•Kanto Ops Hospital Wing, Viridian City, Kanto•
•March 5th, Early Morning•
•Amber (Wolfe Alias Age 19) POV•
Chapter Forty-Three
Terms of a Truce
After Silver finally shut up, I actually got to sleep, and by the time I was conscious again, I was certain it had been at least a good few hours.
I think I'll just keep acting asleep. If Silver finds out I'm awake, he'll only torment me… Ugh, why does he of all people have to babysit me? Darrius, what the hell are you plotting?
As if on cue, I felt a presence standing over me. I cracked open an eye to find none other than Darrius standing above me. "I figured you were finally awake. You usually don't sleep THAT long, after all," he chuckled.
I was pretty surprised to see a smile on his face. His deep blue eyes sparkled in the florescent lighting.
"So sorry that I'm trying to recover," I retorted dryly.
"Heh. And you've got your sense of humor back, too. Glad to have you back with us, Wolfe. Next time, don't scare me like that, okay?" I could tell he was actually genuine with his worry.
"Scare you?" That part caught me off guard.
"Oh you know—running off and getting shot? Without orders, mind you. I can't have you disregarding things, even though your heroics did save your friend and help our intel greatly." He explained calmly.
I groaned. "Just go ahead and lecture me already. I'm tired of arguments with people."
"Arguments?" He looked in Silver's direction.
To my surprise, it looked like Silver had dozed off.
"Yeah, arguments. Darrius, why did you assign him of all people to babysit me? We don't get along. I'm so tired of his nonsense! That guy knows how to get on my nerves." I was still seething a bit from earlier with Silver.
"Well, he is your student, and I can't have you running off on a whim every time someone is in danger—no matter how much you want to help. And, I think some of your better behaviors can rub off on him. So, I think if you two actually try and work things out, you'll be okay." He explained all too cleanly.
"And if they don't work out? You're risking a lot assigning him to me…" I lowered my voice.
"Are you saying he suspects something?" Darrius lowered his voice as well.
"I had to tell him that I was Amber's friend just to placate him. He's more observant than either of us give him credit for." I kept my voice low.
"Hmm, that just means you'll have to be more careful, okay Wolfe? He can't find out at all costs. It'd ruin the whole operation." Darrius quietly reminded.
"It's really that bad?" I asked a bit surprised.
I knew that Silver knowing my identity would have messed up the plan, but I didn't realize the whole Johto operation relied on my identity that much.
"Yes, it is," he said gravely. "I still want you to teach him, understood?"
"Yes sir…" I trailed off.
"Oh and Wolfe? Whenever you are feeling up to it, Dex decided to throw you a promotion party on behalf of the Ops currently stationed here. Naturally, Silver will attend as well if just to shadow you." He added as if it were no big deal.
"Dex mentioned something about that. So I'm really the same rank as Agent G?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, you are. But that still doesn't mean you'll talk to G directly. Also, just because G is so mysterious, I'd rather have you in the know in the force. I don't want people to get the wrong idea about secrecy in the Ops, after all." He added.
"I guess you're right about that. I can live with that. Am I still assigned to Johto?" I asked hopefully.
"Of course. As soon as you're well and you give Silver the basic run down on training, I want you both to report back to Johto to sniff out leads. Who knows? Silver might prove to be a handy bloodhound." Darrius gruffly chuckled.
"I heard that," replied Silver's sarcastic voice. I saw him stretch and yawn in the corner of the room.
"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you. I suppose I'll leave you two for some bonding time. Maybe you'll work out your differences yet. You're a team, Wolfe and Silver. Act like one—at least while on duty, okay?" Darrius gave a charismatic grin.
Whenever Darrius grinned, I just couldn't help but grin back; that was just his personality. He was a tough boss, but he got the job done. And really, he did care about his operatives.
"Wait! Don't leave me with him!" I called out to Darrius who was approaching the exit of the room. He turned back to face me.
"Of course I'm leaving you with him. He is your babysitter, as you so called it."
"At least bring me a change of real clothes! I feel like an invalid! I want to get out of this damn bed! Give me a wheelchair at least!" I was demanding, but I had a pride that I didn't want tarnished by the appearance of weakness.
"Demanding as always. I'll see what I can do. From what I hear, you've made an incredibly fast recovery. But Wolfe? Don't overdo it, okay? I'll talk to the doctor in charge right now, I suppose. I was headed that way, anyway. Behave while I'm gone, you two." And with that, Darrius left the room.
"Snitches get stitches," Silver said accusingly.
"Damn you and your light sleeping! You were spying on the conversation the whole time, weren't you?!" I growled.
"Yes, I was. I loved how Darrius put you in your place," he smirked.
"Did you hear everything?" I asked seriously.
He can't hear that he's important… Crap.
"Yes, though whenever you and Darrius started whispering it was a bit difficult to make out. I suppose even my ex-mentor has secrets to keep." Silver snorted with crossed arms.
"Maybe it was my own personal business. Ever thought of that? Stop with your conspiracy theories already, will you?" I groaned.
"They're not theories if they're for real, now, are they?" He shot back.
"You know what, whatever. I give up. It's hopeless. The whole situation is hopeless. I'm under orders to get along with you, even though you're nothing but a brat. I hope you like fighting a one-person battle," I smiled sweetly.
"Then why are you still verbally attacking me? It's not just me who starts this, you know. The more you speak, the more we fight. Ever think that maybe it's not just me but you provoking me? Egging me on?" He made direct eye contact with me.
I actually hadn't thought of that. Though, when I thought of it, I was acting pretty defensive, which caused me to argue more and more with him.
Maybe I'm taking the approach all wrong. Now's not the time for pride, Amber. You're in a hospital bed with those paper-thin clothes on hooked up to machines for crying out loud.
And, Silver's here watching over you. Maybe I need a new approach. Yeah, time for plan B.
I sighed. "Fine. You're right. I'm sorry," I stated earnestly.
The look on Silver's face meant I caught him off guard. "Now what are you planning?" He smirked.
"Nothing. I'm just trying to be friendly. You're right. This isn't how I should act. It's not even my personality. I apologize for fighting with you and letting my dislike of you show through. It was unprofessional of me." I said earnestly.
"So now you're just giving up?" He smirked again like I was prime-time entertainment.
"Not everything's a game, Silver…" I knew I said those words to him before under my real name, and I knew that he probably would have caught on, but I didn't care.
I need to convince Silver that I'm on his side. There's no way I'll succeed in my mission teamed up with him if we can't get along. I think that as long as I'm myself, not in name, but in personality, I can win him over to my side. He'll never be able to prove that I'm me. I'll never acknowledge it, no matter what he may say. And as long as he has no proof, no one else will believe him if he thinks I'm really me either, will they?
"I never said anything was a game," he replied. I could tell that as expected, my line threw him off.
"I know, but you seemed to be implying it. Look, I'm going to listen to Darrius on this one. I've started off on the wrong foot with you from the beginning, and because of that, you automatically hate me. I'll stick to what I told you a while back: you don't know me." I started.
"But, I'd really like you to get to know me—the real me. Then, you can decide whether you want to keep hating me or not. And I'll do the same for you, if you'd like." I managed a smile as I continued.
"In other words, you're looking for a fresh start?" He actually seemed shocked at my change of attitude.
"Exactly." I nodded.
"Hmph. I think this is nothing more than a plot to get me to trust you so you can use me. Right or wrong?" He asked skeptically.
I sighed. "Silver, you have no clue what's going on in my mind, so please quit trying to assume what I'm thinking. I'm one of the last people that would want to use you for anything. I believe that everyone should use their own free will to decide what they are going to do."
"I'm not saying that it's not always without consequences—such as why we're an obligatory team—but I suppose I want to make the most of this since we're stuck with each other whether we like it or not." I admitted.
"I see," he said pensively.
"So, do you want to start over? I'll act like the whole thing with you stealing Totodile or wanting to blow up Team Rocket never happened. I don't care if you hold me accountable for my past actions or not. Actually, I encourage that you do, so you can use that to remember how I act." I offered.
"Do I have a choice?" He grimaced.
"Of course you do. You can choose to comply with the truce I'm offering, or you can continue to hate me. Either way, I'll try within the best of my ability to act nice to you. It's not really for you, understand. It's because I'm a better person than you think, and it's my orders." I added.
"Fine. I'll see how it goes. I'm not calling a truce or saying I don't hate you. I'm just going to observe you. Don't expect me to become your friend. I have no intention of that." He firmly stated.
"I understand. Really, I do. I don't think it'd be possible for us to become friends, anyway…" I trailed off quietly.
"Hmph, I don't really think you understand, but fine." He sighed.
A knock on the door interrupted my train of thought. A moment later, a doctor entered the room and approached my bed. "Well, well, if this isn't the patient who was shot at semi-close range. Barely snagged a lung. You were lucky. Your boss asked me to assess you to see if you are well enough to take out the IV. Well, do you think you're better?"
I looked at the doctor incredulously. He's really asking me to make my own medical assessments? What kind of quack is this?!
"Uh, I guess? I'm tired of laying here like an invalid," I replied truthfully.
"I see. Let me shut off your pain medicine, then. Then, you tell me. I'll stay in here to watch. You there," he called out to Silver, who was merely observing in the corner, "Come here."
I saw Silver give the man a nasty look, but he got up and trudged over to the bed. I smirked at him. I didn't really care if I wasn't wearing my contacts. It only added to my fun if the doctor would be picking on him.
"Okay, now I'm going to decrease the drip from the IV and then eventually stop it altogether. I'll do it slowly so your body doesn't go into shock. This medication numbs the pain receptors, after all. Boy, I want you to hold that girl's hand. Girl, whenever you start to feel pain, squeeze the boy's hand. The harder you squeeze, the worse the pain is that you feel, understood?" The doctor explained.
Silver and I looked at each other with incredulous faces at this clearly unorthodox method that seemed more social experiment than medical procedure. That doctor was a nut-job to think that Silver and I really got along that well. I personally didn't want to touch him with a ten-foot pole. I had a sinking suspicion Darrius put the doctor up to this just to see what we'd do.
Although…heheheh. I can squeeze Silver's hand and hurt him? Bad Amber! Remember, truce. Now's the perfect opportunity to show him what I'm made of. Besides, Silver isn't a wimp. Simply squeezing his hand wouldn't hurt him.
Silver apprehensively, and I figured regrettably, placed his fingers into the palm of my left hand. I then clasped my fingers around it, though I certainly didn't want to. Silver smirked at me, and I simply gave him a neutral gaze in return.
If I don't act accordingly, he's going to call me a wimp, isn't he?
"Good. Now I'll begin. Boy, whenever the pressure becomes too much, tell me. That way I'll know that the patient isn't ready to be released yet." The doctor said calmly.
I made an extra effort to make my hand limp around Silver's hand. There's no way I'm going to let him think he can confine me to this bed.
The doctor then messed around with the button that distributed the medicine into my veins. "Feel anything?"
"Nope!" I really didn't feel a thing.
We waited a few minutes, and then he tried again. "Now?"
I began to feel a little tingling in my right side, but it didn't hurt or anything. "No pain," I replied neutrally.
The process continued until I felt a searing pain shoot through my right side. "At this point, there's no medication running through the IV. Whatever you feel now will only get worse. So, tell the truth. Does it hurt?"
I knew that I was squeezing the hell out of Silver's hand, but there was no way I'd stay in that bed another minute if I was that close to freedom.
"I'm fine," I fake smiled.
The guy then turned to Silver, who was looking seriously into my face.
Go ahead, Silver. Ruin it for me, why don't you?
"I think she's telling the truth." Silver startled me.
"Good, then!" The doctor beamed. "I'll be right back with a nurse with a change of clothes and a wheelchair. Let's get you mobile again, young lady." With that the doctor left the room.
I let go of Silver's hand, though at first, he didn't move it. I then looked up at him. "Why'd you lie to him like that? I was certain you'd rat me out."
He smirked. "Don't think of it as a favor to you. Think of it as a favor to Amber. If you're really her friend, after all, suppose I should help you at least with that. Even if I didn't want to."
"I see. Thanks." I said quietly.
"You're not perhaps that girl, Green, are you? The one that Amber used to be good friends with?" He asked curiously.
I laughed. "Oh, Silver. You'll never give it a rest, will you?" I actually smiled at him. "I'm Wolfe."
"Right, of course," he smirked back.
Then, a nurse came in with a change of clothes. I was not thrilled. Don't tell me Dad dropped those off for me… Why couldn't I have burned that with some of my good stuff?!
The nurse handed Silver the gray sweatshirt and sweat pants. He eyed them with great interest. "Interesting taste of clothes."
I groaned. "Please don't tell me I have to wear those," I told the nurse. "I have some clothes in my quarters—some real ones."
"I see," replied the nurse. "A visitor gave me those clothes for you. He said that he wanted you to wear them since you had a boy assigned to you. Do you want me to bring the visitor in? He asked to come in, but I wasn't sure if you wanted company."
I knew it'd be troublesome, but I knew that my dad, and probably my mother as well, were likely very worried about me.
I've never been shot before, and I told Mom I'd be careful. What a liar I am…
"Yeah, sure. Please bring him in." I nodded.
The nurse headed out for a few moments.
"I see, so that's not your taste of clothes, is it?" Silver asked, amused.
"Like hell it is! I don't care if it'd be easy on my ribs or not. I'm not wearing sweat clothes. It's not even winter anymore!" My rant seemed to earn a smirk from Silver.
"So you've decided to let the old man in, after all," replied my father nonchalantly as he strolled into the room.
I glared at him when he noticed Silver in the corner. "Ah, Officer Neilstone. So you're the one who dropped off the clothes…" I said calmly.
Be careful, Dad. A slip-up, and I'm in trouble.
Silver looked pretty interested in the whole occurrence. "Nice to see you, Mr. Neilstone," he added.
"Oh, if it isn't my daughter's boyfriend." That earned a glare from me. "It's a surprise to see you in Agent Wolfe's room. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Nope, not at all, sir." I replied before Silver had time to say anything. "Silver is just babysitting me for Darrius."
"Oh. Well, I don't think you could be in more capable hands, then." Dad complimented Silver.
"Riiight, capable," I said a little sarcastically, which earned me a glare from Silver.
Dad smiled. "Like the clothes I sent?"
"They're err, okay, sir. Truthfully, they're not really my taste, but I appreciate the gesture. I was running low on clothing seeming how my missions destroyed pretty much all I had on hand, but I bought some more the other day," I added.
"Oh, I see. Well, I just wanted to look out for you, Agent Wolfe. I figured that you and my daughter were about the same size, so I sent you some of her old clothes. I know Amber would have been more than happy to share with someone who carries on her goal." Dad smiled.
"Right, thank you, sir." I nodded.
Please stop talking about me!
"Do you need help changing into them? I could flag down a nurse." Dad offered.
"It's okay, sir. I'm pretty independent," I smiled.
"Oh, well that's good, I suppose. I just wanted to drop by to see if you were all right. My wife especially was upset to hear how you had been shot. It was very heroic of you to save your colleague, though. Congrats on your promotion, too." I could tell Dad probably wanted to fret over me, but thankfully he knew better with Silver in the room.
"Oh, please tell your wife thanks for the concern, and that I'm feeling much better. And thank you, sir. I guess the reality of my promotion really hasn't set in yet," I admitted.
"It will in time. Wear your status with honor, Special Agent. You're an example for the newbies, after all," he smiled proudly.
"Yes sir, I will." I nodded. I could tell his pride and worry both were genuine.
"Well, I guess I'll leave you two to your own devices. Silver, take good care of Agent Wolfe, please. She's not a bad person. She has my respect." And with that, my dad strolled through the door again.
"Pretty formal for knowing Amber's dad so well," Silver smirked.
"Well, that is my job—to be formal, you know."
"Aren't you higher ranked than him?" Silver asked.
"I still respect my elders, Silver. That's just how I am," I tried to grin.
Silver smirked as he looked at the gray sweat clothes he was still holding. "You know, it's funny. All that time I spent with Amber and lived with her. I never saw her in anything like these."
I smirked back. "I don't blame her. Her father sure is protective."
Dad's still calling me Silver's girlfriend in front of Silver? He needs to act more like I'm dead…
"I don't suppose you're going to wear these, huh?" Silver asked.
"No way. Even if it does offend Officer Neilstone. Feel free to keep the clothes if you want. They were Amber's, after all," I added.
"Are you mocking me?" He turned suddenly defensive.
"Not at all," I replied neutrally. "I'm just saying they are your dead girlfriend's clothes. I'm sure you're all into keepsakes and such."
"Thanks, but no thanks. Amber never wore them. That defeats the purpose of a keepsake." He shook his head.
"Hey, Silver, can you do me a favor?" I suddenly asked deciding I really did need a change of clothes I'd actually wear.
"Huh?" I threw him off guard, I was sure of it.
I bet he's expecting me to ask something snarky.
"Could you run down to my quarters and grab my shopping bags? There's one with some clothes in them. I think those would be much more suitable." I asked genuinely.
It's a big leap, but I have to show him I trust him. And besides, I need some real clothes… I'm glad the Ops has a small hospital wing.
"Uh, sure. Where's your quarters?" He sounded off guard but cooperative.
"Good question… I'm not really familiar with the layout from the hospital… Let's see, the reception area is around here, right?" I asked thinking of the layout from memory.
"Yes."
"Go past there, through the dining area, past the kitchen... Hang a left? I think. That should lead to the quarters. From there, you'll go down a hallway. At the end of the hallway, it splits into left and right. Go right, that's the way to the girls' living area. From there, you'll find a social area and some hallways leading out of the room. Take the middle one. Room number A-5. It should be on the left. Got it?" I traced the map in my mind.
Silver gave me a blank expression. "That's a bit much, don't you think?"
"What's a bit much?" I blinked curiously.
"The thoroughness of that. I got it. I'll go get them. Where are the bags? I don't want to snoop around in your stuff." He actually seemed serious.
"They should be on my bed." I said calmly. I had someone run those to my room when I got called away with Dex's distress call the other day.
"Fine, I'll be right back, then. You owe me, again." He headed for the door.
"Thanks, Silv. Remember, I don't believe in being indebted to anyone," I merrily taunted as he left. I heard him groan as he went down the hallway. It was a small step, but we were cooperating at least for now.