Saxifrage Fire

009

"Oh, sorry!" The girl exclaimed.

Alethea cast her curious glance. It seemed these people were scared of her considering they put six guards on her.

"Really? Six of you? I'm a nuero-engineer, not an assassin."

"It's for your protection, Master Atlas. Not the other way around," the officer called from ahead.

She scanned their faces for signs of dishonesty but found none.

They passed through a secluded tunnel to a metal door.

"The general will be here at any moment. Your escorts will wait for you here. Your team will be briefed on tonight's mission in an hour."

Thea bowed in her head in gratitude and stepped through the door as it opened with an alarming beep.

It clunked shut behind her and scanned the chamber to ensure she hadn't been tricked into a prison cell. There were computer systems cradled in the molding of the cave walls and a digital table at the heart of the room with chairs where it appeared higher-ups gathered.

She circled the table discovering the controls in his metal framework and turned it on. It lit up blue and revealed a three-dimensional map of the greater area with labels. She touched the control pad and zoomed in on a location labeled: Inferno. What appeared in the holographic imagery was a vast silver facility with high gates at the base of a dam. It was the NESP Facility. Or as Ezi had called it, the death camp. She pulled up the file on the location and read through what the Pyros knew about the camp's defenses.

She jolted as the door beeped.

The woman who entered wore the black combat wears of any other Pyro, but oddly, she also wore a scarf up to her nose.

"I see you've helped yourself to our database."

Thea watched closely, breaking her into details. She knew that voice- it was rich and gruff and full of memories that hid just below the surface.

"You must be the general..."

"I am."

Thea crossed her arms and leaned against the table. They shared similar skin tone and textured hair through the General's hair was short and graying. And those eyes- nearly black- like her own. Her heart started to race in her chest and her blood ran cold.

"I... do know you."

The woman met her gaze with sincere eyes, then yanked down her scarf.

Alethea froze. Childhood memories reeled through her mind landing on one. She was rocking her and singing, not like the operas, but a little out of key and whispery so no one would hear.

"Grandma Agatha?"

Her Grandma grimaced.

"God, you've grown Thea."

She wavered, feeling dizzy, and Agatha rushed to pull out a chair.

"Aww. I see your suppressor is disengaged."

She stared at the floor as she remembered the day Mother told her Grandma was dead. She remembered her monitor had flashed and she'd rushed to her room to lay in bed and stare vacantly at the ceiling for hours.

"You were dead."

Agatha pulled out a chair and sat before her, reaching for her hand.

She yanked away and glared at her.

"You left us!"

Agatha grimaced, a tear escaping past the soft wrinkles around her eyes.

"Thea, I'm... sorry. I know I owe you an explanation." Her voice was breaking. "I couldn't suppress anymore. It was leave or be terminated and... well, I left."