The Expatriate-the story of a Prodigy

7. The Military

As soon as he was up, Alex Mars went to the Martyr. He found Chris standing at the window, which meant that he was deep in thought.
He was a bit smaller than Alex by now-the kid had shot up, literally. And the man had given up his fat diet when he decided to focus on Alex-that was a good example of how devoted they were to each of them now.
"Just survive, no matter what your decision. I know you make good decisions, Alex. I trust you," He said the words solemnly. Alex walked up to stand beside him. The man turned to him, and smiled. "I still remember when you made that millennium-long walk to the other side of the wall on that first day of training," He chuckled. Alex grinned. "I think that's all I can tell you, now. The bus is coming soon, huh?" He made it curt. Alex nodded. "Yes," "I promise I'll be there when you un-Mute those ears, Alex Mars. Good luck and see you soon,"
He said those basic, every day words and turned back to the window.
Alex left the room through the yellow window and walked back to his house. He sent his personal information to the local military camp and calculated the time-30 mintes left before the bus' arrival. He went to the living room, and saw his parents waiting with jittery faces.
"'I'm so proud of you," Stephenie said as she pulled her son into one last hug. "I guess the Mut-ation did it's thing. Congrats, son," Alex doubted his ears when he heard his dad sat those words-then stopped himself from snorting. He still didn't like his dad too much for allowing the thing on his ears, even if it helped in him getting drafted into the military.
He gave his dad one last rigid handshake then left his house-for possibly the last time.
He was supposed to be at a bus station in front his school, and he already saw a tiny crowd of people-obviously not commuters or lame students-those were the others who had also been drafted for the year. Alex could tell that right away since most of them stood rigid and firm, staring at the space in front of them. He recognized all of them-the peeps with the top P.E. scores.
"Alex Mars," A boy said when he got close enough and stood near the bus stop. "Andrew Stewart," Mars said before the other boy could mistake him for not knowing him and waste time by introducing his name. But Alex Mars remembered all.
"Knew you'd be here," the boy always used to grin in the hallways, so even Alex was a bit srprised when he twitched his mouth into a grimace. A feeling of competitence for me? Or just kind of hating being here? Alex thought.
They all stood in silence. Alex's eyes moved like a hawk through the people-there were a total of 18, consisting a fair number of both genders. Everyone he had expected were there-the bragging and burly boys, the violent, aggressive girls.
"You can sit with me on the bus," Andrew Stewart suddenly said. Alex didn't know how to ever reply to his 'friend'. So he just stood silently.
The bus suddenly emerged into sight and, well, with great speed. It was on the hill on second, and the next, seemed ready to shoot right in front and away from them. Alex watched with amusement as the others' eyes widened with nervousness and surprise-but he knew that there was no reason it wouldn't stop eventually in front of them. The bus stopped with a high perched screech and it lurched in two ways before coming to a dead stop. The door creaked open and a tall man in full uniform hopped off, a pen and clipboard in hand. His eyes scrutinized the crowd, then they narrowed. After a tense moment, he gripped his board and scribbled on it.
Alex examined him as he called out to his group of 18 in a rough, sandy voice. He decided to call him Number 1, since he just looked like a number one.
"Andrew Stewart?" No.1 spat.
"Here, sir,"
Ok, get into formal mood, Alex reminded himself as 1's lips opened to speak the first letter of his name in slow motion.
"Alex Mars,"
"Yes, sir," Alex said. No.1 didn't smile nor nod. He just moved on to call the others.
Once he was finished, he waved to the bus. "Get on, newbies. No time to waste," Never knew that army sergeants are allowed to use informal words like 'newbie', Alex thought to entertain himself. But it didn't work as he climbed grimly onto the bus.
It smelled of bleach, and that was all. The seats were apparently old and grey, and the aisle was narrow. Stewart struggled to reach one of the middle seats, and Alex, right behind him, followed. When they were both settled(and when a few others weren't)the bus shot forward, and Alex wondered what migh have happened to No.1, whom he had seen climbing up the steps of the bus last. It would have been a shame for the guy to get thrown off his own feet and hit his head on the back window of the bus as a first impression.
Andrew leaned on the cold windowsill and sighed. Alex just looked straight in front of him, something he did when he had nothing particular to dwell his brain on.
"I wish I hadn't come," He heard his companion murmur very softly. "Why?" He said it very quickly, his lips opening then closing-no one could have heard him-except his friend. "I rather want to get to uni right away and then just make my way up the social ladder. The military... I think we were bribed to fight for the country," "Though you shouldn't definitely say it in the face of him-" Alex jutted his jaw to the visible head of No.1. "I agree with you," Well, Alex had more complex reasons than that, but Andrew seemed to be on the right page a bit with him at least.
Andrew didn't reply, then after another silent moment, turned his face from the window, from his town, to Alex Mars. He seemed to have made a decision. "I like you. I mean, not in the gay sense, but in the friend sense. You're smart and good at everything, dude. You're like Damien," "I thought people these days don't read that-Hermann Hesse is an ancient guy," Alex said thoughtfully. "Ok, seems like you're also a 'people in modern days'. I just read it for fun, a few years ago," Andrew said. Then they lapped into more silence.
Then,
"Do you also know how to control the mood or the person's actions?"
Alex hid a flinch.
"Like when Max Damien meets Emil Sinclair and uses it to control the boy in front of them? Hmm, I'm not sure. Wish I could," "You just gave a very Alex-y answer," "Ermm, thank you?" Stewart grinned. "You're not simply a walking Wikipedia. You're a walking encyclopedia and comedian," "I doubt it," Alex said back with a forced smile.
The bus continued its flight on the road, leaving the 'newbies'' town.