Zen teleported to the gate where her brother was making out with Marco. She smirked and walked right over. “Ok, enough you two. You’ll have enough time for that tonight. What if I had been Edline?”

“She’d probably be asking if his candy bar was wrapped in plastic,” Senka hollered from the front door, appearing from the shadows just as Kiera and Layna appeared laughing.

“You seriously told a ten-year-old about sex using candy euphemisms? The poor dear,” said Layna as she walked down the steps, a black handbag in her hands.

Isaias snorted. “Marco, that wasn’t your brightest idea. Now every time someone eats a Snickers she’s going to ask about candy bars and not the ones you eat,” he said snickering.

Marco hit him looking affronted.

“Well, you shouldn’t be explaining that stuff to a ten-year-old! You should have left it to Zen or another female she trusts!”

“I concur. My data files tell me she is one confused little girl. She thinks all chocolate should be wrapped in plastic now. She asked Val if he was going to wrap his cocoa puffs in plastic. Poor Val was so confused by this, this morning,” Kiera said, appearing from the door with a medical bag in hand.

Layna cracked up and had to hold herself up on Senka’s shoulder. “T-that is one confused little girl. I hope Rosalinda can help her. She immediately figured out the problem and took her to have the talk since that is what you wanted Marco.”

Marco slapped his face. No that is not what I wanted but I guess it was inevitable after that lesson.

Isaias grinned. After the mess, you left that poor little girl in? You’ll be lucky if my mom doesn’t haul you in for some severe beating!

Marco frowned. Isaias? I didn’t telepath that thought.

You must have. How else would I have...oh.

I wonder if you have other talents? We’ll have to see, won’t we?

Isaias smirked. Hey Zen! Looks like you’re not the only one with Trinity blood!

Zen smiled. Of course not Isaias. We’re twins. You know, born from the same cell? I was wondering when you would start to awaken your abilities. You are farther than me since you have part of your Galactic gifts as well such as seeing energy.

Hermanita this is so weird!

“Get used to it, Isaias. We’re going to need it in the war.”

“Isaias nodded. “Everyone ready to go then?”

“Yes,” said Kiera hurrying down the steps.

“You bet,” Layna said, walking over to a black convertible and opening the door. She looked at everyone expectantly. “Well, are we going?”

Everyone hopped into the convertible while Marco waved goodbye.

###

Isaias gave Layna the directions and soon they were driving up to the gates of the Guerrero barracks where the poisoned men and women were interred. Already some had to drink the antitoxin from the original poison to stem this poison. The batch of antitoxin was being brought today from the Hormigueros’s hideout. It would be an hour's wait for them but Layna and Kiera could make rounds and check the patients while Isaias and Senka kept their moods stable. Zen would be casting the time warp as soon as the antitoxin was there. Till then she would join Isaias in keeping morale stable.

They entered the Cerulean building to find several grumpy Guerreros playing Go Fish.

“Got any whales?”

“Go fish.”

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“Alejandro, I know you got the stinking whales, give them to me!”

“Go freakin fish Gearo, Geez. I haven’t any whales.”

Alejandro, a small, thin, caramel-eyed male stood and grabbed Gearo’s collar, hoisting him up. Gearo, a tough big guy huffed and was about to break free when Isaias coughed gaining their attention.

“Gentlemen and ladies, the antitoxin will be here in an hour and then it’ll take about three days for you to get better completely,” he said, gaining some cheers.

“Three days? Won’t we miss the war,” someone asked.

“I can make an hour three days. Which is why I’m here,” Zen said smiling from her armchair. Now cheers did ring out from everywhere. Isaias made a motion with his hand and they quieted.

“Due to the scope of the army against us, everyone has to fight but all of you are still on the reserved list. You’ll get to fight just not on the front lines. We can’t risk anything happening in case three days isn’t enough time and for some of you it probably won’t be.”

A few Guerreros frowned and whined but most just nodded. They didn’t want to be liabilities in a war. They understood their orders. Most of them.

Senka appeared out of the shadows and sighed at the looks he was given. “What! Never seen a man come out of the shadows or something? You must not have very good snipers then.”

“I take offense to that,” Alejandro muttered while sitting back down. “I’m damn good at what I do. I wouldn’t be a Lieutenant otherwise,” he muttered so only those with super hearing heard him.

“Really? Let’s go then. Show me your moves. Let’s see what they teach you here.”

Alejandro smirked and went over to where he was staying temporarily. He got out his neural cords and his gun. He could control if he wanted blanks, bullets, or sleeping tranqs. He was also never out of bullets when his mind made them faster than he could load them. It took special training to learn how to shoot a gun using neural cables but for him, the benefits outweighed the risks.

“Alright let’s go to the shooting range.”

Isaias handed a clear liquid to Senka. If the poison activates, give him this quick.”

Senka nodded and followed Alejandro out to the shooting range.

###

The shooting range was disguised to look like a natural forest with targets farther out. He turned to Alejandro. “I won’t use my shadow abilities to even the stakes. You try to get me, that's all. You have thirty minutes.

“I won’t need that long.”

Senka smirked and faded into the shadows of the forest while Alejandro lay back and waited for a sign of movement. Both were patient and waited the other out in stillness. In the end Alejandro couldn’t find him and his thirty minutes were up.

“Your turn to be still,” Senka said.

“You know how to handle neural cables?”

“Yup, don’t worry this won’t take long”

“That’s what you think,” muttered Alejandro.

Ten minutes later he was almost shot through. “How the hell did you know?”

Senka smirked and pointed at the small indent to his left where his hand had left a trail.

“Human eyes probably wouldn’t have seen that but mine did. You need to use the shadows better too. I could see the color of your hair between all this green.”

“Can you show me a few tricks? Like using the shadows and stuff?”

Senka scratched his chin. “I don’t see why not. We got some time left before the med gets here.”

“Yeah! So what do I do?”

“First thing to learn is how to hide correctly. You hide and if I find you I’ll shoot.”

“Alejandro gulped at Senka’s smile. What had he gotten into?

Time passed and they practiced or shall we say Alejandro practiced.

“Dammit!” muttered Alejandro as a blank shot hit him between the eyes. He rubbed his stinging forehead.

“Hide better boy!”

Alejandro jumped to another shadow and stood still. A minute passed. Ten. He was getting a cramp but he stood still till…

“Time.”

Alejandro took a breath and sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He stepped to meet Senka who was shooting at the range targets with a hundred percent accuracy. He turned to face Alejandro and nodded.

“You hid from me for thirty minutes. That’s how silent you should always be. Practice it on your own from now on.” He hefted the gun on his shoulders. “Let’s go. The med is here. Took a little longer than expected cause that Gibson fella put up a stink about not being paid till after the war.”

“What is he going to do with the money in a war?”

“Don’t know but you don’t look too good kid. Let’s get you some of that antitoxin. Don’t want you keeling over my boots now.”

Alejandro laughed and followed him inside where Guerreros were getting shots. Kiera took one look at Alejandro and asked for a syringe of antitoxin. She went over and stabbed the syringe into his vein.

“Get him a bed, Senka. The poison has just activated. He was lucky the antitoxin had just arrived.`` Then she smacked Senka over the head. “What did you make him do? Run the field chasing after you?”

“Hide in the shadows while I shot at him if I found him.”

“Senka! These are humans!”

“Rosalinda could do it and she’s human.”

“Not completely! You could have killed him out there. Sit and be a good boy.”

Senka sighed but did as she said. He had his fun.

“Help, something’s wrong!” shouted Layna as the Guerrero before her began convulsing.