I sat up, and took my the hat off my head, and sat up.
I hear a small tap then sit up fully.
"Enter" I order before I hear the door open. I glance up, and lay back again. Cadet Dylan stands quietly, but for a moment I remained silent.
The cadet is shivering, so I stand up to stop in front of him.
"Are you done?" I question.
He doesn't speak at first instead hangs his head low. I wait patiently then ask again.
I recieve a nod before directing him back out. I give him less than five minutes to take a shower, but no dinner. He'll go hungry.
After that is all taken care of we return to my office.
"Here."
I hand him the dogtags off my neck.
"For what purpose?" he questions, "Respectfully Sir."
"Push ups Cadet. If I don't hear them hit the floor then you're wrong," I sat back down in my chair, " My job is to make you strong in both body, and mind. Clearly your mind is there, so lets work of the other half."
The cadet doesn't reply, and I lay back again. Every couple of seconds I do hear the clink of metal against metal.
~^~
I do push for a while, and I really hate myself at the moment because I came back. That had been my shot at freedom.
Sergeant knew I would return, so now part of me wishes that I could have proved him wrong. I mean I have survival training, but not enough for a full scale escape.
Maybe when I attempt an escape I can find another direction to travel in.
At about 0100 hours someone comes into Sergeant's office. It's a female marine from the trip earlier.
"Sir cadet Kaleb is unaccounted for."
Sergeant gets up in a rush waving his hand for me to follow. I give the dogtags back. Worry fills my gut as we jog to the dorm, and find some of the other trainers there.
All of the other cadets have been awoken, but when I step in I can feel eyes burn a hole in my skin. Judgement seems to cloud their thoughts.
I stare back with hostility because now I'm tired of getting bullied around by John. If I get punished everytime then so be it, they'll learn to leave me alone.
I find my bed, and sit down. The Sergeants leave locking us inside. Some cadets are staring at me again.
"Problem?" I question scraping my fingernails against the rim of the bedframe. No one says anything, but return to bed.
"Do you know where Kaleb is?" Ian asks sitting down beside me. He ruffles his hair a little
Yes
"No. Wish I did."
Ian starts to swing his feet. I should feel bad about lying to him, but John's cadets would tell Sergeant. I would be in even bigger trouble.
Except I'm regretting my decision. Kaleb would do the job, but if he's caught by the UNSC he'll be punished. It's letting him take the fall is what bothers me.
But the main question I have to ask is who's side am I really on? If I let Kaleb do this then someone dies, but if not then do I give information?
By now the other cadets are asleep. I cross my legs before holding my head with my hands.
What now?
I don't know.
I shake my head. Seems like I have better conversations in my head then with my cadets. I feel like I have no control even when I know I do.
Sometimes I want to just escape, and hand my problems to someone else. For a day.
Focus Dylan.
I can't. It's hard, and I don't want to.
I know, but Kaleb needs you.
Yes.
I get up then just stand still for a minute before sitting back down.
What are we waiting for?
I don't know.
Move then! He needs us!
But, what about the Sergeants!
I start biting my fingernails feeling terrified.
Dylan, we know that Kesha left her ship.
Yeah. A Hornet she said.
Exactly, so how do we escape smart guy? I ask myself. I look around. There has to be some way out.
There is.
How?
Don't you remember? How did we escape the very first time?
The vents! I remember now. From here we head towards the mess hall, but I can't remember which way the armory was. It's over the armory then we exit on the ceiling.
Just out of curiosity. Should we tell Sergeant?
About? I question standing again. I start to pace around my bed. I do trust Sergeant, but then I'd probably be stuck back here worrying about Kaleb.
Wasting time here.
I nod, and head towards the bathroom. I know where to go now. I do remember, but it was many years ago.
"Where are you going?"
I turn to face John, and frown.
Of course John has to be loud enough to wake a few more people. I ball up my fists, and stare him down.
"Me" I retort stepping closer to intimidate him, "Well I'm going to find my brother, and protect him."
I push John back, "and you can't do anything to stop me."
John knocks my hands away. He pushes me onto the floor. I get back up to face him.
"You won't go anywhere when I tell Sergeant." He threatens. I yell in anger before tackling him to the floor. I gain the upper hand quickly with a few punches.
John's teamate Sam shoves me off.
"We don't need anymore hell week because you can't stay where you belong!" He shouts at me.
Where I belong! This is not where I belong!
"Liar! I should be home like the rest of you, but here we are! Kaleb is my brother, and brothers are supposed to take care of each other!" I yell getting up in his face
It begins to escalate because now we aren't the only ones yelling. This time my brothers, and sisters stand beside me. Finally I have earned them back over.
My cadets. Command over them has always been me. No one is in control, but me!
John, and I get at it again punching each other. Both of us are using the things Sergeant taught us.
Destiny targets another cadet I have yet to identify.
To my left Mathew goes for Sam.
Fred, and Kelly gang up on Destiny.
Yes! Fight! Draw the Sergeants here. Plan B.
Fists are flying, and to be honest I'm pretty sure John's cadets are attacking each other. Possibly over some grudge that they now have a reason to fight.
It seems like ages before the Sergeant burst in. They use batons to enforce control.
"Get them!" I hiss to Mathew. I grab Eddie by the shoulder then pull him after me.
"With me sister!" I order telling Sylvia the same thing. I encourage my other cadets to target the Sergeants, and we use the distraction to run pass them.
I lead them through the halls to the back exit near the barracks. We don't stop even for Marines. No one gets in our way. No one.
Closer, and closer we get until I can push the door open with my arms. Ian runs in front until we take a detour off the path to the forest.
I know where the bird is.
I do.
I remember something again!
I know where the bird is!
I lead them away from the base in the general direction of the 5k trails. It's just on the other side in a short grass field, but it's not a very big one.
I don't stop myself from leaping in joy once I find it.
Wait! Can I fly it?
No. I can fly pelicans, but not a Hornet. I get filled with disapointment, but it vanishes suddenly.
Wait, but Eddie can! He's the pilot in our group.
"Ed, fly it. You have to. You can do it!" I tell him.
"Dylan, I've never flown a real ship before" he says. I step between him, and the ship.
"You're the pilot. Our pilot, and now we need you. Come one brother. Give it your best." I plea. Convinced I at least help him turn it on by pressing two buttons at the same time.
Sylvia climbs on the side of it before I get on the other side. Once we're in the air the bird wobbles a little. It goes up then down then forward.
I use my finger to point East like the compass says on the control platform.
The trip will take a while to get there. I'm not sure how to tell time, so I don't know exactly. Flying ia probably the best thing I've learned about.
When your up high then it's like no one can hurt you.
It's like all of that anger, and sadness, and harm stays down there. It can't reach you. I look as far as I can then smile a little.
The winds nip at my ears, and the tip of my nose. It blows softly through my hair, but I listen to its soft whistles as it dances in the air.
The birds tame the winds with beat of their wings. I wonder what wings must feel like. I bet they're smooth, or soft to let the wind pass over them.
Trees rustle swaying to the wind like a song. They move to the music. It reminds me of Kesha's loud songs, and how I could hear them.
The best part is the sun. The rays seem to wave hello while the sun chases the moon away. The clouds change colors, and I watch mesmerized
I get shaken back into reality. The bird jolts a little bit. I look up again to the sun.
I wave to get Eddie's attention, but it doesn't work. I wack the metal scaring the crap out of him then motion to the ground with my finger.
We're here.
Yes.
I stare up at the massive buildings that race to the stars. Sylvia heads around the tail to join us.
"Lead the way commander" she says.
ONI building. The officers are being promoted "secretly."
Some secret.
I begin walking at a fast pace then start running. It feels good to have them by my side. I take them towards the biggest building.
The one with "ONI" printed in large letters.
I don't remember the floor, but I know we'll figure it out. We have to.
I find a nearby building to scramble up the fire escape. I look around for anyone, but the rooftops are clear.
Searching I shake my head a little using the signals John taught us. He said that in case verbal communication wasn't needed, or usable. Like being in enemy territory.
That signal means to spread out, and search. I watched John during a training mission, and he used it to tell his team to scan for Red team.
I pause for a moment watching the parking lot of the ONI building.
You've been tricked.
I'm aware, but what did they do with Kaleb then?
I watch people get into their vehicles then watch the doors almost expecting something to happen.
It doesn't add up. Unless Kesha knew I would come, or was he already shot?
Could be the wrong building?
Perhaps, but I wasn't aware ONI built more than one tower in the same city.
I kneel down to look again. I missed something; I had to. I get up to return to the others.
"Boss" I see Eddie race to me.
"Found him."
I follow the boy back down to the ground level, and we meet Sylvia under a street lamp.
Kaleb hugs me tightly then steps away interlocking his fingers nervously.
"You shouldn't have come Dylan. Kesha lied to you."