Olivia woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. She jumped off the bed in a hurry and ran to the door wearing a house coat. 'Am I late?' A voice rang inside her head. As soon as she opened the door she saw a familiar face.
"Carl come in idiot!" She said smiling letting him in.
"You are late! We have an expedition, remember?" Carl teased sitting on her bed. Olivia went to the bathroom saying "Give me a minute". After a moment, Olivia came back dressed in black denim jeans and a blue t-shirt. Her blonde hair was hanging freely. Carl looked at her with an impressive gaze in his eyes.
"You look beautiful," he said as he came closer to her. Then, he took a necklace out of his pocket and put it around her neck.
"What do you think?" he asked, standing behind her and watching her reflection in the mirror.
"I love it," Olivia whispered softly, looking at the heart-shaped golden locket.
"It's your birthday gift. I didn't get a chance to get you alone yesterday. Sorry for the late." He whispered to her ear in a soft low voice.
"Don't mind. I love it" Olivia whispered, already giving him the chance to kiss her neck.
"Where is my birthday kiss?" She asked chuckling running her hand through his hair, looking at them in the mirror.
"You want it? Okay?" Carl whispered mischievously taking her into his embrace and kissing her red lips softly.
"It's getting late," Olivia murmured staring into his eyes.
"OK. Let's go" He whispered grabbing her hand.
"Good morning by the way" He said smiling walking out of the room with her.
"Off cause it's a good morning" Olivia teased smiling, turning around to see his brown eyes after locking the door.
The time was around 6.00 a.m. All the members of the expedition team and the other volunteers were standing in the harbour of the Octagon Veranda. All the chancellors appeared there with their private guards. They looked at the expedition team with a satisfying look. Chancellor Bell Bostic stepped forward to give the last speech.
"Listen up, everyone! This is the most important mission of Octagon Veranda, and the future of our organization depends entirely on your success. You are all experts in your respective fields, but let me be clear - we have no idea what you will face. That's why we chose you to work together. The future of humankind is on the line, which is more important than any individual life. But don't be reckless - every life is valuable. Now, go out there and crush this mission!" Everyone clapped. Then they shook hands with the octagon council. Before entering the ship, they had a few minutes to say goodbye to their relatives and close friends. Olivia rushed to board the ship, hoping to avoid encountering Elsa. Carl followed her as they both didn't have many friends. They loved holding up to each other. Marcus didn't have anyone to say goodbye. Tara hugged Madam Elsa goodbye, then joined Marcus, boarding the ship. Almost every member of the team didn't have many people to say goodbye except Melvin and Kalvin. They had the longest goodbye to be honest. Melvin first hugged Chancellor Johnson goodbye, then went to Chancellor Bostic.
"Take care of your brother little genius, be safe!" Bell whispered after hugging her warmly. Melvin looked at him with an emotional look.
"I'll make you proud. You sacrificed so much for me and my stupid brother!" She whispered making Bell smile.
"Your stupid brother! I agree" He whispered smiling like a proud father as she walked to Daniel, one of Kalvin's close friends.
"Goodbye! Be careful!" He whispered looking at her. She looked at his green eyes full of sorrow.
"You are not going to cry, Danni. Are you?" She said faking a smile. Out of three brothers, she had a close relationship with Daniel. Although Kalvin was her real bother, she had a special soft spot for this funny protective creature.
"Does it look like I'm smiling, little dimples?" Daniel said pointing out the dimples on her cheek. Melvin tried hard to fake another smile.
"Please come backalive, Take care of your stupid brother too," He said giving her one last hug. Melvin kissed his cheek softly. Maxwell, the other adopted son of Bell Bostic, looked at Bell with a teasing look about Daniel's special care for Melvin. Bell nodded with a smile.
Maxwell, the other adopted son of Bell Bostic, looked at Bell with a teasing look about Daniel's special care for Melvin. Bell nodded with a smile.
"I'll come back to annoy you and Dani, don't worry " Melvin joked smiling, trying to ease the tension. Then she went to Maxwell.
"Be careful little firecracker" Maxwell said as Melvin jumped to him. Melvin smiled and hugged him warmly.
"Good bye bro!" Melvin whispered.
"Goodbye, I'm sure you and Kal will come back with so much glory," He said and she smiled approvingly. Then she walked toward the ship. Kalvin went there as she walked away.
"That last hug was meant to hurt me" Kalvin whispered to Maxwell smiling.
"I know," Maxwell said and hugged Kalvin warmly, so tight that he couldn't almost breathe. Kalvin knew how much Maxwell cared for him.
"I'll be back even before you realize I'm gone, big bro." He whispered still hugging him.
"Be careful little monkey. Don't do stupid things, Please! We are leaving to meet again" his eyes glistened with tears.
"We are leaving to meet again, someway, somehow," Kalvin said cryingly in return and turned toward Daniel. But Maxwel grabbed his shoulder and turned Kalvin in his direction.
"You don't mind the rude things I said to you last night. eh?" He asked holding back the cry. He couldn't let go of his brother with bruises on both hearts. Kalvin nodded saying yes.
"I don't mind" He whispered when Maxwell's eyes started to search for answers on his face. Kalvin knew how much Maxwell cared for him. He always became a good brother covering up Kalvin in hard situations and always being his backbone when he needed strength. Maxwell knew Kalvin's dark secrets that he couldn't talk to Bell about. He never hesitated to take punishment for Kal. Their bond with each other was platonic and pure as the white snow. Maxwell nodded and patted Kalvin's back. Kalvin turned toward Daniell and hugged him, his old classmate.
"Be careful, don't do stupid things like you always do" Daniel said with a sad smile and Kalvin smiled.
"OK. Danni" He joked. Then Kalvin turned toward Bell Bostic, his teacher and the adopted father. Bell looked at the young guy with a look full of sorrow.
"Kal, I did everything to be a good father to you. I don't know what I missed." Bell said and Kalvin looked at him with an apologizing mood. Kalvin's heart dropped.No No No! How could he think it's his fault?
"You didn't miss anything You were the best," Kalvin said almost crying.
"Then why do you hurt me like this?" Bell asked in a soft voice. His brown eyes were pleading making Kalvin feel helpless. Why Bell? Why do you have to make this even harder for your boy?
"I'm sorry. It's my sister. Bell I..I.." Kalvin struggled to find the words. His voice began to crack. Bell didn't say a word but hugged him tight, squeezing him. That single hug meant so many things that words fail to explain.
"I'm sorry" Kalvin whispered resting his head on Bell's shoulder. A big teardrop was running down to his left cheek.
"I understand, Come back alive, please little one" Bell's voice trembled as he whispered, his eyes glistening with tears.OH my gosh! The famous emotionless rude ruler of the Octagon Council shed a tear in public? That's a moment to remember. He hugged Kalvin with all his might as if trying to convey his deepest emotions through his embrace.
"I will" Kalvin whispered turning away from his teacher and starting to walk away from his loving companions, wiping his eyes. Bell waved him the goodbye he never wanted to say as Kalvin boarded up to the ship.
"What an emotional goodbye" Olivia whispered to Tara looking at the dramatic goodbye which was taking place on the dock of the harbour. Tara took another good look at the scene.
"That's ridiculous. Why would he even let go of his son if he wanted to stop him? I meant he's a Chancellor. He could've stopped him" Tara said leaning over the silver fence of the ship.
"That's called 'Chancellor's caring drama to look human' " Olivia said in a humiliating voice. Melvin who just came there heard it. She pushed Olivia away from the fence aggressively by grabbing her shoulder.
"You better not talk dirt of Bell! " She said in anger. Olivia turned to her in wonder.
"What's wrong with you?" Tara asked complaining. Melvin looked at them both with burning eyes, her cheeks were turning red from anger.
"Maybe your madam Blake is a filthy useless actress, pretending to be kind but Bell is nothing like her. You better not talk of my brother or family." She said in anger turning to walk away. Olivia was angry after everything Melvin said and done. She was to attack Melvin the same way Melvin did but Tara stopped her by grabbing from her arm.
"No Liv. She's just mad. Maybe she doesn't know of your fighting skills. Save the surprise! " Tara said stopping Olivia. Tara knew about Olivia's skills in fighting. Well, she wasn't as good as a soldier from the security sector but still, she was good. She started learning to fight as a six-year-old kid after that day when someone tried to bully her in school for being smart and Elsa's daughter. She had a bad reputation for breaking the bones of students who made fun of her in her sectors. That was one reason why she had no friends except Carl. Melvin didn't wait to listen to them. She was long gone when Olivia turned back looking for her over Tara's shoulder.
After everyone had boarded the ship, the Octagon council said goodbye in their traditional way.
"We are leaving to meet again"
Members of the expedition team replied,
"We are leaving to meet again, someday, somehow."
Kalvin started sailing the ship far and far away from Octagon Veranda.