Chapter 5: Phoenix’s Decision

Evening had fallen and Phoenix had just handed in the latest report of Project GENESIS. She was getting sick and tired of doing the lab’s dirty work, but what choice did she have?

"Your working late, aren't you?" a voice said when she passed a hall.

Phoenix stopped and quickly turned around. She hoped to see her brother, but instead she saw Cole. His hands were on his hips and he looked rather worried for her. Surely he knew, after all he was Commander of Squad Seven.

Phoenix looked away. "I just finished a report..." she said. She turned her back to him. "I'm on my way home now..."

Cole bit his lip, knowing she was different. He walked next to Phoenix as she headed back to her office to get her things.

The two had reached Phoenix's office within a few minutes, those minutes were filled with nothing but their footsteps. Phoenix opened her office door and walked in, Cole following her in a few steps. "Need someone to take you home?" he said, looking at the clock. "It's kind of late, maybe I should-"

"No need..." Phoenix cut in. She grabbed her black, leather, bag and slung it over her shoulder. She did not look up from the ground, avoiding Cole's eyes. "I'll be fine walking home myself..."

"Nix, I don't think you should-"

"I'll be fine..." Phoenix said. At the moment she was not thinking properly. Her mind was elsewhere at the moment, and Cole knew this. It was nearly midnight and everyone knew this time was the most dangerous time in Shattered City-even Phoenix knew that.

"Nix," Cole said, grabbing her wrist before she walked past him out the door, "a woman like you shouldn't be rooming the street this late at night. At least let me walk you. Your brother would be angry if he came back and found out that I let you walk alone at night."

Phoenix looked at Cole, she was back to herself-for the moment anyway. "You do know I can take care of myself, right?" she said, cocking her hip and placing a hand on it. "After all, I managed to take you down in one move..."

Cole released Phoenix and laughed, remembering that day. "Yes, yes you did..." he said. "But that was back when I wasn't a Commander. Now I'm not so sure about that..."

Phoenix grinned. "Well," she said, "if I ever join GALACTIC, you'll find out." Phoenix then walked out of the office.

Cole gave a small smile and followed her out. She locked her office and then they walked down to the first floor together.

Silence was between them once again when they were walking towards the entrance. Cole did not know what to say to her and Phoenix was not up for a conversation.

"Um..." Cole muttered, finally breaking the silence. "I'm sorry about your brother, Phoenix..." He looked down to the girl, seeing she was not showing any emotion to the resent sentence.

"Thank you..." she said. "But he's only declared missing...he's not dead..."

"Yet..." Cole muttered under his breath. But he did not realize his thoughts were spoken until now. He glanced back to Phoenix and saw she was a bit down. "I didn't mean to say that, Nix. It's just..."

"I know..." Phoenix said as they walked out the door and were now on the street. "I'm thinking the same thing..."

Silence was between them once again, but only until they turned the corner-heading onto 'Havoc Street'.

"What exactly happened on my brother's mission...?" Phoenix said. "You must know. I'm pretty sure Director Killian told you."

Cole sighed. Really, he wished he could say, but the rules permitted him from saying anything. "You know I can't say, Nix..."

"And why not?!" Phoenix said, raising her voice. She had ever right to be angry. Director Killian, GALACTIC, even her brother‘s best friend, did not give her much to go on.

"It's the rules, Nix..." Cole muttered. "I can't speak of anything that goes on within GALACTIC to a civilian... You know that, Nix..."

Phoenix's hands clinched into fists. "He's my brother!" she shouted. "I deserve to know what happened!"

Cole looked down at Phoenix, swearing he heard her voice quiver. But when he looked at her, he saw no tears.

"Well," Cole said, facing forward again, "if you were to join GALACTIC... I'm pretty sure that rule won't apply anymore..."

Phoenix looked up, a slight gasp slipping from her mouth. That was it, that is what she needed to do. She needed to become a member of GALACTIC and then she would be able to find out what the Director was hiding from her.

"But..." Cole said, breaking Phoenix from her thoughts. "It's harder then it sounds… Plus, even if you do become a member, there's still no way of knowing whether or not Director Killian will tell you anything. He barely told me what was going on…”

"I'll become a soldier for GALACTIC..." Phoenix muttered. "And I will find out what happened to my brother..."

Cole looked at Phoenix a bit shocked. "You're joking, right?" he said. "Your brother wouldn't want you anywhere near that place!"

Phoenix looked up at Cole, a teasing smile playing across her lips. "Of course I'm joking, there's nothing to worry about..." Phoenix sped up her pace. "Anyway, I'll be fine from here. See you tomorrow, Cole..." Phoenix then began running off towards her house.

Cole stopped walking and put his hands on his hips. "I have a feeling that she wasn't joking..." he muttered to himself.