Chapter 9: Chapter 4 – Children of ONE

{[A weapon without a heart is just a tool.]}

The ONE soldiers quickly found their clicks of friends and loaded up in their cars. Some of them had gone back to their rooms and changed into their casual clothes. Others were too excited and just left in their ONE uniforms. To most civilians, the uniform was nothing more than casual wear for someone who enjoyed camouflage designs.

“Freedom!” Evaristo screamed at the top of his lungs. He wore a checkered flannel jacket and cargo pants.

“That was right in my ear.” Anthony was wearing a typical muscle shirt and worn-out baggy pants. Only he was crazy enough to go sleeveless in the middle of winter.

“I’m excited!” Evaristo smiled as Zan drove a van towards them. “Is that one ours?”

“Obviously.” Slash walked towards them. He was wearing more black than usual. A sign that he was thrilled with the events of the day. Behind him were the girls. Kitty and Celi.

Kitty wore her casual clothes. With a black and white checkered pair of tight pants and a bright blue and green jacket filled with hello kitty patches. On top of that, she wore a black beanie with cat ears and her scarf since winter was in full blast.

On the other hand, Celi wore tight jeans with some light tears on her jeans and a loose-fitting oversized sweater with a brown beanie that matched as well.

Ananias stood by the entrance of the motorpool. He was patiently waiting and even rejected offers to join a few clicks. He loved fashion, and today he wore a wool coat with a black overcoat.

“Ananias!” Zan waved him down. “What are you waiting for?”

Ananias lifted one finger until the smallest of the group opened the doors to the outside world. “Took you long enough, Adam.”

Adam jerked his body down. And glanced to his left where Ananias was waiting. “How did you know?”

“You’ve been spying on our briefings, and knowing Roger, he would send you out towards us instead of punishing you.”

“Can I go with you?” Adam asked, unsure if he was in trouble or not.

Ananias nodded, and in turn, Adam jumped up and down happily. He had also taken the time to change. He was wearing baggy pants and a blue jacket.

The two made their way towards the van. Most of the teenagers had already scattered into the city.

“Adam!” Celi snatched him up and cuddled him. “Come here, cutie pie.”

They had the whole day to do whatever they wanted. Every second was precious. Plus, they all had thousands of dollars. Most of them didn't waste it since they were comfortable with everything ONE provided.

The group entered the van. Once inside, Zan asked the obvious question. “Where should we go? The mall? Maybe a movie theater?”

“The fair is in town,” Celi spoke up eagerly. “They're open all day, and they have a ton of food and rides.”

The group nodded, and Slash gave Zan a thumbs up. “Let's go.”

 

*******

 

The group found themselves riding most of the roller coasters, playing with the bumper cars, and taking bites of all the exotic sweets available to them.

The day was cold, and after a few hours, they found themselves on a bench eating deep-fried Oreos, turkey legs, and pizza cones. ONE forbid them from eating sweets since it was too addicting for children, and it also helped keep their teeth healthier.

A betrayal Kitty wasn’t willing to forgive.

“I can’t believe food can be this good!” She ate half of her cotton candy in one bite leaving blue specks on her lips. “I’m gonna let Roger have it when we get back.”

“Don’t do that.” Anthony insisted. “We never get days off. If we trample over their expectations, we might not get another.”

Kitty debated his words in silence and took another bite. “I’m still mad.”

Adam sat on Celi's lap, and she played with his hair.

“It's a shame Demitri isn't here.” Anthony blurted, instantly spoiling the mood.

The group's demeanor shifted, and Evaristo smacked Anthony’s shoulder.

“We can't bring back the dead,” Zan spoke up and glanced at Celi and Adam. “We can only honor them with small gestures. I didn't know Demitri very well.”

“He was aloof.” Anthony fiddled with his turkey leg. “But he was kind. Too kind. Sometimes I thought he would be afraid to pull the trigger and kill the enemy. That might’ve been what caused his death…”

“Then let's drink to him.” Zan lifted his soda can. “And to every brother and sister, we lost up until now. The ones we know and the ones we don't that live on the other bases. Today isn't just for us. It's for them too.”

The group halfheartedly lifted their drinks. But they cheered nonetheless.

“He died a hero. That’s how I want to go.” Anthony sipped on his drink.

“Don’t say that you’re going to die.” Kitty half glared, and half fought back her tears.

“I'm a soldier of ONE. How long do you honestly think I’ll live for?” Anthony continued.

“I…” Kitty tilted her head down low enough for her hair to cover her eyes. “Just don’t die…”

“Anthony.” Slash gave his friend a cold stare after depressing Kitty. “You’re an idiot.”

“Where did that come from?” Anthony raised his eyebrow. “An honorable death is the best we can ask. Someone back me up on this.”

No one did. Anthony raised his hands up. “Fine, you guys win.”

“When can I fight?” Adam asked the group. “I can use my element, and I can keep you safe if I go.”

“Adam…” Zan tilted his head towards him.

“Never.” Celi cuddled him and put his head on her chest. “My cutie pie stays home where it’s safe.”

“No!” Adam pulled away from Celi. “Every time you guys leave, I think to myself. 'Will they come back?' And sometimes some of you don't… I hate being left behind… Please let me go… Let me fight…”

Ananias took a sip of his drink and sighed. “Fine. Next mission we go on, you’ll be part of Bravo platoon.”

Celi clung to Ananias’ arm. “Please, Ananias… No…”

Ananias was caught off guard, but he stuck to his guns. “He's an elementai, and he’s proven to me how strong his power is… Plus, if we don't let him come with us. One day, he's going to sneak into the battlefield regardless… And, I want him by my side…”

“Really?” Adam’s eyes lit up. “I won’t let you down.”

Celi let go of Ananias' arm and sat down next to Kitty. Both girls held the same depressed gaze in their eyes. Slash studied them both and shook his head.

“Let’s go.” Evaristo broke the gloomy air. “They have a petting zoo.”

“Do they have platypuses?” Adam asked eagerly.

“I don’t know." Evaristo's eyes averted towards the direction of the map. In the distance, a girl caught his eye. He stayed silent for a few seconds. Long enough for Ananias to catch on.

“Go talk to her, Evaristo.”

“What?” Evaristo's face flustered, and he stuttered his words. “I wasn't… I mean… What are you talking about?”

Ananias pointed. “Don’t fight it. I saw you checking out that girl.”

Zan and Anthony tackled Evaristo off his seat. They both glanced at the girl he was staring at. “Which girl?” Zan asked eagerly.

“There is no girl.” Evaristo tried fighting back, but against Zan and Anthony's large muscles, he was forced to the ground.

“Asian, green highlights, white jacket, and black pants.” Ananias gave the boys all the ammunition they needed.

“So that’s your type?” Zan held Evaristo down as he checked out the girl. “Asian girls?”

“I see her. She’s smoking hot.” Anthony gave his two cents. And unknowingly perked Kitty up.

Kitty cautiously glanced at the girl. Someone that Anthony found ‘smoking hot’ was worth her time investigating. One glance at her was enough for her to admit defeat. She was curvy and filled up in all the right places.

Kitty studied her own body. She was slim but wasn't nearly as curvy. Her heart dropped to her stomach, so she leaned her head on Celi’s shoulder. She was annoyed with the entire situation.

The girl everyone was gawking at was with her friend playing a digital yet accurate sniping game. It had a realistic sniper rifle that zoomed into a large monitor. The weapon even had recoil and took the bullet drop and wind into account.

An easy tool to make money from strangers.

“Now, now, boys.” Zan lectured his friends. “How could you ignore her sexy friend?”

The group focused on the other girl, and their heads moved in unison.

“Long dark hair, curves so slick you can crash with one wrong turn, and a chest straight out of Hollywood.” Zan licked his lips. “Latina girls are alluring.”

“Pervert.” Kitty hissed.

“Hey, don’t feel bad. Most Asian girls lack in the…” Zan raised his eyebrow and extended his words to make it sting. “Chest department.”

“Shut up!” Kitty’s face turned red. “You’re Asian too!”

Zan snatched up Slash’s hat. It was a black felt bowler hat. He used it to keep his goth aesthetic, and it helped against the cold. Zan flipped the hat on his palm and put it on his head. As he did, the group caught that he was wearing a tight jacket. And despite his age, his chest, arms, and abs were well developed. On top of that, he was easily six-two.

“Me? A pervert?” He smiled confidently, with teeth as white as the snow that had started falling around them. “I’m guilty of that crime. But I’m about to show you how this Asian sensation works his magic collecting hearts…”

No one was impressed, nor did they humor him. Zan caught on and tried to save himself.

“You know what they say? Once you go Asian, you'll never go Caucasian.”

“Who says that?” Kitty gave him a devilish glare. “Name one person who's said that.”

Zan half opened his mouth but closed it, defeated. Kitty crossed her arms and pouted proudly.

The group laughed as Zan stretched his arms and popped his neck.

“You know what they say about Asians?” Anthony added to their discussion.

“What do they say?” Zan needed a safety net, and he grabbed whatever was tossed at him.

“If you’re an Asian girl, you’re sexy.”

Kitty immediately perked up again and turned her head towards Anthony with a smile.

“Idiot,” Slash murmured under his breath.

“And if you’re an Asian guy… You’re a tech geek.”

Zan pointed at both Anthony and Kitty. “Screw… You… Both…”

“You love us.” Anthony smiled. Kitty purred and rubbed her head against Celi’s shoulder. Slash was fully aware that Anthony had no tact with his words, but maybe that wasn't all bad.

“I do… While you stay off stereotypes.”

“I didn't go that far. The worst one is the size of the guns Asian men hide in their pants.”

“… Fuck… You…”

The group laughed at Zan’s expense, but he wasn’t shaken. This was just going to be more epic once he proved them all wrong.

“It’s time for your Lieutenant to catch his prey.” Zan turned to face the girls.

“You can do it!” Both Evaristo and Anthony mocked him in a childish tone.

“She's going to turn you down,” Celi added.

“Perverts don't get the girls,” Kitty warned.

“Aww, where’s the confidence ONE has in their Lieutenant?”

“It faded…” Slash spoke in a monotone yet deep voice. “Asian sensation…”

The group laughed once more. Completely convinced Zan was bound to fail.

“I believe in you, Sir.” Adam raised his hand happily.

“See, that's what I expect from my soldiers,” Zan smirked. “How about we make this more interesting? If I manage to kiss her… Evaristo has to talk to the girl he's been eyeing.”

“Deal.” Celi agreed for him.

“Celi!” Evaristo was curious why she, of all people, volunteered him.

“It’s weird if you just stare at her.” Celi held on to Adam. He was fiddling around with his food. “Maybe this will motivate you to go talk to her.”

“Game face.” Zan walked towards the girls, taking slow steps and half dancing his way there. This earned more laughter from his friends and drew a small crowd. Once he got closer, he made his way straight toward the girl, and they talked. Unfortunately, they were too far from the group to make out what they were saying.

The teenagers waited with anticipation.

“If he pulls this off…” Slash rubbed his head. He was getting cold without his hat. “I will lose all hope in humanity.”

“He’s confident.” Ananias made a quick assessment. “He might pull this off.”

“I doubt it.” Kitty wanted him to lose. “Girls want more than just confidence. We want a guy who has a gentle and nurturing side. Zan strikes me as a player.”

“I agree.” Celi glanced up at the snow, it was starting to come down a little heavier, but it was coming down slowly. “No girl will fall for that silly act.”

“I believe in him.” Adam held up money. “I wager five dollars. He will kiss her.”

Evaristo and Anthony quickly pulled their money out. “You’re on.”

In the distance, Zan got into the girl's personal space. She was in awe. Zan was tall. Then he leaned in and stole a kiss.

And to everyone’s surprise, she kissed him back passionately.

“You have to be kidding me!” Kitty gasped and smacked the back of her hands on her thighs.

Adam snatched up the money he won with a smile. “This is what happens when you believe in our leadership.” He smirked and leaned his head against Celi.

“Going… Going… Gone.” Slash missed his hat.

Evaristo stood up. “Okay… Here goes nothing.”

His steps were nowhere near as confident as Zan’s, but he made his way towards the girl that caught his eye. She was annoyed. “Are you friends with the guy behind me? The one with his tongue down my friend’s mouth?”

“Yeah, he does that.”

The girl half coughed, and half laughed.

“I’m Evaristo… And you are?”

“Not interested.” She turned away back towards the game she was losing. The girl aimed her sight at a target. Evaristo deduced it was about four hundred meters away from the distance on the screen. She fired and missed. “I’m done. I can’t do this!”

“You’re never going to hit your target if you don’t take the wind into account, not to mention you’re aiming directly at the target without even thinking of how the bullet will drop. And you’re also jerking the trigger.”

“Then show me how it's done, tough guy.” She wasn't in the mood to be lectured. Instead, she took the seat next to the replica sniper rifle.

Evaristo sat in her seat. It was still warm.

He focused on his breathing as the game began. He had one minute to find and eliminate three targets. Behind the scope of a long-range weapon was where the young man shined.

The first target emerged. It was a human running through the woods. He stopped for a second. Evaristo held the stock of the weapon tight against his shoulder and slowly pulled the trigger.

HIT! The screen lit up for a second.

“Lucky shot.” The man operating the machine commented.

Evaristo didn’t stop there. He studied the forested environment until he found his prey. This one was well hidden in the bushes. An easier target. He pulled the trigger again.

HIT!

The girl next to him smiled.

His timer started running down quicker. An obvious tactic to ensure the costly prizes stay unreachable. But nothing was out of Evaristo’s reach. One target ran through the densest part of the scenario. He had to shoot it while he ran through the trees. A shot an amateur would fail with only one bullet left.

Evaristo fired.

HIT!

He inhaled and returned to reality. Standing up, a small crowd clapped behind him. He cracked a smile. The girl studied him, and now she truly took in the brown of his eyes, his high cheekbones, and how strong his body was.

“You can pick from the top prizes.” The owner of the stand showed off his best possessions. He was annoyed, but he wouldn’t deny them a reward with such a big crowd.

“Why don’t you pick.” Evaristo turned to the girl. “Consider this a ‘tough guys’ way of giving back.”

She pointed at a vintage camera. One of the cheaper items. “Give me that.”

He handed her the camera, and the girl lit up with a bright smile. She tilted it towards Evaristo. “This is a SX-70 Polaroid camera. It’s a treasure for people who love photography… Thank you for winning it for me.”

“It was my pleasure.” He turned and started walking away.

“Wait! Evaristo!” The girl half screamed, and her breaths were leaving long white smoke. “I'm sorry for being rude earlier… My name is Neptune.”

 

*******

 

The group joined the two girls and continued their little adventure. Now that it was getting colder, some of the rides were closed. But the food stands were still lively. They found themselves in a haunted house. The steps shook as they entered the building.

Adam rushed ahead of Ananias and Celi. He was happily taking in the new sites and aromas this place had given him.

“You’re fearlessly leading the way.” Ananias cheered him on with a soft tone.

“It's expected of me." Adam smiled and bumped his chest with his fists. A chainsaw roared to life, and Adam quickly hid behind Celi.

“Your big sister is right here.” She cuddled him and hugged his head. “It’s okay.”

“I’m not afraid.” Adam ran ahead of the group. And now it was just Ananias and Celi.

“Ananias.” She cocooned into herself a little. “Please reconsider your decision… Adam hasn’t seen what the battlefield is like… Once he does… He’s never going to laugh like that again…”

“You’re mistaken.” Ananias glanced at her. His light blue eyes stood out in the dark room. “I found Adam surrounded by dead demons… He’s seen death, and he still cries for his mom and dad at night… That's why he wants to fight… If we keep holding him back, he’s going to end up resenting us…”

“But… I don’t want to lose him…” She fought back, but her eyes watered. “He’s… My little cutie pie…”

“Just because he’s with us doesn’t mean I’ll put him in our spearhead formation. Adam will be in the rear guard. With you and Slash.”

Celi sighed in relief. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“He will eventually lead a platoon, but for now, he’s too young to take that responsibility. So as his ‘big sister,’ I expect you to keep him safe.”

“I will.”

Slash, Anthony, and Kitty were about twenty feet behind Ananias and Celi. They had overlapped Zan and the Hispanic girl with who he had been making out with.

“Plastic bones, pre-recorded screams, red glow sticks, and an occasional chainsaw sound… I can’t believe we wasted four tickets on this place.” Slash wasn’t amused.

Anthony glanced around, completely entranced with the haunted house. He was a little scared.

Kitty kept creeping up towards Anthony, hoping to find an opportunity to get closer to him. Her eyes were devious, and she imagined herself clinging to his arm. It warmed her body.

Two men with hockey masks each held a fake chainsaw. They emerged from a hidden room.

“Save me!” Kitty faked a scream and reached for the closest arm.

Anthony threw a punch and cracked one of the masks.

“Ouch!” The actor tumbled backward. Anthony immediately reached down and picked him up.

“I’m so sorry. I just reacted.”

“It's okay. These masks protect our faces. But I can’t believe you broke one.”

Kitty's illusion started fading. She was clinging to an arm. Just not Anthony’s.

“How did you screw that up?” Slash gave Kitty a disappointed smirk.

“Ugh.” She tapped her head on his shoulder blade.

“Seriously… Let go.” Slash shook his arm, but Kitty just continued to whine. “Let go now!”

 

*******

 

“Why did you want such an old camera?” Evaristo and Neptune had gone their own way. The sun was setting, and other members of ONE had arrived and started enjoying the fair.

“It may be old, and I have a handful of digital cameras. But you can’t recreate the excitement of a Polaroid camera with a digital one… It may not have the same resolution, but the excitement of taking a picture and watching it form before your eyes is irreplaceable.”

Evaristo studied the camera. He wasn't as excited about it as Neptune was, but when she smiled, he found her adorable.

“Why don’t you take a picture?” Evaristo wanted to witness her reactions when she took one.

“Sure…” Her fingers tapped on her camera a few times. “How about we take one… Together?”

Evaristo raised his eyebrow, then took a step closer to her.

Neptune quickly got close to him and smiled. Then the flash of the camera captured their moment together. She removed the picture and shook it a few times.

The image came out lovely. So much that Neptune smiled brightly.

She handed it to him. “You can keep it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure… I have this camera to remember this day… You should have something too…”

In the distance, Zan and Neptune’s friend kept making out. At this point, Zan was just showing off. Both Evaristo and Neptune glanced at them, then back at each other. It was awkward for both of them. But also a little humorous.

“What did he tell her?” Evaristo asked.

“I wish I knew.”

You are reading story Element at novel35.com

A few game stands away from them. Ananias and Celi were playing a ring tossing game. Evaristo and Neptune made their way to them, getting some distance away from the hormonal teens.

Celi was whispering in Ananias’ ear. Then she tossed her rings, and they each landed on the highest prize.

Evaristo smiled. Ananias’ power had its perks.

“Pick anything you want, young lady.” The attendant was tired since it was getting colder and the sun had already retreated beyond the horizon.

“That.” She pointed at a skateboard. It had been there for a while and was covered in a thin layer of snow. Celi turned towards Adam and handed it to him. “Here you go, cutie pie.”

“It’s mine?” Adam’s eyebrows lifted up, and he stood on his tippy toes.

Celi nodded.

“I love it!” Adam hugged the skateboard and gave Celi a sly smile. It was too overwhelmingly cute for her. She coddled him with hugs.

A flash captured the moment.

Ananias, Celi, and Adam all turned towards Neptune, who had taken a picture. She didn't say anything until the image started developing.

“I’m sorry.” She gave a crooked smile. “I saw an opportunity and didn’t want to have it slip through my fingers.”

Evaristo studied the picture that was slowly developing. Sure enough, it was Celi cuddling Adam with Ananias smiling behind her.

“It’s yours if you want it.” Neptune handed it to Celi.

“Thank you.” Celi took it gracefully. Sure enough, it was another great photo.

 

*******

 

Kitty and Slash ended up separating from the group. Some of the rides were getting shut down for the night.

“It’s getting late.” Kitty glanced at her watch, which she wore upside down with the crystal facing the inside of her wrist. “Where’s Zan?”

“Tongue wrestling the girl on the Ferris wheel.” Slash pointed up at the largest ride.

“And Anthony?”

Slash pointed behind them. “Wasting his time.”

Anthony was at a high striker. Using his strength to smash a target with a wooden hammer. It had a puck that flew up and hit a bell. His muscles were impressive, but he didn’t manage to get it past eighty percent. “It’s rigged!” He argued with the host of the game.

“It’s not rigged. You're just not strong enough, kid.”

Anthony slammed more money down on the table. “We'll see about that.” Once again, he slammed the game with the mallet, and it rose about ninety percent, but it still missed the bell.

“Again!” He roared while the host giggled.

“What do you see in him?” Slash asked with tired eyes. He shifted his weight on his boots as he waited for her to respond.

“Sure, he’s a hothead, a goofball, and can’t read the room even if it was written in bold letters… But he’s brave and true to himself, and he’s always there when you need him. Before I knew it, my heart started fluttering whenever he was near me…” Kitty bit her lip. “Plus… Those arms…”

“Down, girl.” Slash mocked her in his monotone voice.

A group of six adults walked passed them, all wearing blue shirts, some of them wore blue hats, and they held an air of self-entitled authority. One of them purposely bumped Slash’s shoulder. “Out of the way, freak.”

“Hey!” Kitty hissed. “How about an apology?”

The one who bumped into Slash was a large man with muscles as developed as Anthony’s, but he was older. A man in his mid thirty’s. His friends all had different body types, but he was the oldest one. He stopped and took his sunglasses off. It was nighttime, but he still wore them.

The group circled Slash and Kitty. Putting them both on high alert. They were giving off the same vibes as demons when they hunted them down. But they didn’t have the unyielding desire to kill like demons do. They were very much human. The oldest one sized up Slash, he was taller than the teenager and more robust, but even so, Slash held no fear in his gaze.

This bothered the man.

“What’s wrong, Dracula?” He mocked his outfit. “Did I hurt your feelings?”

Slash stayed silent. This wasn’t worth his time.

“Tough guy, huh?” The man pulled on his own shirt. “Do you know what this color means?”

“That you have a dreadful fashion sense,” Slash spoke in a bored tone, even if he sensed that the man in front of him was seeking trouble.

“No.” The man pulled on Slash's collar and pulled him closer to his face. “It's obvious that you're not from this city. If you were, you'd know better… They’re the colors of my gang… I'm their leader…”

Slash inhaled the booze in the man’s breath and used his palms to knock the gang leader away from him. The force made the buzzed man tumble back a few meters, but he still stayed on his feet.

“I don't give a rainbow-colored rat's ass about your gang or groupies.” Slash fixed the collar on his trench coat. He was fully aware he had just tossed gas on the fire. “Blow me.”

One of the skinnier gang members with a muscle shirt that revealed his rib bones grabbed Kitty's hair and pulled her head back. “Your bitch can blow all of us!”

Kitty reacted. She spun, ignoring the pain. The gang member wasn’t expecting her to move, so he didn't react as she roundhouse kicked his temple. He was swept off his feet and fell hard on the concrete floor.

The skinny man didn’t move after the kick.

“That…” One of the fatter gang members smiled. “Was hot.”

“You little bitch.” Their leader signaled the remaining five thugs to ready themselves for a fight. None of them were concerned over their knocked-out friend. “Shouldn’t have done that.”

He ran straight towards Kitty, with his arm pumped for a punch. Something Slash wouldn't allow. He kicked the older man’s shin knocking him off his trajectory and completely exposing himself to the other members. One grabbed his arm, and another tackled him. They threw a punch, nailing Slash’s gut. It forced the air out of his body.

Kitty changed her footing as their leader regained his balance. She was his target. And he was easily over eighty pounds heavier than her.

Slash let his adrenaline guide him. He kicked one of the larger men away and then elbowed another. They tried overpowering him with sheer numbers, but he kept them all at arm's length. That was until their leader spoke. “Stop.” He had twisted Kitty’s arm against her back with one hand. On his other, he held a butterfly knife to her throat.

Kitty was shaking. Not because she was afraid but because she miscalculated the strength of her target. “Lower your fists, Twilight.” Their leader ordered. Slash glanced around. The fair was surrounded by people, but nobody had stepped in to help. They were ignoring the situation completely. He was breathing heavily, but he submitted. Slash lowered his fists.

Once he did, the other members tackled Slash to the ground and pinned him against a light pole. They forced Slash on his ass and tied his hands around the pole with a blue bandana. The thug Slash elbowed had a bloody nose and held a knife to Slash’s face. He was taking petty revenge for the hit.

Anthony stepped into the fight between Slash and Kitty. He bared his fangs. “Kitty!”

Her eyes widened.

Anthony glanced back to Slash. He had light bruises and was tied up, and Kitty was held hostage with a weapon to her neck.

“You made a big mistake.” He slapped his hands together, getting everyone's attention, then he lifted his fists up, taking the stance of a seasoned hand-to-hand fighter.

Slash glanced to his right. He caught a small boy running with a skateboard in his hands through the soft snow. “And she said you couldn't read the room.” He whispered to himself.

“Nah, ah, ah…” Their leader kept the knife on Kitty’s neck. But he released her arm. As long as the weapon was on her throat, she had no way to escape. Even with Kitty’s scarf on, it wasn’t going to stop the blade. “Don't move, or I’ll slice this girl's pretty throat.”

Anthony stayed still and glanced around at the thugs and the people around them.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Their leader warned. “These people know better, and they won't help you because of the colors we wear. I can do anything I want, and they won’t utter a word.”

He whistled loudly, and more men and women in blue circled them. Anthony counted fifteen people. “If you fight back, I'll stab her eye.”

Anthony kept his fists up. One fist flew his way. He used his forearm to block. Then another fist hit his back. A kick from below hit his hip. One blow after another. Anthony held his ground.

Even as strong as he was. Against a crowd, Anthony didn’t stand a chance. A few blows hit his face, and his ribs rocked against his organs. But, even while his face was smacked around, his eyes stayed on Kitty.

She gripped her pants with her left hand and shook in rage.

Slash had enough. He lifted his body up just to have the thug slam him back down. The knife cut above his lip and drew blood, leaving a scar that would never truly heal. “Next cut goes in your throat.” The thug warned him.

“Coward,” Anthony smirked with blood between his teeth.

Their leader raised his eyebrow. “Why should I fight you? I have people who will do that for me.” His free hand went under Kitty’s jacket. He caressed the skin on her stomach.

This enraged both Anthony and Slash. Their eyes gave away their fury.

“That's better.” He smiled. “This is what I like to see… I can do anything I want, and no one can stop me… I'm thinking of taking her with me after I’m done with you two…”

Anthony held his ground as the mob kept beating him. His pain faded with his rage. “You won't take her!” Anthony lifted his head, blood ran down his face, and he had trouble keeping one eye open. But his aura was fierce. So much so that the thug moved his hand away from Kitty's stomach and reached into his cargo pants, where he pulled out an M-9 Beretta. It was spray-painted blue and had ‘thug life’ badly etched into its grip.

The iron sight adjusted itself directly on Anthony’s head. “I take whatever I want from the weak.”

Evaristo grabbed the thug standing over Slash and slammed his face into the light pole, breaking his nose. At the same time, Ananias moved through the crowd of gang members and grabbed the hand holding the knife, Celi grabbed Kitty's waist and pulled her away, and Zan came out from the opposite direction. He grabbed the M-9’s barrel with his palm and pulled the slide back, locking it in place with one hand.

Ananias pulled on his strings, swiping the knife from the hands of the thug. He tossed it towards Evaristo, who quickly caught it and cut Slash’s binds.

The group recovered their friends in less than three seconds.

The leader of the thugs pulled the trigger, hoping to put a bullet through Zan’s hand. But the round didn't go off. He pulled the trigger again and again, but his weapon refused to fire.

“If the hammer can’t fall, then the round won’t fly.” Zan’s temper was menacing. With his hand on the gun, he pulled down the ‘take-down lever,’ separating the barrel and disassembling the handgun. “You hide behind hostages and use others to fight your battles… And you have the balls to call my friend weak? He took all those blows, and he’s still standing!”

Anthony studied himself, he was hurting, but he hadn't fallen to the ground. Not once.

Zan tossed the barrel behind him into the darkness. The spring inside it bounced out of the barrel as it landed, further disassembling the weapon. Around them, soldiers communicated using hand signs.

The group had moved in so fast the gang members didn’t have time to react. Celi held on to Kitty. Behind her stood Adam, Neptune, and her friend. The leader studied his now ineffective handgun and glared at Zan.

“You fucked with my family!” Zan roared. “Now you answer to me!”

“I have a family too…” He whistled loudly. Around them, fifty or so gang members rushed towards them. Some jumped over the low fences surrounding the fair to close the distance. “Except mine’s bigger.”

“Stay together!” Zan ordered. “Circle formation!”

The group quickly obeyed. But they were heavily outnumbered. Zan, Ananias, Slash, Evaristo, and a wounded Anthony stood their ground against seventy or so thugs. While they moved in, the leader of the group lifted his hand. Everyone stopped.

“You can’t win… But we can make a deal… I barely got to touch Hello Kitty over there-”

Anthony dashed in and punched the man's face with all his strength. His knuckle caved into his mouth. Their leader slid back and then spat out saliva, blood, and teeth, including two molars.

“FUCK!” His fingers thumbed his mouth. He had lost more than half his teeth. This was the moment where he sobered up and learned that flaunting his ego like it was a prize can sometimes lead to terrible consequences. “KILL THEM, YOU BABOONS!”

The gang charged in attacking the boys first. Some of them slipped past them and went after the girls. Celi and Kitty were not as strong as the boys, but they were not helpless. They each knocked back anyone who got too close with kicks.

Anthony fixed his eyes on an odd white object between his fingers. It was a tooth. With a proud smirk, he just had to rub it in. “Lose something?” He tossed the tooth back as a more petite man tackled him. Anthony held his shoulders and kneed his ribs, knocking the air out of the small thug. Then he slammed his chin into the ground. He hadn’t even bothered glancing at the thug he had just knocked out.

The fair’s lights above lost power, and everything behind their gang’s leader went pitch black.

Anthony smiled. Even outnumbered, this was what he loved. Anyone that crossed his path ended up with something broken. Even so, their circle closed in as the fight progressed.

“COME ON!” Anthony pointed at their leader. “I WANT THE REST OF YOUR TEETH!”

That triggered something in the older man. He pushed away all reason and charged in, along with half a dozen guys. They targeted Anthony. Instead of striking, they pinned his arms and legs. Even with his strength, fending off that many was too much.

“YOU’RE GONNA NEED MORE GUYS!” Anthony laughed and coughed up the pain of the blows he received.

The circle got smaller and smaller. This made the gang more confident in themselves.

Their leader gripped Anthony’s collar. He wanted to savor every punch. Anthony just smiled, and that further irritated the older thug.

Their leader went in for a wide punch, his arm went back for a stronger hit, but something strong held him back. He raised his eyebrow. Why would one of his men stop him?

“What’s your problem?” He glanced back. Then his head went up and up and up. The teenager that held his arm back was easily six-eight, with cocoa-colored skin and all muscle, he was strong and tall, but his face gave away his youth. He was at the age when a teenager started to become a man. “Who are you?”

“I’m Glitter.” His tone rumbled with his words.

“Seriously?”

“Oh, yeah.” Glitter smiled as the lights behind them flickered to life. A fifth of his gang was on the ground bleeding and broken. Above them stood eight members of ONE, including Rose, who was as tall as Zan.

Rose wore a bright red scarf, just like Kitty. The tall woman’s demeanor was rash and intimidating. She nudged her head forward, ordering her soldiers to move in.

Sharrah, the shortest of the members, tackled the thug holding Anthony’s right arm and mounted him. After three quick punches, he knocked him out and moved to his next target. The whole time he smiled. To everyone in ONE, they nicknamed him the 'Little Berserker.’

Next to Rose was Josh, her second in command. He took half his platoon and rushed in the opposite direction. Pushing the thugs away from the already exhausted group.

“Your stupid screams…” Their leader glared at Anthony. “They were just a distraction…”

Anthony coughed up blood.

“So these arms hurt my friends.” Glitter’s voice rumbled calmly before he tossed the leader of the thugs to the ground. Stepping on his arm, he pressed hard until the bone snapped.

He screamed pitifully, but his gang kept fighting. Rose and her platoon pushed the group gently away from the fight. As they moved, the lights of the fair turned off, often leaving the gang members in the dark. All the while, the lights guided the group.

“AFTER THEM!” The broken thug roared as his members picked him up. Even broken, he chased down the group that fled through the crowd.

Hopping over the low fence, the group moved into the parking lot, where a single light flickered on. Four vans awaited the group with their doors open.

“Hurry it up!” Infinity roared. He kept his red hair combed back and had drivers for each van ready inside them. They held their hands out for the group.

Infinity had his computer plugged into a power box. His laptop had eyes on all the cameras of the festival, and he had purposely rerouted electricity, often busting some of the light bulbs.

They all reached the vans, and they sped off into the night.

“Get in the cars!” The leader roared with an odd muffle. His mouth was raging in pain. “I want all their heads!”

The thugs jumped into their cars, and one screeched but refused to move. Sparks flew from the rims.

The lights turned back on, and every one of their cars had its tires slashed. “FUCK!”

The vans casually merged into the freeway. Each truck had a military-grade radio in them. Infinity talked to the other trucks. “Everyone is accounted for. I had my platoon slash their tires. They were stupid enough to paint their rims blue.”

“I owe you one,” Zan spoke loud enough for all the trucks to tune in.

“You don’t owe us anything.” Rose corrected him from another truck. “What happens when a brother stands alone?”

Zan exhaled and repeated a quote that the soldiers of ONE had invented. “We send in everyone.”

 

*******

 

“I'm fine,” Anthony whined as Celi put pressure on his arm. The fight had left him with a few bruised ribs, and his knuckles were covered in blood. Celi and Kitty had cleaned him up with alcohol pads.

“You were careless!” Kitty lectured him. “Why do you always make yourself the main target? Did you consider what would happen if you were knocked out? It would’ve taken four of us to carry you out of there.”

“Even if that did happen. We would’ve managed somehow.” Anthony glanced at the youngest of the group. “Adam, good job getting our reinforcements.”

Adam smiled.

“You mean you expected my platoon to carry you out of there.” Rose interrupted the group.

“Scarfy sister!” Kitty cheered, but Rose sighed heavily. She didn't have a feminine aura like Kitty did. Even if she did try to make herself more girly, in the end, she just came off as weird. Her scarf helped a bit, and it was practical for the winter. “You saved us. As a reward, I'll paint a hello kitty on your kevlar helmet.”

“I’ll pass.”

Kitty pouted.

Further down the road, Evaristo and Neptune leaned against one of the vans. She had made a call and was waiting for her ride. Neptune had hung on to her camera, even through the scare of the fight. “So, how would you rate this night?” Evaristo asked her.

“Let’s see. Beautiful camera? Check. Cotton candy? Check. Random gang fight? Check.” She smiled and pretended to debate her night by pointing at imaginary words around her. “Eight out of ten. I’ve had worst dates.”

“This was a date?” Evaristo raised his eyebrows.

“It is if you want it to be.” She teased as she thumbed her camera. “But you can invite me again. And it can be official. I promise I won’t bring Jenny.”

Zan and Jenny made out a few feet away from them.

“I’m a little jealous.” Evaristo teased.

Neptune gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Still jealous?”

“Not anymore.” Evaristo blushed.

The two love birds bumped into Evaristo and Neptune’s van, still kissing.

“Becky,” Zan spoke.

“It’s Jenny.” She corrected him.

“So, I never got your number.”

She gave him a disappointed stare. In the distance, a car pulled up with its high beams on. The light illuminated the soft snow as it fell around them. “Neptune. Our ride’s here.” She said before turning around and leaving Zan without so much as giving him a second glance.

Neptune hugged Evaristo and dashed past him.

“Damn.” Zan sighed heavily as their car disappeared. “I should’ve paid more attention to that detail.”

Zan’s eyes glanced toward Celi and Ananias. She was clinging to his arm.

His eyes went down to the snow. Then right back up. “Alright! Let’s go home!”

 

*******

 

The soldiers of ONE returned to the briefing room. They had been given a special privileged, and a few of them had returned with bruises all over their bodies. And the local news had covered the event that happened at the fair. Calling it a ‘Rival gang fight.' Sam paced in front of the soldiers, who all stood at attention. He was livid.

“One day.” Sam continued pacing left and right in front of all the platoons. “We gave you one day, and you managed to screw it up!”

The soldiers didn't say a word. They were ready for their punishment.

“Even so.” Sam glared at the teenagers and then stormed out of the briefing room. Stopping by Roger, who was waiting for him to finish his tantrum. “You were right.”

Sam rushed away, irritated that he had lost the bet.

The teenagers inside the briefing room raised their eyebrows and studied each other, trying to find a reason why Sam hadn’t punished them.

“Who’s fault is it?” Roger walked into the room with a bad limp.

Kitty and Slash both moved their feet a little. But Zan jumped first, creating a loud stomp that stopped both of them. “It’s my fault.” Zan lied.

“Zan?” Roger tapped the young man’s shoulder with his cane. “What did you do to piss off a gang?”

“Exchanged saliva with the gang leader’s girlfriend.”

“Really now?” Roger smirked. “What was her name?”

“Becky.” Zan smiled pridefully.

“You can stop covering for Slash and Kitty.” Roger glanced at both of them. They immediately straightened their backs and faced forward. “A father always knows.”

“If they're in trouble, allow me to be punished in their stead. I am their Commanding Officer, and this happened under my watch.”

Roger shook his head. “Sam loves to discipline you guys, but this time he won’t, and neither will I since he and I made a bet. One everyone here passed.”

“What kind of bet?” Zan asked with a curious tone.

“I made a bet that every one of you would return. And everyone did. I did expect some of you to cause some trouble, but that comes with the territory of being teenagers. Even if some of you are a few months away from adulthood, and maybe some of you are adults, after breaking God’s Luck, a good portion of you forgot your ages and names… Even so, we will be making some changes.”

“What kind of changes?”

“From now on, ONE will give you the weekends off. You’ll be allowed to roam whatever city we are currently in. On top of that, once you reach the age of eighteen, you will all be allowed to leave ONE, or you can retire your weapons and join me with the paper-pushing jobs. You’ve more than earned it.” The soldiers broke their focus and studied each other. This idea was foreign to them. “Inside these walls, we’re an isolated community, knotted together through blood… And in the battlefield, we are each other's eyes, ears, and strength. My intention was never to have you fight until your body broke or worse... Until you died.”

Roger reached into his pocket and started opening up a flask. His mind recalled the faces of the children who died throughout the years. That encouraged him to take a sip.

“I never intended to take children and use them to fight. ONE’s original purpose was to find adults, but desperate times forced desperate measures. As backward as this sounds, you are free to leave when you reach the appropriate age of a soldier. ONE will provide for you if you decide to go to college or even if you want to retire and move to a country of your choice. You don’t need to fight until you die…” He sipped on his drink. “Everyone here is an individual. And has that freedom. I even hope one of you takes up my position one day… But I am glad you all chose the most important thing in our lives during this test.”

“What did we choose?” Zan asked.

“Family.” Roger sipped on his drink, savoring it as he exhaled. “ONE teaches you how to fight, but not how to live. That's something each and every one of you has to decide on your own.”

The soldiers were mute by his words.

“Dismissed… Except for you, Zan.”

Everyone broke ranks and returned to their rooms. They had gone their whole lives being told they were the world’s only salvation. And now they were told they could quit if they wanted to. This information was something each of them needed time to digest.

Once everyone left, Roger studied Zan, who stayed at attention.

“A certain gang leader went to the hospital to get his mouth and arm fixed. I happened to have a few contacts in the police force and gave them a tip. It turns out his DNA matched an unsolved murder a few years ago. He’s not going to be a problem for anyone, especially us.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“The bonds of blood don’t run that deep inside some of our brothers.” Roger waved his hand, telling Zan to relax. “It’s human nature to fight anything that we perceive as a threat. We can’t accept anything without challenging it first. ONE is no different. You’re old enough to learn the truth, and you’ve more than earned it.”

“What truth?”

“ONE was originally created as a means to fight demons. That part is true. But it was also created as a means to fight and kill Elementals, in case they ever turned on humanity.” Roger finished his flask. “But Elementals, or Elementai, as they sometimes call themselves. Rarely kill humans. Almost like God’s Luck is also set to protect us from them… When the time comes, ONE will face a threat, unlike anything we've fought before… I might not be alive when that time comes…”

“Who are we fighting?”

“The seven deadly sins… Lust was the demon that killed Ananias’ mom… In one night, that monster eradicated hundreds of elementals and almost all of ONE… To face that overwhelming power, we need to remain united and have stronger ties with the Elementals. That’s if we want to survive.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Roger smiled at the young man. “I’m leaving ONE to you after I die.”

 

*******

 

Sam walked into Roger’s office and headed towards his liquor cabinet. He had snuck into this room several times over the years. Once Sam was confident he was alone, he reached into his coat pocket, where he pulled out a small vial and opened a half-drank bottle of liquor. He let a single drop mix with the alcohol, and he went about his day.

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