Everything Changes.

[chellemrys]

Cassidy shut his eyes for a brief second, controlling himself from turning around and breaking the engineer's nose in a rise of frustration and anger. Cas waited for the others to back him up, and upon Adrian's disobedience, Cas pulled over quick- into a gas station. "We need gas..." He mumbled, before narrowing his eyes at the greeting Adrian gave.


The ex-agent swung around, "Adrian!" He cried, leaning back in one fluid motion and snatching the phone from Adrian's clutches. He immediately hung up and turned the phone around, removing the battery much to Adrian's protests. "Adrian- listen to Lydia. I mean, Jesus H. Christ, Ade! Do you want them to find Gus too?"


Cas opened the door and ejected himself from it, peering back in afterwards. "Adrian, gimme your credit card." He held out a hand, and narrowed his eyes at his arm. Blood smeared all the way up the sleeves. He sighed, hastily sliding off his jacket and tossing it into the seat. At least now only his knees had blood on them... Great. "After this we'll need to get a room. Or break in to some abandoned home or something..." He told Lydia, scowling. "Or we could sleep in the damn car."

 

[Laine]

"Did you just say...Jesus - seriously Cassidy, they think I'm dead! A ten second phone conversation won't hurt!" Adrian retorted with a growl, although he had no idea himself whether or not the UGG could trace it. He scowled as the Lieutenant reappeared, "Oh, so they'll track my phone but not my credit cards? Real smart, ex-Lieutenant." He reluctantly searched into the bags around him, unzipping compartments until he found a wallet. He threw it at the other, scowling at Cassidy. "And we're not sleeping in the car."


The bloodstained Lieutenant stalked into the gas station, and Aiber clicked his teeth together. "Pff. That guy's your drahy?" He grunted, nodding to Ade.


The doctor cocked an eyebrow, "Yeah? How did you-" but he stopped himself, catching sight of the tattoo. He smirked grimly, "Oh. Yeah. Takes some getting used to. Less than two days ago, too." He leaned back, leaning on the Time Agent next to him instead of on the engineer. "We're, uh... Supposed to be celebrating."


Aiber's beady eyes seemed to gleam with interest. He noticed the empty spot above his head - no cap. "So you're not an agent? Never seen you around janitor's station."


Ade chuckled, "No - I'm his prisoner. Well. Was his prisoner...?" Ade eyed the phone battery lying on the dash, and started to reach forward towards it, keeping an eye on Lydia, who was looking around suspiciously. "This is, er.../my/ time, really. Welcome to the 21st century."

 

[chellemrys]

Cas smirked, "Well- okay then. Guess I'll have to use your cash." He stalked away, stomping towards the entryway. Inside he noticed an atm, and he raised a brow. Good idea- not a good idea? Cas stared down the machine, grimacing. No, not really a good idea. But he stared down at the meager wad of dollar bills, and grimaced, shaking his head. They needed money to keep moving. Money that was sitting in the bank account. But of course there is always... Cas eyed the backside of an older man, who was digging through a bin of discount reject movies that ended up at the convenience store.


Out in the vehicle Lydia, without even looking directly at Adrian, said, "Adrian, if you touch that battery he will kill you. And I may have to also."


Soon Cas emerged, carrying Ade's untouched wallet, pocketing it for later use. And pocketing another man's wallet. He had bought a full tank of gas, and two large canisters to keep more in. After running the card as credit, he ran out of the station, hustling to fill the cans in case the guy had some form of security placed on the account- like a charge alert. The Lieutenant snatched the pump, and pressed it down. Before running across to another pump, and then the one next to it. Placing the cans down in an attempt to rapidly fill the tanks as five faces stared out the windows in confusion at him.


Minutes later he was getting in the car, pretty proud of himself for the scheme he had concocted. The ex-Lieutenant took a remorseful glance out the window at the man standing on the walk, hands in his hair and searching the ground. But there were lives at risk here. "Got all the gas we will need for a week of driving. Didn't even use your cards." He glanced into the mirror, catching Adrian's suspicious gaze. "Stole a wallet." He clarified how he could have afforded that much gas. Lydia clicked her tongue, letting out an 'ahh' of understanding, as they sped off once more.

 

[Laine]

Ade shook his head, sitting back on Aiber in digust. "You stole it? Really...? Cassidy, just use mine, there's no point in causing more trouble." He huffed, not even attempting to strap himself in as the car pulled away. A thought occurred to him as they drove past a payphone, and he changed tact, leaning forward, "...Or at least, can I have it back?"


Lydia reassessed the map as Cas drove on, pursing her lips in concentration. "Alright, the way I see it, we have few other options but to see if we can find an abandoned house for the night. Unless you want to risk it with one of those...Hotel things." Adrian's eyes lit up, but the rest of the occupants did not look so eager. "We have to remember only half of us can speak the native language. Aiber is only an engineer and has no weapons training-" She was interrupted as Aiber made an indignant grumble, and the Captain made a point of glaring at him, "-and so needs extra protection. And as for Adrian, well...he knows the local area... And he's our medic, I suppose." She said, with an ounce of disbelief in her voice.


They pulled upto a set of traffic lights, where on the street corner there was an open door. As people were walking in to it, they were handed bowls of warm soup, and a blanket. "...What is that?" She murmured, looking suspicious as the entrants didn't seem to pay a fee.


Adrian shrugged, "It's a shelter... You know, for homeless people? They give you food, and a place to sleep for the night, and -" He suddenly started shaking his head as Lydia pointed to Cassidy to redirect the car, "-Oh no. Nononono. Don't even think about it." He groaned, pretending to lean forward and grab the wheel.

 

[chellemrys]

With a tiny laugh the dark skinned man looked back at Adrian. "Really? Stealing a wallet? That is what I'm in trouble with you for?" Cas shook his head, "Sorry, might need it again, Ade." A grumble rose from the beat seat, but the ex-agent drove on, fully ignoring any further protests. His attention shifted to the people on the side of the road, and he grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about. Wish we ran into those more often."


He pulled into the lot, careful to park the car around the other end of the building. Unseen. The ex-Lieutenant hopped out of the vehicle with a grin, clapping his hands together. "Free food, free shelter and heat, and no questions asked!" Lydia and Cas were excited, obviously astounded by the institution's existence.


Cas headed to the trunk, tugging it open and retrieving a bag, beginning to reorder the items. "We only need some things right now..." He glanced down at his blood stained trousers, and grimaced. "They may ask some questions though about..." Cas dug around in the giant bag of civilian clothes, and chose out some of Adrian's much larger clothes, that would undoubtedly hang off him. Just adds to the theatre. With that idea he called out to the group to wait, and got into the bag seat to change. He emerged moments later in a red sweater, and some dark jeans. They were so nice and clean, which did not add to the desired effect. However, they were hanging off Cas. He tightened his belt around his upper waist, as tight as he could, to keep the pants from sinking down below his hips. "How's this for fancy, Ade?" He teased, slinging the backpack full of items over his shoulder.


Lydia stared at Cassidy, blinking at the blatant flirting. She shrugged her own officer's jacket off, and Cas tossed her a blue button up shirt, which she hastily pulled on, messily rolling up the sleeves before announcing they should go now. All six approached the door in a group, and was handed a bowl with exclaimed, 'God bless you's! They all muttered thank you's and shouldered their way into the rural shelter, clinging to their food as they were shown to a room.


"Now- I'm afraid we can only take three of you." Lydia interrupted: "No, no- we're a group. You see, we're all friends. One room is fine."


So they crammed all of the group into one room, handing five sleeping bags out with apologies. As soon as the door shut there was a collective sigh of relief. Cas dropped the pack on the bed, and immediately threw down his sleeping bag, throwing himself onto it in a heap. "So... Nice..."

 

[Laine]

"...Nice. Nice?" Adrian grumbled, frowning at the cracked floorboards and damp walls. He crouched down next to the Lieutenant, sighing heavily and pushing a hand through his hair in stress. He reluctantly laid out the sleeping bag beside the other, laying down next to Cassidy and patting his side, "You holding up okay? You know, without any...?"


Lydia approached the two, rolling out her own sleeping bag nearby, "I realise I haven't introduced the two officers I brought with me." She gestured behind her, causing them to instantly drop what they were holding and stand to attention. "Private Malkov and Private Cohl. Former mentees of mine. They're inexperienced, but have solid potential as agents-" She cleared her throat as she realised what she was implying, but went on nevertheless, "I've tasked them with supplies control for the time being. They'll take inventory tomorrow morning before we set off." She nodded at them, and they relaxed, rolling out their sleeping bag and chatting amongst themselves.


Lydia let out a tiny sigh as she sat down next to Cassidy, nodding as Ade disappeared to the bathroom. "Now, Lieutenant..." The Captain's voice was grave, her face serious. "I'm disappointed to see you've been fraternising with the enemy."

 

[chellemrys]

Cas sat up to greet the two, nodding at both privates. "Lieutenant Petar." He directed towards the two, smiling afterwards. They relaxed, and Cas leaned up against the bed's edge, closing his eyes and stretching his arm. It really was sore after holding Adrian up on the ship, when the stabilizer disabled. He must have pulled it or something.


The ex-Lieutenant elbowed Lydia playfully as she slid down next to him. "Fraternizing?" He lifted both brows, grinning and snickering. "All night, every night." Lydia groaned, shoving him with a tiny laugh to the side. "And sometimes during the day- depending on how-" Lydia interrupted him with a punch to his aching arm. He recoiled, immediately leaning over and smacking her right back.


Across the room the two privates were huddled in their sleeping bags, chittering away in Kershnaille. They kept looking over at the two, giving the two odd looks at the sudden playfulness their usually serious commanding officers were showing. Cas tried rolling up the sleeves of the red sweater, which hung to the end of his fingertips. Toying with the hem, he pulled up the sleeve slightly. "See?" He held the fresh tattoo out to Lydia, letting her take it to examine the machine's work.

 

[Laine]

Lydia put on a mock-frown, twisting Cas' hand and peering at the writing. "Literacy was never your strong point, was it, Cas? You've spelled his name wrong. I'm serious, I've seen his file." Cas had known her long enough to know when she was lying, but she teased about it all the same. She nudged him with her elbow, "Well, I hope you two got your fill while you were away. There won't be much /fraternising/ going on with the two Privates ogling your every move." Lydia sniggered.


Ade stalked out of the bathroom - whilst trying to maintain as much of his personal hygiene as possible - and bumped into the shorter, rounder engineer. He was leaning against one of the walls, out of breath and panting heavily after dragging his enormous backpack from the car. The doctor's eyes widened as he noticed the unmistakeable metal tube stuck in his mouth.


"Oh. Hey, Adrian. Want one?" Aiber grinned, digging into his bag and holding a new voff out to Ade. "You look like you need it. You seem the most stressed out of all of us." The doctor scowled at him in response, and Aiber merely chuckled, "What? I can't blame you. If my drahy was that much of a hard-ass I'd be breathing these suckers in more than air."


"Cassidy asked for one and you said you hadn't any. He needs them to - well, he needs them more than I do." Adrian growled at him, unamused. He snatched the voff tube from Aiber, thrusting it into his pocket. The engineer rolled his eyes, and sighed.


"Yeah. I bet he does. To 'cope', right? I swear to Helmi, all the officers use it as an excuse to get high. And yet you - we - have to make do on our own, /and/ pick up after the mess they've made. Today was a perfect example." The engineer tossed the tube out of the open window, before starting to tug his bag towards the room. "Ay, Adrian - since you took my voff, the least you can do is help me pull this, right?"

 

[chellemrys]

Cas stared at his hand in mild shock, before snapping his eyes to Lydia's serious-as-Hell expression, which caused his chuckles to start building. Cas smirked at the Captain, "Oh, I'm never satisfied." Ade was entering the room, and Cas said the last part extra loud. "Adrian knows that- right Ade?" The privates were in fact ogling at Cas, or the strange language he was yelling. English.


The agent donned a proud smirk as Adrian stared over at him, on the verge of glaring, dropping the bag with a wheeze. Aider behind him, who was barely helping with the load, immediately started up. "Nonono- be careful with that!" The engineer dropped to his knees, tugging at the zippers. He muttered something about the computer being 'irreplaceable', and Adrian approached Cassidy, dropping a voff in his lap.


Cas looked up as though he had found God; his salvation had arrived, and he was clueless to how Adrian had even found it. But without questions he snatched it up, and asked Lydia if she had a laser light. He looked around in dismay after she apologized for not carrying one. Everything he held dear, in the damn backpack, was obliterated. Well, everything except his photo album. He had retrieved that at the house, not daring to leave it for the enemy to find. He couldn't risk endangering anyone that may be in there. He also had snatched up any photos Adrian had around of his family. It was only the best thing to do.


With a heavy sigh, and an equally heavy heart, he slid himself over to the large black bag near him. "Anybody have matches? A lighter? Anything?" He sifted through the clothes, and pulled out his album, staring down at it like he was at a funeral, like he was going to bury it.

 

[Laine]

"Mhmm. I think - you meant to say 'Thank you, dearest drahy, I am forever in your debt'." Ade sneered, grunting under the weight of the bag. He finally helped Aiber shovel it in a corner, giving an scowl to the engineer as he started rooting thought it.


He paced back over to Cassidy, rubbing his sore neck as he slumped on top of the sleeping bag. "Ach - that Aiber guy had some voffs, by the way. I'm sure if you ask nice he'll give you a light." He said, with some doubt in his voice. It wasn't until a few seconds later when he looked Cassidy's way that he saw the album, or the solemn look on the others face.


Adrian scooted over towards him, watching him stare at the dark cover. As his chin rested on Cas' shoulder, he could feel the stiff, tense muscles beneath the sweater. "...Maybe it isn't a good idea to be looking at that right now, Cas." He slowly reached for the book, tugging it from the other's grip. "It's been a rough day, as it is." He mumbled, as if Cassidy needed a reminder. The impact of what happened had barely begun to settle in - the entire TA, gone. He stroked Cas' hand softly, before nodding to the voff nestled between his fingertips. "I'll go ask Aiber for the lighter. And then you should try to get some rest, yeah?"

 

[chellemrys]

Cas grabbed the album back, "Trust me- not going to look at it." He closed his eyes, "I need a light, so I can destroy it." The Lieutenant stroked the cover, fingers slightly shaking.


Lydia instantly understood, and clicked her tongue. "Ah- yes. Mine must be gone. It was in... In my room." A solemn silence descended upon the room, and she sighed, taking the black album from her friend. She opened it to the first page, and found the pictures of Cas with his dress uniform on. "Hm..." She flipped through the pages, and landed on a group photo. Cas and Lydia, and several other friends gathered beside a table in the main dome. All privates, all fresh recruits. Beaming, laughing, and very young.


Cas scanned the photo with a grimace, sighing as his gaze rose to the two privates sitting across the room. "Are they friends like that? Same unit?" Lydia nodded, whispering a confirmation.


"They don't leave each other's sides."


Cas sniffed a laugh, a brief smile appearing on his face. She flipped to the next page, found a quick documentation of a prank in the middle of the night. An insect, Cas' face, and lots of flashlights. "A-zaa, do I remember when you shoved that thing in my face." Cassidy and Lyd began to chuckle, then laugh.

 

[Laine]

From across the way, the two Private agents peered curiously at their Captain - always so serious and attentive when in training, now laughing and joking with the other remaining officer. "I've never seen her like this." Dane whispered, scrunching up his face. His stomach cramped with nerves as he thought of the most calm, composed person he knew losing it over the Time Agency tradegy - after all, if Lydia couldn't cope, who could? He froze, exchanging a worried look with the other Private as the three briefly looked over to them, before turning back to the album again.


Ade winced as Lydia took the book, and the two started reminiscing about it. He smirked at the pictures, despite not knowing most of the people featured in them. They came to another, and the doctor pointed at it in realisation. "Are - are those the same cargo pants..?" Adrian murmured, voice tinged with disgust, "Eugh. They must be...years old." A smirk creased his face as he said it, "Still... At least we won't be seeing those anymore, right?"

 

[chellemrys]

Ahnna leaned in at the comment, afraid their conversation would be overheard. "I wonder who those people are though..." She looked around the room, and laid eyes on Cas, then Adrian. "Are those two... bound?" She realized how close they were at the tickle of Dane's breath, and she scooted away half a foot, averting her eyes. She didn't really know Dane too well, just that he was in her unit, and sometimes they talked. She fixed her eyes on the black book, before tugging her hair out, fluffing it with her fingers to distract herself. The white tufts floated up around her ears, soft curls forming at the tips.


Cas glared up at Adrian at the comments about his pants, before solemnly looking down to see he was no longer donning them. He sighed, snapping his gaze upwards again. "It sure was worth the thousands of people that died, Adrian." Cas got up, storming out. He returned not even moments later, waving at someone with a faked smile. He padded back over, pulling the tiny album into his lap. He tugged out a single photo- the one with everyone in it- and folded it up, tucking it into his pants pocket. Then he cleared a space on the floor, grumbling and ignoring Adrian. He began pulling out photos that he tore off the apartment's walls, now outside of their frames. He laid them in a pile, Adrian trying to figure out what Cas was doing. That is, before he tugged out a few matches, struck them on the album, and laid one on the photos- igniting the pile. Cas blew on the pile, hands visibly trembling from where they were, waving over the fire gently to get it going.

 

[Laine]

"That...engineer guy said that they were." Dane said, squinting as he picked at a scab on the back of his hand, "He's not an Agent, either, the taller one." He noticed Ahnna shuffle away from him, and he twisted his face in confusion, "...You're not cold, are you?" He whispered.


Adrian rolled his eyes at the comment. "Cas - I didn't mean it like -" The doctor groaned as the other stormed off. He dragged a hand through his hair, shaking his head and muttering to Lydia as he re-approached. "A-zaa, he needs a voff. He's so stressed." The Captain said nothing in response, taking sympathy on the Lieutenant as he padded back in.


"Hey - I didn't know you brought those." Ade said, an ounce of suspicion in his voice as the Lieutenant started tearing out of the frame. "What are you-" He let out a gasp as the Lieutenant lit a match, and he growled at Cassidy, "...You wouldn't dare."


The pile swiftly caught fire, burning through Angus' and their Aunt's face in an instant. The doctor slapped at it with his shoe, yelling loudly and shoving his drahy out the way as he did so. The blaze didn't stop until the majority of the photos were charred, and the burning album let off a foul smell which quickly choked everyone else. Ade stood, staring at the ex-Lieutnenant for a second, before filling the room with a harsh /smack/ as his hand flew across the other's cheek.


"What the fuck?!" Ade screeched, kicking at the charred pile. "You're gonna get us all kicked out, you idiot! What the Helmi do you think you're doing burning our photos?!"

 

[chellemrys]

Cassidy and Lydia exchanged looks at Adrian's fitful attempt to put out the fire. Cas shook his head, pinching his nose. "Adrian-" He began, trying to explain to the only person who didn't understand why he was burning his family photos. That was, before the back of his hand made his head ring. Adrian had actually smacked him quite hard; his head snapped to the side, and half his vision blackened. Cas put out a hand to catch himself, and half collapsed into Lydia's shoulder. A hand flew up to meet his cheek, massaging it.


Temporarily half-blind, Cas directed a sharp glare up towards his drahy. He opened his mouth to explain again, but was interrupted by screeching. His face burned crimson, a mark forming under his hand, and impatience making his face hot. Cas tensed, looking about to pounce on his lover. He stopped, full vision fading back, and realized how he looked. Teeth almost bared, like an animal, about to tackle Adrian. Everyone was staring at them. He sat back down, "YOU are going to get up kicked out if you don't SHUT UP." The hand slipped from his cheek, a firm red mark in its place.


In English he spat, "You know, I'd hit you right back. But my arm hurts too much from that time I almost died keeping you from falling." Cas shoved Adrian's sleeping bag away, sneering, "And I just thought maybe you wouldn't want to U.G.G. to find out who your family is, when they are ransacking your apartment right about now."


Ahnna went to answer the other agent, directing a half-smile at Dane, before being interrupted by the ruckus of the two arguing in some strange language. She gasped when Adrian struck Cas, and all fell silent, staring at the scene.

 

[Laine]

"Oh, thank you, ex-Lieutnenant!" Ade spat, "And what about the album, hmm? That's not gonna make a damn bit of difference because nearly everyone in there is dead!" The doctor's face was red with anger. He picked up his sleeping bag, dragging it to the other side of the room. He opened his mouth to yell again, when a gentle knock sounded at the door.


"Keep it down, please." Came the firm warning from one of the shelter owners. Ade scowled at the door, but was thankful they hadn't entered the room and seen evidence of the fire.


He lay on the sleeping bag, on his side, facing the wall. His arms folded across his chest, and he growled again in quiet, furious English. "I'll tell you where you can stick your voffy, too, you ungrateful little -"


"That's enough, Adrian." Lydia spoke, her voice firm and authoritive. She turned to the hurt Lieutenant, sighing quietly and pointed towards the Privates, at the opposite side of the room to his drahy. "Perhaps it's best if we got some rest, Cassidy."

 

[chellemrys]

Cas ignored all the warnings; the guy on the other side of the door didn't exist, and neither did Lydia at the moment. He stood abruptly, hands in fists. "Ex-Lieutenant?" He repeated, a grin of disbelief spreading across his features. But the everyone is dead comment really threw Ade under the bus. He stomped across the room, moving to grab Adrian by the shoulders, but narrowly stopping himself. "Yeah, maybe you'd like everyone in your photos to join them?"


Cas stooped down to Adrian, ignoring Lydia's now frustrated orders for him to return to her side. He began whispering, so the others didn't hear. "Just because you get me a quick fix, doesn't mean you fix the situation. And it doesn't make me grateful. Especially when you use something so fucking serious as a point of attack. I mean, I can play your game... You'd better get used to roughing it out and doing hard things, because if you haven't realized this, you can't have a home. You can't see your family. You're going to run until you die."

 

[Laine]

Ade's shoulders were visibly tense. His nostrils flared angrily as the Agent whispered a threat to him. He turned over slowly, his mind reeling at the last few sentences. They stared each other down for a few seconds, before the doctor suddenly made a slow, lousy swing at the Lieutenant.


Cassidy easily dodged it, his satisfaction fueling Adrian's anger even more. "You - asshole-!" He struck out at Cas again, crying out as the other easily reversed it, and pinned him. He struggled on the floor, turning his head and practically spitting at the other.


"They're not looking for me! I'm not the Time Agent here-! " He violently shifted his shoulders left, tweaking the Lieutenant's bad arm unexpectedly. Ade didn't hesitate to turn over, kicking furiously at Cassidy and backing himself against the wall. "They won't hurt my family and they won't be looking for /me/, Cassidy." He growled, with absolute certainty. "You got yourself into this mess when you signed up to be an Agent. This had nothing to do with me. And when - when it all blows over-" He paused, his eyes scanning the room for an agreeable set of eyes. The Privates looked scared and bewildered. Aiber wore a nervous, surprised grin. Lydia had her hands on Cas' shoulders, trying to drag him away. And of course, Cas' eyes were a dark, angry satisfaction.


"...I'll be able to go home." Ade said firmly.

 

[chellemrys]

Cassidy wrestled Adrian to the floor with ease, pleased with his ability to overtake Adrian so easy. He let out a guttural screech deep in his throat, getting tugged off Adrian by his captain.


Lydia was just as strong as Cassidy, if not stronger because she worked out every day. She tugged her comrade backwards, and he continued to run at Adrian. Stopped sufficiently by the awful ache in his right arm.


"Oh, think so? Actually, you just got bound to me." Cas held up his hand, "If you've forgotten the vows, I'll remind you of the fact that we are considered by law one entity. You and I are in this together until one of us dies. Wake up, why not-"


Lydia tugged Cassidy back further, yelling at him to shut up.

 

[Laine]

Ade felt his argument weakening as Cas held up his tattoo – but still, he had the overwhelming disbelief and denial that their whole life together had been ruined in one, chaotic move. “Y-you…I…But…” His mouth hung agape as he watched the other being dragged across the floor towards the other two privates, screeching in protest. The doctor huffed in exasperation, shaking his head violently, “-But even so, this can’t go on forever, can it?! We just lie low, for a few weeks, maybe months, and then, the TA, they’ll…and – and then…and – and – and –“ He stammered helplessly, expecting someone else to finish his sentence for him.


Lydia continued to drag the Lieutenant, “No, Adrian. This won’t correct itself. You, me – everyone in this room has an execution order on their head. And that isn’t going to change-“ She let go of Cas for a brief second, letting him smack the wooden floor before scraping him up and holding him back from launching himself at the doctor.


“S-So we’ll move century. You all have your hoppers, you can jump to the 51st, or even the 73rd century- evade them until -“ Ade’s voice called back, sounding significantly more panicked.


“I said, it isn’t going to change. No matter where we are, or what time period we’re in-” Lydia said. Her words were blunt and emotionless, and she gasped with the effort of keeping the Lieutenant under control. “Malkov, Cohl, hold him, for Helmi’s sake!” Instantly the Privates moved forward, squirming out of their sleeping bags and wrapping an arm each tightly around Cas’ shoulders.


The Captain released her comrade, and stalked towards Adrian. He shook his head as she approached, looking like a deer caught in headlights as he pressed himself against the wall. Lydia crouched in front of him, her face steeled as she finished her sentence, in hushed English. Ade’s response was a garbled mess of sobbing and denial, and he buried his head in his knees, as if he could get away from Lydia and her painful prophecy for the future.


“And as for you-“ Lydia snarled, walking back over to the ex-Lieutenant, “You’re acting like an animal, Cassidy. I would expect this from an untrained civilian from Vos, not an officer of a military organisation. You’re to stay away from Adrian until you can compose yourself, am I clear?”

 

[chellemrys]

Cas glared, a slight mark of disbelief shining in his eyes as he looked Lydia over as she walked towards Adrian. He growled, only adding to the impression he gave everyone else in the room: That he was an animal. The ex-Lieutenant pitilessly watched Adrian as he crumpled, realizing his future was washed away, down into a drain, a void that the U.G.G. caused.


Plotting his escape, he stopped struggling. Eventually their grips loosened, and he whispered a quick, 'You can let me go'. They looked to Lydia for orders instead, and he rolled his eyes. He leveled a glare at Lydia when she returned, and he shrugged the two off, after she nodded at them to release him. He looked calmer, and more composed. But as soon as she gave the order, he spat words in her face, "Aw, fuck off Lyd... You're not an officer anymore. We're equals for God's sakes." It was like a loss of faith smacked his ideals, and his new disobedient behavior only characterized a struggle in control. A loss of rationality. Always a sign of his famous panic attacks. He shoved his way past her, walking towards his drahy anyway. "I am dealing with a family matter." That sure was the truth, since he was now bound to Adrian. "We aren't officers of any organisation any more, far as I can see."

 

[Laine]

The Captain blinked, her eyes flicking to the two Privates. Their eyes dipped at the insubordination, and the tiniest fraction of a smile appeared at the corner of Dane’s lips. She let Cassidy walk a few steps towards Adrian, allowing him to continue ranting at the one, still moping against the wall. We are equals, you say? Her eyes narrowed.


Deaf to the rapid footsteps behind him, Lydia easily grabbed onto his shoulders with both hands, using a violent kick to the back of one of his knees to knock him off balance. Then, twisting her body with almost enough force to break his neck, she rolled him off her knee and face-first onto the floor, holding onto his injured right arm to stop him retaliating. There was a satisfying crunch as he did so, which made Adrian cringe from the other side of the room. The Captain instantly drew his arm up to her chest, resting a knee on the back of his neck and holding him in a prone position.


She breathed steadily, although there was a kind of anger behind her eyes, “We are the legacy of the Time Agency, Lieutenant Petar. Like it or not, we may be all that is left of our organisation. And so, we will retain order, and follow the guidelines that have been placed down for us, as military officers.” Her words were passionate, but rehearsed, as if she’d been in this situation dozens of times before. Ade had lifted his head, and watched on in terror.


“You will always accept orders from an officer of higher rank that your own.” She twisted the arm in it’s most painful position, putting pressure on Cas’ neck as he emitted a squeal, “-And you will disregard any ‘family matters’ which contradict or interfere with such orders.”


She lifted her leg off Cas’ head, allowing him to briefly come up for air. Moments later she slammed it back down again, “I’ll ask again - Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?!”

 

[chellemrys]

Cas should have noticed the move coming up on him. A rational Cas would have; he knew that was her famous move. And he would have figured his best friend wouldn't react so calmly to what he had just done. The ex-agent yelped as his legs were kicked out from under him, and slid across the floor, effectly buckling in one painful motion. He felt the hard pressure of Lydia's hands flipping him, but he couldn't manage to bring his hands out in time to stop the connection of his face and the floor.


The scene went black, and sharp agony spread across his nose and cheekbones. He groaned, soon fighting the hold she had him in, wriggling on the floor. Unable to free himself from the position she has molded his arm into, he couldn't squirm free. Besides the pool of blood spreading out under his face pressed against the floor, red was also spreading across his cheeks. Thoroughly embarrassed.


Cas tried lifted his head, and much to the shock of everyone he was grinning. She slammed his face back down, and his nose shifted- causing a sharp scream, despite it being muffled, to rise from the floor. She screamed, "Do I make myself clear?!" He laughed.


"Nope. Do you feel like breaking my arm too while you're at it?"

 

[Laine]

“Why not? It’s just as disobedient as the rest of you.” She tugged the arm upwards, dragging it to the left at the last minute to stop it from dislocating. Lifting her knee up, she flipped the Lieutenant over so he was on his back, his nose once again stained with blood.


Back as Privates, they had sparred like this almost every day – but never with the intention of actually injuring one another. There was no pang of remorse – yet – for the Captain as she looked down at the other’s face. From her perspective, Cassidy had been driven to the brink of madness, because of the freedom that came with a lack of authority. She leaned on each of his arms with a kneecap, pinning him again. Another laugh, another shocked look from her mentees.


“What you are doing is insubordination, Lieutenant Petar.” Lydia said matter-of-factly. She paused for a second, sighing as she came down to her final humiliation. “…The punishment for which is…removal of rank and associated privileges.” Ade sniffed in disbelief, shaking his head and dipping his face back in between his knees.


She breathed as the other began to struggle again, “I hereby - demote you, to Private, effective immediately. You are to be referred to universally as Private Petar by all, and you no longer have access to mid-tier weaponry and services.” She suddenly released him, standing up and stepping to the side of him. "Any further defiant behavior will be punished accordingly." She warned, her eyes narrow slits.


"Do I make myself clear, Private?"

 

[chellemrys]

Cassidy squealed beneath Adrian, trying not to dislocate his own arm by jostling it too much. It was stretched to the max, about to pop right out of its socket. Relief came in the form of being flipped onto his back. He merely laughed, secretly relieved his arm was free. He was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling in heavy gasps despite his efforts to hide exertion.


Cas listened to the words with a spiteful grin. That is, until he heard the removal of rank part. He narrowed his eyes at Lydia, pursing his bloodied lips. "Hm..." His mind was reeling; today had been an eventful day to say the least. And his career was being stripped away more and more. But he couldn't let her have the satisfaction of humiliating him. His immediate response, in the face of such intense efforts to shred away his dignity in front of all, was to spit in her face. That is, after speaking his mind: "Well, then I resign. Lydia." No more addressing her as Captain. "Hope you are enjoying your power trip, by the way. Anything after this isn't discipline, it's just you being frustrated with me. So, no. You don't make yourself clear because you're not my boss anymore."


Deep inside he was absolutely panicking. The beads of sweat began to appear, because now he had really done it. He quit the best job ever. He quit his fix, his key to adventure. His dreams. But Cas was a sucker for pride. It always triumphed. It seemed he'd rather die sometimes than give in.