Chapter 26: Traitor

December 4, 2023 3:27 PM

Sanders found himself lost in thought as he and Alice walked back to the tram. Valery had let them use a, usually locked, entrance to the normal-sized hallway's in her office so they could sneak back out. Every so often the loud booming footfalls of the giantess' above them echoed down the hallway. Even though none of the normal hallways had ever crumbled or collapsed, just knowing that the giantess hallway was above them was terrifying in many ways. The sooner they were out the more comfortable Sanders would feel.

Sanders tried to keep his mind off those thoughts and focused on what had happened. Flonne is... was a human or possibly a human taken against her will and turned into a monster. Well, not a full monster and it wasn't like she WAS a monster j-...she had been turned into something not human against her will THERE. Ugh this was annoying...

Sanders had been having some real concern with the Society recently. Their refusal to allow them guns, Manchent's words and reaction, Lutice's sudden personality change, the Matriarch's harsh punishment for the Captain, Gabriella, and Alice, and now this. Sanders was beginning to wonder what else the Society was hiding from them. And whether Lutice and the rest had even BEEN punished. It was just too...convenient that the Matriarch's had refused to tell them.

He wanted to express these worries, to voice them and maybe discuss them. He didn't think the Society was evil or anything like that or that the Resistance was right. He was no traitor, after all. But...but any organization as large as the Society was bound to have some bad eggs and he was beginning to worry the bad ones were spoiling the rest. He just couldn't stop worrying that the Society was being corrupted, if it hadn't been already. Worst, he was starting to think it was high level people who had been corrupted.

Ideally, he could have talked to the Captain about these worries, but she was off doing...something, which only made him more worried. What did the Captain know that they didn't? What was worth risking the wraith of Cathrine to see or investigate? What was she trying to protect them from, and who was she protecting them from by leaving them in the dark?

Aviel was there, lost in her own thoughts, but he was...leery of bringing his concern to her attention. Aviel rarely took any of his concerns seriously and tended to just dismiss them. Still, maybe this time she would not be so quick to just ignore what had happened. After all, this time the concern involved Flonne and the two of them looked to have gotten a lot closer after the incident with Lutice.

"You do know that if Flonne is a human then its very possible other fairies are too. Maybe even...catgirls," Sanders said, realizing how horrid that would be. At least the fairies didn't lose their mind completely but the catgirls... Even Pyrrha was more animal than human now. Aviel was silent for a moment before she finally answer.

"It is. But that doesn't mean the Society is evil or corrupt or anything," she said with a slight bit of annoyance.

"I never said it was. But you would think SOMEONE would have caught that they were using people. I mean, its got to involve more than one person to make monstergirls and none of them talked? You know that doesn't bode well," Sanders said. Aviel sighed and looked away, but nodded all the same.

"No...no it does not. And yes, I am aware that it probably means someone near the top may be the one keeping people quite. But this has nothing to do with us. Best we just leave it alone," Aviel suggested completely devoid of emotion.

"Leave it alone?! They are taking people and turning them into monsters against their will! How can we just ignore that?!" Sanders said getting angry that Aviel would even suggest that. They were supposed to be PROTECTING people not using them as science experiments! Aviel stopped as she turned to Sanders.

"They are taking people outside Atlanta and using them as test subjects. You heard Flonne, she was in a small village and her old self sounded unfamiliar with giantesses and fairies. If she was from Atlanta she would have known about them and not thought they were monsters. And if their outside Atlanta, they are Resistance," Aviel finished before turning away and beginning to walk away. Sanders' glare hardened as he stared at the back of her head.

"So whoever mutated Flonne into a fairy, ripped her memories out, and made her forget she EVER had a family was justified because she happened to be outside Atlanta? Last I checked, Flonne didn't mention a damn thing about the Resistance or ANYONE fighting back in her vision. Seems rather strange if she was from a Resistance base," Sanders said. Aviel didn't stop and just keep walking without a word. Sanders started to go after her, still furious at her words.

"It's always the same with you. It can never be the Society's fault, never mean that something is rotten with them, ALWAYS the Resistance's fault. Well this time isn't one of those. Flonne was just an innocent little girl that someone in the Society ripped away from her family and then used as a fucking science experiment. And pretending like its OK simply because YOU are terrified the Society might not be a the bastion of purity you seem to want, hell NEED, it to be is only going to let more people to wind up like Flonne," Sanders said, his blood boiling over in anger. Aviel stopped and glared back at him. Normally, Sanders might have let it go with a look like that, but Sanders was far too angry to let sense get in the way.

"And you are jumping to conclusions like always. We don't know why Flonne was turned or whether that village was harboring Resistance or not. Flonne might not have known or the Resistance stayed out of sight. But you never think about those situations, just the situations that give you some reason to rebel against the Society. You go looking for reasons to speak out against them and assume the worst at every turn. There are times I think you ARE a Resistance member with the way you act toward the Society," Aviel growled out.

"Fuck you, Aviel. Just because I actually question my orders and try to remember the Society isn't perfect, doesn't mean I am a traitor. But your petty need for revenge has blinded you to anything else. Your so damn wrapped up in it that you don't WANT to even consider that they might not be that bad or that we are just as bad. I know you're smart enough to see the writing on the wall, Aviel. Something nasty is going on, but you are so damn busy being pissy about your damn pare-" Sanders' sentence was cut short as Aviel smashed her fist straight into Sanders face. Sanders was taken completely off-guard by the punch and was sent sprawling into the wall, pain shooting through his jaw. Aviel hadn't broken it, but had come damn close.

Sanders was stunned at being hit by Aviel and stood there holding his jaw in surprise. Aviel's look of anger faded and was replaced by a look of both guilty and simmering anger. She didn't say a word as she turned and took off running down the hallway away from him. Sanders didn't bother to follow as he stood there and rubbed his jaw. He sighed as he cursed himself under his breath.

"Nice Sanders, mention her dead parents and reopen that wound. Might as well through some salt in it too while I was at it...Fuck," Sanders said to himself before pushing off the wall and starting the long walk to the tram, alone. By the time he got there Aviel was long gone, having taken an earlier tram. Sanders sighed again as he sat on the bench feeling guilty and depressed.

Fuck, what had he been trying to prove? Sure Aviel was being foolish still putting the Society on a pedestal of always right, but going for her parents?! Dammit, that was...

Sanders didn't say a word to anyone as he boarded the tram. He toyed with the idea of going to Aviel's to try and apologize, but he knew it would be a wasted effort. She wouldn't want to see him, much less talk to him after that. Best to save it for when they were assigned to their new squads. Hopefully...hopefully he would get the chance before they were sent their separate ways. If not...well he would cross that if it came.

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December 6, 2023 6:25 AM

The next day didn't bring any relief to Sanders guilt. If anything, the off day left him with nothing to do BUT feel guilty. He sat in his apartment, trying to distract himself with TV, games, and pretty much anything else. He debating leaving, but just had no will to really get up. Instead he just laid there all day, depressed and beating himself senseless about his own stupidity. Thankfully, the message came that he was to be reassigned the next day so at least he would have that to distract him. There was no way to know if Aviel was getting reassigned the same day too and Sanders wasn't really sure if he wanted her to be or not.

Finally, the day ended and Sanders woke up bright and early for his reassignment. He was feeling a little better, but still not great. The lingering guilty and fear of Aviel being there was keeping him from being his usual bright self.

Sanders' trip to the main tram terminal was uneventful. It wasn't until he got off the tram that he started to worry. Would Aviel be here? Would she still be mad? Could he face her? He gulped down his worry and headed for the tram that would take him to the base. He didn't see Aviel anywhere in the terminal and he was starting to relax a bit as he boarded the tram.

A mixture of relief and terror came on him when he saw Aviel sitting in one of the seats. She glanced up at him, but turned away to face the window again. Her face was a mask showing no sign of any emotion or giving him a hint of what to expect. Sanders sighed as he moved into the tram and debated whether to sit next to her or not. He elected not to and sat across the aisle from her. Aviel didn't so much as look at him or say a word.

The ride to the base was agonizingly slow. Time seemed to stretch on and on as Sanders sat there, wondering what to do or say. Thankfully, the tram's soft hum and the low chatter of the other people on the tram keep it from being uncomfortably silent. He knew he should say something, but he just couldn't seem to find the right words. No.. no he shouldn't talk to her here. Here she would have to listen and he didn't want to force her to talk if she didn't want to. He would wait till their reached the terminal. Finally, the tram began to slow and the platform came into view outside the window.

Sanders waited till the tram had stopped to get up. Aviel had stood up before that and made a bee-line for the door, not even looking at Sanders. Sanders cursed under his breath as he headed after her. By the time he got through the crowd, Aviel was through the checkpoint and heading for the lift down to ground level. Sanders followed, but wasn't able to get through the checkpoint before Aviel had headed down on the tram along with a number of other people.

Sanders caught the next one and tried to see Aviel in the mass of people, but couldn't pick her out. He cursed his own cowardice at not talking to her own the tram and tried to will the lift to go faster. He pushed his way out of the lift, getting a few curses from the other passengers, and was one of the first people off it. He half walked half ran to the hallway that lead to the Scout equipment room and just barely caught sight of Aviel turning a corner at the end of the hallway.

"Aviel!" he called out as he ran after her, his plan to NOT make her talk to him forgotten.. The hallway was empty save for him and he made good time to the bend. He turned the corner and found her having already gone around another bend. He didn't bother calling out as he took off at a full run after her. He came around the next bend and saw her a few feet ahead of him.

"Aviel, stop!" Sanders said as he rushed to catch up with her. Aviel stopped, but didn't turn around as Sanders came to a stop behind her.

"I-...back-..." he started to say but seemed to be unable to find the words. Fuck it, go with the short and simple.

"Sorry," he said not able to find any other words. Aviel didn't turn around.

"Is that it?" she asked without a hint of emotion in her voice.

"Y-yeah, I mean, no I...fuck I don't know," Sanders admitted. Aviel shook her head and sighed before turning back to look at him.

"Guess I am sorry too," she said with a downcast look. Sanders didn't even try to hide his confusion.

"For-for what?" Sanders asked drawing a blank. Aviel looked up at him with slight irritation before seeing he was genuinely confused. She let out a slight laugh as she shook her head.

"You really don't remember me sucker punching you?" Aviel asked. Well, NOW he did and suddenly realized why she apologized.

"Oh right, that. To be fair I did kinda deserve it," Sanders admitted. Aviel smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Let's...let's just call it even then. Sound fair?," she asked. Sanders smirked and nodded before falling in beside her as they headed to the equipment room.

The rest of the trip was much better. Sanders had watched a long ass marathon of some old show the day before and started to tell Aviel all the best parts. Aviel seemed more interested in seeing Sanders try to act out what was happening than what the show was and both were in good spirits when they entered the equipment room.

Inside the room were Squads 2 and 4. They were waiting for their giantess leaders to finish getting suited up in their own rooms and were shooting the shit while they waited. Trent and Blanch were there and  both drifted toward Sanders. Aviel got to talking with Lizette, Laci, and Rena about something, though Sanders was too busy focusing on Trent's stupid stories to really listen.. By the time both were kitted out and ready, they had all but forgotten their fight.

Trent was just in the middle of telling a story of how Blanch had managed to get stuck in a drain, which Blanch swore happened to Trent and not him, when the giantess-sized door opened. The group looked up to see, not one of the Scout giantess, but a Shield security giantess. The group glanced around as she moved to the no crossing line and bent down to see them better.

"Something we can do for you, ma'am?!" Laci yelled up so that the giantess could hear. The security guard wasn't wearing a headset so their radios were useless.

"Yes, I need to see Sanders Cutter and Aviel Wolff," the security guard whispered out. Aviel and Sanders exchanged glances, but stepped forward.

"That's us. Did something happen?!" Sanders yelled up as the giantess turned her massive eyes to them. She didn't answer, but lowered her hand to them. Another exchanged look passed them, but both of them still climbed on. Sanders braced himself for a rough ride and thanked whoever that he had eaten a light breakfast as the giantess stood back up. Just like he feared, her steps were rough and the ride was a sickened, gut-wrenching affair.

As Sanders fought to keep what little breakfast he had, Aviel yelled up at the giantess.

"What is going on?! Where are you taking us?!" she yelled getting the giantess to glance down at them.

"Matriarch Cathrine ordered me to take you two into protective custody. I am placing you two in a secure room for the time being," the giantess said as she headed down a hallway Sanders was not familiar with. Even fighting back his sickness, Sanders quickly caught on what that meant. If they had sent a security guard to pick them up, they had to suspect a giantess-sized danger. Had Lutice escaped whatever punishment she had been given? Or had Isabella stumbled onto the traitor that had seen Manchent killed?

He didn't get time to ask as the giantess stopped at a door and used a keycard to open the door. The door lead into what looked to be a briefing room. A large table was set in the middle of the room along with a number of chairs around it. A large projector was in the middle of the table pointed at the far wall. The guard headed for the table and set the two of them down onto it.

"You will be safe in here. Stay on the table and keep quiet," she said before whipping around. Aviel tried to yell a question at her, but the giantess was gone before she could even get the sentence half formed. The lock on the door clicked over and the two of them were sealed into the room.

Sanders took a moment to let his sickness fade before he tried talking.

"What...what do you think is going on?" he asked looked over to Aviel. Aviel shook her head as she glared at the door as if in thought.

"Whatever it is, it probably involves whatever Isa-" her words were cut off as alarms began to blare out over the intercoms. Sanders could see red lights flashing from the edges of the door and the lights inside the room seemed to dim slightly.

"Warning, Resistance forces have breaching the perimeter. All combat personal, report to your designated defense zones. All non-combat personal, report to nearest shelter. Warning, Resistance for-..." the automated voice of the base alarm began to repeat. Sanders looked at Aviel in shock as Aviel looked back at him with the same look.

"What the fuck? The Resistance has never attacked the base," Sanders said, suddenly glad he had his gun hidden under his jacket.

"No, they have hit it before. But that was nearly four years ago. How the hell did they slip past all our patrols?" Aviel corrected him before looking down in thought. She shook her thoughts off before heading for the edge of the table.

"Aviel, what the hell are you doing?" Sanders said as he moved up after her.

"Getting into the fight. Like hell I am going to let the Resistance attack the base and NOT help defend it," she said before taking out some grapple lines from her own pack. The noise outside began to grow as the sounds of giantess' running to their positions could be heard.

"Are you crazy?! Do you hear all that noise outside? You'll just get squashed out there! Besides, we were told to stay here. Whatever they are trying to protect us from must be pretty bad if they didn't use a typical shelter," Sanders said as he moved to try and stop her. Aviel glared at him.

"That was before the Resistance attacked. I am going and that's that," she said before driving one of the grapple's hooks into the table. She throw the rope down and looked to be getting ready to jump down, but Sanders grabbed her hand.

"No you are not! I am not letting you go get yourself killed! We can kill Resistance some other day, dammit!" Sanders said as he tried to haul her back away from the edge. Aviel growled in rage as she tried to fight Sanders off and looked about to say something when the sound of the lock opening echoed through the room.

Sanders released Aviel as they both moved away from the edge of the table. If they had been in danger, the confusion caused by a Resistance attack would be the perfect chance to get rid of them. Sanders looked around, but there was nowhere to hide on the table. The projector was too far away to reach in time and it was the only thing on the table, besides them. Sanders cursed under his breath as he hand drifted toward his gun. He would go down fighting at least. Aviel got the same look in her eye and her hands drifted toward her sword and knife.

The door opened and Sanders fear turned into relief. The Captain stepped into the room and smiled down at the two of them in complete relief. She was breathing rather heavily and looked a little worse for wear. Oddly, she looked to be wearing her mission gear and looked to have just gotten back considering the level of dirt and dust on her clothing.

"Sanders, Aviel, thank goodness! Come on, we need to get out of here," the Captain said as she lowered her hand for them to get on. Sanders began to move toward it, but Aviel stayed where she was.

"Aviel? Come on we need to go," Sanders said moving back to take her arm. Aviel backed away, though and got an angry look.

"No. I am not running away. I can fight and I am going to," she said glaring between Sanders and the Captain. Sanders groaned in annoyance as the Captain scowled at her.

"We do not have time for this, Aviel. I need to get you two to safety before things get any worse. I can explain on the way, but I lear-" the Captain stopped as the door's lock clicked to unlock. She whirled around, the wind from her hand zipping away nearly knocking Sanders down, to face the opening door.

Sanders looked up and saw Matriarch Angela standing in the doorway. She had on full combat gear and her HUD visor was covered in information. She smiled at the Captain before raising a strange gun at her and firing. The Captain dodged to the left, just in time, to avoid a strange green beam of energy that came from the gun. Angela's smile didn't fade as she adjusted her aim and fired again. The Captain dodged back and ducked under the table to avoid the beam.

Sanders was in complete shock with what was happening. Sanders looked at Aviel and saw she was just as confused as he was. She looked up and her eyes widened causing Sanders to follow her gaze. Angela had adjusted her aim again. Only this time toward them.

"Guess I will just have to settle for your scouts then," Angela said with the same smile, giving a wink to him and Aviel. Sanders stumbled back, terrified with what the gun was supposed to do as her finger tightened around the trigger. Fuck they were going to get disintegrated, or turning into something or fuck knows what!

Suddenly, the Captain sprung out from around the table and leap over it to put herself in the way of the beam. A bright flash blinded Sanders for a brief second before he saw a strange green aura surround the Captain. He looked on in complete shock as she seemed to slowly be covered in her own clothing before vanishing into them. Her pants fell to the ground while her shirt and jacket flattened onto the table. Only a tiny little spot remained raised and began to thrash around as if something was trying to escape.

For a second Sanders stood there, looking at the thing shifting about in the Captain's clothing. He had seen that green aura once before. So many years ago, but it couldn't be it...it just couldn't. He shook off his thoughts as he remembered the Captain had vanished. He could worry about the light later, he needed to find her.

"Captain? Captain?! Isabella?!" he called out as he rushed toward her shirt. Angela moved toward the table, her smile not having changed at all, and picked up the shirt and jacket by the collar. As Angela raised it up, the moving thing in the Captain's shirt tumbled out onto the table and grunted as it hit the table. Sanders stopped dead in his tracks as he found himself staring at a completely naked Isabella. Only...only she was just as small as he was.

"That's....it can't....how..." Sanders began to say as he shook his head in disbelief. Shrinking technology was supposed to have been lost during the disaster and require a massive machine or giant beam like had been used on the world. But that gun Angela had was...was just a gun! How...what...

"Rangers Sanders and Aviel. You two have witnessed use of a weapon that has been Alpha-level classified. Telling anyone what you saw today will be tantamount to committing treason against the Society. I trust you both understand. Can't have the Resistance know we have such dangerous weapons," Angela said, smiling down to both of them. Sanders said nothing and simply stared at the weapon and then back at Isabella's tiny form. Aviel, however, spoke up as she seemed to, finally, snap out of her shock of what had just happened.

"You...you almost shot us," Aviel said as she got an accusatory look. Angela's smile did not fade at all as she looked at Aviel like a mother would a silly child.

"They shrink device would have done nothing to you. It was set to 1/100th size and since you are both already that size, it would have passed right through you. I was loathe to use such a tactic, but it was the quickest way to stop the fight," she said with the same smile before turning to Sanders,
"Now, Sanders. Please arrest your former commander, Isabella Raim for the act of treason and attempting to conspire with the Resistance," Angela said as if she had NOT just turned Sanders entire world upside down.

"Tr-Treason?!" Sanders exclaimed as he looked at Angela in utter confusion. First the shrink weapon and now Isabella was a traitor?! What they hell was going on?!

"Yes, the current Resistance attack was orchestrated and aided by Isabella. It was with her help that they managed to slip past our patrols and get past the perimeter. She was going to use the distraction to get you two out and then join the Resistance in full once she was sure you were safe," Angela said. Sanders turned to look at Isabella and saw her slowly sit up and cover herself as best she could. She looked up at Angela's massive face and down at her now tiny hands and seemed to darken completely. She slumped a bit as she shook her head and looked down at the table.

"Its...its not true right? Yo..You're not a traitor...right?" Sanders asked as he noticed Aviel moved up to stand beside him, looking equally as apprehensive about the answer. Isabella looked up from the table, glanced at Angela, and then turned back to them. She drew in a breath and her old self came back as she got a determined look on her face.

She was about to answer when the door lock clicked again. The door opened and Matriarch Cathrine walked in, also in full combat gear. She looked at Angela, a scowl on her face, before turning to look at Isabella's fallen clothes and, finally, Sanders and Aviel. Isabella's face brightened as she came into view and a slight bit of hope seemed to cross her face. Cathrine's scowl deepened as she turned to Angela.

"That shrink device is for use as a last resort and most certainly not in front of non-cleared personnel. Next time, call for backup rather than leaking classified intel. Now, why is the traitor not in custody yet?" Cathrine said scowling down at them all. Isabella's face suddenly turned to complete and utter despair. She shook her head in disbelief before slumping back onto the ground, a look of shock on her face. Sanders had never seen Isabella like this and...and he didn't like to see her like this. She looked completely and utterly beaten, like everything she had known was ripped out from under her. What was going on?

"Its...its true...isn't it? You are working with the Resistance," Aviel said as she stared at Isabella. Isabella looked at her and Sanders for a moment before closing her eyes as if deciding something.

"Its true," she said as she stood up, still covering herself with her hands, "I am a traitor to the Society. And I was going to join the Resistance." There was no hints of wavering or hidden messages, or lies in Isabella's eyes. She simply stared at both of them as if all she had said was what she had for breakfast. Sanders stood there in stunned silence as he shook his head in disbelief. Isabella...a traitor? It...no...had to...it couldn't be.

Aviel, however, got a disgusted look on her face. She scowled back at Isabella and her hand tightened around her sword.

"You...traitorous bitch. I trusted you, believed in you, fucking looked up to you... And you turn your back on us for...for the people who ruined my life?! I...I...AGH I'LL KILL YOU!" she yelled as she took out her sword. She looked about to charge Isabella, but Sanders grabbed her.

"S-Stop it, Aviel! Murdering Isabella isn't going to help anything. Let me handle this! AVIEL!" he yelled as she thrashed against his arms. She stopped after a second, still breathing hard and with a look of utter hate on her face. Sanders let her go and she sheathed her sword and turned away from Isabella. Her fists were clinched so hard on her weapons that they were shaking.

Sanders turned to Isabella and moved up to her. It was...and odd thing seeing Isabella at the same size as he was. He was used to having to crane his neck just to see her chest, much less her face. Now...now he was almost half a foot taller than her. He took out his spare jacket from his pack and offered it to her. The huge winter jacket more than covered her up and she nodded a thanks to Sanders. Traitor or not, she didn't deserve to go to whatever punishment she had waiting naked.

"Turn around, Isabella," he ordered and she did so. He took her arms and bound them with some cable and then turned her back around.

"Traitor secure, Matriarchs," Sanders reported as he keep a tight grip on Isabella's arm. He...he needed to just focus on his duty. He...he couldn't think on this if he thought then...then he would... He tried to keep the tears from coming, but felt them start to come down anyway. Dammit, what was happening? How did this happen? Why was it happening so fast?

"Good. Bring her to me," Angela said as she lowered her hand onto the table. Sanders, running more of auto-pilot than anything,  pushed Isabella toward Angela's massive hand and lead her onto it. He forced her to kneel in the middle of Angela's palm. Aviel came up to stand beside him, but keep her hands away from her weapons. Sanders keep an eye on her just the same.

Angela slowly lifted them up to chest level so that both her and Cathrine could see them better. The alarms and other alerts were dieing down and the activity outside seemed to be ebbing away. It sounded like the fight with the Resistance was coming to an end. Considering the alarms were now signaling all clears and stand down orders, they had won.

"Ex-Ranger Isabella Raim. You are accused of conspiring with the Resistance and betraying the Advanced Science Society to its enemies. How do you plead?" Angela asked, her voice booming out just loud enough to be uncomfortable. Isabella was silent for a second before she answered.

"Guilty," she said as her head dipped lower to the ground in defeat. Sanders felt the words like they were a spear and wanted to so bad to scream at her to change her plea, to fight this, to say it was bullshit, to...to.... But instead, all he did was stand there.

"Then your sentence is death and will be cared out immediately. Angela, I will let you handle the rest," Cathrine said as she moved to the door. Angela smirked and glanced at her.

"Don't want to stay and watch your old scout die?" Angela asked with a devilish smirk. Cathrine scowled at her and stopped at the door.

"If you would rather clean up the mess the Resistance made and do the paper work involved in reporting this issue, I will be glad to carry out the execution. Otherwise, shut up and do your job," she said before opening the door and slamming it shut. Angela shook her head and turned back to them.

"Always so testy. Now, Sanders turn Isabella the other way and then both of your stand back. Wouldn't want to accidentally get either of you," Angela instructed. Sanders eyes widened as he realized what she was doing. Fuck...he wasn't...he didn't want to see this. Not now...not again...not EVER. The catgirl had been bad enough, at least it was kinda inhuman, but to see one human EAT another... Sanders felt his body begin to shake as he thought about it.

A touch at his arm got him to nearly jump as Aviel motioned him back and did as Angela instructed. Angela raised an eyebrow at his reaction, but didn't comment on it. Sanders turned away and moved toward Angela's fingers as he tried to keep the shaking under control. It was well known that traitors got the worst death imaginable, eaten alive by a giantess, but he had never actually seen it. And had no want to see it. Not after that day...

He looked over to Aviel as she walked back to him. She gave him a don't worry about it look before turning back to watch. Sanders gulped and glanced back just in time to see Angela's massive mouth open, a bit of spit linking her two lips, and her tongue start to roll out toward Isabella. Sanders whipped back around and had too wrap his arms around himself to not freak out. Fuck why did it have to be that, why why why WHY?! And why did it have to be Isabella! She had never shown any hint of being a traitor, she was always middle of the road between him and Aviel and had fought Resistance just as hard as anyone else.

Why had she betrayed them? HOW could she have betrayed them? She was always risking herself rat-...rath....

Sanders' shaking stopped as he thought back to when this had all happened. Isabella had shielded them from the shrink ray, had come back for them, and had, somehow, found them. How had she found them unless...unless she had known where they were. He glanced at his wrist unit and found it off. A quick glance to Aviel would show hers was off too. Their beacons were not on...Someone had TOLD her where to find them.

Was it the guard? She had been a shield. Maybe she was one of Gabriella's friends and had helped Isabella. But then how had Angela found them so quick? And why take them to a meeting room and not a proper shelter? Unless...unless whoever told that guard to bring them there had told Angela too and picked this room specifically for this purpose. But who?

Isabella had lightened up when Cathrine had first come in like she was saved. And yet when Cathrine said she was a traitor it crushed her. In fact, she only admitted to being a traitor and part of the attack AFTER Cathrine had called her one. Always trying to protect them...always trying to keep them shielded...

Sanders eyes snapped completely wide open as it hit him. She had admitted to being part of the Resitance to SAVE them! Her leaving from Valery's office... she must have gone to Lindale and found whatever Manchent had left! And whatever that was was a secret the Matriarchs were willing to kill to keep. Which meant if she had told them the truth, Angela and Cathrine would have killed him and Aviel too.

Jesus Christ, the Society didn't have one corrupt Matriarchs, they were BOTH corrupt! Isabella had probably figured she could trust Cathrine and told her what she had found only to have, inadvertently, tipped off the very people she was fighting against! AND HE HAD BELIEVED THEM AND HAND DELIVERED HER TO THEM!!!

Sanders spun around and saw Angela's tongue pulling Isabella in. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to die like that for trying to save them! SHE COULDN'T DIE LIKE THIS!!!

Sanders wanted to run and pull her out, but Angela's neck was already pulling back. She was too far and there was no time to reach her. He had to do something, had to stop this, had to show her he knew she was no traitor and had not sold them to the Resi- HIS GUN!

Sanders throw off his pack and his jacket that had been hiding his gun and brought it to his shoulder. Angela's eyes were closed as she slowly began to tip her head back, Isabella perched perilously on her tongue. It was only a matter of time before she fell into Angela's waiting mouth and to her doom. The bitch was PLAYING WITH HER!!!!

Sanders despised himself for letting it come to this. Hated that he had been such an idiot. Furious that he had let himself be fooled. He had always been the one to say not to trust the Society, and he had blindly trusted them. And now Isabella, the woman who had done so much to keep him safe, the woman who was almost like a second mother, the woman who had taken a stand against the Society, was going to die. And the only thing he could do for her was make it quick.

He aimed down the rifle, pointing the barrel at Isabella's head. Isabella glanced over and her eyes widened as she saw what he was doing. Her surprise faded as she gave soft smile. She mouthed something to him, "ladle madum?" Shit, he couldn't tell what it was... But her next word he did understand. It was two words, but they made pulling the trigger infinity harder and infinity easier.

"Thank you."

BANG