"Alright squad, turn in your goggles and comms to warrior Targe and head to weapons." Kane orders.

　　His gear is already removed and he exits the arena, done with the equipment test. It was faster and less painful than I expected. We join a group of technicians at the tables packing up. I lean against the table where a row of the new goggles is buried underneath boxes. I slide a pair close while leaning over to add the ones I used to the pile. I tuck the stolen goggles into my cargo pocket then straighten up to remove the rest of my gear. I do a quick scan of the tech team, no one is paying attention to me.

　　"Get me one." Iva`s words vibrate in my ear.

　　He backs out of my personal space. I give him a blank stare. He flicks his eyes to the goggles on the table before settling back on me. Shit, I`m losing my touch. He rolls his eyes and tosses his wavy hair back.

　　"You can keep my multi tool." He says with a smirk patting my right arm pouch where I stashed it. I am losing my touch.

　　"Don`t know what you`re talking about." Denial. It`s all I got. Nothing gets past him, even with his attention split.

　　"We need to check out this gear. Let`s be sure what they`re sending us in with, is what they say it is." He unloads his pockets onto the table top.

　　"All of a sudden we have a mission to track an unknown species. With unknown gear, and an unknown tag along." He gives a slight nod to Cole who`s showing Luce something on her comm.

　　"Protocol is just thrown out the window by an officer who isn`t our commander?"

　　I grab his goggles and pull the same maneuver for another set. It`s weird to find someone else as paranoid as me. Weird but relaxing.

　　"Cover my side." I murmur, and he moves to cover the fullness of my pocket.

　　"Luce." The captain beckons.

　　Luce drops the comm she`s holding. Cole lunges forward to keep it from hitting the hard concrete floor the same time she does. Their hands juggle together before he gets a grip.

　　"Sorry." She whispers in a rush and practically sprints away from him.

　　"Did she just apologize?" Addy asks Fletcher.

　　"Luce? Apologize?" Fletcher chuckles. "No way. Even if she`s wrong, it`s your fault."

　　"Well she just did, and to the new hot guy."

　　 Fletcher grunts and narrows his eyes giving Cole a thorough assessment. I tune them out to listen in on the captain.

　　"You`re with the FNG. I want him training all day and night. Except for shut-eye, you`re his shadow, is that understood?"

　　"Yes captain." Her response is hesitant.

　　"You`re responsible for getting him up to speed on weapons and traps. Work out a schedule around Kane`s combat and formation drills." The captain walks away to join General Targe and Buckler who are listening to Dr. Quinn.

　　"What`s an FNG?" I blurt out interrupting Iva and the tech guys.

　　They laugh. Iva shakes his head at my question before pointing to Cole at the far end of the tables.

　　"That is an FNG. The F-ing New Guy." He elbows my side with a head jerk to the exit.

　　I follow him out and check on Cole. It`s disorienting, seeing him here, outside the academy. It`s only been a little over three weeks since we were together, but it`s different. He`s different. He has the same arrogant stance. But the clouded look in his eyes and the fidget in his hands are new.

　　***

　　Weapons time went by fast. My attention was on Cole as he went through side arm and automatic weapons basics with Luce. He`s got skills. Hitting only kill shots on every target. When Kane and the captain don`t show up for meal time I slip out of the cafeteria. Avoidance is how I survived Cole and I want to be gone before he arrives.

　　"I`ve been itching to get my hands on this new tech." Iva`s pace is fast. Too bad I can`t manage to avoid Iva too.

　　He catches up with me and drags me to the lab. We pass a wall of glass. The trees sway against the dying sun and I sigh out. There goes my chance to release some of this built-up energy before lights out. It`s getting harder and harder to find time to release my power. With Cole around now, it`s like a ticking time bomb is in my chest.

　　Iva enters his security clearance into the touchpad and the door clicks open. I suck in to move around the overcrowded shelves and workstations. It`s worse since the last time. His is the most organized but there`s still only one clean spot and it`s underneath a magnifying lamp. I pull his stolen goggles out of my pocket and place them under the lamp. Adjusting the light, he holds a hand out. I take out the multitool and he snatches it from my fingers.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

　　"Hey, be careful with that, I like my things in proper working order." I say.

　　He tsks and grips it tighter as if that`ll save him from handing it back over later.

　　"Have you had a chance to check yours out?"

　　His fingers are fast and nimble, separating the goggle`s frame from the mechanics inside. I did locate the transmitter for the recording but not how to turn off the vision enhancing display. Since I can`t disconnect it, I`ll have to stash them in my gear and use my modified pair.

　　"Not really. What do you see?"

　　Iva hums in response. A pair of needle nose pliers holds a nano chip in one hand. The other holds a clamp securing wiring so thin it could be a lock of copper hair. Footsteps stop outside the lab door.

　　"Someone`s coming." I move to the door to stall.

　　Beep, beep, beep sounds before light from the hallway filters in with a slow steady heartbeat.

　　"Report warriors." The captain squeezes between me and a workstation to pass. My heart stutters as her small body rubs across mine.

　　"Appears legit." Iva answers.

　　I shake my head clear and follow behind her.

　　"How about the comms?" She moves him over with a bump of her hip. Her fingers are small enough to detach the rest of the tech from the frames quickly.

　　"Haven`t started on those yet." Iva retrieves a comm from a zipper pouch on his wrist device.

　　I quirk an eyebrow up at him. And he gives me a one shoulder shrug in answer.

　　"Huh." The line between the captain`s eyes grows deep as she studies the pieces laid out before her. "Keep at it and let me know if you find anything."

　　Without a word or glance my way she leaves. I watch her go and wonder if she noticed I was here.

　　"What are you expecting to find?" I turn back to Iva.

　　"Bio surveillance, hidden audio, video recorders, nano distributors." He rattles off while using a heating element to dissolve the seal on the comm.

　　I survey the pieces before me. I was only worried about Centrum recording my unnatural movements in the field. I didn`t think about the other ways they could track us. My powers rise up hot and fast with my panic. I grip the edge of the workstation and release a slow shaky breath. Iva`s eyes are exaggerated through the extra strength magnifying glasses he wears. Thankfully, he`s lost to the task.

　　My vision tunnels at the force of my restraint. The edges blur and narrow. Like I`m looking through a telescope, everything is focused and ultra-detailed. I dart my eyes down to the table and catch a soft neon glow coming off the goggle lenses. As soon as I zero in on them, my vision opens up and my power recedes.

　　"Iva." I breathe out hard, I`m winded.

　　"What?"

　　"Did you check the lenses?" I can`t see the glow now.

　　Iva puts down the earpiece and slides them over.

　　"Ho ly shit!" He drawls out and flicks a few buttons on the side of his magnifying glasses. "How the hell did I miss that?" He takes the glasses off.

　　"I`d never have caught the difference without these. What made you think of checking them?"

　　"Uh . . . well...they`re still in the frames. I wasn`t sure if you had already inspected them like everything else." I thank my parents, my ancestors, hell, even my powers for my quick thinking.

　　Iva nods a few times. "Yeah, I guess I shouldn`t have assumed the lenses were disconnected once the wiring was removed."

　　I place the tip of my finger over one lens and for a second it pulses. "Feels, err, does it look weird?"

　　"It reminds me of the goop from the hazmat section of the science lab. The glass, in standard issue goggles, uses a special light to dissipate the moisture from the Mist`s atmosphere. Essentially reducing the glare and interference to expand our vision. These lenses are coated and have a tiny antenna-like transmitter connected to the light mechanism. And I`d bet my multi tool..."

　　"You don`t have a multi tool."

　　He smirks but continues. "This coating is the same substance I believe power the advanced weapons in the vault."

　　"The stuff from the lab is used in the traps and special ammo?" Someone as curious and intelligent as Iva has been sitting on this theory for a while I bet.

　　"I don`t know." He grits his teeth together, shoulders tight as he leans over the workstation.

　　"They won`t let me close enough to find out." He scans the lab before his eyes latch on to mine. "But we have two days to figure it out."

　　His smile is too crooked to be anything good. I need to lie low with Cole and the general around. I sense they`re waiting for me to spring some unseen trap. And with the unusual mission parameters, they plan to catch me soon. I lock onto Iva`s excitement and know he`s right. What choice do I have? I have to sabotage the new tech recording capabilities before we head out on our mission anyway.

　　"Then what are we waiting for?" I hope he has a damn good plan.