AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

16.2 ZURI

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Thieron and Nala check out a new target and realize that Etrie's team was trailing the same target. 

---- Xan is a student at the Pristine School. He attends Cello classes at the same academy as his best friend Vaughn. Xan is preparing for the mandatory Eligibility Test that he must take once he turns sixteen. Xan has a small party on his birthday. Xan feels like he is being constantly watched. Xan takes his Eligibility Test and does well. He gets his Medicine Administration done. Xan feels sick and at his party, he faints.

---- Zuri is back at her hometown. She tells Alex why it's important to do well at school - so that they can both live at Innermost and bring their parents there too. 

✽✽✽

****16.2 - Zuri****

That night after dinner and after their parents had gone to bed, Zuri and Alex sneaked out to meet her friends. They had visited her at home that evening, but they had fun sneaking out in the middle of the night and sharing the fizzy blue drinks.

Omar, Chet, Anne, and Amyas were already there when Zuri and Alex ran to the playground.

"Hey!" Amyas called out.

"Guess who's coming tonight?" Anne sounded excited. Zuri was already there, so it had to be him if Anne was that excited.

"Cool," Alex replied, understanding.

"You really shouldn't be here," Omar told Alex but hugged her brother anyway.

The six of them shared new stories as they waited for Ahi. When he arrived an hour later, the whole dynamics of the group changed. He was the unannounced leader, and all the attention gravitated towards him. Anne was easily the most excited to see him. And, Ahi's focus was on Zuri.

The conversation put Ahi into the spotlight, and he talked about his studies and the blast at the Institute. As soon as Zuri had seen the news, she had called him to make sure he was out of danger. Hearing that he hadn't been there that day, she had been relieved. 

  Alex was playing by the swings when Amyas said, "We have fewer bottles this time."

"You're still getting those?" Ahi seemed genuinely surprised. "When will you stop?"

"Probably...never." Chet grinned and looked back to make sure Alex wasn't within earshot.

Ahi sighed, shaking his head in disapproval.

"We have twelve. Each of us gets two." Amyas said, opening his backpack.

"I don't need it," Ahi said.

"Oh, yes, of course... I forgot." Chet said. "That'll make..."

"I don't want them either." Anne blurted, interrupting Chet.

"When did you change?" Omar asked frowning.

Zuri knew it was only because of Ahi's presence. Anne laughed and blushed more as she caught Zuri's smirk.