TWISTED EMPIRE
Twisted Empire - Episode 9&10
(Her Blade, His Neck )
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Teal cleared her throat once again, then she balanced the rulebook in the middle of her two hands, but she still couldn't read a word from the pile of ink staring at her.
How would she when the perverted Master Sergeant is still fiddling with her belt.
It's like it's taking forever to bolt it up, and all she wants to do right now is snatch it from him.
Not like she told him to do it anyways.
His presence behind her and the way his fresh breath is brushing her nape is uncomfortable.
He finally took his hands off her belt, and she secretly took a breath of relief, then her eyes found the words on the rulebook again, and she read...
"We honour our oath and uphold our codes with loyalty to country and duty to each other. Showing courage in the face of adversity, integrity in all we do, and a commitment to service before self. Unity in our ranks and togetherness that binds us as one"
After she finished reading, she looked up, and the other Privates understood.
They read the quote of conduct together—word for word, then they proceeded to reading the oath in a sharp chorus.
The field turned calm, and Teal stepped back from the middle of the podium.
She started going towards the stairs, intending to return to the field...
"One more step, and you'd never walk again" Four's voice came, and she stopped, whipping around fast with a deep frown.
He's right behind her, and she balled her fists, keeping herself from bursting.
She hates threats, like mad.
"You do not walk away from your Master Sergeant unless he tells you to, that's rule ten on your rulebook. I'm letting you go only because you haven't read it" he spoke, the chill in his voice so intimidating.
Their eyes intertwined, and just like last night at the communal dinning, his face holds secrets which his thorny eyes are gatekeeping.
"Where is your answer?" He strictly demanded, and she opened her mouth to say something foul, but she closed it back before trying again.
"That'd be the first and last mistake, sir" she said with difficulty, and Four took his eyes away from her.
"Return to the field" he said with his back on her, and she finally went down the stairs, returning to her spot on the line.
Four stepped aside on the podium, then Sergeant Kash stepped in to emphasize on the rest of the rules.
"From now on, the only three answers you Privates are allowed to give to your Sergeants are; YES SIR, I'M SORRY SIR, I'LL DO IT RIGHT, SIR" He said, and the Privates began murmuring.
"We're not slaves, what's with the limitations?" Teal murmured.
Everything about this gathering is annoying her to the core.
"Are we servants? I don't get" Rook muttered.
"They only have to leash us now" Brent said.
"I knew coming here was a big mistake" Morgan murmured.
"Make it make sense" Stormy scoffed.
"Cassie didn't tell me this place was harsh like this" Shannon said.
Theo stayed quiet, as usual.
The murmurs grew till the field became so noisy, but the Sergeants at the podium didn't say a word. All they did was stare at them for minutes till they were done with their murmurs, then calmness returned to the field.
"Ten laps around the field with their gasmasks on, and give them shots" Four ordered.
"Sure sir" Sergeant Kash replied, and Four left the podium, going down the stairs as fluidly as he came.
"It's starting, he's starting" Axel smiled in all shades of cruelty.
The Privates are still quiet, and they have no idea what the order means till thirty minutes after.
All of them got injected with a yellow shot on their arms, and gasmasks were distributed to them.
Everyone strapped their gasmasks on, and they began running around the wide field.
During the first lap, Theo's cap fell from his head.
Rook was lucky to be behind him, so he picked it up and wanted to give it to him, but Theo is already far gone.
He's not even aware that his cap fell off, so Rook kept the cap.
He'd give it to him when they return to the barracks.
Brent ran past him, so he doubled his race too, going down the field.
Teal is already on the third lap, and her breaths are already shaking, but she made sure to not breathe too high so she'd preserve enough energy till the end of this run.
Someone suddenly barged into her, and she was ready to cuss the shit out of whoever it is, but then the arsehole lifted his gasmask and flashed her an annoying smile.
"You must be the jerk Brent talked about, Abel?" Teal lifted her gasmask too.
"Abel? Nahh. He must have misheard, my name is Abbey, and I wanna fuck you. What do you say? I'll pump you full every night and give you hallway quickies as bonuses" he winked.
"You're not just an arsehole, you're garbage" Teal smirked, placing her leg on his path.
Abbey stumbled on it and fell, then she ran on him, stepping on his back and head as she continued her race.
"Bî+ch!! I'm gonna f+ck you, Teal!!" Abbey shouted after her, standing to his feet and dusting his uniform.
Morgan bumped into him, and he swayed, but he held himself and laughed.
"You should quit this race Morgan, your br+Ã sts won't allow you to run. But your boyfriend is a lucky bastard, all these package for him?" He said, staring at her chest.
Despite the fact that the uniform is large, Morgan's br+asts are still bulging.
Morgan almost punched him, but Stormy grabbed her hand, taking her away in the run.
Abbey laughed again, continuing his race too.
Now everyone is on the fifth lap, and they're already seeing what Four wants them to see.
The eyes of most of them are dwindling, and some are at the verge of passing out, but they dare not.
If you pass out, you're at risk of getting thrown out of the base as you'd be marked as weak.
So everyone tried their best to not lose consciousness, and the shots in their systems isn't helping matters. It's literally lowering their energy levels, and it's hard.
But the most surprising thing is that Theo is in front of them all, he's already on the seventh lap.
Teal is on the seventh lap too, but Theo is leading, so she's running like crazy to catch up with him. Defeat is so not her.
Behind her is Rook, and his boot is thudding relentlessly against the field ground at each gap he took.
By the time the rest of the Privates got to the seventh lap, people began passing out on the field, falling hard on the grasses and rolling down.
At the eighth lap, some of them puked in their gasmasks, and that included Brent.
He vomited the banana smoothie he had for lunch, and it reeks!
He had to take off his mask before continuing his race even when his eyes are turning.
By the time they arrived at the ninth lap, over twenty Privates already passed out.
By now, Theo and Teal are close to the finishing line, and there's just a small space between the two, so she increased her pace again, though her bones are aching.
Her foot is definitely sore, and her limbs are too heavy to carry. Her laps stings, and her eyes stings too as her sweat entered it.
However, she scaled it.
She bolted past Theo in the last minute, and she got to the finishing point before him.
Theo was second.
Rook came after Theo.
Then Shannon.
And the rest began reaching the finishing line too...
Everyone looks miserable and pitiful, and half of the population looks sick.
Some are shaking with sudden cold, and teeth are gnashing, but they dare not fall to the ground.
The Sergeants at the podium rose again, and it was Axel who spoke this time...
"The only three answers Privates are allowed to give to their Sergeants questions from now on is; YES SIR, I'LL DO IT RIGHT SIR, I'M SORRY SIR, understood!!??" He yelled.
"Yes sir!!!" They yelled out in unison.
"Now your senses are back" Axel smirked, and Kash joined him.
"The twenty weak Privates who passed out should get their things from their individual barracks and leave the base when they wake up" Kash said.
Silence.
"And get ready for your bonfire welcoming ceremony by 9, no Private must be absent. If you're sick, come with your sickness, it's an order from the Master Sergeant" Kash said again.
"I should be the one to announce that on behalf of Four" Axel angrily said, and Kash faced him.
"He's your brother, I get it. But he ordered me to announce it. Stop being a prick for no damn reason" He said and left the podium.
Axel grinded his teeth, his anger flashing across his features.
The other Sergeants began leaving the podium too, so he left with them, and as he descended the stairs, he got a text from a line saved as S+xOnly.
S+xOnly: Come see me at the clinic, now!
He frustratingly pocketed the phone and descended the last stair, leaving.
The Privates were only able to move after the Sergeants are gone.
Teal was the first to crash to the ground, laying on her back and facing the starry night sky.
The others did the same, and the field became a sea of tired Privates.
Rook crashed beside Teal, and Brent crashed on her other side.
They lay there for almost twenty minutes, catching their breaths and reloading before they could talk.
"I hope Snowman's pillow becomes wet mysteriously tonight after what he made us pass through." Brent muttered.
"It's our fault, we shouldn't have complained when we were told about the limitations" Rook replied.
"Of course you'd be on their side, rule-ridden folk" Teal hissed.
"But it's the truth. This is a military base, not anyone's father's house" Rook replied flatly.
"I hate you" Teal said, and Rook laughed.
"I envy your friendship. You both are polar opposites,, yet you get along so well" Brent said, sitting up.
"His parents are one of the founding families of our town, and they love paintings. My parents were painters, so...we met" Teal replied, sitting up too tiredly.
"Your parents WERE painters? Dead?" Brent said, and she nodded.
"Sorry" he muttered.
"It's fine, I'll continue painting for them" Teal showed her gloved hands.
"I was wondering why you always wore gloves, you paint" Brent replied.
"She's a thief painter though" Rook said, sitting up last.
"Eish!" Teal glared at him, but he didn't stop talking..
"She sneaked paintings from the town museum and—"
Teal blocked his mouth with her palm at this point, and he started laughing.
"Oh...she sneaked paintings from the town museum and painted fake versions?" Brent said, getting it.
"Seriously? You should open a gossip shop as a side business at this rate" Teal clicked her tongue.
"I'm considering it" Brent winked, and she hit his arm, making him wince.
"But you made a mistake about the arsehole's name. It's Abbey, not Abel. You're not always precise after all" she said, and he blinked.
"Really? That's new" he said, rubbing his stomach gently.
"You puked during the race, you ok?" Rook asked.
"Of course" Brent smiled, though his stomach is hurting a lot.
The Privates got bulk SMS at the same time, and they began checking their phones.
"The bonfire will happen on the second field, and we are to wear our uniforms" Rook read it out.
Teal adjusted her posture, re-strapping her gloves as she stared ahead.
Four should better not show up at the bonfire, else she won't be able to hold back. She might do something unfunny.
She just knows it.
--
The Privates went back to their barracks after resting well at the field, but Morgan and Stormy went to Allegra's Unit.
They've taken permission from her, so they're gonna ride her bike to the cantonment store.
Morgan is the one who needs things at the store actually.
"What exactly are you gonna buy at the store? I'm so f+çking tired from the race and I should be resting and restoring my energy till the bonfire. Trainings starts tomorrow too and we also have missions in front of us, but you're going to the store?" Stormy complained.
"Quentin is sneaking in tomorrow, I need a dress to drive him crazy. Also, he might bring only one condom so I need to buy more. One round won't fill me" Morgan replied, and Stormy shook her head.
"Don't judge me, you'd also devour Rook if you're given the chance" Morgan said.
"What's the use? He's gay anyways" Stormy scoffed, getting on the bike.
Morgan got behind her, driving out of the base.
--
As for Shannon, she went straight to the Family Housing, and she was lucky to meet Cassie and Kash eating dinner at the dinning table.
"Thank gawd" she said, rushing to join them.
"Nice to meet you, Sergeant Kash" she said in a rush, eating fast from the pancakes.
"Easy, you'd choke" Cassie smiled, handing her a cup of water.
"You're my sister-in-law?" Kash smiled a bit.
"Of course, I was trying to greet you at the field earlier, but you were too seriously frowny. You're scary when you're working" Shannon replied after drinking water.
"As I should be. This current batch of Privates are recalcitrant, especially Teal" Kash said.
"I knew you'd mention her, I like her though" Shannon nodded.
"Who's she? I've been hearing her name since daybreak" Cassie replied.
"Stroll out of this suite and see things for yourself, baby you barely go out" Kash said.
"I'm planning on doing that tonight, I mean right now..." Cassie replied, standing.
"Wait... I'll assign junior Sergeants to protect you" Kash pulled her, but she just smiled and kissed him softly.
"Don't worry, terrorist attacks hasn't started yet, this base is still safe" she said.
"I'll catch up with you soon" Kash stroked her cheek, and she nodded before leaving the suite.
"Thanks for taking care of my sister, and thanks in advance for taking care of me cos I know you will. I'll brag with it that you're my sister's husband" Shannon said with a mouthful of pancakes, and Kash smiled lightly again.
"By the way...why would Master Sergeant bolt Teal's belt for her earlier? I'm still tryna get it" Shannon wondered aloud.
"Don't think about Four's actions too much, he's not understandable" Kash replied, and his phone buzzed.
It's a message from Four.
Master Sergeant: At the bonfire, no one can leave till it's over. At all.
Kash sighed.
"Weirdo" he muttered.
--
Cassie was having more fun than she expected, and thankfully, she's wearing covering clothes, so the cold didn't penetrate into her.
Both senior and junior Sergeants recognize her as Kash's wife, so they gave her respect as they bypassed her.
She was about to get to the training ground when she felt a presence behind herself, so she quickly turned to see who.
It's Axel.
"Have you been following me?" She frowned.
"Was on a walk too when I saw you, it's not that deep" he replied, strolling closer with a deep smile.
"Then keep your distance, please" Cassie said, and he nodded.
"I swear to gawd, Cassie. You're fuckin beautiful" he said.
For a minute, Cassie was wordless, so he licked his lips, and she blinked.
"You don't need no make-up, Cass. You're beautiful" he whispered, and she quickly stepped back.
"My husband tells me that always, you can go tell that to Allegra" she said, then she turned around and went back.
Axel's expression froze, and his eyes stayed on her backside till she went outta sight.
"By the time i d+ck her down like a sl-t that she is, Kash will cry" he said.
His phone buzzed, and when he checked, he frowned.
It's a message from Four.
Best bro: At the bonfire, no one can leave till it's over. At all.
--
[Male Barracks]
Rook is just arriving with Brent.
Brent climbed his bunk to rest, but Rook searched for Theo with his eyes, and he saw him standing beside one of the room windows.
He took his cap out of his pocket and walked to him.
"Hey, loner" he called, and Theo slowly turned to him.
There's a piece of dried leaf in in his hair, and Rook's hand immediately moved there to remove it.
Before he could, Theo pushed his hand away with an unfriendly look.
"You have a leaf in your hair" Rook said.
"Let it be, what do you f+ckin want?" Theo replied, and Rook's eyes widened a bit.
It's the first time he's hearing his voice, and his hunch wasn't wrong...he has a deep voice, sounding like the fall of a iron ball.
Slowly, Rook showed him his cap, and Theo snatched it from him.
"Found it on the field, and you don't have to thank me, orexi" Rook said.
Orexi means; appetite, in greek.
Theo looked up, his gaze smoldering.
"Orexi?"
"You look appetizing, can't help but craft you a nickname" Rook replied, and Theo punched him unexpectedly.
Rook's lips bled red, and shock intruded his eyes.
"Don't call me that" Theo muttered, walking past him out of the room.
"Nasty" Rook commented, wiping his lips with a wince.
--
[Female Barracks]
"I hate her more"
"She's so annoying"
"I get pissed off just seeing her"
"I'm gonna strangle her in her sleep"
The hateful words from Teal's roommates did nothing to her composure as she arranged her things into her footlocker.
She expected their double hate since they already hate her before, but the one thing she's still confused about is the reason Four did that.
Bolting her belt? He better not be in love with her. That'd be foolish.
She shook her head, throwing her last boot into the footlocker.
She hasn't had time to arrange her things since she came, so she chose to do it tonight cos by tomorrow when trainings starts, she'd be too occupied.
"The training bell will ring at 5 tomorrow, you want me to wake you up before 5 so you'd use the bathroom before everyone?" April suddenly asked.
She has been sitting on her bunk, staring at Teal silently.
"No, thanks. I'll wake up early by myself" Teal replied, then she left the room.
Shannon came in almost immediately, settling beside April in bed.
"She turned down your gesture again?" She asked, and April nodded.
"Keep trying, she'd come around. By the way I heard Specialists are gonna be among our chaperones at the bonfire tonight, so you're among?" Shannon asked.
"Of course, but Master Sergeant set a rule that no one leaves before it's over" April replied.
"Oops" Shannon sounded.
--
[Master Sergeant's Unit]
"I'm leaving the base tomorrow" General Pedro announced.
He came in some minutes before, and he's standing beside Four who's working on his flat screen again.
He's currently selecting the names of Privates who'd be in his squad, and he's efficient.
He has selected Rook, Theo, Shannon, and now he's selecting April.
"Why is your wife not on your list?" Pedro asked.
"Cos she'd be out of this base in three days?" Four deadpanned, facing him. "And she's Teal, not wife"
Pedro nodded.
"We'll see about that, I'll be out of the base tomorrow like I said. I miss Yulia, need to go see her. I'll be back in a week or less" he said.
Four gave him no reply, so he left the Unit quietly, and Four got himself a bottle of gin.
He was sipping as that word re-echoed in his head.
WIFE.
Her name appeared on his flat screen, and as he stared, a non-existent smirk lifted his chin.
"Wife?" The smirk blurred as he took another swig from his gin.
The three days training starts tomorrow, and within those three days, she'd be thrown out.
--
[9:10pm, Second Field]
The bonfire started at 9 as planned, and it's ending at 11 since it's a two hours shit.
Exclusively, alcohol is available, but you can only drink one bottle for the night since drunkenness is not tolerated.
The large fire is burning in the middle of the field with sparkling starling flames, and the Privates are sitting around it.
Some are already dancing around the flames, the likes of Abbey and his friends.
Teal has a bottle of alcohol in hand too, and as she drank, she can't help but be reminded of her Uncle Dave who'd do anything for alcohol.
Rook is by her right, drinking alcohol too, but Brent's hand is empty by the left. He looks weak but he still came anyways.
The rule is to not be absent.
Morgan and Stormy are part of those dancing around the fire too, even Shannon.
As they danced, they sang...
"In togetherness we strive!!! Right, in oneness we survive!!!"
April is the only Specialist around since Allegra is still at the clinic. She's standing around with the Sergeants.
Sergeant Kash is chill, but Axel looks like he wants to murder someone as his phone kept chiming with texts from Allegra.
S+xOnly: Come see me, Axe, or I swear to gawd after I get discharged tomorrow morning, I'll become stingy with my puxxy.
Axel ignored the text like the multiple others, then he pocketed his phone, returning his eyes to the raging bonfire.
He smiled when he saw Teal drinking. He only has to wait for Pedro to leave the base tomorrow, then she'd feel it.
The bonfire was going well, in fact...Rook stood and joined the dance round the fire when it got to a point, but the devil is always working hard.
Abbey.
He blocked Morgan's way, and Morgan glared up at him.
"Yo, what's up? I heard your br+Ã sts are round like melons, and your boyfriend's d+ck is hairy, is it true?" He asked, and Morgan gasped.
"Is it true?" Abbey laughed.
"You dumbass!!" Morgan gave him a furious kick.
"I heard from a reliable source, don't act coy" Abbey belched like an unfortunate fool.
"Bastard!" Stormy snarled, stepping in and slapping Abbey in defence of Morgan.
Impatiently, Abbey slapped her back, and a infernal fight started, scattering the ceremony.
They began exchanging metallic blows and kicks.
"You guys!" April shouted and was about to enter the circle to stop them, but Axel pulled her back.
"Let them" he said.
"What!" April gasped.
"You're sick" Kash said.
Axel smirked. "That's a compliment"
Stormy and Abbey are still thwarting each other—none is ready to stop, and now the Privates are gathered in one side beside the fire, watching speechlessly.
Teal remained sitting, like everything going on is not her business.
Morgan is still, ruminating and trying to figure out where Abbey got the information from.
There's only one person in mind.
Teal.
She's the one who saw her and Quentin fuckin in the cave that night, she must have told Abbey.
Morgan quickly removed a firewood from the burning fire and began running to Teal.
Teal saw it coming and stood. When Morgan raised the burning firewood on her, she leapt forwarded and headbutted her on the tummy.
Morgan flew back, and the firewood fell from her as she staggered and fell.
"You bloody snitch! How could you say what you saw in the cave that night! How could you say it to Abbey of all people! How!!" She yelled.
"You think I'm aimless to the point of casting your private parts around? Wherever Abbey got the info from is his own cup of tea. Get that into your howling empty skull" Teal said with a lour.
"Dude, you ok? Dude!" Theo's alarming voice said from behind, and Teal turned around to see him beside Brent.
Brent is groaning like he's in pains, and he's holding his tummy.
"Brent!" She rushed to him.
"Brent!" Rook rushed out from the crowd of Privates too.
Stormy and Abbey stopped their fight too, and they both turned around to see what's going on.
"Brent!" Teal took him from Theo when she got to them.
Brent couldn't talk, but he's sweating, and his shirt is soaked with it.
"Bro!" Rook shook him.
"Private Brent!" Sergeant Kash joined them.
"Private Brent? Say something" April joined them too.
"My tummy... it's like there are thorns in it...I'm... argh!!" Brent groaned again.
"Clinic, fast!" Teal said.
"No one is allowed to leave till 11, rules are rules" Axel spoke from the back, and Teal stood, facing him with wide eyes.
"Is that another order from the Master Sergeant?"
"You already know" Axel replied, getting himself a cigar.
"Brent is dying! How can you talk about a stupid rule? He's dying!!" She yelled.
"No one is leaving this field till 11. If he dies, his autopsy report would be that he died in service. Simple as that" Axel said.
"Sergeant Axel!" Kash stood.
"You have no right to get involved in this, Kash. I will handle everything in the absence of my brother" Axel replied stonily.
"Arhnm!!" Brent grunted again, writhing in the arms of Rook.
April rushed to Axel.
"I beg you with our past relationship. You were once my squad leader remember? Consider that and hear my plea, let's take Brent" she said.
Axel grinned.
"You have no right to even talk to me, you're part of why our squad got cancelled so fuck away!" He pushed her chest, and April lurched back, almost falling into the fire.
"No one is taking Brent outta here till 11" Axel said calmly, curving his arms behind himself.
"Mmgh!" Brent grunted again, scooping the field with his palms as the pains ate deeper.
Everyone went silent, knowing Axel is impenetrable.
"I'll go get permission from the Master Sergeant" Teal muttered, breaking the silence.
Axel gave her a scathing look before grinning again, louder than the first.
"If you're getting weird ideas cos he bolted you up earlier, then fuckin discard it. He won't look at your nakedness if you strip for him. He's immune to seduction" He said.
"I'll go, and I'll get his permission" Teal came closer to him, her confidence brimming.
Axel's lips curled.
"If you go to his Unit, and my own brother...Four, gives you permission to take Brent to the clinic, then I'll let you give me a plate of sand, and I'll eat it and lick the plate" He challenged.
Teal smirked, the tension in the air stretching to breaking point.
No one could blink nor move. No one could talk.
"Challenge accepted" Teal replied, turning around swiftly in a warrior-like manner.
Her fearless eyeballs are on Brent as she began walking out of the field.
"I'll be back"
TBC.
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