We returned inside and Alex called everyone together to break the news. It took some time to get everyone in one place, and those that were already near the front shifted around nervously. They were whispering hushed theories on why they were being summoned. Only Lucas, June, and Isabelle sat calmly, all too aware of why we were meeting. Jake too knew the reason for the meeting, but I’d asked him to keep it secret when I told him. I didn’t want people to see it as favoritism but I couldn’t just leave him out of the loop when we talked. He knew me too well, and picked up immediately that something was off with me. He feigned surprise when the news was broken to keep up the act.
Alex told everyone all that we knew. About the media cover-ups, the chemicals that caused our changes, the plan for super soldiers that sparked it all, and the fact that our accidental exposure meant nothing to the government. He told them all somberly that he had no idea just how far into this government this ran, or if there were other facilities somewhere in the country. Alex vowed to them that he’d find a way to get a meeting with the government and plead our case for immunity so we could return to our lives.
He gave just one order; we all needed to become strong enough that the government would have to think twice about openly attacking us when he made his demands. If we could convince them that they’d suffer massive casualties if they provoked us, then we had leverage in the negotiations. So the plan for now was to wait, hide, and train to be a deadly battalion. Once he felt that we were sufficiently ready, he’d find a way to get in contact with the governor and we’d go from there. The whole time he was speaking there was dead silence from the crowd. Everyone listened in disbelief as the truth of our situation came to light.
At the end of his speech he paused for a moment, then cleared his throat to speak again. “If anyone wants to leave at this point I don’t blame you. None of you signed up to face a government that would see you killed, and I get that. Each and every one of you are valuable, and will help turn the tables in our favor, but if you feel like you need to walk out that door no one will hold it against you. We’re outside of the quarantine zone now. If you want to run and start over somewhere you can do so. I don’t want anyone feeling pressured into fighting a battle they don’t want to fight. Just let us know and we can help you get on your way. For the rest of us, let's show them what an elite unit of Oddities really looks like.”
We waited to see if anyone would announce displeasure, or a plan to leave, but no one did. Instead, what followed was a collective war cry. A round of “Let’s do this!” and “We’ll show them!” made its way around the group. Even the younger kids who were terrified just a day ago seemed determined. Not one person spoke of leaving.
However, one did speak out against the plan in another way. Cam stood up from her place in the crowd and marched right for Alex. Lucas quickly stepped to his side, weary of her intentions. She faced Alex head on and spoke angrily. Spit spewed from her lips as she yelled, “This is a coward's plan! With everything they did to us, why don’t we hit them first? We kill more units and they’ll be begging us to negotiate. We owe them no kindness!”
Alex just stood there and watched her with a careful eye until she finished her outburst. He didn’t interrupt or make any attempt to stop her. He waited for her to finish and then replied calmly, “I understand how you feel. We’re all angry, and I want revenge as much as you do, but think of the bigger picture. If we go around killing people left and right we’ll just prove that they were right to fear us and lock us up. It’ll just give them cause to enforce the prison sentences. What I want is true freedom for everyone here, I don’t want to make a murderer out of anyone else if I can help it. Do you understand?”
Cam huffed angrily and stormed off. “Whatever,” she murmured under her breath as she sped past me towards the front door. June went after her, and the rest of the group slowly dispersed, taking a moment to start talking again after the outburst had made the room heavy with awkwardness.
I sat in the cafeteria fielding questions from several in the group. Briefings from group leaders, and questions about training mostly. I went into auto pilot, going through the motions of the tedious part of my job. I ate a quick lunch and waited impatiently for the training with Lucas to start. I felt restless, and craved the training. It was the only time I felt like we were actually doing something. In that way I guess I agreed with Cam, but for different reasons. She wanted to wage an unnecessary war, I just wanted to ensure no one would die if a war came to our doorstep. The monotonous part of the day was necessary too, whether we liked it or not. The sense of normalcy it provided kept people calm.
After a while June came back inside, with Cam following her closely. The two of them came to join Alex and I at the table. They sat across from us silently for a moment. June nudged Cam’s shoulder softly, causing her to roll her eyes and take a deep breath.
“Look, I'm sorry. It’s just hard to remain calm and idle after everything they did to me out there. I can’t let go of this anger. I feel like I need to do something, take the fight back to them ya know? I should’ve brought it to you more privately. Sorry,” Cam muttered to Alex.
Alex smiled warmly and forgave her outburst without hesitation. He spoke to her in depth about his feelings on the plan, and how he agreed with parts of what she said. But ultimately, he said, it had to be this way for the safety of everyone here. It wasn’t right to drag them into unnecessary fights and risk the wrath of the military should the governor send them at us in full force before we were ready. She said she understood, still with disappointment in her voice, and then got up to head to the basement for training.
“How’d you calm her down?” I asked June.
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She shrugged, “I didn’t do much, I just figured she needed someone to vent to, and get the anger out. I just listened while she talked about her time on the run, and how the soldiers had treated her. I told her a bit about how the prisoners were treated, and reminded her that everyone here has been wronged by them, and she calmed down.” She sipped at her drink in between sentences as she nonchalantly told us about the conversation.
“You’re great at talking to people. Thank you,” I told her sincerely. Alex nodded his head in agreement and thanked her.
June got up to check on the barrier, and I followed the group of people heading towards the basement. It was almost time for our meeting. Once the meeting was underway Lucas asked that everyone group up with people they thought they’d fight well with, and He and I would go around and approve the groups. We made our way around, confirming the abilities of each member of the groups and making small adjustments when a group had a weak point.
There were roughly four or five people per group when all was said and done. Each was capable of fighting up close or at range, and had some sort of defensive or stealth capabilities. We made them as well rounded and safe as they could be, while focusing on abilities that worked best in combination with others.
There was one group in particular that had a boy who could channel electricity through conductors, shocking and frying people, and a girl who could summon water that resembled rainfall in a small area of her choosing, within her range. Her ability wasn’t dangerous on its own, and the water she could produce had limits, but paired with the boy they had a lethal ranged attack that compensated for both of their drawbacks. These were the types of groups we strove for.
Cam made the argument to join our group. She reasoned that since June confided in her earlier that she wasn’t suited to combat, and wouldn’t be fighting in the group anymore, she’d be a good replacement and could join me in the frontline. I was surprised to hear the news from her instead of June, but Lucas nodded, confirming the information was true. She must’ve been afraid to tell us. It made sense, but it was still sad news to lose her from our original group.
Cam made her case, pointing to the groups we’d formed as an example. She said that I was the only front liner, and it wasn’t safe. She said she was quick, agile, and deadly up close, but required another frontliner like her to fight safely. She said she would have no trouble reading the fight and staying out of the way when I swooped in, and then she’d follow up to finish off anyone I didn’t get. Most importantly, she said, she wanted to be in fights that mattered, and she figured we’d be taking on the worst of it. She needed that to avoid feeling restless and resentful.
Lucas and I looked at each other and he gestured to me, making it my decision. I agreed that it was a good idea with sound reasoning, and I’d be okay with it if the others were. I said I’d run it by Alex that night, and Lucas said he’d run it by Isabelle. She smiled for the first time since she arrived, seeming pleased that we’d agreed.
With the meeting coming to an end Lucas announced to everyone that tomorrow’s meeting would be outside behind the building. We’d start actual training, and he’d go group by group having them demonstrate combination attacks and fighting together cohesively. He warned them all to be well rested, as he’d push their abilities to find their limits. After that the meetings would be every other day so they could recover after each practice, since some of the abilities needed time to recover.
At the end of the night, while Alex and I were curled up in bed, I remembered what I’d promised Cam during the meeting and brought it up to Alex. He listened to my story about her argument, and how she’d finally smiled. Unsurprisingly, he agreed in a heartbeat to let her join. He knew I was weary of her, and figured it was a win-win to do something that would make her more content, fill the void in our unit allowing me to fight safely, and keep her close enough to watch.
The next morning Lucas found me and said Isabelle had also agreed to let her join, stating that she was mostly there for recon, and it was up to us since we’d actually be in the heat of battle with her. I asked him about June deciding not to fight and he confided in me that while he was sad she wouldn’t be around as much, he knew as well as she did that she wasn’t suited to fighting. He was glad she’d stay safe at the base instead of forcing herself to fight for our sake. He told me she was embarrassed to tell us, as she didn’t want to let us down. I assured him that we all wanted what was best for her, and would never pressure her to fight if she didn’t want to.
We walked to breakfast together and he told me all about how he’d been training her how to use the guns if she was cornered and had to fight for herself. He said he used to go to the gun range alot, and briefed her on gun safety and how to aim accurately.
“Should we ask some of the others with weaker abilities if they’d want to learn that instead? Seems like it could benefit us if anyone who would be more effective with a gun knows how to use one correctly,” I said.
He paused, then agreed. He laughed at himself for not realizing sooner how necessary the idea was. We had a whole arsenal at our disposal, and we’d acted like our abilities were our only defense. He said he knew someone from the group who went to the range a lot like he did, and didn’t have a combat ability. He’d ask him if he was okay with leading a gun range for anyone who wanted the practice, and then we’d set it up.
Later in the day he found me again and said the guy was happy to teach people how to use guns safely, and was overjoyed that he’d be useful. When it was time for the training he first announced the new group, and asked that anyone who thought their time would be better spent learning how to shoot join the man he introduced as Trevor at the far end of the field. June was with them, looking similarly pleased to be useful. She used her abilities to grow large trees some distance away from them to be used as targets, and the group got to work going over the basics.
Meanwhile our group went over each team methodically, perfecting coordinated attacks on another group of trees June had grown for the purpose of our training. It saddened me that she had been feeling useless, and was too scared to tell us. I knew she was shy, and likely had some issues with self esteem, but she was so much more important than she realized. She made us a barrier for safety. She made targets that allowed us to train. She was the one who calmed Cam during her outburst. She oversaw a large portion of the planning. Most importantly she was a part of our group, with or without a combat ability. She mattered as a person. Everyone here did. I just hoped she’d realize that she mattered to us. She wasn’t going to disappoint any of us by declining to fight.