The Renegade

by Daniel Evora

  I lied in my bed and turned over onto my left side where my personal drawer was. On its surface, a clock. Nine o’ clock it read. Right next to the clock was a picture of myself six years ago. Next to that, was another picture of the three of us. Sam, Adrana, and I. Just living life. Out of nowhere, three knocks came onto the metal door. I looked up to the door and got out of bed. I ruffled my hands through my messy hair, and reached over to the door. Sam was standing there, waiting.

  “Nate, Mr. West wants to see you in his office. Effective immediately,” Sam ordered. Then, he smirked.

  “Wash that hair of yours.”

  “Yeah, I’m on it,” I yawned.

  I’ve never had an official meeting with Mr. West, and I hardly knew him as a person. Only have I seen here and there for a moment, and the threatening type he was from what I could tell of stories of his golden years. Sam escorted me out of my quarters as I tagged along behind him. Wind was picking up outside as I could feel it blowing against my hair, and my face. The sky was clear as it's been all week, and the sun had escaped through the clouds.

  “Why is the boss calling me?” I asked Sam, wide-eyed.

  He smiled. “Well, you’re not in trouble if that’s what you’re thinking, just listen to what he has to say,” Sam told me as he sighed.

  As we left the entrance of the building, a convoy of four vehicles drove up in front of us. Three men in black suits came out of each car, all of them carrying firearms, with one of them opening the door for me in the second car. Sam followed in the car behind mine. I went with him across Kalo City in a black sedan to a five story building. I walked in asking myself, What did I do?

  He and I walked in together when we reached our destination. I was back to following him again. As we walked in we strolled past the reception desk and headed straight to the elevator. However, the bodyguards did not follow. The door is closed while Sam pressed the button for floor 5. Not soon after an awkward silence came upon us.

  “So….. Sam…er… What do you think of Mr. West?”

  The question was so random and abrupt it took a few seconds for him to look for a response.

  “I’ve gotten to know him for some time. Mr. West is very mature, calculated, and smart. Smart goes both ways.” Sam replied. The elevator bell dinged and the doors opened up to a small corridor.

  “Should I be worried?” I stuttered, after hearing his mild, bitter critique of the man.

  “No, not at all,” Sam answered, opening the door to Adam’s office.

  “Whatever you say,” I replied.

  “Mr. West,”called Sam, saluting in his presence. “I’ve brought him.” He turned around and walked outside the room.

  In front of me was a very big office with some of the newest tech of the 22nd century. Well, at least I think. Everything was clean. No loose papers, nothing on the floor, and no dust to be seen anywhere from my view of the room. I guess he’s the type of person who keeps good habits when getting older. He did not show his face. The man waited until the door to his quarters was closed all the way.

  I slowly approached him.

  His hair was longer than mine and he had tanned skin with an old scar starting from the left side of his forehead, over his left eye, and down to the middle of his cheek. Besides that his skin was smooth. West wore a dark grey, thin coat of cloth with a hint of blue that fell down to his ankles. Then, he revealed his hands through his long, baggy sleeves as he swung them behind his back.

  I stopped as he swiftly raised his left hand.

  “Do you remember me?” he muttered.

  “Um…”

  He turned around to reveal his full face.

  “Maybe this will trigger your memory.”

  It only took me a moment, the day Sam pushed me away from him. That man lurking from around the corner to meet eyes with me and not say a single word as if I were never present. The man in the beige suit. The man that took a front seat in my brain for only a few days until its memory decided it was not needed anymore. It all came back to me at the speed of sound.

  I stepped back a bit upon seeing him. I didn’t know what to think. From a small glance he could’ve looked like any middle aged man. Greying roots on his silky, brown hair. It looked so smooth I almost wanted to feel it for myself. His skin slightly tanned, his jaw rigid and defined around his upper cheeks. West also stood a bit taller than me.

  Mr. West pointed me in the direction of the window. A small, but fancy looking balcony. Reminiscent of a Chinese Garden, but on a much smaller scale. On the right of it held a pathway to a concrete fountain. The water would go out onto a tiny waterfall into a miniature lake. The border of it is surrounded by rocks. Going across the lake was a red and green wooden bridge that you could walk on. To get to the other side. Finally, the edge of the balcony is guarded by glass panes going around its perimeter. All of it was open to his office.

  Mr. West waved his hand toward a chair.

  “Sit.”

  I sat in the nearest chair and turned my attention to him. I was like a robot.

  “How much did you hear of that conversation?”

  “What?”

  “The one I had with Sam all those years ago.”

  So, I told him the same thing I said to Sam.

  “Not much. Something about Pete Wilson. Who was he, sir?”

  “Pete Wilson was a part of the Resistance. He was killed in action from the Battle of Qeles fifteen years ago. But...that’s besides the point. Excuse me for a moment.”

  Mr. West swung around his desk. I watched him as he glared at me and reached down into his top drawer as it slid out while he tapped it. He lifted a small object from it and onto the desk. Then, slowly pushed the drawer back in place. It made no sound. Neither of us did. I could feel my chest start to cave in. I swallowed, and began fidgeting my fingers.

  Finally, Mr. West lifted the object and carried it by his side until he approached me and showed me the full thing. At first I was taken back by it, but then, the whole world seemed to come to a halt. I was pushed onto the center stage. Alone, with the lights beaming onto my person.

  “Do you know what this is?” he asked.

  I observed the metal, cubic object. There wasn’t much to it. You could fit maybe two of them into your palm if your hand was big enough. Taking another quick glance I noticed an insignia etched onto its front facing surface.

  “No, sir.”

  Mr. West squinted his eyes and observed it himself.

  “Well, it just so happens to be that this small drive is mostly likely a map or holding blueprints of some kind. The insignia resembles that of a Rebellion symbol. I just happened to find it, and I’ve been having trouble trying to unlock its secrets. Almost certainly, some advanced ID tech is keeping me out.”

  “What does this have to do with me?” I was perplexed.

  “I just want to know if you’ve been seeing any strange behavior lately around headquarters.”

  “No, sir.”

  He smirked. “Alright...just making sure.”

  Mr. West walked to the corner of the room in front of a narrow cupboard. When he opened I could see a glass case inside. Inside the case was a katana with a black colored blade. He walked back towards me and gave me the katana. My eyes were wide as I looked at it in awe. The blade was sharp and thin, but sturdy. As I examined it I was starting to think that this specific katana was not made of regular steel, or even steel at all.

  “I’ve been thinking for a while about how useful you’ve been to our army. You fought hard against Sam to earn the General Rank. Curious how big things can start from small beginnings. Knowing you’re from that orphanage in Qeles…”

  “How do you know about that?” I interjected. All my attention is directed to him now.

  He turned to me to try and find the words for a rather short explanation.

  “Let’s just say Sam has told me a bit about you. Anyway...you may not be the best, but you’ve shown value. So, as a result of your service to us, I want to r
eward you with a gift.”

  Mr. West paused for a moment and looked at the katana that was in my hands. He turned to face me. Straight faced. But, then he smiled out of nowhere. So, I kept quiet for the time being.

  “I offered this to Sam; on his promotion day, but he wasn’t interested in them. So, I thought you’d be,” he explained to me. “I didn’t make it and I don’t know who, but whoever did an outstanding job. They’re probably the sharpest anyone has ever seen, maybe the cleanest I've ever seen. Must’ve taken them months, maybe a full year to craft. Such a beauty.”

  Holding the katana and getting a good grip on them was fairly easy. The handle was covered in smooth, brown suede and gold trims with leather accents. I titled it parallel to me and tried getting a few swings. It was light and fast, and it felt good to use it. But that wasn’t all that he gave me. West went back into the wardrobe and grabbed a harness with a single, tilted seathe connected to the back of it.

  “One more thing,” he added. “This will help you carry those around, without having to use your hands.” I put the harness on.

  “Thank you, sir...er...Mr. West,” I said to him as I left.

  “Call me...Adam,” he replied. “You’re welcome, Nathaniel. I'm gonna go get some air for a bit, now. You can see yourself out.”

  I put on the harness and placed the blade inside of it, as I walked out of his office. To be honest I had no doubts about Adam and his potential as a leader. He also looks great, considering he's in his fifties.

  I walked out with the sharpest katana on Earth; which if you ask me is pretty awesome. It took me about a few minutes to get back to my quarters. Once I got there I took off my harness and put it down onto the dresser across from my bed. Sam walked in not soon after.

  “So, you took the katana? Saw that one coming.” He smirked.

  “I'm surprised you didn't take it, it does look cool.” I told him, defending my choices.

  “Well, my firearms are all I need,” Sam said, as he held up his gun. “Especially my mother’s staff.”

  “Not your style then?”

  “No.”

  “Alright, man.”

  “Anyway, what did he say to you?” asked Sam, as we continued down towards the first floor.

  “Besides the katana...he kinda gave off some odd implications,” I confessed.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, it was a normal conversation at first, but then he started questioning me,” I explained. “It felt like an interrogation.”

  Sam slowly nodded and the elevator had come to a complete stop. The opening wall slid upwards, and I walked out expecting Sam to follow in my footsteps right beside me, but he didn’t. I turned and noticed he stayed still in the elevator.

  “I’ll catch up with you, later,” he told me, pressing the floor button once more. “I’m gonna have a quick word.”

  The wall shut itself as I watched Sam shoot up into the air, back towards where we came. For a moment I thought about what Sam could be implying by that statement. But, the thought was fleeting. I guessed it was just their business of the higher-ups and exited the building back into the escorts car.

  Sam adjusted his collar with both hands and checked his InterFace watch. Adam’s building was quite the high-rise giant compared to the other buildings in Kalo City.

  Back at his office, Adam took a stroll in his garden balcony and took a breath of fresh air. That sense of relief was short-lived, however, when his ear caught the sound of the elevator rising to his floor level for the second time. He turned and stared at his office doors to see who it was. Then, the doors unhinged and swung open as Sam stomped his way into the room. Adam, with a calm and subtle smirk on his face, stepped through the glass entrance to the balcony and back into his domain.

  “Samuel. What brings you back here?” Adam asked in the same manner he did before.

  “Why are you questioning Nate?” Sam looked as if he was holding back his frustration to punch him.

  Adam knew exactly what Sam was pointing at, and his calm and friendly expression ran off his face as his eyebrows inclined by a little and his jaw tightened. But, still his soft voice stayed.

  “You’re gonna have to be a bit more specific, General.”

  “I know you may have your suspicions. But, I can assure you. Nate is not a traitor,” he declared.

  “And I’m just supposed to take your word for it?” he questioned, crossing his arms. “I was just checking if it’s someone who’s under your nose.”

  “Well, I’m telling you now. Nate has nothing to do with this.”

  “How can you be sure?” Adam approached Sam cautiously.

  “I’ve known him for nine years,” Sam defended. “He can’t be, so you better stop looking.”

  “Is that a threat?” questioned Adam.

  His entire tone had changed as he approached Sam with a hand hovering over his blade. Sam stood like a statue as soon as he realized the implications coming from Adam’s manner of speech.

  Sam didn’t reply to the question. However, Adam still let down his guard and put his hand away from the grip of his katana. Sam exhaled through his nose in relief.

  Adam stared at Sam, looking for some sort of opening, and didn’t take him long

  to find it and force it to the center stage.

  “Your mission.”

  “What about it?”

  “If our info is true and the agent resides in the town,” insisted Adam. “I order you to order Nate to...eliminate.”

  Sam paused as his face began to sweat a bit.

  “Do I make myself clear?” Adam pronounced.

  “Yes, commander,” agreed Sam.

  The next day I had to report to Sam again, for the fourth time in a row these past two weeks. His full name is Samuel Kamarov, a mixed bunch of ethnicities as his family would put it. Kamarov and his mother traveled to America in 2079. She died in 2087, and Kamarov has been my friend ever since. We became rookies in the same year, at the same time. We tried beating each other to achieve the rank of First General. Of course, there were other ranks below me. Adrana recently got a promotion to First Lieutenant; below her is the Second Lieutenant; along with forty seven officers, colonels, and three hundred and eighty two, or so, well trained pilots. This was only at the Kalo City base. There are dozens of bases spread throughout the west side of the country, including Phoenix Post. Where the Silents won a crucial victory.

  Adrana, had pulled me in once again after a long day of not much to do. We were walking the perimeter of the building towards my quarters. She was the First Lieutenant, and often went to several military bases within the Commonwealth and to Qeles City on the border river. Her brown hair was even longer than before. Usually she’d loosely braid it to keep it above her shoulders. Oftentimes I could find myself staring at her for seconds at once. One time she actually looked back just long enough that the whole day I tried to avoid her. We made up the next day. That was when I knew that she was clearly aware of my somewhat infatuation for her. Well, it was a bust after I messed up that date in Qeles. But, then again, maybe she’ll give me another chance.

  “Another day of nothing,” she said, as I yawned. “You look tired.”

  “You might’ve been doing nothing today, but not me,” I replied, stretching my arms.

  “Rookies?”

  “Yeah, but they weren’t that bad this time around.”

  “Really?”

  “C’mon, Adrana, I mean remember when we were rookies?”

  “How could I not? I wonder if our old teacher hasn’t died of a heart attack yet.”

  “Nope, still teaching like his old self.”

  “At least you have Sam to help you, right?”

  “Sam? He doesn’t have as much time as he used to to stop by. He is the First General after all.”

  “I remember when you both tried to beat each other to that position,” Adrana laughed a bit. “Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t lead something.”

  “Who said I
wanted to be a leader?”

  “No one is.”

  “So you’re nobody?”

  “I’m just saying that just because Sam got the position doesn’t mean you can’t get it too.”

  “I don’t know. Ever since his promotion, he seems different.”

  “Different how?” Adrana asked in response.

  “I don’t know how to explain it yet. I can’t find the word for it, but the best way to describe it in one word would be determined.”

  Adrana nodded. We both didn’t speak for a bit.

  “Well,” I said, trying to touch on another subject, and to break the awkward silence between the two of us. “What do you think about the rebellion? Personally?”

  “Nate,” she replied, as Adrana sounded annoyed at me.

  “What? I just want to know about your viewpoint.”

  “Well, if you really want to know, I think they are nothing but a terrorist group. The fact that they try to ruin everything we pursue is getting on my nerves. My annoyance for them is reaching dangerously high levels.”

  “Let’s just say if someone you know wanted to know what it’s like to be one of them. How would you feel?”

  “Then I would--wait, your not suggesting--”

  “Oops.”

  “Nate, we’ve talked about this. Over and over again for the past two weeks. You need to get it together before someone else learns about your delusional feelings.”

  “But--”

  “I’ve told you time and time again. The rebellion is not a group you want to be with.”

  “But--”

  “I’ve heard enough of your excuses.”

  “Well, maybe I’ve heard enough of the lies.”

  Adrana's eyes widened at the sight of me saying that to her, then her face saddened. “I warn you to take caution, Nate. Anyone who tries to betray our cause will receive the highest punishment. I can’t take that risk because I care about you.”