The weight remains in her chest, constantly reminding her of her mission.
The Royal Army is expecting me to figure out the Renegade's identity and report back to them so they can end this treason.
...But is it really?
Yes, it is still treason, but these people...they are not savages. They've given me so many extra chance here, and people still live regular, happy lives, despite the war.
Are they really that different from the Royal Army?
She almost wishes she hadn't thought about it; it's a seed planted that she tosses around in her head for almost a week now. In that time, it seems more and more vehicles have been driving in and out, and more soldiers rushing about in the dark rebel uniform. Beck has stopped showing even to the late night gym escapes, his form now only a shadow in the window of his office.
Are they really spending that much energy on trying to find me? The thought makes her skin crawl, and she shakes her head as she grips her arms. No, it couldn't be.
Then, the day comes. A jeep jerks to a stop in front of Beck's office, the soldier clambering out as fast as she can while clutching the letter in her hand tight. She barely waits at the door, before she's let in. Paige, where she had stopped in her walk, tries to peer through the window from her distance, only to meet the white blinds.
Could it be another intercepted letter? Surely, the Royal Army knows that this is an issue.
Within the next hour, the announcement goes out for all the soldiers in Paige's battalion to go to the meeting room.
She catches up with Zed and Mara, the two holding hands as they walk. Their relationship is becoming bolder, she realizes before returning to her original train of thought. "What do you think's going on?"
Mara glances to her, and shrugs. "Don't know. Hopefully it's something good."
"Yeah." Hopefully.
No one is present except for the soldiers called, who begin to cross to each other, confusion lacing expressions and mutterings. The trio of friends stand off to the side, where the entrance is in clear view should Beck appear so they could at least grasp an idea of the message. The room fills to the brim, and still, Beck doesn't enter through the doorway.
"Where is he?" Mara glances around at her mutters, frown beginning. "He's never this late to something like this."
BANG!
All heads turn not to the front doors, but to the ones that lead deeper into the building as the doors slam open. Instantly, there are gasps and excited mutters, and Paige has to stand on the tips of her toes to see the Renegade's white uniform and guarded face.
As he approaches the front, he holds up his hand and the crowd hushes at the simple gesture. When he's satisfied with the silence, he drops his hand and folds his hands behind his back.
"You have been training extremely well under Beck; I have been watching your progress closely." All eyes are glued to him as he turns his head to view each of them.
"But that time is over. From now on, you will answer to me. We have orders." The boom of his voice sends the crowd back into silence.
"Pack your things. Tomorrow at dawn, we will be heading out to join our other forces to intercept Clu's Army. We_" he points at the ground as if to emphasize himself_ "are ending this war!"
This gains a roar from the crowd, and with that the Renegade gives a stiff nod. He searches the crowd once more, and Paige swears that he looks directly at her before turning around before the doors shut behind him.
Apparently, it was everyone's idea to go to the local club. It was one of Mara's favorite places and she finally convinced Zed and Paige to come along. At the sight of the crowd, Mara grips their wrists tight before pulling them through the crowd on and surrounding the dance floor. If it wasn't for the steel hold, Paige could swear that she would have been lost in the crowd.
"Can we sit down?" She yells over the crowd, hoping Mara heard, and is approved of such when her hair bobs in a nod. They break out of the crowd, and almost in an oddly collective fashion, take a deep breath.
"I'm thirsty." Mara says after a pause. "Let's go find a booth."
Paige's gaze searches the filled booths and tables, and her eye rests on the lone figure in a booth who seems to be staring the neck of his bottle.
"Why don't we sit with Beck?" She points to him as Mara and Zed turn. Mara's face brightens at the sight of her friend.
"Great idea! Let's go."
Again, she pulls them along, and Beck must have heard them, because he looks up from his drink.
"Long time no see." Mara slides into the seat across from him, and as ed is still attached to her hand, he takes the spot next to her, leaving Paige to take a seat next to Beck. He smirks at her comment.
"No kidding. How are you three?"
"I'm great!" Mara replies as Zed waves down a waitress and orders drinks. "I' can't believe we got to see the Renegade! Beck, we're working with him from now on!'
Beck chuckles at that, shaking his head. "I heard as much."
"Do you think we'll win?" Zed asks suddenly after a deep swig of his drink, bringing the whole table to a silence as they stare at him. Is that all he can think of? Paige wonders this, with torn minglings about facing the idea that one of them could not come out of this alive.
Beck doesn't answer, but rather swigs his beer. Luckily, his silence doesn't last long and overhead, a new song booms through the speakers, and Mara gasps.
"I love this song!" Mara calls, pushing against Zed. He scoots out, but he can't get out of the way before she grabs his hand. "Come on!"
"Have fun!" Paige laughs as she waves after them.
Beck smiles after them for a short moment before returning to his drink. Paige glances back to see him staring at his beer before her smile fades.
"You alright?"
After a moment, he shrugs. "I've got a lot on my mind."
"Ah." Probably so, with the news of both the movement of forces and my hidden status as a spy…
"You won't be punished." He says finally.
She blinks, turning back to him. "What?"
"Renegade ruled it as defense of honor for him, Mara, and myself. He thanks you, by the way."
"Oh." Is that all?
Beck nods, and Paige sighs as she leans her arm against the table.
"You ready to move out tomorrow?"
He sighs, staring at his drink, as if considering drowning his self in the entire thing. "About that….I'm not coming with you."
"What? You're not?"
"My job here is done, and the Renegade doesn't want me on the battlefield. He's making me go to the next training camp, in Bismuth. I'll have to leave before dawn to get there at the time I've been demanded for. "
"Oh." She says again, pulling away from him and turning to her untouched drink. She runs her finger along the rim. Who will I meet with at the gym in the middle of the night now?
"Hey." He sets a hand on her shoulder, and she looks to him finally, conscious of his warm touch.
"You've done well. You definitely surprised me with...with you. Maybe we'll meet again."
She gives a soft smile. "Maybe." The thought of meeting Beck again, perhaps after leaving the train ride from the warfront back to Argon (back to home) or on a street, running to meet each other with open arms…
"Can you let me out please?" She blinks at him when he brings her out of her thoughts. "I should get going."
"Oh. Sure." She slips out and he stands, flashing her a small, yet tired and sad, smile.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
He smiles, truly smiles, and she feels her heart lift. "For everything."
And like that, he disappears into the crowd, with Paige staring on after her.
"You alright?"
Paige glances up to Zed and Mara, and she could see they had been watching, and that they now know.
"Yeah...I'm fine."
Mara glances to where Beck had disappeared. When she looks back, she's smirking. "You like him, don't you?"
"What?" She stares down to her drink. "No!"
"Oh…" Mara is grinning full-on, barely containing her laughter. "Paige has a crush!"
"No I don't!"
"On who?" Zed asks suddenly.
"On Beck!" Mara exclaims, as if it was common knowledge.
"Ohhhh." He's smiling, too, and her cheeks burn.
"Why does it matter?" She looks away, "I won't get to see him again. After the war, I'll probably be sent back to Xenon."
Her friends exchange a look, before Mara says slowly. "...You realize the two of you are our best friends...right?"
She stares at them, merely blinking.
"If you find us, which you probably will, Beck will be with us."
"I hadn't thought about that."
"Didn't figure. But it's okay! I'm sure he'd be happy to see you too!"
"I don't want to scare him, though. What if I do that by surprising him? I won't get to talk to him again!"
"The night's not over!" Mara exclaims, waving her hands. "He'll probably be at his office, so you could just go over and talk about it. But for now_" She takes a long gulp of her drink, before continuing_ "we'll have fun!"
And that they did. Mara and Zed order a couple more drinks, and Paige takes it as her cue to leave.
"I think I'm going to go home. I want to be ready for tomorrow."
"Have fun!" Mara calls, turning red in the face. "Don't forget to talk to him!"
"I'll keep it in mind." She waves, before slipping through the thinning crowd and into the cold air outside. There, she relaxes and exhales before stuffing her hands in her pockets and wandering down the street. Perhaps I won't go home yet, I'm not tired.
It's when she passes the steps to Beck's office that she remembers what Mara had said.
Just talk to him. She takes a deep breath, and stops in her wandering.It won't be hard. Just start off with: 'Hi, I know we already said goodbye, but I wanted to ask something..'
She realizes the door is already partially open, and she raises her fist to knock when she hears the voice sputtering.
"They're not ready! You know that!"
She recalls the voice; it's been a while since she's heard Mr. Newhall's whiny tone, and the sound makes her want to turn away, but she freezes when Beck argues back:
"They are ready! Besides, you heard Tron!"
Tron? He talks to Tron?
"Of course!"
"Then you know this is out of necessity. He's instinct is still good, in case you've forgotten."
"There are other ways of building the army; send in others!"
"What others? They are the most qualified right now! But every move in this war is out of necessity! Do you not think I'm worried!?"
Beck rounds the desk, coming into view in a uniform of white, the T sitting pointedly on his chest.
Their conversation halts at the gasp, and Paige covers her mouth in horror, bolting into the alleyway. She presses herself against the wall as the door fully opens and Mr. Newhall sticks his nose out. She keeps frozen with her hand over her mouth, waiting.
"Nothing." He finally says, before the door slams shut. Paige removes her hand and lets out her held breath. She peeks her head around the corner to see that the entryway is indeed empty. She stumbles out, taking the familiar path home with an unmethodical step to match her jumbled thoughts.