Heroes to Hunted

Upon entering the gates, we were greeted by the bustling sights of a busy settlement. Leather-armored soldiers were training with various weapons, cooks were kiting piping hot meals to workstations, and hope was in the air.

Small groups formed around bonfires as they drank and sang, celebrating a day's hard work alongside the fall of the evening Sun. There would be no cheer for us, though.

Rather than a wooden mug of homebrewed alcohol and a tray of nourishment, we were grouped up at the camp's entrance, like a pile of new weapons to be inspected. Our evaluator: Henry Barrett.

Akin to how he was in the forest, the man exuded an aura of dominance. His sharp gaze seemed capable of rousing a man's spirit...and crushing it.

This was a nostalgic experience for me. To be appraised as an object based on usefulness was step one to becoming a soldier.

Unlike me, barring Kamida and Takagi, my countrymen cast worried looks toward the three that led us here. They were silently pleading for them to stay.

"Where are you three off to?" Kamida questioned with a smile.

Mizuno matched his gaze and gave a light smile. "We're reporting back, don't worry," she turned away, beckoning for Suda and Shrug to follow.

Shrug looked at us and shrugged before following Mizuno away.

Suda's reaction was the most alarming. She eyed each of us, top to bottom, before giggling nervously. "Good luck," she said ominously, gesturing in Barrett's direction. "I hope you won't need it."

He responded with a sharpened scowl. Almost as if it cut Suda, she winced and speedily retreated away with Mizuno and Shrug.

The issues between the two seemed deeper than their meeting in the forest. He glowered angrily, and she shrunk away in shame; for whatever reason, the two definitely weren't on friendly terms.

Either way, she left, leaving us entirely to Barrett's mercy.

He stood before us, hands crossed behind his back, and took a deep breath. Then, after a calm exhale, he widened his eyes. "LINE UP!" he demanded.

The pressure from his intimidation pushed my countrymen into place. In my case, I hesitated. As a soldier, my only true orders should come from a superior within the Japanese military or political hierarchy.

However, those rules didn't apply anymore. We were in a new world, and old habits had no place here. It was finally time for me to adapt. If I wanted to survive, I'd have to fall in line.

So I did.

He stepped forward and, one by one, appraised us. First was Kamida.

"Your arms, raise them to your sides," he glared at Kamida.

Kamida must've been used to this level of intimidation; he barely twitched at Barrett's menacing presence.

Instead of stammering or crying as he had in the manor, he calmly smiled. He acted just as he did before the reveal of the manor's secret, suave, calm, and collected. I guess he had nerves of steel so long as he wasn't in a life-or-death situation.

Barrett hummed and raised a hand to his beard. "You're scrawny and a lousy fighter. I'll leave it to Elaine to figure you out."

Kamida replied to the bluntly insulting appraisal with amusement. "I suppose that's true!" he chuckled.

However, Barrett wasn't amused. He turned back to Kamida and glared. "You don't talk unless I tell you to, understood?"

Though he hadn't looked intimidated, Kamida straightened his face and nodded.

"Good," Barrett said triumphantly and moved on.

For Agawa, he discovered a concealed knife she had on her (my old paring knife). She tried playing it off, but he confiscated it, much to her dissatisfaction. Finally, he praised her muscle tone and smiled. "You're a limber one. You'll make a fine scout," he smirked and moved on.

"What're you talking about?!" Agawa snapped back. "A scout? What makes you think I'd work for you?! I never agreed to anything!"

He narrowed his eyes at Agawa and chuckled. "This camp has no room for freeloaders," he taunted. "I'll let YOU think on that."

I motioned to glare menacingly at him; I wasn't about to let him threaten her. I stopped myself, though. Despite my misgivings, I knew he was right. Luxuries like "public welfare" were a thing of the past. Now only the strong and useful survive. 'It's best she learn that now,' I sighed and returned back to my position in the line.

In Takagi's case, Barrett noticed his melancholy. Specifically how unresponsive he was to being ordered.

Barrett tried to raise Takagi's arm forcefully, but Takagi immediately pulled away and shouted, "don't touch me."

Then, in a fit of anger, Takagi wound up his arm and punched Barrett in the jaw with great force. The sound of the impact was loud, like a thud.

Despite having a fist currently buried in his cheek, Barrett remained unbothered. In fact, he was pleased, given the grin sprawled across his face. "You've got some fire, kid," he laughed, wiped the blood from his nose, and put his hand on Takagi's shoulder. "The enforcers always need new bodies... We're glad to have you aboard!"

He began walking to the next person when he stopped in his tracks. Without turning, he said. "Oh, and kid... Don't punch me again, not unless you're ready for a hell of a fight."

Takagi growled, but Barrett only laughed back in response.

When he reached me, like with the rest, he performed the motions of intimidation. He was probing me to see if I'd crack under pressure. But I was used to this kind of thing.

So I followed the inspection obediently using the routine I'd formed as a trained soldier. I raised my arms for his review and stood at attention.

"Woahoho," he was taken aback and leaned in to make eye contact, "you're different. You've got the eyes of a killer." He inspected me further, commenting on all the visible scars on my body.

"You... You've fought before," he smirked and stepped back. "I think you'll fit right in with the enforcers too."

I nodded back. In these situations, it was customary to salute in Japan, but we weren't there anymore. So I opted not to.

He frisked me, removing the holsters and armor I'd scavenged from the manor. One thing caught his notice; it was something I'd forgotten about until now.

"Hmmmm," he hummed with a low tone. "Where did you get this?" he held up his hand, revealing the keyring I'd stolen from the two guards back at the manor. Between his fingers was the odd key. The one with engraved golden feathers.

"I stole it from two guards back in Blackwood," I replied.

"I see; I'll be confiscating this, too, for further inspection," he eyed me, waiting for a moment of defiance. However, he wouldn't find that moment. I wasn't about to argue over some keys.

'Besides, there's no way in hell I'm going back there, so it's not like I'll need them.'

Unopposed, he stashed the keys away on his person, then resumed to the rest of the group.

From there, he moved to analyze the sisters and Takahashi. But he was interrupted by a woman.

"Barrett, don't you think it's time to stop harassing the newbies?" she raised a finger in admonishment. Her voice was as smooth as a summer breeze, with a gentle cadence that carried a hint of authority.

Her striking appearance matched her confident demeanor.

She had silvery eyes that shone with profound intelligence and long, silky white hair with black tips that cascaded down her back. Her sweet smile and mature allure were disarming, putting even the most anxious at ease. Finally, her well-defined and feminine figure was hidden beneath her buttoned gray-black blouse and slacks.

"Elaine?!" he raised an arm in protest. Don't interr-"

She walked past him, ignoring his objections. Then, after a modest bow, she introduced herself. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I'm Elaine Hearth, and I'm the lead personnel coordinator."

Standing behind her was a turbulent firestorm of fury. "Hey... What the hell do you think you're doing, Elaine?" he reached forward, but she turned toward him with another smile.

"Henry... Why don't you focus on your job as Quartermaster? Shore up our supplies for us. Besides, the General needs to speak with them. You'll obey the chain of command, won't you?" Though sweet on the surface, I could detect traces of malice within those last words.

He glowered at her with a rumbling fury before letting out a deep growl and leaving.

With Barrett gone, Hearth returned her focus to us. "Well," she clasped her hands and tilted her head, "shall we meet the General?"