Knocked Down
Bella's POV
10th May 2018
After a three hour flight, the private plane, with blacked out windows, taxied into the facilities plane hangar. Trey and I were led into the elevator and down through the facility to the debriefing rooms. These were vastly different to the briefing rooms. These were more like interrogation rooms. A metal table with a chair on either side and a camera in the top corner. Separated, Trey and I were taken to opposite rooms. The soundproofed walls meant we couldn't hear into the other room. We sat and spent the next few hours recounting everything. From exact timings, to everything we touched, to everyone we spoke to. Every detail was recorded and marked out. Any clean up that was needed could be done with all the information we provided. But this mission needed no clean up. We'd been professional, we'd done everything right. Nothing had gone wrong.
I was then taken back to my room and given six hours to sleep. I hardly slept two hours though. My mind went through every scenario as to what Carlisle and Esme had done with my note. They hadn't contacted hotel security, that much I knew. And they hadn't immediately called the police. If they'd called the police by now, I would currently be in the tank. And they'd be dead.
Sitting upright on my bed, my legs crossed, I closed my eyes. I focused on my breathing, letting my mind go blank. Whilst I wasn't sleeping, my mind and body was getting as much rest as it needed.
It was only the heavy door opening that brought me out of my meditative state. Dean was stood on the other side, grinning.
"I hear you did a good job on the mission."
"Good? Please, no one's as good as me."
"You have a session with Victoria now. You can eat your lunch with her."
"A lunch date with Vicky? Oh, you are spoiling me."
Following him down to Victoria's therapy room, I had a renewed sense of energy.
The session mostly consisted of Victoria asking me questions about Carlisle and Esme. Of course she would. I knew that if I avoided most of the questions, they'd figure out how I felt about the whole situation. But if I said too much, she'd know I was hiding something. No one knew I'd spoken to Esme alone in the bathroom. No one knew I'd given her that note.
After she'd exhausted the questions about the Cullens, she moved onto asking about Trent. The ghosts all knew about what happened between Trey and I last night. They would have heard the start of it over the comms. I'm sure Trey had been given a grilling about it during debriefing. I made it clear to Victoria that there was nothing happening between Trey and I, and nothing ever would.
By the end of Victoria's two hour long session, I was exhausted. It was so tiring playing my part. But I knew I had to play their game. I needed them to trust me. And the Cullens had been a carrot on a string. They tempted me. But I didn't bite. I wasn't going to. I knew what would happen if I did.
I was then given the rest of the day off. I had to stay in my room, locked up. But I had my guitar and books. Eventually falling asleep in the early hours of the morning, I got a few hours of restful sleep.
My daily routine began again the next day though. I joined the other recruits in the gym, ready for the combat class. My anger at Trey was still strong. I knew it would be difficult to keep it in check, but it would at least be good practise.
"Okay class, I'm back as of today. As is X1-28. Let's pick up from where we left off. 1-28!"
Trey had stridden into the room, all of us standing around the large mat. I jogged into the middle of it and lifted my fists, my knees slightly bent.
"Block defences only."
Giving him a curt nod, I stared up at him. He jabbed his hand out, my arm automatically coming up to block it. We went through the basic motions a dozen times before I got bored. The next jab he made, I grabbed his arm and pulled him over, dropping him to the ground. The others watched on shocked as I stood over Trey. He lay on the mat, his eyes wide for a brief moment before he looked angry.
"Defensive blocks only 1-28."
"The class know how to defend themselves X1-23. Why don't we teach them something a little more useful?"
"These are the set classes."
He'd climbed back to his feet and glared down at me. I thrust my hand out, attempting to hit his stomach, but he saw it coming. He grabbed my wrist. Throwing up my leg, I knocked him sideways and freed my arm.
"1-28!"
"What? You were all over me the other night. Don't want to touch me anymore Trey?"
I could hear the others hold their breath. They knew that Trey and I were close, and I knew some of them thought there was more there. But there wasn't. Not really.
"Trouble in paradise, huh."
Whilst Caitlin had whispered the words so quietly that no one else could hear, Trey and I did. His fists were clenched by his sides, his nose flaring as he held himself still. I'd pushed him further than I ever had. It had been a low blow, but I didn't care.
"Caitlin, on the mat."
Her eyes widened as she realised she'd been heard. Cautiously stepping forward, she planted her feet, in fear of an attack.
"Full combat against X1-28. We continue till one gives in."
She lifted her head, now confident. Stupidly so. Even if I wasn't as wound up as I was, she stood no chance.
I let her make the first few punches, none of them connecting with me. She was starting to get a little frustrated. Her feet shuffled on the mat and her arm swung out at me. In a similar move to before, I grabbed her wrist and forearm, flipping her onto the ground. She glared up at me. Jumping to her feet, she threw her arm out at me. I used the palm of my hand to hit her stomach, winding her. Her foot came up and she tried to kick the side of my head. I'd crouched down though, spinning around with my leg up, knocking her down. As she came down, her hand grabbed my hair and she pulled me with her. Rolling over her, I leveraged myself up to continue rolling to my feet again.
Caitlin scrambled to her feet, but I grabbed her thigh and arm throwing her across the mat. The others watched on as she lay on the floor. Staring at her, I watched as she started to writhe around. Her body was burning hot.
"X1-28!"
Even though Trey was shouting, I could hardly hear him. I was focused on the girl screaming on the floor in front of me.
"X1-28! Recruit! Issy!"
Trey grabbed my wrist, snapping me out of it. I let Caitlin go from my mental hold. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving. The others were all staring terrified. I tossed my hair back and placed my hands to my hips.
"Well then. I think we all know who won that fight."
"X1-28, off the mat."
I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"Whatever."
Going over to the edge of the mat, I crossed my feet over and gracefully lowered myself to the floor. Trey then went over to Caitlin, holding his hand out to her.
"Do you need to see the Doctor?"
"No. I'm okay."
Rattled, she took his hand and let him help her up.
"Hayley, Sophie, you're up. Defence blocks only."
Caitlin started of standing across the mat from me. But I'd really beaten her up quite bad. She'd have a couple bruises by the end of the day. It was more the heat that was getting to her though. My ability was more painful than anything anyone would have experienced in life. Depending on how I used it, it could make you feel like every cell in your body was being boiled. Eventually she slowly collapsed to the floor. She sat there, breathing heavily as she stared at the edge of the mat. Maybe I'd pushed her too far. She wasn't the one I was angry at. It was Trey. But Victoria had told me to knock Caitlin down a few pegs. I'd done that. I just hoped I hadn't destroyed all her confidence. Great. More work to be doing.
The class proceeded with each of the girls getting their turn on the mat. Everyone was too scared to speak, no one looking at me. But they threw concerned glances to Caitlin.