"Hee-Hee-Hee...No, No!"
"Ha! Trouble...just...ha-ha...give it to me!"
"No. Hee-Hee....ah! Hee-Hee-Hee!"
"Luke....Ha-Ha...Just hold her down."
"NOOOO....Hee-hee-hee! I won't..hee-hee...give it...hee-hee!"
"There, hold her arms like that...It's mine, Trouble!"
"No...hee-hee...you...hee-hee...Meanie!
BANG! BANG!
"What the fuck is going on in there?! Why won't the door open," boomed North's voice.
Gabriel, Luke and I tumbled to the floor. Gabriel bounced up and held my clip aloft like when we'd first met. His eyes gleaming with triumph as he looked down at me.
"Here," Luke called out still sprawled over the top of me but releasing the door lock over the Interface.
The door slid open revealing a scowling North and amused Silas.
"What are you three doing? We are due for training in five joden. You aren't even in uniform," North scolded.
"Uh, we were...It was Sang's fault," Luke accused, doing a sort of pushup motion to lift himself off me. I looked up and blushed at the sight of his bare chest. He went topless so often, I am not sure why I noticed now and had such a strong reaction.
"I not do anything," I protested, peeling my gaze from Luke.
"Yes, it fucking is your fault," Gabriel argued. "You wouldn't give up the contraband," he said tossing my clip to a waste receptacle.
I lunged and caught it mid-air. Gabriel made to take it again, but North halted him saying, "Let her have it. You need to get ready."
Gabriel sulked but we all hurried to change and get to training before, as North warned, we earned an extra kasse of Stairs Room.
Silas walked by my side to the training wing. He asked, "Aggele mou, what were they doing to make you laugh so?"
Luke's eyes glinted with mirth. "Oh, it's called 'tickling'," he replied with the English term.
"Tickling?" Silas asked.
"Yes, and Sang is 'ticklish'. Just like this..." and then Luke pounced wriggling his fingers up and down my sides and making me erupt into a fit of giggles again.
I skipped away to Silas' other side to hide from Luke's dancing fingers.
"Gabriel is ticklish, too," I said pointing back at him.
"Ha," Luke grinned. "Yeah, almost as much as you are."
We turned the corner while I was still smirking back at Gabriel. I smacked into a hard body. "Oomph!" my breath knocked out of me. Silas' arms snatched me backward, pulling me into his chest. An arm wrapped protectively around my front, while he held the other up in a stop motion. I looked up, finally seeing a smug Rocky and the rest of the Fifth Squad goons behind him.
"Change of schedule," Rocky said. "Rocky's girl is doing Enhancement testing with Fifth Squad today."
North pushed forward and said, "No, she's not going anywhere with you. Who approved this?"
"I did," A tall, bald-headed man in a green-suit uniform said. He stepped forward as the Fifth Squad members backed out of the way and assumed attention positions along the wall. "Isten Hendricks," he introduced himself. "This squad has been left off of the Testing Schedule, and the Science Division is very interested in seeing how all the possible talents might be enhanced."
"You're not part of the KOTIS Council," North stated confidently. "Only they can supersede Tsee Blackbourne's orders."
Isten Hendricks eyes narrowed. Tension crackled. "Stray 1052..." He was cut off by the sudden appearance of Tsur Buble's hologram. Hendricks' eyes bulged at the stern grey-suited Council Head.
"Thank you for the alert, Tsen Taylor. Isten Hendricks, Tsen Sorenson is under my jurisdiction," Tsur Buble stated in a smooth, cultured tone.
"My research is necess..." Hendricks started to say.
"An abundance of files has already been provided for you to examine, including medical," Tsur Buble interrupted him.
"I need more fund..." He tried saying something else.
"You squandered your grant on the failed Setari cloning initiative that I and several Council members were vehemently against," Tsur Buble again interrupted.
Isten Hendrick's pursed lips and fierce expression were a contrast to the unaffected, almost bored looking Tsur Buble.
Hendricks tried again, "I just needed more time to..."
Tsur Buble waved a hand, cutting him off again. "The Judiciary Council has already spoken. Cloning is illegal. Now, I suggest you return to your lab before I preemptively decide to veto the next Science Budget with your name on it."
Hendricks fumed, but spun on his heel and stalked down the hall in the opposite direction.
Tsur Buble then turned a steeled gaze on the Fifth Squad Captain. Rocky actually looked scared. "Tsee Rockwell, my office...now...to discuss this serious breach in the chain of command."
Rocky and a subdued Fifth Squad started towards the elevator to the administration level.
My heart lifted when I saw the rest of Fourth Squad stiffly marching towards us with Tsee Blackbourne in the lead. He came to a halt before his uncle and gave some signal. Then all of Fourth Squad snapped to attention and executed the formal Setari salute.
"Tsee Blackbourne," Tsur Buble greeted with a nod, the silent signal for the boys to relax.
"Thank you, Tsur Buble," Tsee Blackbourne said, face revealing little emotion, though I could detect his respect for the man before him shining in his grey-eyes. I looked at the both of them, amazed. Tsur Buble really looked like an older version of Tsee Blackbourne. The streaks of grey at his temple only enhancing his handsome face. Tsur Buble's gaze turned to me and softened.
"Tsen Sorenson, remember to use that Interface alert of yours. You really are a valued member of this organization. And I am pretty sure my nephew is quite fond of you," he said, then the hologram abruptly winked out.
My gaze darted directly to Tsee Blackbourne who stared at the now empty space with a sort of deer-in-the-headlights shock. The others wore looks ranging from bemused to confused. He recovered quickly with a slight shake, regaining that confident air and controlled expression. Taking only a moment to look around at the squad, he ordered, "Let's get to work." Then promptly turned and walked to the Training Room 3 door. After only a beat, the rest of us followed.