Lucifer's Angel

I sighed, settling into the back seat where Jean had been sitting across from Mary. Mary kept her eyes on the window, looking none too pleased that she had to be near me. She would have to get over that, once we got to Central Command, because I would be the one she was around the most. Perhaps I should've just let Jean tell her about that letter, about her adoptive parents, but I’d learned through war that news of any kind could not be sugar coated. Life didn’t sugar coat things, so I’d learned not to either. I was a solider of the United Military, and an officer at that. I had a job to do and whether Mary liked it or not, she did as well.

The world that Mary was now apart of had no mercy and it did not discriminate. Any soldier who had fought in the war had had the ability to feel weak emotions such as pity and pain or anything of that nature beaten out of them in some way or another. Some were trained until they felt nothing, some had everything they loved taken from them, and some had literally been beaten, but these things lurked only in the minds of those who’d fought and survived… or at least, they'd survived physically. Many of the atrocities committed during the war and horrors that had been imposed on soldiers had long since been forgotten, for they were not talked about and any that did talk about it would suffer an unthinkable consequence.

Mary was not like this, nor was Jean, or any of the new recruits that had come in near the end of the war. They did not know of how cruel and merciless this world truly was, how malevolent our world was. They would never know the emptiness and fear, the self hatred that the war had instilled in those of us who’d been apart of it, and for that, they, and all the others who had not been subjected to the dehumanizing godlessness of the Great Civil War were lucky.

Running a hand through my hair, I watched as Jean walked away from the car, back to where Monaco and Lucienne were. I glanced over at Mary, whose gaze was locked on the window in an attempt to ignore my presence, before deciding that I needed to stretch. I opened the door and with a flash of fire, I melted the snow at my feet before getting out. The wind whipped at my coat, the cold air stinging my face as the snow came down. Silently, I met Jean halfway as he came back towards the car. He reached out, handing me a cup of coffee and I immediately took a drink, thankful. This would keep me awake. I didn't need to sleep...

"Thank you," I commented quietly. Jean nodded in reply, smiling at me.

"Thank Monaco, Colonel, not me."

"We need to get moving," I replied.

"Yes, and you need to sleep. You need to be alert if something happens." I couldn't help the smirk that was forming on my face. Who did Lafayette think he was, telling me what I needed. It was an amusing thought, however, his suggestions and opinions were the ones I typically valued most... well, except for when it came to that letter...

"I can keep driving, if you want," I replied.

"No, you need sleep; you just want to avoid Mary."

"More like she wants to avoid me at any cost," I grumbled.

"Well, with all respect, sir, you were... kind of..." Jean trailed off and I laughed quietly, earning a confused look from him.

"I was an ass, I know. They say old habits die hard, but... the war-"

"You don't even have to say it, Colonel, I already know. I understand, and I think Mary, in a way, does too," Jean explained.

"She still hates me," I laughed lightheartedly, though I was being serious. If her cold attitude continued, we were going to have a major problem.

“I don’t mean to seem… blunt, but why not try apologizing?” Jean replied as we neared the car. I did not reply as we both got into the car and I remained silent as we pulled back onto the road. We still had a few more hours to drive until we stopped for the night and during that time; I drained my cup of coffee. As I did so, to my dismay, it became harder and harder to keep my eyes open. I cursed under my breath rubbing my eyes. I had to stay awake.

“Everything alright, Colonel,” Lafayette questioned. I looked up, gazing into the rearview mirror.

“Yes,” I snapped, somewhat bitterly.

“I would hope so,” Jean replied, feigning a smile. He knew better than to believe me.

.X.

The grass rustled beneath my feet as I moved forwards, not bothering to pay any attention to the men along side me. It was early morning now and the fog was thick. It’d be hours before the sun would fully come up and it would be even longer until we got to sleep. As we made our way into camp, we were greeted by a group of officers. There was one Brigadier General, the man in charge of the entire camp, a Colonel, and three Lieutenant Colonels. Assessing their faces, I stopped dead in my tracks, recognizing the two officers at the water truck. I could hear their obnoxious laughs even from here and the very sound, the very thought of it made my blood boil. I did my best to block them out, but when I did, her voice, her screams filled my ears.

”Line up and get water,” a harsh voice called suddenly in my ear as I was pushed to my right. I turned with a glare to see my Captain there, an annoyed look on his face.

“I’m not thirs-“

“I don’t give a shit, Lieutenant. Just because you’re a guardian, don’t expect special treatment. You’ll do what you’re told just like everyone else.” He shoved me again, and I gritted my teeth, clenching my fists. Turning sharply, I made my way over to the water truck to wait in line for water, and one by one, I got closer to the two men who I wanted to burn to a crisp more than anything else in the world, the ones who had taken someone I cared about from me, though I’d agreed to fight.

“Well, well, look who we have here,” the one on the left chimed. I kept my face straight, staring off into nothing, like I’d been train. The other officer grinned at me. It was the same grin he had on his face when he’d pulled the trigger.

“The Executioner, huh? You’ve made quite the name for yourself, kid.” My water canteen, which I’d reluctantly handed them, was shoved towards me. Saying nothing, I turned from them, walking in no particular direction and before long; I realized someone was walking next to me.

“If it’s not too much to say, Lieutenant,” he spoke, his voice low. I turned to look at the man next to me. He had tan skin that was streaked already with sweat and dirt, blue eyes that had obviously not seen sleep in many nights, and pale blonde hair that was tied back. Looking closer, I realized he was a first class Warrant Officer, only two ranks bellow me, holding the position of a First Lieutenant.

“I would let them know just who the hell the Executioner is. It’s hard to identify a body if there’s nothing left.” And at that, he turned the other direction, walking away, but that was not the last time I would see him…

“Now, my friends, if you look to your left by those city lights you'll see a wonderful thing called a hotel. I think it’s high time we pay a visit to one.” I was yanked out of my fatigued reverie as Monaco’s voice sounded through the slight static of the radio. Jean, let out a yawn, laughing.

"I was starting to think you'd fallen asleep back there or something, Major."

“Me? Fall asleep? With as much coffee as I’ve had? Never—Okay, yes, I’m tired and Lucienne is still out cold. The girl could sleep through the apocalypse and never know it, okay?” We all laughed at his words and the humor behind them.

“On that note then,” I spoke. “It’s time we get some rest.”