Baby Blue
June tied her hair back in a strict ponytail as she stared at herself in the mirror. It was still strange not wearing slave colors, but it felt liberating not having to put on that dress or Martha uniform. She wore grey sweatpants, a white tank top, and a blue hoodie.
"June, you ready?" Janine asked as she appeared in the doorway. Her red hair was tied back in a braid, and she had a black eye-patch. Her outfit was similar to June's, except it was black and grey.
"Yeah, let's go." June said as she exited the bathroom and joined her sisters in the living room before they all left for the main hall.
"I'm so excited, it's like that first day of school all over again." Janine said as they waited in the elevator.
"Yeah, exciting." June said as she stood between Janine and Alma.
"Nervous?" Alma asked as June shrugged, "Getting there."
When they arrived on the floor, the former Handmaids followed the directions to where the main hall was located and found themselves in what appears to be an exercise room. The exercise machines were still in use, except they were pushed to the sides to make room for the large sparring mat in the middle. In front of the mat was the man in charge of their training, Matthew Blue. He was talking to one of his colleagues when he noticed their presence.
"Um, hi. We're-" June began, only to be cut off by Matthew himself.
"I know who you are, and why you're all here. Stand over there with the other recruits, and I'll be right with you shortly." He pointed to the bench where the others were situated. Most of them sat while others stood off to the side and did stretches.
June and her friends made their way over to the benches, garnering stares from the others who knew her by name and reputation. One of them struck up a conversation with her, a young man who was sentenced to be hanged for gender treachery. He and his lover were caught by his father. While he may have escaped thanks to the Saint, his lover was not so lucky. He was shot on the spot right in front of him. The other recruits had similar stories that brought them here, former Marthas, adolescents who were kidnapped from their real families, parents whose children were stolen from their arms, prisoners who escaped the Colonies. June noticed two things about each of them, they're either looking for somebody Gilead took from them, or they're fighting because they having nothing left to lose.
The sound of hands clapping loudly drew their attention to Matthew. June sat with her back straight as she gave the young man her undivided attention.
"Welcome new recruits to combat and self-defense." Matthew said as he paced in front of like the soldier he is. "I'm only gonna say this once, whatever happened to each of you these past five shitty years, how you got here and your reason to fight with us, I've heard it all before. I'll tell you this much, the fact that Gilead took something or someone from you gives me enough reason to train you how to fight back. I don't care what sin you committed to piss Gilead off, all I care about is what each of you brings to the table. This Rebellion's purpose is mainly for rescue with a side of sabotage. We do not kill unless it's necessary. Our mission is liberation. We do not look for fights, we prepare for it. That means, no lone wolves or renegades. Each mission is a puzzle, and we are the pieces needed to solve them. Understood?"
"Yes sir." They all chorused after listening to that speech.
"Okay, everyone, find yourself a partner and face each other on the mat." Matthew instructed as everyone got up and chose their sparring partner. June chose Janine while Brianna and Alma paired up. The first two hours were spent learning how to block attacks, disarm, throw them off balance should you get caught from behind. Every now and then, they would switch partners, each sparring match proved more intense than the last, but June found it quite thrilling. Every time she hit the mat, she got back up more determined than ever, coming after her opponent with more ferocity than before. Despite her petite figure, she proved herself much stronger than she appeared. By the end of the training session, she was sweating, panting, and aching all over. This pain she didn't mind, because it means she has gotten stronger.
"Thank you all for participating, I must say, some of you are more aggressive than others." Matthew stated, glancing at June. "While others need some improving. But this is only your first day, so I won't hold that against you."
"You're all survivors, and you all have a certain skill that can help us in this fight. Determination, healing, medicine, strength, speed, strategy, poison, biology, mechanics, engineering, psychology, the list goes on." Matthew added as his colleague appeared with a clipboard and pencil attached and hung it on the wall. "Any of these skills you wish to contribute or expand, there are units and classes for you to take. Knowledge is the key to winning the fight. So, learn what you can, and teach others. Class dismissed."
Alma rotated her shoulder as she went over to her friends. "That was much harder than it sounded."
"I thought it was fun." Janine commented as she winced at the ache in her neck.
June stared at the clipboard people were crowding around, there were things she wanted to know in this Rebellion, skills she wants to hone for her fight to save her daughter. There was also this Nightshade recipe she wants to share in one of these classes.
Brianna came over and whispered to them. "They have communications. Decoding secret messages, hiding places, locations of safehouses to direct people to. They also need someone to translate German and Spanish oversees."
"You speak German?" June asked, intrigued at this new detail.
"Yeah, my grandma taught me. I never knew it could be useful until now." Brianna stated as it soon became their turn to look at the list of classes and units they can sign up for and information on where they need to go and how to get there.
"'Learn how to make your own weapon and how to properly kill'. Huh, interesting. This does feel like the first day of school." June said as she squinted at the description. "Supplies and manufacturing hidden weapons and poisons definitely." June nodded, remembering the nightshade recipe she used at that brothel to poison the Commanders. She can employ that kind of knowledge into this class and teach the soldiers how to make it. Poison is a woman's best friend.
After writing down her name, she turned to see Matthew leaving the training room. She felt something familiar about the young man but couldn't place it. "I'll be right back." June said to her friends before she followed Matthew into the hall.
"Matthew?" June called out, stopping the man in his tracks as he turned to face her.
"Ms. Osborne." He greeted as June came to stand before him, noting how he stood a head taller than her.
"June. I wanted to thank you for letting me and my friends train with you today." June said, grateful to the man for helping her get stronger, if only by a smidgen.
"It was nothing. You're well known in the Rebellion. After everything you've done and been through, it was the least I could do to return the favor." Matthew shrugged with a small smile on his stoic face.
Seeing that smile struck something in June, it was just too familiar. "Forgive me, but I can't help but feel I've met you before."
Matthew smirked in understanding, "You saved my mother; you got her out of Gilead."
June remembered Carrie mentioning about how Matthew's mother escaped because of June. "Wait, who's your mother?"
Mathew chuckled, "You really don't recognize me, do you?" He paused and shook his head with a sigh. "My mother was a Martha for the Waterford household."
June's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth when she realized the resemblance. "You're...You're Rita's son."
"In the flesh." Matthew said, raising his hands in a 'ta-da' pose.
June's mouth gaped; no words could form properly. "But-How? Rita said you were dead."
Matthew's smile waned as June's eyes widened. "She doesn't know."
"And I prefer it if she never knows." Matthew said with sadness.
"I don't understand. Why would-" June cut herself off, unable to ask the question as Rita's mournful face appeared in her mind. How that strong gentle woman coped with losing her son so young to Gilead while being enslaved.
"Walk with me." Matthew requested as he led her through the building, passing by soldiers who greeted and saluted them. They arrived outside as fresh air filled their lungs. June looked around streets of what was once Chicago, now the rebel's homeland called the City of Salvation.
They walked side-by-side through a more open part within the city, passing by construction workers cleaning up the rubble from a bombed building. "I suppose I should start from the beginning." Matthew began, lost in the memory of his days when Gilead took over. "I was part of the U.S. Army, dropped out of college to fight for our country. My squad was ambushed by these so-called Angels. I took a gunshot in the chest, and the leg, nearly bled to death. Thought that was the end for me." He sighed, "But Alexander Grace, the Siant's right hand man, he saved me. He hid me and patched me up. By the time I could walk, Gilead had won the country, and my mother was already taken. They told her I was dead." He frowned as he thought of his mother's grief-stricken expression, how much pain she suffered from losing her only son to Gilead.
June saw so much regret in his eyes. From what little Rita spoke of Matthew, she could tell they cared about each other very deeply. "Why didn't you tell her from the beginning? Didn't she have the right to know her baby was still alive?" June asked, angry for her friend who lost just as much to Gilead.
"You think I didn't want to?" Matthew asked incredulously, "She was trapped and enslaved. If anyone knew a Martha's offspring was alive and fighting against Gilead, they'd torture her to get to me." He clenched his eyes and shook his head. "Letting her believe I was dead was the only way to protect her."
June understood his reason for never talking to his mother. She was the only family he had left, and he couldn't risk losing her. "But what about now? She's in Canada, she's free." June stated with urgency, it's been weeks since Angel's Flight, the same amount of time Rita's been out of Gilead's grasp.
Matthew sighed and sat on the closest bench, "I've thought about that many times. But then..." He released another sigh, looking conflicted. "...If she were to find out I'm still fighting for our country, she'll worry constantly and spend every day wondering if I'm still alive." He swallowed his spit. "If I die for real, it will only hurt her even more. I can't let her go through another mourning process again, not when she needs to heal from Gilead's oppression."
June's eyes shone with tears as she thought of Luke. She too thought her husband was dead, only to discover he was alive and waiting in Canada. He's no doubt still worried about her, still waiting for her to bring their baby back.
June sat beside Matthew, staring at the concrete as they thought of their loved ones in the North. "I get it. You miss her, but you don't want to hurt her."
Matthew's lips were set in a straight line. "How was she? Last time you saw her."
June smiled as she thought of her friend. "Rita. She's strong, resilient, determined, and compassionate. I urged her to get on the plane with the kids while I distracted the Guardian. She's one of the bravest women I've ever met."
Matthew breathed out a soft laugh at hearing her describe his mother. While the years changed them, he knew the woman June spoke of was the same person who birthed and raised him.
"Sounds like her. Definitely not someone to fuck with." Matthew commented, making both of them laugh.
Matthew sighed again, looking more relieved as he turned towards the sky. "To be honest, I've never been God's biggest fan. I was raised to believe in Him, believe His love can get us through hard times. But when Gilead took over, I stopped believing. I needed to blame someone, so why not the big man Gilead worships so much. A God who allows such horrors to happen in His name could not be considered a God." He bowed his head as he voiced his feelings and misgivings towards religion.
June nodded in understanding since she herself was in the same boat. "You still blaming Him?"
Matthew shrugged, "Not as much as before. Hard to forgive Him for these atrocities, but I know He's not completely responsible for this hellscape." He let out a long breath then turned to June, "One of the very few good things He's done is sending you to save my mother and the children. I never had the power to free mom, but you did. So, thank you."
June smiled, "I wouldn't be here if not for her. Yet, despite everything, I still can't get my daughter out of here." She said as sadness filled her once again at the thought of her child.
Matthew placed a hand on her shoulder to give her support. "We will set her free. If she's anything like you, she's gonna fight like hell. Gilead can't keep her down."
His words brought her hope as she smiled through tears shimmering in her eyes. "Thank you."
After giving her a comforting squeeze, he stood up from the bench, signaling her to follow. "C'mon, let's get some grub."
"Yeah." June nodded as they walked together back to base. "What was she like, Rita, before Gilead?" June asked, curious to know what her friend was like in the time before.
Matthew breathed out a laugh before he went on to explain what his mom used to do before she became a Martha. June listened, never interrupting as she learned more about Rita, gaining a new friend and ally in their fight against Gilead.
Short, I know. But I needed to stop here because the next chapter will be about sweet Janine and the people in Canada. Bet you weren't expecting this little twist. Thanks for reading.