It takes hours, but with the help of surviving troops and citizens willing to step in, the bodies are cleared off the streets. The soldiers of Clu's army are taken to a mass grave outside the city that some dug out, while friends are to be given a proper burial.
Paige doesn't watch those; she could barely take the scene of the mother who had found her son while searching through the bodies. The way she held his body and rocked with sobs is permanently ingrained in her mind.
I should have been quicker. Should have been more insistent.
Maybe...if I hadn't taken this mission in the first place, none of this would have happened.
"Paige." She looks up at her name to see Mara approaching her, a new guard to her expression. "Follow me."
She nods, and the two women take the stairs to Beck_no Mara's _ office. Paige enters first and Mara closes the door behind her.
"You know," Paige comments, trying to ease the air. "I'm surprised Mr. Newhall hasn't tried to arrest me yet."
"Oh, Beck fired him when we got back." Mara shrugs as she stands next to the desk. "He didn't really do much anyway."
At that, Paige laughs.
Mara waits for Paige to calm before sighing. "Paige...I want you as my second-in-command."
Paige fully stops, blinking at Mara. "...What?"
"You heard me."
"But I'm technically a criminal. I betrayed you guys."
"I'm pardoning you. You didn't give anything away, and you have stepped in when it counted."
"W-why not Zed? Or someone else? Why me?"
"I already put Zed in charge of training new recruits, but I need someone who knows what I'm thinking, and can offer a different perspective. If…" She swallows, "If we don't find Beck, then we'll need to plan our next move. If you accept the position, that is."
Paige frowns in thought. Do I really deserve this?
Wait. It doesn't matter whether I do or not. This is more important than myself; and if I can help in any way, I will.
"I'll do it."