The word of the Reize Maxians infiltrating the Zenethra made it to Gilland with news of their arrival to the main hull. He sat there in wait, looking down at the spyrix in his hand, weary.
The sounds of heels clicking against the glass floor could be heard, but he didn’t bother to look up, knowing exactly who was there, “Allison.”
The footsteps stopped several yards away from him. Ally was staring at Gilland with a worried gaze, but she kept a stiff lip as she responded, “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“You are to be dismissed from the Zenethra until given further orders.” The reply was curt, no reluctance whatsoever.
“Dismissed?” She repeated, narrowing her eyes, “Your orders were for me to confront the Reize Maxians from getting here. They’re going to be here any minute now and you want me to just leave?! The Celsius project is nowhere being complete yet! You said so yourself!”
“Are you refusing my orders, girl?”
“Orders change. You know this is the make or break of the Otherworldly Plan, if I have you die here-”
“So you’re convinced that I’m going to fail?” She clenched her fists, “Just give me a chance!”
“Your failure at Fezebel Marsh cost the lives of your comrades did it not?”
Her bravado was lost, her eyes stared at the glass floor beneath her, after a moment of silence she spoke again, “I can’t let their deaths be in vain just because you think I’m-”
“Where in this conversation did you think that you had a say in this? This is for your protection. For your own good.”
She grit her teeth in silence, so many things wanted to leave her lips.
Because this is what you trained me to do.
Because this is what you raised me to do.
Because I want to prove my worth on my own, even in death.
Just because I’m your daughter does not mean I need your damn protection.
If you really wanted to protect me, you would’ve protected me when I was held hostage.
If you wanted to protect me, I wouldn’t have had to use my body for information.
So Why now? Why do you want to ‘protect’ me now?
“Do I make myself clear, Allison?”
She was trembling where she stood, not out of terror, but in unadulterated anger.
Her father was dead to her before she even left that room.
