Uncertainty

The colonel did not appear at work for two days, to most of his subordinate; it was a sign to be worried about him but to certain lieutenant. This disappearing act seemed normal in her book. In fact, she had more important things to worry about.

It was the second time in a week; the main office had borrowed Falman away for some administrative work issue and now with the colonel pulling off a magic trick of disappearance; the colonel's office was bustling and overworked. It was through the fifth pile of paper work where the first sign of crack down creep in.

"When is Falman coming back…?" moaned the young solider as he rested his head on a particularly demanding file write up and his head was about to burst at the seams from all the words and letters he had seen. Was there so many letters before? Kain banged his head on the file three times, as though physical pain would help him get over the fact he had to continue his write up.

"Why can't they let Falman come back and help us?" Kain cried out desperately before limping onto his papers.

Breda 'Tsk' loudly over at his own desk, which was also filled with papers and files however Breda seemed to be handling the stress pretty well. And the reason for that was the stain and crumbs all over his uniform, twelve donuts and a shot of Firebeet (energy drink) was all it took to keep his nerves down but now it was about to crumble because of his colleague who was right opposite complaining logically.

"Kain, keep your voice down. I can hear you from here, and honestly it is getting onto my nerves." Breda warned, he pressed his pen onto his paper with pressure almost making full stop was about to become a hole. He shook his head mentally; the stress was getting to all of them. This was too much work for just three people in the office.

Breda glanced around the office, the colonel and Havoc had not reported in for work and Falman was borrowed away. The office seemed much bigger without them, their desk and seats were empty. His eyes gazed over to the large package on the colonel's desk; it had been there since that day.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Breda asked cautiously as they approached their superior. She did not show any emotions as she replied, in a way that was unusual. The lieutenant was known for not having too much emotions written on her face because she trained herself to be this way but now this was different…It was as though this was her true face and it was how she was feeling.

They watched as she glanced to the door where the colonel had just left, "No, nothing happened…" She answered calmly before leaving to the inner room.

Both Breda and Kain glanced at each other as the door clicked shut, they knew the lieutenant for a while now and that was not her usual self. Breda found himself looking at the large package on the colonel's desk…

Something did happen…

Kain peered up slowly, his forehead was sore from all the nodding he been doing and now he was feeling a little hazy. But as hazy as he was feeling, the young man realized that the scribbling sound from his other colleague had stopped; which also means that he was not doing his work.

"Breda?" Kain called out softly.

"Yeah?" Breda answered his colleague with a half mind; his eyes were staring now at another desk way at the corner nearer to the colonel's desk. It was also piled up with mountains of papers and fasteners, too much so that he could not see the person's head behind that desk.

"I'm worried about the lieutenant…she hasn't left the desk for ages…"

Breda nodded silently as he took in what Kain had mentioned. The lieutenant had not left the desk for four whole hours, it was so quiet too. What could have happened to her…?

"Yeah…" Breda said absent mindedly, he needed to check on the lieutenant, worry was starting to creep up to him; ever since that day his superior seemed to be wearing a shell to work and her eyes were empty and hollow. She insisted that she was alright, but now; it is uncertain whether the lieutenant would be trying to suffocate herself to death with work.

Breda stood up quickly and sharply, to his surprise Kain did the same thing. He glanced to the lieutenant desk with meaning written on his face, we must go and check on her. Breda gave him a solemn stare; together they approach the desk.

They were about two feet away, when they heard her chair creak suddenly; scaring Kain; followed by shuffling of papers. "Lieutenant, are you…? Breda began but was stop short by the lieutenant who seemed to know what he was about to ask.

"I know…I'm alright really, don't worry too much…" The lieutenant spoke so softly as though she had just recovered from a bad sore throat. Breda and Kain went up next to her, and honestly their heart sank a lot deeper now when they saw her. She had been doing a lot more work then both of them combined, all the stress had fallen onto her shoulders.

"Lieutenant, don't continue please… You need to rest now." Kain said before removing his own coat and putting them over his superior.

Breda stride over to the pantry and returned as quick as possible to the lieutenant side with a glass of cold water, "Why don't you take a break and we all head out for lunch?" he asked hoping she would agree, but as expected she refused with a tired smile and a plain look which said No thanks, why don't you go instead?

The lieutenant looked pale and clammy, dark eye bags could be seen around her eyes and her hair was not as neat as it should be.

"I will be alright….don't give me that look, kain. I am okay, really…" The lieutenant did not manage to finish her words, the door slammed open and who else to be walking through those doors then the man who she had been most afraid to see again. However he was not alone, he was flanked with two women whom he had his arms wrapped around their shoulders.

"Come on now, ladies" She heard him cooing to one of them, the one with the brunette hair and pink lipstick with a pair of breast that would kill Havoc in an instant. The woman giggled as the colonel led them through the threshold of the room towards his subordinates. Breda and Kain were simply dumb folded, and the lieutenant on the other hand stood next to her chair observing the colonel and his company.

"You brought some interesting company back, sir." She said coolly, the colonel scoffed and gave the lieutenant a dirty look before hugging the brunette closer.

"Yup, do you like them?" He asked her defiantly.

At that moment, the lieutenant felt a strange twist in her stomach; she glanced at the colonel and the women whom he held so close. It was nothing…she shouldn't feel anything…

"Just make sure the main office doesn't see them… you will be in trouble if they do…" She replied in a matter of fact voice without flinching, Breda stared at the lieutenant incredibly, she is not jealous? The lieutenant eyes met the colonel's eyes for a second, he looked strange as though something was biting him from the inside but did not say a word nor look at her any more than a second.

"Roy, let's go somewhere else…please…?" The other woman pleaded, battling her eyelids at him. The colonel gave a smile, forced, before leading the women away.

"Lieutenant, take a break."

She looked up at the door but he was no longer there…

Why, does my heart beat faster when i saw that…? And what was that feeling…? It can't be that…I… no, that cannot happen…

It just cannot happen with us… but it hurts…