12 = *32*

  Governs the body and internal fortitude.

  Organelles: 9

  Cost: 40

  (+MP 40)

  8x Artisan

  Skin Mod: Armor Plates: x 10

  Cost: 5

  (+TOU 5)

  1x Artisan

  I had just the right amount of time to scan his stats, “Holy crap,” I muttered. “That’s…”

  Anders winked at Casey. “I know you like what you see,” he said. Then asked, “Do you?”

  He really was way up there. Artisan? I’d never met anyone with those kinds of mods before.

  When his eyes drifted back to mine, he noted where I looked, the large plate scales adorning his sides. Deftly he ran a finger over one. “I went for an extra special adaptation to my skin upgrade. Technically I’ve gone for doitsu scaling, as Techean,” he said. “So yes, a little unusual. My scales are larger, more like—”

  “Plate armor,” I stated in awe. “Tier five at least, right?”

  “Yes, my skin augmentation is classed as Artisan. Made from some of the strongest material we have in the oceans.” The oceans, not Artem. That was interesting. He grinned at me, but again it seemed a little fake. Techean were odd I decided. Odd or just really reserved, I couldn’t quite tell. “What would you like to drink, airman?”

  “I just turned eighteen,” I said. “I’m not used to alcohol. Anything fizzy with a pop would be wonderful.”

  “And your best burgers, please,” Casey added.

  Real burgers, no, they’d still be fake for sure. My stomach actually growled. “Yeah, I would like food, too.”

  “Usual for you both?” Anders asked and glanced between Trevor and Casey.

  “Yes, please. Our usual table too. The others might be in sometime later. Just so you know, it’s all on me.”

  Anders’s face paled. There was emotion there, but he hid it very well. This was something that obviously didn’t happen very often. “You got it, anything you need.” His gills shifted at the side of his neck. “Anything at all, just ask. I’ll have the others available if I’m serving; you’ll not be left alone, I promise.”

  “Thanks, man,” Trevor said he leaned over the bar, and they shook hands then clasped arms. I saw their exchange, and they never spoke a word. Either he said it internally or he didn’t need to. “Appreciate you more than you know,” Trevor said and let go of him.

  “Back at you, papa bear,” he said. “I’ll be over with the drinks in a minute, food will be about twenty.”

  Trevor and Casey moved away and led me through a winding little alley of water and walkways to a secluded area in the far corner. It overlooked the ocean, and holy hell, I’d never seen anything as beautiful.

  24

  I took a seat and stared out at the horizon. The sun had almost gone now, its last rays flickering across the lapping waters as it moved around and beneath us.

  Casey sat next to me and leaned forward, also taking the view in. “Never gets old,” she said. “No matter how many times we see it.”

  “I can’t imagine it would,” I replied with all honesty.

  “Ehh, you do get used to it to some degree, but on days like today, it makes you realize how beautiful and yet how cruel the world can be.”

  There was a slight swell to the water running up the side of our table and then Anders appeared, sliding a tray before us. “I’ll be back soon as I can with your food.”

  “Thanks,” I said along with the others. I picked up my drink and took a sip. It was exactly what I asked for. Fizzy with a pop. Maybe something made with ginger? I had no clue, but it was just what I needed, and it settled my stomach as well. I glanced at Casey. “How did he know?” I asked.

  “Magic,” she said and sipped at hers. “He’s part of the furniture around here, runs all the bars, but he’s also the best. The best because he can read us; he’ll be here anytime you need. Seriously, the guy never leaves the bar. I’m sure.”

  “I knew a few barmen like that back at home I used to go with Tsomak, my stepdad, now and then,” I said. “Though I never drank any ale.”

  “Nasty habit,” Trevor said and took a swig of his beer. “Truly.”

  “Most of the drinks here don’t contain alcohol,” Casey added to his rolling eyes. “We’re usually on duty, or just off duty with duty the next day. It’s very rare we actually get anything lethal.”

  “Oh. All the whiskey?”

  “The trade of legitimate alcoholic bottles is just that, a barter system. We’ll bet, or trade for information, or fun. Maybe at some point we’ll open it, but like Casey said, that’s pretty rare. Tomorrow would be one of the few occasions we’d actually open a bottle, after the news goes out. But it would be for a toast, nothing more. We know how that goes down if we’re at any way off duty. You guarantee some real shit would hit the fan.”

  It wasn’t much longer till I got my burger, and I listened to Casey and Trevor talk about the day while I ate.

  Seriously, my stomach growled at every bite. The juicy meat was so soft and tender, the flavor enticing me to keep eating more and more. I wanted another already, and I hadn’t even finished the first.

  They talked about a lot of details I’d not thought about, like what they were doing before they got the call to come for us. I knew I wasn’t cleared for this kind of information, and Casey shot me a look at one part in their chatter. I lowered my head into my food.

  Trevor frowned. “Sorry,” he said to her, taking her hand in his and interlacing his fingers. “I’m a little over liberal with things meant for our ears only.”

  “It won’t be repeated anywhere,” I mumbled, my mouth still full of burger. “Any of this, unless I have express permission.”

  Trevor dipped his head at me. “Wouldn’t have let you in here if I didn’t think we couldn’t trust you.”

  “It wasn’t easy listening to your story earlier, either,” Casey said. “But you really did well. As you learn through training, you’ll see what and how you might have said things differently, but don’t let that ever put you off being honest, or change who you are. You gave amazing detail.”

  “You mean I’ll learn to be less wordy,” I said. Then blatantly lied as well, knowing full well I never spoke about the voice in my head. That made me think I was just a little bit more than crazy right now. “I did retell every tiny detail.”

  “Those details might be something they need later, which is why I said never change. Last thing you want through the night is a callback or a question.”

  It wasn’t much longer before the others joined us. Anders went immediately to serve them, bypassing another barman to do so. The other man didn’t look chastised, though. He moved to the other side, clearing plates and glasses.

  They had solemn faces when they sat down with us.

  Joe sat near me. The whole group was, at first, very low in tone and emotion. They talked openly about their brief with OOF leads, and that shocked me till Casey leaned in and said, “Protected area. No one else can hear in, and Anders is sworn if he hears anything, they all are. None of this would ever be repeated. Every one of the staff here can never utter a word of our missions.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “You doing okay?” Joe asked when Casey turned back to Trevor.

  “Tired,” I admitted.

  “Food will do that,” he said. “I’ll walk you back if you like.”

  “One more drink,” I pleaded, really not wanting to be on my own in a strange bunk. “Please.”

  I stayed because I knew this really was a one-off opportunity to see how a unit gelled after such a hard day, and I needed the company. The idea of being alone in a room or bed did not fill me with any nice feelings at all.

  Joe nudged me quite some time later. “I’m taking you back now,” he said. “Come on.”

  Reluctantly, I stood and followed him, bidding the others good night with just a wave.

  We didn’t talk much on the way back, and this time, we did jump in a vehicle. I knew the bus was the last one that Trevor had mentioned earlier. In the end, I just presumed Joe had asked it to come meet us.

  Back at their sector’s quarters, he pointed to a door. “You’re in here for tonight,” he said. “Spare bunk. We took the liberty of putting your bag on the bed earlier.”

  “Thanks.”

  He turned to leave. “Night, kid.”

  Kid…I didn’t want anyone to think of me like a kid anymore. What the hell did I need to do to show I wasn’t, grow a beard?

  No, I patted my rounded stomach. I needed to pack on the weight and grow, in all ways.

  ***

  I did sleep, and I slept without any nightmares or dreams. I was exhausted. The week, the day, everything hit me, and I was out like a light.

  It was a comms call that woke me the next morning. I answered it, a little groggy, without even looking. “Hello?”

  “Rusty,” Niko said. “We’ve a base wide announcement in an hour?”

  “Yeah,” I said, and the previous day’s events hit me in the face again.

  “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

  I couldn’t answer.

  “Fuck,” Niko said. “Fuuckk.”

  “Please don’t say anything to anyone,” I said.

  “I won’t,” he replied, his voice cracked and low.

  Silence stretched for what seemed like a small age.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “No,” I admitted.

  “Will you be okay?”

  “Yes,” I said with a little more resolve than I felt.

  “Good, I needed to hear that.” He sighed. “Rusty, I’m here if you need me, got it?”

  “I just need to get through today,” I replied. “Back to training. Then I’ll be here with you soon.”

  “Don’t let anything anyone says get to you afterwards,” he said.

  “Yeah,” I replied. “I’m sure the whole base is going to be wild with speculation before I actually arrive there.”

  “Prove them full of shit,” he said.

  “I plan on it,” I replied, the talk with Joe reverberating around my mind. It might not have been directed at me, but I’d make that my mantra. Make that difference, Joe. Promise me. Work your fucking ass off and you make that difference.

  I didn’t want anyone else to die on my watch, not ever.

  “Gotta run,” Niko said. “First training is still ongoing. We’re waiting on the announcement.”

  “Later,” I said and hung up.

  I dressed in my clothes and met the others in their recreational room. We had a light breakfast and then walked together to the auditorium where we were asked to go.

  There was no one else in the room yet, and a young woman moved us into place at the front of a large podium.

  Casey’s eyes were full of tears, but she still showed me how to stand and took my side. There we stood, not even for a minute, when the doors opened once again, and the room started to fill. There were faces and uniforms I’d never seen. Casey leaned into me and said, “Squadron staff and leaders from the four main sections on the base, three for helos and one for other craft, air and sea. The two rows at the back are for the four sectors’ leaders.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered back to the dip of her head.

  When everyone was seated, a door to our side opened, and Major General Roberts and Colonel Maitof stepped inside. Their dress was not what they wore the day before for our meeting. I didn’t know or understand how this base ran, but the pair never seemed to be out of each other’s breathing distance. Major General Roberts took the podium with Colonel Maitof by his side. He put his hands on either side of the podium’s small square top and spoke clearly.

  “I am sure there have been a few rumors spread the moment this announcement went out over the net. Please disregard all of them.” I didn’t need to see his demeanor change; I understood it with his pause. “It is with great sadness I have to inform you of the untimely passing of one of our own. Chief Easton Kuri.”

  The whole room erupted in shock.

  Major General Roberts held up a finger and the room quieted. A flash caught my eyes, and I looked behind me for a moment to see a picture flash up. Chief Kuri in his full uniform, medals and all.

  He had a lot of medals.

  What the fuck had gone so wrong? Why…

  I turned back to hear the Major Generals’s words. “Chief Kuri and a new recruit, Airman Korolyov, while out on his shakedown flight were called to investigate what seemed to be a simple task out on the west border of the dam. There, they encountered a highly hormonal pack of skellies. They fought valiantly, but Chief Kuri took a full strike to the chest and abdomen. Airman Korolyov did everything in his power to try to save Kuri’s life, and our Black Bears were there in minutes to rush them to Rise hospital. The surgeons there also did everything they could for him, but he passed on the operating table a short time later.”

  Silence befell the room once more while the news sank in slightly. Taking a drink of water, he spoke again. “There will be no more training or missions out today. Take the time to reflect, to be around those you care for. There will be a private funeral for his family on the thirtieth. Per his wishes, though, I am to ask you to keep your duties. We will pause for three minutes at noon to reflect on his passing. He knew, and instilled in us all, that there is no greater honor that you can do for him than what you do every day you’re out there, protecting Artem, our lands, our people.”

  He wanted everyone on the base to just carry on as usual? I tried to catch Casey’s eyes, but she stared ahead, stoic and unmoving. They all held such poise, such command. I turned to see Trevor, and his eyes did catch mine for a brief moment.

  “As with any major loss,” Major General Roberts continued, “we pull together as one. We mourn as one. Our teams of professionals are at your disposal. If you wish to speak with them, please just ask. No one is alone right now. My door”—he waved to Colonel Maitof—”and the colonel’s are open. If you need us, knock.”

  I could hear crying in the auditorium, and my own eyes filled with tears.

  Who is he?

  Why are the skellies so hormonal?

  What really happened?

  People were wondering who I was, but my name had been spoken. It was sealed with the death of one of their own for the rest of my life.

  Now I had to deal with it, all of it.

  25

  Lieutenant General Michaels made his way over to me after the announcement was over. The room had already emptied. We were the only ones left. The Black Bears hadn’t moved for a reason. I knew I wouldn’t get much time after the announcement before I had to leave.

  “Lieutenant general.”

  “Come with me,” he said and indicated I walk with him.

  I fell in beside him, knowing the team’s eyes were on me.

  “A car will be waiting for you outside the barracks in an hour,” he said.

  “Fast,” I replied.

  “You have a lot to do, Ruslan,” he said.

  I lowered my head. “I—I don’t know if I can.”

  Lieutenant General Michaels touched the side of his face, and I saw his tech light the room. “No one will hear us now. I need you to listen to me.”

  I was getting very good at just nodding at these people. This time I stood up straight and looked him in the eyes. “Sir.”

  “I can’t talk to you about what we’ve done or what you have. Understand that first.”

  “I do,” I replied.

  “Tsomak Koloity is more than a brother to me. Understand that second.”

  The blue glow that was on the side of his face as his tech kept us in full privacy intrigued me. That wasn’t just tech; that was magic, too. Mana.

  “I do,” I said again.

  “Chief Kuri was a father to all of us. Everyone is grieving. Whatever happens from here, don’t forget that. Grief does weird things to people.”

  I lowered my head.

  “Ruslan, that includes you. You made a friend in here: Niko.”

  “Sir.” My eyes widened.

  “I know you and him spoke. I already talked with Niko this morning.”

  Fuck, I’d gotten him into trouble. What would happen? Had I ruined everything? My heart raced.

  “Calm down. You need a friend. I’ve just made sure that what Niko learns through you is fully classified, and he cannot talk to anyone else.”

  I let out a breath. “I like him.”

  “Yes, and he you. That much is clear. He only wanted to protect you,” Michaels said. “Offered to walk away from training, too.”

  “What?”

  The lieutenant general laughed softly. “You are going to be great friends. More than friends. Family. Just know, he has your back and he’s been sanctioned by me.”

  I felt my legs wobble; these last few days had been so intense.

  “Ruslan. I trust Tsomak, he’s one of my best men, and I’ve put our trust in you. You don’t understand any of this yet, but you will when the time is right.”

  “I want to understand it all now, sir.”

  “I know, you’re not ready. I will do everything in my power to support you. You will come up against others who won’t, who will want nothing more than for you to fail, spectacularly.”

  “I don’t think I can do this,” I admitted again.

  “Yes, yes you can,” Michaels said. “You know why?”

  I shook my head.

  “Because you had two of the very best parents out there and one of the best step-fathers, too.”

  “I miss them.”

  “I know. I’m watching them, too. We have eyes on the inside of the facility that’s taken them on. There was nothing I could do to interfere with that. I need Tsomak there.”

  Need? Now I had even more questions. “He’s undercover?”

  Michaels nodded, full admittance there. “Very undercover, and he has been since his injury.”

  “It wasn’t an injury, was it?” I asked. “All of this, us getting kicked out of our home, was planned?”

  “Yes and no; it gave us an opportunity we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”