Chapter 32

William realized he gazed at these tools and missiles for far too long. When he got up, he met Luke's eyes.

“No flying before, eh.” Luke scratched his chin and pointed to the seats, which were in dozens of secured tight spots and rows all over a big room. There were even windows on the walls. The sides had a simple row of seats facing into the helicopter. In the middle were additional seats facing the wall where the cockpit was, though there were many of them back to back. On the opposite end was the cargo space with a thick door where William currently was.

The cargo space was open, revealing a much bigger space than the seating area. It went all the way to the back where was a huge door that could angle and open outwards. The cockpit was closed by the wall and door, so he couldn't see it. The upper space above the cargo was the same, going to the upper floor.

As the size suggested, storage and seating for dozens of people was essential for long missions. William couldn't wrap his head around how to manage what these helicopters were used for, how much resources they cost, or how much fuel they ate. Wasn't it also an easy target in the sky? How quick was it? How well one could shoot from it, or was it some automatic thing?

“You will sit there,” Luke said and from the door to the cockpit, Zep stormed to Luke.

“What is it, boi? Are you so impressed that your mouth is no longer stable?” He laughed and glared at the curious boy.

“Not really. I admire it. A lot of care and resources go to these tools, right? I wonder how it works and when it... goes or how.”

“Curious, eh? Captain, how about to teach him a lesson?” Zep hung his arm over Luke's neck and was ready to speak all about it. Luke kicked his knee, forcing Zep to stumble aside and hit his face.

Luke ignored his cry. “It does have its shortcomings, but it isn't all that bad of a tool. Humanity was almost wiped out long ago and some tools or efforts kept us going because people do that sort of thing. They survive. The majority of the past's resources turned to dust, but not the knowledge. People could think and come up with ideas. Built things. That's what we are good at. Well... some are still better than others, right, Zep?”

Zep chuckled from the ground, giving him a thumbs up.

I doubt he is like that, William thought, realizing that Luke had some brutal tendencies or it was just how some Walkers were, or Zep might be stepping over some boundaries. He said Luke was the captain. It was weird, considering he talked calmly and looked normal. Maybe I am wrong. Who knows all of those Walkers? I don't. Never did. Most are strange and mindful of their paths. Brutal paths. One shouldn't underestimate, laugh at them, or take them lightly. Will I end up like that too? Stressed, cold, or bloody like mist?

Anna walked from the cargo room after hearing Zep's cries and Luke's remark. She got her face cleaned and got a new uniform as well. It wasn't her traditional one, but quite a civil one instead. Ditching that white coat made her much more approachable.

Luke was the same. He had a new jacket of beige color. Other than that, they appeared the same as before. Few things could change their faces voices, or personalities.

“Have I heard some bad-mouthing, Luke?” Anna asked.

“Hardly.” Luke scoffed at her. “Just facts.”

“Yeah. Captain is right.” Zep crawled to his feet and pretended to be fine. “There are worrying things for military like us and Walkers. I believe, boi, that you will get to know them when you join some military organization after our little adventure and when your time will come.”

“Zep,” Anna said coldly and stepped forward. “Mind your tongue or do it surrounded by glass or thick metallic walls.”

Zep chuckled and began their banter that could not possibly stop in something good. Luke kept his distance, unwilling to get involved in them. William listened to them attentively; he had yet to set his expectations towards these people and what they knew seemed to be a lot closer to what he wanted. It was no time to be reluctant anymore or hide Outside. Their words sparkled something in William: a desire to know more at all costs, or with some optimism, or work.

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It was clear to him as a sun in the sky that being a Walker was a mandatory fate that put him on an unknown path the moment he was born with it. That was an undeniable thing that worried him more before than right now. Since a Walker was young, one's Emblem was inactive and assimilating with growing flesh in some manner, until it would calm at some point, or rise or do weird things. Why, or how? Nobody was certain.

Emblems were unique, often changing and doing things one couldn't stop or understand. Walkers might be the reason, Darks the cause, or the Emblems were all about that change or opportunity. Not messing with it was an idea composed from the past and a truth that most people Outside comprehended.

Yet the Forced Awakening was created anyway, messing with that approach above all else.

Of course, there were some rare cases of Emblem having abnormal happenings, effects, or problems before their right time. The reason was unknown to the public since nothing was tangible about Walkers and these effects posing as Rank 0. They still saw some, taking them for incident or natural cause. In a sense, it was natural. It was just weird.

Walkers were hope. That truth prevailed. William knew very little about the word hope. Apart from his disappearing Emblem and flashing time that happened in the past, he knew nothing more than the rest of his peers his age.

But what about other, much older Walkers? William stopped their useless banter. “Miss Anna, you are from the Federation. Are you close to the Academy, or Walkers in general? How?”

Anna glanced at him, eyes shining down at his covered arm. “I am usually interested in more... grown boys or girls, but research doesn't care for many differences. And yes. Academy is familiar to me. Assembly or Emblem Association is even better. Each is a place ruled by Walkers, and even normal people can get very close to them. They can't do a lot of work by themselves, couldn't they? One ought to respect it, isn't that right, Zep?”

Zep whistled and laughed.

“Don't mind him. He is just an idiot.” Anna said.

“Do you mind talking to me about Walkers?”

Anna frowned and considered it for a moment. “I am a civilian and a researcher. A private one, so...”

Luke stepped forward. “I think this is proceeding exactly where we know, hadn't we?”

“Can't I talk to him?”

“Later, perhaps. I promised something myself and I want to give him some clarity over this... unusual business that is keeping us busy and him gone. It is my responsibility.”

“You will do it? I... thought...” Anna pointed at him. “HA?! I will tell Mi-Yung.” She smugly proclaimed and moved back to the cargo area, leaving Luke speechless.

“Oh, you will do it even after punching my guts?” William asked, which made Luke visibly uncomfortable, so he stepped away, taking shelter in a seat by a window.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not if you aren't willing to listen to me. Are you an idiot, or not? Chose.”

His team didn't need his acts or help. They were getting ready, so he took a seat and waited. Zep noticed that and left as well, and in a few moments, the silence spread and this place had no one sitting apart from Luke and William.

William took a seat beside him, right beside some barrels and secured crates and bags. This row of seats by the wall wasn't big nor too comforting. There were belts on each seat, no armrests, and surprising legroom came from the size of this room.

The seats in the middle were less fortunate, as they were cramped. This way, there was space for a lot of people, if one included cargo and space around the seats.

Seeing the rest of the people working, William wondered if this was what Walkers do in their missions all the time. Riding or flying away, rescuing or killing, it seemed idyllic to some youths. Not him. He saw something bitter in that, whoever and however right it sounded.

Perhaps his fate will be different. Who knew the truth? Not one person here would answer that with certainty.

It took less than ten minutes to prepare the helicopter. Then, the engine started churning, and the rotating wings caused steady sounds and tremblings. The engine got wild, while the clutter of metals, and shaking walls alerted William in his seat.

The whole place trembled. The door outside long closed, calming the air, but not the metal walls. William was sitting, grabbing his bag, and hugging it on his lap. Suddenly, a hand clenched around his chest and grasped his belt, securing it over his chest and lower area so no accident would happen.

“Huh? What is this?”

“Security? Have you not learned at least this much?” Luke asked.

“Not about helicopters. Will it go that quickly, or... eh... Safety is relative. Helmets or... seatbelt is more work.” William stopped speaking, remembering that cars used to have some safety measures, yet he rarely rode one. Bicycles or motorcycles didn't have some designated helmets either. Usually, the military provided some protective items and they worked for riding or fighting. William wasn't familiar with them all that much because of his lack of options. He knew that riding horses had some security and looking for safety must be the same.

Luke was on his side without any belt or even hand on anything. He had them crossed on his chest, and his eyes glanced at nothing in particular. After he secured William's belt, soon, the helicopter took off, going toward a new destination.

The weight and going into the air was unexpected. William clutched his arms and felt how this ridiculously heavy machine got from the ground, hovering with a gust of wind and the power of a hurricane. It moved grass and trees a long distance away, but William couldn't even glance from the window because they were behind his head.

He forgot about looking out of the window completely, instead focusing on gripping his belt and screaming in his mind.