Chapter VIII
Tested
“Everything alright captain?” Codsworth said, when Dmitri walked into their new house. He had wondered where the captain had gotten to.
“What… Yeah.” Dmitri said, checking his pocket to make sure that the cloth was hidden, he wasn’t sure he wanted to reveal the fact that the disease that was even now, spreading through him. “So, this is it hm?” Dmitri said quickly trying to change the subject as fast as possible. Codsworth nodded in return but continued to look him up and down for a few minutes before relenting.
“Yes. It’s small, we may have to double up on rooms. But it will do.” Codsworth said looking around the house. It was a simple affair, and although it was one of the bigger houses in the town, it was dwarfed by the large amount of people that would now be living in it.
“It’s good.” Dmitri said, one hand holding the rifle turned crutch, the other in his pocket, in an attempt to make sure that none of bloody cloth was showing. Whilst the disease wasn’t transmissible by air, meaning that the people around him were safe.
“Are you sure everything is alright Dmitri?” Codsworth asked, looking more concerned at his old friend. Despite his earlier concerns, he was about to tell the commander, as he thought that it was the right thing to do, after all, he had remained loyal during the civil war, at the threat of his own life. However, before he could speak two men entered the house and ordered everyone into the living area.
Having just settle in, they weren’t pleased by this, however they did as instructed and waited as the two men; Stefan Dyrdahl, and Iver Asp, two middle aged north-men enter the room. They couldn’t have been more different in appearance, Codsworth thought, whilst Stefan was tall and thin, with long black hair and beard. Iver was equally tall, but as muscular as he was; Looked around the room for a few moments before Stefan took out a sheet of paper and looked down it quickly before he addresses the room at large.
“Right then, can Vernon, Nick, Martin and Dmitri please remain in the room whilst we assess the rest of you. You'll all be allowed to leave in once we're done.” Stefan said looking around for some kind of acknowledgement from those people he had just called out. At which Dmitri looks over at Codsworth who nods slightly, as they ultimately had no choice on the matter, the question had after all, only been a pleasantry. After the four nod, Iver steps forward and begins to lay out what was going to happen.
“We're just going to ask you a few questions, sooner this is started the sooner we can leave. We'll call you out one at a time.” Iver said, clapping his hands together, before he walks up towards Dave and points at him. “You first, kid. Follow us please.” Iver continued looking down at Dave, with a tired expression in his eyes, although it was also a look that broke no argument on the matter at hand.
“Don't worry kid, we won't keep you long.” Stefan said, more calmly than his partner, although none of the group bought this kind act. With Codsworth guessing that it was just a good cop, bad cop routine. Whether it was or not however, didn’t matter as the pair had all the power here, as Stefan and Iver walk towards the room they had taken over and waited on Dave, who slowly got up and follows the pair into the adjacent room. After entering Iver closes the door behind them, leaving the others blind as to what was going on inside.
Stefan and Iver sit behind a table, and gesture for Dave to sit down which he does looking around at the empty room, it was the smallest room in the place, he would of guess, and he thought that was the point, to make him feel as claustrophobic as humanly possible.
“Name?” Stefan asked, taking out a piece of paper and began writing something down, although Dave couldn’t see what it was.
“Dave Wolfrick.” Dave said looking around, he felt like he was being interrogated by a couple of cops. Which he thought, he essentially was. Stefan nodded and continued.
“Age?” Stefan asked, he sounded almost bored, but this question did stump Dave for a few moments.
“Erm. Thirteen, I think.” Dave said, he had had to think about it for a minute, but he was pretty sure that he should have turned thirteen by now, they were after all in winter now. Stefan looked up at him at this, with confusion in his eyes, but there was also pity there as well.
“What did you do before arriving here?” Iver asked, he however, had taken no note of the kid’s inability to know his own age and just wanted to get these interviews over with.
“Scouting and recon mainly.” Dave said, although he had been forbidden to go out at and explore now. He made a mental note to himself to see if this place had any exits that Codsworth and Dmitri wouldn’t know about, for him to use if they were watching the usual exits. Stefan nods at the answer and makes a few notes, before continuing.
“Seen any action kid?” Stefan asked, looking up, expecting a ‘no’. By the look on his face.
“Yeah.” Dave said quickly that he had, not only had he been in two warzones, one by choice, and one forced upon him. Stefan looks up at Dave, silently judging the thirteen-year-old before making a few more notes and looking up again.
“Right, you're free to go back.” Stefan said looking up from his notes, which took Dave completely by surprise, he had thought that it should have taken longer than this, to determine what he was going to be doing for the foreseeable future.
“Wait, what?” Dave asked.
“Told you we wouldn't keep long kid.” Iver said gesturing at the door. As Stefan turned to his companion.
“Send for next one Iver.” Stefan said, as Dave got up and slowly walked out of the room, as Iver follows him and called Codsworth’s name.
After about an hour, an hour and a half. The final member of the group, Jimmy walks out of the room, followed shortly after by Stefan and Iver. The two look at the ensembled group, as they finish putting away their papers, a record of everything that the group had told them whilst being questioned.
“We'll be back tomorrow with your assignments.” Stefan said as he and Iver walked out of the door, closing it behind him. The second that they had left the room Jack got up, whilst it was now almost dark outside, it didn’t stop him as he looked around the room.
“Well, I'm of to explore. I can't stay cooped up here for much longer. See if I can find somewhere to drink.” Jack said as he walked out of the house as he did so, Dave followed his older brother with his gaze then scoffed out loud.
“Drink my ass.” Dave said under his breath continuing his scoffing fit, if that was all he was going to do, he’d eat his clothes.
“Leave your brother be Dave. Can't exactly blame him.” Codsworth said apologetically, he also was well aware that Jack, may have gone to drink, but that it wasn’t the main reason for his sudden departure. His gaze found Barca, who got up at the look from the commander. “Keep your eye on him lieutenant.” Codsworth finished. Barca only nods before also exiting the building and walking out into the cold night air.
“You aren't going to stop him Vernon?” Dmitri asked, gently sitting himself down on one of the chairs. Not three months ago, even the slightest notion that one of the kids was going out to drink, would have been stamped out by Vernon before anyone could scream unfair, but Vernon looks at Dmitri solemnly before responding.
“And why would I do that. The lad's going to go out anyway.” Vernon said, he also knew that in the past, he would have put a stop to any such notion of drinking, but now was different. He knew that his authority over the boys was limited and would be easily challenged by them if they honestly considered it. Better to simply allow it, than to argue, and watch them do whatever it was he was refusing to them anyway. “The lad is after all almost sixteen now. He would have been allowed to drink back when everything was normal. So why stop him.” Vernon finished, although he was fully aware that he was now only trying to justify his decision not to intervene to himself. And he knew it.
“Can I go out?” Dave asked, he saw no reason why not, after all, Jack had been allowed out to do his own thing, why shouldn’t he be allowed the same privileges. The answer, however, came swift and sharp. Although not from the source he would have guessed from.
“No.” Dmitri said bluntly, this seemed to surprise everyone, not only Dave. Codsworth looked at Dmitri even more curiously now. And Charlie’s eyebrow was raised upwards, in her usual look of confusion.
“Why. We’re no longer on the mountains anymore, we’re safe here. Aren’t we?” Dave asked, which took Dmitri of guard, which he reasoned, was the point, if he lied and said they were, Dave would go out. If he told the truth however, it would shatter the illusion of this place. Either way, the kid would win.
“Why. I know how to keep out of trouble. A lot more than Jack does at any rate.” Dave said sulkily, wondering to himself how far he could push the issue before he hit power lines. He knew that he could push Dmitri a bit more than his Da, and certainty a lot more than Vernon. But he still had to be careful.
“Maybe tomorrow kid.” Dmitri said, looking apologetically at the thirteen-year-old. “Once we’ve had a chance to check out the defences of this place.” He said and gave a weak smile, which was half returned by Dave, who then retired to the room he had chosen for himself.
“Is it because of the townsfolk?” Codsworth said, as he walked over to where Dmitri was sitting down. That was his original thought, what with how certain members of the townsfolk had been eyeing them when they arrived, was more than enough for the commander to think the worst of these north-men.
“Yes.” Dmitri said, it was a half-truth at best. But would serve for now at least. He thought to himself on what Brutus had told him and wondered why he wasn’t relaying the information to the rest of them. He sat still for a moment, trying to push the thought to the back of his mind. As there was something else, he needed to ask, and this he would try and keep in house. He gritted his teeth and turned to Charlie. “Can I ask you something, Charlie. In private.” Dmitri asked, Codsworth looked confused, but that was nothing compared to the look on Charlie’s face. But she nodded, got and walked into her chosen room, followed by Dmitri, looking remarkably sheepish to the commander’s eye.
As Dmitri followed Charlie into the quiet room, the scientist turned around looking worried at what could possibly be so wrong, that a private audience was needed.
“Why are we in here Dmitri? What is so bad, that you don’t want the rest of the group to know about?” Charlie asked, the captain was usually forthcoming with his opinions, and would usually not hesitate to share them with the group at large. She would be lying to herself if she said that this sudden secrecy didn’t alarm her somewhat.
“It’s this.” Dmitri said, taking out the blood-spattered cloth from his pocket. He had made the decision to speak, because he need answers, and who better than the person who had amputated the diseased leg off, in order to stop the sickness from spreading in the first place. Charlie simply stared at the cloth for a minute before coming to herself.
“When did you do that?” Charlie asked quickly.
“Just after you lot left the town square.” Dmitri replied as he tried to hand the bloody cloth over. But Charlie seemed hesitant to take the thing, backing up slightly, before regaining her composure.
“Has it happened since then?” Charlie asked. This was imperative to know, if it was happening more than once, then her initial estimate to Codsworth back on the mountain was wildly off.
“No.” Dmitri said, shaking his head. Charlie sighed with relief at this. Personally, he didn’t see why, as it still wasn’t natural to be coughing up your own blood.
“The odds are it’s just a mild infection. It wasn’t the most hygienic place to do an operation on after all.” Charlie said, putting an arm on the captain’s shoulder to try and reassure him, as well as herself on this diagnosis.
“Is there anything else I should expect?” Dmitri asked, whilst hoping that he was not being lied too, just to spare his feelings.
“There might be some soreness. Potentially some difficulty breathing.” Charlie replied in a reassuring tone. And Dmitri nodded as she continued. “But if the coughing does return, you need to see me straight away.” Charlie finished.
“Sure.” Dmitri replied in a dejected tone, as he left the room. He still wasn’t entirely sure that any of this was natural, but he was willing to take her word on the matter. When he was outside, he began coughing again into a clean piece of cloth, he was about to rush back into the room. But as he took the cloth away, he saw something that lifted his spirits. No blood. And with that he walked into his own room to sleep properly for the first time in what felt like months.
