''Why do these things have to be everywhere?'' The scanner-protected door at the edge of the corridor forced Theo into a stop. The speedster skidded in front of the door, leaving a feet-shaped marks on the polished floor. The janitors surely hated him.
''Because Atlas likes their security?'' Andre offered.
''I'm getting tired of having to scan my ID every time I go somewhere in this building.''
''Stop running so fast everywhere then,'' Oscar muttered. He rolled his silver lighter between his fingers as he lagged behind the group. He stepped it in his palm, running his fingertips over the engraved initials of his father. His eyes glossed over.
He missed his parents.
''Theo Holland. Designation P2. Welcome, Blur,'' PAI announced after Theo scanned his ID. The doors slid into the wall, revealing the entrance to Director Shaw's office. Light poured in from the windows, revealing the snowcapped mountain range stretching across the horizon outside.
Oscar scratched the top of his head and whistled. They'd been at The Acropolis for nearly three months now. His life was totally different. Had someone told him he'd be training to fight a terrorist organization, he'd have personally checked them into an insane asylum. At times, he still didn't believe any of it was real. He could throw fire from his hands as if it were the most natural thing in the world; it completely baffled him.
''Wonder what he wants us for,'' Andre asked.
Oscar shrugged. ''Who knows?''
''Well,'' Chase said, brushing past the two of them as he went to open the door to Shaw's office. ''We're about to find out.'' The de-facto leader of the team escorted the six of them into the depths of the Atlas CEO's office.
Director Shaw, clad in his usual black suit coupled with white dress shirt, was typing away on his digital keyboard. The glasses on his pointed nose slipped down a bit, though, he appeared to be too invested in his work to care. It seemed like the guy never stopped working. Chase knocked on the now opened door, which Oscar found redundant since they were already inside.
''Ah, there you are,'' the man said without even acknowledging their arrivals. He motioned for them all to sit. Oscar trudged over to a sofa next to the windows.
The whole room creeped him out. The black and white décor made it seem like he was stuck in a silent movie from the 1940s. He felt like all the modernized furniture were silently judging him. It was almost if they expensive-looking couches knew his own dorm room looked like a tornado ransacked it.
''So...'' Oscar clicked the top off of his lighter. He plucked the small flame off the metal and willed it to jump around his fingers like a fiery cricket. ''What's up, boss?''
Director Shaw didn't respond with words. Instead, he typed something on his desk and the screen on the other side of the room switched on. A detailed report materialized on the display. Oscar's arched an eyebrow at the information.
''Kismet has broken their silence,'' he explained. ''We suspect they've been putting together their Asclepius bioweapon while staying under the radar. We've been keeping in close contact with Nexxus Industries and, apparently, Kane is expecting a shipment in Northern California.''
''Isn't that your hometown, Goldilocks?'' Stella teased.
The boy beside her grunted. ''I'm not even from that part of California.''
''Whatever you say.'' They playfully glared at each other. While the chemistry between them couldn't be ignored, Oscar couldn't help but be amused by the situation. Had they still been at River Hill, the two of them would've been on warring sides of the school. The Preps versus the Nobodies. Now they were on a couch in a military base making kissy faces at each other.
Things sure had changed in such a short amount of time.
He glanced at Emily. A storm cloud of irritation hovered above her head. Or was that jealousy? He wasn't too sure. While he'd heard the rumors about her throughout their years in school together, he wasn't sure if they were true. But, if they were, it would've explained why she hated Stella so much. Attempting to distract Emily from the sight, he pointed a finger into his mouth while making gaging noises. She rewarded him with a slight smile.
''What kinda shipment we talking 'bout?'' Oscar asked, putting the conversation back on topic.
''We're not sure exactly,'' Director Shaw said. ''Nexxus has been careful with what information they're giving us.''
''Why don't you just arrest them?'' Emily asked. ''I mean, they kind of are helping Kismet do something illegal.''
The man cracked a smile. ''We don't have the authority to prosecute an entire corporation. Besides, their a Canadian company and it'll take a lot of paperwork to bring them down. I'd rather stop Kane first and then focus on the legalities of the situation.''
Theo dashed from his seat to Shaw's desk in the blink of an eye. Bouncing on his heels like an excited child, he beamed at the man. ''Are you saying what I think you're saying?''
''What would that be?''
''You're sending us on our first mission!''
Oscar cleared his throat. ''First official mission.''
''We're not counting Canada,'' Theo countered. He shuddered at the mention of the failed endeavor at the Nexxus Industries laboratory. Oscar chuckled.
Director Shaw pinched the bridge of his nose while exhaling. ''Yes, Theo, you all are being sent out on your first mission.''
Chase grinned and rubbed his hands together. ''So, what's the plan? We go in and destroy the parts? Take down the Kismet guards and bring them back?''
''Not...exactly. We'd like you to bring the parts, whatever they are, back in one piece if possible,'' he replied.
Emily narrowed her eyes. ''Huh? Why do you need them intact for?''
''We don't just destroy things, especially equipment like this. While Atlas is a private military company, we do dabble in research. Whatever is in the shipment Kane is expecting could prove to be useful for us.''
''I don't think that's a good idea— '' Chase started to speak but Stella placed her hand on his shoulder. She whispered something in his ear and the guy slumped his shoulders before sighing. ''Alright, alright.''
Oscar made a whipping noise while flicking his wrist. That bought him a steely glare from Chase and a scowl from Stella. Though, it did get him a few laughs from the others.
Director Shaw typed something else on his keyboard. The faces of the six Primes appeared on the screen. Above them were headshots of three other Atlas agents. Oscar's eyes lit up when he spotted Victoria Shaw's face in the center of the trio. He hadn't seen her in a few days; he was looking forward to seeing her again. While they weren't necessarily friends, he did enjoy getting on her nerves.
And the fact he had a huge crush on her. It was something about the way she utterly despised him that made him try harder to get in her good graces. Not to mention she was incredibly beautiful, in a 'she could totally snap my neck at any given moment' kind of way. On the rare occasion that she'd join their squad for train, he'd make a show of it to catch her attention. It usually resulted in him embarrassing himself, but he never stopped trying.
''Agents Edwards, Zhang, and Shaw will be accompanying you on today's mission,'' the director continued. ''You may refer to them as Cutter, Precision, and Arsenal, respectively.''
Emily groaned. ''Seriously? You're giving us babysitters?''
''They're not babysitting you,'' the man said with a light laugh. ''They're just there to supervise and provide backup. You've all done well in training, but this is still your first real mission. And seeing as how your impromptu assault went, I'd say you could do with some supervision.''
''He's right,'' Stella added. ''Having some experienced agents in our squad might actually help us.'' She looked to Chase for support. Of course, he nodded. Since he was on board, no one else would speak against it. With him being the leader and all, what he said usually was law. Oscar didn't mind, though. Goldilocks was a good team captain; he was great with strategy and wasn't scared of anything. He respected him more than he'd ever let on. He was sure that went for everyone as well. Even Emily. And she didn't respect anyone.
''Now that's settled,'' Director Shaw said while standing up from his seat, ''go get changed. You'll find some new threads in your closets. When you're done, meet Agent Strong in the hangar for your mission debriefing.'' He glanced at the six of them. ''Good luck.''
Once he left, Oscar faced his friends.
''Let's go kick some Kismet ass!''
Andre wasn't impressed with his quip. ''Never say that again.''
Oscar preferred the new suits as opposed to the old ones.
While they were still composed of the material of the previous iterations, they were slightly more comfortable and looked much better. Light padding had been added in certain areas for extra protection. The vibrant lines remained, but more color was added; each person had a glowing number on their chest and a larger on in the back—his was a burning six that looked pulsed like the contents of a lava lamp. The shoulders were also decorated with their respective colors.
They definitely looked like superheroes now.
The squadron of young Primes and the other three agents joining them for the day's mission stood in a horizontal line as they listened to Agent Strong perform the debriefing procedure.
He barked instructions at them, the veins in his neck and face throbbing as he yelled. Oscar peered at him quizzically. The agent's bullish features were twisted into an annoyed expression, almost as if he hated his life and didn't know why he had to explain a complex mission plan to a bunch of teenagers.
''Why are you always angry?'' Theo asked with a tilt of his head.
''Shut up, kid,'' the man growled. ''Y'all understand your orders?''
Oscar, who zoned out for the past couple of minutes, blinked twice. ''Huh?''
Before Agent Strong could rip him a new one, Chase draped an arm around the boy's shoulder and raised his other towards the man. ''We'll explain it to him in the jet.'' Agent Strong nodded curtly, wished them luck, and marched away. Oscar laughed to himself as he imagined the man stomping off to his room to yell at himself in the mirror like a deranged motivational speaker.
Oscar yelped as he felt someone flick him in the back of the head. Wheeling around, he narrowed his eyes at Victoria—or Arsenal, as she preferred to be called.
''What the hell was that for?''
''Pay attention next time. If I get killed because of you, I'll come back to haunt you myself.''
He shrugged nonchalantly. ''I think I'd like that actually.''
The cold stare she sent his way made him shudder as if an actual ghost was hovering around him. Gulping, he turned away from her.
The other two agents involved in the mission stood at the ramp of their transport jet. They wore the familiar uniform of an Atlas agent. Though, there's possessed a bit more color than the average soldier. The man on the right displayed a dark green color scheme with his navy-blue uniform while his partners' were a deep orange. Victoria's own suit possessed red, blue, and white lines.
She stepped forward to meet the two men.
''This is Precision,'' Victoria said as she pointed at the thin man with the green lines. He was leaning against the truck, a long sniper rifle strapped to his back. He sported a black ponytail and dark goggles. He waved at the group. ''He's deaf and mute but he's excellent at reading lips. He's even better at shooting.''
Agent Zhang, or Precision, responded to with a myriad of hand signs. He had no idea what they meant. In his confusion, Oscar performed the sign for ''I love you'' with his hand—it was the only thing he knew in the silent language. Precision smiled.
Victoria gestured towards the other man, who was shorter than average, with a flick of her chin. An assortment of knives adorned his uniform, along with the two handguns strapped to his legs. Oscar even spotted a pair of pliers hanging from his belt. That earned the guy a few raised eyebrows. ''We call him Cutter.''
''These are our superpowered friends, eh?'' Cutter scratched the top of his shaved head. ''I dunno, I was expecting a little more.''
Chase glared at the man. ''So were we.''
Cutter laughed. He flipped the knife in his hand before pointing the glinting tip in Chase's direction. Everyone froze. ''I like you. Sentinel, right?'' He bared his crooked teeth in what Oscar assumed was a grin. It looked like he was in pain more than anything. ''Hope you and your crew can keep up.''
''Funny,'' Chase retorted. ''I was just about to say the same to you.''
Precision rolled his eyes and nudged his partner. Cutter groaned and stomped off into the transport jet.
''Sorry about him,'' Victoria muttered. ''He's a bit of an asshole.''
Chase snorted. ''That's an understatement.'' Stella slapped his arm and aimed a pointed stare at him. He held his hands up, protesting his innocence.
''I don't know.'' Emily shrugged. ''He was kind of cool.''
Theo and Andre laughed. ''That's not a surprise,'' the former quipped. ''You're like the same person.''
''Why you little—''
She lunged for the speedster, who dashed off into the aircraft to escape her wrath. Andre bounded after them to prevent the girl from hurting him too much. Victoria followed and ordered them all to settle down.
''Come on, let's board,'' Chase said. The rest of them entered the Atlas-issued aircraft and took up their seats. As the ramp closed behind him, the hydraulic pipes whirring as they retracted, Oscar pulled his lighter out from his pockets. He exhaled and squeezed it in his palm. Within minutes, the jet soared through the waterfall draping over the exit of the hangar and rocketed southward to the outskirts of Northern California.
#
During the hour flight to the famous state directly below them, the group re-explained the plan to Oscar.
Once they finished, he raised his finger to ask a question. ''Okay, I think I get it now. But why do I have to be the diversion? Why isn't it the big guy or Chase? I mean, they're basically indestructible.''
''He does have a point,'' Andre said. He silently thanked the quiet giant.
Victoria squinted at him. ''You questioning my strategy?''
He hadn't been aware she was the one who came up with the plan. He figured Agent Strong developed it while yelling at a computer screen. Oscar shook his head and flashed her a nervous smile. ''Nope. Not at all. On second thought, I don't mind being the diversion.''
Cutter clicked his tongue condescendingly as he cleaned his nails with one of his smaller blades. ''Pathetic.''
Precision emerged from the cockpit and let the rest of his nine-person-squadron they arrived. According to the sharpshooter, he landed them just outside of the tree barrier surrounding the west end of the warehouse. He returned to the pilot's quarters and let down the jet's ramp.
Cutter left first, a wicked grin on his face. The rest of the team weren't too far behind. As Oscar treaded down the angled ramp, his foot caught on one of the grooves in the metal and sent him crashing to the forest floor. Pinpricks shot up the arm he landed on. Though, the dirt and grass in his mouth distracted him from the slight pain.
He spat a couple twigs out his mouth. ''Just my luck.'' Andre helped hoisted him from the ground onto his feet and helped dust the leaves from his suit. He smiled at him. ''Thanks, Titan.''
Andre nodded. ''Anytime, Fuego.''
''Cute codenames,'' Victoria said as she brushed past the both of them.
Her behavior toward him was starting to borderline disrespectful. In the beginning, he interpreted it as playful banter, but he wasn't sure that was the case anymore. This girl had an actual grudge against him, and he didn't have the clue as to why. And she called his codename cute. It wasn't supposed to be cute. It was supposed to be badass. He spent three days coming up something that both represented him and his powers.
Though, the others—mainly Emily—constantly suggested he could've come up with something cooler. He'd always reply that her name of choice, Reverb, wasn't the best thing in the world either. That usually got him a flick on the forehead.
Scowling, he jogged over to Victoria and walked alongside her. ''What's your issue, huh, chica?''
She turned around and glared at his hand. ''I don't have a problem. Focus on the mission.''
Behind them, Andre and Theo watched with second-hand embarrassment etched onto their faces. Oscar noticed them holding back their laughter and grumbled under his breath, deciding to drop it. ''Whatever.''
''Let's pick up the pace!'' Chase commanded from the front of the group. ''We've got a job to do.''
Cutter blew air from his nose. ''Who made you the boss, kid?''
''Well, it's definitely not you.''
''Listen jackass—
''Who're you calling jackass, you little—
''You better shut your trap before I stick a knife in it.''
''I'd like to see you try.''
Oscar watched the both throw insults and threats at each other like fastballs from the mound. His eyes jumped between them like it was a high-paced tennis match.
''Boys!'' Stella intervened. She shook her head at them. ''Cut it out. Now.''
Chase and Cutter standing inches away from each other now. The blond was considerably taller than the Atlas agent, but that didn't seem to discourage him. His index finger tapped the hilt of a rather large knife as he snarled at the blond.
Emily twisted the arrowhead of one of her arrows while chortling under her breath. The two men directed their burning stares towards her. ''You two are idiots.''
Victoria pinched the bridge of her nose, almost identical to how her father did when he got irritated. She adjusted the assault rifle slung over her shoulder. ''Alright, you've all had your fun.'' She stuck a hand out in the direction of the warehouse. ''Let's get a move on.''
The group nodded and continued their short journey to the storage site. With each step Oscar took, the trees grew sparser until they were replaced with stout bushes. He whistled, taking note of the old, brick building standing at the edge of the forest line. He rubbed his hands together, his gaze darkening. He hoped Frost was in there; a rematch between them as greatly needed. Little flames crackled in his eyes. The rest of the group hovered at the break between the woods and the clearing that the warehouse sat in.
''Everyone ready?'' Victoria inquired while cocking her weapon.
Nodding, Oscar grinned.
''Let's get this show on the road!"
Everyone groaned in annoyance. He frowned, as he'd been thinking of that call to action for the past couple of minutes.
''Oh, come on,'' he whined. ''That was a good one.'' Beside him, Theo shook his head.
''No...no it wasn't, dude.''
He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. ''Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with.''
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