Chapter 8
When the ship got back to base Jäger and Mia rushed Cole and Adam to the infirmary. Then they went to there room. There they found Jillian setting up some sort of makeshift lab.
"Guess you're really embracing the whole scientist thing huh?" Mia said.
"Yep." Jillian said with goggles on messing with something.
"I thought she wasn't that smart." Jäger whispered to Mia.
"That's a stereotype!" Mia snapped back.
Jäger looked at her quizzically. "How is that a stereotype? I picked it up knowing her."
"Oh." Mia said. "Dumb blonde stereotypes. No, Jillian's brain I guess is geared toward science. She doesn't seem smart, but she is in science."
"Oh." Jäger said.
Then Reddit burst in. Jillian dropped a tool and jumped. "What the heck did you think you were doing!?" Reddit ordered.
"Be more specific." Mia responded.
"Jäger!" Reddit said. "You and Cole and Adam disobeyed orders!"
"You always say complete the mission however you can." Jäger responded.
"With obeying orders!" Reddit said. "You're like Adam always failing! You're a bunch of kids!"
"Well. If I were archer and Cole were Knave I can tell you, the mission would have been a bloody epic fail. So stop getting on my hide bloke! Gosh! I can see how Adam got annoyed of you! Ya nasty bugger-" Jäger went full British and starting using words no one could really understand. "So we are keeping the positions we blooming like!"
Reddit started darts into Jäger. Jäger didn't flinch. He stared right back. Finally Reddit looked away. "You'll pay for this. You won't get away with embarrassing me."
"I reckon I will." Jäger said.
Reddit stormed off.
"He's a big bully." Mia said.
"Wow. I like people who stand up for what they believe in." Jillian said smiling. Her blue eyes twinkled.
"My mum and pop always taught me to stand up. I was bullied back in Brit. We moved here for a new start." Jäger said solemnly. He was hiding something. Something that was tearing him up inside.
•••
That night when everyone went to bed Jillian stayed awake. She pretended to sleep. Adam and Cole were still in the infirmary. Jillian was about to pass out when a light from the other side of the room turned on. It was Jäger's bed.
Jillian opened her eyes and looked up a bit. Jäger was holding some photo and crying silently.
She got up walked over and sat on Cole's bed. Jäger quickly put the photo away and wiped his eyes. "Can I help you?"
"What happened Jäger?"
"I- I don't know what you mean." He said forcing back tears.
"Jäger. What's wrong? You can tell me." She hated seeing him like this.
He sighed. "I haven't told a soul this. You're the first." Jillian felt a small sense of happiness she was the first. Jäger continued "My parents came to America for a new start. We came via plane. A storm came. Unlike any storm. It was human made. The Choir said they were working on a storm maker to protect people. It was used as a weapon. The pilot did everything he could. The storm was just too bloody strong. The bloke flew to the end of the horrid storm, then a bolt came from no where. We were going down. We had very limited parachutes. My parents gave it to me. I tried to refuse. They were too bloody stubborn! I was flying down when I saw the plane crash into the ocean. I was tempted to not to pull the cord. That would mean I basically killed someone on that bloody plane. A parachute wasted. I also needed to make the choir pay. I've been hitting them in places. Small, but enough to hurt them." Jäger had tears in his eyes but he also seemed angry.
"Wow." Jillian said.
Jäger looked at the floor squeezed his eyes shut so he would not cry and nodded.
"Jäger I'm so sorry." Jillian said.
"All I can do now is make them pay. Fight with the rebels and bring them to their knees." Jäger said.
Jäger smiled. "Yes we will."
