Newer World Order

Chapter 9: Stepping it up a Notch

"It's so quiet here," Miko's father said, keeping his voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the silence.

Arcee glanced around the picnic table. Jack sat on her left, Miko and both sets of parents sat across from them, and Jack's mom was to her right. Raf was somewhere else, with his family, and Roz had wanted to spend the night with her husband and son on the base. The poor kids would probably need years of counseling after what they'd gone through.

"After being surrounded by gunfire and explosions for so long," Daisuke continued, "being flooded with adrenaline, being so frightened for so long ... and now there's nothing happening and we're just sitting here. It's taking some time to adjust to."

Natsumi reached over to put her hand on his, and Miko nodded.

"Yeah. It's like watching porn after you come."

Natsumi snickered and Roderick burst out laughing around a mouthful of cheeseburger. He clamped his hand over his mouth to keep it from ending up on the table. Camille stared at Miko as if she'd just farted, and Daisuke gaped at her.

"Uh ... sure. Yes. Exactly like that." He shook his head, glanced around at everyone, and rolled his eyes. Arcee tried not to laugh.

I think that's the most emotion he's shown since they arrived a couple weeks ago.

"Hey, guys." Jensen's voice. Arcee glanced up and found him and Khalilah's mini-me walking over to the table on the left. "How're things?"

"We're glad to have some peace and quiet after everything that's happened today." June took a sip of her Sunny D as Jensen lowered himself onto the bench and slid his crutches under the table. "Khalilah, I hope your repairs are finished. Whatever they hit you with, it looked nasty."

"Thanks. I'll be okay. Ratchet and Knockout removed the damaged parts before that crap melted through something I can't live without. They replaced the destroyed parts and now I'm in the repair bay, just letting my autorepair systems finish the job. Should be back on my feet by morning."

"Glad to hear it."

"So was I." Jensen slipped his arm around Khalilah's waist and she leaned closer to him. "I can't even remember the last time I was that scared."

"Well, we're all glad you're still with us." Miko smiled. "Has anyone figured out what that stuff was?"

"Our labs are still working on it," Jensen said. "If our software experts can crack the encryption on those servers and find the formula, one of the labs will be able to develop a counteragent. At least, I hope so."

"Me, too." Arcee stared at the darkness outside the floodlights illuminating the picnic area, and tried not to think about the way Khalilah screamed after being hit by that shell. If they can't, it'll be bad news for us the next time we tangle with MECH. She kept the thought to herself. Everyone else had enough on their minds, already.

"Not that anyone else had an easy time of it," Khalilah said. "Before I joined you, I'd almost forgotten what it's like not to be in mortal danger every day, but for someone who's never experienced combat, it must've been horrible."

"Especially kids like Bobby and some of Raf's younger siblings." Jack shrugged. "When I first got caught up in all this, I didn't want anything to do with it. But I got used to it after a while, so hopefully some of these kids will be able to adjust."

Daisuke flicked a glance at Miko and then turned to Natsumi. "Speaking of traumatic experiences, be thankful you weren't there to see how Miko got us out of our cells."