormitory, still humming to the distraught girl. Next in line was Grizzly, who was carrying Calico. Finally, bringing up the rear of the shattered echelon was Welrod, who was preparing herself to recruit a member to their cause. On and on they marched, past the solemn faces of many T-Dolls who were heartbroken to see such a prestigious and kind echelon reduced to a shadow of its former self.

The girls finally returned to their dormitory, and Welrod took the lead as they walked inside. The room had remained just as they left it, with cardboard boxes strewn about the room, and their handler sitting off by himself, only this time a bottle of whisky was his company. Upon hearing the door open, the man turned around, about to extend his congratulations, only to be shaken as he looked upon the remains of Echelon 3. His eyes drifted from girl to girl, until they fell upon Calico, whereupon he looked away and retreated to his corner, again removing something from his pocket.

"I'll deal with James. Grizzly, Lee, as much as I want to get you girls patched up as soon as possible, I'm still too cautious about Archibald pulling something nefarious. So, do what you can for WA2000 and Calico, and I'll think of something to help us even the odds."

Lee and Grizzly nodded, as they gently set both girls down on sheets of cardboard, and attempted to forge a makeshift bed for the two of them. Welrod in the meantime turned her attention back to James, who was shaking in his corner of the room, looking down at whatever was in his pocket.

The girl calmly walked over and pulled up a box next to him. The girl sat down, and let the awkward silence build between them. When it became apparent that James wasn't going to say anything, Welrod threw the first punch.

"I'm disappointed in you Sir," Welrod said softly.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," The man replied, his eyes glued to what he was holding. From Welrod's spot it looked like a piece of paper.

"You knew what Archibald had planned for us, and yet you let him do this all the same. You let the man throw us into the pits of hell, never to return," Welrod continued.

"You know as well as I do that wouldn't have done a damn thing," James muttered, "He would have just kicked me out of Sector 78 without another word."

"Is that what you're afraid of, of being thrown back into whatever cesspool you were pulled out of? I'm sorry Sir, but that is incredibly selfish of you." Welrod stated, emphasizing the word selfish to try and cut deeper.

"So I tell the dobber to piss off and I get thrown out, then what? You girls get assigned some brown nosing twat who throws you to the wolves! I couldn't live with myself if that happened!" James's voice had risen, his body was trembling a bit.

"You couldn't live with yourself? Then why are seemingly fine with Lee losing her arm at the elbow? With WA2000 having her chest being torn apart? With Calico being shot again and again, to the point where she can't control her coolant and collapses?" Welrod slowly hounded the man, forcing the point further, it may have been cruel, but she saw it as the only way she could make her stance.

"You think I'm fine with it? Why do you think I'm over here in the first place? I couldn't bear to look at you girls in your state. Now, Miss Welrod, kindly see to your friends." James was doing everything in his power to stay level headed, and Welrod knew now was the time to hammer it home.

"I wonder what she would think, if that was her over there, and she saw you cowering in the corner." Welrod softly said. She noticed the man stiffen.

"What did you just…?" James began, but Welrod cut him off.

"Would Calico have been proud to see you acting this way? Would she have been proud to see you cower before a man lesser than you?"

"H-how do you…?" James's shaking intensified as his grip on the paper he was holding tightened.

"I wonder what she would think if you turned your back on her, even when she was gravely wounded with five particle rifle rounds embedded in her chest."

"D-don't you fucking dare…" James's shaking was uncontrollable now.

"Would Cally forgive the man she loved? Even after he betrayed her?"

With a roar, James grabbed his bottle of whiskey and threw it at the wall. The glass container shattered on impact, the sudden outburst drawing the attention of Lee and Grizzly. The paper he was holding slowly floated to the floor; it was a picture of a group of soldiers in an Eastern European town. The group looked rather jovial as they sat atop an armored personnel carrier; one of them was even playing an accordion.

James stood where he was, motionless, his breathing becoming more labored. Welrod hesitated, had she gone too far? A minute passed, and another. The girl decided to break the silence.

"I'm sorry Sir, I spoke out of turn…"

"No." James shook his head as he returned to his seat. The man picked up the photo again, and held it under his face.

"You're right, Welrod. I-I f-failed her." A teardrop impacted the photo as the man's hands quivered.

"You… you truly loved her didn't you Sir," Welrod whispered.

The man slowly nodded his head, shaking more tears from the brim of his eyes.

"Aye. I-I did. I l-loved that seaweed brained diva. Ever since our first scuffle… and she loved me. Trusted me. And I let her… her…" James finally broke down, letting his emotions take over. The man dropped the photograph and brought his hands to his face, his soft sobs breaking the otherwise silent room.

As Welrod let James grieve she bent down and picked up the tear stained photograph. It was a group of ten soldiers, six of which were faces she was familiar with. She saw WA2000, Grizzly, herself, and Clint, all smiling. She also saw Calico and a younger James leaning on one another, their hands clasped together. There was also the man with the accordion, who looked almost out of place, but the girl couldn't quite figure as to why.

Welrod couldn't help herself from tearing up, but for James's sake she held her emotions in check. The girl slowly slid the photo under his face.

"You never answered my question Sir," Welrod said softly.

The man opened his mouth to reply, but James couldn't answer as another round of sobbing took over.

"Calico once told me, Sir, that she wouldn't forget transgressions against her." The girl then grasped the man's trembling hands. "But she also said she would always forgive that person, no matter what. If Cally was anything like my Calico, I'm sure she would forgive you in a heartbeat, especially you, the man she loved."

James lowered his head to his chest.

"We need your help James. We can't succeed without you. Please, put aside your fears, and stand against those who have wronged you! Do it not for us, or even yourself, do it for Cally." Welrod brought her hand to the man's face. The man's shudders started to subside, as he looked up and stared Welrod in the eye, determined.

"Aye, I'll do it. I'll do it for you, and I'll do it for her. It's time for me to make up for my past mistakes. What better way to do that, than to help you all?" The man pocketed his photograph and walked towards the rest of the echelon, where he set to work assisting Lee with WA2000 and Calico's wounds. The man wore a smile as Calico rebooted and gave him a look of confusion as he hugged her.

If only she knew.

Welrod shook her head and looked at her echelon's new ally.

Thank you, Cally.