TWISTED EMPIRE
Twisted Empire - Episode 7&8
(Her Blade, His Neck )
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The choked gurgles from Allegra's throat filled up that corridor, and when her energy started rising, she tried resisting the liquid, but Teal punched her throat, and that was enough to make her leg go.
The liquid journeyed down her throat, filling her stomach and causing her eyes to change color.
Allegra couldn't stand, she could only lay there as the liquid messed up her insides.
"Urghhmm!!!" Another painful growl left her open throat as she grabbed her stomach, her eyes rolling up.
Teal stood, smiling satisfactorily as she scanned the corridor of shocked armies.
Everyone is staring at her with stunned expressions, and she understands—thrillers like this happens once in a blue moon.
"I'm guessing no one has Sergeant Axel's line, otherwise he'd have gotten here" she said, knowingly fiddling with her fingernails.
"What do you think you're doing!" A familiar voice heated the corridor, and Teal lifted her lids to that angle.
She wasn't surprised to see it's Sierra, glaring hard at her with clenched jaws.
She never liked her anyways, and come to think of it... she's the one who encouraged her to take her bath in that packed bathroom, what if she's working with Allegra?
"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious? You have cataract?" Teal replied sarcastically.
"I knew you'd turn out to be a little sl+t" Sierra said, and Teal capped the body wash bottle with her, then she threw it straight at Sierra.
Sierra did a clean handstand and professionally kicked the bottle away, using her leg.
The bottle flew back to the ground, and Sierra stood back on her feet, pushing her hair away from her face.
"Avoid me from now on" Teal warned, then she returned into the bathroom.
"Uhmm!!!" Allegra's painful cries sounded again, and Sierra rushed over to her, kneeling beside her.
"I need to get you to the cantonment clinic, but we can't use your bike" she said.
"A...x...xel's ca..rr" Allegra struggled to speak, releasing a dry cough from her throat before vomiting some of the liquid together with her blood.
"F+ck! Get on my back" Sierra turned her back.
Morgan and Stormy joined them, and they're the ones who carried Allegra and mounted her on Sierra's back.
Sierra ran out of the the barracks with Allegra, then Stormy and Morgan faced each other.
"You know what's painful? The fact that we both come from the same town with Teal. What if the senior Sergeants starts maltreating everyone from Kalynda? I swear I won't take it easy with her" Morgan said.
"Maltreat everyone from Kalynda?" Stormy chortled. "It's not like I'm the one who's causing trouble, once I get closer to Specialist Allegra, then no one will touch me" she said.
"I heard her only friend is Sierra, and she hasn't allowed anyone else, she's picky" Morgan replied.
"I know how to play the pick-me game, I'll handle it" Stormy said confidently.
Morgan's mobile chimed, and she smiled as she read the text she got from Quentin.
Quentin: I'll sneak into the base tomorrow unfailingly, I miss you like crazy, miss your moans.
Stormy secretly read the text with her, and she blinked.
"Your boyfriend is gonna sneak into this base? Are you out of your mind? You don't see the protections and traps for intruders? If he's caught, he's dead!" She said.
"His father is a big shot like you know, he'll sneak in with his father, and I'll get to kiss him again! I can't wait" Morgan purred, skipping her way out of the corridor.
"Childish" Stormy shook her head, smiling as she went after her.
--
[Bathroom]
The fight worked in all advantages for Teal.
Not only was she able to give Allegra the best beatings and the best drink of her life, she was also able to bath alone.
It's like everyone left the bathroom for her since she's the only one inside, and she already finished taking her bath.
Now that she has wasted her body wash on that wench, she'd have to message her uncles to buy her another bottle whenever they're coming for next month visit.
There's a disadvantage to the fight after all cos now she'd have to see the faces of her betrayer uncles again.
She was scoffing as she zipped her small toiletries bag, and when she left her corner, she met April waiting by one of the bathroom doors.
"You'll never seize to amaze me, you beat Allegra?" April smiled, but she just ignored her and began walking to the second door.
"Teal" April called her name, and Teal stopped reluctantly, facing her.
"I don't want female friends, so you might wanna stay away. I planned to befriend Stormy in my hometown, but she ended up snitching on me. Sierra was being annoying, but trust me I was starting to think she wasn't that bad after she told me about the winter tea at the communal dinning, but...oh well...she turned out to be Allegra's friend. I don't want anymore female disappointments, everyone needs to leave me alone" she bluntly said, then she left the bathroom.
April swallowed, feeling so hurt as she continued standing there.
"Hey, Specialist April" a different voice said behind her, and she whipped around to see Shannon.
"I'm Shannon, Cassie the wife of Sergeant Kash is my elder sis" Shannon smiled.
"Nice to meet you" April kindly said.
"Teal is a blunt person with the little I've seen. She doesn't mind who'd get hurt, she'd say what's on her mind, so don't take her words to heart" Shannon said.
"I understand her, I just like her strong spirit that's all" April replied with a nod.
"But... aren't you a Specialist like Allegra? Why aren't you in the units like her? Why are you in the barracks?" Shannon asked.
April went silent.
"It's fine if you don't wanna talk about it, but what about Sierra? She's the General's daughter, and I heard she arrived in the base same time as Allegra, and that's why they're friends. Why is Allegra already a Specialist but Sierra is still a Private living in the barracks?" Shannon asked curiously.
"Three times..." April said.
"Huh?" Shannon blinked.
"The General tried promoting Sierra three times, but she kept rejecting. It's probably family issues, I don't know the details" April replied.
"Ohh... it's fine, let's just bath and return for the roll call" Shannon said, and April smiled as they both choose their shower heads for their baths.
--
[Room 4]
Bathing with different ladies in the bathroom is one thing, but dressing up in the room with the prying eyes of roommates is another thing.
The ladies won't take their eyes off Teal as she dressed up, but she ignored their existence and dressed up nevertheless.
The worse part is that Morgan and Stormy are in this same room...they own the last bunk, and their stares are the most penetrating.
Teal looked back at them, sneering before wearing her panty. Her hourglass figure is smooth.
She's blessed with standing br+Ã sts, so she didn't even bother bringing br@ to this base. She just wore her singlet, hoodie and jean shorts, then she threw on her sneakers.
"Private Teal!" A female Sergeant called by the door, and she faced the door.
Private Teal? Didn't Brent say they'll only become Privates if they pass the intelligence exams?
"Ma!" She stood at tension.
"Follow me" the Sergeant ordered, and Teal followed her confusedly.
Immediately she left, the ladies in the room began gossiping, all about her.
"I don't like her" one of them said.
"I hate when a lady feels like she's the best" another lady said.
"Exactly! She feels too high, her pride is annoying" another one said.
Morgan and Stormy looked at each other with smiles. It's obvious they're enjoying Teal's hate train.
--
[Male Barracks, Rook's Room]
Rook is just coming back from the bathroom, together with Brent.
They had their baths with several other males, and he's comfortable with it, but one disappointing thing is that Theo didn't bath with them.
He expected to see Theo in the bathroom, but there was no sign of him throughout.
When he came back from the bathroom with Brent, he saw Theo lying in his bed, eyes closed.
He looks like a total sadist, and at this point, Rook would do anything to hear his voice.
"You think the results are out yet?" Brent asked him as they began dressing up.
"Did you seriously just ask me that? Aren't you the master of all info?" Rook replied, and almost immediately, a loud thud landed on the room door.
"Male armies of this base!! It's hightime we start entertaining ourselves like the females! What do you mean there's no bathroom fights? Fight!!!" A jerky-looking guy yelled, standing by the window.
"I talked about Abel, the most annoying arsehole in this base, right?" Brent said.
"Yup" Rook replied.
"That's him, his voice is enough to anger you" Brent said.
"Fight!!!" Abel shrieked, slamming the door again before coming into that room, slanting his figure.
There are few new recruits behind him who're like his followers.
"Specialist Allegra and Teal just finished fighting at the female barracks. A mad bathroom fight like I heard, and guess what? Allegra was taken to the clinic after Teal made her drink the body wash multipurpose juice" Abel laughed.
"What!" Rook gasped.
"And Teal herself has been summoned to the General's office" Abel added, coming closer to Rook.
"Heard you're besties with Lady-T, why don't you introduce me to her? I can eat puxxy well" he whispered.
"F+ck off!" Rook punched his mouth suddenly, then he rushed out of the room.
"Good for you bro" Brent laughed, rushing after Rook.
Abel wiped the blood on his lip with his thumb, and as he stared at the blood, he nodded.
"That was brave, Rook" he smirked.
--
[Master Sergeant's Unit]
Four is busy reviewing the terrorist attacks on his flat screen, navigating through it with his pocket remote.
There's a cigar between his lips, and his eyes are focused on the screen alone as he read.
If he's gonna lead the squad, he should at least know what he's up against cos what he has been reading so far isn't a joke.
The terrorists are black devils', and conquering them seems like swallowing a barrow of stone.
"Four!" Axel's loud voice broke into the unit, and Four turned around fluidly.
"You finally decided to show up" he said.
Axel's smile widened as he engulfed him in a brotherly hug.
"I've been busy, don't be a nitpicker" he said.
Four didn't hug back.
"Busy with maltreatment?" He said, and Axel broke the hug instantly.
"Dad reported me to you?" He scoffed.
"He doesn't have to, news fly around this base faster than you think" Four replied with a deadpan, returning his eyes to the screen.
"Then you should know I only maltreat those who deserve it. Teal Ambrose and Rook Fletcher, I swear I'm only waiting for dad to leave the base, I'll make them beg me" Axel said ruthlessly, meaning every word.
The mention of Teal Ambrose made Four press the remote harder than he should, and he got a call from Sergeant Kash immediately.
"Yes?" He picked.
"I need your permission to paste the Intelligence Exam results" Kash said, and Axel frowned behind Four.
Now they're even needing Four's approval before pasting intelligence results?
"Go on" Four told Kash and hung up.
Axel got a call too, from Sierra.
"What's up?" He picked.
"Teal harmed Allegra" Sierra said, and Axel almost laughed.
"Hurt Allegra? What are you saying? Allegra is unbeatable" he said.
"It happened, and I used your car to take her to the cantonment clinic. She vomited multiple times before we got to the clinic. In short, the car smells like shit, you might have to tow it and buy another" Sierra explained.
"And you didn't think of asking for my permission first? Are you fuckin insane?" Axel ranted.
"She's your bedmate you parasite! You f+vk that lady day and night, and now you're complaining? Just wait till she wakes up and she'll give you the talks you deserve! This is why I'll always prefer Four! He's the best stepbrother ever!" Sierra snapped, hanging up.
Axel's hand closed around the phone, and he nearly smashed it as his body shook with fury, but he contained it and looked ahead.
The results are out, and the spreadsheet is currently displayed on Four's flat screen.
There are 250 new recruits this year, and their names are arranged according to their IQ numbers.
Teal Ambrose is number one... 100.
Four zoomed on her name, and it got bigger on screen, causing his curved chin to lift.
"She's smart, is that why she's arrogant? I can't wait to smash that arrogance to the mud" Axel said behind, his fury multiplying.
Four remained silent, his eyes stabbing the name.
--
[General's Office]
The female Sergeant left after bringing Teal here, so she went in alone, meeting General Pedro on seat.
She did the salutations quickly. "Sir!"
"I knew my daughter-in-law was brilliant, but I never knew it's this much...100 IQ?" He smiled slightly, and she frowned.
"Are the results out sir?"
"Just now, you can go check for yourself when you leave this place" he replied.
"Ok sir, and...the daughter-in-law stuff? I'm not interested. I don't wanna marry your son. I've not seen him yet, but I don't like him. He's the leader of the squad I'll be in? Accepted, but being his wife? Nah" Teal said, and Pedro sighed.
"Your uncles already hinted that you're strong-headed, so I expected this." He said.
"What exactly is your relationship with my uncles? How do you know my dead parents to the point of making them agree to give me to your number of a son?" She replied.
"Number?" Pedro leaned forward on his desk. "I'm guessing you don't like the name, but you must have heard of the circumstances surrounding it. He has a second normal name though, and it's—
"I'm not interested in knowing his normal name" Teal cut him off before he could say it.
"You do not cut me off, no matter what" Pedro glared sternly, his eyes hardening.
"I'm sorry sir" Teal quickly apologized, bowing.
"And the relationship between the DeVille family and your late parents? It's not a topic for now." The man continued.
Teal stayed quiet.
"You beat up Allegra?" he questioned further.
"She started it by attacking me first in the bathroom" she quickly replied.
"You can go" he said, and she looked up in surprise.
"That's all? No punishment?"
"She attacked first, fair enough" he replied, and she smiled a bit before going for the door.
She was about to open it when she turned back slowly, clamping her hands together.
"Sir...I heard we're to cut our hair, but I don't want to. Can I...keep mine?" She asked carefully.
"Do you even know what you came here to face? Do you know the hardcore terrorists your squad is against? You're only still caring about your hair because you haven't started going for missions. Once you go for your first mission, you'd cut your hair by yourself, trust me" the man assured.
"Can I keep my hair sir? I promise to tie in a bun always" She insisted.
"Approved" he replied, and she did another upright salutation before leaving the office.
Rook and Brent were already waiting outside the office building when she got out, and she jumped on Rook.
"Rookie!! I'm not cutting my hair woohoo!!" She screamed.
"You crazy lady, how could you make Specialist Allegra drink body wash" Rook replied.
"I'm telling you my hair is safe and you're talking about Alle-bra?" Teal replied, coming down from his arms.
"You could get in trouble, Battery. Specialist Allegra is dangerous" Rook said.
"I don't care" she shrugged.
"I don't care too" Brent shrugged.
"I'm kicking Rook out of the best friend ring, and I'm taking you in" Teal took his arm, going down the lane with him.
"Eh...as if you can live without me" Rook said, following them behind with pocketed hands and a grin.
--
[Cantonment Clinic]
Thanks to competent doctors and potent syrups, Allegra was able to vomit the body wash she drank, though she vomited a whole lot of blood with it.
She lost too much blood in the vomiting process, so she's currently on blood transfusion.
The doctors are out of the ward, and only Sierra is with her.
"You'll have to stay here till tomorrow, else, you'll suffer backlash" Sierra said.
"I know" Allegra replied with chapped lips, taking a look at the back of her hand where the transfusion pipe is connected.
"You're the strongest lady in the base, Allegra. What happened? Why did that mad lady get to you like that? How is she able to beat you?" Sierra asked.
"She used a strange technique, I dunno how that witch did it but I just know the moment she hooked my throat with her toes, I became powerless" Allegra explained.
"How will you move in the base from now on? They'd make fun of you" Sierra said.
"Make fun of me?" Allegra hunched her shoulders. "I'm Allegra Dunbar, their mother in that base, so no one can try it, and Teal? I'll make her regret it, Sierra. You know what I can do" she said meaningfully.
"Can't believe I tried making friends with her, I never knew she was your enemy. Shit. She'd get it hot from me too" Sierra muttered.
"Teal is not completely untouchable" someone said from the door.
Both Sierra and Allegra looked sideways to see Stormy and Morgan.
"What are you both doing here?" Sierra stood.
"We're also from Kalynda, same hometown as Teal. If there's anyone who knows her better apart from Rook, it's us" Morgan said.
"What else is there to know about her?" Allegra scoffed.
"Why do you think she wears white bandage gloves on her hands always? She was a painter before she came to this base, and she values her hands so much" Stormy said.
"Meaning?" Sierra grimaced.
"Her late parents were master painters before they died, so she inherited the painting ability from them. It's the only skill that reminds her of her parents, and she values the ability a lot. If you wanna hurt her to the bone, crush her fingers, and not only will she not be able to paint again, but she'd also be thrown out of the base" Stormy explained.
Sierra looked at Allegra, and they both nodded.
"So you came to deliver this important info...just like that?" Allegra said.
"We want nothing in return, just take us as your girls. We can be friends, and we promise to keep respecting you" Morgan said.
Allegra smiled.
--
[Base, Announcement Board]
The new recruits are in front of the board, each checking out their results and squealing.
It's already dusk, and that only means their trainings won't start today anymore.
It's till tomorrow.
But they'd get uniforms and rulebooks today, and they'd also get introduced to Snowman.
As they checked their results, the noise in the area swelled up.
Teal surpassed everyone.
She's the only one with 100, the rest starts from 85, and only two people even got the 85...
Rook and Theo.
Seeing that he got the same evaluation as Theo, Rook couldn't stop smiling, but Theo is not here presently.
"I got 60? I can't believe it" Brent muttered.
"At least you're good, you're not thrown out" Teal replied.
Only five new recruits were below average evaluation, and they were thrown out, then the rest moved to the wide field where their uniforms were distributed to them.
The combat uniform and boots and caps, then the dress uniform plus the boots and caps too.
Everyone went back to their barracks to dress up in the combat uniforms, and when they came back, their joy was boundless.
The uniformity is so beautiful.
"Private Battery!" Rook squealed.
"It's Private Teal, d+ck!" She replied, looking smartly wicked in her uniform.
"Private Teal!" Brent said.
"You're the best, Private Brent" she smiled, and they laughed.
"Hey, Private Rook" Stormy walked past them with Morgan, both in their uniforms too.
Rook ignored them, and Brent blinked.
"Tell me something" He said.
"I'll make is fast, S's A S" Teal said.
"She's A Snitch?" Brent interpreted.
"You actually got that? What!" Teal laughed.
"I've never seen a male gossiper all my life" Rook shook his head, and Brent chuckled.
"Y'all, I can't wait for the bonfire welcoming ceremony tonight, at least a little fun and drinks before the tedious trainings tomorrow" he said.
"Me too" Teal groaned.
Rook's eyes widened when he finally saw Theo, standing alone on a different part of the field.
He looks cool in his uniform, and Rook bit his lip in deep admiration.
"I heard only one person has scored 100 in the IQ exam before Teal" Brent said.
"Who?" Teal and Rook chorused.
"Specialist April" Brent replied.
Teal blinked slowly, remembering how she gave her a piece of her mind this morning at the bathrooms.
There are so many mysteries in this base, and she can't wait to untwist all of it.
The happy chats of the Privates continued, and the Sergeants just stood on top of the field podium, staring at them from there.
Including Sergeant Kash and Axel.
"I can't wait for that happiness to fade off their faces. They have no idea the weight of the uniform they're wearing" Axel smirked.
"Tell me about it, I can't wait for them to go for their first missions, then they'd know being in the military is not honeyed." Another Sergeant said.
"Especially the ones who'd be in Snowman's squad" another one said.
"By the way, where he? Where's the Master Sergeant?" Kash asked Axel.
"He'll be here soon" Axel replied, unable to take his eyes away from Teal. He's plotting ways to mutilate her in his head.
"Distribute the rulebooks!" a commanding voice came from the top speakers of the podium, and silence fell in the field.
"Snowman?" Brent said.
"It's definitely him" Rook said.
"Where the hell is he speaking from?" Teal muttered.
"Are you that eager to see your potential husband?" Rook whispered in her ear, and she pinched him.
"Ah!" He winced.
"I'm not his wife" she glared.
"Alright alright" he raised his hands.
By now, the Sergeants are already distributing the rulebooks...a wide book with tiger prints on its cover.
"Straight lines, twenty Privates per line!" Another order came from the Master Sergeant through the speakers, and they began shuffling themselves into straight lines.
Teal, Rook and Brent got separated at this point, their lines are different.
In three minutes, everyone fell in lines, neatly.
Then the silence deepened—no one is talking, even the Sergeants aren't moving.
Everyone already heard how cruelly strict Snowman is, so no one wants to get on his black book.
The door of the podium staircase opened, and the Sergeants began making way as Four stepped in.
He's wearing his brown dress uniform, and the cap is balanced ardently on his head.
There are three chevrons and rockers on his shoulder, and a star is in the middle of the chevrons, signifying his top rank.
Everyone held their breaths as he climbed the stairs with strictly taken steps, and the Privates got more and more impatient.
He hasn't gotten to the podium, but Teal could already smell Tom Ford in the air, and she wondered why.
Maybe the small D guy is part of the Privates.
That must be it
She focused back on the podium, and Four finally arrived at the top, removing his cap to let everyone have a fill of his unfeeling face.
Teal's mouth widened together with her eyes, and her rulebook fell from her as the shock hammered at her chest brutally.
Brent wasn't breathing again on his spot, and Rook is gasping.
What the hell??
Teal blinked repeatedly, and it got worse when Four's eyes met with hers in the line.
She didn't look away, but she folded her fists tight.
This can't be happening, right?
And now she feels like slapping her darn mouth for saying such to him yesterday.
"Four DeVille" Four introduced himself in his intoxicating rasp voice, and the clappings that followed was intense.
Most of the female Privates got wet on their spots, and it's not even exaggeration.
He's s+xy, but s+xier in that uniform.
"Open to the first pages of your rulebooks, now!" He ordered.
"Understood!!" They all chorused.
Axel was rolling his eyes behind, wishing he's the one giving these cool commands.
Teal quickly picked her rulebook from the ground, opening to the first page where the military quote of conduct is.
"Teal Ambrose, step up here and read it out" Four said, and her eyes widened for the second time.
Why her?
There's Stormy, Morgan, Rook.
Why f+ckin her?
"You have ears, Private Teal!" Kash yelled, and she held tightly to the rulebook, stepping out of the line and climbing the stairs to the podium.
The eyes of the sergeants ransacked her, especially Axel's, and she just wants to finger his eyes.
No doubt, half of the Sergeants hate her guts.
Getting to the top, she came face to face with Four, and she stood at tension.
"Get closer, and read" he grimly said, his voice low but edgy.
There's a way he speaks that even if it's not loud, you'd feel his authority and the power he wields.
Teal took two steps closer.
She hasn't arrived at the middle when she cleared her throat, opened the rulebook and began reading...
"We honour our oaths and uphold our codes to country—"
That was how much she could read when Four made a move she didn't expect.
He slid his rigid arm on her waist, and she let out a stunned gasp, stumbling as he pulled her to the middle of the podium.
The Privates at the base couldn't talk, and the Sergeants were watching with dumbness too.
In the process of the pulling, Teal's short belt hook removed, making the belt open.
Four went behind her, and from there, he stretched his hands forward to the open belt.
He began bolting it back, his breaths hitting the back of her neck.
"Start reading, make it loud and clear" He glacially ordered as he continued bolting her up.
Axel and Kash were beyond flabbergasted, and Teal?
All she's thinking is... 'Is he mad?'
TBC.
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