The fallen
It was the next day. All of them had stayed inside the hideout for the night. Tally, Bells and Abigail with Adil in one room and Scylla, Libba and Grey in the other room. Not wanting to be away from each other. All deeply concerned for Raelle and Toot. It hasn’t even been a week since it seems they came home. And just over a day since Raelle was moved out of the infirmary.
Outside of those two, Libba and Tally haven't spoken much since the day before. Which everyone understands. Both of us are dealing with a lot. But as a group it has helped them.
They all slowly get ready for the day, the memorial of the fallen at Fort Salem Airport and town. Was going to be around noon. All might attend. It was also the first time ever that civilians were allowed access to the fort itself.
******
General Stone walks into Alder's office, this time, Kelly wasn’t in the room. It was just Alder and her biddies. She closed the door behind her.
“I know you are busy, but I would like to inform you. Of my finding”
General Alder said nothing allowing her to carry on.
“She had potential, I would like to be her commanding officer and train her more, better. And with this new threat, this thing is called the Company. We need to think about reopening downstairs. And training. But this time, test candidates like your biddies”
“I guess, you what to train, Quartermain and have in change of this”
“Yes”
“You have my full support to carry on”
With a firm nod Stone was about to leave the office when Alder spoke again.
“Raelle is with Izadora by the way”
With a small smile, “i know General”
Alder laughed at that, “your sight is powerful, but i know other that maybe more so”
“Tally is gifted, but the pain of something will affect her and her direction. I recommend counselling after any, and do mean any mission and conflict she has. I also think spending time with you or other high ranking officers will help.”
“It want way will that help”
“As a cadet, diving blindly isn’t a good thing for anyone. Having a mentor will help her greatly. With understand, secret keeping and understand loss”
“I will speak with her once again, on this matter. I do have someone in mind, for training”
“That guy”
“Can’t say his name” she said with a raised brow.
“People like him, that hurt young people that can’t defend himself, don’t deserve a name” she locked eyes with Alder.
“Good, he will be brought down there, at some point this morning” looking away and starting with some paperwork that was on her desk. It was her saying, you can leave now, without saying it. The one big thing she never mastered, but right now she couldn’t say and observe her.
“Understood” and with a quick nod she left the office.
Alder smiles to herself, Margaret moves close to her.
“This is good right” referencing Anacostia being under stone command.
“Yes, Margaret, this is good. My daughter's skills are going to improve and maybe finally found that thing that she's been missing since her parents death, plus this candidate I have in mind. We all want to place our two pence in”
Margaret placed her hand on her shoulder, a silence thank you.
There was a soft knock on the door.
The person she was waiting for when Stone entered the room. Margaret all moved away from Alder, this wasn’t going to be pleasant.
“Enter” she called out.
The door opened up and with two officers pulled in Mr Swythe as of yesterday was know longer a military man. He was about to sit down but was quickly stopped.
“This isn’t going to be a long conversation,” Alder stated.
“I have checked over your file, this morning. It is only a small amount of everything you have done. Your actions are filth. And so, I thought removing your rank would be enough. I was wrong.”
“Please give me other change”
“You attacked a cadet.” she yelled while standing tall above him.
“Don’t send me to prison, please”
“Oh, you're not going to prison, we have reopened the basement training. A new threat has come to light, and we might be prepared for everything. All traitors will have a round, until we find out everything they have done. Your crimes will come out, General Stone will make sure of that. Sargent Anacostia Quartermain will meet you down there. Dismissed”
He got pulled out of the room, he knew this was worse than prison. She wasn’t phased at all, this filth had to be punished. There quickly slept him and dragged him out.
*****
The sun was above them all, on this Memorial day. Everyone gathered around the military in their bright blue uniforms. The civilians in their best dressed clothes. Most if not all of the Civilians are the families of the fallen people from the attack. That rocked the world.
Alder, Kelly, Petra Bellwether and Stone stood up on the stand, just behind them, Alder’s biddies. All of them showing a united front.
Stone, in a darker dress uniform. Stepping forward, the crowd of people is quiet.
“If you're aware I’m General Stone.
Today we gather to remember the dead that were sadly taken from us. Some sooner than we liked. There are not many words that can ever scratch the surface of how you feel. Action speaks louder than words I say.”
She pauses as she looks out at the sea of people that stood before her.
“We will rebuild, but will remember. The fallen, and I promise this will never happen again. And I know right now it's just words you are hearing. But with our new protocols and technology that will be added to all Airports that will prevent this crime from happening again. We have already taken down many of the members of the people behind this.
There is nothing I can say, to bring back the dead. There is nothing I can do, to really make this right. This shouldn’t have happened at all. And that I am deeply sorry, I am deeply regretful that we didn’t see it coming. But from today, with a new team. Our goal will be to prevent this from happening again”
Stone looked behind her at Kelly. Who with a firm nod, stepped forward.
“President Kelly Wade, will speak a few words” and with Stone step back in line with the rest of them. Petra could see Stone’s hand behind her shaking. Never been good at public speaking but she did great.
‘You did great’ she far speeches her.
With a side look from Stone, she gave her a tight smile before looking away and focusing on what Kelly was saying.
“This memorial will be the first of many around the United States. In every Fort, there will be a Memorial. All families that have lost family members and son’s and daughter’s to the army. Will be allowed access to the Forts.
Three stomps for the fallen” she yelled.
And in one loud deafening stampede, all the army personnel stomp their feet. There was no dry in sight.
****
The group had mingled with them. But after a few hours all of them had slowly drifted back to their hideout. All of them making sure know one was following them. All of them did not need to change as their other uniform was inside the hideout.
As they entered, Grey paused at the doorway. Making everyone walk into each other.
Hearing the door open, she turns around to face them all. Her eyes water greatly.
“Hay”
Grey couldn’t contain herself anymore and rushed forward, quickly followed by Libba. Both of them hugged their missing unit mate.
“We thought we lost you”
With a sad smile, “you have”
Everyone else walked in closing the door behind them. They all gathered around the room. Close to Toot.
“I lose my abilities to make sound, there sending me home”
Without thinking, “then I am coming with you” Grey said, holding her close.
“I can’t ask that of you”
“You're not, I love you, you're not going anywhere without me.”
Toots eyes water, which didn’t happen often.
Libba wanted to follow, but both of them knew. Her place was with this team, with Scylla and Raelle.
“So tell me what I missed,” Toot said, trying to lighten the mood of a heavy day.