Day 3

Lunch at the camp was silent and tense. They'd all been up since five in the morning, running PT, doing drills, learning military crap, and basically, getting shouted at for anything and everything. Charlie's back hurt every time she moved but she just gritted her teeth and kept going.

Last night had been interesting. She'd snuck out of the barracks to do some snooping, and eventually had found a set of locked doors going to some part of the building without signage or any sort of indication as to what went on inside.

It has to be the brainwashing room, she figured, giving up after awhile and turning back toward the barracks. She'd have to remember how to get there when Miles came to rescue her.

She ignored the voice inside her head that said, And Bass. He'll come too.

Bass.

Charlie shoved her lunch away and glanced at some spot over the shoulder of some cadet eating across from her. She shivered at the memory of their last encounter. The best thing about this place was that it had given her very little time to think about Bass and what they'd done together just a couple nights ago. Until now. Her insides clenched with more than just nerves. A straight shot of lust went right to her lower stomach when she remembered how he had felt inside her. Sex with Bass put all other encounters to shame. Even Jason. She felt horribly guilty for thinking that and squeezed her eyes shut briefly.

But what was he thinking right now? Did he regret hooking up? Had he liked it? Was she just another girl, another notch on his belt?

She scowled at herself and finished her sandwich. Why would she even care about anything he thought? She'd finished, he'd finished. That was all there was to it. Maybe now he'd actually leave her alone instead of following her around all day and night.

"Cadet Foster, come with me."

She looked up at the voice and saw Sergeant Mills-the asshole who'd whipped her yesterday- standing by her table, staring down at her. He motioned for her to move faster and she did, ignoring the hiss of pain in her back at the sudden movement. She followed him away from the mess hall and toward the barracks. Instead of going inside the barracks, however, Mills veered right and took her down a hallway and past offices, left and right.

He stopped in front of one and knocked. She noticed with dread that the placard read Captain Robert Archer.

"Enter."

Man, what did he want? Had he figured out who she was? That she was a spy? Did he want to question her about the Militia brand? She'd already figured out what she was going to say about it if he did. At least that lie was ready to go. But what about if her cover was blown? How was she going to get out this place in one piece?

Sergeant Mills opened the door and ushered her in. Archer nodded at him and he left, closing the door behind him. Charlie stared after the door, wishing she could leave too, and then shook herself, going to at attention in front of the desk.

"At ease, Cadet. Have a seat."

She obeyed and sat down in a chair a few feet away.

He raised a hand and with two fingers ushered her closer. She complied, scooting it to about a foot away from the desk. Archer smiled and leaned back in his chair and studied her.

She did the same. Brown hair neatly styled, light green eyes, high cheekbones, olive skintone. Before she'd thought he was only about ten years older than her but now she could see he was closer to thirty-five. He managed to look younger, but up close there were slight lines around his eyes and the stray grey hair or two along his hairline.

"You have a Monroe Republic insignia branded on your inner wrist," he stated in a mild tone. "You were a soldier."

So this was it. "Yes."

"And you hid it from us."

Charlie kept her gaze steady. "I was drinking in a bar when I blacked out and ended up on that train. The guy who drugged me didn't do a thorough check, I guess."

Archer gave a thin smile. "Well, we certainly don't want people here who don't want to be here. Sometimes our recruiters get a bit too … enthusiastic. Cut corners. You should have said something earlier and we could've avoided all this nonsense."

This was all crap. It had to be. They wouldn't just let her go. "I apologize, sir, for not saying anything. I thought about it, but…" She hesitated on purpose.

After a moment, he prompted her. "But?"

"Well, I guess, as much as I hate the Monroe Republic and what the General did to our people, I have missed being a part of something bigger than myself. I've missed the structure and camaraderie of the military."

Archer's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes, sir. I told this to the nurse in the infirmary."

"Laura, yes, I know. You know, it's quite a coincidence. Your General Monroe was recently executed in Willoughby where you were picked up."

Thinking quickly, she nodded. "Yes, sir. I was there. Well, not in the building, but I watched from outside a window." She allowed her expression to darken. "If you ask me, his death was too nice for what he did."

"I take it you lost people?"

Charlie nodded, thinking over every single one of the face of someone she'd loved and lost. Her eyes prickled. "My dad. Brother. Mother. Boyfriend. Friends."

Archer nodded solemnly as if sympathizing with her, but something told Charlie that he didn't give a crap about anything she was saying. "And have you killed before? Yes, I'm sure you have. I saw something in your eyes the other day when you foolishly took the beating meant for that boy. Why?"

Charlie hesitated. She hadn't anticipated this question. She decided to just go with the truth. "I felt sorry for him. He… reminded me of someone. Someone I lost." One stray tear escaped which she quickly wiped away.

Archer could tell she was being truthful and some of his suspicion left him. "Well, if you want to have a long military career ahead of you, you'll have to put away that sort of nonsense. I believe you about the Republic. Don't do anything to make me change my mind."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I'll be keeping my eye on you. Now go."

She tried not to look to relieved to be getting away from him, but just as she put her hand on the doorknob he stopped her.

"One more thing-why did you leave the barracks last night?"

Shit.

"What?" she asked, turning halfway to look at him. She kept her hand on the knob, just in case she had to run.

His eyes narrowed just a fraction. "We have guards, Cadet. You left the barracks last night and came back about forty-five minutes later. Why?"

What guards? She hadn't seen anyone. "I was trying to get to the infirmary for more pain meds. My back was hurting. I couldn't find it."

"Next time stay put."

She nodded quickly and opened the door. He didn't stop her from leaving. She closed it and exhaled hard. Damn. How was she supposed to sneak around at night if there were supposed guards stationed everywhere. She'd been so sure there was no one.

Sergeant Mills was waiting for her down the hall to escort her back to the mess hall. It was empty. "I guess they went out to train. You can find your way?"

She didn't know, but she nodded. "I need to go to the infirmary first for more pain meds."

He pointed to where they'd just come from. "Instead of taking a right toward the barracks, take a left and you'll see a sign for the Infirmary. Hustle up and get out on that field quickly, though."

"Yes, Sergeant." He walked away and she followed his directions. She headed to the left until she saw a sign up ahead that said Infirmary and she walked quickly toward it. She especially made note of a sign that said Lab and another one that said File Room. Maybe there was something interesting in those rooms.

What she didn't see, however, and was on high alert for, was a sign that said Armory. That would be the most helpful of all the signs in this place and, naturally, was the one she couldn't easily find. Maybe Laura would help.

Nurse Laura was looking over some paperwork when she entered. "Hello? Oh, it's you. Cadet Foster, correct?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'm here for more pain meds, please."

Laura got up and waddled over to a cabinet and unlocked it. Charlie watched the process carefully and noted that Laura kept her keys on a ring that she kept clipped to a belt loop on her pants. She took it on and off as needed. "Two outta do it for now. Come back before bedtime and I'll change your dressing and give you something to help you sleep. The pain's gotta be setting in by now."

Charlie gritted her teeth and nodded. Nighttime wasn't great. She swallowed the pills and made a mental note to come back for the sleep meds. Those could come in handy in the future. Unfortunately, not for her. "Thank you, Laura. I'll be back. Gotta go to the field for training now. Any idea where that is?"

"There's a door at the end of this hallway that'll lead you right out. Just take a left when you exit and then follow it down."

"Any idea when we get to train with weapons?" She hoped her tone was as casual as she tried to make it.

Laura laughed. "Oh, honey, you don't get a gun until you're properly broken in."

Charlie felt a slight chill at her words and nodded. "Thanks." Broken in. That had to mean what she thought it did. What they'd done to Jason. Swallowing hard, she tried to act casual. "Any idea when that's gonna be? I'm getting antsy. Used to having a weapon."

Laura smiled and Charlie was struck by how false it seemed. "Well, they gotta wear you down first. Then they build you back up. You were military before. You know."

Charlie nodded and then gave another quick smile before leaving. She followed Laura's directions, taking a left first and then following the hallway into a right turn. Up ahead she could see an exit sign. On her way out, she noticed several storage closets, but nothing that seemed useful for a takeover. She pushed open the door and blinked in the sunlight until her eyes got used to it.

If I was an armory where would I be?

"Cadet! Move your ass and get in formation!" Drill Sergeant Riggins yelled from the field.

"Yes, Drill Sergeant!" she yelled back and gritted her teeth. Running hurt her back the worst. Out of her peripherals, over the ridge, she could swear she saw a dust cloud, but there was no time to study it. She slid into formation in the back and stood at Parade Rest.

"Thank you, Cadet Foster, for finally gracing us with your presence! Now drop down and give me ten!"

It made no sense. I hate the Army, she thought sourly, dropping into the push up position and quickly knocking out ten as the Drill Sergeant kept talking about whatever it was he'd been talking about. She tuned him out and tried to check out the ridge where she'd seen the dust rising up.

There wasn't much there now. Maybe some animal had kicked it up. Part of her was hoping it was Miles coming to get her out of this shithole. It hadn't been a week though. Four more days, she thought, standing back up and going back to Parade Rest. Then they would kill all these shitheads and blow this place up.

She couldn't wait.

It was sunset by the time they left training and made their way back towards the building.

The boy who'd she'd saved from the whipping, Josh, she learned his name was, hadn't been seen since that day. Had he been killed or was he already on his way to being 'processed'? No one she talked to seemed to know anything about it. But there was something weird going on, that much she knew. Some kids had been taken out of the barracks late at night and then returned at morning formation looking tired and glazed.

How long until she was one of them? Better question-how could she protect them?

They marched in formation around the building to the front entrance and as they passed by to enter through the bay doors, she almost fainted from shock.

There next to a horse and Connor stood Sebastian Monroe, all dressed up in a Patriot uniform and sporting Lt. Colonel insignia. Captain Archer spoke with him in a low tone and flipped through some papers. She tried hard to act normal as her platoon passed by, but their eyes collided briefly and she exhaled a little too loudly. Thankfully, they'd just come from doing all sorts of hellish exercises and nobody noticed.

Suddenly, Captain Archer nodded and turned around to face platoon. "Sergeant Riggins!"

Riggins shouted, "Mark time, march!" and then ran over to the Captain.

Charlie kept her head forward as they all marched in place, but she slid her eyes to the right to watch what was happening. Bass' eyes were on Sergeant Riggins and the Captain and he stood with complete authority, arms crossed. Riggins saluted and then came back to them. Charlie was at the end of the third and last squad. Because there were 12 of them, they were divided into 3 squads of four. Well, without Josh they were down to eleven.

Suddenly, Bass grabbed Connor by the neck and punched him hard in the stomach. "I said Fall In, maggot!" Then he shoved Connor hard towards the formation and Charlie watched in shock as Connor limped over to stand next to her. She only looked at him once and then stared straight ahead.

What the hell was happening?

"Platoon, halt!"

They stopped marching.

"Parade Rest!"

In unison, they all spread their legs and put their hands together on the small of their backs. Sergeant Riggins did an About Face, saluted Captain Archer, and then jogged to the back of the formation to take his place.

Captain Archer's voice was cold. "We have a new cadet joining us tonight. Say 'Hello' to Cadet Michael Connor." He waited for them to obey which they did, of course. "And we have a special guest. Colonel Becker is joining us from Command. You will afford him all the respect he is due and keep your mouths shut unless spoken to. Is that clear?"

Charlie in unison with her platoon, shouted, "Yes, sir!"

'Colonel Becker' walked smartly up to Captain Archer, saluted, then took over. He didn't say anything at first, just walked up and down First Squad, saying things quietly every now and then. She heard a 'Yes, sir' here and there, then he started down the Second Squad. She never took her eyes off him and he never looked at her. He'd cleaned up, she realized. Had even trimmed his hair a bit shorter to look more military. All the five o'clock shadow was gone, as well. He resembled something close to what he had when they'd first met and it made her uneasy. Then it was her squad's turn and she shoved all those thoughts out of her head.

He started his little moseying/inspection on Connor's end, stopping in front of him with a sneer. "I guess you should've thought better then to try and steal from me," Bass said loudly, looking at Connor with disdain. "They'll get you sorted out here though, I promise you that."

Connor stayed silent and Charlie didn't dare look.

"How about a 'Yes, sir', Cadet?"

Connor mumbled out a response and then Bass decided to play with Charlie next. She kept her eyes straight ahead and only clenched her jaw once to let him know she was pissed off.

"And what about you, Cadet … Foster, is it?"

She forced out a respectful 'Yes, sir'.

"I heard you already got yourself an ass-whooping and you've only been here three days, is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, that was really stupid, now wasn't it?"

Charlie narrowed her eyes a fraction and slowly slid her gaze to his. He actually looked angry. Of course, he did. Someone like him would never understand why she'd done it. "Yes, sir," she answered, trying to take the heat out of her tone.

He stepped closer to her until she could feel heat radiating off him. "Are we going to have anymore problems out of you, Cadet?"

He was loving this army shit, she realized. Having to call him 'sir' and do whatever he told her to. She was going to knee him straight in the balls as soon as she got the chance. "No, sir."

Bass straightened up and moved out of her personal space. He continued down the line, finally finishing and handing the platoon back over to the Drill Sergeant.

"Fall out!"

Chow time.

She ate quickly and then got permission to go to the Infirmary.

"Take this one with you. He has to get checked out. Tell the nurse to get him a uniform too."

"Yes, Drill Sergeant." She looked over at Connor and noticed he had a cut lip and a bruised cheekbone. How had Bass roped him into this? They silently walked away, not daring to speak until they were far down the hallway to the Infirmary.

Then she turned to him and hissed, "What the hell are you doing here?"

XXXXX

Unbelievable.

Miles stared down at the note Bass left.

Took Connor and infiltrated Camp Liberty.

Come and get us at the end of the week.

Bring guns. We'll make our move on your signal.

The note crumpled in his hand. He was going to kill him. That was all there was to it. Bass was going to die and Miles wouldn't miss this time.