A few weeks later
'TRIFTERS'
That was the name given to those who ventured beyond the rift, and it quickly gained traction. Initially coined by some random person online, it caught on so fast that it eventually became the official term for the members of the special task force.
The task force itself was known as the 'Special Otherworldly Allied Resistance', or 'SOAR', but it wasn't long before people started calling them 'Trifters,' a name that quickly gained popularity. It was catchy and easy to remember, and its appeal to the general public was undeniable.
Rukius was among the first batch of Trifters selected to explore Omnicron—the world beyond the rift. Details about his mission were still classified, of course, but I had a good guess about what they were planning to do.
"So you guys are supposed to destroy an orb that controls the rift, right? How are you even sure that will close it for good? And if they can make one portal, what's stopping them from creating more?" I asked, noticing how much muscle Rukius had put on in such a short period. He'd been training relentlessly, even late at night when most people were asleep.
We were currently staying in a government-provided temporary living facility, specially set up for Trifters who were in transition and few citizens whose area's hadn't been cleared for safe relocation. It was less of a home and more of a holding area where the trifters could be monitored and trained. It wasn't the worst place to live, but it definitely didn't feel like home. We had moved from the old site a few weeks back and Anita didn't seem to even offer her farewell before then.
Rukius would often sneak out late at night to train at a nearby park, not that anyone could stop him. He was determined to be the best.
"How do you know about the orb? And stop staring at my body, you creep," he said, walking backward toward me and nearly tripping over a chair.
"The internet. You'd be surprised what people post online these days," I replied, shaking my head in disbelief at how easily I'd lost track of the conversation.
"It's funny how nothing stays secret for long. Anyway, that's not all we're doing, and before you ask, I'll remind you—our mission is..."
"Strictly confidential, I know," I finished, bored already. I had heard the same thing so many times that it had lost all meaning. I slumped deeper into the chair I was sitting in, flipping channels on the TV, hoping to find something interesting.
"Joan's on my team," Rukius said, likely trying to get a reaction out of me.
"Oh... Don't care," I muttered without looking away from the screen.
Even though I wasn't interested, I wasn't exactly surprised either. Joan had been absent for a while now, and I had already figured out why.
"You knew, didn't you?"
"Yeah, dummy."
"Tch, asshole... This is my chance to get close to her. Maybe we'll even bond, considering she already knows me."
"Sure, and maybe you two can have kids while you're at it. You know, I don't care about your nonsense, but I'm just tired of seeing you act like an idiot. Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn't even like you?" I said, my tone sharp.
"Well, first off, you're rude. And secondly, who wouldn't like me?" He responded smugly, puffing his chest out.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever."
I shook my head. Rukius was totally oblivious, but I knew that Joan was just kind to everyone. She wasn't the type to single out one person and act differently. If he thought he had a shot, he was in for a rude awakening.
"You already knew, right?"
"Yes," I replied flatly.
"Guess what? I'm on the same team as Greny Burns," Rukius said, a smug grin spreading across his face.
"Wait, what? You're with Burns?" I asked, now surprised.
"Yeah."
The look on his face said it all. He was so proud, practically glowing with excitement at the thought of being on a team with one of the already highest-ranking Trifters in existence.
Greny Burns was a national hero—one of the most respected officers in the entire force— he was decorated for having gone through the rift for reconnaissance and made it back with big findings, whilst keeping half his team alive amidst the harsh nature of the planet. And now, Rukius was part of his team. It was easy to see why Rukius would be so proud.
But it wasn't all that surprising when I thought about it. Rukius had finished at the top of his class in practically everything. Not just physically, but mentally too. He had scored higher than anyone in the aptitude tests, which had surprised many people—including me, given that the mental test wasn't considered as important as the physical ones.
Rukius had always been gifted, there was no doubt about it. But something still seemed off. Normally, Rukius would have been upset if someone else had taken the spotlight, but here he was, completely content with being in Burns's shadow. It was almost like he had changed.
'Maybe he really has changed.'
I tried to push those thoughts away, but then Rukius dropped another bombshell.
"Why didn't you enlist, Nezro? I thought you'd be one of the first to sign up, to escape this boring reality. Or are you just scared?" He asked, his tone teasing, but his eyes looked like they were trying to dig deeper.
"Sc-scared? I'm not scared," I stammered, caught off guard.
'Was I scared? Was that why I didn't enlist?'
I had spent so much time convincing myself that a quiet, work-free life was what I wanted. But deep down, I knew it wasn't true. I craved something different, something more.
But I didn't want to admit it, not to him. So I shrugged it off, trying to convince myself it didn't matter.
I couldn't help but think about it for the next few days, though. I had spent so much time avoiding the truth that now it was starting to catch up with me.
---
{09/07/2024}
The first group's departure was broadcast on national TV, and I couldn't take my eyes off Rukius's smile. He was practically glowing with pride, and it was starting to get under my skin. The first batch of Trifters was leaving, and they were about to embark on a mission that could change everything.
There were four teams in total, each with six members, plus their captain. That made for twenty-eight Trifters, along with four military-trained medics. Two of the members of the first reconnaissance team including Burns, were promoted to captain, while the rest stayed behind to assist with the training of new recruits.
But there was something odd about the team. I had noticed it before, but now it was undeniable. The Trifters all wore strange black wristbands, and no one seemed willing to talk about them. It was as if the government was trying to hide something important, and they didn't want anyone asking questions.
When the media tried to inquire about them during interviews, the responses were vague, avoiding the issue entirely. Whatever it was, it was clearly something they didn't want the public to know.
And just like that, they stepped into the wormhole, ready to face whatever awaited them in Omnicron. They believed their mission would save humanity, but none of them knew the real truth behind it all.