CHAPTER 13

You Can't Handle the Truth

The girls were led through the door of the dark mansion on a death march. Benjamin tried to give them reassuring smiles but nothing seemed to break the tension in the room around them. After drying their feet and giving the two girls fresh towels and a promise of hot cider, the old butler brought the girls around to the Colonel's study. As they expected, the colonel was in his office already waiting for their doomed selves to march in through the doors. Riven didn't know what to expect from the colonel, maybe it was time for them to get a new place to stay, or a job, but she wasn't expecting to see a shot of sadness in the Colonel's eyes. That was one thing she never saw before in the couple weeks that she knew him.

The two Victorian sisters gripped their navy blue bath towels and sat in the two chairs that were set out for them. Fernandina was too busy rushing to dry off her armor to avoid rust to realize that the Colonel seemed a bit out of it as he stared them down. Riven didn't have anything to occupy her like her sister except for the fact that her automail was soaking wet itself and chilling her to the bone, but she would have to dry it off later. Riven accepted the full gaze of John Low. Several minutes ticked by in pure silence and actually started to worry Riven even more than calm her.

"What?" she said plainly, breaking the silence that stood in the room with them. She couldn't stand it anymore and decided that it would be better to get a move on with this confrontation so that she didn't risk dying from the curiosity. John looked startled at her flat question but gave a quick nod of acknowledgement and walked behind his desk and sat down behind a couple of twin vanilla folders.

"I need to ask you two a couple of personal questions that I intend to get a few answers to. If you tell me the truth and nothing but, I might be able to help you with your two's situation." John gave a little pause to see if the girls were still with him. Fernandina slowed with drying her armor and looked up at him. Riven grew a scowl and leaned back in her chair. "I want you to tell me everything," he said sternly. With a quick flick of his wrist the vanilla folders each found a place on each of the Victorian sister's laps. Fernandina stared at hers not realizing that she wasn't breathing while Riven tossed the folder back at his head with one look at the title. Colonel John Low dodged the incoming projectile letting it topple to the floor spilling the contents. He was expecting something like this from her.

"There's your explanation, Bastard." Riven fumed. She stood up and slammed her fist on the desk, nearly shattering the finished wood. "Who do you think you are? I am not going to be interrogated by a flaming idiot! You can't just march up to people and demand answers to things that are none of your business!" The Colonel glared at her and folded his hands under his chin. He didn't seem the least bit intimidated, actually, he seemed thrilled.

"If you haven't noticed, this is in my jurisdiction. I am a Colonel of the military, therefore have the right to certain files. As for the flaming idiot comment I am willing to push that to the side for now," he gritted through his teeth. Riven grinned at his frustration. "I am just trying to help you." Riven huffed at him and started to head towards the door with her towel dragging behind her soaking body. Fernandina was still staring at the folder unsure to answer his order or to follow her sister's example.

"That is what they said when the case was first issued. Words won't help anybody."

"You can't do everything by yourself you know. Sometimes there are resources that you can't just reach. I thought you of all people would have understood the potential in this case," John bellowed after her. Riven froze in her place with her hand on the door knob of the office.

"Of course I know the potential of the case. We both do. We are the ones who lived it. However, I for one don't want to go reliving it just to tell some dog a bedtime story to beg him into pitying us. So far, I and my sister made it fine on our own and though it is slow, there are something's that just need to stay that way." Riven gave a sigh as she started to turn the knob of the door of the study but another voice came out and stopped her from stepping out. It was Fernandina, who finally overcame her stupor.

"I don't see why not," she said plainly. Riven looked questionably over her shoulder at the armoured girl. Fernandina stammered on. "I mean, we could use some resources in the government. I mean, I bet there are some more files or something that can help, even some people who could help us open the case back up. I think that telling a few people might be okay if we can finally finish this once and for all."

Riven leaned her back against the door frame and massaged her face in her hands. Fernandina had a point. I mean, that was what they went to the library for, was to find information on what happened that night, but no. Her notion was silly and childish to think that telling more people about their past would help.

"Fernandina," she said annoyed through her hands, "It isn't like that. I mean, what would they think of you when we tell them what happened? They could accept me with a little bit of malice, but what about you? What do you think would happen when you show them what happened that night?" Fernandina looked down at her armour clad hands in shame and thoughtfulness. The long forgotten Colonel just sat in the back of the room watching the conversation unfold itself. What really did happen to them?

"I don't care," Fernandina said softly. "This isn't just about you. This is my life as well, so I want a say in what I do with it! I don't care what they say I want to take every opportunity available in order to correct things! If you won't tell him, I will. Like teacher always said, shooting and missing is better than not shooting at all."

"Teacher never leaving us alone even after we left her," Riven mumbled to herself as she walked back to her seat grumpily. Fernandina and John perked up in the change of the girl's attitude and they all got situated in their prior positions. Riven slouched down in her chair and glared at the colonel. "So where do we start?"