Johnathan turned towards him, expression cool, eyebrow raised.
“There’s nothing to protect and if that thingisreal and out there then you’re sending people to die.” The soldier forged on gruffly.
I had to agree with his logic.
“It’s a decision me and commander Roberts have made together.” Johnathan shot back, tone firm “I don’t owe any of you explanations. Some of his soldiers are taking first watch, Stryker and Silas will be taking the second.” As he spoke he shot the soldier from before a warning look, as if daring him to object. I was left to assume that he was Silas- he didn’t, as a matter of fact, utter another word, opting for dipping his head respectfully instead.
Stryker didn’t look concerned. He gave a small nod and turned to me, gesturing back at the inn “come.”
I followed quietly.
“Not scared?” I asked after a moment.
He snorted softly “no.”
“How come?”
“I don’t believe it exists. Hey, want to go for a run?”
“No.” I scoffed “who do I look like to you? And I thought you didn’t do much running.”
“True.” Stryker huffed “need to burn some energy. Wait here, alright? No drinking.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Stryker returnedfour hourslater, flustered and sweaty, a distinct look of alarm gracing his features.
I sat up from my bed, where I’d been lying for the last half hour debating whether or not to go to sleep.
“Hey, could you do me a favour?” He asked breathlessly.
“Sure.” I replied hesitantly, folding my arms over my chest and leaning forward.
“Matthew went out on watch and he hasn’t come back yet. He was supposed to be back an hour ago and I need you to go and look for him for me.”
I blanched at the request, jutting my chin out as I replied “why can’t you just go?”
“BecauseIhave a shift right now I don’t have time to go.”He shot back snappishly, one eyebrow raising.
I stared back defiantly, “why can’t Jack go then?”
“Because Jack doesn’t know and it’s better off that way. Just go and find him and make sure he’s alright and bring him back here, alright?”
“ No. I don’t feel like it” I grumbled stubbornly, glaring at Stryker who glared right back.
“This is serious, Theo. Don’t be a fucking ass. I’m telling you to go and look for him no matter what stupid problem you two have.”
“He’s not even part of our group,” I sneered back- a shit excuse, even by my own standards. I was sure he was fine.Ididn't want to leave the warmth of my own bed, which seemed a valid desire to me.
Stryker scoffed “yeah, I know he’s not part of our group, but right now we’re working together and I’m asking you to go and look for himplease.”
I let out a frustrated breath, relenting, climbing to my feet and making sure to shoot Stryker a stink eye before going to pull on my boots.His shoulders dropped, tension easing from his posture.
“Thank you.”
“Fuck you.” I grumbled back.
Soon after I found myself walking through the forest where I knew Matthew and the other guy from Zeltron were supposed to have been on watch, glancing around myself wearily, cursing every one of my life decisions that had brought me to this point. Everything seemed enhanced at night; scarier, louder, certainly darker. The only sounds I could pick up on were faint rustles in the treeshopefullycaused by the breeze and the smaller animals scrambling around and my own footsteps.I grimaced when I found no one from the border patrol group anywhere to be seen, the clearing deserted. I’d been hoping Matthew had just decided to stay for a while longer, maybe wait for the next shift to arrive, yet there was nobody and I was stumped. I glanced around myself for the millionth time,debating whether I should call out for Matthew but eventually deciding against it since I definitelydidn’twant to attract unwanted attention. I didn’t know what to do.Where was I supposed to find the damn lad in a pitch black forest ?There was always the possibility that Matthewhadjust been waiting around and he’d gotten sick of it and was in his room at the inn by now and he was just wasted my goddamn time,Strykerhad wasted my time and I was in a cold, eerily quiet clearing instead of my warm bed because of that.Dick.
