Jane didn't know what she expected to come out of the officer's mouth. She seemed so ... indifferent. It was nothing like the way she presented herself back then, so hungry for control, so determined to subdue her. Jane couldn't read her, this time -- no, Jane hadn't quite been able to read her a month ago, either, but now the air of mystery around her was amplified, leaving Jane with more questions. Even as Levi released her, there wasn't a hint of relief. Only a laugh, as if the whole situation were some sick joke. It only unsettled Jane further. Wasn't much of a surprise that their senses of humor were far, far apart -- as far as those of a rebel and an officer should have been.<br/><br/>As the officer spoke, some of the strangeness began to dissipate. Her words were sharp and laced with malice, poised to dig under their skin with her jabs at their resistance and her taunts about Lavonne. Yes, this was more familiar; this was the same officer, uniform or not, who'd compared them all to cattle, who'd compared them to stray dogs. But still ... it took more effort than it should have to see her as something other than a woman in need of serious rest and care, in this scenario. Her taunts worked their magic on Connor, and on his younger shadow, who both seethed with enough heat that Jane half expected them to grab her again. Jane, however, wasn't angered; she was too distracted by the guilt that continued its slow crawl, growing despite her best efforts to stop it. The apology that had once rested on the tip of her tongue was tugging at her again ... but she was positive that an apology would earn her little more than a scoff and a snide remark from the militia woman.<br/><br/>Then the officer's tone grew serious again, and Jane felt a chill of pure terror and the light of opportunity all the same as she continued, her dark eyes locked with Jane’s own.<br/><br/><i>“Maybe not all would want him dead. But not a single person cares if he stays alive.”</i><br/><br/>Jane swallowed a lump in her throat. What kind of perverted joke was this? Would she really have to work alongside her enemy? The same one who’d attacked her? The same one who’d been attacked by her people? The woman made it obvious she wasn't kidding, either. Jane shot a glance over at Connor, who hadn’t yet relaxed his jaw, and saw his eyes narrow, his skepticism unrelenting. His expression only softened when she made her final statement. It was written all over his face; he knew<i>exactly</i>what she meant. The man didn't have anything to say, this time -- he just looked away, knowing that anything he said that made him relate to the militia woman would contradict his hatred for her kind. Jane wasn't going to protest his lack of words; she didn't trust him not to cause bigger issues.<br/><br/>"So ...," Jane broke the silence, "you want Lavonne out of the way ... but, why come to<i>us</i>? Look around you. We aren't exactly a group of seasoned fighters." She crossed her arms. "And, if none of you 'care if he stays alive', as you say, then why not go to your militia friends instead of us? I can't imagine you're the only one willing to conspire against him. Why even come here, if our operation is as 'futile' as you say it is?"<br/><br/>Jane stepped closer and lowered her voice slightly. She'd be surprised if the officer were lying, but then again, who was to say that she wasn't just planning to lead them to Lavonne to earn his favor? Jane could only imagine what kind of sick benefits would come with having that man back her up. It could be the perfect motivation for someone who'd been so eager to scuttle away from him in fear before. "Unless you're here because you want to use us as your cushion, in case something goes wrong and you have to point fingers? Is that it?" Jane laughed. "We don't even have a way of telling whether or not you're just leading us to him, or him to us." Her knowledge of their meeting place was alarming enough; they were going to have to be<i>much </i>more careful in the future. "As of now, trusting you would be foolish. But ... just to humor you, what do you suggest we do about our ... mutual problem?“