Slacking? They didn't know how to slack. But Dominic already knew that; he was, truly and completely, one of them. Ryan, on the other hand...
"No I'm not," he replied, clenching his teeth, brows furrowing briefly. His reply had been out of instinct - Military was many things, but a soldier didn't lie when asked about such things.
"It doesn't mean I don't have work to do."
Which didn't explain why he was still standing there. But they both knew why he hadn't moved from his spot. Once a soldier, always a soldier. Caught in the crap they sold to his own people - very brilliant, very sad.
He could run, and Ryan was a fast runner, but when the warmongers caught up to him, he'd stay until they were done using him; picked up the pieces, cleaned up their mess and took on the consequences until he was dismissed. They probably loved him for it - he didn't want to know.