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.”
Chapter Thirteen
She had to remain optimistic. Their morale would only stay intact if she did—right? Cadence wasn’t necessarily sure how much she bought it, but she did believe in mind over matter. Things would be okay if she stuck to her guns. Alan’s uncertainty and Orlando’s stubbornness were starting to weigh against the mantra “everything will be okay”, but that was why she was so thankful for JD.
A small smile formed on her lips as she glanced over at him. The two had just gotten done eating some fast food, and now it was time to go their separate ways. Always the gentleman, he walked her up to her apartment door. She wasn’t sure how to express how much it meant to her. He knew about the strange people lurking around her apartment complex though, and while most of them probably weren’t dangerous, they still made her nervous.
Cadence had lived there for the five years she had known him. It wasn’t considered a great area of town. There was a lot “trash” living there, depending on who was asked. The rich kids at Morningtide liked to whisper about her behind her back. They didn't realize there was nothing trashy about her home. For the most part, everyone was nice. They all had their own problems, and for the most part they stayed out of each others’ business. On occasion, she had seen or heard things she wished she hadn’t. Those were what prompted him to walk her back.
“Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow? I’m pretty sure I can get the car. Your mom is probably going to be working, right?” JD said as they stopped at her door. She pulled out her keys and started to search through them.
“Yeah, most likely. Thank you, it would beat having to take the bus out to Orlando’s. You think this is a good idea right? Be honest.”
“Yes. I don’t have to be home for awhile if you wanna talk.”
She snorted as she let him inside of her home. Her mom was still working, not like she’d care because she absolutely adored JD.
“A little bit of both.” He also pulled off his shoes and then got comfortable on the couch, much like he always did. “What are you making?”
“Cocoa.”
“White chocolate?”
“I still have some.”
“Cool, make that.” He leaned back on the couch and he watched her every move. She could feel herself growing self-conscious. Something about his eyes always caused this reaction.
“I don’t have much to talk about. I wanted your opinion. You seem to be the one who’s the most into everything that’s been going on,” she admitted as she stirred the mix into two mugs.
“I feel like I’m doing something. I don’t get that much. You talk about how you have these things you think you're born to do. I feel kind of like that with this. Even if I’m not powerful, I know I’ve got something. I just have to find it.”
“But should we be getting involved?” She joined him on the couch.
JD shrugged, taking his mug and sipping its contents slowly. He closed his eyes and then sighed a little. “If we don’t now, eventually we will. I mean, I don’t know much about what's going on, but it sounds like it’s going to get big fast. People are going missing. It’s only a matter of time before something else happens right?”
She’d been thinking rather selfishly since the whole thing started, mostly about how her new powers were going to help her get places in life. She hadn't thought about the people who were getting hurt from all of this.
“Right, it’s surreal,” she said after a drink.
“I don’t like when you talk like that. That makes it surreal for me,” he mumbled into his cup.
“Sorry, I couldn’t think of a better word, I guess.” She bit her lip, and it was quiet.
“I know, but it isn’t like you. That’s the one thing I don’t like about this whole thing. Everyone is changing but me, and I’m the one being left behind.”
Battlefield Page 12