Hunted

Fifteen: Excusing Behaviour

Iseult grinned dangerously at Ashley Porter, as she sat in her office, watching the doctor's discomfort with an unsettling level of indifference. Her attention was distracted by a sudden, sharp knock at the door. Iseult didn't let her eyes falter from Ashley's face, as the instructor visibly crumpled, fearing the owner of the interruption. 

"Ian, we have a visitor," Iseult breathed, not wavering from the doctor's face. Ian barely flickered from view as the door fell open and Ashley started to issue pleas for him not to open it.

"Hello," Annakiya Fall sighed, smiling brightly and observing the gathered audience with an easy casualness. "I was told that you needed my expertise".

"Come in a shut the door," Ian grinned dangerously. "Join our little party – I would offer you something to drink, but we are in the middle of a tormenting our kind doctor".

Annakiya pursed her lips, trying to figure out if he was joking or not, before shutting the door. Iseult clicked her tongue, knowing that Annakiya leaned more towards James' tendency for good behaviour, rather than Ian's delight in bending the rules until they snapped.

"No – no, enough of this. I want you out – all of you," Ashley snapped, trying to summon her authority, standing up and flustering the sheets on her desk as if trying to appear busy.

"Sit down," Iseult ordered coolly, watching Ashley's eyes dart to her nervously before she obeyed. Annakiya seemed a little uneasy at her tone, but knew better than to interrupt. "Ian, I need you to run down to the hospital," Iseult said in a low voice. "Remember the phials we were talking about yesterday... I need you to grab one for me – and I shouldn't have to say that I need this done quickly".

Ian watched her expressionlessly for a moment, before he nodded. "What one would you like?"

"I don't mind – nothing too strong. Just a taste," she sighed, vaguely aware of Ashley's sharp intake of breath.

"I won't say anything – I promise Iseult, please just don't..." Ashley swallowed. Iseult didn't even hesitate as Ian vanished through the door. Instead she fixed Ashley with a cold stare. She knew she didn't need to be so cold-hearted about this, but she knew too that she had to be the altered soldier she had been trained to be, if she was going to bring Kingston down. Ashley had been hired by Elmhirst, worked for Elmhirst. She could not go easy on her, despite her previous fondness for the students. Emotions had no place in war. Pity was only a weakness. 

"I know you're not," Iseult sighed, turning to the other girl in the room. "Annakiya, we're just a little worried about Ashley at the moment – she just doesn't seem herself anymore".

"I had noticed," Annakiya nodded, looking at Ashley sympathetically. "We will do what we can to help, I'm sure". Her gaze flickered from the doctor to Iseult and Iseult could see the concealed unease in her expression.

"Of course," Iseult smiled coolly. "We are only trying to protect you, Ashley – and Charlotte, of course". Ashley's eyes were glazed over as her trembling hand moved towards her top drawer. Iseult watched her, bemused for a moment. "Now, now Ashley, what are you planning on doing?" Iseult was fully aware of just how patronising she sounded, and strangely she loved it. "I know that's where you keep your dart gun. I can promise you, we wouldn't even give you a chance to shoot".

"There are alarms," Ashley breathed. "All I have to do is press one of them and they will drag you away, down to the detention halls... down where..." 

"Down where Ethan almost died?" Iseult asked coldly. She could see Annakiya shift uncomfortably at those words, her own resolve settling. "Ashley, you know the pain you would cause us – you can't possibly think you would be able to live with yourself if..." Iseult was interrupted by Ian's return. He slipped a small phial into her hand and grinned. Ashley swallowed audibly.