"I think...I`m gonna puke." Fletcher sounds ragged behind me.

　　"Slow down one more step, and you earn your squad another ten laps." Kane warns from the head of our trail run.

　　"You better swallow it, Fletcher. Don`t make me kill you." Luce grits out towards the back by the captain.

　　Kane`s laugh sounds loud a deep. It feels weird to be at the front of a drill when I`m used to hiding in the back. The squad is too focused on finishing our run without throwing up last night`s whiskey to pay any attention to me. But I still feel exposed.

　　The captain took one look at her squad this morning and immediately added ten extra laps. I get it. We need to be ready to go at a moment`s notice. Even if I`d continued drinking with them my body would have burned through the liquor well before morning. But they are hurting. We break out from the trees and head back to the building steps.

　　"Clean up Elites. You better pull it together in mixed company, understood?" The captain`s voice is hard, her eyes blazing bright green.

　　Everyone is bent over, swaying or leaning on each other. A sweaty, messy jumble desperately trying to catch their breath and stay upright.

　　"You heard the captain, dismissed!" Kane booms with a big smile when everyone holds their head and moans.

　　"Carry me." Addy slams her body to my side and gasps for air.

　　Her blond hair is sticking to her face and neck. Her face is beat red and her normal bright eyes look bloodshot behind heavy, half open lids. Before I can answer Fletcher starts hacking up into the bushes. This causes a chain reaction, breaking me free from Addy. I`m out of here. I use some extra speed to escape the stench of the squad`s whiskey exodus.

　　I don`t have to hurry to get back to the barracks before the squad. They`re in no shape to try anything. And after last night, I`m wondering if Edna was right. Things are not like they were in my region. No one has gone out of their way to make comments about me or my family or treated me different. I can`t shake the feeling it`s the calm before the storm, some kind of tactic to lull me into a false sense of security. My suspicious mind is what keeps me one step ahead.

　　I keep General Targe`s threat from the banquet dinner always on my mind. Two gates have been sabotaged and I`m the common factor. Plus, there wasn`t a position open for the squad. Someone wants me here for a reason. I`ll stay vigilant. But this morning, with the squad occupied, I allow myself a nice long hot shower. The water is soothing and works to relieve the tension. Before long the steam starts to stifle. Cold, fast showers are what I know. I turn the water cooler and finish up.

　　The halls are quiet. Most officers and staff eat at the same time and it`s the perfect opportunity to investigate. Instead of exploring Centrum Building or the library, I head to breakfast. The captain made it clear meals are part of my assigned schedule so I`ll sneak out of the barracks after lights out. I`m used to going without sleep and I`m anxious to check out the rest of the family histories in the library. Maybe mine isn`t the only one missing.

　　I enter the busy cafeteria. Kane and the captain sit by the back window. No sign of the rest of the squad. He motions for me to come over. I weave between the servers and give a salute to the captain. She quickly nods her head and I stand at ease.

　　"Warrior, where is the rest of your team?" She says.

　　"I left them at the steps. I`m sure they`ll be here soon because we eat every meal together, right captain?" I cringe at my sarcastic tone and attitude at having to be here when they aren`t.

　　Why can`t I keep from baiting her? Kane`s eyes move between the captain and me. I face forward and watch the beads of sweat roll down the sides of a water glass. He kicks a chair out for me to sit and I slide into the seat and stiffly wait for a server to take my breakfast request.

　　"It`s odd that as the initiate, you`re the only one that seemed to escape the effects of last night`s tradition." She looks up from her half-eaten plate of eggs and toast.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

　　"Tradition?"

　　I thought they had singled me out. I was sure their plan was to get me drunk and leave me in a dangerous, painful position or somewhere I`d be reprimanded and kicked out for. It`s only thanks to my powers that I outlasted them to escape last night.

　　"How long have the Elites been doing first night bonding over rot gut whiskey, Kane?" The captain pushes her plate away, drawing her coffee closer.

　　She wraps both small hands around the cup and lifts it up to her face, taking a deep inhale. Her lips quirk up at the corners. Her eyes shutter closed and the lines between them ease. She looks soft. It`s a good look on her.

　　"Since before you or me." Kane mumbles through a forkful of fluffy eggs.

　　"What did you think of your first day?" She says.

　　Yesterday`s events flip through my mind but the one thing I keep coming back to is the persistent, uneasy thought that Centrum has secrets. The intel about a possible hierarchy among demons is not taught at the academies. And the trap technology is not shared with the warriors at the front lines.

　　"It`s been eye opening. I`m looking forward to learning more about the technology you use."

　　"What about it?" Her eyes dart across the cafeteria, searching. Kane continues shoveling food in.

　　"Why isn`t it deployed to the guard?"

　　"Hmm." The captain hums in response still surveying the room.

　　She looks to Kane and something passes between them. It`s more of that silent communication they do, then she slides her chair back to stand up still gripping her coffee.

　　"Oren, stay with your squad when they get here. Make sure they get to the mission room on time."

　　I open my mouth and then snap it closed. One of her pointed brows lifts in question at my silent struggle.

　　"We watch out for each other and pick up the slack when needed." She says.

　　"Yes, captain."

　　My response is fast even if this is the worst thing I`ve ever heard. I can`t be responsible for them and don`t want them to feel responsible for me. To watch for me, especially my whereabouts? This isn`t good.

　　Kane goes back to his food. I guess I`m not getting an answer to my question about the traps. I sit in silence willing my oatmeal to arrive. He clears his throat and pushes his empty plate away.

　　"As an Elite, you will be privy to some of Centrum`s most classified information. It`s our duty to make sure it remains classified." His eyes bore into me as my mind races to catch what he`s telling me. He sighs when he doesn`t see what he wants.

　　"It means, be careful what you question and who you share those questions with."

　　I swallow hard and nod once.

　　"Remember what the captain said, we watch out for each other. Trust your squad." He stands from the table.

　　"Yes, sir."

　　"No. Don`t call me sir." His brows lower. "Just Kane."

　　"Right."

　　I push back against my chair, more distance seems safer. He sighs again, and walks away. How he`s able to communicate complete thoughts in a single sigh or grunt is a talent. The chair beside me squeaks against the tiled floor as it`s pulled out. Fletcher dumps himself into it, hair still wet from his shower.

　　"Oh God, I need a Fletcher`s special stat." He pants.

　　As if the servers knew, a mound of steaming hot cheesy breakfast is placed in front of him. His hand is slow to grasp a fork. He plunges it into the mound of food and shovels a massive bite into his mouth. The rest of the squad slide into the other chairs managing to subdue their hangover fidgets and shakes. To the surrounding officers and personnel, the squad looks normal. I have to hand it to them. They cover up their misery well.

　　"How are you not hurting?" Luce accuses through the thin slits of her eyes.

　　"I didn`t drink as much." I shrug one shoulder like it`s no big deal. "Fletcher switched bottles with me after his got knocked to the floor. Most of it had spilled out."

　　Luce turns her sneer to Fletcher. But the rest look too miserable to spend energy on hating him. The servers come over with trays of food, and we eat in comfortable silence. I actually enjoy breakfast this time. It`s quiet as they focus on keeping their food down instead of me. Since I have to stay with them, I slow down and try out the different oatmeal toppings one at a time. I like the subtle sweetness of honey over sugar and extra milk to make it creamy. After breakfast and lots of coffee, the squad bounces back quick.

　　***

　　"Addy will work with you during specialty training. This afternoon you`ll shadow her during the combat exercise." The captain is all business as we sit around the mission room table. It`s hard to see Nugget when she`s like this.

　　"She`ll walk you through her role and you will not leave her side."

　　I nod in understanding.

　　"As the squad`s scout, Addy explores the combat area, obtains information about terrain, and maps the mission objective route. She`ll call out enemy positions as she comes across them."

　　Addy claps her hands and bounces in her seat. Her eyes and smile widened when I`m caught smiling back. I cover my mouth, pretending to scratch my upper lip. Never let them see your emotions. I look back to the captain as she continues.

　　The truth is, I`m excited to see what Addy can do. She has too much energy to be stealthy enough for a scout position. Except she managed it yesterday and now I get to find out how. I need to stay hidden from the nation`s top scout if I`m going to be sneaking around Centrum every night.