Back to HQ Claire POV & Bai Georgi’s POV (4)

-Claire POV-

While they were driving back to Headquarters Claire was stunned. She thought Bai Georgi would stick close to her. However, she was still on the same car going "home" as the car she arrived in. Which was not Bai Georgi's car.

"Why she thought he should have been comforting me?' "Maybe the loss has hit him hard? It was after all his younger brother?" That's most likely the case! That's great I can use that to my advantage later. Besides the Bravika's were closing in on us. We had to move and move fast, which was also to my benefit otherwise they might have found out that Bai Lang was still alive! If he could survive under those zombies and honestly Claire doubted it. Bai Lang should have died when Paradise started. This is how Claire reassured herself repeatedly that everything was still going to plan.

She looked outside her car window. Two years since the start of Paradise. I cannot believe the world changed this much she thought, but it isn't all bad. I can spend a lot of time with Georgi and in a peaceful world I might never have been able to get rid of the label future sister-in-law. This label would also prevent her to ever be able to be with Bai Georgi. Now with Bai Lang out of the picture the obstacle to her and Bai Georgi's future was finally gone.

During the time she spent deep in thought she never forgot to keep showing a sad expression. Bertrum whom couldn't stand it grasped her hand. "Don't be sad" Bertrum said. "Bai Lang was never the right fit for you anyway, I told you this before" Bertrum continued.

Claire was exasperated. Bertrum was interested in her she has always known. Bertrum had asked her before if she was really happy with her engagement. Bertrum explained that the world had changed and that nobody would fault her for breaking of an engagement between the two families. After all the world had changed drastically.

However, this wasn't what Claire wanted. If she broke of the engagement for that reason Georgi would never look at her twice. Because she knew he was only courteous to her because of their family ties.

In another parallel time and space in which she hadn't met Georgi she might have agreed. After all, Bertrum was also well known in the military. Besides he was quite handsome as well. Compared to Georgi however he just fell short. So, no matter how much Bertrum liked her she couldn't reciprocate.

Arriving at the base they quickly drove inside and closed the window. "Here it is" Claire thought my time to shine. However as soon as she got out of the car, she heard Georgi's command to check the generator and saw him walking away. "How can this happen she thought?" She looked stunned for a second before she remembered she was in a crowed place and therefore quickly covered up her expression. She couldn't fail now she had to continue with her plans this was her one and only chance to get to Georgi.

She saw Kai follow Georgi and understanding dawned on her. They would probably sit down to discuss what is going to happen next. Georgi might just be feeling vulnerable. She wished she could be there to comfort him. Georgi however had given orders and also, she need to follow them.

Claire understood why Georgi walked away or at least she thought she understood. She figured Bai Georgi wanted to maintain his majesty in the squad and showing sadness would tarnish the majesty he had built. Especially so since the squad deemed Bai Lang useless. Therefore, Bai Georgi wouldn't be able to show that vulnerability. So, Georgi was most likely just taking some time for himself to get himself together. "Good" Claire thought "everything is going as planned!" It has a bit of a deviation but I'm sure it will be fine. This way Claire was able to calm her thoughts and went to do the task the commander had assigned to them.

-Georgi POV-

Horrus Kai sat down across from Bai Georgi. Kai had a difficulty comprehending what was going on. Was his commander distraught? Kai never had seen his commander distraught; it didn't matter how difficult the situation was which Bai Georgi was facing.

Bai Georgi always found a way through whichever obstacle was in front of him. Even when Paradise started Bai Georgi seemed to have a plan and seemed to have everything under his control. Bai Georgi had so much control over the changes that if someone had told him that Bai Georgi knew in advance that Paradise was on its way before it even started that Kai would have believed it.

However now sitting across from his commander he could almost feel and touch the desperation and desolation which seemed to hang around Bai Georgi. This entire scenario was new to Kai, he never expected to see his commander so lost. Therefore, he didn't know what to do and all he could do was wait and see what his commander would say.

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Then Bai Georgi looked up at Kai and asked what was on his mind. "Kai was I really that much of a failure as a brother?" "Why do you ask?" Kai responded; he couldn't fathom what had happened for Bai Georgi to come to this conclusion. "Do you know what my parents' response was to have my little brother die on my watch was?" Bai Georgi asked.

"No" Kai responded "Your parents are both from the military life so I assume they are used to losing people especially in a world where humanity was lost, but it's still their son so it must have hurt them. Even though your parents rationally know that Paradise changed everything it would be hard for them to accept losing their youngest son. So, whatever they might have said too you they wouldn't have meant it that way". "So don't take it to heart Bai Georgi, your parents will come around and understand it wasn't your fault".

That did it. Bai Georgi burst out in a hollow and despairing laugh. Which made chills run down Kai's spine. "Hahaha hurt by the loss of their youngest child. Hurt they weren't hurt at all. They reacted like they never expected anything different. They talked about it like they were talking about the weather or about what to have for dinner."

Kai looked stunned. He knew Bai Lang, not well since Bai Lang never seemed to want to talk to the people around him, which included Kai. However, he knew Bai Lang well enough to know that Bai Lang was a genius. Besides being incredibly smart Bai Lang was also a very kind man. Kai also saw how hard Bai Lang worked to make everyone's life easier in the team, without ever worrying about getting recognition from those around him. Even when Bai Lang was looked at with disappointment and scorn, he didn't seem to care so they let it be. How could parents not grieve over losing such a bright light?

And then it clicked for Kai. The reason Bai Lang didn't react to the scorn and disappointment which he could see in other's eyes. Why he didn't strive for recognition and why he didn't socialize with the group. If his parents really didn't grieve over Bai Lang's death, it would explain all of those things. Bai Lang would have been used to being looked at with disappointment and scorn his entire life growing up, he would never have expected to be commended for his contributions because he never had been. He also wouldn't socialize, because he would have learned since young that people didn't really want to get to know him.

Kai could now understand the feelings which clanged so closely too Bai Georgi ever since walking in the room. So that's why they lost a genius which could and did help them weather Paradise. If Bai Lang wouldn't have been there a lot of the people who still were alive now would have been dead, but people never realized it. Everyone just thought that Bai Lang was death weight which they had to drag around with them since he was their commander's younger brother and since some other team members had a 'useless' family member as well they had to tolerate Bai Lang's existence too.

The feeling which only hung around Bai Georgi before hung around Kai now as well. Losing such a genius for such stupidity. If only they could have. .... Let's not think about that, if only after all wouldn't change anything. Kai now just had to focus on Bai Georgi and what his next course of action would be. They already lost such a bright light they couldn't lose Bai Georgi to his grief.