Persphyni: I am Determined

44

The female, who I'm assuming is in control of this operation, walks up to me. Her eyes glaring at my face as I stare straight ahead.

I will not bend.

"Lift her face."

The gloved hands of McCreary grasp below my jaw and above my head, pulling at my braided hair. My eyes lifting towards the female, the man in the black outfit right beside her. I kept my features blank and stayed silent as I listened to their conversation.

"You only caught one?" The man in the only black outfit in this camp other than me asked.

"We only saw one. This one's been killing our men." McCreary let go of my hair to point towards the body bags.

"I highly doubt she was alone." Smart guy. I just stared at the female to avoid making it seem like I was following her conversation.

"How many others in the woods?" I simply blinked normally and kept staring. I felt McCreary stand up and move over towards the man in all black. The woman shot him a look and the next thing I knew I was being backhanded by the bastard.

The soft padding of his gloves minimized the impact as my head pivoted with the swing. I wanted to call him a wussy but then I'd give up my cover.

I will not bend.

"Answer the question." My head turned towards the man wearing a ridiculous looking hat on his head. McCreary was probably bald if he was wearing that sock like thing on his head. I blinked again, cocking my head mockingly feigning innocence.

The lack of response causing him to lose his control as he grabbed my jaw to hit me. His fist raised as I held my stance firm.

"Not yet. First we pray." I'm starting to think this woman is the same woman from the walkie.

McCreary grabs my bound arms and drags me away. My eyes turning to stare at the man in black as his jaw clenches. His eyes widening when he sees me looking.

He had turned around earlier when I was hit. Clearly he doesn't do well with violence. And I don't think he likes McCreary much.

I think I've found my way in.

_______•*•*•*•_______

My hands were now bound to a chair as McCreary glares into my eyes. I've killed thirty-seven of his men. If they were my people, I wouldn't just have let their killer get away with it. They would have died as soon as I got ahold of them. Clearly, McCreary didn't have a mind of his own. The little sheep.

It was almost like he heard my thoughts as he stood up and swung. His punch sent me backwards in the chair as I pressed against the wood to manipulate his blow. I managed to avoid the heavy swing but I still felt the sting of the blow as I didn't have enough room to move backwards and block it.

"Hey. Hey. Stop. We need her." What did I tell you. The man in black comes to my rescue as he stops McCreary from hitting me a second time.

McCreary turns them around and holds the man by his collar. A display of male dominance. I almost wanted to pull myself free from the ropes on the chair and join. To show that neither of them were capable.

"Hey! That's enough." The woman said as she put a hand between them, her eyes glaring into McCreary as he holds the man further from his face.

"He's not one of us. We lose thirty-seven men and he doesn't even care." And there's the conflict. I guess McCreary's mad that this man got a black outfit and he has to settle with a beige one.

"He is one of us. None of us is here without Shaw." A name! You've done fucked up lady.

"None of us is here without me, either." He pushed Shaw away. "You remember that." Once Shaw was free from McCreary's grasp, the woman took over and pushed him back against a pillar.

"We all have a role to play, and we're all upset about the loss of our men. Take a team and sweep the woods for her friends." I stared lazily ahead of me as if I didn't just see or hear what was happening.

McCreary stared the woman down for a few minutes before pushing past her. Making sure to run into Shaw on his way out.

Part of me wanted to shout good luck, dick but I knew that wouldn't get me anywhere with his tiny temper.

The woman walked over to me once McCreary left, her eyes looking over my body. Her lingering gaze flicking between the red clotted cut on my forehead and the cuts along my left hand that had dried up black blood.

"You see this?" Shaw looked at the woman then to where she was pointing and came over to inspect my hand. He touched my hand, gently scrapping over my scabs.

If this was anyone else I would have hissed and made them jump backwards in fright, but I needed to play nice. For now.

"Blood alteration. Like they had on Eligius 3. Two suns. No sunscreen needed." Shaw explained. I simply just stared at his face, showing no emotion or sign of understanding.

"Must be how they survived down here." I held my gaze on Shaw as the woman talked. Which was difficult because I naturally wanted to look towards the sound. But I stopped. And pretended there was a blindfold on me so looking wouldn't help. I just had to use all my other senses.

"But it's strange. She has red blood here and here." Her finger pointed towards her own face. "Yet black blood on her hand."

I paid her no attention as Shaw stood up and I took the time to see what they had done to my village. Only the inside of this mess hall could be seen but it was enough to know they had already moved in.

"Perhaps it's just blood spray." Shaw suggested his face coming closer before I turned my head to connect my eyes with his. My features were cool but my eyes held a soft glow to them daring him to come any closer.

I may have wanted to get on this guy's good side but I still had boundaries. And I'd be damned if I let anyone cross them.

I will not bend.