• chapter six •
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They were back at 2nd Mass and they were having Mike's funeral. Hal walked out in front.

"Mike was a good man, good father, I could tell from being around him, how he was with Rick, he loved him. Like many of us here today he was faced with a decision. He could've ran, saved himself, or stood his ground and fight for us. I'm gonna miss him, we're gonna miss him." Hal walked back to the group. Jess was standing next to Ben and Rick was next to him. She held Ben's hand and put herhead on his shoulder. Tom walked forward.

"If this was a proper military funeral, we would have someone play 'Taps' it was song to signify, the end of a day's work, at the same time it was a lullaby, to tell the soldiers, 'All was well' and it's safe to rest. So rest easy Mike. We'll take it from here." Dai and another 2nd mass fighter started folding the American flag and Lourdes started singing 'Once in David's Royal City'. Dai walked over to Rick and gave him the flag.

"I don't understand. How people can kill each other," Rick said. Jess lifted her head and looked at Rick.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Ben said.

"Why? Killing is in their nature," Rick said.

"Their?" She asked.

"Humans. We would never kill one of our own." Rick said. "You should understand that." Rick looked at both of them.

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It's been a few days since Mike's death and Dr Glass wanted to see Ben and Jess for a check up on their spikes, especially Jess' since she was disconnected. They walked into the lab where Dr Glass was and Rick was sitting on the bench.

"You wanted to see us, Dr Glass?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, come in," Dr Glass smiled. She taped the seat for Ben to sit in.

"Everything okay?" Ben asked.

"Strictly a follow up, part of the comprehensive package. Have you been having any pain, any changes?" She asked.

Ben took his shirt off. "Uh, no, I'm okay, I'm fine."

"What about you?" Dr Glass asked Jess.

"No pain but sudden changes in my spine, well, I can feel it." Jess scratched the back oh her neck. She put on some gloves and Jess stood next to her and looked at Ben's spikes. They haven't gone away.

"Have they started to go? Cause I saw another kid from my group and his have almost gone away." Ben egged on.

"I know," Glass sighed.

"Why am I so different?" Ben looked down.

"Hard to say, you and Rick were harnessed much longer than the rest," Dr Glass started examining his spikes. She reached the bottom ones and leant down.

"Wait, hold on a sec, tell me if you feel this," Glass said and started softly poking a hard bit of skin around his spike.

"Anything?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Now?" She pressed a little harder.

"No, something wrong?" Ben asked, Jess looked at her.

"No, go ahead, get dressed." Glass spoke with a small smile. Ben put his shirt on.

"I thought he was getting better," Jess sighed looking at Rick.

"He is, physically, but the truth is, with his father gone, I don't think there's a place for him in the gym anymore," Glass said.

"Cause he was harnessed," Ben said. "Like us, you don't have to lie, I know they're afraid of us."

"A few maybe, but not everyone." Glass said. "What worries me most is Rick's attitude, he never talks about his father, it's like his death barely registered."

"My dad said, a solider get this thing a thousand yard stare. I could talk to him," Ben said.

"I think that would be great, what he needs most, more than anything, is a friend." Glass said. Ben smiled and walked away.

"Alright, come sit down" Glass smiled. Jess took her shirt off and Glass handed her a blanket to cover herself besides her back.

"How old are you?" Glass asked.

"Uh, 16, why?" Jess asked sounding confused.

"Your tattoo, your parent's aloud you to get this?"

"My mum died when I was 12 and my dad passed the following year, so I was with my grandma, she was a lovely woman and all she wanted was for my brother and I to be happy, so if that meant for tattoos and piercings, so be it."

"You have a brother?"

"Had. He died when the invasion started."

"That's horrible, I'm sorry" Glass sighed.

"Thank you,"

There was a moment of silence then she cleared her throat and sighed. "Okay, so you said that you could feel things changing in your spine?" Glass went on.

"Ever since I got these things, I can feel it changing everyday,"

"Well they are definitely changing,"

"What do you mean?" Jess asked.

"There's blackness surrounding your spikes, blending in with your tattoo almost. I'll keep this to myself until I get further details." Glass said. "You can get changed now," Jess gave the blanket back and put her shirt on and stood up.

"Let me know if you feel anything different," Glass spoke. Jess nodded and put her jacket on and left.

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Ben and Jess found some fruit loops and decided that they should get a bowl for Rick. They went outside and saw Rick on a bench.

"Lucky they still had some fruit loops still left in the plastic. Love that sugar rush." Ben said, offering Rick a bowl.

"It bothers you doesn't it. The way they look at us," Rick spoke, Jess leant against a tree.

"I try not to think about it," Ben sighed.

"They don't understand, but they will," Rick spoke. Two people walked by slowly, staring at the three of them with hatred.

"Keep your eyes in front of you people," Jess spoke passive aggressively. They looked at her and scoffed and kept walking.

"Look, I know you're hurting after your dad, but um, if you ever want to talk about it –"

"It doesn't matter now, he was part of the way he was before," Rick spoke.

"Before? You mean with the skitters, because that's over, you know that," Ben spoke.

"The doctors may have removed the harness but that doesn't mean they've abandoned us. We're the lucky ones."

"No. I hate the skitters! I hate what they did to me! If I had the chance, I would kill every last one of them!" Ben raised his voice and stood over Rick.

"It'll get clearer Ben, I promise, they love us, they will come back for us,"

"You need help, Rick! They don't love you, they enslaved you. Used you for their own benefit." Jess scoffed. "We can help you see Rick, just let us."

Rick started at her, Alamos not processing what she said.

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"Alright, everybody, gather around! I got a demonstration! Come on! Come on! I'm only gonna do this once!" Pope yelled. "The score is, Aliens – 1 Humans – 0. Hell, humans aren't even on the board." Everyone finally gathered around him. "Alrighty, the whole gang is here, I do not want to have to do this twice."

"You're supposed to be making bombs, Pope," Weaver said while making his way over with Tom.

"Ever heard of multi-tasking. It's all under control," Pope replied.

"It better be!' Weaver yelled. "Cause I'm looking for a reason to put you back behind bars!"

"Dad!" Matt yelled, running over to Tom. He just got back from a scouting mission with Hal and Weaver.

"You wanna know why we've been losing this war? It's because the bad guys have us out gunned! It takes a full magazine to just put a dent, in one of their tin soldiers. May I?" Pope asked a soldier for a weapon.

"Watch him!" Weaver said nodding to Pope. He took his gun and everyone aimed their gun at Pope. Jess quickly chuckled. He started shooting at the Mech. He was right. Not even a dent.

"So, that's how it's been." Pope spoke handing the gun back and he took a bullet out of his pocket and put it in the air. "But, there's a new sheriff in town! It's a standard bullet, only it's got a Mech metal slug." Pope got a 45mm magnum and put the bullet inside and shot the Mech and the bullet went clean through the head of the Mech and everyone started cheering. Jess smiled and started clapping. Everyone started quieting down and Weaver stood in front of the group.

"We're taking this fight to them!" He spoke a loud and everyone started cheering. Jess looked at Ben and he smiled.

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A few of the guys set up a movie night, using a projector. A group of people were watching a hilarious animated movie and everyone was smiling and laughing, sharing a small cup of popcorn. Jess was sitting next to Ben and Hal.

She was happy. She thought she wouldn't be able to let herself feel again, but Ben brought her back, the 2nd Mass, brought me back.

She starting laughing and then looked at Ben. He looked at her and smiled. "And to think that I wouldn't see you smile," He whispered to her.

"It's all thanks to you and this place. I thought I wouldn't be able to let myself feel again. But this place brought me back. You, brought me back. You saved me." Jess smiled and he kissed her forehead.

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Jess was part of Pope's group of people making Mech bullets.

"Come on! Keep moving. Imagine those Mech's roaring in on you, imagine how much fun you're gonna have, shooting them with their own toys." Jess chuckled and continued to pour Mech metal in the bullet mould. She was standing next to Matt who was polishing the bullets.

"Look kid, you don't need to polish the bullets. It's quantity not quality." Pope said. "Your dad talking about me?"

"Yeah, he said to stay away from you. I just want to help, I'm tired of being treated like a little kid. I want to fight! And beside I am, just not that far." Matt spoke.

"Ahh, what the heck, it's not like your dad is going to do anything to the little prince of the 2nd mass –"Pope was cut off by Matt throwing a bullet in a container.

"I'm not a prince!" Matt yelled.

"You're not the only one. There are 2 other princelets. You're the youngest. Which makes you special. What's it like? Walking around with that sweet Mason brand?" Pope spoke.

"What's it like to have hair like a girl?" Matt smiled. Jess looked over at Matt and did a thumbs up and smiled.

Pope chuckled. "You're gonna have to work on your insults, kid. Get working! Come on! 12 hours! Just half a day!" Pope said aloud.

About half an hour later Captain Weaver walked in.
"Pope! Front and center!" He spoke a loud. He looked at Jess. "I see that you've found your place," He smiled. Jess jokingly saluted. "Yes, sir," she smiled.

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Jess went to go get a drink and came across Ben and Rick talking in Scott's room. Scott was the mechanic at 2nd Mass. He was trying to find the Skitter's radio frequency and jam it.

Jess peeked her head inside, making sure that they don't hear her.

"What's he trying to do anyway?" Rick asked Ben.

"Scott thinks he can try and use it to contact other resistant groups and maybe jam the signal between Skitters," Ben replied.

"But if he does that, they might not find us," Rick spoke with a worried tone.

"Is that your new thing? Creeping me out?" Ben asked.

"Why haven't you told the other humans about me?"

"Cause I'm hoping you'll stop talking like that and realize that everything the skitters did to us was wrong. You're human too,"

"I don't want to be. You're not telling them because you're scared, because you can feel the change coming,"

Change?

"Is that why I can hear the radio?" Ben asked. Rick walked in front of the window.

"What's happening to us, Rick?"

"I hope they find us, soon," Rick sighed.

Jess stood up and took a breath and went back to the Mech bullet room.

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Hal, Maggie and Jimmy walked up to Jess

"You know how to break in and out of places, right?" Hal asked.

Jess looked around the room. "Uh." She coughed lightly "Yeah?"

"Well, we need you to get my dad out of custody," Hal spoke.

"Custody?" Jess spoke standing up. "What do mean?"

"Long story, but we really need your help,"

"Alright, as long as you tell me later, okay?" Jess sighed.

"Sure, follow me," Hal waved his hand and they walked away.

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Jimmy knocked on the door and Jess leant against the wall, hidden so the guards can't see her. The door opened.

"Weaver ordered me to bring down some chow," Jimmy spoke. The guard let him in and walked down the stairs, letting the door closed and Jess slid her foot in so it doesn't close on her

"Guess everybody's gotta eat," The guard sighed. He walked over to where Tom was being held and Jess silently started making her way downstairs and then he opened the gate and Tom saw her and she held her finger over her mouth in order to keep him quiet. Jess quickly removed the guards gun and kicked the back of his legs so he could fall and she put her arm around his neck to choke him. He fell unconscious.

"How did you do that?" Jimmy scoffed with a smile.

"My uncle, although an asshole, was quite a smart man." She huffed, dragging the guards body out of the way.

"Don't worry, he's just unconscious," Jess huffed to Jimmy. "Hal!"

Hal came in and Tom talked to Hal about Weaver not being fit for duty because he's taking medication which can cause paranoia and hallucinations, Tom said that he confronted him and Weaver locked him up. They were heading over to Dai to hear the report from Cornel Porter. Dai was injured on his way back here so they headed to the infirmary.

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- hey what up, it's been a while y'all, honestly I just felt like doing another chapter of this book, so idk how active I'm gonna be. But hey, at least it's something. ily