Chapter Six

Nostalgia's a bitch

J.L. made dinner that night we set back on course for Chorus. We were settled in and eating, those two nearly inhaling the food as I picked at mine once again. Aiden looked up from his plate to see my demeanor not to his liking. He wiped his face with his napkin and cleared his throat.

"Do you know what my favorite memory of Project Freelancer was?" He chuckled a bit. I shook my head, shooting him this 'where the hell did this come from' face. "That day we teamed up against Maine and you rode him like you were in a God damned rodeo. That was the shit." Aiden said smiling. I let out a laugh and J.L. agreed.

"I just recently thought about that memory lately. I didn't like that I screwed up my foot during that tussle." I giggled.

"Aw, don't recall you're battle injuries fondly?" Aiden teased.

"Nah, I don't like keeping tally on my concussions, unlike you." I replied. J.L. almost spit out his food from laughter.

"Hey there is nothing wrong with keeping track." Aiden came back. "You know, for health purposes..."

"I think you're multiple encounters with Carolina's fist have probably shaken up that count, get what I am laying down?" I took a bite of food.

"Yeah, some KO's are just not as easily forgotten as the others..." Aiden muttered.

"You know what I will never forget?" J.L. started. We both looked at him. "That one intel retrieval mission in the junkyard and Wash got the grappling hook to the crotch. Aiden and I both started to laugh uncontrolably. I wiped a tear from my eye as more haunting things came to mind from that mission.

"As funny as that was, that was the mission C.T. went missing." I sighed. Fuck, why was this nostalgia so bittersweet?

"Oh shit it was." Aiden realized. "Damn, C.T. was onto it all too."

"She was in on everything. She told me it all. All in confidence and I wasn't allowed to say anything. I mean, just...Jesus." I bit my lip. "She was awesome. She kept Wash and I's secret as if it were her own. I wish she didn't leave." I crossed my arms.

"She was smart too. Damn that's just when Freelancer was starting to go to hell." Aiden said shaking his head.

Many years ago...

Carolina and South had another spat in class. This was getting so repetitive. I have never seen two women bicker more than these two, and I don't know if I could remain silent if C.T. inserted herself today.

Thankfully the director calmed the quarreling cats down and resumed the lecture on AI. I was not too fond of the idea of having the small electronic individual inserted into my inner most brain tissues and cells, and I have done enough counseling for those with them at this point to give second thought of putting my name down on that waiting list. I sighed as class was finally dismissed and I trudged my way to my quarters to catch up on some of my own reading. I needed to brush up on the manuals for not only my gun but for some of my counseling sessions, and I had to edit notes.

I made it to my room to find that C.T. was already waiting to talk by the door. She looked very dejected and perturbed. I think something very out of line was said today and she needed to get it out without sounding subordinate, I was glad she was at least trying to practice it like I advised, but damn she would do it when I had lots on my own plate.

"Come on in." I invited. I took a seat as the door closed behind her and locked. I turned my recorder on and let C.T. take the chair across from my bedside. "What happened today?" I asked.

"It's not just today. It's everyday. It's not having answers given to me straight when I ask questions in class, it's not seeing Tex having to do what we do, it's South and Carolina's bitching incessantly at one another, and Carolina's lack of consideration for those of us who don't make the leader boards and the special treatment they get!" C.T. unloaded a similar story to her past counseling sessions.

"Did Carolina's and South Dakota's exchange bother you today C.T.?" I asked, sounding nearly numb to the question.

"Only a little. Really it was the avoidance to Tex that got me..." I raised an eyebrow and she noticed. "I can't relly talk about it too much. I just don't feel comfortable with it, it is just this incredibly off feeling I have about it." C.T. said cleverly nodding towards the recorder. I looked at it and peered back at her. She gave me a pleading look, a look I recognized in my friend's face asking me to break a rule with her. I picked up the recorder and spoke from a distance.

"I am sorry to hear you are uncomfortable with discussing this with me at this very moment. Would you prefer to come by another day and speak to me about it when you maybe get a better feeling about it?" I asked winking.

"Yes, that would be best." She winked back.

"Ok then, I am glad we had this chat." I clicked the on switch back to off. "What's really up?" I asked nearly tossing the recorder.

"I have been doing some digging..." She began in a low and hushed voice. I rolled my eyes and slammed my notepad against my knee frustrated.

"You remember that thing we talked about the last 5 sessions? The paranoia, insubordination…" I rolled my hand to indicate a list of other shit.

"I clearly recall it. However, I couldn't help but look when I realized that Tex was just getting favored and you could visibly see Carolina getting her panties in a twist over it. As well as how the Director seems to just crazy favorite Tex, despite how long Carolina has held first." She elaborated.

"...AND?"

"And I found some shit..." C.T. muttered.

"What shit is there possibly of interest to FIND?" I asked, slightly irate.

"You know how we went over that our AI were fragments..." C.T. started. I nodded, growing impatient. "Tex isn't exactly...a uh, person." She said.

"I'm sorry, C.T., what have you been getting from the gally and how can I avoid it in my diet? What the actual hell are you talking about?" I asked incredulously. C.T. went fumbling into a pocket and pulled out a thumb drive. I sighed. "Oh no..."

"Oh yes." C.T. said sounding accomplished. "It isn't complete, but I couldn't keep this to myself. I needed to get it off my chest." I took the drive from her. I uploaded what was on it to my helmet as she spoke and shook my head.

"Listen, I will look these over and delete these when I am finished, but I can't promise anything. Technically I am supposed to report you, but I turned my recorder off. I am breaking a LOT of protocol. Please, if you keep this up, I need to be informed and I will try to remain as confidential as I can. I need a break from this Connie, come back next week and we can discuss it more in private if you have more information for me." I asked. She nodded.

"I can do that." She answered.

"Good." I sighed.

"One more thing off the record...between us girls..." C.T. asked. Fuck.

"What's up?" I asked.

"What's going on between you and Wash?" She asked. I blinked and spaced out.

"...I'm sorry what?" I asked innocently.

"Nuh huh don't do that. What's been going on?" C.T. pressed. I sighed and looked up to the ceiling.

"We awkwardly flirt. He's...He's just...I don't fucking know." I shrugged. "I've been playing dumb and try to avoid co-worker/romantic relations and it's been increasingly difficult because I cannot tell if I am developing a stupid fucking crush on him. There? Happy?" I asked. "One top secret for another."

"Aw. You two are cute. Keep it up." She said on her way out. "Oh, speak of the devil..." She said sarcastically as Wash stepped in.

Cool, I am just FUCKED today.

Hey I am sorry this took a back burner to some other things going on. Hope you guys liked this chapter, hopefully I can get the next one underway.
The next chapters I will have strictly as flashbacks, to ease the story along.

~SAHARA

Please review :) I'd like to know what I am doing right and what I need to work on. Thank you!