She sat on the couch quietly, waiting. That's all she ever seemed to be doing. Waiting for her brother to find her. Waiting for her father to come back. Waiting for someone to rely on. She looks at Leeland, waiting. His voice finally comes, "You can leave if you want. I'm pretty sure they're just going to interrogate you, and I'm sure you don't want to deal with that." She just looked at him. His eyes always caught her right before she could make a clean break. That couldn't happen, not anymore. She's drawn to him, like a moth drawn to light. He's looking at her weird, then she realizes she hadn't answered. " I have no where to go," she says it indifferently. At that moment Leeland's brother walks in with a woman whose face looks like it's permanently stuck in a scowl. She scrutinizes the woman, and the woman does it right back. They all just sit there for a moment in silence. Leeland senses the tension and breaks it, " You already know Rubin, and this," he said motioning to the angry looking woman," is Geneveire. She's head exterminator here. She was found us after her Quarters were raided and her crew was killed." She nodded at Geneveire, with new respect, this woman was a survivor just like herself. Geneveire nodded back, but only slightly. " Who is she?" Geneveire said in a clipped voice. Leeland looked at her pointedly. She ignored him and kept her voice level, " That information is for me to know, and even if I told you, you'd have no way of testing my honesty. So please leave the subject of my identity closed." Geneveire just stared, " Fine, can I at least have your age and date of birth?" "I'm seventeen ... and crazy," she quoted it quietly then picked up again, " and I was born on the eleventh of May in the year of 2117." Geneveire smiled at her. " You were only twelve when this all broke out, you know how to read, and you've survived five years of hell. I'm quite impressed." She just looked at Geneveire with a kind of distaste. "I wouldn't be impressed, I mourn the fact that I'm still here. I've done unmentionable things, and lost too many people to count. We all have, and It's nothing to be proud of, or impressed with," She finished on a near shout and stormed out the way she came.
***
"Wait!" Leeland called after her. She slowed but didn't stop or turn. She disappeared around a corner, and Leeland got up to chase her down. His knee burned and he grunted in pain. Rubin shoved him down, " I'll get her just stay off of that leg." Before Leeland could retort Rubin had turned on his heel and raced after her. Geneveire tsked quietly and Leeland shot her a glare. " You could have been a bit more considerate, considering you're supposed to be a great leader and all," he snapped. "Shut up, Leeland, she'll be back. She's just blowing off steam. I'm sure Rubin will find her, and we can place her in a bunk for the night," Geneveire talked as if this girl was just some rag they could toss around as they pleased. He snorted at Geneveire as she walked away. He was pissed that he'd hurt his leg. It was just another thing for his brother to bother him about. Just because he'd lost one of his doesn't mean Leeland was going to as well. He sighs and leans back. Just as his eyes are closing, there is a shout and a crash from the hallway behind him. He shoots up and, ignoring the pain in his leg, he rushes down the hall. He rounds the corner to find Rubin on the floor shouting at her. She looks sort of predatory as her hand whips across his face, knocking him strait out. Leeland would have laughed if the situation hadn't been what it was. She kicked Rubin's peg and kept walking, not even aware of Leeland's presence. Leeland gaped after her, and followed her. " Hey, wait!!" he shouted after her. She stopped at the door and slowly turned around to face him. "What," she practically growls at him. She is a raging fire, and Leeland is scared to get near her for fear of burning in her wrath. "Stay, I'll tell them all to leave you alone until the morning, then you can leave. It's dark out and you look like you could use a good meal." She sighs and gives him a weary look. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asks in a whisper. He reaches his hand out without answering. She looks at it, nods, and walks past him towards the sit room. He shakes his head in awe and follows her in silence.
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