"Davenport." A gruff voice called.
I tracked the sound to a large man with short blonde hair, about 6'5, with stubble taking over his face. His emotionless blue eyes looked up from his clipboard as he scanned the room. He had a large nose and slightly pointed ears, with crinkles by his eyes. The hand that held the clipboard had tattoos over his knuckles and the back of his hand disappearing under the sleeve of his uniform. He was terrifying... but brilliant.
I stood up and walked toward the hulking man, leaning against the door holding it open. I slipped through, refusing to look up at him since I was eye level with his chest. I kept my eyes straight ahead, not wanting to seem smaller than he knew I was. I stopped just inside the doorway but turned so my back wasn't to mountain man. Gave me the chills.
"Have a seat. The Chancellor will be in shortly." He came in a gruff tone.
Directly in front of me was a large, polished black desk, bookshelves just behind, framing it. Movement caught my eye, drawing it away from the magnificent piece of furniture. Derek sat directly to the right of the desk that took up half the room. He was sitting quietly, as usual, in a gray waiting room chair with his ankle across his knee, hands folded tightly in his lap.
"It's Connors, by the way." I corrected Mount Everest.
Before I could get to a seat, a woman came into the room, flanked by two large male guards. She had short, crew-cut, spiky red hair, and stormy blue eyes. They were hard and critical of our every move. She had short stature, maybe 5'3, but she was in better shape than I was. Her face was caked with makeup, blue eye shadow, and liner. Very bold. She held herself well, with an erect posture, stiff walk, and stern features. I had a feeling a bomb could explode at her feet and not phase her. She had an almost constant crease between her eyes and high cheekbones. She was beautiful for an older woman but scary.
"I think I know a Davenport when I see one." The woman said as she took her seat behind the desk that she was much too small for. She had a steely tone. Sharp. "Thank you, Dak, that will be all." She spoke past me, but her eyes locked on mine.
Creepy.
Mount Everest turned and closed the door behind him. I had been expecting a man, due to the name tag. Chris Davenport.
"Short for Christine." She followed my eyes to the name on the desk. I quietly cleared my throat.
"So... you're my Moth-"
"Grandmother." She cut me off. "Scarlett, yes?"
"You would know." Grandma.
Derek shifted uncomfortably.
"Actually, I wouldn't." She cocked her head to the side. "Your Mother wouldn't let me know you. She didn't want you around what I do." She said tightly. "But look where we meet." Ironic. Derek gave me a look, 'You need me here for this?'
I didn't know why he was here. Chris observed our glances and brought her hands from her lap to the desktop, clasping them together and leaning on her forearms closer to us.
"I didn't bring you here to catch up." She made eye contact with each of us before proceeding. "I found myself quite impressed by what you accomplished at Monroe Hudson."
"We didn't accomplish anything," Derek spoke up.
I shot a look at him.
"You adapted. Quickly. Became efficient killers."
Isn't that what every parent dreams of? Efficient killers.
"We did what we had to do." I made a settling motion with my hand to Derek, giving him an "easy" look. He was ready to jump up out of his seat. He rolled his lips in until they turned white.
"Nevertheless. I need good soldiers on my team." We remained quiet. Did we want to get into a war? Hadn't we had enough? Yes, I wanted to get those people out of Monroe Hudson, but fight a war? I didn't want to be a soldier.
"I need to speak to Derek." I tried not to give anything away. "Alone, please."
"I see." She looked down briefly. She nodded at the two men guarding the door. One stepped aside, while the other opened it, still staring straight ahead like a statue.
I jerked my head at Derek, and he followed me out the door.
The second the door closed, he spoke up.
"We almost died trying to escape one battle; now you want to be on the front lines of a war?" He whisper shouted, eyes sternly locked onto mine like he wouldn't have it. "We have the option to be civilians,"
"They don't." I pointed in gesture. "What about them? Whose giving them a choice?"
"That isn't our problem anymore. Let the real soldiers handle it."
I looked at him in disgust.
"What happened to you? You wanted to save those people once. They were your people. But now that you're free fuck them, right?"
"You know that's not what I meant." He shook a finger at me. Eyes blazing. "You're ready to drop everything and grab a bulletproof vest? We know just how well those work." Insert eye-roll. "What about Tyler? Charlie? Max? What about our people?"
"I'm not enlisting them!" I whisper shouted in outrage. I looked away and took a breath. "I'll do this by myself."
I turned and started back towards the door. I heard Derek's strangled noise of frustration, and he grabbed my arm. He was quiet for a moment. Like he'd rather be doing anything else.
"After the Monroe Hudson... we're done. Understood?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Okay."
"Okay." We turned and headed back into the Chancellor's office.
