•Kanto Ops Hospital Wing, Viridian City, Kanto•
•March 4th, Evening•
•Amber (Wolfe Alias) POV•
Chapter Forty-One
A Girl With No Past
"What's your problem?" Silver asked as I assumed he realized I was crying. His tone seemed a bit off, like he was actually shocked.
I did my best to get a hold of my emotions despite the guilt I felt just hearing his voice.
True, he's the same Silver, but you betrayed him. Act like who you are now: Wolfe. He hates you, so show him you are strong so he won't pick on you. I tried to steel myself.
"My eyes are burning," I retorted with the most annoyed tone I could muster. I noted that my voice sounded stronger than it had before at least.
"Hmph. I suppose I better tell the nurse your pain meds are wearing off already then," he replied.
Bad idea… He's going to get me overdosed. Maybe lying like that was a bad idea.
"No. Forget it. I'm fine," I stated with finality.
"Right, that's why you're crying. You think abstaining from pain meds is going to earn my respect or something? Either way, you're nothing more than a weakling." He said snarkily.
Can I strangle him, please?? I groaned inwardly.
He was getting on my nerves already. I sighed. "Fine. I lied. My eyes aren't burning. That better? Butt out."
"I figured you were lying. That's pretty much all you seem to do, anyway. All of you Operations people. You're all just a bunch of fakes. How pathetic. I don't care that you're crying. I'm just bored." He sighed in a huff.
"If you're bored, then why are you here? Don't you have a cell you can go back to? Why don't you just leave me alone if you hate me so much?" I groaned.
"Because, Teach, I have a deal, which clearly states I have to accompany you. Otherwise, I will end up back in that cell. I'd rather eat real food than that bland prison stuff. That's the only reason I'm here." I could just imagine he had his arms crossed.
That actually got a smirk out of me. Ah, Silver. Still a gourmet. I guess that didn't change. I'm glad you still have a few remnants of yourself left after I destroyed you.
"What are you smirking at?" He asked a bit defensively.
"Nothing at all." I tried to shrug, but it hurt, and I felt stiff.
"Do you find me entertaining?"
Luckily, my tears were starting to dry up. "Actually, you are an interesting person to study. Entertaining? Not quite so much. You sure do have a few surprises up your sleeve though, I'll grant you that."
"Hmph. I can say the same. You're an idiot for putting your life on the line to save someone—especially since it's against orders." He actually chastised a little.
"I already told you, I'll risk everything to save my friends. That's my philosophy. I don't care if you agree with it or not. I'm not changing myself just to earn your respect. After all," I smirked, "since I'm your teacher, I do have authority over you, anyway." I retorted.
"That doesn't mean I'll listen. We aren't in a classroom, after all." He shot back.
"You're right, but just wait until we are in one," I taunted back.
"Whatever. By the way, nice to see your eyes aren't burning any longer."
That comment caught me off guard. Damn, Silver is good at throwing me off…
"Oh, so you do care, huh?" I retorted.
"As if. I'm just curious as to why you keep saying my name in your sleep. And why the hell did you start crying that last time you said my name?" He seemed agitated just a bit, though I could tell he was curious.
I gave a half-grin. "You wouldn't even understand the half of it, so it's none of your business. It's regrettable that I even mentioned your name, seeming how I don't even know you. Like I said before, you figure out things for yourself. I won't tell you what I'm thinking."
"Hmph. If that's how you want to be, then I don't care. Just don't think that I'll befriend you. I hate you, Wolfe. Keep that in mind." He said a bit coldly.
"It sounds so good for you to finally voice your feelings to me. Perhaps you should do that more often. It might actually help you heal and move on." I shot back. "I knew you hated me, Silver. Do you honestly think I care?"
"Your words say one thing, but your actions say another." He said simply.
"And what is that supposed to mean?!" I asked heatedly.
"Sorry to interrupt, but may I pay my savior a visit?" I heard Dex's voice timidly cut in.
"Dex!" I sat bolt upright and opened my eyes even if the sudden movement really hurt.
Dex was in the entrance of the room in a wheelchair that was being pushed by a nurse. He looked a little pale, but the sparkle in his light brown eyes told me that he was feeling much better. His pale brown, almost blonde hair was a mess, but I personally thought it added to his boyish charm. Dex always reminded me of a little boy who loved science. He wasn't wearing his glasses, so I figured he still wasn't up and about yet. He was wearing hospital clothes just like I was.
I then noticed my own situation. I was in a hospital bed hooked up to a monitor that recorded my heart rate. I had an IV in my right arm, and my face felt a little stiff. I guessed my ribs were wrapped up in bandages as well. I was wearing some rather typical hospital clothes, which made me want to flush from embarrassment since I wouldn't let Silver see me in those type of clothes even when I was Amber and in the hospital from the time I saved his life with the cave-in on Mt. Silver.
Man, if this is karma, it's a real bitch.
"Whoa, take it easy there, little miss hero. I don't want you passing out just because you saw me!" Dex grinned.
I gave a short laugh, which ended up hurting my ribs even with the pain meds. "I'm just glad to see you're alright. You're a good comrade; didn't want to lose you."
"Well, I'm alive and kickin' thanks to your bravery. And you, Silver, even though I disliked you because of your ties to Team Rocket, I have to say thanks to you as well. Maybe you're not such a bad person, after all." Dex said as the nurse wheeled him to my bedside.
"Hmph, I don't even know why I saved both of you. The feeling of hate is pretty much mutual," Silver replied rudely from his seat in the corner of the room.
"Don't mind Silver. He's an ass. I think in his own language, that means 'You're welcome'." I grinned. I wasn't going to let Silver ruin my mood.
Dex laughed. "Ah, I see. Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, Agent. I've got to say, you impressed me. You climbed up to the top, my friend. Did Darrius talk to you yet?"
"No, he didn't… I bet he's going to demote me or send me back to basic training…" I trailed off.
"What?! You haven't heard?" Dex was noticeably alarmed.
"Haven't heard what?" I asked completely oblivious.
"The news of your heroics is spreading like wildfire. I had a pretty important confidential report for Darrius, too, when he debriefed me. You've been promoted!" Dex said.
That news actually shocked me. I heard the words, but they were not computing.
"Promoted?! Is that even possible? I thought we were like top-ranked as it is."
Dex laughed merrily. "Well, Miss Boss, now you are really in charge."
"Wait…boss?!" I blinked in surprise. I was pretty certain the pain meds were making me no longer understand the English language.
"You still have to take commands from Darrius, but pretty much you are the same rank as the legendary Agent G." Dex said reverently.
"You're serious?!" I asked in alarm.
Agent G was someone who worked alongside Darrius. Not one of us normal agents ever spoke to Agent G. None of us even knew if G was a man or woman, or G's age or anything. Only Darrius spoke to G, but G greatly influenced our lives. G often was in charge of assigning teams. G was really great with strategies, so that helped Darrius since day by day the Ops was getting larger.
"Yup! Congrats, Agent W." Dex smiled good-naturedly.
"Don't call me that! I'm Wolfe, not W," I chastised. It was bad enough that Wolfe wasn't my real name.
"Fine, fine. Wolfe. How about when we both recover, we go celebrate?" Dex asked with a smile.
"Celebrate? At a time like this? Dex, how can you be so happy?" I asked curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"Your team mates all died… Yet you seem un-phased…" I felt pretty bad that I was getting rewarded for saving one life when three others perished.
"I know. They were all good people," Dex replied sullenly. "Can I have a word with Wolfe alone please?" Dex asked the nurse who stood behind him as well as Silver in the corner.
"Of course; just push the button on your remote when you want someone to come get you," the nurse left the room with a smile.
"I'm not moving. I don't really care what either of you talk about, but I'm under orders to stick to little Wolfie there like a thorn in the side." Silver smirked with folded arms.
"More like a pain in the ass," I half mumbled.
Dex laughed. "You two are cute. Fine, you can stay, Silver."
Silver snorted at the cute comment. I nearly wanted to laugh at the absurdity.
"Anyway, Wolfe, I just wanted to thank you for saving me. I know you couldn't save my three teammates, but at least you saved one person. It's not everything, but you still saved a life and made a difference. And I personally am grateful that you rescued me, even though I told you not to do it. You really are an interesting woman. I don't know of many in the Ops who will risk everything to save someone. Especially because of the Oath." Dex said seriously.
"It's no problem, Dex. You're my friend. Like I'd let you die. Friends protect friends, no matter what the outcome may be in the end. I had to try; otherwise I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. I've seen too many of my friends die; I've lost a lot of them just in the past year… At times I find it hard to celebrate because I think of how they'd never celebrate anything ever again." I sighed.
"But Wolfe, that's why we must press onward. It's a long, tough fight, but we all know the risks. We all put our lives on the line to stop Team Rocket from destroying any more lives. That's why we can't let their deaths be in vain. We have to make them worth something by trying our hardest." Dex gently countered.
"And sometimes, we need to celebrate so we can remember that there are still good times ahead. It's all about how you look at things, Wolfe. You can't let it consume you. You need to not worry about regrets and just try your hardest." He tried to reassure.
Man, is he hitting close to home.
I actually smiled. "Thanks, Dex. That really means a lot to me. I'll really think on it. I guess you're right. There are times when I really do love my job, but I guess bad things have a way of getting me down…"
"That's natural. I personally believe that we humans weren't made to fight each other like this, but we must do what we have to do in order for the greater good. There are a lot of times when I miss my old life…" He sighed softly.
"Same here, Dex…" I spoke the truth there.
"I know I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but you're one of my closest friends here, even if we don't get to talk too often. And I'm sure Silver there won't really care…" Dex trailed off.
"What's up?" I asked.
"My real name is Dexter. I used to be a scientist. One day, Team Rocket tried to get me to do a high profile project for them, but I refused. So, they murdered my fiancée. That's why I joined the Ops. Life's been tough, but people like you remind me why I'm here. So, really, I know I keep saying this, but thank you." He smiled a bit painfully.
I smiled sympathetically. "It's no problem, Dexter. I wish I could tell you my real name, but I'm Wolfe. I wish I could tell you why I joined the Ops. Maybe some day I will," I smiled.
"I understand. I have a feeling I know who you are. By the way, your real eyes are pretty, even though they look really sad. It's a shame you have to cover them up all the time." He complimented. Dex really was a nice guy.
"Th-Thanks," I was a bit taken aback by that last statement.
Uh, hello? Silver's in here!! He can't know I'm me!
"So Dex, just curious, but is that the real you I'm seeing?" I asked as I looked at him.
"Yeah, it is. I thought all of us just went by an alias—at least until I met you. I could always tell your eyes were fake, nothing more than contact lenses. I thought it was a shame that you had to hide yourself like that." He shook his head slightly.
I grimaced. He knew they were fake all along? Ugh…
"Well, it's alright, Dex. I did it to myself. You can look at me as a girl with no past. My sole existence is Wolfe. I don't really have any plans for after this war is over. I just know that I want to protect everyone I love, no matter the cost." I said truthfully. I gave up everything for this fight.
"Then that's all that matters right now. Well, I guess I'll let you rest. I want to see you back up and running soon, okay? Take care of yourself, Miss Boss." He grinned. Dex really was a sweet guy, a little innocent, but that's what made him sweet.
"You too, Dex. Race to see who recovers first?" I asked with a kind smile.
"You know I'll win," he laughed.
"We'll see," I grinned back.
"Fine, it's on. But I'm not holding back! I'll sleep like there's no tomorrow so I can get well sooner!" He giggled.
"You do that, Dex." I said warmly.
Dex pushed the button, and on cue, the door opened and a nurse wheeled him away, leaving just Silver and me.
"You know, I always knew there was something fake about you," Silver commented.
I glared at him. "Whatever. I'm Wolfe, so deal with it. There's nothing fake about that."
"Oh, no. Except your name," he smirked back.
"This is my name, you jerk. I go by it, don't I?" I growled.
"That means Jerk is my name, then?" He retorted.
"A nickname, sure." I agreed.
"Hmph. You're about as real as those contacts you wore. Explains why your eyes were bloodshot. You know, it's unhealthy to sleep with contacts in. That's why a certain friend of mine never wore them in the first place. They always irritated her eyes." He said matter-of-factly.
"Well, they're just fine with my eyes. And just so you know, those contacts did nothing more than change my eye color. I have 20/20 vision, thank you." I said catching on he was talking about the old me.
He can't find out I'm me. I didn't think he suspected anything, but I don't know any more! He can't really think I'm alive though, can he? I mean, he saw a dead body that he assumed was mine…
"I never questioned your vision. I was just making a reference. Quit acting so defensive." He pointed out.
"You call this acting defensive?"
"Yes, fake girl." He smirked.
"Whatever, jerk boy." I sneered right back.
"So, Wolfe, why didn't you tell Dexter your real name and background? Too shy since I was in the room?" He sneered right back at me.
"As if! I'm under orders not to speak about that sort of thing! Besides, what I said is the truth. I have no past. I am Wolfe." Saying that only made me feel glum, sadly.
"A girl with no past, yet you are protecting the people you love. Makes sense," he mocked.
"It's hard to have a past when you pretty much quit life as you knew it, okay!" I said vehemently without even thinking. A moment later, I wish I had not spoken at all.
"What's that supposed to mean? You look very much alive to me." He blinked and gave me an intrigued look.
I glared again. "Will you just shut up? I'm not in the mood to baby sit you."
"You baby sit me? I think it's the other way around. I can torment you all I want, Teach." I realized he knew he was under my skin by that point, and he seemed to enjoy it.
"Quit calling me Teach, Silv!" He was pissing me off.
"Don't call me Silv…" His voice turned menacing.
So he doesn't suspect me? Phew, that was close.
"Don't call me Teach, then. I don't like it. I don't even like you. Why can't you just go away and quit tormenting me?" He was trying my nerves.
Silver smirked. "Oh, is that a weakening resolve I hear? You know I can't go anywhere. And I already told you I hated you, so really, I don't care if you don't like me. Though, you are contradicting what you said earlier." He pointed out.
"I said I didn't hate you, not that I didn't like you. You're obnoxious, mean spirited, arrogant, and just a plain bully. I don't see how you ever attracted friends. You're a total ass!" I growled.
"Aww, I'm hurting little Wolfie's feelings?" He smirked meanly.
"Why are you in such a foul mood anyway?" I asked.
It was true; it was like since Dex and I talked, Silver's mood changed drastically for the worse.
"I don't know what you're talking about. You're the one in a foul mood, little miss quitter." He said defensively.
"Silver, look, I'm tired of arguing with you. I'm going to act like the adult I am and ignore you if you're going to continue with your insubordination, all right? Have fun arguing by yourself." I closed my eyes and took a few deep, soothing breaths.
I was so done with him, but unfortunately, like he said, I was apparently stuck with him like a thorn in my side. It didn't mean I had to like it, though.