Kathryn dragged her legs off the bed then silenced the alarm clock. The day before was something to reflect on. Too much of the unnatural had happened to a normal girl like herself. The previous night, she had called her aunt and told her that her niece might not be home for some months.
Her aunt was kind and strict; she was an angel and a demon. Kathryn thought that was a perfect balance for a maternal substitution. Aunt Jazzle, so she liked to be nicknamed, was not in the least supportive of BATTLE fantasies, lobbying for more... "real" jobs.
Kathryn smirked upon recollecting the conversation—how Aunt Jazzle reacted to her being in the Academy rather than with Axel in some peaceful park. She didn't need to know that they were chased by armed men. That would only provoke the argument that being an agent was deadly.
The morning was as usual: take a shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. She was alone in her room, as the boys were too. When Brandon had went on for his graduation exam about a month ago, his batch had their own missions. They probably succeeded, and Brandon was unfairly ambushed.
Maybe that's why he is so lonely, Kathryn realized. They all left to be certified agents.
In three-fourths of an hour, she was holding her plate, walking back to their table. They were pushed back in the dinky corner again, and she held Axel with full responsibility. That boy never learned how to read time or act upon it.
She dug into her food, when behind her, raucous laughter broke out. The person telling the punchline was the chair adjacent to hers.
"Am I right?" the obnoxious boy laughed. He leaned back casually, his head tilting until it hit Kathryn's.
"Argh!" Kathryn rubbed her head and turned to give a death stare.
It seemed to work, bringing sobriety to the reckless cadet in mere seconds. He looked quite familiar. He didn't immediately ask for forgiveness or say anything. Putting an arm on the backrest, his eyes quickly jumped to beyond her.
"Well, Lady Miss," he started to crack up again, and so did his henchmen around the table.
"Prepare to see that loser lose."
Kathryn frowned and turned to see that the boy's eyes were laid on Brandon. Brandon only huffed.
Kathryn had a fist hiding, ready to punch that smug face across the cafeteria. She knew better. Yet if they tried to assault Brandon, her fist was there.
If only I had Rex's cane, she thought with a mischievous grin. She scoffed and turned away.
Brandon hid his face in the food tray, munching... and munching fast. Axel wore a disgusted look on his face, still eyeing the table in front of him with contempt.
"So, who was that?" Kathryn asked, seeing no one would volunteer to bring her answers.
"A nobody," Brandon replied solemnly. He scowled at his food. "Kian Norvell."
"You mean that guy you mentioned was smarter than you?"
Brandon shrugged, not raising his head.
"Nah, for some dude to not apologize, I'd say he's quite dumb."
"It's about the science fair," he finally confessed in a shallow voice, as if the following words would bring him punishment if heard. "I always win in the fair. Kian always ends up in second place. You can guess where that brings us."
Kathryn nodded, though he wouldn't see it.
"It's jealousy. He has henchmen for intimidation. My friends all graduated."
YOU ARE READING
Unit 216
Science FictionHis father, rumored dead, is alive? An orb, waiting to be used, found itself in the wrong hands. Friends, with whom a team may be formed. Is this agency, one that he believed could give him back his dad, something he could put his faith in? Or would...
