The Colorful White Walls

One

A flash of purple light. The feel of cool sand beneath her toes. "Callista," a woman's voice called. Looking around, all she saw was the dark sky and the pale neverending dessert. "Who's there?" Callista barked, her fists clenched. "You must leave. Leave the organization that you know murders innocents," the voice hissed, this time coming from every different angle.

"Who are you?" Callista yelled, whirling around trying to pinpoint the voice.

"Callista Wes to the control room," The Director said over the intercom. Callista sighed anxiously as she trudged out of her cell-like room, and out into the blinding white hallways. Walking through a set of heavy glass doors, Callista was greeted by a beautiful Japanese woman in a gray suit, her black hair in a straight bob with no flyaways whatsoever. Just like BLI, the director needed perfection in everything she did.

"As you know, Scarecrow Korse was almost assassinated," The Director said, her deep brown eyes bearing into her. Callista nodded. "You are now a target. If they want Korse, they want you." Callista knew that "they" meant The Fabulous Killjoys, a group of Zone-Rats who wanted to take down B.L.I.N.D and everything Callista ever knew. "Yes, Director," she said, straightening her back.

"You're dismissed," the Director said, shooing her away with the wave of her hand. Callista turned back to the glass doors, one hand on the cold metallic handle when the Director spoke, "One last thing. There's a protest happening outside of the gates. Take care of it. No survivors." The words sent a chill down her spine.

Walking down the white hallways, she stopped by the weapons room to gear up. She and her fellow Scarecrow, Korse, had their own private weapons room with the best tech. There were trackers, anti-ray suits, rayguns, armor, masks, helmets, and several types of snipers with different scopes. Taking one of the heavier rayguns, she weighed it in her hand, burying her emotions in a deep, dark place that even the bravest droid or Scarecrow would never venture.

The elevator ride down to the garage was slow. No one else accompanied her in that little glass box as she rode it down down down into the basement of B.L.I.N.D. Taking the keys to one of the vans, she noticed that most of the vehicles were missing. Sighing, she headed towards the protest at the toll gates that were the only ways in and out of Battery City.

"What's going on here?" She asked, once she finally arrived. Tying her hair back, a droid responded, "Scarecrow Wes! The Director didn't tell us she was sending you." Callista rolled her eyes. "I asked a question. What is going on?" She asked, looking out at the destroyed gate with protestors outside. "A fucking Rat destroyed the gate on her way out, and now some of the Zoners have come to protest about one shitty reason or another."

Callista observed the area. Cries of "FREE US! BLIND MUST BE DESTROYED!" And chants of "KILLJOYS! KILLJOYS!" echoed throughout the slums. "Let's take care of this," Callista said, firing up the raygun. The protesters had no weapons strapped to them, and she realized, I am going to murder innocent people. "Droids at the ready!" She yelled, pointing her gun at the protesters. "Fire!" She yelled, closing her eyes. She tried to block out the screams, and the wet thuds of the bodies hitting the ground. Silent tears slid down her face. No one seemed to notice or care.

Callista didn't bother to go home that night. "Scarecrow Wes, aren't you supposed to be back at Headquarters?" One of the Traffic Exterminators said by the toll booth to get into the city. She ignored him, looking out into the desert. The air was cool as she breathed deeply, longing to skip the wall and run out into the desert. "Scarecrow Wes, you need to go back to Headquarters," The Head Traffic Exterminator said as she put a firm hand on her shoulder. Callista shrugged off her hand and got into the van, not wanting to get reported.