Seized in the Dark (gxg)

Ch. 26: Red

>>> Unedited <<<<

"Well? I'm waiting for your answer."

"The video is wrong. Something or someone must have changed it!"

"So you're calling me a liar? Is that it?" Mistress was clearly affronted by my assertion.

"No! I never said that! I--"

"Subject 0153, I'm going to stop you right there," her curt interjection chilled me. "This video has been reviewed extensively six times over the course of three days to confirm its validity. I was skeptical at first too and ordered a thorough review. However, much to my immense disappointment, there was no evidence of tampering or any digital anomaly to prove that this is false. My head of IT confirmed it and oversaw the whole process. This video was then reviewed by two other independent sources and both reached the same conclusion."

It's still wrong! Everything is wrong!

"Mistress, please, I'm not lying, I swear! What could I possibly have to gain from making something like that up? You have to believe me!"

"I thought I could, but it seems that my trust has been misplaced. I must say, that was quite the convincing story you fed me."

A story?! Why does my word mean so little?

"If it was such a convincing story then how come you had to threaten me to get it? I didn't even want to talk about it in the first place!" My voice cracked at the outburst of emotions. The fervent anger inside of me was combined with a growing resentment towards Mistress in a deadly mix of animosity I was trying to quell. It would do me absolutely no service to raise hell at this moment. "They also threatened me to keep quiet, but I was more afraid of what you might do to Pvt. Winters and Dahlia to get the information, than what they would do to me if they found out I had told you what happened. I knew that no matter what I said, if I had stayed silent or not, I'd be the one to end up screwed! You made me tell you! You made me! You..." my voice completely broke as I looked down at the ground, livid with rage, not wanting to dignify her with tears I had fought so hard to keep. 

Three approaching clicks of her heels made me look up just in time to see a flash of crimson cross my view.

"Mistress, please, with all due respect, if I may?" Dahlia piped up, stepping in front of me.

"Stay out of this, Captain. This is between her and me."

"No, Mistress, I can't do that! The second I heard my name was involved, it became about me too. I'll take whatever punishment you see fit, but I can't stay silent about this!" Mistress didn't answer, she just narrowed her eyes at Dahlia. "I don't exactly know what's going on, but I think I can take a guess as to who this might have to do with. Isn't there the possibility that Keira --," Mistress cleared her throat abruptly with an emphasis of obvious contempt, "-- um, Subject 0153, here might be telling the truth? How do you explain her precipitated change in behavior?" Mistress walked behind her desk to open the drawers. Her eyes rolled from time to time, annoyed at having to listen to Dahlia try and defend me. "The four-day long episode of dissociation? Not to mention the way she tenses and looks utterly terrified whenever Kristia is around?" 

The gash under my eye was thumping. I was pressing the palm of my hand against it to stem the bleeding. A runaway drop of red sneaked its way down my forearm and puddled below me.

Mistress tossed a rag in front of me. "Don't get blood on my floor. Clean up your mess, 0153." She reclaimed her space in front of the desk while holding a familiar-looking black box, then turned to Dahlia. "That all could've come about from previous trauma. Look, regardless of her behavior, the evidence is clear. I'm not going to sit here and be made a fool of. She lied to me and must pay the price. Betrayal is the worst crime of all, and one that must be punished. My word is final!"