Chapter 5
After another long drive we had made it to our next, and as Duo had told me, last, destination. I found it surprising. We were in an old, partially destroyed, Oz military base. It had been surrounded with a barbwire fence, trying to keep everyone out. No one was allowed in the destroyed bases, not since they'd been cleaned out of weapons and supplies. Of course some people tried to sneak in.
We picked our way through the ruins of what use to be a court yard. I kicked a stone every few feet as I followed Duo. He knew where he was going, and was able to easily get us inside the locked building. There was a dim light every ten feet or so, which I don't think would normally be in a closed down base, especially not around so much rubbish. But soon the pathway brightened, beginning to look almost inhabited. It wasn't long after that when we walked into a conference room filled with people.
"Not to interrupt," Duo said, butting into the conversation and getting everyone's attention, "but I'd like to talk to Mason."
An older man looked up with a soft, kind smile. "Hello Duo, we were just finishing here, anyway. Do we need to talk in private? Or would it be alright to stay here?"
"Here's fine," Duo stated, pulling up a chair that had been sitting against a wall. He set it near the head of the table. I was tempted to do the same thing, but I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to. I decided to play it safe and just stood watching. If they weren't going to offer a seat I would stand.
"I take it this is Alex?" said a red head from the other end of the table. His voice held a dry humor and sounded almost angry, or at least irritated. He looked tall, even when sitting, and his hazel eyes looked familiar, though I couldn't place from where. Duo nodded to his question, slowly. He didn't seem happy the red head had spoken. The man stared at me, almost glaring. I bit my tongue not to glare back or snap some sarcastic comment. I didn't like him and I wasn't sure as to why.
"Hello Alex, it's nice to have finally gotten the chance to meet you," the old man, Mason, said. He seemed to be important, and didn't dislike me. A possible vote, and probably one I would need.
Before I could reply the red head shot out another comment. "Yes Alex, it's nice to meet you," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, almost as if he meant it to be insulting. I didn't get why it would be so I ignored him.
Duo glanced at the red head, then back to Mason. "You know we're running short on info, and UD's puling ahead. We need someone to get inside and help." he let his voice trail off, leaving a hint that I didn't quite get. Probably had something to do with the files.
Mason nodded his understanding. "I trust that you think Alex is what we need, what would be best, but, we only have one chance." He sounded uncertain, not sure of himself and not knowing who to rely on.
I was getting bored.
"And why should we trust Alex?" asked the red head, "We don't know her, she's not important to us. Just because she's your friend doesn't mean she has a free ticket in." heads nodded to this statement.
Duo's frown deepened. "Give her a chance," he pleaded, "she doesn't need to know much. It's worth a shot, we can't do this. She can."
"How do we know that?" said another man.
"Just give her a chance, if she fails we've lost nothing," someone else added.
"Wrong," interrupted the red head. Duo glared, Red grinned. "They'll know we can't do things on our own. Either she's in or she's not." He said matter-of-factly. He turned me, looking me up and down. "I don't know if she can do it, anyway."
My nose twitched at the emphasize on 'she'. I could feel my eyes narrowing as his laughed at me in reply. "Sexist jerk," I muttered barely loud enough to be heard, but everyone seemed to catch it anyway.
Duo glanced back at me, his eyes yelling for me to shut up. I ignored him, noticing once again how much he didn't know of me. I'd sit quietly for now, but if Red pushed too far I'd push back.
"Jack, shut up," the man next to the red head said.
Jack. the guy Duo shouldn't even bother with. I could see why Blake had said that. Jack didn't seem to be happy with the idea of me helping. I didn't know if he didn't like me or if it was Duo, or if he really was a sexist, but he was being a jerk.
Duo was looking edgy, getting that I wouldn't back down. "I'm just saying, Mason," he said to get back to the point, "you should give it thought. Alex can do something small first, if that's what you'd require."
Mason's face brightened at that thought, taking to the idea instantly. "Yes, yes, a wonderful idea. And if she does things well I see no reason for you not to earn my vote. Naturally, of course, if she doesn't do what was asked I can't vote for the same reason," Mason announced.
Duo grinned, happy he'd come up with a compromise. He seemed to have faith in me. I just wasn't sure I deserved it. Looking back as Jack I wondered what I'd have to do. He seemed to be wondering the same thing. I could almost see him mind working as he planned his next move. He didn't seem concerned about how I had a chance for a vote. That worried me.
It wasn't until plans for my 'job' got complex that Jack suggested I leave. I eagerly took him up on the offer, excepting Duo's keys so I could barrow his car. Quickly I left the building, heading home to pick up my supplies and prepare for tonight.
Hey everybody, once again thanks for reading. I actually have something to say this time. It's official now, I have no point to the story so far. But the important thing is that I have a point planned out for later on in the story. Though I do hope you're liking it. As always, reviews are wonderful, even though I'm not getting a lot. Even if you find the story boring, it does get better so please keep reading.
~Rave
After another long drive we had made it to our next, and as Duo had told me, last, destination. I found it surprising. We were in an old, partially destroyed, Oz military base. It had been surrounded with a barbwire fence, trying to keep everyone out. No one was allowed in the destroyed bases, not since they'd been cleaned out of weapons and supplies. Of course some people tried to sneak in.
We picked our way through the ruins of what use to be a court yard. I kicked a stone every few feet as I followed Duo. He knew where he was going, and was able to easily get us inside the locked building. There was a dim light every ten feet or so, which I don't think would normally be in a closed down base, especially not around so much rubbish. But soon the pathway brightened, beginning to look almost inhabited. It wasn't long after that when we walked into a conference room filled with people.
"Not to interrupt," Duo said, butting into the conversation and getting everyone's attention, "but I'd like to talk to Mason."
An older man looked up with a soft, kind smile. "Hello Duo, we were just finishing here, anyway. Do we need to talk in private? Or would it be alright to stay here?"
"Here's fine," Duo stated, pulling up a chair that had been sitting against a wall. He set it near the head of the table. I was tempted to do the same thing, but I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to. I decided to play it safe and just stood watching. If they weren't going to offer a seat I would stand.
"I take it this is Alex?" said a red head from the other end of the table. His voice held a dry humor and sounded almost angry, or at least irritated. He looked tall, even when sitting, and his hazel eyes looked familiar, though I couldn't place from where. Duo nodded to his question, slowly. He didn't seem happy the red head had spoken. The man stared at me, almost glaring. I bit my tongue not to glare back or snap some sarcastic comment. I didn't like him and I wasn't sure as to why.
"Hello Alex, it's nice to have finally gotten the chance to meet you," the old man, Mason, said. He seemed to be important, and didn't dislike me. A possible vote, and probably one I would need.
Before I could reply the red head shot out another comment. "Yes Alex, it's nice to meet you," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, almost as if he meant it to be insulting. I didn't get why it would be so I ignored him.
Duo glanced at the red head, then back to Mason. "You know we're running short on info, and UD's puling ahead. We need someone to get inside and help." he let his voice trail off, leaving a hint that I didn't quite get. Probably had something to do with the files.
Mason nodded his understanding. "I trust that you think Alex is what we need, what would be best, but, we only have one chance." He sounded uncertain, not sure of himself and not knowing who to rely on.
I was getting bored.
"And why should we trust Alex?" asked the red head, "We don't know her, she's not important to us. Just because she's your friend doesn't mean she has a free ticket in." heads nodded to this statement.
Duo's frown deepened. "Give her a chance," he pleaded, "she doesn't need to know much. It's worth a shot, we can't do this. She can."
"How do we know that?" said another man.
"Just give her a chance, if she fails we've lost nothing," someone else added.
"Wrong," interrupted the red head. Duo glared, Red grinned. "They'll know we can't do things on our own. Either she's in or she's not." He said matter-of-factly. He turned me, looking me up and down. "I don't know if she can do it, anyway."
My nose twitched at the emphasize on 'she'. I could feel my eyes narrowing as his laughed at me in reply. "Sexist jerk," I muttered barely loud enough to be heard, but everyone seemed to catch it anyway.
Duo glanced back at me, his eyes yelling for me to shut up. I ignored him, noticing once again how much he didn't know of me. I'd sit quietly for now, but if Red pushed too far I'd push back.
"Jack, shut up," the man next to the red head said.
Jack. the guy Duo shouldn't even bother with. I could see why Blake had said that. Jack didn't seem to be happy with the idea of me helping. I didn't know if he didn't like me or if it was Duo, or if he really was a sexist, but he was being a jerk.
Duo was looking edgy, getting that I wouldn't back down. "I'm just saying, Mason," he said to get back to the point, "you should give it thought. Alex can do something small first, if that's what you'd require."
Mason's face brightened at that thought, taking to the idea instantly. "Yes, yes, a wonderful idea. And if she does things well I see no reason for you not to earn my vote. Naturally, of course, if she doesn't do what was asked I can't vote for the same reason," Mason announced.
Duo grinned, happy he'd come up with a compromise. He seemed to have faith in me. I just wasn't sure I deserved it. Looking back as Jack I wondered what I'd have to do. He seemed to be wondering the same thing. I could almost see him mind working as he planned his next move. He didn't seem concerned about how I had a chance for a vote. That worried me.
It wasn't until plans for my 'job' got complex that Jack suggested I leave. I eagerly took him up on the offer, excepting Duo's keys so I could barrow his car. Quickly I left the building, heading home to pick up my supplies and prepare for tonight.
Hey everybody, once again thanks for reading. I actually have something to say this time. It's official now, I have no point to the story so far. But the important thing is that I have a point planned out for later on in the story. Though I do hope you're liking it. As always, reviews are wonderful, even though I'm not getting a lot. Even if you find the story boring, it does get better so please keep reading.
~Rave