He was scared it would happen again. A total shut down in him. He had already lost so much in the past. Made so many mistakes. He blamed himself entirely for a lot of it, despite only being partially to blame. He wasn't sure why he blamed himself for so much. Probably because it was easier that way. He always felt like a leader, ever since he first joined the organization. In his mind leading was everything. So, if someone under his lead made a mistake it was his fault.
He didn't want to push himself back into depression. When he lost his first team completely, he broke. He went into a deep depression and went off the map. No one could find him. He made sure of that. Still, in all his time of hiding, he wanted nothing more than to be found. He was off the charts for years. No one followed him. He felt free from the organization, even if he knew no matter how far he ran the organization would never let the grasp they had on him go.
He made his way past a busy street. He looked at the small kids playing alongside the street. One boy had a penny in his hand which he threw on the ground. It flipped over causing half the kids to howl in excitement. The others yelled in defeat. It always was a competition in life, he felt. No matter how young or old you are you're always betting yourself against or for something. Even watching the kids he could see that.
Carl never failed a mission. Even as an Exterminator he finished every mission to a “T”. His whole unit survived growing up together. They all became Protectors or Boras in the long run. Even the most challenging Unknown he went up against was eventually taken down. Yet, something went wrong. When he became a Bora something changed. Missions were mostly eliminating creatures. Raising four young people to eventually become pro executioners of Unknowns was another thing. He somehow slipped there.
He reached the wooden house. Opened the door and made his way towards the elevator. He stood in the elevator for a moment. He wouldn't fail this time. He felt this time he could prove he was worthy of being the leader. He wouldn't let himself slip again.
Kelly laid her head on Nick's chest. They lay down in the field outside the park. In February it was still cold. The wind was at a all time low today, though. They watched as the clouds passed overhead with the sun shining through when it could. “It's beautiful.”
He smiled at her. “Yeah, it is,” he responded.
“You ever think about how we first met?” She placed her hand on his chest.
“Yeah, I told you that you had a nice pen.”
She giggled. “You were so corny. So weird.”
“Hey!”
“Still, I wanted to get to know you so bad. You were different.” She looked at him. “Something special.”
“I'm just me. You're the one who's special.” He gave her a small kiss. She lit up. He loved doing things for her and watching her face light up in response.
A small chill went over both of them. They cuddled up tight for a moment till it past. Once it did, they let go and watched the sky. They tried to make out different shapes from the clouds. “A heart, you see it?”
“No. That looks like a guy with one arm,” Nick said, pointing.
“What!? How do you see a guy! It's a heart.”
“It's a guy.”
“Okay, pen expert,” she responded, giggling. He tried pushing her off playfully but she grabbed his shirt. He held her tighter afterward. The joy he brought her just being close was enough to make him feel happy. The missions and training began to be tougher than he expected on his time and body but he kept at it. When he saw her though, it all went away. All the pain. The frustration. The missions. Just happiness remained. He sometimes wondered if he was allowed even that in the lifestyle he was chosen for.
“During the summer I think I'm going to try getting a job,” Nick said softly. She smiled.
“Sounds good to me. I think I'll try getting one myself. We're just about done with school anyway. No need to wait around.”
“Once I get enough money I...” he began, not sure how to finish. He'd been thinking about the future as of late. What moves were the right moves? He kept wondering and questioning himself. He decided though he'd never find out unless he asked. “-I'd like to get my own place. I'd like you to move in with me.” He held his breath.
She kept viewing the sky, not saying a word. Complete and utter silence took over the air. Then she spoke. “I'd very much like that. To be together with you, more.” He let out a heavy breath, one that held the weight of the world. He grabbed her tighter. He felt no other words needed to be said.
“You think I can come with you one time?” Lucy said to Marshall as they walked out of a local restaurant. The cold chill wrapped around their bodies as they began walking against the wind.
He glanced over to her. “I told you before, you can't. These missions are top secret. You wouldn't even be able to see anything.”
“I just want to see what you go through.”
“That's the thing, you can't see anything. I told you I jump realms.”
“Why don't you let me jump with you?”
“You don't have a beeper, first off,” he pointed to his beeper. “This thing is what helps me cross over. You don't have it, meaning you can't jump. Listen baby, we went over this before, you can't come along. Not only is it bad for me but it's dangerous for you. What if the monster attacks you? What if you get hurt?”
“You get hurt all the time!” she answered stubbornly.
“Yeah, but that's on me. My mistakes. If you get injured in anyway, I can't handle that. So no, you cannot come along.” He looked away, walking just slightly ahead of her. She was agitated and he could feel it. He was a big push over, but not on this perticular subject. The danger was too much for him to ever risk her life.
“You're being unfair,” she spoke low and soft. He ignored it for a moment. He knew she was being a baby, not getting her way, but he couldn't help but feel for her. If he looked at her he knew he'd wanna give in, so he kept his eyes glued to the streets. Watching car drivers yell out their windows at the people slowly crossing the street. He watched the food carts on the streets offering anyone who passed them a free desert. He watched as people gambled at the end of the block, common thing on the street corners of New York City. Little did they know what hid behind all this. What was in the realm right beside them.
“I'm not being unfair. I'm being safe. I told you when we started this secret that we couldn't push it. We're doing something that's against all the rules. If the organization ever found out-” Now he turned to her. She watched his eyes. “-they'd put an end to this. I'm pretty sure they'd shut you up in the worse way possible. Probably send me to execution or something. We can't let that happen baby. We have to stay under cover.” He stopped and grabbed her shoulders. “You have to understand that.”
“I do,” she said smiling. “It's nice to see you care so much.”
“Of course I care. I...” he almost let it slip. The amazing feeling he'd been experiencing the last few weeks. He wanted so badly to tell her. He just wanted to scream how much he loved her. He was too scared though. The bravest of all the boys. One of the most outspoken people in the entire school. Yet, he couldn't say three simple words. “...just want to keep us safe. Let's go.”
He caught a small sadness in her eyes but once he grabbed her hand she smiled again. He led her towards his house. She smiled even bigger as she tightened her hand around his.
Jin grabbed Peter's hand and twisted it around him. He spun Peter around and held his arm behind him. “Do you quit?”
Peter gritted his teeth. “No.”
Jin pushed harder, putting more pressure. “At this rate it'll snap.”
“I give,” Peter answered quickly. The pain built up too much. He almost tripped once he was let go of. He turned to Jin. “One day, I'll beat you.”
“I fully believe you will,” Jin told him, smiling. “You're one of the best Exterminators I've fought at such a young age. You haven't even had full training with Carl and you fight like a pro. Well, with your elemental gloves
at least. Close combat can use a lot of work.” He laughed. Peter waved his hand in a dismissive manner and walked to his bag on the floor.
Peter took a sip of his drink and looked at Jin. “If you master one weapon, you'll never need another.”
“If you master all weapons, you'll never have to worry about somebody else mastering just one weapon.” Jin laughed again and Peter couldn't help but join in. “Thing is, you're strong-” Jin sat down near his bag. “-you just need to focus on every aspect of fighting. You're quick. You think on your feet and that will help. You can summon more elemental powers then most people in their first year. You have the determination, as well. If you don't want to use other weapons - fine.” Jin pointed to the whole gym in front of him. “You just have to be a valuable asset to your unit.”
“I am valuable.”
“You are, but if you don't want to master another weapon you must master support. You're not a close-range fighter but a far range fighter. If you can master being the best support on the team you'll never need to get into close combat.” Jin tapped his own head. “It takes a lot of guts to go in head-to-head with an Unknown. It takes a lot of brain though to stay away and strike from afar. Being safe should always be the first goal.”
Jin had come to like Peter as a student of sorts. Carl promised to step up and take care of his own team. Jin felt a odd, maybe special, connection with Peter. In a lot of ways, Peter reminded him of a younger brother. Someone so eager to learn everything he knew. Also eager to prove he was better than him. It was a love and hate relationship that made Jin so intrigued by Peter. His motives weren't unnatural but his mind was. He thought differently. He focused only on training. When other kids thought about girls and school problems, even Exterminators, Peter focused only on training, learning more about Exterminators, and hunting Unknowns. He knew from the very start that Peter would be something different, something unique.
Peter flexed his fingers. He already reversed his Rod back. He felt his energy slowly creep back into him. Far quicker than a few months ago. His stamina and dexterity grew every day. He could feel it, even if he couldn't explain it. His body only grew a little bit but it was everything else that grew exceptionally. He felt he had to prove he was better. He never figured out why he had to, though. It bothered him every day to know he had motives but not sure why or what they even were for at times. He felt he had to prove to someone, but who was that someone. His father? His friends? Carl? Jin? The question kept circulating in his mind for days and still no answer. It became the only problem Peter couldn't master.
“I think we should head out. We trained for almost two hours. Sure you're parents are wondering where you are on a school night.” Jin checked the time, it was getting close to nine o'clock.
“Eh, they don't care.”
“Of course they do. Every parent cares about their kid, even if they don't always show it.”
“No, trust me. Drunken people care about when the next drink is up and that's all.”
This got Jin's attention. He remembered he was still keeping tabs on Peter but no evidence had showed up yet. Peter hadn't shown any new scars so he couldn't relate it to a family situation or school. Jin kept a close eye when he could, but if nothing was there he couldn't prove a thing. “Is your father abusive to you in any way?” It was a straight out, blunt question. He figured he had to ask somehow, and this was the best way.
Peter took a second to think about it. The organization didn't need more problems. He wanted to keep his teammates away from his personal life. No need for them to be sucked into a terrible father-son relationship issue.
“No, he's just a bum.” Peter laughed. The laugh was fake yet Peter hoped Jin would buy it.
“All right, well then let's get you home.”
Peter felt the bluff laugh had worked. Why wouldn't it? No one cared enough to pry into his business. He didn't want anyone to interfere in his personal life anyway. He liked to be alone in this. At least that's what he told himself. “Okay,” he said, almost sadly. Real emotion began to spill in but he soon buried it again. He was good at that.
Carl was in his office looking at Fred who was checking out the room. Carl didn't want to train until he had a chance to get used to the kids first. He was a trainer but also a mentor. If his own unit didn't trust him, how could he train them? “You haven't said much about your life. Tell me more about the parents.”
“Screw ‘em. They never did me any favors.” Fred picked up a baseball and threw it in the air, catching it with his left hand. He studied the ball, yet his mind drifted to a different place. “They're never in town. I really just rather not talk about them.”
“Fair enough,” Carl said sitting down. “How do you feel about the other boys? Are you getting along with them all?”
“Yeah, of course. We've all been through hell together. We're gonna stick together, of course.”
“Anyone you don't see yourself getting along with?”
“Is this some type of test? To see if I'm stable?” He could feel himself getting upset. He wondered if Marshall mentioned the incident that happened a month ago. When he began forming into something...something he was scared to talk about. Especially to the organization.
“Not at all. I just want to know more about my students.”
“Nick's cool, Marshall is an idiot but my best friend, and Peter is slightly weird yet I feel I can always count on him. I actually can count on all three. So yes, we all get along.” Fred tried not to show his fury that was growing. He’d rather not lead Carl on to show him how scared he was.
“I see. Well, I'm very glad you all are getting along so well.” He watched as Fred's eyes darted around the room. “What's wrong? You seem nervous.”
“I'm not.”
“That's what a nervous person would say.”
“I'm not nervous. I hate being interviewed.”
“This isn't an interview.”
“Then stop acting like it's one!” Fred threw the baseball across the room. It flew into the wall directly to the side of Carl's face. The speed was amazing; if a normal person saw it they'd guess he was on the baseball team. The ball would have hurt anyone in its way. Carl didn't move a muscle. Instead, he smiled at his student.
“Something's troubling you. What is it?”
“Nothing. Not a thing in the world!” Fred placed his hands on the desk. “What's troubling you, big boss? Why haven't you've been training us at all?” Fred's voice was getting deeper, angrier, darker. “Why have we done all the damn self-training while you sit here wallowing in your past? You messed up? Oh poor Carl, what will he ever do?” His voice changed, both sinister and playful.
“Fred, watch the next words that come out of your mouth.”
“Or what?” Fred leaned closer in on the desk. His teeth showing, a smile that could only be considered wicked. “Are you going to betray me, too?”
“What did you say?”
Fred backed off the desk and looked away. He could feel his body shifting. The anger fighting its way up his body but he forced it to stay at bay. He needed to keep calm. Needed to restrain himself from getting upset. From unleashing whatever has been trying to get out. He could feel it growing the last few weeks but he kept quiet. Not even telling Marshall, his closest friend and the only one who knew about his secret.
“I said...” Fred was spun around by a furious Carl. He had an extremely tight grip on his student as he put his face right in front of Fred's. “What did you say to me?” Fred felt the spit from Carl hit his face. He had never seen the calm and collective teacher so livid. He had never seen someone as angry as Carl was at this point.
“I said...I said...” Fred couldn't find the words. He couldn't remember the words. “I don't know what I said. I'm sorry,” he said, fumbling words.
Carl could see the boy was telling the truth. The Fred of a few seconds ago was gone. Replaced now by a frightened child. He let go of his student and backed away. He himself had to calm down. His temper is w
hat got him in trouble before. He didn't want to reveal this side of himself to anyone. Especially to his unit.
“I'm sorry, too.” Carl rubbed his head. “I thought I heard something. Brought back memories.”
“Why don't you tell me about some of your memories?”
It was a simple enough question. Everyone wants to know about a person they care about. It's only natural to be curious where a person came from and how he came to be. Carl didn't let the question hurt him like it usually does. Instead, he reached back to when he began his Exterminator days. “Well, when I was in my first year, I was grouped with three girls.”
“Oh,” Fred said, now taking a seat. “Go on. This I wanna hear more of.”
“Well, it was three young ladies. All older than me though at that time.”
“How old were you?”
“I was fourteen.”
“What!?” Fred was in shock. He felt they were too young to be in the organization. Yet, Carl was just starting high school when he joined. “Weren't you afraid? You were just a kid.”
Carl laughed and nodded. “I was scared. Not to mention being the only boy on my team as well as the youngest, was scary. I had to be the leader, though.”
“You were the leader?”
“Yeah. I couldn't let my team down. They were all great fighters, however, I was the one with the plans. When we worked together with my strategies we almost never lost. My team survived their entire run. Two of them are still alive now.” Carl pointed to the picture behind Fred.
Fred took a look to see the smiling faces of four young people. One girl was red haired with a bunch of freckles on her face. She had braces in her mouth and looked to be around sixteen. The other two were hugging each other. One with black hair, one with brown. The black haired one was the oldest-looking one, probably in her late teens with her two fingers up in a peace sign. The brown haired one was waving at the camera. All the way to the left was Carl. He was looking at the girls smiling, as if he was proud. The youngest of them all, yet he still looked like the leader. The way he smiled in the picture, his eyes nearly shut closed, joyful of the company he was with.
Exterminators Infected (The Exterminators Book 1) Page 23