Another Batcher (Hunter)

Twenty Two

-Three Days Later-

*Talia's POV*

Stand by the door, back flush with the wall. Any minute now. The door slides open, in walking a clone trooper. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling as hard as I can as he twist and turns against me.

He leans forward, pulling me off his back, landing on the ground with a thud. The air leaves my lungs, and I'm left lying on the floor, staring into the barrel of his blaster.

"Hm," an all too familiar voice hums. I turn my head slightly, Lama Su looking down on me. "Whenever you're ready, we can begin for the day."

I take a deep breath, slowly pushing myself up and standing once more. I glare at the trooper, who's blaster is still trained on me, then follow Lama Su down the hall.

It's empty, as it typically is, besides the blonde haired girl that 'stealthily' follows us every day. He leads me to the same rooms I've been taken the past two days. My eyes land on the table in the center, the ball off to one side.

"I told you, I don't know what you want from me," I growl, turning to face the tall creature. "Your blood states otherwise." He counters.

I approach the table, staring down at the ball. "Move it," he commands, the same command I've heard entirely too many times at this point. "I can't," I insist. He just stares at me, an expecting look in his eyes. I turn back towards the ball, willing it to move, to no avail.

He stands there, watching me fail for what feels like hours, before he finally tells a trooper to bring me back to my room. He approaches me, following behind as I walk back, blaster in hand. "Hey," I whisper, turning back to glance at him.

He doesn't indicate that he heard me, but there is no way he didn't. "You need to find Hunter, and the rest of the bad batch. I need to get out of here," I tell him, staring into his helmet as we walk.

I stop, turning fully to face him. "Please, I can't stay here." He pauses, and I know he is staring at me through the helmet. "Keep moving," he commands, voice low and monotone.

My shoulders slump, and I reluctantly turn and keep walking. He leaves me, alone in my prison. I sit on the bed, legs to my chest with my chin on my knees, staring at the door. Waiting to be saved..

*Hunter's POV*

"We are not leaving her!" I yell, glaring at all of them. Defeat is plastered on their faces, glances being shared between them all.

"Hunter, she's not here. There is no record," Tech tries to reason, stopping as my eyes dig into his. "I'm not giving up," I state, removing my eyes from Tech.

"Hunter-" Echo starts, taking a step towards me. "There is nothing else we can do.."

"You're giving up too quick, all of you!" I point a finger at them, the rage boiling within me. "We can't disobey a direct order," Crosshair stands, frowning as he speaks.

"If they doubt our loyalty as soldiers, who knows what they'll do to us. We can't help her if we are court martialed." I stare at him, hardly listening. My mind is racing. She has to be here, she has to be.

"Hunter," Echo speaks again, pulling me from thought. "We'll come back, if she's here, she isn't going anywhere."

I grumble in response, holding back the urge to continue arguing. Silence falls over the room, the others slowly moving to grab their things to head out. Wrecker approaches, gently grabbing my helmet from the table beside me, then handing it to me.

I sigh, biting the inside of my cheek as I stare down at it. My vision starts to cloud, I can't stop it. I'm losing control.

A single drop falls onto the helmet, slowly sliding down off the side. I failed her. I take a shaky breath, placing the cold metal on my head, and follow the others to the ship.