by Collin Earl
*****
The chopper pilot hovered over the clearing and scanned the edges with his advanced Extra Sensory Goggles, or ESGs. The cloaked NightHawk was definitely military issue, but this pilot did not wear the uniform of the UWC or the Jade Empire. His sensors alerted him to one heat signature approaching from the Southeast and he notified the extraction team in the belly of the copter. The pilot saw the image approach as his goggles gave him a composite of its thermal, electromagnetic, and low-light resolution signatures. Walking next to the composite image was a moving void. The pilot brought the throttle of the copter down and triggered the de-cloaking protocals.
As the supports of the craft touched lightly upon the ground, the rear hatch opened to allow four armed men, all equipped with the same ESG's, to pour out and take up flanking positions across from the two now visible figures. A fifth man exited the belly of the aircraft and ducked low as he met the two men. He took the bewildered looking one, shoved his head down, and led him back to the open hatch. Once there, the fifth man radioed to the four sentinels, then to the pilot, and then placed a headset on the man's head. Instantly Dirk could hear the chatter from the six-man team.
"Dirk Garrett, you are one expensive acquisition. Not that I don't know the answer to this question already, but do you have any injuries that I need to be aware of?"
Dirk stared at the man. "No, I don't think so. Who are you guys and how do you know my name? You UWC Ultra Forces or something?"
The engine of the copter started to whine higher as the hover engines gained more power. The four flanking men slowly retreated into the craft.
"Nope, not Ultra Force. Well, at least not anymore. Private sector pays better. As for us knowing your name, well let's just say your benefactor has tasked us with getting you out of this place. He needs you for some reason, and all the persuading in the world that you weren't worth the effort wouldn't sway him, so here you are."
The whine of the engines reached their pinnacle of sound and the pilot started to engage the throttle again. Dirk looked out and could faintly see the shadow of the black man just where he had left him.
"Wait, what about him? Isn't he coming too?"
"Remember when I said you were an expensive acquisition? Well that's cuz we had to hire him to get you out. His contract ended when you stepped onto the floor of this bird. Besides, as I'm sure you've already figured out, he doesn't exactly need any help."
Dirk watched as the hatch started to close. He felt the electric field grow around him as the cloaking engine engaged. The last glimpse he saw of the black man faded as the lights blinked out inside the chopper, the hatch sealed, and the copter rose into the night.
Have Credits, Will Shop
Time: Current day, late afternoon
Scene: Mega Lots Shopping Center
"Sam, you're really starting to piss me off." Cammie set down six or seven outfits in a range of colors and styles. "This is for graduation, probably the last time that we will all be together. You aren't taking this seriously enough."
Richard looked up from his tablet. "This is the last time we'll all be together? Oh hallelujah, there is a god. Consider the debate settled; all hail the mighty creator."
Cammie ignored him. "Sam, seriously, time is running out. If you don't talk to Adam soon there might not be another chance. You need to pull out all the stops for graduation and the after-party."
Sam modeled another dress made from liquid silk. It was silver and looked terrible on her, not to mention that it was way too expensive. Sam stepped back into the dressing room and ripped off the dress. She picked another one, a brand she didn't recognize. She put on the dress and glanced at herself in the mirror.
Now this didn't look so bad. Sam pulled at the pay strip, touching the holographic tag to get the price. Her face went white.
"Cammie, this was a terrible idea."
"Why, does it look bad?" Cammie slid back the curtain, causing Sam to reactively cover herself despite being fully dressed. Sam walloped Cammie on the arm. "How many times do I need to tell you not to do that? I could have totally been naked."
"And who are you afraid of seeing you?" Cammie said as she inspected the dress. "The only person here is Dick, and he's too smart to have delusions of that sort about you. Right, Dick?"
"The only delusion I have, Camille, is that someday you'll put together a semi-rational thought. But alas, we can all dream, right?"
Cammie stuck her tongue out at Richard as she pulled back the curtain so Sam could change again. "I liked it better when you were in the hospital. You're not going to get your appendix out again any time soon, are you? The time you were gone was so delightful."
"For me as well, Camille. For me as well."
Sam frowned slightly, sticking her head out from behind the curtain. "You don't really mean that Richard. You missed me, right?"
Richard glared as he looked at Sam's pout. She sighed. He was still mad at her. She stomped the floor in frustration. She had let it slip to one person during the break that Richard was going into the hospital. One single stinking person. Unfortunately, that person just happened to be Cammie, and telling Cammie a secret was the equivalent painting that secret on the side of building, shooting a pic, and sending it to every person on the Interweb.
"Come on, Richard," pleaded Sam. "I told you I was sorry!" Sam put on her cutest puppy-dog face.
A half smile broke on Richard's lips that traveled briefly up to his eyes. She had caught him! He forgave her. She smiled back at him. This was one of those rare moments that Richard showed any sort of emotion. Well, excluding his usual haughty discontentment. "Yes, of course Samantha. I missed you while I was gone."
Sam giggled and pulled back the curtain. She had accomplished her mission, but as the feeling of elation came, so did the guilt. She really shouldn't do that to him, try to charm him like that. She didn't want to give him false hope, and acting all girlish and cute was not the way to avoid that. Sam's conscience nagged at her.
Three months ago Cammie made the observation that Richard might be in love with her. There was no explicit evidence, and he never said anything to make Sam think that, but now she was so conscious of everything he did that it often stressed her out. She really didn't know what to do. She didn't want Richard to go after graduation, but how could he stay?
She grumbled inwardly. Ever since they had become friends in their second year of Secondary School, Richard had been a rock for Sam. He had been there no matter what. Now that she thought about it, it would make sense that he had special feelings for her. What guy did the things Richard did – does, is doing, will do – for her and isn't in love? She didn't think that kind of guy existed.
Of course, she didn't think of him like that. She just wasn't attracted to him physically, as painful as that was to admit. But she also wasn't ready for Richard to disappear from her life either. She did not want him to go, though she knew that keeping him around was going to be impossible. Richard was on the fast track. He was going to enter the United Western Collective's most prestigious school, Western Advanced Research, in two months. There Richard would be treated like royalty, because Richard was a genius amongst geniuses. He could do anything, be anyone. All he had to do was try.
And then there was her. She was average in every sense of the word. Sure, her body had finally caught up to her age and now she actually looked like an 18-year-old girl, but there were a lot of semi-talented pretty girls in the world. There was only one chubby, sarcastic genius boy out there, and he had proven to be a good and trustworthy friend, one that she was going to sorely miss when he was gone.
"Ok, I found the one. I think. Richard, don't you dare laugh."
Sam stepped out from behind the curtain. Cammie's voiced sounded astonished. "Oh my George W. Bush! Sam, this is perfect. You have to get it!"
Another warm smile lit up Sam's face as she spun in a circle, admiring herself in the full-length mirror. The dress really was a thing of beauty
. Demure and elegant, this dress was everything Sam felt that she wasn't. A spiking desire surged in her gut. She really wanted this dress.
Nervously, Sam touched the holo-tag. Her heart dropped out of her chest right onto the floor. Cammie caught a look at the holo-tag and whistled.
"This thing better be made of spun platinum. That is expensive!"
Sam stepped back in to the dressing room. "I can't get this thing. It's way out of my league."
"It's on me, Samantha." Richard stepped forward, looking at her with open admiration and wonderment. "You and this dress were made for each other. You have to have it."
Sam studied Richard, confused. Not at his act of kindness – he did stuff like this all the time for her. She had grown accustomed to his habit of buying her things for no reason at all. No, what bothered her was that Richard knew what the dress was for and yet he still offered to buy it for her. Some people were too kind for their own good.
"It's not like I'm really paying for it anyway," Richard continued. "Besides, it's nice to do things like this every once in a while."
Cammie raised an eyebrow. "Richard, that doesn't make any sense; if you're not paying for it than who is?"
Richard ignored her question.
Sam watched Richard log onto the store's net and pay for the dress. He always said stuff like that too, brushing it off like it was normal to spend ungodly amounts of money on things like dresses. Just when she thought she was starting to understand him, he would do something like this. He always hid behind a cold sarcastic exterior, but she knew better.
"I told you he was in love with you," Cammie said very quietly. "You'd better stop that real quick before he goes all crazy like those genius types do."
"Cammie?"
"Yeah, Sam?"
"Shut up."
"Chz. Well I never!"
Ten minutes later, Cammie, Sam, and Richard strolled out of the The Fox and into the shopping center. On the outskirts of Academy City 676, Mega Lots Shopping Center was the center of fun in town. They had the latest games, clothing, and accessories, not to mention a testing outlet for the electronics conglomerate Apples, Oranges, and Pears. The absolute highlight, however, was probably the military-grade survival Combat Tag played in the indoor weapons arena. Sam absolutely loved Combat Tag with the full body suits and energy weaponry. It was like she was in a virtual game room, but much more intense. It was the same rush of war without all the downside of blood and death.
They wouldn't be playing today, however. Richard hated it, and Cammie wasn't much of a fan either. Plus, it had been so long since they had hung out that Sam was reluctant to do something she knew Richard wouldn't participate in. So instead of tag, their little group headed to the Foodopolis to find some eats and meet up with Coda and his recently acquired girlfriend, who was the current topic of discussion.
"How could he have a girlfriend?" Cammie asked in exasperation. "He's supposed to be in part seven of Cammie's patented 'How to Capture a Boy's Heart' plan. Stupid boy, he's messing up my timeline. Rival girls aren't supposed to show up until later, somewhere in the last third of the 57-part plan. I can already tell she's a home wrecker."
"I guess he must have missed the memo." Sam dodged a group of boys about her age, not noticing their gawking looks as she passed. "Just goes to show you, can't fight fate. If it's meant to work out it will."
"Well, fate is about to have an encounter with a cleavage-maker bra and a high slit dress. Let's see him fight that one."
"You're impossible."
They both looked at Richard.
"Don't look at me. I can feel my intelligence diminishing just by suffering through this conversation."
The group found the main pathway that led from the shopping portion of Mega Lots into Foodopolis and stopped to get their bearings. Sam hated places like this. They were so large it was hard to know where to start. An artificial river cut across an eating area the width of a game field and probably twice as long. Restaurant after restaurant lined the walls in neat little stalls and served every style of food from the baked beef of the Deep South to the Gangan Super Spice of the Burning Plains. At the far end of the common eating area an artificial waterfall gave the ambiance a particularly refined effect. Sam thought it was overdone, but she was about the only one who did.
She grabbed her screen and searched for Coda's avatar. It would have been a total nightmare trying to find Coda and his girl in this zoo of a dining area by sight alone. Sam quickly located him and they headed over to his table, a more private eating area that sat right in the middle of the river, connected to either side by attendant-lined walkways stretching to the raised platform. Sitting at a table in the center of the platform was Coda and a girl with striking blonde hair. Coda smiled once he saw Richard and the others approach.
"Guys! You made it!"
He stood, nodded to Richard, and then gave Sam and Cammie a hug, one that Cammie held almost uncomfortably long. Coda didn't appear to notice though, as he sounded perfectly normal when he spoke.
"Take a seat, boys and girls. Have you guys ordered?"
Richard nodded and held up his interface as Cammie and Sam found chairs. "I took care of it."
"Perfect. Now then, let me introduce you to someone pretty special."
The blonde girl blushed, rosy patches of color blossoming on her cheeks. She smiled and twisted shyly.
"I'm Lacey. Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My Coda Bear over here has told me so much about you all. Camille, Samantha, and of course Richard, thank you so much for watching over him. You have my gratitude."
Sam stared at her in awe. Was she serious? Coda Bear? Who comes up with pet names after a week of dating? And they had her gratitude for what exactly? This was weird; totally and completely weird.
As lunch progressed, Cammie was less than impressed. She looked downright incensed, which made for an awkward time. Sam could feel the murderous intent leaking out around Cammie. She severely hoped that Lacey didn't make any sudden movements or things could get real ugly, real quick. Lacey, on the other hand, hadn't noticed a thing, at least that Sam could tell. Either that or she controlled her emotions as well as a covert operative. Conspiracy theory aside, Sam was thankful when Lacey got up to take a vid call from her father.
"So what do you guys think?" asked Coda as soon as Lacey was out of earshot. "Isn't she wonderful?"
Richard was the first to cut in. "Absolutely delightful, Coda. I think you should propose right away."
Richard shot Cammie a half smile, one that Cammie returned with a glare. "I guess she seems nice enough. You know, if you like that type."
"And what type is that?" asked Richard in mock interest. "I think we're all dying to know."
Again Cammie glared. "I was merely stating that she's nice. I just don't think she's for you, Coda. You need someone with a bit more culture. Maybe someone...ethnic."
Coda chewed on the inside of his cheek. "You think I need to be with someone more ethnic? She's totally ethnic, Cammie. Hello, she has blonde hair and blue eyes! Who has blonde hair and blue eyes?"
"Half of the Jade Empire."
"And let's not forget her totally cute accent!" Coda continued.
Sam tried to hold in her laughter, but was having a hard time. Richard also seemed amused, which was out of the ordinary for him, though admittedly he also appeared slightly preoccupied. Cammie and Coda's back and forth continued for a long while, and Sam quickly lost interest in their increasingly crazy point and counterpoint. About twenty-five minutes passed like this, with Sam and Richard finding refuge in Richard's screen and a riveting game of World of Warmongers. A buzz on Sam's own tablet and a flying envelope indicated a message from Cammie. Sam tapped the envelope and rolled her eyes. If you wanted to talk to me why didn't you just say so? she thought.
Sam casually read the message.
I see you smirking over there; you'd better wipe that little grin off your face and look to the other side of the bri
dge.
Amazed at Cammie's ability to keep up two conversions, Sam shot Cammie a quizzical look and then turned in her chair, only to whip back around instantly. She slouched down.
Adam was only six meters from them, sitting with a group of his friends. A giggle and another envelope with the words OMGWB, you should have seen your face indicated Cammie's witness to Sam's humiliation. He was here. Right here. Right now. What should she do?
I could talk to him, she thought as she again glanced over her shoulder. Sam felt her breathing growing heavier. She had never been this close to him outside of school. Well, except that time at Camelot, but she was too embarrassed to remember anything about that.
Up close he was much more handsome. His features were regal, his build perfect. He could have passed for a Vii-theater star if he wanted to; shoot, even if he didn't want to he could pass as one. She wanted to talk to him. She had never wanted to do something so bad in her whole life.
"Well I'm sure you're going to be very happy together." Cammie's voice was more than angry, it was downright venomous. "If you'll excuse me, I just saw someone I know." Cammie stood, hooked Sam's arm and pulled her away. Sam was too startled to resist.
"What are you doing, Cammie?" Sam protested.
"You want to go and talk to Adam."
Sam's face went white. "Like right now? Just walk right up to him?"
"Of course not, silly. See those guys at the other private table there? Up the center bridge and on the left?"
Sam attempted an inconspicuous peek to her side. She found the group of guys. There were five or six of them lounging at another private sitting area probably ten meters away. They were definitely not Academy City 676 students. "Yeah, what about them?"
"We are going to go talk to them," replied Cammie.
"Cammie, those guys aren't even close to our age. They're at least post secondary if not older." Sam looked again, this time a little more closely. "Definitely older."
"Come on Sam, don't you want to go in for the kill?"
"Cammie, I don't know what that means!"
"Adam has his eyes on you. He's watching you this very instant."
Sam froze and started to turn around.
"No, don't look idiot, he'll see you!"
"So what do I do?"
"Just follow my lead," Cammie instructed.
"Fine."
Before Sam knew what she was doing, she and Cammie were at another private sitting area talking to a group of absolutely gorgeous men they didn't know. And yes, they were men; there was no way they were students at Academy City 676, or post secondary. They gave Sam a bad feeling.
"The small one over there is Samuel, the tall guy is Mark, and that's Tony, Jack, and Mitch. And I'm Rob," said the apparent leader of the bunch. He was probably the least handsome, but rugged and scarred, like he had been in a fight or two. He was a big guy, too, much bigger than Sam was used to seeing. "And no, were aren't from around here. We're just passing through on our way to a match. We're with Southern University's Combat Tag team."
"That is amazing," simpered Cammie, trying to sound interested. "My friend Samantha here loves Combat Tag. We play it all the time!"
Ugh. Totally and completely, ugh. If this was flirting, then Sam would pass. To make a guy interested in you, you have to pretend to be interested in what they like? Cammie could not stand Combat Tag. As a matter of fact, Sam couldn't think of something she liked less, except for Richard of course. Sam stopped paying attention to the conversation after a while and simply took it all in; the way the guys moved, talked, and smiled. The way Rob rubbed his chin and wrung his hands as if he was growing impatient. A prickle on the back of Sam's neck jolted her. Something wasn't right.
The prickle turned into a breath that caught in her throat. This man, Rob, was growing impatient; all of them were. But why? What were they waiting for?
Sam instinctively grabbed Cammie's hand. "Cammie, you know that I've got to get home. Say goodbye to your friends."
"Sam what the heck are you doing?"
"Never mind, just follow me."
Rob and the other guys watched as they walked away. Samuel was the first to break the silence. "What about those two? They seem like pristine property. Especially the brown haired one. She was totally yummy."
Rob smiled. "Yeah, I don't think we're going to find much better candidates than that for today."
He glanced around at his crew. "Saddle up, boys. It's time to go to work."
Adam and Evening
Time: Current Day, early evening
Scene: Mega Lots Shopping Center
Sam tried to speak, but words simply wouldn't come. She was also having problems breathing, as if inhaling and exhaling had ceased to be an autonomic process.
"Sam! What the oven brick are you doing? Answer him!"
Sam smiled vapidly. "Hi, umm...it's nice to see you."
"You too. I'm--"
"I know who you are."
Sam cringed and raged inwardly. Did I really just say that? 'I know who you are'? Oh, he's going to think I'm a stalker now. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
"What I mean is I know of you...wait, no. I mean, I've seen you around."
He smiled at her. It took all of her strength not to go weak in the knees. "I've seen you around as well, and I've heard a lot about you too."
"Oh have you?" said Sam with a giddy voice. "All good things, I hope."
"Mostly, but I'm more interested in the bad."
Cammie shot Sam a glance and mouthed He's interested in the "bad". Sexy!
Sam forced another laugh but it sounded more like a cow hacking up a hairball. Adam looked at Sam with concern as she tried to hide her embarrassment.
This was not going the way she had envisioned. Cammie came to the rescue. "So I was thinking we should totally get together tomorrow and do some Combat Tag."
Adam looked over at Cammie as she eagerly engaged Adam's friend, Howard. Adam pushed his dirty blond hair out of his face with a small gesture. Sam couldn't help but stare. Oh, his profile was so beautiful. He was almost too cute.
Sam felt her stomach churn. The fact was, he was too cute! How could they get married when he looked so much better than she did? No, no, that was not the case. She was hot. Ok, so she had about as much fashion sense as a blind deaf Ganga, but she was working on that. Oh, if only he had seen her wearing that dress she just bought...that Richard just bought.
Reality re-engaged. They had been with Richard and Coda and then she and Cammie had left because Coda was stupid. They had gone and talked with those guys, the really cute but really creepy ones, but what happened to Richard. Did he leave?
"So what do you like to do for fun Sam?"
Adam's smile hit her like an old Louisville Slugger. She was having a hard time thinking. She knew that she should be worried. She knew that she should be sorry, but she just couldn't be, not at the moment.
I'm so sorry Richard, she thought. I promise I will make it up to you. I swear it.
"Actually I'm a big fan of Combat Tag. Do you play?"
Adam's soft baby blues lit up. "Combat Tag? That's amazing! I love Combat Tag! I've played since I was little."
Sam sat comfortably as hours with Adam melted together. They had come to the mall for a reason and she had been really worried earlier but now she couldn't remember why she had come at all. None of it seemed to matter. Adam was simply more amazing than she could have ever hoped for. They had so much in common, from the foods they liked to the programs they watched. It was just perfect. He was just perfect. She was so happy she couldn't see straight.
Dinnertime came and went with Cammie, Howard, Adam, and Sam dining in the upper echelons of Foodopolis, where several breezy outdoor gazebos provided music, food, and a breathtaking view. Sam spent the time learning more about Adam, eagerly listening to any detail he would voluntarily divulge.
"I transferred from Academy City 781, in Sigler Providence, for a change of scenery more t
han anything else." Adam sipped at a glass of wine. Sam found that his older age just added to his hotness. "My father consults for large multi-providence conglomerates, so we move around a lot. My mother is from the Jade Empire--"
"Your mom's from the Jade Empire?" Cammie blurted out, looking amazed. "NO WAY! I've always wanted to go to the Jade Empire. How did your mom and dad meet?"
Adam chuckled, warm and low. Sam wanted to put her head on his chest and listen to him laugh or breathe, or just listen to the thump of his heartbeat. Adam took another sip of wine. "The Post War constrictions aren't as tight as you might think. While the Chancellor and Emperor have a lot of bad blood, they also understand that if they don't deal with each other there isn't exactly a third market option. I mean, there is some business with rogue states, but the smugglers garner most of the profit from that."
"So where in the Empire is your mom from?" Cammie's enthusiasm surprised Sam. She didn't know that Cammie was so into geography.
Adam hesitated briefly, then whispered, "The Seven Cities."
The table went silent. Howard looked just as shocked as the two girls. Cammie, having no filter, almost combusted from excitement and was halfway out of her chair when Sam placed a hand on her arm.
"Thanks, Sam," Cammie sat back down. "So your mom is from the Seven Cities. Unbelievable. Why would she ever leave?"
"Why indeed, Camille, why indeed?" They all waited, each holding their breath in anticipation. Adam paused again, the hesitation becoming that much more obvious. "She had her reasons, trust me." He looked directly at Sam. "Important ones. That's partly the reason I'm at Academy City 676. For my mom."
The rest of the evening melded into an endorphin-induced blur. They talked. They laughed. They touched. They flirted – a lot. They flirted a whole lot. Sam couldn't remember the last time she had piled on so much charm. She laid it down thick and was rewarded with Adam's full and undivided attention. It was truly a night to remember, a night that Sam would share with her and Adam's children on family vacations to the mountains.
Oh girl, Sam chided. Don't get too ahead of yourself.