Utopia

Chapter 15

     The next few days are hard. After Bandanna is well enough to leave the hospital they have a funeral for the four people that died. We all attend, wearing the most mournful clothes we could salvage from our closets. There is a very strict dress code at the funeral, which limits my choices. I must wear a skirt or a dress that covers my shoulders, and no combat boots. It sucks. I end up wearing a black dress that just passes my knees. It is belted at my waist and flows at the bottom. I pull a black blazer over it and throw on a pair of shoes I find appropriate: black flats. Yup, today's the day to dress in all black. Dahlia is wearing a simple black dress with a round neckline and long sleeves. It fits her like a glove. It reaches just above her kneecaps. She wears black pumps on her feet. Her hair is down and wavy, the way it usually is. We leave right away, not saying a word to each other. We take the tram silently. People look at us weirdly, like black sheep in a herd of white sheep. Which makes sense, of course. 

     When we arrive we go right to Bandanna, who is already with Mason. Oddly enough, Jared isn't there. Nor are Eric and Erica, who usually are wherever they need to be ten minutes early. Mason and Bandanna are deep in conversation. Bandanna keeps shaking her head and sighing sadly. Mason just stands there in his black suit, hands in his pockets, and talks calmly to her. Eventually she just sighs, puts her hand on his shoulder and smiles sadly. She says something and he nods. And then he walks away. As Dahlia and I approach Bandanna notices us. She smiles. Her bruises have faded completely. Her skin has a healthy glow to it. For this formal occasion, the usually casual friend of mind is wearing a black pencil skirt, a black blouse, and a black cashmere shawl. She has on black nylons and black flats. Her hair is curly as always, falling around her shoulders. I hug her right away. Dahlia does right after I've pulled away. I look behind me briefly and see Mason standing alone at the bar. He's not drinking anything, of course, just staring at the counter. I turn to Bandanna. "So, if it's not rude to ask--I know you're going through a lot right now--what is it that you and Mason were talking about?" I ask. She sighs.

"He was telling me that...that he was sorry for getting my teammates killed." She says.

"But...he didn't." Dahlia says. Bandanna shrugs.

"He thinks he did. Of course I tried to tell him but he can be stubborn. He was saying that it was his fault because it was his plan to raid the city in the first place. He said he should have anticipated that...that there was a-a traitor in the...in the team." Bandanna's voice catches. Maybe I shouldn't have brought this up. Well, too late now.

"Who was the traitor?" I ask. Bandanna sighs.

"It-it was Chase. He was with the Leaders this whole time. Fortunately, he never found out where our base was, so we were safe. He was giving them information. When they ambushed us, he tried to protect Mandy, his girlfriend, from a grenade. As a result, his arm was blown off. He had feelings for her, even though their relationship was fake. She, of course, died later in the attack. She was shot. Chase was supposed to have survived, but the Leaders never would have anticipated that he would try to help a teammate. He confessed all this to the surgeons while he was dying." She says.  Dahlia and I just stare. Who would ever do such a thing?

"Wow." I say. Bandanna nods.

"It was so unpredictable. I don't get why Mason thinks he could have anticipated it. He kept on telling me that 'all the signs were there' but I still don't think anyone could have known. I find it ridiculous how he keeps on blaming himself. It was in no way his fault. At least now we have a motive. Now we can strike against them with a reason." She says, clenching her fists. 

"It...it looks like the funeral is starting. We'll see you later, I promise." Dahlia says. Bandanna nods and walks to her post. Dahlia and I move to our front-row seats next to Eric, Jared, and Erica, who have just arrived. The ceremony starts right as we the last person as seated, with a few words from General Black.