Chapter 13

In a world of cruelty, kindness should be treasured. Despite this, the truth of the world will massacre what we value.

Briefing: Month 2

"We heard there was a complication?"

I roll my eyes "I believe you are exaggerating a bit there."

Devlin rose a brow, standing from behind her desk. After Harry's continuous interjections from our last briefing, the she-devil made the executive decision to meet one on one with me instead. "That's not what was brought to my attention by Dr. Palvo, she has had quite a bit to say about you and your methods the past month."

I lean over on her desk and chuckle "Yes well I did tell you that she would be a problem, now didn't I?"

Devlin glares "Just explain yourself"

***

"What color is my shadow?"

I smile at the little girl across from me, throwing her tiny fists at my hands. "You mean a shade," I say laughing "It's kind of like a shadow. Instead of you and the sun making the shadow, it's just you." Darla stops, tilting her head to the side "So what color am I?"

I slump down, sitting on the floor as I look up at the adorable blue-eyed little girl. I squint my eyes dramatically and gently grab her face, tilting it back and forth as if I were trying to see something. I finally stop as she falls into a giggle fit. I smile sadly, Bey would laugh the same way when I chased her around in the rain at home.

"Well, people have a lot of colors in their shades actually." I smile "Yours is the color of snow during the Frost" She squints "What's the Frost?" I laugh "I suppose you would call it Winter here. At least that's what they say in the Old world."

"It's the best, prettiest color of white there is, then around that is a light shade of pink rose. The white means that you can be good, hopeful, and still have your innocence. The pink means that when you will grow into a warm and kind person." I smile "You will into a wonderful woman"

She smiles brightly, her cheeks turning as rosy as her shade. "Now," I say ruffling her hair "let's get back to it!" She laughs and begins throwing punches at me.

"What the hell is going on here?"

***

I look up at Devlin, already annoyed "I didn't do anything wrong; I was merely doing what you all won't. I'm teaching that little girl to protect herself. If you do end up moving everyone here to the Outside, then they need to know how to survive."

Devlin sits with a sigh, her composure only cracking momentarily "Yes we are aware, continue"

I huff but go on...

***

We both stop and look up at the angry woman "Hi Auntie Riley! Ayle's teaching me how to punch things!" I squeeze my lips together, trying to contain the laugh bubbling up. Riley's expression is enough to easily make my great mood disappear. "Darla, go home. Nana's waiting at home with dinner"

"But Auntie-"

"Darla now"

I stand up with a huff of annoyance "What's wrong this time oh so righteous one?"

I can tell by her face, she's not amused, rolling my eyes I concede "Fine, what did I do this time?" She glares "Oh I don't know; you're teaching my seven-year-old how to punch someone out. I'm guessing killing them with a spoon is next on the table."

I snort "Oh my Ancestors-"

She raises a brow "Am I wrong?" I shake my head, trying to understand her "Bey was learning self-defense at this age, I don't see why Darla shouldn't be." Riley's face tightens as if she's trying to hold back "Bey was raised on the Outside, Darla is being raised in the safety of the compound. There's a difference." I throw up my arms "Isn't the point of this 'operation' to teach the lot of you about living on the Outside?! Isn't that what the main goal is?"

"The 'lot' of us doesn't include Darla!"

I roll my eyes "It will if you survive the trip back and it probably will even if you don't"

"I'm making it back"

"You won't if you don't know how to fight off an attacker"

"You are such a-" She clenches her fists and closes her eyes, taking deep breaths. After a good few seconds, she looks down at me saying "We're getting off-topic, the point is I want Darla to have a childhood. I don't want her learning to fight until she has to and you aren't going to teach her"

"By the time she has to learn, it will be too late. I am doing this for her best interest, you may not want to survive but that doesn't mean your child doesn't have to" I grit out

Her eyes flare "I will do what is in my niece's best interest and that does not involve you teaching her anything! You said Bey started learning at her age? How well did that work out for her!"

It was like time stopped as what she had just said hit her. Her eyes widened as her lips moved a mile a minute in what I assumed was an apology. It didn't matter though; I was done with her.

***

"So you gave her an ultimatum"

I look up at Devlin as if realizing just now that she was there "I suppose so"

She cocked her thin line of a brow "Telling her that she's not welcome unless she brings Darla would be an ultimatum." I shrugged "That wasn't exactly how I phrased it" Devlin rolled her eyes "Oh yes, 'You're not welcome until you value you and your family's survival' ie bringing Darla and teaching them both to fight is much different. Has much more flare." I scoff, "It worked didn't it"

"It wasn't your right"

"It wasn't yours either and yet they only came a week later because you threatened them." Devlin went still "As you said, we are not prepared for the Outside. Soon we will be joining it. Safety and innocence will soon be a luxury we don't have.