Octagon Project 1: Melody Halloway

~-11-~

"You okay?" He asked. She didn't respond.

"Did you do that to that person?" Nina asked, stepping forward. Mel stood straighter and turned to leave.

"I'm going to go wash up." She said emotionlessly, walking off toward the bathroom where Dean just came out of, stepping out of Mel's way the moment he saw her.

"Dude, I might kill for a living, but that's some gory shit." He said shaking his head, pointing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction Mel disappeared. Nina turned pale.

"Y-you do what?" She asked timidly. Zack sighed.

"I'm guessing nobody gave the orientation?" He asked, lowering his head and glaring over at Roy who rose his shoulders and dropped them heavily.

"Just the basics?" He answered in a slightly high pitched voice. It sounded more like a question than an answer and Zack sighed, grumbling inaudible threats. Sitting Nina down on the couch next to him, he gave her the breakdown like it was engraved into his mind after the number of times he'd had to say the same words to different people. What he wanted to know was why she didn't have a normal orientation. Was she just brought straight here? Nina held her hands over her face and shook her head side to side.

"I didn't ask for this..." She sobbed into her hands.

"Well Nina, you're free to walk out whenever you want, but I can't guarantee that you won't be shot. " Zack told her. She looked at him with wide eyes and he shrugged. "You know about us now. Therefore you're a liability to the organization."

Nina looked up at where Mel stood silently, leaning on the corner of the wall where the hall and living room connected with her arms crossed. She felt better now that she was rid of all the blood, but couldn't get all of it out from under her fingernails. Her damp hair was draped over her shoulder as she stood there in lazy navy sweats and a tank top. Zack and Roy both eyed her, aware of each other as the lighting defined more of her muscle. No one had heard her come in, but they've gotten used to stealth. All of them were like that for the most part. But Mel most of all. Nina thought of the Melody she saw when the two random men dragged out that body. She hadn't answered her question, but mostly because it was plainly obvious. The Melody she met in seventh grade wouldn't hurt someone unless she had to. And now she's going off and murdering and torturing people because some man behind a desk with profiles tells her to. She knew for a fact that it was not something she wanted to become. But it didn't look like she had much of a choice in the matter.

"Will I ever get to go home?" Nina asked shakily.

"After what happens here, you won't want to go home," Roy said, sitting down in his favorite cushioned chair nearest the window by the door. "But even with that said, no. You can't go home." Nina looked down at her hands in her lap. As welcoming as the first two boys had been, this crew was stone cold and just downright heartless. Especially after seeing what her old best friend is capable of.

"Do you guys have to be so darn blatant?" Dean asked from where he leaned against the wall. Roy shot him a look and Mel rolled her eyes.

"Unless you know how to make assassinations sound pleasing after what just happened earlier, you can shut up. " Zack said fiercely. Dean cocked an eyebrow. What's gotten into him lately? Sometimes he'd come out of his room looking completely stoned, and other times, he was a few seconds away from pulling a Mel. At least, the Mel that they just saw a couple of hours ago. He had certainly underestimated her capabilities. That much was for sure, and he was definitely going to be more cautious in the future.

"Zack." Mel said shortly. He looked up at her and she cocked her head in the direction of her room where she then disappeared into, expecting him to follow. Zack looked over at Roy with a worried expression and followed after. Dean took his place on the couch and tried to comfort Nina the best he could as Roy walked into the kitchen and cleaned up the bloody knife Mel left on the counter.

When Zack closed the door behind him, he was startled when he turned around as Mel wrapped her arms around him with her head pressed against his chest, seeking comfort. Slowly, he moved his arms to hug her back. She wasn't crying and he didn't blame her. After doing what she did, you become so numb, it's just about impossible to feel anything for some time after. But he had a feeling she'd recover sooner than most. As she slowly pulled away, she pulled her arms tightly around her and refused to look at Zack for fear that he saw her as weak.

"What am I becoming?" She asked him, her voice light, quiet, and afraid. Zack sighed and dropped his shoulders. A monster, a puppet, the agent McHall was going to endless lines to turn her into, his thoughts ran through a long list before he shook his head.

"You're not becoming anything." He told her.

"You don't believe that." She said with a little more bite returning to her words. Zack moved his hair out of his eyes and sat down on her bed, patting for her to sit next to him. She muttered words under her breath which caused Zack to stiffen.

"Mel, everyone has a monster inside of them. Some never get woken up, while others practically take control of their lives." He told her.

"Is that what's happening to me?" She asked, sounding so broken, she was almost like a little girl.

"No," Zack said sternly, making her look at him. He was shocked at his own motive to even touch her. She was so fragile at the moment it was like she would fall into a million pieces; like sand through his fingers. "Mel, you're just strong. Sometimes too strong for your own capabilities to handle. But you're not a monster." Mel looked away, knowing that he was just trying to be nice despite the thoughts she knew for a fact he had. It was written all over his face when she came in from her interrogating. She was going dark. She could feel it deep in her gut and she also knew that there was nothing she could do about it. Taking a deep breath, she sat up straighter and shot Zack a look. He was shocked at the sudden change.

"Don't tell anybody about this." She warned him. He held up his hands in an innocent gesture.

"My lips are sealed." Zack told her, getting up and giving one last look at Mel who began to vigorously brush her hair before leaving. That Mel he just saw was completely different from the one he saw out in the field. Was there a part of her from four years ago, before she was kidnapped by Steele, and before her recruiting into the Octagon that was still in there? An old part of her that she had either forgotten or neglected?

"How is she?" Roy asked, standing up with his shoulders raised and hands in his pockets. Zack shrugged.

"Like talking to a wall, but she's recovering faster than I had expected." Zack answered and Roy nodded in understanding.

"That's Mel for ya." He exhaled deeply, looking at her closed room door. "I'm just surprised she kept it up for the two hours until she got something." He said quietly, looking at the ground and shaking his head.

"There was something she muttered." Zack said, looking thoughtful. "I don't know if I was supposed to hear it or not, but she said that he broke in the first half-hour. " Zack said, his voice cracking the slightest.

"Dude..." Roy put his hands on the top of his head and sucked up as much air as he could, suddenly feeling like he couldn't breathe. "We're losing her..." He muttered.

"Don't underestimate her. " Zack said, although knowing that Roy was probably right as he thought about how damaged Mel was back in her room. She's falling apart.