The Fence

Chapter 41: Knowing

I'm dumbfounded when the chancellor himself steps into my room. Grey accompanies him, coming in just seconds after C. Raven had. My eyes widen in anticipation, automatically thinking the worst. Had Grey finally snapped? Did he finally want me to get a new job and leave?

"So you're the famous Kirbena?" Chancellor laughs. His blue eyes are so bright, seemingly lighting up the room.

"I-I am," I stutter, not quite knowing what to say. Ky was the one who always obsessed over meeting the chancellor. He idolized C. Raven, so much so that after knowing he didn't want to be in the military I honestly think Ky would've worked in the Central Building. Ky talked about the chancellor so much I just zoned everything out when it came to him, so sick of hearing about him so often.

"I've seen pictures of you. The most famous one was the fight you had with Luci Connor. It was the perfect shot, really! It was when you turned Sutikka into a hover board. That is how you pronounce it, right? Sutikka?"

"Soo-tea-ka," Grey answers for me. I nod, letting him know Grey was right.

Chancellor smiles. "Oops, my bad."

"I'm sorry, Chancellor..." I mumble quietly. "But what are you doing in here? I mean, someone like you in my recovery room? You must be busy."

"I wouldn't degrade yourself, Kirbena. You are quite useful to the military, and don't ever forget that."

"Am I?" I laugh nervously.

"Yes! You know who you remind me of?"

"Who is that?"

"Grey," Chancellor grins. "Seriously. I haven't seen someone with as much talent as him since you came along. Both of you have tremendous bonds with your weapons and earned them super early on. Both of you are perfectly fit, and can use the elements if you want."

"Well, actually...I haven't gotten the chance to use elements much. We got interrupted."

The Chancellor's face suddenly stiffens, his jaw clenching strictly. "Right, because of Nixon?"

I freeze, my eyes drifting behind the Chancellor and to Grey. He looks just as pale as I feel. It's as if a ghost had come by and stolen my soul, as I was glued to my seat and unable to move.

The Chancellor's chuckling brings me back, my eyebrows knitting together in a confused line. Why was he laughing?

"You look so surprised, Kirbena," Chancellor smiles, his chuckle slowly fading. "I'm the leader of this city. Did you really think I didn't know about the little patch of outside off of the fence's radar? Or how you snuck in a sick Yukos and wasted medicine on him? How about the exact moment when the bullet entered your body?"

I tense, the memory wafting back to my mind. I take a deep, ragged breath, but the sick, nagging feeling doesn't go away. Grey comes to stand closer to me, knowing that I might have a panic attack at anytime.

Chancellor actually looks sorry for bringing it up. "My apologies. Perhaps I should have used a different example to make my point."

"D-don't worry about it," I stutter again. "I'm over it now."

"It doesn't seem like it. It only happened 2 weeks ago or so."

"Chancellor," Grey warns. I peer up at him, his face set in stone.

"That's okay," I mutter. "I can take care of myself."

Grey shifts his weight, obviously a bit embarrassed by what I had just said. I know he's just trying to look after me, but I hate looking weak. But everyone sees right through me here, so what's the point?