Outside The Box

Part Two Chapter Eight: Uncertainty

       "Wait," I said, standing up from my chair also, "what would have happened if Renfrew never opened the bunker?"

       He watched me for a moment before he shrugged. "Beats me. Everyone most likely would have starved to death and the world would have been rid of the Infected problem before it even happened, but with Renfrew... Curiosity did kill the cat," He said before leaving.

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May 22nd, 2090- 18:30 PM.
Regina McAdams.

       "What the hell happened back there?" Bex asked me as we entered my bedroom identical to the other rooms in this dungeon of a base.

       I flopped onto the cot with a sigh. "I have to admit, I am kind of tired of everybody lying to me," I started, twiddling my thumbs over my chest. "I just don't know who to believe or trust now considering they could be not telling me the truth or plotting my demise."

       "You're still going on about that?" Bex asked, taking a seat on the bed next to me. "If you're that concerned about one of the higher ups wanting you dead, then just leave." They folded their arms over their chest.

       I propped myself up on my elbows and glared at Bex through my sunglasses. "And go to do what exactly? Go back to my narcissistic husband who only wants me to be a housewife all day? Where would I go? Once I leave, nothing stops some random ass person from slitting my throat in the streets. At least here I have some sort of protection due to my status."

       "So, you'd rather have your superior be the one to kill you, got it," Bex put bluntly, glaring back.

       I sat up properly to face them. "That's not what I meant-" I went to say, but got cut off.

       Bex exploded on me. "Then what do you want, Reggie? You're concerned about be fucking murdered, but to leave the military? Whoops! That's a much worser fate than losing your fucking life!"

       "Bex...-"

       "You gave me shit for leaving the military and abandoning you, but how do you think I felt when I heard you'd rather die in the military than possibly run away without that fear? It's bullshit, Reggie, and I'll be damned if you died on me!" Bex stopped to catch their breath before rambling on again with their finger pointed at my chest. "The tape gave us a way out! If we tagged along with Joss and Xavier to that stupid bunker, then we could just run away from everything and start over in Renfrew without the influence of the military. Doesn't that sound nice? Just us against the world!"

       I stared into Bex's eyes, who still bore into my skin. This was somebody that left everything behind with the military and swore to never return- only to come back because of me and only me. All of their previous actions claimed to have been everything about Joss, but those words they just told me made me rethink every interaction since the meeting in Banes Point five years ago. I frowned. Everything was about me from the beginning.

       Bex slowly reached for my sunglasses and a part of me didn't resist for a split second, however I moved out of reach anyway. "Hypothetically, if I never existed; why would you still follow Joss even though you don't believe the recording?" I asked, finally.

       They chuckled, retracting their arm to their lap. "That sounds like a 'would you still love me if I was a worm' question," They turned away and looked at the desk at the far end of the wall, dust collected on top from lack of use. "But I will follow her because she's like a daughter to me. I worry about her even if I may not show it- don't you dare tell her I told you that. However, she's family to me and I would do anything for her even if I think she's stupid for believing in something as unsubstantial as a recording her dead mom left years ago."