Chapter 19
Varen sat on the edge of the bed staring at the floor. He hadn't moved from that spot for hours now. Arnette and Attia never came back from the short argument they had in the morning. Chiffon and Ticy had left to try and find the two, but never returned either. Elizabeth and Andre seemed to have shut themselves in their room and weren't answering any attempt to contact them.
It wasn't often he found time to himself, but now he felt more alone than he had in a long time. Guilt racked his mind as he kept playing the mornings events over and over. Arnette and Attia stood up against him for what they believed in. The very same thing he believed in and yet he had told them no. It made his chest hurt just thinking about it. It hurt because he knew how right they were about everything. He was scared of Chevalier and what could happen if he tried to help the E-Pandora. The Nightingales were the best thing that ever happened to him, and the threat of losing their little family was terrifying.
A defender of Pandora who took vengeance on those who wronged them. That was how Attia described him last year. It was also her who told him that the word for someone like that was a Justicar. Shortly after the attack on West Genetics she was the first to stand, her Limiter dead at her feet and look to him. Against all protocol, and even risking punishment from Chevalier she was the first to salute him and give him that name. Arnette followed behind her equally risking everything to support him.
Now, he could feel his stomach tightening as he realized that for all the risks they had taken for him, he refused to do the same for them in their time of need. All these thoughts are what kept him in place sitting on the bed for the past few hours. It all made him understand that he wasn't protecting them from Chevalier. He was just trying to protect himself and cling to the things he had. That single fact was what made his stomach turn when he thought about it. Arnette and Attia hadn't said it, but he was being selfish.
He looked up towards the door as he heard a knock. That meant that it wasn't Chiffon or she would have just come in. He stood slowly and walked over to the door opening it. A very cheerful looking girl stood in front of him with her hands clasped together. She bowed quickly, her teal hair flowing with the movement of her head.
"Justicar, may I speak with you?" She asked.
"Oh, um Cassie hello. Is everything alright?" He asked and she nodded still smiling.
"Yes sir, I was just hoping to talk with you if you had some free time?"
"Well, right now is…it's just not a good…" He trailed off seeing her smile vanish. Once again he thought of Attia and Arnette and how much he had let them down.
"Oh…I see, I'm sorry." She said bowing once more.
"No, I have time. Sorry about that, just a little distracted for a moment. Please, come in." He said interrupting her. He didn't want to make the same mistakes again and it had to start now. Her mood seemed to immediately improve as she entered.
"Thank you so much!" She said happily. He guided her to the desk in the room and took a seat opposite her.
"You're a world ranking Pandora Cassie, please stop treating me like a superior. To be honest I don't really like being treated any different than other Limiters. So, if it's alright with you just call me Varen and no more bowing alright?" He asked light heartedly. She laughed and nodded quickly.
"I understand. I'm sorry for showing up unannounced, but after talking with Kyoichi and the other girls it was important I address this as soon as possible with you." She said and he raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds important, what can I help you with?" He asked and she took a deep breath.
"I would like to request a transfer to your unit." She said proudly sitting up straight. He stared at her for a few moments digesting her request.
"You're a well-respected Pandora at East Genetics. Top of your class and best in the school. World ranked, and part of the group asked to represent East Genetics here. Why would you want to give that up?" He asked.
"All those things don't matter to me. What matters to me is the ideals that you all stand for. What you all fight for. You've taken being a Pandora and Limiters who defend people from the Nova and given it a greater purpose. You come to the aid of anyone who needs it. All of you, you're all heroes." She answered.
"How far would you go for those ideals?" He asked. The question came to his head after everything he had been thinking about. Even Elizabeth had asked him if he'd start a war for her. Now wasn't the time to back down and this question was as much a question to Cassie as it was to himself.
"Chiffon is a good friend of mine. By that extension I consider all of you my friends. I came here today so suddenly because I know what has to be done. I would like you to consider this my trial run if you will?" She asked.
"You didn't answer my question." He said, but he knew where she was going with this and it made him nervous.
"Yes I did. When the time comes, I am at your side." She answered and stood from the chair placing her fist over her heart. He wasn't able to formulate any sort of response as she walked out the door. His chest rose and fell quickly from the anxiety creeping into his mind. He stood and walked over to the bed falling face first onto it. Everything felt like it was spinning and he closed his eyes trying to make it all disappear.
"Wake up, something's wrong. Come on Varen get up." He blinked his eyes a few times letting them adjust to the darkness in the room. It was nighttime and he rolled over seeing Chiffon kneeling on the bed next to him, her hands shaking him lightly.
"It's already night? I fell asleep." He said groggily.
"It's past midnight, I came back and found you out cold so I let your rest." She answered quietly getting up from the bed.
"Varen, Chiffon! Please open up!" A voice called while banging on their door.
"That's Andre." Varen said getting up from the bed as well. He was still in his uniform and quickly straightened it.
"Hold on." Chiffon said quietly opening a drawer. She produced a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. She was only in her underwear and thin tank top so Varen waited until she gave him a nod before he opened the door. As he thought Andre stood in front of him looking more terrified than he'd ever seen him before. Varen pressed the button on the wall next to the door illuminating the room now that Chiffon was decent.
"They took her!" Andre said, his voice shaking.
"Who took who?" Varen asked. Varen looked over his friend and realized it wasn't just his voice, but his whole body was shaking.
"Elly, they took her!" He answered. Varen pulled Andre into the room and shut the door behind him. Chiffon walked over and helped sit him down on one of the chairs in the room.
"Take a breath Andre. What happened?" Chiffon asked calmly. He breathed deeply a few times before collecting his thoughts.
"Three Chevalier Pandora came to our room about half an hour ago and told Elizabeth that her presence was requested in central command of this facility." He answered.
"It's after midnight." Varen said repeating what Chiffon had told him when she woke him up.
"Yeah." Andre answered nodding.
"Andre, why would they take her?" Chiffon asked. Varen could tell from the tone of her voice that she was suspicious of something. The Limiter shifted nervously in the chair looking down a few times.
"If you know something you need to tell us so we can do something." Varen said.
"She sent internal documentation of this facility to the Mably family. She was trying to prompt an investigation into the events occurring here." He answered and Varen's eyes went wide. Chiffon covered her mouth with a hand in shock.
"Are you telling me she leaked classified documents to her family?" Varen asked making sure he understood his friend correctly. Andre nodded slowly looking down at the ground.
"My god what was she thinking?" Chiffon asked out loud.
"She told me not to tell you about it. She didn't want anyone else involved, but now I don't know what to do? What if they found out?" He asked becoming more frantic. Varen grabbed his arms and steadied him.
"Listen to me Andre. Everything will be fine. I will find out what is going on alright?" He said and Andre took another deep breath.
"Promise me you won't leave her alone." Andre begged.
"I swear. I won't let anything happen to her and neither will you. When did she send the data?" Varen asked.
"Just this morning. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet." He answered.
"Let's go to central command and see if we can find anything out." Varen said standing up from his seat. For a brief moment Andre looked relieved and a bit excited as he stood and began to follow Varen.
"Hang on I'll come with." Chiffon said grabbing her shoes.
"Chif, if for some reason something goes wrong can you please stay here?" Varen asked and she cocked her head slightly raising an eyebrow.
"I want to go with." She replied. Varen grabbed her shoulders firmly and put his head against hers.
"If something were to go wrong Arnette and Attia will lose it. Please, just stay here and keep them in line if something happens. Just this once?" He asked. She paused a moment and then nodded.
"Alright, but come back soon." She said leaning up and kissing him.
"Yeah." He answered turning and walking out into the hallway with Andre. They walked through the hallways following the indicators that led to the command center of the facility. Up ahead a door blocked their path flanked by two Chevalier Pandora.
"Can we help you gentlemen?" One of them asked stepping forward. Varen approached her and reached out to shake her hand. The Pandora did not move leaving him awkwardly standing with his hand extended.
"I hope so, Dr. O'hara runs the E-Pandora project here, but may I ask who the Chevalier authority is?" Varen asked letting his hand drop.
"Mark Spencer is in operational command here. Did you need anything else?" She answered. Her tone hinted at irritation and Varen didn't miss it.
"Only one other thing and then we will both be out of your hair. We need to speak with Mr. Spencer." Varen said and the two Pandora looked at each other.
"It's after midnight Justicar." She answered.
"I have a feeling Mr. Spencer is quite awake. My friend here would like to know why his partner, Elizabeth Mably was detained."
"Ms. Mably's presence was requested. The reasoning is of no concern of yours." The Pandora answered.
"Like hell it isn't! What are you doing to her?" Andre shouted losing his composure.
"When command is finished she will be returned. Have a good night gentlemen." She answered.
"If you won't let me see her then I'll go through you!" Andre said angrily stepping forward. Varen grabbed him stopping him from moving any further. The two Pandora snapped their hands out to their sides forming large orbs of energy similar to what Varen was able to do. They held them aggressively facing the two men.
"No! We understand, thank you for answering our questions." Varen said calmly pushing Andre back. The young man looked at him desperately.
"Varen…" Andre said trying to hold back his rage.
"Not like this Andre. It won't solve anything." He answered. Andre bowed his head sadly.
"Don't hurt her." Andre said to the two Pandora as Varen led him away.