why me

21

I wade through the streets of an abandoned area of norui. No one will talk to me. I've interrogated seven civilian and all had the same answer "I don't know where the rebels are" they'd plead. We were on our last district cleaning up the rebels then we'd make our way back home.

I smash down a door to a delapitated house and make myway inside. Earlier Intel suggested the rebels were hiding out somewhere on this street. I round the corner to the dirty kitchenet, plates littering the table. There was fresh food on them. Someone resided in the hobble of a home.

"Hello" I call out "helloo"

"Prince ailign" I hear from my com. "I have new Intel. It seems rebels have been spotted in house six of that street." House six, how perfect. I was already inside.

"Thanks officer." I reply back.

I continue to make myway through the small house. "I know your here. Come out and play" I goad.

Suddenly a figure jumps out from behind the corner and fires continous shots at me. They harmlessly bounce off and land on the ground before me. I throw a knife into the creatures chest, pinning him to the wall with the force until he slowly slides down. Dead.

"Come out come out" I call but this time no one answers.

"My prince do you want reinforcements sent your way?" The voice over the com, ray asks.

"I'll take two" I answer back.

"Headed there now." My com says

I continue to search the rooms, even going so far as to pull back blankets pinned to the walls. I hear my men enter from the destroyed front entryway.

"My prince" one of then calls. I was so close to finding the rebels I could taste it.

"Upstairs" I reply. There footsteps quickly finding there mark as they make there way to me.

"Spread out and search every corner." I say

They nod and set off in either direction. I make my way into the first bedroom. I hear whimpering in the corner.

"Found you" I say holding out a hand as I mist the figure laying under the bed. The smoke from the body filling the room I look at the pile left on the floor underneath.

"Got one" I say into the com.

"I found three in my direction" my soldier informs me.

"Two over here" ray says

"That leaves only one more rebel leader." I answer back "Look thoroughly." I hear a combined yes prince before I go back to focusing on my own room. I could feel a presence in it. I opened the closet, pulling back the hanging clothing. No one. Next I search the connected bathroom.

"Found you" I call as I set eyes on a man sitting in the tub, hugging his riffle. He was crying as he lifted the riffle to me. One shot, I dodged, then threw a throwing knife into the mans chest. He was dead on the spot.

"I got the last one" I say to my com. "But I want you two to sweep through the place one more time to make sure." I say

As I make my way out of the house I sense a presence behind me, I quickly dodge to the side right as the butt of the rifle would have hit me in the back. I reach out and grab it before the noruian has time to pull it back and shoot. My face twists in anger. One slipped through. I yank, hard, at the riffle taking it from the noruians hands and hit him hard in the face with it, cracking bones.

"I got one more" I say to my com "take him in for interogation"

I hear a responding yes prince again through the com as I drop the riffle on the now unconious man.

I meet up with Alan on my way back to the base. "Finally done with the rebels" He says. "I get to go home and see my sweet honey now." Alan was one of the few males mated to a mech female.

"I thought you said we were going to listen to music here" I say my mood lightening up.

"Music sounds amazing, but after we misted so many of there friends I don't know how welcoming the locals will be" Alan says

"People are always welcoming if you have money" I muse

"And we have plenty of that" Alan says a he places an arm around my shoulder. "f**k yeah let's go listen to some music. I hear there's a bar in district 4 that plays high grade live music every night."

"Let's go now. I want us all ready to go by the morning" I say.

I turn the jeep to start heading in district four direction. Bar lights can be seen around the fence as we come near to district four.

"The locals are licely in this district." Alan says admiring the lights.

"Let's hurt so we can finish everything for tomorrow." I say

"Yeah yeah. You'll probably want to interrogate thay fucker we picked up today too." Alan says

"Let the commander do that. We've done our part." Ailign says

"How very unlike you my prince. Maybe having a mate has brought some positive sides out of you." Alan says

I look at Alan with a doubtful look. We make our way inside the district then, the streets full of actives in the dark of night. Lights were on all around, street lights, shop front lights, and bar lights strung up from pole to pole.

"Wanna make a bet" Alan says

"Depends on what's at stake." I answer back. We park our car at one of the brightest lit astabilshments. It was a brothel, the picture of a swinging girl lit up, up front.

"Ok if I win we stay one more day." Alan says

"And if I win" I raise an eyebrow.

"If you win then I'll do cleaning duty on the journey back." Alan says

I laugh not caring at all if Alan cleans on our journey or not, but staying another day. I weighed the bet in my mind.

"Ok" I finally say. "What the game"

"Whether you can get one norui to talk to you without running away afterwards" Alan says

I snort. Easy.

"I expected a card game or something but you really wanna bet over something like this?" I ask

Alan smiles "ow yes" he says "that intimidating demeanor of yours will have them all running in terror"

I give him a look and cross my arms, leaning back on the jeep.

"Ok Alan, game on."

Inside the bar, none of the people would even look at us. I had to wave down the bar tender several times before I got a response. Her repose was to look at us then quickly walk away. My bet was not looking too good at that point.

"Try smiling" Alan says

I give him a fake smile and he laughs so hard he almost falls back. "I need alcohol now" I say

"You and me brother. Now watch me." Alan says

Waving his hand with a heart stopping grin, Alan quickly gets the bartenders attention.

"Two of your strongest drinks" He says.

"Right away" She smiles back, her rows of fangs glistening in the low lights.

"That's how you do it." Alan says.

I lean back in my seat and watch my friend. The easy friendly nature that illuminated from him was hard to copy. I grunt. I absently wondered if megan would prefer someone with this sort of personality.

I try to force a smile again, it just comes out awkwardly. Alan laughs again. I glower at him. "Now ailign you can't copy what I have but just try and be nice. It wouldn't hurt you."

I get up from my seat after our drink comes and i wolf it down. Liquid confidence running through my veins. I sit at the bar and get another drink, Alan watching me from behind as I try and initiate conversation with one of the norui.

"Hey" I say to the bartender.

"Can I help you sr.?" He asks me

"Yeah I'd like another drink please." I say

"Of course" He responds

Music was playing loudly, the artist singing there heart out on stage. A few norui standing and watching the performance were swaying to the uplifting song. I glance over and watch the little people, the scene somewhat enjoyable.

"Here you are sr." The norui says as he places the glass down.

"Whats that singers name?" I ask

He looks at me nervously "that's chival" He says and he quickly turns around and gets back to his work.

I heard Alan laugh from behind me and I turn around to glare at him. What was it about the way I asked Jim that made him scared? I didn't understand what I did.

"Your too curt in your speach" He laughs

I ponder his statement. I was just speaking normally. I didn't even demand he tell me I asked him a question. This bet was going worse then I expected.

The rest of the night went the same way. I'd try to anitiate a conversation but it went sour quickly. Alan was smirking like a loon in our small booth.

"That's it ailign. It's time to go now and you haven't managed to get one person to not fear you." Alan says

"Your on cleaning duty tomorrow." I say

"My prince I won the bet." Alan says

"And the bet said nothing about what we'd be doing tomorrow. You'll be cleaning." I say