December 30th. 02:00 Somewhere Havana

“Look, you can’t pin this bullshit on me,” John said as he was running down the street.

“What makes you think I’m giving you any looks,” Alice was in fact giving John looks.

“Once again, that wasn’t my fault at all. I didn’t start anything there.”

“And yet we’re running. Do you even know where we’re running too?”

John motioned behind him to take a left at the stop sign they were coming up to, “More or less.”

“Well, is it more or less? Because if it’s less…”

“Again, not my fault,” John stopped at the end of the street and peeked out and looked both ways, “Ok it’s clear. We’re under a couple of miles to the house.”

“I cannot wait to tell our friends about this.”

“Look, we did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I’d rather just avoid interacting with the local police.”

“Guilty conscience?” Alice was smiling.

“You’re enjoying this.”

“Maybe, but now I have lots of questions about what happened in Cuba before.”

“It was tequila’s fault.”

“That’s such a lame and tired excuse.”

The couple continued their run back to the hacienda they had rented. Alice wasn’t enjoying the run, but she did enjoy giving a ton of crap to him. They were able to evade the bar patrons that took issue with them. Alice figured John had a history with someone that raised hell in the bar. She was determined to get the answer out of him. When they got back to the hacienda the couple took a shower and then went to bed.

New Year’s Eve. 09:45 Hacienda

Alice woke up. She turned over on her side and was watching John. She smirked at the events earlier that morning. She shook her head and laughed. It was ridiculous what they got into, or instead what John got them into. She poked his cheek.

“Lemme sleep,” John slurred the words.

“Nope. Up now,” Alice was shaking John.

“Fine, fine. I’m up,” John rolled over and opened his eyes.

“So, what did you do to the guy from last night? Steal from him or beat him up?”

“Neither and I really didn’t do anything. But another agent jammed him up on some petty charges,” John swung his legs over the edge of the bed, “But clearly said agent blamed me.”

“So next steps?”

“Going to take a shower, get changed, have breakfast, fire up a cigar and track the asshole down and buy him off.”

“Just that?”

“Oh, probably swim in the ocean and relax too. And probably swing by a La Casa del Habanos to get some more cigars. And Cuban rum. Definitely need more rum and cigars,” John got up and headed into the bathroom.

“I swear he has a one-track mind,” Alice said to herself.

She dug out some clothes to wear for the day, then walked into the other bathroom and got cleaned up herself. John was out of the shower first. He was dressed in cargo shorts and a blue guayaberas shirt. He was in the kitchen cooking some bacon, eggs, and toast. Alice walked into the kitchen wearing short shorts and a sleeveless one-shoulder belly top shirt. John whistled at her and served her breakfast.

Alice laughed and rolled her eyes, “Objectifying me and then serving me a meal. You’re a rare one, John.”

John smirked, “Well, you do look damn hot.”

“Ugh. But thanks, honey. So, am I correct in assuming you know where he is?”

John was on his tablet, “Found out a few minutes ago. We’ll head out when you’re done.”

“So how much is this costing us?”

“Technically it’s not costing anyone anything.”

Alice started laughing, “That argument won’t work with me, buddy.”

“Well, it was worth a try,” John smirked, “Got five million in unmarked credit chits for him.”

Alice wasn’t overly surprised by the amount. She was hoping that whatever issues the man had with John could be resolved without violence. But she was prepared to get stuck in a fight if John’s plan went south.

10:45 La Torre’s Restaurant

John and Alice were smoking cigars as they walked into the restaurant's patio area. Cuba was one of the last places on the planet that allowed indoor smoking or smoking in public areas outside. John was walking with a purpose which indicated to Alice that he knew where the man was. That didn’t stop her from asking the obvious question.

“I presume you know where he is.”

“Yup. He’s on the beach side of the patio,” John smiled as they walked up some stairs.

“You’re cheating.”

“Mhmm,” John laughed as they continued to walk.

The couple took a right then walked up some more stairs and there was a group of three familiar-looking men. One of them saw them and instantly rushed at them. John was about to dash forward and take him on, but Alice leaped into action first. She landed a jumping roundhouse kick perfectly, knocking him out and causing his body to crumble down the stairs.

The other man was a step behind the other man and was closing in on Alice. John grabbed him just before he got to Alice, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him on the ground. He grappled with the man shortly and got him into a sleeper hold. Knocking him out.

“Fuckers, that was a damn good cigar, and these two are ruined now too,” John tossed the remnants of a pair of cigars he had pulled out of the pockets on his shirt.

“Pablo. Sit your ass down so we can fucking talk. I don’t want to hurt you, if I did you wouldn’t have seen me coming,” John reached over and took a couple of cigars from the box that was on the table, “Hand me that cutter and lighter if you would.”

Pablo reluctantly complied with the request, “You ruined my life, and now what, getting your pound of flesh.”

John got his cigar, a Partagas Lusitania, lit, “Oh man these are good. Nicely aged too. You have my thanks for sharing. Look I didn’t jam you up. I didn’t need to do that. My idiot partner at the time was the one that did that.”

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“And I’m supposed to believe you?” Pablo was angry.

“Dude, you really think I’d go to the lengths of running away from you one night and then tracking you down the next day if I was the one responsible for your convictions? Trust me, you ain’t that important.”

“Maybe you have a guilty conscience.”

John laughed, “Honey, the two idiots are alive right?”

“Yup, bruised but not broken,” Alice sat down next to John.

“I do have a guilty conscience over a fair few things I’ve done in my life. Not in your case though. Had I known they were going to screw you like that I would’ve stopped it,” John tossed a pair of credit chits to Alice, “Please put those in their wallets, compensation for attacking us and getting knocked the fuck out.”

John pulled out five credit chits and slid them across the table to Pablo. Pablo was hesitant to take them. John took a puff on his cigar.

“There’s five million in those unmarked credit chits. Whatever debt intelligence owed to you is now paid. Be smart with the money.”

John and Alice pushed their chairs back and got up. John noticed Alice had propped up the two that attacked them. As they walked away Pablo shouted out.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I don’t need you trying to track me down on my fucking vacation. Don’t need that nonsense. And I don’t feel like killing you and yours while I’m visiting. If this doesn’t settle things, I will throw down with you more seriously next time. Have a good one.”

John waived at Pablo and walked away. The couple decided to head to the beach bar at the nearby hotel and get drinks and relax there for a while. Alice suggested they have lunch at the nearby hotel before heading out and finishing the few errands.

19:00 Hacienda Beach

The couple was in swimsuits relaxing after having dinner. They were sitting on beach loungers and enjoying some Cuban rum and cigars. The sun was setting, and the fire was kicking up embers.

“Here’s to another year Alice. Thank you for everything,” John smiled.

“I love you too. In under seven months, we’re going to be married.”

“I love you. If we blink it’ll be June,” John smiled.

“How hard is the spring semester going to be?” Alice took a sip of rum.

John was taking a drag on his cigar, “Well January won’t be much different than last January. Probably anyways. When we get up to the station things change. It’ll be treated as if we’re underway on a ship.”

“Sooooo… What does that mean?” Alice had never been on a navy ship.

“Cramped, not much recreation choices, cramped, lots of work and studying. Oh, and very cramped. Basically, we’re going to be shoehorned into a small space and spend all our time studying and praying for something to happen during what little off time we have.”

“Basically, Andern’s worst nightmare,” Alice said dryly.

John was laughing, “If I had to guess it’s going to be four weeks of that before we have a couple of days off. We’re basically up there for fourteen weeks. Hey, you think Andern is going to lose it when he finds out spring break is three days off, with only one day when we get to leave?”

“Honestly I’m more than a little sad about that too.”

“Going to be worse when we’re on the ship. We have classes to do too,” John took a drink of the rum.

“Shut up. No, we don’t.”

John just tilted his head, “Command has three classes. Not sure about the others.”

“Well, the reward for successfully getting through that is summer break, a wedding, and a honeymoon.” Alice raised her glass.

“Here here. Looking forward to the new year.”

The couple stayed on the beach and enjoyed the company of one another. About an hour before the new year tipped over fireworks show began down the beach from them. They rearranged their loungers to watch the show. After the new year rolled over the couple decided to head inside. The pair made love and then fell asleep in one another’s arms.

New Year’s Day. 06:30 Hacienda’s Beach

John woke up early. He didn’t want to get up early, but Alice kicked him as she was taking more of the blanket away from him. John was annoyed at getting woken up like that, again, and just chuckled at how her blanket thieving and jumpy legs were going to be a point of contention for the rest of their days together.

He walked outside to the veranda and began stretching. Thirty minutes later he walked out onto the beach and sat down. He began his recent obsession of playing back the fight with the twins. The more he deconstructed the battle the more he realized the power armor was a handicap in the fight. Using his new armor, he likely would’ve maimed or killed one of the twins. Certainly not being fought to a standstill and losing in the way he did.

He began understanding how their powers worked. A metal rod that was white hot versus one that was frozen just represented different energetic states. John was wondering why a telekinetic couldn’t just agitate the atoms to do the same.

“Why did you light the sand on fire?” a sleepy Alice was watching John from the veranda.

“Well, I had a theory and turns out I am technically right. Which is the best kind of right out there as an aside. But from a practical standpoint, it doesn’t work the way I was hoping.”

Alice walked out onto the beach and sat in the lounge chair nearest John, “Why not?”

“It’s the difference between innately understanding something versus learning how to do something.”

“So, you could do the same things in principle but never with the same degree of ease.”

John grinned, “Right, but I wonder if understanding how they do things if I’m not able to undo it or reduce its effectiveness.”

“Is that possible?” Alice was enjoying the morning sun.

“Dunno, it’d help to know someone I could spar with.”

John’s matter-of-fact answer didn’t satisfy him. He went into the house to get his tablet and sent a message off to intelligence. He wanted access to Psi-Corp records to see if there was anything in them that could prove his theory.

He went out to the beach again to practice a couple more times before getting cleaned up and having breakfast. Alice kissed him after he finished his second review of the battle and said she was going to get cleaned up. John was about to start another round when a call came in.

“Mr. Lief, I presume you started the new year on an up note,” the mystery man said.

“Well, I’d say in general yes it was until you called. Good job on fucking that up. So, what should I call you?”

“Dr. Norman, and no that is not my name.”

“Rather arrogant picking a name that includes a title you never earned,” John smiled.

“Would I be the arrogant one for picking the name or would you be the one for assuming that of me?”

“Bit of a push on that bet, eh?” John sighed, “What is it that you want?”

“I do appreciate your negotiation stance. Too often we waste time on pleasantries when it’s not needed.”

“And yet you’re droning on with pleasantries and superfluous words.”

Dr. Norman chuckled, “Simple, I want you to join me. Our run-ins were regretful as we weren’t aware of your true potential. For that, I must apologize. You have no idea the power you could wield with my organization. The children you’d have with Lisa would be immensely powerful.”

“Lisa’s a stray pubic hair away from being clinically insane. A rather old and crude but apt saying applies here. I’d rather not stick my dick in crazy. Besides, I already have a woman that I love, and she’s leaps and bounds better than Lisa.”

“We’re trying to move the race forward John. Can’t you see that?”

“Your efforts will fail. Tell me, I’m sure you are aware of the low-key eugenics program the Alliance was running twenty years ago, right?” John got up and dusted the sand off of him.

“Of course, we were monitoring it with rapt attention.”

“How many homo sapiens superiors were produced?” John sat down in a chair; he was looking at the ocean.

“If the reports we had are accurate, thirty-six.”

“One hundred fourteen baseline humans and another eighty pluses were produced as well. I dunno what y’all call them.”

“So, our reports were accurate.”

John smiled. “How many superiors developed any degree of psychic capabilities?”

“We don’t know, we understand that the report only exists in a physical format.”

“I’ll spoil the movie for you. Two. One of which was on the low end of a level two.”

“That isn’t possible. There must be some mistake.”

“Oh, it gets better. Fourteen baseline humans developed psychic abilities. Pluses were at a lower rate than the baseline humans.”

“Clearly they didn’t do things right.”

John was smiling, “Your attempt at creating a utopia of super-powered humans is a pipe dream. Just as psychic potential seems to be hilariously random for baseline humans, so too is it random for pluses and superiors. And if you are a doctor then you’re a piss poor one by ignoring the facts.”

“Our analysis of the data and genetic code clearly shows other results.”

“And yet mother nature smacks that down. Tell me honestly, you’re producing far fewer psychics than you expect based on your experiments thus far, right?”

“It’s too early to tell.”

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll offer you a deal. Keep those two whack jobs away from me and don’t bother me again and we can find a way to co-exist. Next time I see either one of those special twins you're so fond of, I’m going to kill them.”

“Threats are beneath you. You are so much more than that. I trust you’ll see reason in the future.”

John took a more threatening look, “I’ve given you my offer in good faith. It is not negotiable. And no, threats are very much not beneath me. I am a walking threat to everything you represent. I’d say do us both a favor and walk away, but your kind never listens.”

Dr. Norman was about to say something when John ended the call. John got up and shook his head. He knew that wasn’t going to be the last time they chatted. The twins most likely would be sent after him, but as John continued to train, he became more and more confident that he’d be fine. Well, probably be fine.

He got up and walked inside. As he did, he sent a copy of the call to Intelligence. He figured they’d be curious about it. He then wandered into the bedroom, got a change of clothes, and then headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

Alice was watching the morning news when he got out to the kitchen. He made the pair breakfast. Plans for the day were made. They were going to go to a museum, a cigar rolling factory, and then a nightclub down the street from the hacienda.

Aside from them running away from a bar fight a couple of nights before their trip had been excellent. They would only get to spend another two days in Cuba before needing to head back to the academy. The wedding was largely planned and only three large items remained. A pair of parties for each side of the wedding and dress shopping. There was much to hope for in the new year, and it was already underway.