CHAPTER 8: I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU

Damion Burns:

Damion Burns laughed as he slid his chair back from his desk. "Commander Dok!" He greeted the man as he sauntered into his office. "Well aren't you quite the sight! I see the underground has been treating you well."

Nile grinned as he walked in. His dirty, filth-stained clothes carried the faint stench of out there with him. "If it treats me any better I'll have an arm or leg missing by next week."

"Oh, you'd probably find a way to make the look suit you!"

The two men smiled as they clasped hands over Burns' desk.

Nile heaved a heavy sigh, slumping into the chair across from Burns. "It is so good to be here. So so good." He closed his eyes, relishing the moment.

"I can only imagine." Burns exclaimed, pulling out two glasses and a bottle of wine. "I've done plenty of field work out there, but nothing to the scale of this operation. I insist you tell me how it's been going?"

Nile's eyes popped open at the sound of wine pouring into the glasses.

"Bless you my good man. I don't dare drink anything but water down here."

Burns chuckled. "It's that bad?"

The other man nodded solemnly. "I think we're going to call it soon. The operation. It's been a wash. Absolutely nothing but a waste of time and energy."

Burns frowned. That wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear, though he wasn't surprised.

"Go on?"

Nile looked at his hands. "I haven't had the heart to tell Historia. Well, neither of us have, but we've worked over half this city now and we can't find anything. Not even a solid lead on orphans or children. It's like people stopped having children!"

"My god...What is the queen saying?"

"She hasn't said anything, but I can see it in her eyes. She won't give up until she's become the hero of the underground."

Damion bristled at the comment.

"How very...noble of her." He sniffed.

Nile glanced at him.

"What do you mean?"

"It just seems selfish to me," He looked at his wine with distain. "Stealing you from your family, taking two dozen officers from their usual posts, and wasting all this time down here for her own personal agenda? It's an interesting leadership style. Not one I was expecting."

"Historia is learning. It's a good thing she's trying to do, and it will rally her a lot of support."

"Still. Between you and me, I think she made a better Scout than queen."

Nile looked doubtful, and Burns' noticed the lack of agreement. Mentally, he sighed.

Plan B then I guess.

"What about the Captain?" He quickly changed the subject. "Is he still being a pain in your ass?"

"Oh don't get me started on Levi." Nile dragged a hand over his face, slouching to one side. "The man has been a pain in my ass since the day he discovered I existed. Now, I'm pretty sure his only goal every day is to make my life as miserable as his."

Burns forced a smile. "So it's not great?"

"It's the opposite of great. It's hell. And I think he's been sick the last few days, though he won't say anything about it. He just swears more and glares at you with his stupid washed out face."

"I'm still surprised he agreed to come back." He glanced at the clock. Any second now.

"And I'm surprised I haven't punched him yet."

Burns let out a strained laugh. He was normally a better actor than this, but without Nile's support his next moves were going to be a lot harder.

"How's the wine?" He changed the subject.

Nile opened his mouth to speak when the door to the room slammed open, an out of breath soldier appearing in its place.

"Sir!" The middle-aged man's wild eyes met his own. "There's been a chemical explosion in the area! There's pollution in the streets!"

"There's been a what?" Nile yelped, jumping to his feet.

"Chemical spill!" The officer gasped, eyes bulging. "At least one building is on fire!"

Zane you blastedly perfect man. Well done!

"Good heavens!" Burns exclaimed, feigning shock and pulling a pouch from his pocket. He moved his hand over Nile's drink while the man was turned away, dumping its contents into the stagnant red liquid. "Where was it at? Are our men safe?"

"It was a few blocks over Captain! We aren't sure how much it's spreading yet, but I'd advise everyone to stay inside until we sort this out and get a headcount."

"Stay inside—what kind of spill was this?" Nile sputtered.

The officer in the doorway glanced at Burns right as he withdrew his hand, a knowing look flashing across his face before replacing it with fear.

That man deserves a raise Burns thought, impressed. Why, he was actually shaking!

"We don't know yet sir. But standard procedure says a safety control team needs to check it out before we let normal activity continue." He said, fiddling with his hands.

Damion gave him the slightest of nods back. Well done, he tried to convey.

"It could be nothing," the officer continued, "But we had an incident a few years back where a pipe to the mines burst and spread chemicals through the river. Hundreds of people died from poisoning. We're just trying to be careful sir."

"Officer," Burns addressed the trembling man. What was his name again..? "Has the control team been sent out yet?"

"Yes, I just alerted them as well. They're on their way out now."

"Good, tell them to let all officers out there to quarantine in the closest available building and to stay off the streets. We'll stay in the outpost until further—"

"Tell the control team I'm coming with them." Nile interrupted.

"Sir..?" the officer glanced back to Burns.

No he shook his head slightly.

Damn Nile. Now was not the time for idiotic heroics.

"I have a few dozen of my men on the streets." Nile continued. "I refuse to stay here if they need help."

"Nile, come now!" Burns scoffed. "You can't be serious."

The commander turned a harsh gaze on Burns who froze at the intensity. "Deadly." He uttered.

"Sir," The officer said. "I'll go tell the team to wait, but they won't be able to hold off much longer." He gave a quick knowing look to Burns and a brief salute before jogging back through the door and down the hall.

Good man.

Burns returned his gaze to Nile. Sweet innocent Nile. Nile who had helped him countless times, a man he felt strong kinship to.

And currently, the last person standing in his way of success.

This is for your own good.

"Please," He reasoned, pouring thick anxiety into his voice. "You can't go out there and risk your life!"

"To hell with that Damion," Nile's eyes flared like wildfire. "Historia is out there, and you damn well know it's my job to keep her safe!" He slammed his fist on Burns' desk for emphasis, making the wine shake in its glass.

Burns flinched then shook his head at Nile's naivety. "This is preposterous! Do you even know where she is at? She could have been contaminated by the spill."

A trickle of fear crossed Nile's expression, replacing the hostility. "I—I need to find out."

"No, you're not trained for this!" Burns shot back, suppressing an eyeroll. You'd be risking your life for nothing, and I can't let you do that!"

"It's my job."

Burns stare grew cold. "Then it would be my job to tell your wife you died because of a gamble."

Nile's jaw went slack like he'd been punched. He fumbled for words, none coming out.

"I'm sorry friend, but I won't do that for you."

Nile was quiet, and Burns understood. He really did.

Family was the most powerful of weaknesses. A man would do anything for his family.

He sighed. "Listen, I have men on the ground. I have eyes on the streets. Let me go out and look for them for you."

Nile's head shot up. "What?" He demanded.

"I know where you're coming from. I wouldn't be able to sit while my comrades were in danger either. I'll go out and find her. You have a lot more to lose than me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I mean it."

Nile's eyes grew wild. "Damion, no! Like you said, it's too dangerous!"

"Oh for crying—" Burns started. "Nile, I come down here far too often for my or anyone's liking. I've seen my share of the people and the danger. I'm more familiar with it than you."

Nile continued to hold a stubborn gaze so Burns continued.

"Do you really think you can lay that kind of logic on me, that it's not too dangerous for you but it's too dangerous for me?"

The Commander's gaze fell. He looked down to his hands, unsure.

"You trust me, right?" Burns prodded incredulously.

Nile's eyes flicked up immediately. "Of course I do." He assured him.

"Then let me find them for you." Burns said, his stature unflinching, his eyes unwavering. "I'll send someone to you to let you know the second we know about their whereabouts."

Nile didn't respond. Burns could practically see the gears turning in his head as he weighed the options before him. Really he admired the man's commitment to the throne. Admirable as it was, Burns couldn't help but feel a little jealous that it was dedicated to a little girl and a profane captain.

"Besides," He added with a tilt of his head. "I will need someone to watch the outpost while I'm out there. You're definitely the most capable person here to do that."

At long last, Nile sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Okay." He agreed. "But if you don't send a message to me the moment you lay eyes on them—"

"I'll let you know." Burns smiled. "I swear on the throne."

"God." Nile shook his head. He eyed the glass of wine before abruptly grabbing it and downing half the contents in one go. "This is going to be a long night."

…..

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Burns slipped out of his office, careful to shut the door behind him so it barely clicked.

Zane Randor was waiting outside.

"Nile is out of the way." He greeted the officer. "The drug in his drink worked perfectly."

"Excellent." Zane smiled. It was a moderately disturbing sight, but Burns had grown far used to it in his many dealings with the man. Different as his features were, he more than made up for it in his talent in violence and his dedication to Burns.

"What's the status on Historia and Levi?" Burns asked him, beginning to walk down the hallway.

"We...lost them."

He flipped on Zane in an instant, a dark wave of rage coming off him. "You what?" He barked, the sound echoing through the empty space.

"We lost them in the crowd." The bald man answered, his sunken eyes darting away from Burns' fury. "We didn't anticipate how well the Captain knew the streets. They gave us the slip."

"You didn't anticipate someone from underground knowing the streets—" Burns held back an eye roll, wanting to strangle someone.

He swallowed his fury, running a hand through his combed hair. "Fine, it's fine. I'm fine. This is why we made a back up plan. We'll switch to plan B. Call in the men. Tell them to start patrolling. I have to return to the surface. My absence won't go unnoticed, but I'll be back tomorrow. You go make the announcement for me. Where did we lose them?"

"About a district down from here."

Burns thought for a moment. He could have killed someone for the set back, but they were playing a game of cat and mouse, only in this case there were several dozen cats and two little helpless mice. Surely they couldn't have gone far in the time he'd been at the outpost.

"Then make the announcement there." He ordered. "They have to be close by. And do the same in the surrounding areas too."

"Of course Sir." Zane responded without hesitation. "What about the other police patrols?"

This time, Burns didn't hold back the eyeroll. "Blasted operation! I don't care, just get them out of the way. And don't kill them." He added.

"Of course, Captain."

"And Zane?" Burns waited until he had his subordinates full attention. "I want to see the end of Historia and Levi myself. Use whatever means you need to detain them, but keep them alive until my return." He needed to see them die himself. He wouldn't be satisfied until he saw the light leave their eyes.

"Of course, Captain."

And with that, Zane turned abruptly and disappeared.

Burns sighed. They were so close.

"A few more hours. That's all." He muttered to himself before following Zane.

AN:

Hey...I'm SO sorry this has taken so long to get up! Life has been so busy with graduation and finding summer work. Also I'm going through a major Marvel phase again with the Falcon and the Winter Soldier coming out cuz SHEEEEEEEEESH it's so good.

Anyways, I've said this before and I really mean it, I WILL be posting the entirety of this story. It's literally mostly written out and just needs edits. The goal is to have it all up by the end of summer :)

Also, y'all can follow me on insta if you'd like and we can chat there and I might post updates on the story and such! gamma_1243

MUCH LOVE
~Gamma