Ren follows behind Stephanie, the sound of their steps echoing in the empty hall. The white tile reflects the light from above, and framed images of old men in suits line the walls.
Ren can't remember the last time she was in a working building that didn't have holes in the wall, or broken windows. Plenty of them still function in the inner city, but when you're an infected mutant like Ren is, it's best to avoid those places. Less of a chance to get noticed when there's no one around to point out your irregularities.
"Your name is really Serenity?" Stephanie asks, to bring Ren out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, why?" She shrugs, nose wrinkling when an ugly painting of another old man comes into view. It looks too much like General Borse for her liking. Before they left the room after her chip was implanted, Borse asked for her name. Ever since she gave it, Stephanie keeps giving her strange looks.
"It's ironic." Steph chuckles, "You're anything but serenity." Then she clicks her tongue, as if she's disappointed.
Ren frowns, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Stephanie pauses and turns to look at her, eyebrows furrowed. "Do you know what your name means?"
"Uh, it's just a name." Ren scoffs. She moves to step around her to keep walking and Stephanie takes the lead once again.
"Sure, okay."
They walk in silence for the rest of the way. They take an elevator down and then they stop at one of many doors. Stephanie opens it and then gestures inside, "This is the room you'll be staying in."
Ren slides past her and steps inside.
"Why is there two beds?" She asks with a frown. The room has a simple set up with a double of everything, including the desk and bookshelf. While one of the sides is preoccupied with personal items, such as a stuffed teddy bear and a used notebook, the other is plain. Like the rest of the building she's seen so far, there are no windows.
"This is my room as well." Stephanie shrugs. She lets the door close behind her.
"Wait what?" Ren spins around with wide eyes. "Nope. No way."
"I'm not thrilled about it either," Stephanie sighs. "But newbies always share a room with a higher rank. "I already put up a fight with General Borse, only that's always a losing battle." She mutters the last part. "You ignore me, and I'll ignore you." She gives a half hearted shrug.
"Absolutely not!" Ren continues to protest, she shivers and rubs her arms, "What's to stop you from ripping my nose off while I'm asleep?" It's a valid question.
"Nothing." Stephanie says with a serious face, "So, hope I don't have a thirst for revenge."
Stephanie flips her blond hair over her shoulder and lays down on her bed, leaving Ren standing awkwardly by the door.
A moment passes.
With cautious movements, Ren shuffles to the other bed. When Stephanie doesn't attack her, she drops onto the bed and moans at the soft yet firm mattress. Has she ever slept on anything so comfortable?
She glances over at Steph and takes in her calm and peaceful face.
"Is this all we're doing?" Is there no other protocol for her to go through?
"You're tired, no?" Stephanie chuckles, her eyes still closed. "It's one in the morning and I'm dead tired. Not to mention we have to wake up early tomorrow."
"Ugh, why?" Ren groans. Back when she was avoiding all human contact, dead or alive, she went to sleep when she wanted, and woke up when she wanted. This will take some time to get used to.
"You need a tour of the place, and you need to get used to the way things are done around here." Stephanie mumbles, "Everyone in this forsaken city depends on the government. We keep the dead out, we keep the food growing, and we keep the peace-" She continues, her voice a drone, as if she's said this part too many times to count.
Ren snorts. "I'll admit that if we didn't have a government figure, everyone would've caused their own extinction. But to go so far as to say you keep the peace? I wouldn't bet on it."
"Yes, I get it." Stephanie sighs, "You've got issues. Can you shut up now? I'm dead tired."
***
An alarm blades from a speaker up on the ceiling and Ren scrambles to stand up. Her black hair is a knotted mess, her eyes crusty from the best sleep she's had in her whole life. "What the fuck is that?" She asks, her gaze landing on Stephanie who sits calmly on her bed.
"Time to wake up."
Ren blinks, she takes in Stephanie's neat hair, the way her elbows sit on her knees, her chin in her hand. The way her plaster keeps her nose together. Most of the swelling has gone down, and even the black and blue coloration has turned green. She's healing quickly.
Ren gasps, and smacks her hand against her face, feeling around for her nose. She didn't rip it off while she was asleep, right?!
"Ha!" She relaxes when her nose is still in place.
"Hurry up. Get yourself presentable." Stephanie sighs.
"Huh? But I'm hungry. Can't I eat first?" Ren complains.
"Dress now. Food after." Stephanie says, her words simple enough for a child.
"Uuugh," Ren groans.
***
Ren follows Stephanie to the cafeteria, memorizing the path they take. She stretches her arm, the latex of her black body suit sticking to her skin. It's identical to her mentors, but unlike Ren, Stephanie has a badge above her left breast.
Stephanie opens a double door and the quiet hall is broken by the loud chatter from inside.
Ren raises her eyebrows by the amount of people in one room. Only the inner city has this many people. There's no way everyone here can be an infected mutant.
Long tables are occupied by people eating and laughing. The ones closest to them glance over to see who's entered and then return to their business.