Chapter 30

So what if they accepted some nasty orders? It was still them that did accept this mission, while the cause fell to other shoulders. Zep recalled the team and started to prepare for the flight. Meanwhile, Luke was left with William, who was clutching a strip of his bag as if it was preserving his life. In some sense, it did.

“Have you flown before?” Luke asked.

“Not really. Who was that guy?”

“Zep. Vice-captain in charge of the workings of this machine. He is a pilot. I am the captain.”

“What did Zep mean by... what he said?”

“That it doesn't matter what we do. Order is order. He isn't the owner of this helicopter, nor I am. It is the property of others. We stole it because of the one who is looking for you.”

William cringed just from hearing his nonchalant, almost proud tone of stealing. Does it mean... they are thieves and lawless? The Federation hates thieves. What is this about?! Why am I not panicking?

If there was something William couldn't cope with, that was the Federation. Information about that place Outside was usually exaggerated and talked about in many ways and stories, opposite to the Academy. What was right and not was never concrete, so William didn't trust most stories.

But it was a real place, obviously. Without it, nothing great would stand in these lands. At least as far as he could tell. Who knew if he was lacking some critical information? Luke might.

Luke eyed William as he waited for his people to get ready. Then, he realized he missed something. “Um. Zep!” He suddenly shouted and jolted Zep in the middle of work and talking to people. Regular people.

He turned, watching how Luke grasped William by his bag, and walked away.

“C-captain?” Zep asked.

“Grab that girl... whatever her name was.”

Zep recalled there was some side he overlooked, so he quickly found someone inside the cargo, reading or scribbling something in a book.

There was a young woman much younger than Luke, and her attire consisted of a long white blouse, reaching her thighs, black jeans, and boots that William found luxurious. William couldn't tell Walkers apart from normal people, but he assumed most people in this helicopter shouldn't be Walkers. Some might; most shouldn't be.

A large squad of Walkers was rare and quite reckoning, and way too overkill for his simple retrieving. Hell, this was already way too much!

Even without some doubts, the military regular military came in clutch. There were many physically capable and normal people picked as supporters for Walker teams. It was how Divisions in the Federation worked ever since their creation. For every Walker, there were up to dozens of normal soldiers at every Division.

Missions had various ideas, though Walkers were always present, either with a lone figure, a duo, or a big team of five. Larger teams would mean something completely different, like a war, incredibly tough Rifts, crazy Incursion, or personal, or private matters of some organizations or individuals.

Supporting roles fell to normal people, though it wasn't always the case. Some Walkers could also get that privilege, while most normal people worked hard just to help Walkers steady their steps or help with missions. Luke had his own team with a few Walkers and a bunch of normal people. It was hard to tell who was who.

The woman who walked from the door yawned. Her hair had seen better days and her glasses shined in the middle of the day. She squinted and hated how Zap talked, or how the sun shined. It made her mind race.

“What...”

“Boy?” Zep guessed. “You are her assistant. You ought to do your work.”

“Job.” she yawned as she walked forward. “Is it really that boy?”

“See some other boy?” Luke turned to her in the middle of a plain, enough distance from a helicopter. William stood aside of him, unsure where this was going, or why he dragged him; he had no problems with going anywhere he liked.

“Uhm, is this who looked for me?” He asked.

“Nah.” Luke shook his head and released his bag. “There is a test, and she is.... err...” Luke struggled to describe her.

“Notes-maker, boy. Aspects, people, and images are works of art. Blood too, I suppose.” She recited and yawned a few times as she talked and walked ahead. Basically, it is a relation. Art. Walkers have them. Emblems are why, so? Get going or I am gonna sleep.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

William had never seen such a lazy woman in his life. Luke tested some things already, but he was a good soldier on a mission. Not a person from a rather interesting place.

“Be warned,” he said. “He bites.”

“Whatever,” she waved a hand but still backed a dozen feet away. Then, she readied her paperwork, and grabbed a pencil, waving and yawning for Luke to start.

“What is it about?” William had a bad feeling about it when Luke approached him as if he was sorry. “Wait. Don...”

He punched him in his stomach, causing William to moan and crawl around the ground.

“Oh, I remember. You are Anna Schwartz.” Luke nodded and felt good about his memory when he turned to Anna. Frankly, he knew her name a long time ago but her surname was hard to remember and its pronunciation was even worse.

William wriggled, breathless.

“No reaction to pain and sudden attack. Noted.” Anna wrote. “Continue.”

“I might do it wrongly, Anna.”

“Who else would do it? Me?” Anna suggested, gesturing with her pen for a kick or two. Luke complied, sighting.

William moaned and felt he was truly being kidnapped. Zep watched the show behind Anna, sighting and now knowing why they were doing this. A test was done... differently. No matter how, what were they testing? If Zep had some doubts, then William was asking for a beating.

He gasped for breath and tossed his bag aside. “What was this for...”

“Nothing,” Luke cracked his fists and gestured for Anna. “How is the usual procedure?”

“You mean test and scientific tone, undertone, hues, and notions of Vectors or Arcana?”

“Call it whatever you want,” Luke argued.

“System is inclusive and hidden. Terms are laws. We use them for a reason. Like words.” Anna said resolutely. “And yes. We seek notions. Involuntary ones. Secret ones. Rank 0 is hard to flow, but this one should have it. Why? Every point comes to some conclusion. Like math. Like a river. Like words that always end in some form. Everyone is different and it is a work of science to see them. Well, not in Walker-like patterns. We have papers. Words. Numbers.”

“So beating is no bueno?”

“Maybe.”

William wished to speak to both of them but couldn't. He felt... nothing. Just pain and lack of breath. His Emblem was silent. Mind shocked.

But what was that about Rank 0? Oh, that was... where had he heard about it? A memory resurfaced, and then, crimson spread like hot charcoal through his arm and reached his brain, causing havoc, a beat, and noise. [Oh...] William immediately felt better and pulled his sleeves upwards, revealing his Emblem to Anna who furiously began to draw and write. It was as if she woke up and her eyes widened like her face; she was way too fascinated by Emblems because she had none.

Luke watched William. “There we go. It works. Anger is why, I presume, or lack of breath?”

“I can kill you,” William said through clutched teeth.

Luke chuckled. “I would bet my life that you would not. Any bet?”

Anna was way too busy drawing.

Zep cheered and pulled open palm. “Five chips.”

William grunted, feeling his movement and heat. He could kill. He could move. Why would he do it, again? Hostility was nowhere, and they... why were they doing it? For shit and giggles?

“This test is an official touch and assurance. A lot about you went through some notes before it went out. Stories, I mean. Some bits that some considered fake. A myth. I linked them at last. I already know the answer, William. You are who we look for, but some might not believe it. It is a private matter between some parties and politics. Frankly speaking, you have been a Rank 0 Walker for a long time, right?”

“And? Does it mean something?”

“A lot.”

“...”

“Alright. For the start...”

Anna shoved his face aside and nearly stumbled upon him when she approached William like a crazy person. Her breath increased and her face flushed. She began to size him from the bottom, before observing every cranny of that crimson delight. “Red. No. Crimson. Soothing, sizzling. It isn't escaping, but it could, right?”

“Miss...” William stepped away because she went way too close. He feared his Emblem would do something nasty to her. It tried. He pushed it back, succeeding.

“How long is it like that?”

“Like what?”

“Rank 0?”

“How should I know?”

“It assimilated. You would know it. Body changes. Heartbeat too. Mind and so on. A first whisper of Mindless Eyes comes and goes like noises and pain that is internal and echoing like thunders or storms. It feels like a curse or a crazy person.”

“Eh?” William didn't know what to tell her because he never had any privilege or a great teacher. He guessed some answers. “I was... young.”

“How young?”

“Not sure. Seven? Eight?” He lied a little, uncertain if it was a good idea.

Anna didn't seem less or more impressed because his answer was lacking certainty. She wrote something and began circling William. “I came from Emblem Association; a research facility in the Federation. They do research of all kinds. Youngsters like you are a great lot of wonders. What is Rank 0, you might ask?”

“Nah.” William clutched his right hand. “I would like to know about other things that don't concern me that close.”

“But this is important!” She increased her voice as if he hurt her pride. “Irwin... Do you know something? If so, I would approach this differently.”

“You described to me this test before!” Luke shouted behind her. “Stress, isn't it physical?”

“Or mental,” Anna suggested. “Do we need more force? How about you unleash your chest or look for a Dark? I have quite a few ideas to get what I want.”

For some reason, William wanted to run when he looked into her eyes.

A Fanatic! Do they exist even in the Federation?! He backed and Luke sighed.

“Emotions,” Luke said. “Can you influence Rank 0 with them, William?”

“I said that I have no clue.” Another lie.

“You didn't talk about it to anyone else?” Anna asked.

“Why would I? I was a kid... lost Outside and... seen the world and Darks with my own eyes. Walkers don't care for us until we grow. A lot of kids are like that. Reluctant, I mean. We just don't know things until we reach some age or rare chance. Isn't that how it goes for a long time? Sounds stupid. Moronic, I call.”

Anna shrugged. “Some better wording suits it, but who cares about it? Knowing things due to the Federation or being... adopted, is better.”

“That's just great.” Luke shifted and walked forward. “That's it. No more tests. I have seen it active. Not sure about Ego, but bits are there.”

Anna smiled at him, turned, and walked away. “You will be throughout, Irwin. Or I will tell Miss Mi-Yung!”

Luke wanted to argue but a fist clutched his guts.

William liked revenge. He got the timing right, but he felt as if he hit a mountain. Chuckling awkwardly, as if waiting for a fist to come back, he felt proud and satisfied that he punched Luke.

Zep clapped. “This boi has guts! I like this one.”

“Let's... go,” Luke grabbed William's head, ordered, and dragged him to the helicopter where he would have a lot of talking ahead of him.