virago|c.g.|

ix

As Glenn leaned back in his own seat, he watched her with curiosity. "How did it start?" It was the simplest question, but perhaps the hardest to answer as it had taken everything. "The group that tore apart my community, after they killed those on the run, they found us. They demanded we gave them half of our supplies and they would come every month to collect. I was Commander at the time, and I said no. None of my people wanted to, and I listened to them." Glenn watched as the girl shut her eyes for a moment, seeing her jaw clenched. Her eyes opened as quick as they had shut before she continued. "In order to get my compliance, the leader killed my sister. Bashed her brains in with a bat. I agreed then, scared they'd kill anyone else. And out of my grief, the Angel of Death was born." Clary looked away from Glenn, her eyes falling on the window as bright sunlight filtered through. She had never thought she'd share this part of her, but Glenn deserved to know. He protected her, and she would never be able to repay him for keeping her secret. Glenn watched her with sad eyes. "Did your people know?" She only shook her head. "Not at all. I didn't want them to know in case they saw me as a threat, and my Second was too angry and aggressive to be Commander. He would have driven us into the ground." She remembered the face of her Second, the image only of him with angered features. "But becoming the Angel of Death, towards the beginning it was to protect them from outer threats, but towards the end it became about protecting anyone that couldn't protect themselves. I'd go for days at a time, sometimes people found me and begged me for help, so I did. But my main mission was to kill those that took part in my sisters murder, and the murder of my people. And only one person was malicious enough to teach me how to be dangerous. My Second, Charles Micson."

Even saying his name, she could hear the distaste on her words. Charles Micson was ruthless, angry, the true embodiment of dangerous. Glenn raised his eyebrows in surprise. "He knew about you being the Angel of Death?" She nodded with a clenched jaw. "He's the reason I am the Angel of Death. He had intel that led me to kill those that I needed to kill. He hated me because I took the title of Commander from him, and he challenged me once but I defeated him." Remembering the man, she shook her head. "But he was an angry man, and he used force to get what he wanted. Because of that, he used my sisters death to push me to become a killer, so I did. He wasn't afraid to hurt me, and that's what made me strong. This scar on my face? It was from training I did when I first became Commander, from his blade." Glenn looked at the scar for a moment, thinking about a young Clarissa Dean with what would have been a tender flesh wound. "Did you ever regret it? Becoming the Angel of Death." Clary thought for a moment, knowing she probably should regret it. She knew that killing so many, she should regret it, but as she shook her head she knew it was the right decision. "Not at all." Looking to Glenn, she expected disappointment in his eyes, but she only saw intrigue, so she continued. "Becoming the Angel of Death, becoming the one thing that group feared? It gave me power." Clary thoughts wandered to the group before shrugging. "The posters came up about a three months after the group had killed my sister, but they didn't know my true face since I always wore a covering. That new page must have been posted around when Solaris fell. I think they figured out it was me and to get me, or to at least let me know they knew it was me, they destroyed Solaris."

Glenn went silent, his mind racing a mile a minute. She wondered what he was thinking, if he regretted his decision to protect her. He let out a sigh. "Thank you, for being honest." Clary only shrugged. "You deserved to know. And I fully understand if you believe I am too dangerous to keep around—" Glenn cut her off, his eyes wide. "What?" Clary met Glenn's eyes to see the look of confusion spread across his features. She was surprised as he smiled with disbelief scattered over his face. "I— I don't even consider you being dangerous." He brought the chair closer, looking at the girl with steady eyes. "You're a survivor, a fighter, but you did those things for the people you swore to protect. You fought for the people you loved and cared for. Everyone in my group has done that, the only difference is that you have a name for it." Glenn let out a soft sigh before he shook his head, standing up fork the chair before sitting on the bed with her. "I know you say you don't regret it, becoming the Angel of Death, but I think you hold some remorse. I think you hate the fact that there even had to be a reason for you to become her." He watched as the girl's eyes met his, hoping that she could just believe him. "But you're not just the Angel of Death. You're Clarissa Dean, a girl that I see as strong, a fighter." Clary looked at Glenn as his eyes softened, her mouth opening to speak until the sound of the door opening cut her off.

Unaware of what had been discussed in the room before her arrival, Deanna walked in with her camera and notepad in hand. "Clarissa, I'm sure Glenn told you about what I'm going to do?" The girl only nodded. "Yes." Deanna smiled, giving a curt nod as she faced the man. "Good, Glenn if you could leave, I'd rather it just be me and Clarissa." Glenn nodded, giving one look to the girl before departing as Deanna set up her camera. Pulling the chair to be besides it, she opened her notepad before clicking a button. "Clarissa Dean, can you please explain what happened last night?" Clarissa nodded before letting out a deep breath, staring at the camera. "Last night, you had a welcoming party for Rick's group. I saw it as an opportunity to escape." Deanna nodded. "And why did you choose to escape?" Clarissa clenched her jaw, speaking through her teeth as she lied. "I had already taken a great amount of your medical supplies, and I didn't want to be a burden. And I couldn't imagine staying here. It's an amazing community, a peaceful community, but I have lived in a world that was kill or be killed. I thought I would never belong."  Deanna pulled out a pen and wrote notes in the pad of paper on her hand. It took her a few moments before she faced the girl once more. "Nicholas kept saying you were dangerous. That there was a piece of paper that Glenn supposedly picked up. What was it?" Clary shrugged, keeping up with Glenn's story. "I saw it in a flash, he had shoved it in my face. From what I could see, it was the letter I had written to explain why I had left." Deanna nodded slowly, looking for any signs of a lie to appear on her face or in her words but there was none.

Turning off the camera, she nodded before turning away from the device and back to the girl on the bed. "I'm deeply sorry for what you had to go through because of Nicholas and he will be punished. And as for you, I hope I don't have to worry about you leave anytime soon." Clary on lunch shook her head, knowing the movement would be of little assurance. "Well, in order to be sure of it, Glenn and Maggie have offered to house you in their home. Rick has already agreed to it, so as soon as you have healed up you'll be staying with them." Clary clenched her jaw, knowing that to speak out against Deanna wouldn't be smart. Even then, she knew it was better at least to be with Glenn, who knew of her past, than with anyone afraid of her like one of Deanna's people. So, accepting the change, Clary nodded before Deanna departed. And then, the young girl was alone.