-Aria POV-
Secrets trade-off, I sound like a child just now. It is impertinent for him to know that equivalent exchange is essential to know each other's weaknesses and secrets. Joel furrowed his brows, he stroked his cheek somewhat nervously. I chuckled at his nervous reaction, I wiped the sweats on his face with a handkerchief next to him.
"If you don't want to, then it's fine" I chuckled at him.
Joel gazed at my eyes, he tried to make himself serious but his nervous face made him feel less serious.
"No, you're right" he scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm pushing you to your limit, and I feel like I'm not doing anything to help you".
So Joel felt guilty for real? I changed my mind about him then. I know that since the chaotic drone attacks, the thing's been on edge. I'm sure Joel is on edge as well, he's stressed and wants to feel peace at heart. However, there's no such thing as peace since the drones attacks. We're low on supplies and people kill each other for survival.
That reminds me, I need to devise a plan with Joell and Ender to escape this place. Something about this settlement made me feel uncomfortable. Vladimir is being too generous to me, it feels like he's planning something.
"Joel, before we get to that secret trade, I-".
However, before I could speak all of a sudden Tristan came in with his goofy grin.
"You're awake Joel? Man, what took you so long, little guy!" Tristan immediately hugged Joel.
"Ouch! My head!" Joel grumbled.
"Oops, sorry!" Tristan spoke with a goofy grin. "I mean he's a shorty, it's easy to hug this little guy you know?".
Joel pushed the jock away from him, somewhat annoyed because of the short remarks that came out from Tristan's mouth. Tristan told Joel to come and see him later, cause he will be assigned to his team.
"Oh yeah, Kallen told me about it," I added. "He said you'll be assigned to the IT, Tristan team".
Tristan raised his hand, with a goofy smile on his face.
"Fine, I guess that will do," Joel replied, annoyed.
"One more thing, I heard from Aria that you cook well? So I asked Kallen to put you in the cooking team" Tristan exclaimed.
"You what!?" Joel growled, exasperated.
His peeved expression couldn't be hidden, after that Joel's stomach growled due to hunger. His face reddened as he heard the sound of his growling stomach. Fortunately, Ender came in time with a bowl of soup on the tray.
"Glass cooked this, eat this then get better Joel'' Ender pat Joel's head gently like an older brother figure.
"I'm not a kid," Joel scowled.
Tristan then pats my shoulder, he flashed me yet another stupid grin of his. Tristan and Adrian are the types of jocks who always get themselves into trouble. However, it's hard to abandon these jocks, they'll try their best to be useful in these chaotic times. Their efforts already count I suppose.
The jock Tristan dragged me away from Ender and Joel who exchanged serious glances, I wonder whether they have something to discuss. However, Tristan forcefully dragged me away. He insisted that he has something to discuss with me as well.
Outside the boys' room, Tristan sighed as he looked at me.
"I heard that Vladimir is going to call you tonight" Tristan shook his head, aggravated. "If that's going to happen tonight, you better be ready".
"Ready for what?" I asked Tristan.
"His 'special training' that is" Tristan lowered his gaze from mine, avoiding my eyes. "Kallen received the same training, it's a training that will make you stronger, but at the same time injured".
"Badly injured?" I asked him.
"Yeah, pretty much! And there's also that thing you're a girl" Tristan spoke bitterly. "I'm scared of what he's going to do with you Aria".
Even despite the settlement prospering life, the people here are not happy. They had plenty of food, gas, and crews. However, Vladimir's tyrannic rules made them suffer mentally. Just when we discussed this, Kallen came with his younger sibling Candice.
"Big sis! Sir Vladimir told me to meet him in his training room" Kallen added. "It's that training room where you first met me".
Something about this made me feel insecure, the thought of Vladimir might betray this child one day made me feel guilty. It would be nice if it's just a mere feeling of mine. However, Vladimir's manipulation and tricks are real.
"Sure, I'll come" I smiled toward the younger teenager.
Whatever happens, we'll have to escape from this settlement soon. I had a bad premonition about this whole camp. I will try to find out what's the deal with this camp tonight.
* * *
Nighttime has come, it's seven at night. Kallen guided me toward the training room on the second floor. Inside, Vladimir is already on standby next to the dummy doll Kallen usually trains with. Stepping inside the training room, Vladimir faced me heads on.
"We will raid another camp," he enlightened me with a wide smile.
"Okay" I look at the man weirdly.
He opened the Alpha City map, he points at this certain area near Da Vinci University.
"There's a settlement here, we need to raid this for more food and resources" Vladimir explained.
"Copy that" I replied nonchalantly.
He pointed toward the dummy and flashed me his arrogant smile.
"Starting from now, Kallen will train you to kill people".
Kallen looked down, an expression of shame and sadness plastered on his face.
"Excuse me?" I raised my brows in confusion.
"Kallen is a talented soldier, I trained him for a few months and he already grasped the necessity to kill others for survival" Vladimir grinned in a satisfying grin. "His hands are already dirty with the blood of the innocents and the fugitives, he is the cape hero his little sister seeks".
This man is using Kallen's younger sibling to train him to be an assassin? Despicable! This man is hideous and a manipulator to the core.
"You're sick! Kallen is just a young teenage boy!" I scowled at the tyrant in front of me.
"No, he's a brave young man who will do anything to protect his younger sister," Vladimir said amused.
I clenched my fist in fury, this man needs to be killed. For some reason, that dark thought circling in my mind.
"This man deserves to die".