EFGF - Nigel Ferdinand - A Personal Thing

The door swung wide open as Xavier walked into the room, his subordinate Marina Nimue in toe. The moon lit her deep blue eyes, exposing her dismay at the scene as she saw the disgusting excuse for an SS officer seem to jump away from the prisoner. She let out a slight gasp at the sight of the beaten woman and the sadistic grin that was painted all over the 'interrogator's face.

"Brennan..." She managed to mutter.

"Wait outside Marina..." The Schutzstaffel officer placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder as she stepped back out the room. The Untersturmfuhrer closed the door slowly behind the young girl, pulling on the handle to make sure it was closed before he returned his attention to the Schutzstaffel soldier that almost seemed to cower and smile nervously in the corner.

His eyes trailed off to the beaten and bloodied prisoner and then back to his soldier. A look of disgust fell upon his face as he slowly walked towards the man.

SLAM!

In a flash, the officer's temper boiled over and he grabbed the pathetic excuse for a Schutzstaffel soldier by the neck and slammed him against the cold steel wall. Melissa gasped in horror as the noise of air escaping the man's lungs followed the sudden thud his body made against the wall. The captive squirmed in her chains, wanting to get away from the violence that was about to ensue.

"Don't you ever... and I mean ever, commit such acts against a women." Xavier growled as he squeezed tighter around the man's neck.

"We may be at war, but we are not animals. SHE is not a soldier!" He pointed to the cowering girl that the soldier had chained to the wall and beaten; among other inhumane acts.

Melissa did not like the fact that she was becoming a point of interest in this argument; she was very disoriented, and her vision was blurred, but she could understand enough to know she needed to escape... or die.

"Gihren would be most disappointed to hear of this... You don't deserve these." Brennan loosened his grip on the man's neck, dropping the man to his knees, gasping for air. He reached down, and ripped the SS badges from the man's uniform.

"For treason..." The Untersturmfuhrer drew his gun and aimed it at the cowering man's head. The former Schutzstaffel soldier began to sob as he felt the cold steel pressed against his temple.

Melissa jerked her head away as she heard the gun go off, the flash from the silencer lit up the room briefly as blood splattered all against the floor and the wall that the body now laid limp against. The young girl broke and no longer could control herself as she began crying uncontrollably.

Marina came rushing back in at the sound of the gunshot, swinging the door open wildly. "Xavier!?"

She stopped in the doorway and stared at the dead man in the corner, breathing a sigh of relief to know that her officer was safe. Xavier looked back at her as he tossed the badges to the ground, clanging against the steel floor.

"Marina, please have the guards get this lady a chair and some food and water. And have them send the medical staff here as quickly as possible." He let a reassuring smile cross his face as he nodded to the young Schutzstaffel Captain. Marina stood at attention, acknowledging Xavier's request and proudly rushing off to see to it that things were taken care of.

"Melissa is it?" He turned his attention back to his captive and walked slowly towards the broken woman. Xavier removed his jacket, drapping it over her bloodied and bruised body, covering her up before cutting her loose. The weakened Melissa stumbled, but the SS Officer was there to catch her as she fell.

"It will be alright miss. I won't let any of my men hurt you again..." He could feel her shake, almost violently as he held her up as he waited for a seat for the young lady.

"Don't get me wrong ma'am, you are still my prisoner... But that is no reason to harm you like he did; we're not animals..." Xavier spoke reassuringly as he continued to support the battered woman. Thoughts of how poorly the Federation soldiers must have treated his dying wife in the camps twisted his stomach; his face wretched with guilt as memories of his loved one surfaced. He could have easily returned the favor here and now, using this young woman, but she was nothing more than a Civilian. "...Besides, you're not a soldier, you didn't sign up for this..."

The door to the room opened slowly, as a pair of bright blue eyes blinked cautiously. Marina poked her head in before swinging the door open the rest of the way, followed by several Schutzstaffel soldiers. The men in black coats brought warm soup, some fruit and clean water for Melissa. The last man sat a chair down right behind her and Xavier.

"Untersturmfuhrer!" The three men saluted their officer as they watched Xavier and Marina help their prisoner into the chair. The young blond Schutzstaffel captain flashed a bright smile as she threw a blanket over Melissa.

"Get that body out of here..." Xavier barked his orders at his underlings, as they immediately began to carry the former Schutzstaffel soldier out the door. Marina scrunched her nose up as she watched them drag the dead body along the floor. "What a disgusting man..." She muttered to herself as they shut the door.

The room was empty now aside from the prisoner in her chair. Xavier knelt down to make himself a little less menacing, and Marina just stood behind him smiling. "Is that better?" Xavier awaited an answer from the still startled girl.