Kadance

15

"That one had a lot of anger in him." Kadance says leaning against the wall in the hallway. "We'll need to work that anger out somehow."

"Some if not most of it will go now that someone believes in him and has given him purpose again." Jayse says not too concerned.

"We'll see. Gads I'm tired." Kadance wishes that she had some ice chips to munch on right then. "This last one will be difficult and I'm worried about him, he's so close to losing it. I'm just not sure that I'll be able to save Sgt. Trader, his mind could go either way. I'm counting on you two now, this one scares me." She stands up straight and Jayse and Tommy exchange looks, she's never admitted to being scared by any of them before. Not even her uncle scared her, pissed her off yes, but not scared her.

Granite faced they take up their flanking positions as they go to the next room. Kadance takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. Sgt Trader opens the door and invites them in.

"Thank you, it has been a long day and I apologize for taking so long to make it to you. I hope you've been comfortable?" Kadance says walking over to the couch and seating herself.

"It's been nice just having some peace and quiet. No people following me, worrying about if they can stop me before I kill someone, not having my every move recorded." Trader says sadly, but in a voice that speaks of his relief.

Kadance looks at Tommy and Jayse as she replies, "I can understand that, it isn't fun. I know I don't like it. At least the people following wherever I go bit. When I was still a nobody civilian it was much nicer," Kadance smiles. Tommy smirks and Jayse frowns but Kadance doesn't let him speak, "But my security team keeps me safe, they don't let anyone near me to kill me so I guess that's the trade off. Kinda like the other side of your coin. But there's still nothing like when I have some alone time." This brings frowns to both Tommy and Jayse.

"But that is neither here, nor there. I'm sure my two guardians are going to have words for me later but we're here because you have a problem and you hope that I can help you." Kadance looks him straight in the eye, "I hope so too." She takes a deep breath, "but to be blunt I don't know if I can. I want to, I hope to, but I can't make any promises. What I do promise is it all ends one way or the other, today.

"I say that straight up to give you the chance to choose," she pulls out a tablet and sets it on the coffee table in front of her. "I'm going to ask you to go through your last mission." Jayse and Tommy are shocked at the approach she's taking. "I know what I'm asking is painful, reliving those details that haunt you. It might be too much for you and if so go ahead and take the pill. You should know that all my team will be listening and none of us are judging, we all have been through our own hell's.

"Once you start if at any time you find the horrors too overwhelming you are free to take the final grace at that time. Again none of us will judge you, some of my team have even desired to take the final grace themselves and perhaps still do. I say this because I need you to make me see what you did, feel as you felt, and that's not going to be easy on any of us," Kadance says kindly.

"I begged for the final grace after my last mission and they denied me." Trader says mesmerized by the tablet sitting on the table. "But the psych's denied me saying I'll outgrow my death wish." His voice goes from whisper thin to strong and angry. "That my nightmares would subside and allow me to sleep."

Kadance wants to weep for him and rant and rail at the psychs back at Central. "I already think the psychs are full of it, Trader. I don't blame you for being angry with them. But I need you to tell me, us, what happened what causes your nightmares." Kadance now says soothingly. Tommy had already keyed open the link for the rest of the team.