The clerk's eyes were filled with fear. He looked at Baldwin, pleading. He wanted to ask for help, but couldn't.
'He is innocent' Baldwin thought to himself.
The clerk's reaction to the missing mission file was of surprise. He couldn't have done it.
Baldwin wanted to act, to speak, to stop the madness unfolding. But loyalty, sharpened into fear by years of obedience, froze him in place.
Baldwin did not know what kind of mistake the investigators had made. He wanted to speak out. But before he could say something, Gerand continued.
"Yesterday, this man here has shredded the file name- 42395."
This made Baldwin go pale. It was the same file number he was looking for. The reaction of the clerk did not lie. His later warning supported Baldwin's theory.
'Everything here is staged. But who staged it, the head commander, or crimson master, or His majesty?' This question struck Baldwin like a kite caught in a storm.
Baldwin observed the clerk,
his eyes were pleading for a last strand of hope, a saviour. He looked at Baldwin to find it.
SLASH**** SLASH****
Two heads fell into the bloodied bucket, adding to the spill until it overflowed.
Then, other two took their place at the guillotine to die. They were trying to scream, tears flowing through their eyes. Their desperation echoed in every cry — the last flailing proof of innocence, unanswered. Their muffled screams stabbed at Baldwin's heart.
It was usually hard for Baldwin to see an execution. But this became more and more uncomfortable. Every bit of his experience and gut told him that these people were innocent and he was the reason for their death.
Soon it was the clerk's turn. The clerk's hopeful eyes changed. They did not fill with sorrow, but with peaceful determination. He looked into Baldwin's eyes. Then he gave a slight nod. It was all Baldwin needed — he understood the assignment. He would not stop until the truth was uncovered.
SLASH***
Within a second, the clerk's head fell cementing Baldwin's resolve. That was the day, the day Baldwin finally decided to remove the shades of loyalty and put on the shades of Judgement. Judgement that would lead him to an unknown journey to find the price of unbroken loyalty of his and all the soldiers like him.
٭٭٭
After the heartfelt conversation between Gus and Hal, it was time for them to train. It was a hot afternoon. They had finished their lunch and reached the Training room. Carter had asked them to continue with training their stances. It was a way to perfect them.
Most of the kids hadn't ever held a weapon in their life. Gus was doing fairly good. His transition from defensive stance to his offensive stance was smoothening with every attempt.
The training continued till evening, It ended with the bell. The bell indicating the evening dinner with festering rumours and gossips about Gus's alleged cowardice.
That night, Gus startled from his sleep. It was caused by a small pounding sound accompanied by moans. His conversation the day before had made him more aware of his surroundings. The atmosphere in the dorm was strange — it smelled of sweat and blood.
The place was as dark as it could have been. Someone had deliberately doused the lamp. It was the only light provided to them as a source of light during the night.
DOOBBB*** SPPLLLAAATTTT*
There was a soft pounding, followed by a splattering sound, right beside him. It was on Hal's bed. It was as if someone was punching Hal. Gus could hear Hal's muffled screams for help. He jolted up abruptly and struck the assailant in the head. His heart was pounding from the sudden rush of adrenaline.
The person striking Hal fell to the ground. This freed Hal. He got up and kicked his fallen assailant. The assailant blocked the hit and rolled on his back. Then he ran back to his bed to hide.
Hal ripped the cloth gag from his mouth and spat onto the floor. "He is somewhere near. Beat that son of a bitch." He continued.
Gus and Hal immediately tried to scour the area beside them. But alas, the assailant was nowhere to be found.
"Where is that fucker. I will kill him. I…. I will burn his corpse today if I can." Hal was angry. He was attacked unprovoked. They spent the next hour trying to find the assailant, tripping over unseen obstacles in the darkness.
Both of them were tired, the sudden rush of adrenaline that had allowed them to respond within a minute, leaving behind all the stress of the previous day's training.
After a while Gus and Hal sat on the bed. They were tired, hungry and sleepy, but a looming threat of an assault kept them awake.
The next morning at 5 am, Carter reached the dorms. The darkness of the room surprised him. But he said nothing. He took out a small horn and blew in it.
"Training starts in 10 minutes. Anyone who is late will be running 7 laps instead of four." Carter announced and left for the training room.
All the trainees walked out from the dorms. It was still dark, the doused lamp was not yet lit again.
As they reached the corridor between the dorm and Training Room 1. Gus looked at Hal. Hal's face was red with hardened blood. His lips were busted up, his forehead was black and blue. The nose was crooked and still dripping small lines of blood. Hal's sleeves had completely turned red from the constant wiping of blood. There were splatter marks on the collar of his shirt.
They walked cautiously toward Room 1. The people around were stunned looking at Hal's appearance, they started creating distance. It pained Hal to see this, he felt weak, he felt as if the world around him would suddenly start its plan to attack and kill him.
As they reached the Training ground the trainees dispersed into lines.
There it was, Hal's sight landed on a student few feet ahead of him. The trainee's chin below the right eye had turned black and blue. Hal lunged himself at the kid. He rained down the kid's head with punches and elbow bashes. The trainees around them tried to stop from the unwarranted assault.
Carter hurried over. He kicked Hal in the guts, sending him flying a foot away. Hal got up and started towards the kid on the floor. Carter clutched Hal by his throat and slammed him on the ground. Gus was too stunned to follow what was happening.
The kid who was decked down by Hal got up about to approach Hal, when he felt a kick land on his chest. "STAND DOWN!" Carter ordered his one leg still in extended position from his kick.
Carter slowly brought his leg down and picked Gus by the collar. The kicked trainee got up, his face dripping with blood. His right eye was closed not because of blood. But, because of the continuous hits to the eye.
Carter gestured the trainee to approach him. The trainee listened to him and approached.
"I don't know what caused this abrupt fight but now given the circumstance I have no other choice. You both are to start running laps The person finishing last will be expelled." Carter's eyes glared with fury.
He was angry. Not just with the two kids but also with the entire group. Carter could tell Hal had initiated the attack — but the boy's injuries were too old, too set. The blood had dried, which meant it had taken place at least a few hours ago. No one had interfered before until the fight had reached a critical level.
Which would mean that the other kid had attacked Hal first. This incident right now would merely be a retaliation.
"But sir, he att...…." Hal attempted to say before he was cut off by Carter.
"I don't care of the grudge. You want to fight each other. Then, you will be the reason for other's fate. I will not tolerate fights except proper sparring." Carter then looked around the trainees and raised his voice addressing the crowd, "Did I make myself clear?"
"Sir yes sir." The entire crowd roared out.
"Now you two — start running." Carter ordered Hal and the other trainee.
They both started to run hesitantly.