Defector

Uncomfortable is an understatement. Eyes fall on me as I shuffle into a partially crowded training room. If their looks could kill, I'd be dead by now. I fold my arms across my chest wanting to find the quickest way out of here, but I roll my eyes ignoring all of them. Well, all but one.

Xaron approaches me with his hand extended toward me. I clasp his hand and he pulls me in as our shoulders touch and he pats my back. He offers to be my training partner for the day which I accept shyly, but knowing deep down I've probably passed him in experience. I follow him over to the mat ignoring the staring eyes directed on my back. Xaron begins stretching which I follow his lead only I'm more distracted by the empty mat in the back where I used to spar with Lia.

Lia was the first person who I grew close to while involved with the rebellion. I told her everything. She was the only one I had really opened up to since I lost my best friend, Pixel. I trusted her wholeheartedly and she showed me I can't truly trust anyone.

I remember looking her in the eyes as Casandra tortured me, hoping she would intervene. Instead, she watched with a blank expression. She never flinched or looked away. Casandra never made her do anything to me, but I made several attempts to talk to her whenever Casandra was out of the room. The time to speak with her was narrow, but I still tried. She never uttered a word, just held the same stone cold face.

After the first two weeks, she was no longer in the room. She was replaced with some other employee. She was smaller than Lia which I didn't think was possible. Lia was tiny to begin with, but this girl was nothing but bones. I often joked in my head that I could snap her in half like a pencil without effort if I got the chance.

I haven't seen her since that time. I never bothered to ask what happened to her once the entire rebellion found out about her.

Hunter waltzes in clasping his hands together in a thunderous clap drawing everyone's attention from me to him. He motions his hands which is his instruction for us to begin sparring as he slumps down in a chair next to the door and pouts. I've known Hunter awhile, but have never seen him act like such a child before. It's almost comical to me, but I try not to let it distract me.

"I'll go easy on you." I offer a smile as he laughs, thinking it was a joke.

Xaron has improved, but so have I. He has the stamina and muscle to take double the amount of damage than myself, but his punches are still as weak as I remember. His strength is in his legs, but it seems as though he hasn't figured that out quite yet. I'm still quicker than him and hit harder, especially with my elbow. Dodging his lousy punches is effortless, but he catches me off guard as he swings his leg around knocking me off balance. I stumble over my feet as he latches onto my shoulder landing a few solid punches to my stomach. Unbeknownst to him, he assisted in realigning my equilibrium.

I force my elbow into his diaphragm knocking the oxygen out of his lungs. He stutters backward attempting to regain his breath, but I don't let up. I aggressively jab my fists into his abdomen. He blocks the last two punches which distracts him from my foot sweeping behind his heel. I yank my foot forward and give him a shove with my right shoulder. He lands solidly on his back and remains still. I walk away and patiently wait, allowing him a chance to regain his composure. I glance over at the door as I notice Hunter and a now present Logan are staring and look impressed.

Xaron rises to his feet looking slightly embarrassed, but raring to go another round. Logan begins to make his rounds to each mat to instruct or interfere. Although, he remains close to our mat pretending to watch other fights, but he is very noticeably watching me and Xaron. I manage to scoff in Xaron's face as I mumble that he's not even trying. His face is beet red and beads of sweat trickle down his cheeks. Logan finally caves and stands at the edge of our mat. I laugh internally as there is no possible way he can yank my hair and take me down like he used to do. I slam my elbow into his back and his topples face first into the mat.

"You're hovering." I pant resting my foot against Xaron's back to keep him down.

"Your hair," he motions to my tightly secured hair in a bun which is how he required me to wear it, "is --"

"Up?" I offer. "Isn't it supposed to be?" I lean down and help Xaron off the floor.

"Holy shit, Detope." Xaron rests his hands on his knees, hunched over to catch his breath. "I didn't stand a chance, did I?"

"I said I would go easy on you, but you laughed at me." I shrug.

"Never underestimate your opponent." Logan says to Xaron shoving him off the mat to take his place. "I did teach her, Xaron. She was going to surpass you one day especially since Brestion taught you."

"Are you insulting him or Brestion?" I ask trying to hide the smile forming on my face.

"Both." Logan snickers softly, but is still heard.

Xaron thrusts his fist toward Logan instigating a fight. Logan dodges and instead of fighting Xaron, he aims his fists at me which catches me off guard and I easily take the hit to the shoulder. Soon the three of us are fighting each other as the world around us falls still. Logan has a hard time avoiding my hits, but easily blocks Xaron's. Neither one of them have effectively hit me since Logan's first initial punch. I mostly pay attention to Logan since anyone with eyes can see Xaron is running low on stamina and will be down in no time. Logan keeps his focus on me almost like he's studying me.

Logan is the one to take Xaron down this time, but his victory is short lived when I continue to fight him. I grab onto his shirt and fling him into the wall behind me. He's able to turn and face me before I plant my foot into this chest which sends him back into wall. I press myself against him forcing my forearm against his throat.

"This seem familiar?" I whisper looking into this eyes.

He smiles reaching up and grabbing onto the wrist of the arm placed on his throat. He lifts my arm off his throat and pulls it behind my back. I laugh as I lean my head back so it's resting on his shoulder. He tilts his head down so his mouth is directly next to my ear.

"Does this seem familiar?" He quips. I roll my eyes as he releases me. "Not bad, Detope." My smile fades as my last name escapes his hoarse throat. He notices it and then acknowledges the staring eyes. "Shouldn't you all be training?" Logan announces to the rest of the room who have stopped to watch us. The room resumes, but only for a moment.

"What the hell?" Drax storms in wagging his finger in my face. "Who said you could be in here?"

"I was training just like everyone else." I shove his index out of my line of sight.

"You're not in this rebellion anymore. We don't trust you." He looks passed my shoulder. "Can you escort Ms. Detope to the isolation room? She can wait there until we can decide what we should do with her."

"You can't be serious." I bark as two trainees walk up behind me.

"Stop," I glance over my shoulder at Logan as he points to the two approaching me, "you're not taking her anywhere."

"Stand down, Fierce. You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment again. Brestion would be disappointed." Drax rubs in his face causing Logan to snarl.

"Shut the fuck up, Drax." I growl. "You're not in charge around here."

"Oh yeah?" He snickers in my face. "Get her out of here." He orders.

The two behind me latch onto my arms and drag me out of the room and passed the plant. There are a set of rooms down the hall from the plant which if I remember were just storage rooms. One of them opens a door and inside is a decent sized room with a table and two chairs situated in the center of the room. They force me into the room and quickly close the door, locking me in.

My heart rate elevates immediately as this room reminds me of the room I was confined in for a month while in Casandra's custody. I wiggle the door knob, hoping for a miracle, but it remains latched. I feel panic start to rush throughout my body. I stumble over to one of the chairs within the room. I have a seat which helps, but only for a moment. I begin to shake my leg to expel some of the nerves which are beginning to paralyze me with fear. I take a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself down.

There's yelling outside the room, possibly in the plant. I rise from the chair and press my ear against the door.

"Give me the key." It sounds like Logan, but I'm not sure.

"Like hell." I know that's Drax. "You'll just let her mosey around this place without a care. I'm thinking of what's best for everyone in this place. You're just thinking of yourself and about fucking her again."

"That's not what this is about."

"Oh really? Everyone saw how cozy and playful you two were just now in the training room."

"You weren't even there."

"I don't have to be there to know."

I hear a door slam and then faint, muffled yells as the conversation is no longer intelligible. I walk myself back over the chair and have a seat. I place my arms down on the table and rest my head on top of them. My eyelids feel heavy as I close them and feel myself calm down

It's her again.

Her haunting endless smile never failed at sending a shiver down my spine. I could clearly see the circles under her eyes as she grew bored of "playing" with me. She wasn't getting anywhere with me which either exhausted her or irritated her. It had been days since I had spoken a word to her. I thought I was lucky as I assumed she was tired.

She had used this method before and it wasn't as terrifying as it was for others. I could hold my breath for a long time, but the scary part was wondering if she would remember to force my head up out of the water long enough for me to refill my lungs with some oxygen before she submerged my head again.

I fought her the first few times. I fought her often before I slowly felt myself giving up. Several times, I contemplated filling my lungs with water and ending all of the agony, the madness, the hopelessness. But I persuaded myself out of it every single time. I would see him again. I had to have a reason to keep going and he was it, even if she told me lies about him.

"He did this to me, too." She was losing it, more so than usual. Her face pressed against my dripping cheek. I took advantage of the time I wasn't underwater. "Why didn't he realize I loved him?"

I kept my mouth shut. She growled dunking my head back under. She squeezed my arm with the burns she made a few days prior. I screamed releasing any of the oxygen I had within my lungs. Bubbles flew from my mouth as my insides burned and begged for oxygen to flow through it which I was unable to give. I could feel my body ache from within and I knew it was almost over. Unfortunately, she had other plans. She pulled my head out of the water and releasing me to the floor where I coughed up unwanted water from my body.

"Why don't you understand that I love you?" I glared up at her truly repulsed by her sickening face. "I love all of you." I coughed out some more water. "I love your pain, your suffering," she paused, "your endless need for my attention. So I guess in a way you love me, too." She crouched down next to me and licked the water off my face. She rose towering over me. "What would you do without me?" She smiled before walking away from me.

I'm woken up by my arms being pulled out from under me and are fastened to the table. Drax has a seat across from me not looking pleased to be in my presence. He scowls as I return a similar expression.

"Is this really necessary?" I motion to my chained wrists, but he only rolls his eyes.

"You're dangerous," I scoff which he effectively ignores, "which is why you're on probation." I narrow my eyes and tilt my head in confusion. "You are not allowed out," he peers down toward my shaking leg, "of this room unless you are under supervision by one of us." He points at my feet. "You nervous or something?" He growls irritated.

"Small rooms freak me out, okay?" I bark back which he doesn't appreciate.

"You know you're lucky. I wanted to get rid of you, but Fierce was persistent."

"I want to speak with him." The words spill from my mouth.

"He's busy." He says turning his back to me and heads for the door.

"Please," I stupidly beg, "may I speak with him?" Drax snickers to himself before disappearing on the other side of the door, keeping me inside the tiny room.

Alone.