Nexus [COMPLETE]

42. Winston

August 2013

"There's a problem," Hazel informed us the next day. We stood in the middle of the crowded gym, surrounded by vampires, slayers, and enhanced humans who were pretending to mingle far too eagerly. I was reeling. This was supposed to be our secret meeting?

"How many people did you tell?" I snapped at Domare's grandmother.

She shrugged. "I told a few, who told a few, who told a few - get my drift?"

"And Michael?" Domare inquired, standing at my side. We were fresh off of the elevator watch and still dressed in our regulation desert tans.

Hazel glowered. "Missing."

"Missing?" I spat."How could that be possible?"

"I don't know," she snarled. "Even Tierren has not seen him, and he has not shown up at any of his posts since he attacked my Grandson."

"Tierren is here," Domare pointed out, noticing the vampire across the room.

"Well, we can't leave everyone to fester, but how can we hold a secret meeting if half of Pluto is in attendance?" I asked frantically, less concerned with Tierren than I probably should have been.

"Are you so selfish as to believe that others would not want out of here?" Hazel argued. "You are not the only one who begs the right to leave."

"Someone's going to notice!" I protested.

"I informed the CO of Pluto that there was a large gathering today in the gym - a social event."

"This isn't a High School Dance, Hazel!"

"Regardless," Domare interrupted, "this is our rebellion. Let's not leave them waiting."

"How do we know that we can trust all of these people?"

"Those that control Pluto are all Lieutenants," Hazel confirmed. "I am the only one present."

"So let us plot," Domare insisted. "It's literally half of Pluto's inhabitants. If we're caught, then the punishment will affect everyone. What more can they do to us, really?"

"A lot more," I whispered worriedly. I clearly recalled the training I received in bootcamp. "People are monsters, Domare."

"I know," he replied, "but this cannot wait. The damage is done. It's time to take advantage of our captors' complacency."

"Complacency which we afforded them," Hazel added.

Domare's eyes held my own and I crumbled. "Get everyone on the bleachers," I instructed, "and close the doors. Put guards on them, too. Trusted ones."

Grandmother and grandson nodded in unison and moved away to carry out my instructions. Here I stood commanding purebloods and far too many of Pluto's higher ranking than I knew what to do with.

Isn't leadership the core of all that military training? Domare asked.

Yes, but it's highly unusual for someone so new to this sort of thing to have to command a rebellion. Do you know that we'll be fugitives if we get out? I'm trading a life of morality for a life in the dark.

Well, join us in the dark, my Winny. Many of us do not have a choice. Neither, for that matter, do you.

I closed my eyes. "Not anymore," I whispered.

It took mere minutes to situate everyone on the bleachers and post guards at the single set of double doors.

I chose Brucker and Clarice, Domare explained.