Page 89 of The Divide that Binds Us

“D-Do we just go inside?”I ask.The heavy rain slaps in thick droplets, urgently soaking our clothes.

Lynn shrugs heavily with little emotion.“I suppose it would not hurt.”

“No need to.We know you’re here.”Alice’s cryptic voice comes from the top of the stairs.My nerves are so jumpy that I almost yelp.Lynn is a statue.

Alice’s arms are crossed as she walks into view, foot tapping while wearing her usual “to hell with Ultima” scowl.

“What do you want?”she asks, fluttering her eyes from the rain.

My thoughts hit overdrive as millions of questions surface, vying for my attention, begging to be answered to soothe my stress.My hands tingle from the abundance of nerves firing off.

But all my lips can utter is, “S-Sorry.”

Alice’s foot stops tapping in the pounding rain.“What?”

“I...don’t know.Can—can we talk inside?It’s pouring out here.”

The rain has found the perfect spot to stream endlessly down the slope of her nose and drip off her lips.Her golden eyes dart between us, gleaming more in a shine from the gloss of mist gathered around us.

“No, we can all drown in this rain for all I care,” she says.The shadows of their security agents lurk behind her.“Tell me what you want before I get my Commander and Master out.”

I exhale sharply, holding up the soaked envelope.“I have an apology I’d like to share with you, if you even care or will relay this back to everyone.”

Alice takes one step down, smirking wickedly.“I’m listening.”

My hands tremble as I try to unfold the envelope and paper, but it rips between my thumbs.I crumple it up in my fist and try to go off script.I blink through the constant drops of rain—too much to even concentrate.It’s like I’m showering in my clothes.

“On behalf of the Protective Dragon Agents, Ultima, I, Commander Rio Shackler, would like to express my deepest apologies for the disruptions I and my teammates have caused to the Elite Organization.”

Alice narrows her eyes like she can’t decide whom to stare at, but her eyes slowly fixate on me.“The world is dying, but you apparently wake up every day and choose to be annoying.What did you hope to accomplish today?You all hurt so many people and never bat an eye.”

I take one step up, leaving Lynn behind.

“Including you?”I ask.

Alice steps down one step.“Yup.”

“Let me inside so I can explain,” I whisper, taking another step up.

She takes a step down, closing the space between us.Her nostrils flare with hate simmering in her auric eyes.I take a deep breath, chilling the burning heat in my chest and ears.

“I wouldn’t dare,” she hisses.“But I’ll let everyone know you stopped by.”

The heat within me deflates.Being this close to her in the pouring rain disarms my senses.I came to do what I needed to do and that’s it.No bickering, no fighting, no nothing.I need to let my pride go and leave.I can ask about Mildred, but what results will that yield?

“Goodbye...I guess.”

Alice falters for a second, the venom lost in her eyes.“Bye.”

But I’m at a loss that I stand in the rain for a second before moving.We eventually retreat off the property, but not without me almost skidding down the slippery steps.Lynn’s ponytail is undone, looking like an angry, black terrier soaking in the rain.

We’re soaking as wewalk into Ultima’s lobby.Lynn trudges off to the dorm hall without a word.I’m surprised to see Scotland awake when I walk into our room.

“Hey,” I mutter, scratching my hair in several directions.

“Hey man, I heard we got a deficiency?”Scotland rolls onto his stomach to look at me over his bunk.“Are we gonna be okay?”

I suppress an eye roll.“Yeah, we’ll be fine.I actually just came back from apologizing to Elite, so let’s hope that sticks.That girl...Alice Reid.She’s just so mean.”I head to the bathroom and hop in the shower.I think about how different our personalities are.I’ve been in Ultima for two years and never heard of her or her hatred toward us.How did this happen?

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