Chapter 9

Chapter 9

               “I thought you just needed like a vial or something,” Sloane said as the third cylinder was filled with the thick red liquid. How much of his blood did they need? Certainly not more than he actually needed.

               “Come on, tough guy, you can handle this,” Dr. Torrow smiled, he always smiled, it was creepy. He never looked unhappy, while on the opposite side of the spectrum Dr. Meridion never looked happy.

               “I didn’t say I couldn’t, I’m just wondering why you need four vials of blood,” Sloane said.

               “Six, actually,” Dr. Torrow said.

               On the other side of Sloane Jacen was having his blood drawn by Dr. Meridion. Jacen was not complaining, of course, but he did not look happy with the amount of blood being drawn from him. He was grimacing, not from pain, at least Sloane did not think it was from pain, just from the actual act of things that were happening.

               Rafe was in the room reading a book in the corner. He seemed to be ignoring them all but Sloane knew better. That man did not miss anything, and was also keeping Sloane and Jacen under control in case they decided to put up a fight. Sloane was not sure why he would fighting giving blood, except that he thought the amount they were taking was excessive. He was under no illusion that this was for records only. Dr. Torrow and Dr. Meridion were more than just testing people’s abilities.

               The door in the back of the room opened, causing everyone to glance towards it. Sloane was surprised to see David standing in the doorway, a black and silver uniform on his person, a black cap on his head, slightly shadowing the ruined side of his face, though it did not hide it. The last time Sloane had seen David he had been cold and indifferent, but right now David looked anything but.

               “David,” Dr. Torrow said, “I was not expecting you quite so soon.”

               “I’m not here picking up the package,” David said. “I actually came for Sloane and I was told he was here.”

               Rafe put down his book. “What do you need, David?” The words were unkind, and Rafe had taken the position of coldness that David had before.

               “I need Sloane, I thought I just said that,” David snapped at Rafe.

               “For what purpose?” Rafe asked. “He is under my command currently, anything you need him for needs to go through me.”

               “I am inviting him to come along with me on a trip,” David said. Rafe simply raised an eyebrow. “Ellie has been kidnapped from the soldiers who were taking her home. I would like Sloane to accompany me to find her.”

               Rafe’s face fell for a moment and real concern showed on it. “What do you mean she was kidnapped?”

               “I had two soldiers go and make sure she arrived safely,” David explained, “and they came upon the carriage, the soldiers who had been inside of it completely bloodied. They do not know who took her, but I have been given permission to go and find her.”

               “Why take Sloane?” Rafe asked.

               “I am an awful shot,” David said, and waved his hand in the general direction of the shadows on his face. “If I need to defend, I can not.”

               “Why Sloane?” Rafe asked again. “You have soldiers at your command from the president’s manor. Sloane is untrained, and if you tell me just because he has a stake in this as well I will immediately say no. That’s a good reason not to go.”

               “You’re kidding me, right?” Sloane asked. Dr. Torrow pulled the needle slowly from his arm, having filled all six vials, and gave him a piece of gauze to put over the wound the needle had made. Sloane pressed against the gauze but had not taken his eyes from Rafe. “Ellie is my best friend, leaving her to Gods knows what out there would be wrong.”

               “I agree, which is why you should not be the one to find her,” Rafe said. “To be fair, I do not think David should be going either, but I have no command over David.”

               “Why would someone kidnap Ellie?” Jacen asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”

               “To get at me,” David said. “I am sure this is a personal agenda.”

               “What makes you so important?” Sloane asked. He meant no offense to it, he simply wanted to know why David would be worth that much to anyone.

               “I am working closely with the president,” David said, “I have a lot of enemies right now, including people within my own compound.” David and Rafe were glaring at one another, the air in the room thick with the tension between the two of them.

               “Do you have any leads?” Jacen asked of David.

               “I have an idea of where they went, the soldiers had picked up on a few clues. The longer I wait, the longer those clues go cold.”

               “And you should find her,” Rafe agreed. “But you are not taking Sloane. I will not state my argument again.”

               “You will seriously leave her out there to suffer because you are unwilling to let him leave?” David asked.

               “Bring Loqi,” Rafe said. “I am sure that he would love an opportunity to help you out in a revenge chase.”

               “You are not sending that madman after Ellie,” Sloane snapped.

               “I am not sending you, either,” Rafe said. “You will stay put. David, I am sorry about your sister, and I do hope you find her, but you will have to do it with someone else’s help.”

               Sloane jumped off the table and slammed his way through the back door David had entered, stomping all of the way to his barracks.