I only have SWinchestersGirl to thank for keeping we grounded until I finished this chapter! So, thank you Kate!
Gen ran.
Her flat arches screamed out in protest but she kept pushing herself further—promising herself that she'd take a break after ten more steps, then another ten steps, then another. Beads of sweat soaked the small of her back under the sweltering sun, and she mentally squirmed at the feeling.
Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, she repeated to herself. Come on, Gen. You better run till you can't walk.
Despite her need for concentration and an even breathing system, her throat felt harsh when she inhaled and felt dry against the air. All she wanted to do was give up and accept the fact that she couldn't do it. But she was too stubborn to admit that she didn't have what it took to hold onto her own.
Strands of sticky, sweat drenched tresses were plastered to the side of her face and neck. She could feel the moist drops of perspiration dampen her temples and her knees began to falter.
You better run till you can't walk! Heel, toe. Heel, toe.
It looked stupid as hell but it managed to suppress the nagging sensation in the side of her foot. Gen suddenly became aware of another pair of heavy footfalls approaching close behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see a dark figure sprint up, closing in. Before she could even extend her muscles the dark figure tackled her to the ground.
Gen kicked and struggled to somehow move her body far enough to get an upper hand on the man who had since pulled out a long dagger, but he stopped suddenly and crawled off of her, much to Gen's surprise. She sat up slowly, glancing back, unsure of what made him stop.
"Gen?"
She got to her feet, brushing the dirt from her clothes, immediately recognizing the voice, a wave of relief washing over her. "Hi, Miles," She carefully attempted a causal smile to break the thin sheet of tension that had fallen in mere seconds.
Her brother tensed, squaring his shoulders and clenching his jaw. "I knew Bass would send assassins. I didn't know he'd send his best."
"Oh, please," Gen squinted in irritation, casually spearing her sword into the soft earth. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now."
"Then why did he send you?"
"Our friendly neighborhood dictator didn't send me," she huffed as she threw down her rucksack beside the sword.
"Well, you've made a big mistake coming here." Miles uninterestingly put in, sheathing his weapon.
Gen shrugged, tucking her elbows against her sides and pointing her palms upward. "What can I say, Miles, I'm outdoing myself."
"You should go."
A sudden twinge of unadulterated loneliness went through Gen's body like deadly radiation. "Is that really all you have to say to me Miles? Even after all this time?"
Another softer voice escaped from the blackness to her left. "Gen?"
"Nora?" Gen threw her a smile when the Latino woman came into view, a large rifle in her arms. Following close behind was a honey-blonde haired girl, barely nineteen. "Who's your new squeeze, Milo?"
"That's our niece Charlie,"
Gen pulled her eyes off the girl and back at her brother. "Wait, Ben's kid?"
He nodded.
"You're Aunt Genevieve?" Charlie questioned with wide, skeptical eyes. "I remember seeing pictures of you when I was a kid. I always thought you were beautiful."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder." Miles threw in under his breath, "In Gen's case a 24 pack."
Ignoring her brother, Gen smiled politely. "Sorry to disappoint you with age." She turned back to Miles. "Bass has gone to hell and back trying to find you."
"Why didn't you tell him to stay there?" Charlie snapped then recoiled in embarrassment when she received stern looks all around.
"You," Her aunt pointed a finger at her. "are starting to talk like him," then moved her finger in the direction of Miles.
"Hey," Miles interjected, getting tensed at his sister's frankness. "layoff, Gen. She's just a kid."
Gen shared a look with Nora before reaching down to grab her rucksack and yank her sword out of the dirt. "Where are you heading to anyway?"
"What does it matter," Her brother rolled his eyes. "you're not coming with us."
"I can help you." Gen quickly cut in, stepping in front of Miles before he could walk away.
"How?"
She clenched her jaw; her firm glare keeping him rooted to where he stood. "I am the closest that you're ever going to get to Sebastian Monroe. If you want him, you need me because I memorized every single map and report that went through his hands."
***Little Drops of Poison***
Monroe opened his eyes to a dark, cold room. He shifted slightly, irritation creeping in when he realized that he didn't have a blanket covering him. With one sweeping movement, he stretched one arm back, feeling for Gen's warm body. All he felt was the cold bedsheets. The dirty blonde turned to lay on his back for a moment before sitting up at the edge of the bed, his booted feet firmly planted on the polished floorboards.
A cold draft blew in through the open window, sending a snaking shiver along Bass' spine. As he walked over to close the large window, his mind wandered to Gen. His cheeks flushed red as he recalled the way she looked at him last night; her eyes were filled with love that he hadn't seen from her in years. There had been a mutual connection between the both of them, as if there was a third element that held them together.
His footsteps echoed through the hallways as he made his way to Gen's room, needing to see her face to be able to face the unknown day ahead of him. When he motioned the guards posted outside of her room to open the door, they looked back at him with blank faces.
"She hasn't been back, General," one guard informed, nervously shifting in attention when he caught sight of the horrific cloud that fell across Monroe's face. "We...we thought she was with you, sir."
Sebastian grunted, as if to motion that they had been stupid to think such a thing. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"
"She's usually with Captain Baker in the stockyards, training the new recruits, at this time, sir." The second guard, sensing the hesitation in his friend's stance, spoke up, his voice slightly cracked through the middle of the sentence.
General Monroe's nose twitched in irritation for a brief moment before he resumed his expressionless face. Without another word, he continued to walk briskly down the hallway and through the main doors leading out toward the stockyards.
"Keep your knees up!" Jeremy stood at ease in front of a squad of new recruits who held their rifles above their heads and brought their knees to their chests. "Don't you dare stop! Better me getting up in your face then the Dragon Lady."
"Dragon Lady?" Bass inquired curiously, standing beside one of his trusted Captains.
"Yes, sir," The blonde man tried to suppress the self-satisfied grin that pulled at the corners of his lips. "that's what we call Gen."
Monroe scowled. "Did Gen come by here this morning?"
"Uh, nope. Not this morning. She's usually here at the break of dawn bullying some poor bastard but not this morning. Why, sir?"
"She said she'd be here," He lied, and began to walk back to the large building.
Jeremy Baker looked from the exhausted men then at Monroe walking away. The General of the Militia never personally came to look for anyone. Despite teasing her endlessly, Jeremy and Gen became closer after Miles hit the road. She was alone, locked away in her room with guards posted outside of her door. He would visit her often and sit with her for general, abrupt conversations pointing out the weather and what not.
Even when she was permitted to leave her room, she would oftentimes stand firmly by his side, throwing out leering comments to boost the men to give their best. In recent days she had gotten quieter and quieter until she would never open her mouth and utter any words for hours at a time. It bothered Jeremy that she was bothered. He knew that the reason for her silence was because of Bass. He didn't know what Sebastian said to her or what he did to her at night, but he knew she was taking the brunt of the General's anger and frustration. But there was nothing he could do but worry constantly about her well-being.
In the meantime, Sebastian Monroe opened every door, searched every corner, and indirectly scavenged information from officer's and foot soldier's alike.
He got nothing.