Chapter 54

Melyssa nodded in understanding, setting her wine glass down and clasped her hands in her lap, moving her gaze away from him. "Well, I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, no matter how tragic the situation is. One thing that happens leads to another thing and so on and so forth. I'm sure whatever this woman did, she had her reasons and I can tell she meant a lot to you, not just Rean and Ash." Now Crow was staring at her and she cracked a smile back at him. "You say she's an idiot, but at the same time, she may not have been and you just feel that way about her because of what she did. Just an observation." He could take it however he wanted, but Melyssa felt a little better after saying that much. "And since you came here to explain Rean's actions, I feel I should inform you that tonight, Mayor Regnitz offered me the position and I've accepted, so we'll be working together on the same team from here on out." Again.

"She was young and afraid and totally not right for the path she wanted to walk." Crow had immediately dismissed her commentary on Melyssa. "As for working the same team, Ash and I protect the mayor. He's our priority and you are a secondary." He tried wording that nicely, but if it came down to her or the mayor, she was technically collateral damage. Not that they wouldn't try saving her because they would.

Damn, that was very harsh and Melyssa wanted to rage at him since she had sacrificed herself to save HIS life. However, she remained calm and nodded stiffly, standing from the couch. "Understood, and that's the way it should be. I think we should keep things professional between us. So, visiting me after hours at night won't be happening again or sharing a drink. As I told your friend, Ash, I'm not interested in men after what I've been through. I think it's time for you to leave now, Crow." She tried wording that as nicely as possible, but it wasn't her problem if he took it wrong.

Tonight, she would go out in the middle of nowhere and train with her Cutlass, really needing a workout. That was another reason why she was dismissing Crow rather abruptly. Picking the glasses up, she carried them into the kitchen and set them in the sink, rinsing them while he made his way to the door.

Crow was smiling, nodding as he made his way to the door. "I look forward to working with you, Lys." He said amicably, obviously not bothered by her abrupt dismissal. "For the record, I don't think she's stupid for the sacrifice. I think she's stupid for not running the first chance she got after the fact." He informed her right before he walked out.

The next work week would be interesting for sure.

Easy for him to say, he wasn't forced against his will to join Ouroboros. He willingly joined forces with them only because he was C in the Imperial Liberation Front. Completely different scenario, the jackass!

Melyssa didn't have a chance to escape because she had trained day in and day out, night in and night out, for the past two years. She also stayed because she made the deal with the Grandmaster to protect her friends and family, including that jackass that just left! None of them had any idea what she'd been through and what she endured…it took her two years to finally EARN freedom, which was why she now lived in Crossbell City. Walking into her bedroom, Melyssa quickly changed into her training clothes and moved to the bathroom, washing her face of the makeup mask she wore.

Looking in the mirror, Melyssa finally recognized herself and pulled her hair back in a messy curly ponytail, pushing everything that was said to her down to her gut. She would use it in training tonight, channeling all of her pain and angst, all of her emotion into the swings of her Cutlass. Her crossbow wouldn't need to be trained on since it was point and shoot – she had excellent aim. Grabbing her Cutlass and fastening the belt around her waist, Melyssa opened her window that lead to the fire escape and slid out of it, being as silent as the dead.

The last thing she wanted to do was alert Crow and Ash of her outing, in case they were here specifically to spy on her. Making it to her vehicle, Melyssa hopped in and drove off, heading to an unknown destination at the far recesses of Crossbell City. It was way outside city limits, about 30 minutes or so. Pulling over and hiding her vehicle, Melyssa made her way through the trees until she came out in the middle of a clearing, under the stars and moon. Unsheathing her Cutlass, Melyssa began swiping and parrying, shutting her eyes while practically dancing in the moonlight.

A deadly dance at that.

"Something troubling you, Melyssa? Or is it Lysa now?"

She froze, sweaty from her training and didn't bother turning around, recognizing that voice anywhere. "Trying to get some training in while I'm undercover. What do you want, McBurn?"

"You are being awffffulllly friendly with your old buddies." He commented, beginning to slowly circle her, watching as she 'trained'. "I'm pretty sure that was Armbrust that came out of your apartment tonight."

As if she wasn't being watched. This was her first true assignment and it was smack daub in the middle of her old friends. She had already gone against the Grandmaster once, refusing to take out a target. The Grandmaster might trust her, he didn't. Anyone who sold out people for the foolish notion of 'saving' them would sell out the next group for some reason or another.

"Having a little reunion are we?"

"No." Melyssa stopped training and turned to face him, her teal eyes cold and focused. "I'm not the one who chose the apartment, so it's not MY fault it wasn't checked out beforehand. Because if it was, you or whoever made the arrangements would've seen both Armbrust AND Carbide are my neighbors. Can't really do anything about it, McBurn. And I was told to get close to the mayor, so again, I did exactly that. Not my fault those guys are his security guards, though the Grandmaster should've seen that coming. They are all part of Class VII. I'm following orders and doing what I'm supposed to do, so why don't you bugger off and bother someone else? I'm not interested in your games, Almighty Conflagration."

"You don't have a choice, my little spitfire." He snorted, stepping right into her swing and wasn't surprised at all when Melyssa reigned it in right before slicing his head in two. "Bet you'd love to do it, wouldn't you? Cleave me right down the middle."

If only she had the balls to attempt it two years ago, she might have been leading a different life. Well no, no she wouldn't have. Two years ago Melyssa wasn't even a fraction of the woman she was now, the fighter she was now. Goddess help her, she hated this man with every fiber of her being! He killed her Papa because of her father, who had disappeared completely. Not even Ouroboros could locate him and she knew that was frustrating the Grandmaster to no end.

"You don't miss much, do you?" She watched as he wrapped his hand around the sharp blade and PULLED it toward him, blood oozing from the deep cut on his hand. "Why are you here, McBurn? Haven't you done enough to me? Haven't you made me SUFFER enough? Why don't you just end me right here and now like you should've done two years ago?!" She ripped the Cutlass from him, wiping his blood off of it on her shorts and groaned, glad they were black. "I still don't understand why you wanted to recruit me into Ouroboros. You said you saw spirit inside of me during the attack of Crossbell City, but that's not enough to go through all that you did. You took me away from people I love and care about, all to force me into becoming an Enforcer or your damn toy to play with! Don't you think I deserve an explanation now that I'm an Enforcer?"

McBurn chuckled wickedly, clenching his hand tightly and the cut was gone in mere moments, thanks to his magic. "Because I was hoping you WOULD become my toy to play with, but you surpassed my expectations. You're special, there's something inside of you that pulsates with life and I wanted to slowly extinguish that fire, but you just HAD to be a martyr. You just HAD to sacrifice yourself in order to protect those you love and care about." He mocked her, stepping right up to her again and gripped her chin as her Cutlass was pressed against his throat. "Do it, you know you want to. Take your revenge, precious."

"Stop it!" Melyssa whispered, not trusting her voice at the moment and still, even after two years, felt that same dread and fear whenever she was around this monster. "You don't make any sense. There has to be a reason why the Grandmaster ordered you to recruit me. And one day, I will find out the truth, just like one day, I WILL cut you down for what you did to me and my family."

"What YOU did to you and your family, just like what your FATHER did to you and your family. You've always had a choice, Melyssa, and you insist on always making the wrong choice." McBurn sneered, not impressed with her little outburst, even with as quiet as it had been. She was too emotional back then and even now, with the right provocation, she would be again. "All it takes is one slip-up from you, girl… and I'll be waiting for it." She would eventually be his toy.

As for the 'reason', he wouldn't tell, he rather enjoyed seeing her losing her mind.

Because she was human, unlike him, and humans sported emotions, no matter how in control they thought they were. She wasn't losing her mind, not even close. "You'll never have me unless you kill me first. Get it through your head, asshole." Melyssa gritted, shoving him away and breaking the hold on her chin. "You know as well as I do, if I didn't choose to go with you that night, Crow would be dead right now and the others too. Maybe I was an idiot, but at least my friends and family are safe and that's all I care about. Makes me wonder what YOU care about, McBurn. Oh wait, you don't because you're NOT HUMAN."

"The only reason Armbrust is alive is because others have machinations for him, not because of you, precious girl." McBurn informed her, his lips curving up into a very cruel smile. "The fact that you were willing to offer yourself up for nothing… what kind of 'evildoer'," He even air quoted that word with his fingers, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Would I be?" He then brought those fingers up to press against his lips, eyes widening. "But you didn't know that, did you, Orange Flame?" He tucked his hands behind his back, turning to walk away from her, showing her he didn't fear her at all by presenting his back to her. "It's interesting how you fret over those who don't care about you at all, but you were the reason innocent civilians died on that train and you didn't shed a tear."

"I'd rather be an Enforcer than your damn toy any day of the week, No. 1."

Melyssa had dealt with the guilt of those people dying, even though Emma had saved a great deal of them with her magic, as well as her grandmother, Rosalie. If it wasn't for the Hexen Clan, a lot more lives would have been lost at the hands of McBurn. Ash had nearly died because of him…and her eyes narrowed at the memory, a lump forming in her throat. They all could have died, including her, and it was all because Ouroboros had targeted HER.

"And why would I shed tears for people I don't know or care about? That's the way of Ouroboros, isn't it? Care only about yourself and nobody else? Well sorry, I can't do that, even if they don't care about me anymore, I damn sure will protect my family and friends from the likes of YOU. I didn't offer myself up for nothing; I have their protection because of the Grandmaster. I don't think she would be too happy with you coming here and baiting me either since part of that deal was you would leave me alone. I suggest you obey her orders unless you want to get on her bad side. Unlike you, I AM following my orders while you think you're untouchable." The only other being who COULD take McBurn down was the Grandmaster and possibly Campanella, though that would be a close call.

McBurn was laughing, not even bothering to turn to face her as he shook his head. "For someone so young, you're so confident of yourself, of your place… too bad as always, you're wrong. There are a few lessons yet to teach you, my dear, though with that thick head of yours… I'm doubtful they'll take." What she assumed about the Grandmaster and what the truth was were two different things. If Melyssa disobeyed another direct order, she was just another body to be disposed of and the Grandmaster KNEW Melyssa had a soft spot for these do-gooders. "You're already failing the test." He informed her, walking off. "Enjoy your session."

Melyssa could feel the rage inside of her threatening to come out, the orange aura that looked like flames surrounding her. Anger…anger was her enemy. Anger was what drew this power out of her. Mariabell had taught her how to quell it, how to cease it and channel it into her swordsmanship. For the most part, Melyssa could control it, but McBurn always found a way to bring the worst out of her. A test…the Grandmaster was testing her and she was failing? Driving her Cutlass into the ground, Melyssa dropped to one knee and still had hold of the handle, squeezing her eyes shut.

This was not the life she wanted.

She didn't want to be an Enforcer.

She didn't want to be someone's toy.

And she absolutely would NOT harm anyone from Class VII or her own family. Her mother had disappeared and the last she heard, she was nowhere to be found. Either she was in hiding…yes, she was in hiding, Melyssa would not believe anything else. Soon, the orange aura disappeared and her eyes opened, not seeing McBurn anywhere. She was alone again, not sensing anyone in the area and slowly rose back to her feet, pulling her Cutlass out of the ground.

Rean hates me and so does Crow. I know they all do, so telling them the truth isn't an option. I will protect them in my own way, even if I am an idiot. It was time to go home for some sleep; Melyssa had to go to City Hall in the morning to fill out paperwork, even though she wasn't starting until the following Monday.