Battlefield (11 page)

“Birthday and Christmas.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.” She sighed again and took a small bite. “I'm only letting you do this, though, because I like that you finally have initiative to make new friends. Go one cent over though and—”

“I won't, I promise. I probably won't even hit that much. I just want to not feel so restricted.” He smiled, feeling genuinely happy for a change. Those moments were happening a lot lately. He wasn't sure if it was because he was doing something productive with his life, or if it was the new social circle he was becoming accustomed to, or if it was simply Tait.

“Why are you blushing?” Lyssa asked.

“I'm blushing? I'm not blushing.” It was Tait.

“You don't look like a ghost. Something is up. Tell me about this girl.”

“I was being facetious.”

“I think you're just full of feces.”

“Clever.”

“Thank you, I thought so. Now spill.”

Orlando sighed. “I was asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance today by the captain of the cheerleading squad.”

“Did you say yes?”

He finished eating and moved to take his plate up to the sink. “No.”

“You said no?”

“No, I said I'd think about it.”

“Do you like her?”

He shrugged. “As much as I like anyone, I suppose.”

“It's a pretty big thing when you actually do,” she said with a smug grin.

“I have homework,” he mumbled before grabbing his bag and heading upstairs to his room. She was laughing at him as he left, and he couldn't blame her. It was funny. He only had a little bit of reading to do, and then it was time to practice again. Once The Apartment was completed, Alan was going to start training them hardcore. He never explained what they would be doing exactly, but it didn't sound like something easy.

 

“I'm going to be feeling this tomorrow,” JD whined from one of the couches. He said it just about every day after one of their training sessions, and Alan couldn't help but wonder if all of the boys on Earth were this pathetic and out of shape. Even Orlando didn't seem like he could handle it, though he was much less vocal. He had fallen asleep in one of the other rooms.

Cadence glanced over at JD and shook her head with a small smile. She, too, seemed exhausted. “All the more reason to do it every day. Then you'll get used to it.”

She made a gesture for Alan to meet with her outside of the room. He nodded back at her, knowing full well what they were going to talk about. “I'll be right back. You rest up.”

JD grunted and closed his eyes, clutching the couch pillow closely. It wouldn't take long for him to fall asleep. Once he was, both Alan and Cadence snuck out of the room and made their way down the stairs to what had become the office.

“I am worried you will never be ready,” Alan said.

“I think there's a lot of progress being made.” Cadence said with a shrug and logged onto the computer. “Earlier this week, none of us could fight even if we were doing it for survival. Well, maybe Orlando could.”

Alan had been instructing them all in basic hand-to-hand combat. The boys picked it up more naturally than Cadence did, but none of them were excelling at it. Orlando wouldn't need it as much as the other two because his abilities were aggressive in nature, but it was still important for them all to know. Especially because Alan was starting to feel the pressure of putting his charges out onto the field.

“I'm guessing you heard from your superiors again,” Cadence said while she typed on the keyboard. She was on what was referred to as the Internet, a network of global communication that impressed Alan. He liked that it was free and so easy to use. Back home, total access was limited.

“Yes, I did hear from them. They are concerned with what you had shown me,” he said as he found a place to sit.

“It concerns me, too. Three more teens went missing from the cities.” She clicked and moved over so he could read the news article on the screen. This one was similar to the article she had shown him in the paper a week ago. “How long before they come back dead, too, do you think?”

“I don't know,” he mumbled as his eyes read the words.

 

Three Teens Missing from Twin Cities

Reagan Erndant, Cassidy Maze, and Trever Logan were last seen Tuesday morning by their families before leaving for school. Authorities were contacted when all three did not show up for class that day.

There was more to the article of course, about the teens, and how all three were good students as well as good friends. Their mothers insisted they were well-behaved children, and they wouldn't have run away or snuck off to do anything illegal. The parents all suspected foul play. It was the end of the article that had Alan most intrigued.

Law enforcement refuses to comment as to whether they believe this disappearance is related to the bodies of five teens and two college students found in the river over the past two weeks. All seven bodies were dumped after being marked with a strange tattoo. Official autopsies are still pending, but authorities believe all seven died of infection. There is no comment as to whether they believe these deaths are the work of a serial killer, or if the victims are connected.

 

“I'm guessing this is what they want us to do something about?” she asked.

“They want you to observe, actually. They are not confident in your progress.” What he didn't add was how they blamed him for their lack of cohesion and motivation to participate. Maybe if the three teens saw firsthand what was going on, they would be more interested in assisting. He could only hope.

“We just started.”

“I know. My superiors are even less understanding of your culture than I am. They also have young charges from other areas of your nation and the world who are apparently more 'cooperative'. I think that is the word they used when we last spoke. I still have yet to tell them of my betrothed.”

“You're scared for her. I think it's sweet.” Cadence put a hand on his wrist much in the same way Alona had when they were last together on more pleasant terms. He pulled away, but in a subtle way so she wasn't offended.

“Yes, and they do not need to know her name, do they? Not yet.” The only thing he had told his superiors was that her people were supplying something for the Gelandrosimbol, or green tribe, and he had been attacked by her young charges. He conveniently was too disoriented at the time to recognize who she was.

“I know JD is looking for some kind of action right now. This might be a good thing to help boost his morale,” Cadence said.

“His eagerness is what worries me about accepting this task. I am concerned he will be what you call ‘gung ho'. I think that is the term I heard used the other day.”

She laughed and stood up from her chair. “Close enough, I guess. Basically, you think he's going to get too excited.”

“Yes.”

Alan didn't understand what was so humorous. Did none of them understand the importance of this mission? His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't say anything. It was just another one of her strange cultural habits no doubt. He was getting better about discerning what they all meant. Orlando was by far the hardest to understand because of his sarcasm, something that hardly existed where Alan was from.

“They do not share my concerns, of course, but I suppose observation would be good for all of you. Morale, as you put it, is rather low.” All he wanted them to do was understand.

“It would help if you told them about the disappearances,” Cadence said. She glanced over at him, and he couldn't help but feel as though he were being scolded.

The truth was, he had wanted to tell Orlando and JD the day Cadence had first showed him. The timing had been all wrong, however, and Alan had selfishly not been ready to talk about it. He hadn't even been sure if the article was related to his war. She had suspected so because of the strange marking: a number written in his home language. Of course, he wasn't told that was what the tattoo looked like until after he had finally gotten back to his ship.

****

Sir Oriol, the highest ranking superior from Alan's ship, was there to greet Alan as soon as he returned.

“How good of you to grace us again with your presence, Junior.”

Alan bit his lip, looking down. “My apologies, Sir. My abilities were stripped from me, and I had no way of returning or of communicating my findings.” He shared what had happened as well as his findings in Orlando's school. “We were right to suspect activity there.”

“Apparently,” Sir Oriol commented, his voice sour. “They are killing the human children. I want to know how, and I want to know why.”

“Sir? Do you mean the body that was found with the marking?” Alan was shocked by this news.

“So you have heard? Why do you sound so surprised?”

“The Earth news has reported it to the entire city, perhaps the nation as a whole. I am surprised because I wasn't sure of the connection. The humans do not know or understand what is going on yet.”

Sir Oriol left the teleportation platform and motioned for Alan to do the same. “Good, it is better this way. The truth would cause a panic and an even greater war. Already the government of this nation we are stationed in is starting to suspect something is different.”

Alan swallowed. “I see.”

“No other thoughts? Usually you are more opinionated.”

“The humans are teaching me it is sometimes best to not share those.”

“It shames me that children have to teach you these things.” Sir Oriol shook his head.

“I am shamed as well, Sir,” Alan whispered. His eyes once more went to the floor.

“It makes little difference to me. Either way, I will be sure to point it out to your father. If you are tamed, I will be the one who did it, and if you continue to be disrespectful, he will be the one who made you so.”

Alan winced. Why couldn't he have been placed on his father's ship? That was how it was supposed to be. He was to serve his time with him, but somehow someone screwed up and put Alan with the nemesis of his family instead. Sir Oriol was always trying to use Alan's mistakes against him.

“Though it's wonderful enough for me that you are betrothed to the enemy, I'm sure it will be even better now that you are actually behaved. How are your charges by the way?”

“They still aren't ready,” Alan mumbled.

“What was that?”

“They still aren't ready,” Alan repeated louder.

“And why aren't they? Are they not concerned with the happenings with their peers?”

“They are a bit unfocused. I do not think they understand what is going on fully just yet, but once they do, they will be good.” He hoped. JD's lack of abilities was starting to concern him however. He had been promised three of the most reliable and powerful charges. Perhaps another mistake was made? Would Sir Oriol try to sabotage him?

“They are unfocused, or you are? I will arrange for a mission to be observed. Sir Tuliyogljae's charges are quite skilled.”

Alan nodded. “Yes, I've heard.” He'd heard quite a lot actually. Sir Tuliy never shut up (as the Earth teenagers often said) about it back in the sleeping quarters.

Pressure. Alan had never felt so much of it before in his life. Almost unbearable even to the point where he thought about giving up and going back home, but he knew how important this battle was. Whether JD, Cadence, and Orlando saw it or not was another story, but he would not let their lack of caring unmotivate him. In the end, he had to succeed. It would be the only way he could be with Alona again. Of course, he still needed to find a way to end this war without her involvement being found out. The most anyone knew was that she was a sympathizer but uninvolved directly. It was a lie he could at least sell.

****

“Alan?” Cadence nudged his arm. “Alan? What do you think about that?”

“I'm sorry,” he whispered and refocused his attention on her. “I must have done what you call ‘spacing out'.”

That was what JD had said the other day while they were conversing. He was learning a lot more than he ever expected to from the teen and more than the cultural experts on his ship knew as well. He was finding things on Earth constantly changed. What was popular one day would be shunned and replaced by something else the next.

Cadence didn't seem mad about his ‘zoning' (another term JD had used). “I was talking about my concerns with doing this mission. I don't know if we're exactly ready. You said it best at the start of basic training when you commented that we can barely take care of each other. We're not well connected. We barely get along, you know? At the same time, I think it would be good to know that all of this is real. Sometimes it feels like a dream.”

“Yes, I suppose we should all discuss it. I don't feel like I can order you to go. In fact, Orlando has made it clear he will do as he pleases no matter what I say.” He rolled his eyes, hoping it would help express his frustration over the matter. “But I do feel it would be good for you as well. Still, I'm nervous.”

“Nervous? I know we're not exactly super spies or anything, but I'm pretty sure it'll go well,” Cadence said.

He nodded, smiling at her. He wasn't nervous about the work the team would do, but rather how it would all be perceived by Sir Oriol. For a few seconds, Alan entertained the idea of telling Cadence all about the political drama between his leader and his father, but decided against it. That would no doubt be too much, and this was not something she needed to be bothered with. It didn't involve her. Cadence was easy to talk to though, and it would be good to tell someone.

“I'm nervous because—”

“Girl problems again?” Orlando asked as he entered the room. He found a chair and sat down, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and then pawed at his tangled hair. “I don't think you have much to worry about. You'll find a non-psycho girl who shares your same ideals. You're good-looking.”

“No, it has nothing to do with women.” He wanted to point out that Alona wasn't psycho as well, but he decided this was one of those moments when Orlando wasn't serious.

“What's up then? Why the nerves?”

“Our assistance is requested.”

Cadence grinned. “We're wanted on a mission.”

Orlando's face paled more than usual. “O...kay? Look, fill me in when JD gets up so you don't have to repeat it five million times all right? I'm going to get a snack and some coffee. Does anyone want anything while I'm up? I figured I'd ask so I'm not interrupting your little pow-wow here.”

“Coffee sounds good. Make it sugary and creamy for me?” Cadence asked with a slight bat of her eyelashes.

“Do I look like a barista to you?” Orlando rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, once more leaving the two alone.

Again Cadence placed her hand on Alan's forearm. “You can tell me anything anytime. I promise I won't think any less of you as our leader.”

He knew, but now he wasn't sure if he'd have the time to tell her everything on his mind. Things would be so much easier if he could only speak with Alona again. That was who he wanted to listen to him most. “I'm nervous over nothing, I suppose.”

Did I take on more than I can handle?
It wasn't the first time he'd asked himself this question. Juniors of Alan's level hardly ever took on charges. That was something more experienced warriors did, or prodigies like Sir Tiluy. There was no other way to restore his family's honor though. He had to do this.

“You'll see how awesome we are,” JD said after sneaking into the room. Orlando was right behind him with mugs of something called coffee. It was not a pleasant-tasting liquid, but the temperature was soothing to Alan, and its ability to keep them awake was always appreciated.

“So what's up?” Orlando asked as he took a sip. He was clearly more alert, and all of them were learning he was much more pleasant when he first woke up.

“There have been a number of disappearances in your city. All have returned deceased,” Alan said.

“Diseased? What kind of disease?” JD asked.

“Deceased, you know—dead, corpse, or otherwise in the great beyond,” Orlando said.

He glared. “I know what deceased means. I'm not stupid. I didn't hear him right the first time.”

“All of them have a strange marking that identifies them as being involved with someone from my planet. We are to find out what is going on. Why your peers have gone missing, and who is taking them.” Alan decided it was best to keep going, rather than wait for them to stop. If he didn't interrupt, they could fight for the rest of the day.

Orlando swallowed, and Alan could have sworn he saw his hand shake slightly as he brought his mug of coffee to his lips. He took a long drink, wincing, and it was clear he was using this beverage as a means to silence whatever he wanted to say. JD took the news as quite the opposite. His face was determined. He sat hunched forward, listening intently, and his fist was clenched with so much passion that it was startling.

“Got it. We're on it,” JD said.

“Do you have some kind of gameplan for this, or are we gonna wing it?” Orlando asked, and Alan got a hunch that he was trying to insult him with the comment. That was a similar criticism Sir Oriol would have given him.

He gave a small nod. “Yes, there is a plan. I would not send you in blindly. We are to observe one of the possible dump sights and report if we find anything. The deaths are occurring approximately four days after the disappearances. Today is what you would call Friday, yes? The last group of your peers went missing on what you call Tuesday.” He left out the part about them observing another team.

“Which means they might be hosed tomorrow. It's a Saturday night; we should be able to come up with some kind of excuse right?” JD said.

“I'll get right on that,” Orlando mumbled into his mug.

“You really aren't taking this serious, are you, dude?”

“No, I don't take my possibly dying all too seriously at all. Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday.”

Alan spoke again before JD had the opportunity to reply. “You will hardly be at any risk. There will be no actual conflict.” He hoped it reassured the boy, but he also couldn't help but feel disappointed that the teen was such a coward. Was this not the one who gladly defended the honor of his family without a second thought only a few weeks earlier? What made this less important?

“Fine, it's not like I have anything else to do,” Orlando said as he slumped in his seat. He crossed his arms and stared down at the floor, refusing to look at any of them for the remainder of their meeting.

Alan glanced over at Cadence to see if she had changed her mind as well. She was smiling, which was all the answer he needed. “Then we will meet here tomorrow night. We can go together.”