Radiation Point

Ten

Ellen looked stricken at the sight of the commissioner. Then the moment passed, and she smiled wanly.

"Go right ahead, although we were just finishing up."

The commissioner's lips twitched at her words, the beginning of a grimace on his face.

"Ah yes, I see you ladies are so terribly busy at the moment."

He didn't bother containing his sarcasm. He looked pained as he scanned the three of us; like dirt beneath him.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Ellen said, never dropping her smile."You're more than welcome to join us."

Mia never looked up from her bowl, her long blonde hair cascading across her face. Between the long tufts of her hair, her face was pale with worry.

He sat down next to me, the bench creaking beneath his weight. My shoulders stiffened from the close proximity to him, but I silently reminded myself to stay calm.

The commissioner glanced around the table at the pained faces, and to my utter surprise, he laughed. It was a loud voracious laugh, that made the rest of the room turn and look, and just as hastily look away.

I stared at him incredulously. What kind of game was he playing? Or was he simply crazy?

He wore a pressed blue uniform pinned straight up to his neck. It was obviously tailored in a vintage fashion, as he looked as if he had stepped out of a picture from the 1930's. Up close, he was attractive with his fair skin and electric blue eyes. But it was his set jaw and cruel eyes held that made me shutter inwardly.

"Soldiers,you may be at ease," he said, without looking behind him. Both guards relaxed their grips on their guns and backed up a few paces.

"Now,"Commissioner Osguard said, casually setting his hands on the table in front him. "What was that I overheard about enemies?"

I bit my lip in anger. How could we have been so stupid to talk about this in the mess hall?

"I didn't mean anything by it," Ellen said, with a forced smile. "I was just telling the girls some of the dorm room gossip. You know,stealing toiletries and--"

The commissioner slammed his fist on the table with a crash, the trays clattering loudly.

"Enough,"he yelled, his eyes bulging in anger. "Always with the lies and the stories! What kind of fool do you take me for?"

Ellen paled and shrank back. Her confidence was visibly wearing down.

"No one takes you for a fool," I said, surprising myself with the calm tone of my voice. "But what do you expect when you work through fear?"

He glanced sideways at me a moment, the anger visible in his eyes. I braced myself for another loud outburst or even a physical blow. I could feel the weight of my knife in my pocket, but I didn't dare grab it with the guards standing behind me.

"Fear is respect," he said finally, choosing his words carefully. Each word was punched with enough bite to physically harm. "You would do well to learn some respect and not make these enemies that you speak of."

Ellen opened her mouth, but Commissioner Osguard held up his hand to stop her.

"You need not say anything else. I already know everything, Ellen DeSalle," he said, his irritability masked with the hint of a smirk. He leaned across the table and said in a low voice, "In fact, my men and I were just having a good laugh about it. A foolish woman acting as a renegade spy and thinking she could get away with it. No, don't move," he said, leaning back. "There's no point infighting. My men will shoot your head clean off before you can reach that pretty little gun of yours."