Chapter Ten

A Friend

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Ember felt numb, and she heard a rhythmic beeping. Where was she? When she looked around, she was met with bright white. It hit her. She was in a hospital. But why? Suddenly, Ember remembered. She had been beaten. There was a person in the chair next to her bed. It was her brother, Jawson.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" Ember whispered.

"I didn't know they'd hurt you."

"Who? The Men in Black?"

"The Alliance."

"But, I remember. Agent Kay..." Something stirred in her when she said that name. "He did this, didn't he?"

Jawson looked at her quizzically, then at his watch. "I have to go."

"Please don't leave."

"I have to."

"Bye, Jawson."

A few minutes after he left, the door opened just a crack. Ember couldn't see the face of the voice that said, "I'm sorry, miss, but you'll have to be transferred."

Kay woke up and saw Jay looking down at him.

"You're a damn fool. You know that, Kay?"

"Shut up, Jay," Kay muttered. He looked around and found that they were in his bedroom. "How'd you get in here, Slick?"

Jay shrugged. "The door was unlocked."

"Where's Ember?"

"Hospital."

"Shit."

"You know, I should neuralize you. Zed probably wants me to neuralize you, but I-"

"Listen, Ace, I don't need a lecture from you. You couldn't take care of that girl when there was no danger. I can't imagine what you'd do in the face of a real crisis. You both probably wouldn't have made it out of there alive," Kay snapped.

Jay didn't know what to say to that. He just stood there for a moment, trying to think of a response, but had none.

"Do you know what hospital she's in, Slick?"

"Zed doesn't want you hanging around her anymore."

"Too damn bad."

"I don't need any of your 'tough guy' bull shit, Kay. You're in no condition to see her, and if you didn't remember, she thinks you're the one that beat her up."

"Why don't you deneuralize her?"

"It's against MIB policy. We can't do that unless the Chief orders it."

"Since when did you know MIB policy, Slick?"

Jay shook his head and left the room.

Ember opened her eyes and saw a familiar face. Camro, the Supreme Commander, the person- er, alien - to which she owed her life.

Someone had sedated her before the transfer, so she'd had no idea what was going on. Ember wouldn't be surprised if Camro had ordered this just to give her a mission that she wouldn't be able to carry out for a while, due to her current condition.

"Time to wake, my lieutenant," Camro said.

"What do you want?" Ember muttered groggily.

"Not much, but..." He leaned forward so as to speak into her ear, then hissed, "I'm going to follow your every move. In the past, you haven't been exactly...cooperative. I want you to do exactly as I say, or something very bad is going to happen. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Inside of Ember, something felt twisted. Perhaps it was to do with truth. A truth she'd thought she'd known, but now was contradicted by further events. Or perhaps it had something to do with memory. Faint memories that seemed to be purposely engraved in her brain and struck deep emotions within her.

The Supreme Commander she thought she'd known had been kinder. Yet here Ember was, tied to her duties, and if she failed to complete them, she would be faced with death.

Though, Death seemed like a friend now, ready to take her from this hell on Earth.

Did you like the ending, guys? Review for a sequel! - MISS GLOBAL