Dysfunctional -- Chapter 2

Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Alec, Biggs, Renfro, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me.  No money is being made off of this fic.  I only own the original characters (Sasha/X5-121, etc.).

“I wonder what’s taking 494 so long in Director Renfro’s office,” 121 said to 511 one day several months later as the whole unit waited in their barracks. “If he’s not back soon, we’re going to be late for roll call and lineup.”

“Then we go out without him, 121,” 908 sneered.

“Go shove—“ 121 started to say.

“121, keep your cool,” 511 warned her. “I’m sure that 494 will be back soon.” They turned at the same time as the door opened and 494 walked in. “There he is. What did Director Renfro want, 494?”

“She wanted me to tell you guys that we’ve been excused from our first lesson today because we’ll be moving into new cells,” 494 said.

“What do you mean, we’ll be moving into new cells?” 714 asked.

“Apparently, starting now, every X-series soldier when they turn ten years old will be moved from their group barracks to an individual cell. It has something to do with the fact that we’re growing up. Since all of us are at least ten, we’ll all be moving into our new cells today,” 494 explained. “That’s what we’re going to be doing after breakfast from 0830 until 0930 instead of our group lesson with edge weapons. As soon as breakfast is over, we have to get back here and pack up our things and move to our new cells.” He held up the folder that he held in one of his hands. “These are our cell assignments.” He caught a quick look at the clock on the wall. “And we do need to get ourselves in gear if we don’t want to miss lineup and roll call so let’s move.”

They followed 494 out the door and over to one of the yards for roll call and lineup and then later to the cafeteria for breakfast, all of them unusually quiet. 121 wasn’t even trading nasty remarks with 908 and 786. Finally, when breakfast was over, they all filed out of the cafeteria and back to their barracks. They grabbed their duffel bags and started to pack their things, nervous about the move.

“I wish we weren’t moving into our own cells,” 107 complained. “I actually like it here with everybody.”

“Well, I don’t like it with everybody,” 237 snapped.

“Hey, 494, do you know who’s going to be moving into these barracks after we leave?” 511 asked.

“Yeah, I heard that they’ll be putting one of the X8 units into here when they’re old enough to live in barracks,” 494 replied.

786 sighed irritably as she shoved a pair of forest camouflage pants into her duffel bag and zipped the bag up. “Who cares who’s going to live in these barracks after we leave? It doesn’t make a difference.”

“I was curious,” 511 said. He gave 786 a dirty look.

“That’s enough,” 494 ordered. “I don’t want to hear any fighting between you guys.” He rolled his eyes. I’m seriously thinking that individual cells are the greatest idea since the wheel! He finished packing up his things and zipped up his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. “As soon as you’re all done packing up your things and that does include contraband…” He mentally grinned when he saw the blushes on the faces of 908, 786, and a few others and the smirks on the faces of 511 and 121. “…then lineup here by the door and then we’ll move out.”

“You…know that some of us have contraband?” 908 said, sounding unsure of herself in front of 494 for the first time.

494 shrugged. “It honestly doesn’t matter to me if you have contraband or not as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody. As long as you’re not sloppy about keeping it hidden, I won’t say a word.” He waited as the others finished packing and lined up. He nodded and led his unit out of the barracks. “Our new cells aren’t far from here. It’s just down a few hallways.” They continued marching silently for another minute or two before they stopped at the end of the hallway. 494 pointed to the first door on the right. “That’s my cell. On my right will be 511. On 511’s right will be 121. On 121’s right…” He continued to give out the cell assignments. “…and on 263’s left will be 013. That’s it. Get settled in. After you’re done, we’re free until whichever class everybody has next.”

511 walked over to the door to his cell and opened it and looked around. Not too bad. It’s not that big, but that doesn’t matter. He walked over to a door at one end of the room and grinned. All right, I’ve got my own bathroom! He went back over to the bunk and threw his duffel bag down on it and unzipped the bag and put his stuff away. When he was done, he looked at his watch and left his cell and went next door into 494’s cell. “Mind if I come in?”

“Not at all,” 494 said. “Got all of your stuff settled?”

“Even my contraband,” 511 confirmed. He grinned. “This might not be so bad after all. I mean, 859 used to sleep next to me on my right and whenever he would have trouble sleeping, he seemed to want to make sure that I wouldn’t be able to sleep either. Thank goodness that he’s going to be in a completely different cell than me.”

“Yeah, this is probably going to be the best thing for our unit,” 494 said.

“What do you mean?” 511 asked.

“You know us,” 494 reminded his teammate. “You were the only one who stood up for 121 and myself when she and I got sprung from Psy Ops. 908, 786, and maybe 714 definitely have it in for me and 121 and to say that 121 doesn’t get along with the three of them is a huge understatement. 237 hates just about everything and everybody. 107 is a little too paranoid for his own good. 304 is the most high strung X-series that I’ve ever seen. Do you want me to go on?”

“No, I know the rest of the story,” 511 said. “And I agree with you completely.” He shook his head. “This is probably the best thing for us, but I don’t think this is going to fix any problems that we’ve got.”

“Oh yeah,” 494 agreed. They were quiet for a few moments. “It’ll still be nice, though, not to have to wake up and see your sorry butt first thing in the morning.”

“Which if you slept on your left side or on your stomach or on your back wouldn’t happen, but no, you slept facing my bunk so it’s all your fault,” 511 said. They both laughed.

“Are you looking into my room, 237? Are you trying to steal the contraband that I picked up on my last mission?”

“Grow up and shut up, you freak, or I’ll beat the shit out of you. Heck, why should I wait?”

494 sighed and got up off of his bunk and left the cell. “What was that phrase that we learned in military history the other day?”

“The more things change, the more they stay the same?” 511 guessed as he also left the cell and shut the door behind them.

“That’s the one,” 494 said as he walked down the hall to break up the possible fight between 237 and 107.

TBC