Wild Side [h.s au]

Chapter 43

Harry

I find it surprising how relaxed I am. I thought I would be having a fit and imagine worst case scenarios like I usually do in these situations, but none of it came true. It might be because I'm confident enough in this plan, it's something I've been working very hard on, and I had Elena to help me. She has played an important role in all of this, especially in helping me build up my confidence.

But now that I look at her, someone who is usually the one who has everything figured out and is completely calm and tactic, I'm wondering if I should get worried. Elena looks like she's about to have a panic attack. She's hiding it very well, I admit, but I know her well enough to be able to tell that. She's constantly wiping her palms against her uniform, shaking her knee nervously, and glancing at me from time to time, only to quickly look away when I look at her. Our earlier conversation today might have contributed to her current mood and I begin replaying it in my head, searching for some kind of clue.

"Harry?" Elena said quietly as everyone left the conference room, her bottom lip between her teeth as she gazed at me with some kind of indecisiveness.

"What is it?" I immediately asked, hoping she would finally clarify what's been on her mind for so long, making her distance herself from everyone, from me.

"Remember how I told you I know for certain Wildfire is functioning?" She asked, making me nod, a small frown drawing my eyebrows together as I concentrated on her next words. "My uncle was the one to teach me all I know, including the fact Wildfire is anything but done with this war. He used to spend hours observing the enemies and collecting data, which only brought Vortex more victories and made the base what it is today. He made sure to give me lessons every day so when I take his place one day, I can continue his work. That's how I know so much about each base, including Wildfire."

"Their current leader might be working on something big, destroying anyone who is against them and ultimately win. That's why it's important for us to get on their good side, not only to defeat Vortex but to ensure your- our survival. I'm sure something will have to be sacrificed in order for that to happen."

"I understand, but why are you telling me all this now?" I couldn't help but worry, especially since she had waited until the last moment to reveal all this.

"I haven't told you anything before because I needed you to trust me first, Harry, and with all that mess about Alex and I being traitors, I was afraid of your reaction. Besides, if you'd known the risk before, you wouldn't have said yes to this so easily. I have a feeling that's the reason David had been so against this deal, but we have no other choice. Now it seems like a good time to prepare you for what might be there," she explained. "I just want you to be careful with who you trust and don't just accept their offers without thinking about consequences. We might be the ones inferior to them in a way, but they don't need to know that."

I nodded, taking a few moments to analyse her each word. "There's no need to worry, I don't give my trust easily, besides I have you to help me decide. I wouldn't want anyone else to be by my side."

She smiled, but I noticed a flash of some kind of emotion just before the smile. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?" I inquired, searching her face and paying attention to her body language.

"We just wanted to be free," Elena said, confusing me completely. "Alex and I. When we escaped Vortex, that's all we wanted. We wanted to be away from all this, from death and pain, and this destruction around us. I would manage to survive in Vortex, all that gruesome acts of violence and innocence being taken away from children. Maybe I'm like those people in a way, it's what they made me be; cold, selfish in a way. But not Alex, not my brother. I couldn't watch him die a little every time he had to take away a life or watch as others die. No, he didn't deserve that life."