by Ali House
When the party started winding down, Kit excused herself and headed for her room. As she lay in bed, she tried to convince herself that everyone would forget what she had said, but she knew better. Mistakes had a habit of haunting her.
CHAPTER FOUR
On Monday the twins came home from work with instructions from Triton. They gathered Kit, Vaughn, and Cale in the kitchen to brief them about the list. Bryanna was currently at work, so she’d be briefed later.
They had been called to the ISS on a security matter – something they did frequently – and afterward Triton asked them how things were going in the house. Kit wondered what Zenyth’s answer would have been. ‘Oh, great, except we’ve got someone who faints at the least little provocation on our team. Would you consider having her removed?’.
After their chat, which neither twin elaborated on, Triton gave them a list of six buildings suspected of being possible Tecken bases. Of the six buildings there was a law firm, a shopping mall, two apartment buildings, and two buildings that housed different businesses on each floor. They were all close to downtown Stanton and normally had a lot of foot traffic.
“So do we just walk in and pretend to be building inspectors?” Cale asked half-heartedly. Kit knew that he’d rather be watching the game that was on television right now.
“Of course not,” Zenyth said. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“But we could wear disguises and use fake credentials!”
“We’re supposed to watch the buildings, not go in with sledgehammers looking for secret rooms.”
“The shopping mall will be the easiest,” Naydir said, ignoring the two of them. “We can wander around without causing suspicion. Some of us could go to the apartment complex and pretend to be looking for a place to rent, but the other buildings will be more difficult to get into. We’ll have to settle for watching those from a distance.”
“But what are we watching for? We have no idea what the soldiers look like,” Vaughn pointed out.
“We look for people who might be soldiers, or who look out of place,” Zenyth replied. “People who carry themselves with a military stature or act suspicious.”
Naydir nodded. “We should also keep an ear out for people who use the words ‘Tecken’, ‘revolution’, ‘war’, or anything like that. Triton said that we should listen for anyone who sounds like they might be a part of the Tecken mind-frame.”
Kit examined the buildings on the list. “I can go to the archives after work tomorrow and see if we have the blueprints for those buildings. I’ll say it’s research.”
“Get a few other buildings so that you don’t arouse suspicion,” Zenyth said with just a hint of an edge to her voice.
Kit felt as if she’d just been scolded. Going through the records wouldn’t arouse suspicion, as they were research materials, but there was no way she’d be able to explain that to Zenyth.
“There’s no point in starting tonight, but as of tomorrow we should get on this,” Naydir said.
Zenyth turned to her brother. “Want to do a bit of spying before work tomorrow?”
“Sure. Let’s take the law firm. There’s a great little tea shop across the street.”
Vaughn turned to Kit. “How do you feel about staking out the last building tomorrow after work? There’s an okay little tea shop around there.”
Kit was caught off guard, but quickly recovered. “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Maybe you should take Cale with you,” Zenyth suggested.
Naydir elbowed her. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Besides, Cale can go with Bryanna and then we’ll have three teams out.”
Zenyth rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. Naydir gave Kit a tense smile before following his sister. He probably thought the same as her, but at least he was being polite.
“Game on!” Cale announced as he jumped out of his chair and took off to the living room.
Kit stayed where she was, staring at the wall. Was this how it was going to be from now on? What could she do to prove that she could handle this? Did she have to catch a Tecken soldier single-handedly?
“So when do you want to meet up tomorrow?” Vaughn asked.
She pulled herself out of the dark mood she was in. The mission was more important than her pride. “How about five-fifteen?”
“Do you know where Tea’d is located?”
She nodded. “I’ll meet you there?”
“Sure.” He gave her a warm smile as he left the kitchen. “See you then.”
Was it the smile that made her feel better? Maybe. Maybe it was the fact that someone was being nice to her instead treating her like she didn’t belong, like Zenyth. Or maybe it was the smile. Vaughn had a nice smile.
When work ended, she couldn’t help feeling nervous, partly because it would be the first time Vaughn and she would be alone and partly because of the fact that this was her first ‘mission’. It was unlikely that they’d find a Tecken soldier right away, but they still had to be careful. She didn’t want to let her guard down and do or say something wrong again. What if she didn’t pay enough attention and missed an important clue? What if she made a mistake and inadvertently caused another war?
Then again, what if she didn’t? What if the team succeeded? What if they discovered Tecken’s base and stopped a war? Maybe she was done with making mistakes. Maybe this time she’d get it right and nothing bad would happen.
She walked out of her work and immediately crashed into a pedestrian.
“Shoot! I’m so sorry,” she said, steadying herself.
“No worries,” the woman said. “I shouldn’t have been walking so fast.”
They went their separate ways and Kit tried not to think about how some people might take that as a sign.
When she arrived at Tea’d, Vaughn was already sitting at a table on the patio. There was a mug in front of him and a plate with a partially eaten cookie. Kit caught his eye and waved to him before going inside the café to get a drink. She wasn’t hungry – she was too anxious to be hungry – but she needed to purchase something.
There were a lot of different tea options, so she asked the server for something calming and left it up to him. After receiving her tea, Kit made her way out to Vaughn.
“Do you have a good view?” he asked in a low voice as she sat down across from him.
“As good as anyone can from here,” she replied.
The cafe was half a block away from the building, which meant that they could see the entrance but not any definite details of the people walking in and out. One floor had a customer service office, one had a research company, and another had a local newspaper. As much as she hated to admit it, nobody would look out of place walking into that building.
“Well, it’s easier for us to spend an hour here rather than at the paint store down the block,” he remarked.
She nodded. “But if we have to, my room could use a new coat of paint.”
“Now that I think of it, the kitchen, too.”
“Maybe the whole house?”
They both laughed. Talking with him was much easier than she’d expected.
“So, how was work today?” he asked.
“Same as most days. Checking calculations, working on models, the usual. How was your day?”
“I snapped a few photos, and then met with a local gallery owner interested in showing some of my work. Some photos and prints will be on sale in their permanent gallery.”
“That’s great.” Kit held the mug up and smelled the tea. It was light and floral and had at least a slight calming effect. She took a drink and glanced at the building. Nothing suspicious yet. “You know, photography’s pretty different from being a soldier.”
“I was always interested in photography, but because of my father I never thought that I’d be anything but a soldier. I guess it’s fortunate that I had something else.”
“So is that why you left? To pursue photography?”
Vaughn paused. “I was... dishonorably discharged.”
The awkward silence that followed was just what Kit feared. Why had she asked him such a personal question?
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t think... I was being stupid.”
“No,” he replied, giving her a half-smile. “It wasn’t anything illegal or embarrassing. I was discharged because I hid my element.”
“What? Why?”
“The Forces aren’t quite as progressive as some people think. As soon as you turn twenty-one you’re moved into advanced training based on your decision. I Accepted, of course, but I didn’t want to be moved into the Fire Team. I wanted to stay in the Basic Team and learn to fight with a weapon, just like my father. My Tattoo is on my hip, so it was easy to hide.”
“But why wouldn’t they let you train with a weapon if that’s what you wanted?”
“Because they want Elementals to be as good as possible with their ‘built-in’ weapon. They think that mixed training would ruin their focus.”
“That sounds stupid.”
Vaughn laughed at her bluntness. “They have a point – it’s just one I didn’t agree with.”
Kit was sorry that she’d brought up the subject. It hadn’t been her intention to go prying into his past.
“I hid my element, too,” she found herself saying. “From my family.”
“You did grow up on Briton, with a Humanist. I’d call that a sensible decision.”
“I only managed to keep it hidden for a few hours before they found out. My step-father was... less than impressed.”
“It was pretty brave of you to Accept, considering the consequences,” he said.
She shook her head. “I wasn’t trying to be brave. I mostly did it because my father had been an Electricity Elemental, and Accepting was a way for me to feel closer to him.” She didn’t like to talk about her father. Thinking of him made her sad and people never knew what to say, so she usually avoided the subject. But she’d made Vaughn confess to something private so it might as well be her turn.
“So how were you discovered?” Vaughn asked. “Did your step-father see you charging your car?”
She laughed. “It was much less impressive. He was going off on one of his rants and I pissed him off. We were yelling at each other and my sleeve shifted and he saw the mark. As much as I wish I had worn something different, I’m glad it’s out in the open and that I don’t have to hide it anymore.”
Vaughn nodded. “Keeping that kind of secret is tough.”
He had no idea. “So how about your discovery? Was it during shower time?” She was trying to be playful, but the moment the words were out of her mouth she realized how inappropriate she sounded and instantly regretted saying it. When he laughed, relief flooded through her.
“Not quite. I was cleaning the floor of the barracks with a toothbrush, so obviously I was having a great day to begin with. I’d gotten into a fight with another soldier and that was my punishment. Being the son of a Major meant that I was punished for any misstep, even if it wasn’t my fault. While I was scrubbing, that soldier came by to taunt me because he didn’t get into any trouble, and I got so angry that I melted the toothbrush and almost set fire to the barracks. He told everyone about it and now I’m here.”
“At least you don’t have to clean floors like that anymore.”
“Yeah, I’d have to say that I don’t miss that part.” He took a drink and glance over at the building. “Do you mind if I ask why you always wear those bracelets?”
Kit looked down at the large black bracelets on each wrist. “I...” She paused. “It’s for my father. I started wearing them when he died and they became a regular part of my wardrobe. I don’t feel dressed without them. Besides,” she held up her wrists, “don’t they make me look cool?”
“Very cool,” he smiled.
He looked at the building again and Kit followed his gaze. A shift must have just ended because a large group was exiting. It was such a random group of people that Kit couldn’t find anyone who stood out. If Tecken had soldiers hidden in that building then they’d just have to wait for a shift to end and slip out with the crowd.
“Anyone could enter or exit that building,” Vaughn commented, echoing her thoughts.
“I guess it’d be too suspicious for us to go in and poke around.” She sighed. “Triton was right. This isn’t going to be easy.”
“I guess we’ll be stuck with each other for longer than we thought.”
She couldn’t help smiling. “I can think of worse things than hanging out with you all. Then again, Zenyth...” The smile fell from her face.
He turned back to her. “She’ll get over it eventually. Someone else will do or say something and she’ll focus on that.”
Kit didn’t reply. She stared down into her tea and tried not to think about how stupid she’d been.
“It is pretty strange, though... Fainting after a vision.”
“It was late...” Kit said, avoiding his gaze. “I was tired. I thought I wasn’t going to get a vision, so it took me by surprise.”
“I understand.”
She looked up from her tea and saw that there was no pity or condescension in his face.
“Just give it time,” he said gently. “It’ll blow over eventually.”
All she could do was nod. She looked over at the building again. If she could ID a Tecken soldier, then she’d prove that she could do some good. The only problem was how? How could she find someone when she didn’t know what to look for?
CHAPTER FIVE
Bryanna held up a dark blue halter top and smiled encouragingly at Kit. Kit pretended to consider the top for a few seconds before shaking her head.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bryanna exclaimed. “This would look great with your hair.”
“I don’t like halter tops,” Kit said. “I feel like they’re trying to choke me.”
Bryanna gave an exaggerated sigh and put the shirt back on the rack. She moved along the aisle of the clothing store they were in, looking through the racks as she talked. “Do you realize how boring your wardrobe is, Kit? You need to wear something that shows more than your arms. You need to show a bit of skin once in a while.”
“That’s not really my style.”
“Then your style is wrong.”
The comment almost made Kit laugh, but the look on Bryanna’s face kept her silent.
“I’m serious,” Bryanna continued. “I mean, look at what you’re wearing.”
Obediently, Kit looked down at her outfit. It was another warm day, so she was wearing a black sleeveless shirt and jeans. Bryanna, on the other hand, was wearing a yellow tank top with jean shorts. Her jean shorts were low on her hips, showing her ever-present Tattoo.
“And?” Kit said.
“Just think about the two of us. Think about what we’re both wearing. Now, think about which one of us is enjoying life more.”
“I don’t think that’s a fair –”
“Kit, seriously!” Bryanna took a dramatic breath. “You are totally repressed! You need to cut loose and have some fun, and that begins with a sexy new wardrobe.”
“I am not repressed!” She was almost offended by the suggestion. She’d agreed to go shopping with Bryanna, not to be psychoanalyzed.
“Your clothes are boring, you rarely go out and have fun when you have free time, you’re too chicken to admit that you’re totally crushing on Vau–”
“I am not!”
“Yes, you are!”
Kit put her head in her hands. “Is it that obvious?”
“Only to someone as skilled as I. If it helps, I’m about eighty percent sure that he’s into you, too.”
“What?”
Bryanna held up a green shirt with a low scoop neck. “Do you think this colour would work on me?”
“Go back to what you said!” Kit demanded. “Do you think he likes me?”
She shrugged. “He’s a hard one to figure out. He could be so nice to you because he’s genuinely a nice guy or because he
totally likes you. You two do go out scouting together a lot. Oh, what do you think of this shirt!”
Kit wanted to press her for more information, but she didn’t. It was true that Vaughn and she had been going out a lot, but that was for ISS purposes. Yes, they talked a lot and they got along really well, but there was nothing romantic about looking for suspects.
Besides, having a normal relationship would be impossible for her. For one thing, she should be using her free time to help the ISS. Also, she’d never be able to be intimate with him as it would involve removing clothing, and she couldn’t risk him seeing her other Tattoos. It would never work between her and Vaughn, no matter how much she wanted it to.
“Seriously, Kit, do you think this colour works on me?” Bryanna gestured to the light blue shirt she was now holding up to her neck.
She crossed her arms. “If you want the opinion of someone who’s totally repressed, yes, it would.”
Bryanna ignored her and put the shirt back. She picked out another green shirt and forced it into Kit’s hands. “You have to try this on. It’s not too revealing, so it should be fine for a prude like you.”
Kit frowned at her.
“I won’t let you leave this store until you try something on,” Bryanna threatened. “And the longer you resist, the more clothes I’ll suggest you try on.”
Realizing that this was a no-win situation, Kit obediently headed to the dressing rooms. When she’d agreed to go to the mall and look for possible Tecken soldiers, she didn’t realize that Bryanna had a different mission in mind. Bryanna had also asked Zenyth to come along, but Zenyth had to work – lucky for her.
Kit thought about stepping into the dressing room and just waiting for two minutes before leaving, but then decided that there would be no harm in trying on the shirt. After making sure that the door was securely locked, Kit changed into the shirt and looked at herself in the mirror. The green looked okay with her hair – not her first choice, but not bad. The sleeves were short, but that wasn’t a problem. The neckline was a little low for her taste, but at least the Tattoos on her back and stomach were covered. Kit came to the conclusion that if it would make Bryanna happy, she’d buy the shirt. Maybe she’d even wear it once in a while.