Chapter 6

The Bellwether unit all groaned as they stumbled back to the barracks, Abigail grabbed her towel and a change of clothes as she went into the shower. Raelle and Tally both kicked off their boots and set them aside. It was a long hard day of training, very different than the training they had in basic. Raelle laid on the floor, feeling a small pressure in her hand, she looked down and saw the familiar 'S' that told her that Scylla was thinking of her. She smiled softly to herself, wanting to forgive her, but still felt like she wasn't getting the whole truth. Tally glanced over at Raelle and saw the red 'S' on her hand, moving closer to her, she said, "What's that Raelle?"

Raelle looked back at Tally and sat up, holding her hand out to Tally as the mark disappears, "Right before Charvel's wedding, when Scylla wasn't going to go. You know, before the Spree told her that she needed to figure out a way to get there." She paused for a moment, remembering the day and how it seemed so perfect. She took a small breath, "She gave me this, saying that it's a way for her to say hi to me when we're separated." Raelle stopped, looking up into Tally's brown eyes, "It's how I knew that she was alive."

Tally gently touched Raelle's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze, "That's really sweet Raelle. She obviously cared a lot about you before." Abigail walked out of the bathroom and looked at the two girls sitting down on the ground, they both looked back up at her, smiling softly as Raelle stood, letting out a low groan.

Raelle undid her braids, walking towards the bathroom. She looked back at Tally, "She says that she still cares about me…but I guess we'll see." She shrugged as she grabbed her towel and headed into the bathroom, turning on the water.

Abigail looked back at Tally, "What were you guys talking about?" She asked as she sat over on her bed and started to brush out her hair, pulling it back into a clip. She grabbed her second pair of boots, that weren't filled with mud and started to lace them up.

Tally looked over at Abigail, "We were talking about Scylla. She gave this mark to Raelle that tells her hi when they are separated. I told Raelle that I thought it was sweet." She smiled softly, hearing the water turn off and she grabbed her towel and a change of clothes. Raelle walked out of the bathroom in her leisure pants and grey shirt, her medal around her neck and her blonde hair was damp. She smiled at Tally as she pushed past her and walked into the bathroom. Raelle smiled as she sat down on her bed, brushing her hair and putting it back in the four braids. She looked up and saw Abigail staring at her.

Raelle leaned forward and grabbed her mud free boots, slipping them on and starting to lace them up, "Is there something I can help you with Bellwether?" She asked, sitting on the edge of her bed, her hands rested on either side of her as she looked across the small room to Abigail.

Abigail shook her head, "Nope, Tal just told me that Scylla gave you a mark of something and I was just wondering what it was." She shrugged softly as she stood, "I'll meet you guys in the mess hall."

Raelle could tell that Abigail was still angry with Scylla, for the attack on the wedding and her cousin being murdered, as well as all those other Bellwethers. She nodded as she watched the dark-skinned girl leave the room and let out a small sigh. The water stopped running and Tally walked out of the bathroom, brushing out her long red hair. She smiled at Raelle, which was returned. Tally put on her boots, "Ready to go Rae."

Raelle smiled brightly as she nodded, "Yeah, let's do it." They both left the room, heading down to the mess hall, their boot stomping lightly on the tile floor and there was small chatter from the other cadets in the hallway. They had switched barracks as soon as they got into war college. It was on the same base, but just a different area, same walls, same floor. Tally and Raelle walked in silence towards the mess hall and as soon as they opened the magnificent wooden doors, they heard two familiar voices screaming.

"I want you to stay away from Raelle! You've hurt her one too many times and I don't want a repeat of her breaking down like she did in basic!" Abigail's voice echoed in the nearly empty, quiet mess hall. Abigail had her scourge in her hand as she looked Scylla dead in the face. Scylla was holding two trays in her hands, one for herself and the other for Raelle.

"I made mistakes Bellwether, Raelle knows that, I'm trying to make up for them in anyway I can. Anacostia knows this!" Scylla's voice echoed even louder at Abigail.

Seeing this scene as Abigail pulled back her Scourge, Raelle and Tally ran full force across the mess hall. "I don't care if you're making it up to Raelle, she's too trusting and she loves you too much, she'd join the Spree just to make you happy!" Abigail screamed just as Raelle made it to Scylla's side and Tally right next to her, panting hard as they looked back and forth between the two very powerful girls.

"Raelle can make her own decisions about me! She's not a Bellwether, she can think for herself!" Scylla screamed at Abigail. The next part happened in the blink of an eye; Tally and Raelle let out matching gasps as Abigail let her scourge fly and it landed on Scylla's face, leaving a long deep line across her left cheek. Both trays that Scylla was carrying landed on the flor and food scattered all around them.

Raelle grabbed Scylla as the force of the blow knocked her down, looking up at Abigail, "What the fuck Abigail?!" She screamed as she helped Scylla up, grabbing a napkin as they headed out of the mess hall. When the doors closed behind them, Raelle turned to Scylla, "Let me heal you." She lifted her hand up to Scylla's cheek.

Scylla took Raelle's hand in her own and shook her head, "No, Raelle, no…" She looked up into the blonde's eyes. She didn't want Raelle to find out everything she never told her about her parents being dodgers and everything that she did for the Spree. The blood started the run-down Scylla's cheek as Raelle's eyes matched the others.

Raelle let out a small breath, "I can heal you and it might get worse before we can to the fixers." She could feel Scylla start shake under her touch.

Scylla closed her eyes let out a long deep breath before she looked back up at Raelle. She slowly nodded, "Okay, but if we do this, let's at least go back to your dorm. You're going to see a lot; you need to be seated." Raelle agreed and with Scylla holding pressure on the wound, they made their way back to Raelle's dorm room.