Genesis : Knights of Salvation Series

I stand up and my legs are a little cramped as I quickly stretch out waiting for everyone else in the other train cart to exit. I pull my dark green cloak from the back of my chair and wrap it around my neck tucking my curly brunette locks into the hood. The cloak fell to my knees keeping me hidden and able to not draw attention. I look over to Clare who is doing the same. She makes especially sure to tuck every inch of her hair into the hood as to not be recognized as the Chief Judge’s youngest daughter. When she finishes, she looks me up and down and her stare settles on my violet eyes. There is no way of hiding those. She makes a grimace.

“Well, you did your best at blending in I guess.” She dismisses me with a curt nod and makes her way to the train cart door. She pushes the sliding door open and steps out to the chilly spring afternoon air. The late winter snow is just melted leaving the train depot muddy. The station almost empty. I assume most people are at work, only a few stragglers walk around but they are consumed with their own thoughts to notice the two cloaked women leaving the station. I follow Clare towards the muddy dirt road well-traveled on as people trudge by doing their best to avoid the biggest mud puddles.

We walk up the road past dilapidated buildings. I follow Clare silently. She had made the arrangements for this meeting and I knew very little about where we are heading. As we walk, I can’t help but notice the ruin buildings that clearly were from a different time. Some had completely crumbled, and it was clear that anything of use had been scavenged by lower status citizens. I wonder what it must have been like to live in a world with such beautiful buildings. Within the Inner walls, most of the buildings are glass and shining bright in the sun; enough to blind a person if they are not careful.

It takes most of the day, but Clare finally turns a corner, and we arrive at a rundown wooden building on the outskirt of the farmlands. The old worn-down building has two large windows which are full of dust making it difficult to see into the shack. A large white sign sits on the side of the building, it simply reads Tavern. Clare makes a precise line towards the door.

As we enter, I am immediately hit with the aroma of alcohol. The tavern is small and only one level, only a few windows giving a dusty haze to the dark room lite with candles and dull light bulbs. Small circular tables litter the room with a few chairs tucked at each one of them. A few day drinkers sit slouched across the bar as the bartender cleans out cups. The loudest group in the room is a couple men from the patrol division sitting at a table. Six of them sit chatting loudly, all wearing their signature black uniforms with black cargo pants and boots. Their button up shirts are all disheveled hopefully off the job as drinking is strictly prohibited. I follow Clare to the back of the tavern to a private room, Clare gives the door a quick two knock and waits for us to be welcomed in.

“Enter,” A deep voice orders.

Clare opens the door and position herself between me and whoever is in the room. I peer over her shoulder and see a large square table with multiple chairs placed around it. In the corner farthest from the door sits a man in civilian clothes. His frame is smaller than expected and his close hang off his thin frame. His shirt has random patches here and there obviously mended by a novice. Clare gracefully walks to the other side of the table and sits down. I follow suit but I feel more like a clumsy child as my boot knocks the leg of a chair. I sit next to Clare taking great care to keep my head down and my eyes hidden.

I slightly look up to evaluate him from the corner of my eye. I can tell he is doing the same to Clare and me. The man’s shabby hair is mid-length and brown. He carelessly pushes it behind his ears. He has a sharp jawline and pale skin that make his green eyes almost glow. He leans back in his chair taking another swig of what I can assume from the smell is gin.

“Cassian Orion. I’m Second in Command for the Knight Division, team Sparrow. I presume you are our two visitors from the government.”

“Your assumption would be correct, Captain Orion,” Clare gives a polite smile obviously not pleased with his ill-mannered introduction.

“It’s just Orion, the captain is our team leader, and you would be?” He inquires but before Clare can say anything a waitress in tattered clothes stained with food and drinks opens the door. She places two tin cups in front of us and a large bottle of rum on the table. Clare watches her movements carefully and I notice Orion is doing the same. When the door finally closes with a quiet click, Clare turns to Orion and pulls down her hood. Her long shiny blonde curls cascades over her shoulders. Even in the dull candlelight she seemed to glow.

“I’m Clare Westlake,” She replies and then gestures to me with an open hand, “This is my companion Aspen.”

I pull down my hood causing my long brown hair to fall over my shoulders is messy waves. I look up at Orion allowing him to see my face. His eyes connect with mine and for a moment a look of surprise flashes across his face. He studies my violet eyes.

“Hello,” I say simply. Before we even boarded the train, Clare warned me that she would be doing the talking. I gladly obliged.

“I assume your general has filled you in on why we are here?” Clare probes as she grabs the bottle of rum and pops the top.

“My captain has sent me to inquire what exactly you are looking for,” Orion replies. Clare pours the rum into her cup then offers Orion some as well. Orion lifts his cup so Clare can top him off.

“I’m sure whatever information the general provided is sufficient,” Clare politely replies then takes a sip from her drink. Watching the two of them talk is like watching a battle of wits. I feel unprepared.

“I, for one, would like more information from those requesting our help,” He retorts. Clare is suddenly intrigued by Orion. She evaluates him as if he is a puzzle. I immediately recognize the look on her face. It is the same look she gets when she reads someone.

“Well, for one thing, we aren’t requesting your team’s help. The Sparrow team was graciously offered to us by the Phoenix Government,” She replies nonchalantly but I can see the joy she is feeling underneath her cool façade. She seems to be taking far too much joy in her own statement. I look at Orion expecting him to be offended by the slight jab. Instead he leans forward and places his elbows on the table. He too seems to be enjoying the banter.

“Well then,” He says in mockingly sweet tone, “won’t you please inform me as to why you need my team’s services?”

Clare mirrors his position by delicately placing her elbows on the table as well and leaning forward. The polite smile that once graced her face is replaced by one of determination.

“One year ago, we received information on a possible way to end the virus and the forsaken that come along with it.” She examines his face closely to see if he shows any signs that might be of concern. For a brief moment I see a look of confusion, but it is quickly replaced with curiosity. I don’t blame him. Most have come to terms with the new world we lived it. Hope for a cure was lost long ago when the labs were infected and eventually infested with the forsaken.

“What information would that be?” He asks genuinely curious. I look at Clare unsure of what she will say but her face only depicts confidence.

“All you need to know is that Aspen is the key. Your team will need to get the two of us to Ground Zero. Once there, your team will need to allow us sufficient amount of time to retrieve the information that was lost and get back without Aspen being harmed.” She takes another sip of her drink. It takes a moment for Orion to respond. It is obvious he is thinking things through.

“Why the Sparrow team?” He finally asks.

“Traveling outside the walls is all but a death sentence for anybody but to get all the way to ground zero is practically impossible. Our odds are better with the Sparrow team, seeing as they are the best of the Knight division and train specifically for tasks outside the walls,” Clare was laying on her charm without being too obvious. “This is a top-secret mission and requires the best team there is, that is your team.” Clare sips the last of her drink.

Orion is quiet a little longer as he gulps down the rest of his drink as well. They both stare at each other as if they are reading each other’s thoughts. I look to the door and then to the dusky window growing uncomfortable in the silence.

“Well then, I guess you should see the captain and discuss the rest of this with him,” He says standing from his chair revealing tattered old, mended jeans and his pair of military boots. “You’re gonna need a horse,” He adds as he exits the room not looking back. Both me and Clare follow him out of the room quickly tucking our hair back into our hoods.

I let out a sign of relief that the meeting was over. I hate talking about myself and wasn’t quite sure we would be able to explain everything anyways. I appreciated the discreet way this Orion guy dealt with the initial meetup. I did not want more people knowing about me, who I am, or what this mission really was.