“The very same,” Kaiden said nonchalantly, checking his nails “Chief and I took it out ourselves. Pity I couldn’t get any bonus SP for it. Speaking of that, how is the upgrade coming along?”
“I’m working on it, but are you saying that an Asiton Reaver was in the training grounds?”
“Yeah. Advisor Faraji said one of your flunkies probably put it in there as a surprise or something. Tell them to keep it to themselves next time.” Kaiden put his hand down and smiled. “Not that it stopped me.”
“I see. I’ll be sure to do that.” Laurie’s voice was oddly quiet. “So, you and your EI were in the training grounds, you were talking about the Council when he had a momentary glitch, then the Reaver appeared?”
“That about sums it up, with the exception of Chief and I taking it down.”
“Interesting…” Laurie whispered.
“So, can you help?” Kaiden asked.
“What’s that? Oh, yes, just a moment.” Laurie opened a drawer and pulled out an EI pad, switching it on. “Cast your EI into the pad, if you please.”
“You heard the man, Chief.” Kaiden saw Chief’s avatar disappear and reappear on the pad.
“I’m going to run a quick diagnostic, maybe fix a thing or two under the metaphorical hood. It shouldn’t take but a few moments.,”
“Well, last time we talked you said we should have a drink. I’m open.”
Laurie revealed a bottle of cognac and poured them each a drink. They chatted briefly while Laurie worked, and after a half-hour, Chief was back in Kaiden’s oculars.
“That should do it.”
“You feelin’ any better, Chief?”
“Didn’t really know what was wrong in the first place, but I ain’t glitching, so it’s a start.”
“What did you find?” Kaiden asked, finishing off his drink.
“Nothing concrete, but I deleted some unnecessary files and adjusted some of the settings. You shouldn’t notice a significant difference, but it is better to err on the safe side for now.”
Kaiden shrugged. “If that’s all we can do for now, so be it.” Kaiden pushed up from his chair. “This was actually quite pleasant, Laurie. Keep it up, and I may have a more pleasant picture of you.”
“Even more than now?” the professor inquired.
“Certainly,” Kaiden promised. “I’m going to head out and get some lunch, then I gotta pay someone a visit.”
“All right. Well, you take care dear boy, and of course, if you notice anything else suspicious, let me know. Although next time, we may have to go back into the operating theater.”
“I’ll do my best to avoid that if it’s all the same to you. We’re just starting to build a real rapport.” Kaiden gave the professor a wave and left.
Laurie watched the soldier leave and then glanced back at his monitor. He had found something quite interesting in the EI—not something he should bother the boy with yet, but Sasha would probably be interested.
It would appear the Council might have more liaisons than they were aware of, and they had been playing with Laurie’s toys.
Kaiden walked across the plaza of the academy, hearing the birds chirp and the excited chatter of other initiates.
“So, where are we off to now?”
“Like I said, cafeteria, then I gotta go have a talk with someone.”
“Brain cell for your thoughts.”
“My brain cells are currency to you?”
“Just spill it.”
Kaiden folded his hands behind his head, looking up into the mid-afternoon sky. “I was thinking about the Division test and the prizes.”
“I wouldn’t mind a spiffy new look. You owe me for giving me this disco ball looking outfit,” the EI mumbled.
“I’ll be sure to ask for one as a secondary prize, but I want that rank-up.”
“It’s not a guarantee that you’ll get it, even if you take the top spot.”
“Still wouldn’t want to miss out on the chance to get it. Besides, I’m competitive.”
“What do you want it for, anyway?”
“Having a gun again would be nice. I left my old one with Julio back in Seattle, figured it wouldn’t be such a pain to get one here.”
“So you merely want your baby blanket?” Chief questioned wryly.
“The floating melon is going to criticize my choice of accessories?” Kaiden retorted.
“Again, not my choice.”
Kaiden sighed and continued his walk. “Besides, it’s more than the gun. If I got an opportunity to be better, I’m going to take it.” He felt the wind pick up as he approached the cafeteria. “In any case, I’ll need a leg-up if I wanna chance at getting to the top.”
He walked to the cafeteria’s entrance, the doors sliding open as he approached. “And I’ll need fuel before I get there.”
Wulfson was practicing his strikes on a target dummy when he heard the door open and paused. He turned around and grinned as Kaiden took his jacket off.
He looked calmly at the officer. “You still willing to train me?”
Wulfson cocked his head, standing straight and still as he studied him. “Do you want to train?”
“I want to win,” he replied.
The giant smirked, walking up to Kaiden as he placed his jacket on a bench. “It’s a goal to start with,” he said, offering a hand.
Kaiden gave it a firm shake, then Wulfson picked him up and threw him on the mat.
“And we start now.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The rest of the week went by in a blur. Kaiden’s mornings started with breakfast, then training in the Animus until noon, followed by lunch before training with Wulfson—somehow the officer was able to make it count as a foundations class, though he never bothered to ask how he managed that. Thereafter, he returned to the Animus for classes and did extra training of a couple hours. Finally, he had dinner and another session with Wulfson before crashing into his capsule at the end of the night.
He had kept this up for the whole week in preparation for today. The Division test.
His alarm was set to wake him at five o’clock sharp. He’d hoped to get an early lead on the other students, but as it turned out, he was far from the only one with this idea. A large group had already dressed and were leaving by the time he slid out of his capsule. He cursed as he dragged his clothes on and ran out the door.
He stopped by the cafeteria to grab a couple of nutrition bars and a bottle of orange juice and water, downing all of it as he continued his march to the Center. As he headed down the path of the plaza, he noticed a large group of other students heading to another building in the distance.
“Where are all of them going?” he heard an initiate ask.
He heard another reply, “Those are the second- and third-years. Since the AC is packed because of the test, they take the day off. Most of them are going to the observation theater to watch the tests as they happen.”
“Some of them place bets on the first-years, and others go to cheer them on,” a third voice added.
Kaiden ignored them and quickened his pace, pushing past many of the other students. He really didn’t want to sit and wait all day for his turn.
Waiting in the lobby of the Animus Center, it occurred to Kaiden that there were a hell of a lot of students in the first year.
He sighed, reached into his jacket to fish his oculars out of its inner pocket, put them on, and activated them.
“How long do I have to wait, Chief?” he asked groggily.
He saw a schedule appear on the display, showing his position in the queue. “Not much longer now. Maybe a little more than an hour, tops.”
Kaiden groaned, leaned back, and staring at the ceiling. He was ready—even excited. The anticipation for the test had been building throughout the week.
And all that excitement had been reduced to him twiddling his thumbs because he forgot to take a number.
“Hello, Kaiden.”
He looked up. “Chiyo?” he
asked, a little surprised to see her standing before him. “Hey! How have you been?”
She leaned against the wall across from him. “Very well. Getting accustomed to the Academy over the first week was quite easy, certainly more so than I expected.”
“That’s good to hear.” He offered her his chair, but she waved him off. He ran his fingers sheepishly through his hair. “Sorry I haven’t stopped by during breakfast like I thought I would. My days got a bit more hectic.” As he looked off to the side, he noticed a few people down the hall staring at her and whispering to each other. “Those guys from the first night we met haven’t given you a problem, have they?”
“Obviously, it’s not only them,” Chiyo said, brushing some of her long hair behind her ear as she nodded at the gossipers down the hall. “But that was always expected. Don’t fret. Hot air is about all they can muster. They wouldn’t dare try anything more.”
Kaiden huffed, straightening in his chair. “Good to know, I guess.” He tilted his head, fixing her with a curious look. “You take your test yet?”
She shook her head. “Not yet, how about you?”
“I wouldn’t be here people-watching otherwise,” he grumbled. “Been waiting over two hours now. How long do these things take?”
“It depends on the test, but I believe a soldier’s test can be completed in an hour. The time limit is three.”
“Damn, really?” Puzzled, Kaiden scratched his chin as he considered this. “Guess it’s an endurance test along with everything else.”
“Of a sort, although if you believe three hours is a long time in the field, you may be in for a rude awakening.”
“I can handle it,” he said, knocking on the wooden armrest of his chair. “I’ve got plenty of stamina. Plus, I doubt there’s anything they could throw at me that I can’t handle.” He couldn’t resist the impulse to brag.
“I see.” Chiyo looked at his armband for a moment. “Tell me, what have you learned about being in the Ace Class?”
Kaiden gazed at his armband and shrugged. “That I am apparently supposed to be a Swiss Army knife on legs.” He sighed. “They’ve drilled every little survival tip, medical chart, weapon schematic, and all sorts of other things into our heads. If it wasn’t for the soldier’s classes and getting some practice in the Animus, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to fire a gun after the loadout.”
“Do you know why they have you do that?” she asked.
“Well, they want me to have a wide array of abilities, be more than just a gunman.”
“Correct, but do you—”
He raised a hand to stop her. “If you’re asking if I figured out that aces are supposed to be leaders in battle, I’ve come to that conclusion already,” Kaiden stated, shifting his right leg over his left.
“Oh… You are all right with this?”
He shrugged again. “To be honest, I haven’t really thought much about it,” he admitted. “I took the class on a recommendation. I figure I’ll stick with it for now, see where it goes. If nothing else, I can always go into bounty hunter or assassin, something a little more my speed.”
“Are you thinking like this because you don’t feel you fit in?” she asked, her voice lowering as she maintained eye contact.
Kaiden scoffed. “Please, darling, if there’s any class in this Academy that gives me a title that I live up to, it’s Ace.”
“Then does it bore you?”
“It’s not exactly my idea of a good time, but I can see the value. I’ve learned more about mutant anatomy and poisonous flowers in a week than I cared to my entire life. But I still get my time in the Animus and have some outside training to boot, so it’s not so bad.”
“Then why are you contemplating moving on?”
Kaiden moved his oculars down his face to give her a confused look. ”Do you ask me these things because you’re bored?”
She pushed herself off the wall, taking a few steps down the hall before turning to address him. “Of course not, but the last time we talked, you said something that I found…inspired.”
This got his attention. “Really now, I don’t think I’ve ever been paid that compliment.” A smile crept onto his lips. “I could always do with a little praise. What exactly did I say that was so inspired?”
“About how you deal with what life throws at you is how you truly take hold of your fate.”
Kaiden’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Am I supposed to note the irony?”
She crossed her arms. “I know you haven’t made a decision regarding changing your class, but if I may offer a guess as to why you are contemplating a change, it is because the idea of responsibility does not appeal to you.”
“Can’t say that it does,” Kaiden confessed. “I can barely take orders, much less give them, so might as well take a class that I already have a talent for. I would get more out of it.”
“It would also be easier for you.”
Kaiden rolled his eyes. “I enjoy it when our conversations become a fun, sporting round of interrogation,” he jeered.
“Am I wrong?”
“Not really, but to play devil’s advocate, aren’t you doing the same thing? You get here with your hacking skills, and you’re a hacker. Sometimes, you just have a calling, right?”
Chiyo glared at him. Kaiden felt the mood shift and a chill course through him for a moment.
She took a deep breath, exhaling before she spoke. “My goal in life was not to be a hacker. I had another hope, but it was…complicated by the feelings and actions of others. So I decided to find a new path.”
“You gave up?” he asked.
She glared at him again, and he held up his hands. “I don’t mean to knock you, but you’ve struck me as someone with a plan. You had it all figured out and whatnot. I’m just surprised to hear you decided not to go after whatever this goal of yours was.”
She looked away, lowering her eyes. “Like I said, it was…for the better in the long run. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I realize that perhaps I’ve never truly known what I wanted.” She looked back at him, a renewed determination in her eyes. “That is the difference between us, Kaiden. I am trying to make a new path using the abilities I have acquired. I wanted you to know that I feel you should do the same. There are many ways to be a leader, and I think you have the potential to be a great one.”
Kaiden now sat up in his chair, his mouth slightly agape. He was silent for a moment before his smile returned and he pushed his glasses back over his eyes. “Well, the mood certainly changed quickly.” He leaned back against the chair, forcing himself to relax. “I keep hearing people talk about my potential. It’s a new concept for me. Growing up in the life I had, you either did, or you died. Thinking about what you could be…that kinda had the same meaning as an imaginary friend.”
Chiyo looked up to the ceiling, watching all the students on the upper floors of the Center with a faraway look.
“Maybe an imaginary friend is silly to other people…but I’m sure it meant a lot to the person who dreamt them up.”
Kaiden laughed. “Well, look who’s being all inspirational now.”
She gazed at him, a small smile on her face.
“Hello, friends,” a muffled voice called.
The two turned to Geno who walked down the hall toward them, greeting them with an exuberant wave.
“Good morning, Geno,” Chiyo responded.
“You know him too?” Kaiden asked.
“We met at the library one evening and have seen each other there almost every night since.”
Geno stopped just short of the two and looked at Kaiden. “Yes, Chiyo and I have exchanged many fascinating notes and articles on various subjects. She has also helped me add more words and slang to my translator.” He placed a hand across his chest. “I now know what a ‘howdy’ is.”
“Oh, good, progress.” Kaiden chuckled.
“Have you taken the Engineer’s test yet, Geno?” she asked.
“N
ot yet. I am next in the queue.” He rubbed his webbed hands together. “How exciting. I have yet to test my skills since I arrived on your planet.”
“You still got the blues over your class?” Kaiden inquired.
“I am more a pale purple color than blue,” Geno noted with a slight frown.
Kaiden exchanged a quick glance with Chiyo, who shrugged. “He’s learning slowly, but keep the idioms and hyperbole to a minimum.”
He looked back at the alien and tapped his armband. “Are you still conflicted about your class?”
Geno shook his head. “Not as much, not since our discussion. I do wonder what sort of hysteria will greet me upon my return home, but I also agree that it is a unique opportunity for me. I am interested in seeing where it leads.”
Chiyo flashed Kaiden a look full of meaning. “I believe he understands the potential in something new.”
He twirled his finger around in the air. “Hooray for metaphors.”
“Will you be taking a test with a mixed group or only Tsuna?” Chiyo asked.
“There aren’t enough Tsuna in the Engineering Division for a proper test, so it will be mixed.” He looked around the room, his expression an amusing mix of curiosity and excitement. “I am interested to see the results. I have met some nice humans in Engineering during the last few days, but I still look forward to beating them.”
“Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition. Besides, that’s half of what this is about if you think about it,” Kaiden commented.
Geno nodded. “Yes, it is as you said before. I do wish to show others what my people can do—what I can do.”
“Well then, when you get out there, show— Hey, man, your…uh, pants are shaking.”
Geno looked down and unlocked the compartment on his pant leg, taking out a tablet and swiping along the screen. “It seems my test will begin shortly. I must head to my hall. I wish you both well in your tests.”
“Good luck, Geno,” Chiyo said with a wave.
“Break a— Do your best,” Kaiden caught himself in time to avoid confusion.
Animus Boxed Set 1 (Books 1-4): Initiate, Co-Op, Death Match, Advance Page 22
