She barely remembers nodding, before she realizes she's at the doors. She pauses at the door, staring down in front of her.
She actually said all of that. And they were okay with it…
She has to quit her job.
The thought makes her pull her gaze up to stare straight, and with a determined frown, pushes through the doors. The guards part, and she freezes when she immediately sees the rest of the staff watching her near the back of the kitchen. Her breath catches, and her hand finds her opposite arm.
Around her, the soldiers exchange a glance over her head in the silence. Finally, the one closest to the door nods curtly before slipping out. The others follow within moments, until the remaining people are the restaurant's staff. For a long pause after the doors close, Paige averts her gaze to the ground, not saying a word. Finally, she sighs.
"I...I quit." She says, looking up to the staff, and most importantly, her boss. "I don't think I can say why, but it's best that I go…."
She breaks off as her boss starts towards her. Before she can register any ideas of running away, the woman's rough arms pull her close. Her face ends up in her boss's shoulder in the midst of a bone-crushing embrace. The moment passes quickly and her boss pushes her back by the shoulders.
"I don't know what you're doing, or what those officers said to you," She starts, keeping her gaze level into Paige's. "But I want you to make this country proud, and make us proud for your service….So go."
"Really?"
Her boss nods, withdrawing her grip. Paige watches her step back, before untying the apron's knot. She folds it over her arm, and her boss holds out her hand. Paige closes the distance between them, draping the cloth over her hand. Then, she reaches for her nametag, unpinning it gently. Her fingers grip the sides of the plastic nametag, before setting it in her former boss's hand, who nods at the action. She sighs, nodding more to herself than to anyone else, before passing the small group towards the back door.
"Paige?"
She stops, turning back to her former boss, who is watching her with a careful, and for once, gentle gaze.
"Be safe."
A ghost of a smile flickers on her face, and she nods. "I will." And with that, she opens the door, starting off down the busy street, not looking back.
The dark car pulls up in front of her apartment around the late afternoon. She can see it from her window, which she views from her bare mattress. It's strange that they knew where she lived. She didn't even tell them….
The knock at her door is sharp, and it causes her to return to her bag, where she stuffs the final shirt before zipping the bag shut. She gives the apartment a once-over, hoping that she would not find something of surprising value in the usually empty room. She never had much anyway.
The second knock echoes, and she remembers to cross quickly to the door, before pulling the door open. The soldier's expression doesn't change at the sight of her, but he nods. "Ready, ma'am?"
She nods mutely, gripping her bag tight. He turns back towards the stairs. She steals one glance back at the room before closing the door and following the soldier down.
Outside, no one spares her or the soldier a second glance in the quick cross to the curb. He reaches the door first, and opens it. She glances into the dark interior, before turning to the apartment. In all it's broken down glory. It had been an act of desperation a year ago, when she had moved here with little she had. Now, she leaves with the little she has, all zipped up in a bag….
"Ma'am?"
But things are different now. She finally turns back to the soldier, nods, and steps into the dark car. The door then closes and when the soldier slips in the front, the car pulls away from the curb. She steals one last glance back at the apartment before they turn around the corner.
Things are different now. She affirms this as she faces back forward. New opportunities lay ahead, and just wait until they are in grasp.