"You did so good." Addy pulls hard on my arm and bounds ahead dragging me along.

　　"Well, we think you did. Hard to tell with all the tech issues." Iva adds.

　　"For a minute we thought you teleported. We laughed so hard after. Like that could ever happen." Addy giggles.

　　"Warrior Oren." The commanding voice behind us causes everyone to stop and turn as one.

　　Iva and Fletcher expand next to me like they`re ready for a fight. A tall, thin woman advances on us. She wears a gold metallic administrative badge on her white pant suit. The others step back when she holds out a black note card with Oren written across it in white. I take the card and without a word she turns back the way she came.

　　"A summons." Addy sighs. "Boo. We wanted to hear how you managed not to be shredded by the Flicks."

　　"Easy." Fletcher laughs. "He ran. Didn`t you? It`s your go to move."

　　I turn and glare at him, my mouth open to argue. His eyes light up seeing he got a response out of me. But he`s right. Running away is the only thing I can do under observation. It`s irritating as hell they believe that about me. That I`ll run instead of fight. But it`s safer for everyone. What if I lose control and more than demons are attacked?

　　I snap my mouth shut and turn the card over to see it`s from Buckler. He`s back, though there`s no rush to extract information from him now. Now that I`m stuck here.

　　Fletcher laughs and elbows his twin. "C`mon Ads. Can`t be late."

　　"Don`t forget, it`s the mission room for lunch today." Addy bounces off with the others.

　　I walk faster than I should to the officer`s wing, but the halls are empty, and I`m anxious to meet Buckler. My knock sounds muted against the thick white wooden door.

　　"Come in." The door swings open before I can reach the handle. Buckler smiles up at me and I throw my right fist over my heart in salute.

　　"At ease warrior." He waves me inside and walks back behind his dark mahogany desk. The door clicks, closing us in.

　　"Please have a seat." He gestures to the two black leather chairs positioned in front of his desk.

　　I slide into one and he sits in his own. His desk is chaotic. Papers, cups, pens, tablets, and folders are stacked across every inch. A coin size obsidian rock balances on the corner to my right. Dark wooden cabinets line the walls and I wonder if the insides are just as unkempt.

　　"Congratulations are in order son." His warm voice draws my attention. The corner of his eyes crinkle into deep lines.

　　"You are officially the newest member of the Elite Squad."

　　I clench my jaw to keep the confusion from my face. The summons came minutes after my test. He was watching.

　　"I`m the squad`s direct commander."

　　I nod my head in understanding. His face beams at me with something I`m afraid to define and it`s hard for me to maintain eye contact. Give me accusations and anger, the gleam in his eyes is something I can`t handle. Something proud, proud of me. The leather squeaks from my squirm.

　　"Thank you, sir."

　　"You need to have complete security access now and I promised we`d catch up, didn`t I?"

　　I sigh in relief that he brought up his offer to speak about his relationship with my family. He opens the middle drawer of his desk and hands me a thin silver aluminum card with a six-digit number embossed on it.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

　　"Now, I`ve already activated it. You have forty-five seconds to memorize your security code before it ignites." He nods his chin to the tin card between my fingers. What?

　　"Forty seconds now."

　　I stare at the card repeating the sequence using the notes of a lullaby my mother sang for each number. 355.398. My fingers start to warm up just as Buckler slides a square glass dish in front of me. I drop the tin onto the dish and the center flares into a bright white flame. I meet his eyes once all that remains is ash.

　　"Got it."

　　"Good." He chuckles. "I apologize for staying away so long."

　　"I understand your duties keep you busy, sir."

　　"And I know the captain kept you busy as well."

　　"Yes." I don`t elaborate.

　　My emotions are too chaotic to think about the captain and her test. I`ve had no time to process, but anger rolls around inside, waiting. She preaches about trust but the ease of her misdirection and the way she withholds information burrows deep in my mind.

　　"Something troubling you warrior?" Buckler`s warm brown eyes are steady and I wish I could trust him. I wish I could trust anyone.

　　"No, sir." My entire body is heavy.

　　I`m tired from holding on to hope of going home. Tired from the weight of knowing I won`t. Tired with no rest in sight. I`ve told myself, just one more day, for over ten years. Get through one more day and I can lay down this armor. But now I can never lay it down. It`s wrapped tight around me. The millstone around my neck and Centrum is the ocean I`ve been dropped into.

　　"It`s been . . . a lot. I`m still catching my breath."

　　His smile drops with an exhale and he rubs a scarred hand across his beard.

　　"You and me both." He stares down at his desk, worn. "I`ve come straight from inspecting all four regions."

　　He stands up slow, walks to the wall of windows behind him, and leans heavily against the glass. The golden sunlight shines through revealing heavy streaks of gray in his hair and beard.

　　"Hard to imagine hundreds of warriors will die on a day as beautiful as this. We aren`t infinite and the demons grow bolder and bolder every passing year."

　　He comes back to his desk pulling open the top draw. A silver flask flashes in the sunlight before he lays it on top of a stack of folders.

　　"There`s going to be a vote to move up academy graduations by two years. By this time next year, cadets younger than you will be beyond the walls giving their lives for ours."

　　After the skills I`ve seen from the Elites, no amount of regular academy training and drills will turn the tide. And if our numbers are dwindling this fast, sending warriors with two years less preparation will only speed up the process. What happens when this generation won`t live long enough to create the next?

　　"That`s too soon to send them into the Mist. But politicians seem to think throwing more warriors at the demon horde will somehow make a difference." The veins in his neck bulge and throb with his increasing pulse rate.

　　"How can that be the only option?" I can`t keep my thoughts inside. "It`s time for a new way of dealing with the enemy." My words sound stronger than I`ve ever let them be.

　　"Yes!" He spins around and walks over to me, eyes sparkling with determination that`s infectious. I stand up to meet him.

　　"It`s perfect timing for an Oren to be here. We need the support of pure blooded warrior-born, here in Centrum."

　　I go still. Me? No one wants an Oren`s help. Buckler places a warm hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

　　"You are so much like your father." He gets that faraway stare before sadness turn his eyes a little darker. "He was a great warrior. But you, you are the future son. I`m counting on you to help me keep our race thriving."

　　"Yes sir. I`ll do my best." I reply softly. What else can I say?

　　"Yes, you will. Trust me on that." The smile he gives me alerts my senses.

　　"So sorry I`m late colonel." The captain`s staccato tone makes me step away from Buckler.

　　His face transforms into an officer`s greeting for the captain and she releases her salute before taking the chair beside me.

　　"I guess your assistant was unable to locate me to deliver my summons."

　　"I`ll be sure to take it up with her captain." Buckler settles once more into his chair and I take my seat too.

　　"Don`t be too hard on her." Her voice has turned soft and light. "You know how tricky my stealth skills are. Never know where you might find me."

　　"Indeed, captain."

　　"I take it our newest member has been inducted by our direct commander." The captain turns her body to address me and inform me of Buckler`s connection to the squad at the same time.

　　"Yes, captain." I say.

　　She stares back and whatever message she tries to convey is lost on me. The quick roll of her eyes gives me a glimpse of Nugget. My teeth grind together to keep from telling her to use her words, I`m not Kane.

　　"We`re actually all done captain. Sorry you missed it." Buckler stands, ending our meeting.

　　I stand up irritated about missing another chance to speak with him about my family. But the captain settles further into her chair looking up at Buckler. The silence is awkward. Since I haven`t been dismissed, I wait and endure their staring contest.

　　"Wonderful." The captain draws out breaking the silence. "If Oren is dismissed, we can complete our debrief as scheduled then?"

　　"You are dismissed warrior. Please remember my door is always open to you, and every squad member."

　　His words are for me but his eyes never leave the captain. I salute before turning around to take hurried strides out of there.