Rebellion

A Threat

A Threat

​"Why do I have to talk to him?"

​"Jeremy says it'll help you and him."

​"Whatever. I don't want to talk to him."

​"One more time okay?"

​"Fine," Mike growled. He didn't understand why he was being forced to talk with Chester. It just made him angry. He headed down the steps and walked inside the room that he'd been in too many times. He sighed as he saw no one was in the main room. Last time, Chester had been in the bedroom. He walked over to the door and opened it. There he was. The man was laying in the bed covered in blankets while he slept. He admired the hair cut he had given the man just a few days ago.

​"Why the hell did they tell me to come down here if you were going to be sleeping?" Mike muttered as he turned to leave. He was about to shut the door when he heard something. He turned around. "What?"

​There was no answer and he sighed and shook his head. He must have been hearing things but he heard the same noise again. He slowly let go of the door handle and walked forward a few steps. Nothing. And then he heard it again, louder this time. He watched as Chester's hand clenched on the blanket and his eyes squeezed shut. Was he having a nightmare? Must be. Mike rolled his eyes and went to shove the older man awake. As he reached the side of the bed he grabbed Chester's shoulder and arm roughly. He was about to shake him when he felt his grip soften on the man's arm and instead of shoving him awake, he froze.

​"I'm s-sorry, I'm sorry, p-please, I'm sorry," Chester was crying in his sleep. Mike clenched his jaw and then gently shook the thin man's body.

​"Wake up."

​Chester's eyes blinked open and he sniffled quietly before looking up at him. It was like a gun went off. Chester jolted in his bed and cried out in what Mike could only interpret as fear. The older man scrambled away but Mike found his grip tightening on his arm.

​"Stop, stop!" Mike yelled, "Jesus Christ, will you stop thrashing around for a minute?!"

​Chester stopped and glanced up at him. His entire body was shaking and Mike felt a bit of a pride that he was able to make Chester be afraid of him.

​"Why the hell did you ask for me to come down if you were going to be terrified of me?" Mike asked angrily.

​"I didn't ask for you," Chester said quietly, "I...I didn't know I was getting visitors today."

​Mike looked at Chester and decided that he was telling the truth. He sighed and sat down on the bed. Chester shifted uncomfortably.

​"How are your boys?" he found himself asking. What? He needed to shut up. Chester looked up in surprise.

​"They're alright I guess. Happy I'm alive."

​Mike swallowed and nodded. And then he was blurting out the question he'd been dreading to ask since the trial.

​"Do you really think about it all the time?"

​"Every night," Chester said quietly, "Every time I shut my eyes."

​"I.......I didn't vote for the death sentence," Mike said finally. Chester looked at him in shock.

​"What?"

​"I....I didn't want to have you killed. That's why the verdict was changed. I was too weak to go through with it. I told them to vote a different way. I couldn't live with myself seeing that I had killed a father. I loved the idea, but I knew I could never do it."

​"Y-You...s-saved my life?" Chester asked quietly. Mike swallowed.

​"I still hate you. I won't ever like you. What you did is unforgivable. But knowing that I'd be responsible for your death like that was scary to me. I don't know, maybe I'm weak."

​He didn't get a response from Chester. Instead the older man jumped on him and hugged him tightly. He felt tears running down onto his neck and sighed. Maybe he was just weak.

​"You're not weak. You're better than most people. It's strong to admit that you can't do something. Most people would've had me killed. I owe you my life," Chester breathed. Mike didn't move. This was the last thing he wanted. He didn't want Chester anywhere near him.

​"Get off," Mike muttered and Chester slowly moved away.

​"I'm sorry," Chester apologized. Mike just shook his head.

​"I still don't like you."

​"Is that better than hate?" Chester asked shyly. Mike groaned and stood up. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I made you mad."

​Mike sighed and looked at him, "When you came into my cell that one time, you were covered in scorch marks. What happened?"

​Chester looked up at him, "You care?"

​"Not really but it is conversation."

​"Mark would punish the elites for failing to carry out his duties. When Scott and I were.....hurting you, we went too far."

​"He tortured you?" Mike asked softly.

​"It was built into our gauntlets," Chester said quietly, "If we failed, he'd electrocute us. I guess it was a little too much to take that night."

​"It burned you," Mike said quietly, "He could have killed you."

​"He wouldn't," Chester said and Mike could tell he was convincing himself as well, "I was one of his favorites."

​Mike sat down next to him and Chester swallowed. He shifted away and Mike set a hand on his shoulder.

​"It's okay," he said softly, "Don't.....don't be afraid."

​Chester's body shook under his hand and he squeezed the man's shoulder softly.

​"Do you still have the burns?"

​"They're almost faded," Chester stuttered, "Apart from one."

​"Where is it?"

​"My foot. It was getting better but it was scraped up during the executions and the punishment."

​"Let me see," Mike said and Chester looked up at him.

​"Why?"

​"Just, let me see," Mike said quietly. Chester slowly pulled his foot out from under the covers and Mike saw the black scorches on the older man's ankle and foot. ​"Does it hurt?"

​"Only when you touch it," Chester said quietly. Mike nodded and then walked into the bathroom. He found a roll of gauze and then walked back. Chester was sitting there with his foot propped up where he left it. Mike gently wrapped the gauze around the blackened skin and taped it securely.

​"Why are you doing this?"

​"I still can't stand you Chester. I hate you. You killed my family."

​"I'm sorry. I know that it doesn't mean anything to you but I truly am."

​"I know. I saw it in your eyes when you told me. I just had to bring myself to let it go. I won't forgive you."

​"I know. You shouldn't," Chester whispered.

​"But I understand that you were brainwashed. I understand that you couldn't distinguish right from wrong. You had orders and you pulled them out so you weren't hurt. You were afraid."

​Chester stayed silent and Mike sighed before holding out his hand.

​"I want to call a truce for right now."

​Chester looked up at him and then slowly took his hand. They shook for a minute and then they let go. Mike slowly got up.

​"Does this mean.....that you won't glare at me every time we see each other?" Chester asked. Mike smiled slightly.

​"I can't make any promises."

​"Alright."

​"Goodbye Chester."

​"Bye."

​He walked out of the room and then shut the door behind him. He didn't want to admit that sitting there and actually trying to talk to Chester had really helped. He sighed as he walked back towards Dave's office. He had to tell him. He had to tell Dave that he somehow had managed to accept Chester as......an acquaintance. Before he got there however, he heard voices talking. He turned and saw Dave standing with Brad and Joe.

​"I just got the message. It's someone I've never heard before."

​"What's going on Dave?" Mike asked quickly.

​Dave turned to him and he sighed, "Mike, we've received a new message from some outlanders. Apparently there are still people loyal to Mark. One of them......well, one of them is a man that goes by the name of Charles Bennington. He's Chester's father."

​Mike felt his breath leave him, "What?"

​"Yes. He introduced himself and he's apparently working with some other people. They're going to attack us. He said he planned on taking Chester back and making him into a soldier."

​"You mean he's going to drug him," Mike said quietly. Dave nodded.

​"All he told us was that he's planning to attack and he's planning on stealing his son back."

​"He can't," Mike growled, "I won't let him."

​"So you've taken a liking to him?"

​"No......," Mike said quickly, "I just don't want this to fall apart."

​"We need to have all our friends know about this. I'm going to have to call Ben and his guys."

​"Yea,"

​Dave sighed and ran a hand over his face, "We need to talk to Chester right away. Come on. Brad, call Ben and his guys and tell them that there's a new threat and they need to get back here soon."

​"No problem," Brad said. He and Joe hurried off to go call the others. Dave headed back towards Chester's room and Mike followed. He was surprised when they stopped at Jeremy's room first.

​"Why him?" Mike asked.

​"I don't know what kind of father Chester had, he might need someone to help him talk. He trusts Jeremy."

​"How can I help you guys?" Jeremy asked as he leaned on the door.

​"We need you to be present with us. I'm going to talk to Chester and you need to keep him calm."

​Jeremy joined them and they headed into Chester's room. Mike saw that Chester was standing by the window with a cup of water in his hand. The bandage that Mike had wrapped around his foot was still in place.

​"Chester, can we talk to you?" Dave asked. The man nodded and sat down on the couch.

​"What do you need?"

​"We've received a call from another man who intends to try and destroy our leadership. He was in league with Mark."

​"Okay."

​"Chester.....what can you tell us about your father?"

​Chester frowned and opened his mouth but then shut it again. His eyes shut and Jeremy moved over to sit next to him. He gently set his hand on Chester's shoulder.

​"Relax," he said softly. Chester looked up at them and Mike had a feeling he knew exactly what Chester was going to say, even before he said it.

​"I.....I don't remember him."