Tee spent her free time during breakfast prep roaming around Primus until she stopped at the courtyard balcony. She leaned against the wall, gazing down at the compound. The gentle wind blew her hair back and with it, any tears that tried to come.

  More than ever, she missed those morning hugs Tetra always gave her. There was no point in wondering what Jack was up to. He was gone too. Living was hard when there wasn’t something to push you or someone who gave a damn about you.

  The aroma of warm toasted tortillas, melted cheese, and savory spices tickled her nose. Seated at the breakfast table, she stared at the colorful stuffing oozing from the tortillas. One bite gave her that savory, cheesy satisfaction. But she could only sigh. Food didn’t feed her spirit.

  The Commander’s first words after greeting his cadets were unexpected.

  “Today you’ll only be doing warm-up. Afterwards, get dressed and ready to leave by cargo jet for a surprise.”

  The mention of a jet sent painful flashbacks—crashing metal, red blood splattered over their colorful Mid-Guard jackets. When the five teens exchanged uneasy looks, he explained.

  “I know your living quarters are almost out of food. I’ve decided to use the opportunity to treat you with a shopping spree. You’ll be spending the rest of the day at Geovalon’s largest mart to restock three months’ worth of supplies.” He drew one hand from behind his back, holding out a golden chip. “It’s on a budget, of course—and I know you’re responsible enough to spend wisely.”

  Miko bit her lip to keep from screaming with excitement. Stepping forward, she took the chip and saluted.

  “Oh Commander, thank you so much! You won’t regret this decision.” She couldn’t help flashing him a wide smile.

  “You heard the man,” Kie said, walking off. “We’ve got warm-up to do, so get moving.”

  Saeda grinned. “I’m actually excited about this.”

  “All the Jolly Rogers I can eat,” Zod muttered, already drooling.

  Tee, however, had no interest in going anywhere that didn’t align with her goal. Her feet felt heavy as she trailed behind.

  “Is this surprise shopping spree mandatory?” she asked, her voice flat.

  “No,” said the Commander. “But I thought you’d appreciate some time in the modern world instead of being cooped up at Primus.”

  Tee folded her arms. “That’s good, because I’m not going. I’ll continue my training.”

  The Commander didn’t look at her when he replied, “Very well, cadet. If that soothes you.”

  After warm-up, he left her alone. No escort to training rooms or sections. No supervision. Just silence.

  Meanwhile, the Commander led his four cadets to the grand hangar filled with jets and Primus soldiers. The jet waiting for them had its door open, guarded by soldiers not in battle suits, but armed nonetheless.

  “These telecoms will come in handy if you need to locate one another,” he said. “After you’re through, return to the jet with your merchandise. It’ll bring you back here.”

  The four cadets entered and strapped in. The doors sealed shut.

  Three Primus soldiers disappeared behind the pilot’s quarters.

  “I swear, if we crash again…” Zod began, but didn’t finish.

  Through the window, the Commander gave them a wave as the jet lifted off toward the massive transit gate. The sky outside turned a bright, endless blue, then flashed green as they entered a vortex.

  Below, District Grainsend spread out in a vast mosaic. Its sea shores glistening blue, the Mart below stretching wide with solar-panel roofs and red-tiled patches gleaming in the sun.

  While holding on to the chair, Saeda had a horrible flashback of how she had screamed during the jet crash. When she opened her eyes, she felt different. Suddenly, she could sense the pull of energy around her again. The strongest pull came from in front of her. She assumed it was the jet’s engine source.

  She touched the handle of the chair and focused. A vision flashed—of a Primus worker sanitizing the jet long before they entered. Maybe she was right. Maybe Primus was the interference. She kept those thoughts to herself. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get any future visions. Those only came when something bad was about to happen.

  After exiting the jet, the four teens decided to split up. It would look strange for four young adults to be walking around together. They received two mart cards, transferred cash from the chip, and separated—boys together, girls together.

  “Remember to make contact if anything goes wrong,” Kie told the girls as they went their separate ways.

  “We will,” Miko said, tugging Saeda along with a wide grin.

  The boys grabbed two trolleys and entered a food store.

  As they walked through the aisles, Zod mentioned how he used to go shopping with his mom on weekends, mostly to help carry the bags. Kie thought Zod was lucky to still have a mom.

  Zod started tossing items into his trolley. Watching him, Kie thought about how much his own life had changed since joining Primus. He ate well, had a large dorm, and now had enough money to buy anything he wanted. Back on the streets, when dirty water splashed his face from passing vehicles, he never would’ve imagined living like that.

  Then Zod spotted the Jolly Rogers—the colorful skull-shaped gummies his mother never let him buy. His brother loved them too. Without hesitation, he began clearing the shelves.

  Kie asked, “Do you plan to eat all those by yourself?”

  Zod shot back, “What do you like?”

  Kie’s memory flickered. “There used to be these long nutri bars my da—” He cut himself off and turned away. “I’m sure I can find them in the nuts section.”

  When he found them, just holding one brought memories rushing back. His dad would always buy a few after shopping and share them with him and his brother. Mom wasn’t really into sweets. Funny how those days were long gone.

  Meanwhile, the girls grabbed a cart. The mart was huge, with drivable carts that could seat five people. They cruised through the aisles, passing stores selling Mid-Guard gear, locks and padlocks, fancy swords, and toiletries.

  From the back seat, Saeda said in her usual monotone, “Why do I have a feeling you’re going for clothes?”

  Miko laughed. “Anyway, I know Zod can handle the food. He’s capable and responsible.”

  Saeda frowned. “Don’t you already have enough clothes?”

  As they passed a homeless man holding an aluminum sign asking for food, Saeda suddenly told her to stop. Miko pointed out that they didn’t have any cash, but Saeda wasn’t looking at the man. What caught her eye was the small critter in the box beside him. Its large, beady eyes stole her breath away.

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  She jumped off the cart and ran toward the man.

  “Saeda!” Miko shouted, her voice sharp with annoyance. Anything that came between her and clothes shopping was unwelcome.

  The boys stopped at a search panel in the store.

  “We can use this to look for products,” Zod said. “It’ll tell us which aisle they’re in.”

  “What do you think Tee would like?” Kie asked, tapping on the panel. “I want to bring something back for her.”

  Zod nodded. “Hey, she’s been down for a while. That’s probably why she didn’t come. Nice of you to think of her.”

  Kie thought for a moment. “She’s addicted to coffee. The amount she drinks every morning is insane. I’ve seen her gulp down three full cups in one go.”

  They searched for coffee and scrolled through a long list of odd items—coffee gum, coffee biscuits, coffee bread—until they finally found something promising. Iced coffee.

  “This sounds like something she’d like,” Zod said.

  They followed the directions to the aisle. The product was tucked away on the bottom shelf in a dim corner. Only three were left and they were pricey.

  Kie picked one up, frost still curling off it. The thought of Tee hugging him after receiving it, smiling and saying he was amazing, made him grin.

  “Are you sure that’ll cheer her up?” Zod asked.

  Kie didn’t answer. He grabbed all three and tossed them into the trolley.

  As they continued walking, Zod said, “I still find it weird she’s tearing up over a covert Xeno-victim. If I were her, I’d be more angry than anything.”

  Coincidentally, they passed a few donation boxes for Xenogene research and exchanged glances.

  “Some of those are scams,” Zod muttered.

  “I know,” Kie replied.

  They walked past without another word.

  Back at Primus, Tee trained alone, remembering what ghost Jack had told her—she needed to become the best. With her teammates gone, she could move freely, switching to new punching bags whenever one burst.

  Then she took two swords from the rack and began spinning them rapidly, focusing on her swiftness. The blades weren’t sharp enough to cut through the metal columns in one go, but they still made for good practice.

  Meanwhile, Miko grimaced at the small, dirty critter Saeda was fawning over.

  After a quick negotiation, the beggar sold it to them. They had to stop by a money machine to withdraw cash and hand it over.

  Saeda lifted the creature in her hands. Its soft black fur and large, trembling eyes made her heart ache. It was a precious little soul.

  “Since we’re here, we should buy things for it,” Saeda said, smiling wider than Miko had ever seen.

  “How about a cage?” Miko suggested quickly, not wanting that thing running loose. The thought alone made her skin crawl. “And maybe some soap and perfume for it,” she added, fanning her nose.

  Saeda couldn’t wait to get back to Primus and pamper the little creature. It reminded her of her pet back home, Stinkers.

  “I’ve got the perfect name for it,” she said happily. “Snickers.”

  The boys found a great section filled with every kind of drink imaginable. While browsing, their curiosity got the best of them and they stumbled across a shelf of condoms.

  Kie decided to grab a few packs. Zod’s eyes darted left, right, and center, making sure no one was watching. By “no one,” he really meant his parents. They’d kill him if they ever saw him touching something like that. Realizing he was far away from home made him sigh in relief. But curiosity still got the better of him.

  “Who’s the lucky lady?” Zod asked. “Hope it’s not someone I know.” His brows furrowed as he waited for a response.

  “I’m just being considerate and planning for the future,” Kie replied evenly.

  Zod scratched his head. “You know those things expire, right? Sounds like you don’t plan on using them anytime soon.”

  Kie shrugged. “Who knows. Let’s not talk about this again.”

  Zod gave a firm nod. “Agreed.”

  Meanwhile, the girls were having their own fun. Besides buying a cage and toys for Saeda’s new pet, they picked up swimsuits, trousers for the boys, and pool toys. They were already planning a pool party when they got back to Primus and couldn’t wait to have some real fun.

  While Tee swung her swords against a metal column, she sensed someone approaching from behind. She didn’t bother turning around. Anyone sneaking up on her while she was armed should’ve known better.

  Then came the Commander’s voice. “We’ve arranged for the medical staff to keep applying concealer to your neck after your cleansing sessions. But I didn’t think it would be this difficult for you to keep your secret from your teammates. We wanted you to reveal it peacefully. Perhaps it’s time to change that?”

  Sweat dripped down Tee’s forehead. She stopped and let her blades rest against the floor. “I’m working on it. I just haven’t found the right time.”

  Silence followed, then the Commander spoke again, his tone low and firm. “Keep running away, and it will come back to bite you when you least expect it.”

  Tee ignored him. She reminded herself that pain built endurance. When she asked the Commander for a summoning glove, he refused to give her one.

  After he left, she went to the kitchen, took a knife, and cut off her own left arm. Alone, she collapsed to her knees, gritting her teeth through the agony.

  Hours later, a Primus worker inspecting the training room found her lying unconscious in a wide pool of blood.

  After returning from the Mart, Kie searched everywhere for Tee. He knocked on her door with her dinner in hand but got no response. That wasn’t like her. Worried, he went to the Commander, hoping for an explanation.

  “Your teammate is in the infirmary,” the Commander said. “She nearly bled herself to death.”

  Kie’s eyes widened in shock. Why would she do that? Was it on purpose?

  He rushed to the infirmary and found her lying unconscious on one of the beds. He left, then came back an hour later—that time carrying his nutri bars and the iced coffee he’d bought for her, now frozen solid. He waited, unable to eat, wondering if she’d think it was weird that he stayed there with her. He considered leaving several times. But when Tee finally woke up, he was still there.

  Sensing someone beside her, Tee turned and froze when she saw him.

  “Kie?” she blurted, sitting up. Looking around, she realized they were alone in the wide, sterile room. Her chest tightened. “What’s going on?”

  “You went unconscious,” Kie said quietly. “Primus workers found you in the training room in a pool of blood.”

  “Oh…” Tee pressed her lips together and looked away.

  “I got something for you.”

  He tossed her a round container, cold to the touch, frost curling from its surface. Her breath hitched as she read the first few letters on the label. No way. Could it be?

  When she removed the lid, the smooth, frozen coffee cream inside made her purse her lips in awe. Iced coffee—the best thing in the world.

  “How did you…?”

  “I figured you’d like it,” Kie said, smiling faintly. “Only an addict drinks as much coffee as you do.” He pulled a long nutri bar from his jacket and tore it open with his teeth.

  She frowned. “Why did you…?”

  “You were on my mind,” he said simply.

  Tee took the spoon from the lid and scooped up a mouthful. The stiff cream melted on her tongue, its slight bitterness pinching her cheeks. It was perfect. She had to admit—Kie knew how to treat a woman. Darker thoughts, however, crept in, twisting her gratitude.

  “I owe you so much now, don’t I?” she muttered. She couldn’t laugh. An MG-off wannabe bringing her food? She wasn’t grateful. Surely, he wanted something.

  “You owe me nothing,” he said. “Consider everything I’ve done for you already paid off.”

  He kept talking as he chewed his nutri bars. As much as Tee tried not to listen, his voice still reached her.

  “You should’ve come shopping with us. Zod basically wiped the shelves clean—the trolleys were mountains,” he said, opening another bar. “Couldn’t risk these babies falling off and breaking. I like my food whole, not crumbs like some… bottom feeder.”

  He kissed the nutri bar dramatically, then held it out to her. “Hey, want one?”

  Tee shook her head, her mouth full.

  He grinned and bit half of it in one go. “Still don’t get why you didn’t come. We could’ve spent some time together.”

  Silence fell. Tee thought about everything—Kie’s small acts of kindness, the iced coffee, his offhand jokes about dating one of the female Sentinels. Maybe they weren’t jokes after all.

  “Kie,” she said slowly, “are you trying to woo me?”

  Something twisted in his chest. He looked away, hesitating, unsure if the truth would hurt. “I am very fond of you,” he said at last. “I’d like for us to get to know each other more.”

  Get to know each other more? The thought made her uneasy. She slid to the edge of the bed, feet touching the floor. Meeting his gaze, she said firmly, “That’s not happening.”

  She stood and walked past him. He followed, opening the door for her. “Just give me a chance.”

  “We’re here to save the world, not to find our significant other,” she replied flatly.

  “Says who? We don’t know how long we’ll be here. Maybe it’s destiny we ended up together.” He sighed as they walked down the hall. “If we do leave soon, you should transfer back to First Class Mid-Guard. That way, we’ll see each other more.”

  “No, thank you,” she said, stepping into the elevator without looking back.