When we get home Logan says to get changed and for everyone to meet him down at the lobby. I can tell all of us were confused but we do has he says.
I wait now for Blake, Saige and Ivan. Danni is down with Dare practicing her nurse’s skills. I’m wearing a long sleeved black shirt with blue jeans and white sweatshirt. I also have on brown boots. I finally see Blake come down the hallway with Ivan and Saige behind him. He wears a blue Michigan shirt with blue jeans and a pair of tennis shoes. Saige wears blue jeans as well with a black tank and combat boots. Ivan wears tan cargo pants with a gray and white under armor shirt and tennis shoes.
“Whatever Logan has to say to us he better make it quick.” Ivan says crossing his arms. “I have to meet with Baxter, he wants to show me some new moves.”
“Look, I’m pretty sure all Logan wants to talk to us is our skills.” I turn to Blake and shrug, “maybe he wants to move us up into higher levels of training.”
Blake looks up and thinks for a moment. “Maybe, who knows?” The elevator button flashes and the door opens. We don’t have to wait for anybody to get off so we just pile in. Ivan pushes the 1st floor button. The elevator makes a bell sound and shoots downward. I’m used to the fastness now.
The elevator comes to a screeching stop and the doors open again. Blake is the first one to step out then Ivan followed by Paris and me. We walk around the corner seeing the lobby crawling with people.
Blake stops when we turn the corner and we stop behind him as well. All our eyes search the room for any sign of Logan. “Did he say where to meet?” Ivan asks.
“No he just said meet in the lobby.” I say looking to where the seating area is. Then I see the top of a blonde person’s head and Carson slouched over in a chair across form him. They seem to be talking and I know it is Logan’s blonde hair.
“There he is,” I point his way. Blake turns his head and nods walking towards him.
We stop in front of them. Logan and Carson look up. Carson looks like she has been thinking a lot. She has that look of shock, yet annoyance on her face. Bags under her eyes indicate she has had a long night and is exhausted
“Glad you could join us.” Logan smiles. “Let’s go over to the couches where we can all sit down.” I have no argument of that. I won’t want to hear what Logan has to say to us standing up. Carson sighs as she stands up from her chair and walks over to one of the couches. Three made a box shape leaving the one side open facing the fire. Small, desk side tables were positioned at the ends of the couches and a large glass table was in the middle. The stand for it was made out of elk antlers. I always wonder what it was like to come here for an actual vacation, like you were really coming up north and not using it as a secret base for outcasts. Will I ever have that? No, I’ll never feel the joy of going on vacation with my family, I’ll probably never stop fighting in this war, and when it’s over I already know I’ll be dead because this war won’t stop until everyone in America and Canada are dead.
I sit on the end of the couch near one of the glass tables, next to Saige. Ivan and Blake sit on the other couch. Logan and Carson sit on the couch farthest away from the fire. Logan hunches over and heaves a huge sigh. “Well, I have some good news.” Logan starts. “Carson and I have watched you guys training and evaluated your skills. I think it’s time for all of you to advance a level in your training.”
We all stir at that. We each exchange glances, smiling in excitement. “What about Kimberley and Jason?” Ivan asks leaning forward.
“Jason shall stay with Frank, I believe he still has some things to learn. He’s close though, to becoming a new Captain. He will probably be named shortly after he turns eighteen. But I believe Kimberley is ready.”
“Awesome, so who are our new mentors?” Saige asks eagerly.
“Well,” Carson now talks, “We have decided to let Blake go with Harry.”
“Yes, I get to have Harry!” I knew Carson would choose Harry. Harry usually helps out Blake when James is drunk or having trouble talking to Blake properly. He seemed to have grown a soft spot for Blake.
“Ivan you shall now train with Javen.” Ivan grins and leans back in his seat. I don’t know if I know Javen all that well, but Ivan seems to so that’s good enough for me.
“Saige, I will take you on as my new apprentice.” Carson smiles looking at Saige. Saige’s eyes grow huge with excitement. “No, way! I get the Sargent!” She gasps in surprise. Carson just chuckles a little in amusement. Yep, Carson has a sweet spot for all of us, but that doesn’t mean she takes it easy on us. One time she made me train all day. I can’t remember if I had lunch or not that day. All I remember is I slept like a two year old that night.
I wait to see who my mentor will be. Nobody says anything. I see Logan rest his elbows on his knees and fold his hands.
“Ronnie, you and Kimberley shall have a different kind of mentor.” He says in a low casual voice. “You both shall receive your training at a different place.”
My mind stops for a moment, “What do you mean different place?”
“Ronnie, you and your sister shall train with a man named Jamahoro. He said he shall take you and your sister into his house and train you in his way-”
“What!” Everyone turns to whose voice shouted amongst the crowd. We see Kimberley standing in shock holding her backpack in one hand. She is standing a few feet behind Logan and Carson’s couch. Her mouth is wide open in shock, and her face is full of surprise and anger. Jason is standing next to her looking equally as shocked. She drops her backpack and walks frantically around the couch to the fire standing in front of it. “You’re sending us away, from our home?! From our family? You’re just going to give us away,” her voice is becoming raspy and the tears start to form in her eyes, “How can you?!”
“Kimberley, it’s not like that,” Carson says standing up walking towards her.
“Why? Why just us, why now?” Logan doesn’t have time to answer before she walks back around the couches snatching her bag up from where Jason is and storming to the nearest elevator. We all give glances then turn to Logan. Carson walks back to her seat and heaves as she sits.
“Why, Logan?” I ask also concerned. “Why are you sending us away?”
“We are not sending you guys away. It’s right across the street. Do you know where that mansion is on the top of the hill overlooking the whole lodge and condos?”
“Where the back opens up to a forest and has its own horse stables? Yeah.” Saige says concluding the structure of the house. Logan nods. “That’s his house. He is the rightful owner of every part of the mountain and its property.”
My breath is taken away for a minute, then I catch it again. He is the owner of the whole property. That must make him a millionaire.
“But why does he want us?”
“I’ve been watching you and Kimberley since the first day I became your mentor.” Logan says. “I’ve always know you two were special in some way-”
“Thank you,” Blake says sarcastically pretending he’s offended by the situation.
“I’m not saying you’re not Blake, Ronnie and Kimberley both have a unique way of fighting. They’ve known how to fight all their lives. That blow out Kimberley had last week, she can’t control it because she doesn’t have the right training. Jamahoro can train her. He can show her his techniques, and his vast knowledge.”
“Why doesn’t he want us?” Blake asks having his arms crossed, leaning back against the couch cushion. “We’re just as good of fighters?”
“Exactly, you’re just as good, if not better. Kimberley needs help she needs a good mentor . . . and I don’t know if I can give her that.”
“Logan, shut up,” Jason says sternly coming around sitting with Blake and Ivan, “You know she loves you.”
“That’s not the point. She has another side of her that if she lets loose, she can, and will become a great soldier.”
“So why am I going.” I ask. He keeps talking about Kimberley and how she needs this but he doesn’t say why I need to go.
“I know you will become just like Kimberley, because you act almost the same way as when she was your age. And I can’t split you two up.”
I nod in understanding. Although getting away from Kimberley for a few days wouldn’t be so bad.
“You and Kimberley shall come home from school and stay with us until six thirty where you are going to go to Jamahoro’s and have dinner. Then you shall train with him for the rest of the night and stay there. The bus will pick you up there in the morning.”
“What about weekends?” I ask. Logan is just silent. Then says, “You will spend your weekends with Jamahoro. Why, you’re only moving across the street, not a mile away.”
“Feels like a million miles away.” I mummer. This was the place I learned to love. This is my home. Now I’ll have to make new one. “When do we leave?” I ask.
Logan’s heart stops as he takes a breath and looks me straight in the eye, “Tomorrow.”