Anand was groggier than usual the next morning. He fished an old pair of glasses out of his desk drawer. They weren’t perfect but his vision was indescribably worse without them. He sluggishly trudged into the bathroom and got ready. His body was stiff and aching but he did his best to ignore it while getting dressed. Once he was done, he went downstairs with Sonia in tow.

Priya had already prepared breakfast and ushered them towards the table. “Anand, Dad will drive you to pick up your things from the collection office. Finish eating first.”

“Okay,” Anand replied.

He didn’t look up at his father sitting across from him at the table, opting instead to push his eggs around and slowly eat. Arjun stood up the second Anand was done.

“Let’s go,” Arjun commanded.

Anand nodded. “Yeah.”

The collections office wasn’t far but the detours delayed their arrival. A straight drive turned into a winding mess around the city. Rows of cars were being towed while others were being moved by their owners. Anand shuddered when he saw the car he and Ray had hijacked. Luckily the GDF was taking ownership of the damages like Anand had expected.

Arjun grumbled. “Rifts always cause such a mess.”

“Yeah,” Anand said dryly.

He already had trouble dealing with his father. Sharing a car with him was nightmarish. It would’ve been easier to drink sludge than to breathe the heavy air in this prison. Anand kneaded his fists to try and stay calm. He knew Arjun hated the habit — he’d made it very apparent. Even so, Anand felt it was the only way to stay in control of his emotions. He only stopped once they stepped out of the car at the collection office. The wait at the office was an hour long with dozens of people idling in line.

“It is good that we arrived early,” Arjun said.

Anand didn’t say anything. He pulled out his phone and checked in with Eve. She didn’t reply. Ray was probably still asleep so there was no use in texting him. Anand pulled up a news source only available to students of Cahlgren University. It detailed information that wasn’t always available to the public.

When Arjun asked what he was doing Anand replied, “Research.”

The rift was open for about 70 minutes but still caused considerable damage to downtown Madison, Wisconsin. The area where it appeared lost multiple buildings and the number of casualties was unconfirmed at 17. Though the Basilisk lost its battle and fled empty handed, the GDF was unable to retrieve any part of it. They attempted to enter the Rift but it closed quickly after the creature had retreated. There wasn’t a single word about the creature Anand encountered or the Glaive.

Arjun tapped Anand’s shoulder and nodded to the person at the desk. Anand described his bags and waited for the clerk to return with them. He quickly checked to make sure everything was inside before stepping away. As they approached the exit, Anand and his father were stopped by a man wearing a suit. He was dressed far too sharply to be an average employee. His sunglasses probably cost more than Anand’s entire outfit. Upon closer inspection, Anand noticed a GDF badge pinned to the man’s collar.

He handed a card to Arjun and said, “Hello, Mr. Desai. I am Agent Barkley with the Gaia Defense Force. Could I borrow Anand for today? We have to debrief him on what occurred yesterday. I hope you understand. He’s a unique case as he is a student of Cahlgren University.”

Arjun scrutinized the card and looked back at the man.

“I understand,” he replied and grabbed Anand’s bags. Arjun stared daggers at his son and said, “Don’t cause any more trouble.”

Anand was hesitant but followed the agent. They exited the building and approached a nearby parking lot. People around him began murmuring about what could be happening. Anand kneaded his fists, mentally preparing himself. He knew there would be consequences for his actions but he didn’t want to lose his nerves.

“So, why are you guys here, anyway?” A familiar voice asked loudly.

Further into the lot was another agent followed by Ray.

He kept rambling. “Are you sending me back to CahlU? Are you really with the GDF? How’d you find me? Did you ping my phone?”

“What if we’re loose ends? Because of what we saw yesterday,” Anand said, drawing Ray’s attention.

He tilted his head towards Anand then back to the agent and asked, “Are you going to kill us? Is that how you deal with loose ends?”

“We won’t kill you. If that was our goal I could’ve left you for dead back in the library instead of saving your hides,” Agent Barkley answered. “The name’s Alec Barkley.”

He removed his sunglasses and revealed a scarred face with a mechanical eye. Intricate metallic lines were imprinted along the left side of his face. Anand might have had an easier time recognizing the man with impaired vision. Or if Alec’s leg was still broken or he was on a crutch.

“Thank you,” Anand muttered. “How are you walking?”

“Yeah, I’m still in bandages,” Ray said.

“Let’s just say I can handle a bigger dose of the stuff Gale hit you with,” Alec explained. “And I guess I should thank you for the save, too.”

Alec opened the door of a waiting vehicle and asked, “Do I need to convince you to come with me?”

Anand rubbed the back of his head. “No.”

“Good. Get in.”

The windows of the car were tinted from the inside making it impossible to see out of them.

“So, what exactly do you need us for?” Anand asked.

“Right to business, huh? Well, we wanted to see how you boys were doing. Not many people encounter an Og-” Alec paused to clear his throat. “Not many civilians that deal with the unknown stay sane after.”

“The thing was just an ugly version of Anand,” Ray replied. “Nothing to lose my mind over.”

“But didn’t it rip up your arm?” Alec asked. “Why didn’t you run?”

Anand shook his head and explained. "It's not like we didn't try. That thing kept chasing after us.”

“Not to mention, every chance Anand got, he went back in.” Ray said and patted his friend’s back.

“And how do you feel? Like, mentally. Is it bothering you?” Alec inquired.

“Um… If I’m being honest I haven’t really thought about it. My mom spent most of the drive home yelling. And she kept yelling this morning. There was a lot of yelling.”

“Yeah, I’m just tired,” Anand replied hesitantly. “I’ve spent most of my morning researching stuff. But, unsurprisingly, there’s only info about the Riftwalker."

“I see," Alec responded. "Good to know you kids haven't been too concerned."

Anand couldn’t figure out how Alec was able to see out of the blank windshield but didn’t get a chance to ask before Alec said, “Looks like we’re here.”

He opened the door and let the boys out first. They were in an underground parking garage neither of the boys recognized.

“Wait, where are we?” Ray asked.

Alec nodded silently towards a door with a faint logo on it. It wasn’t necessarily conspicuous but something told Anand it was incredibly secure. Alec placed his hand on the door and it dinged.

“Identity verified. Welcome, Agent Barkley.” An artificial voice could be heard from an intercom hidden above the door.

“No way,” Anand muttered and cracked a smile.

The door slid open and Alec gestured for the boys to enter. Anand took a pause but Ray pushed him inside. Calling the other side of the door a room was generous. It was the size of an elevator with nothing inside except a touch screen on the wall. Alec tapped at it and stepped back. A whirring sound surrounded them. Anand began to feel weightless. He looked at his hand and gasped at the sight of it fading away. He and Ray looked at each other, a mix of fear and excitement on their faces, as light engulfed them.

When the light dissipated, the first thing Anand saw was Ray’s grinning face. He looked around and noticed they were still in the enclosed room, but something was off. Alec tapped on the panel and the door opened into a terminal with GDF agents going about their work.

“Welcome to the Gaia Defense Force Midwest Base. I can tell you have questions. Don’t bother asking. Just shut up and follow me,” Alec commanded.

He didn’t wait for a response before he started walking.

“This is insane. Anand, I didn’t keep track of every base we were supposed to learn. Where is this?” Ray asked.

Anand shook his head and sighed. “You didn’t even memorize the one you plan to work at? The Midwest Base is in Washburn. We traveled almost 300 miles.”

“300 miles,” Ray said in awe. “I thought teleporters would feel a lot different.”

Alec ignored the conversation and continued down the long hall. He nodded to other agents who saw him but didn’t slow down to interact with anyone. Anand and Ray did their best to keep up but repeatedly got distracted by the monitors around the building. Anand caught brief glimpses of information he had researched and learned over the years. He scoffed at how tirelessly he had worked before for half as much information.

Alec led the boys to a hall with no windows, only uniformly separated doors. Alec opened a meeting room and waved the boys in. Folders were set on a long table in front of a dozen seats. Anand sat down and looked at the other occupants, recognizing some of them as fellow Cahlgren University students.

“Why are you guys here?” A voice asked incredulously.

Eve was sitting a few seats away with a shocked look on her face.

“They were invited, like everyone else,” Alec answered. “Please don’t open the folders in front of you. We’re waiting for someone.”

The students clearly had questions but all of them remained mostly silent. Eve asked the person sitting next to Anand to swap with her.

“What happened, why are you here?” she whispered while sitting down.

“We fought... something yesterday. What about you?” Anand replied.

“Me and some of the other students fought something, too. I don’t recognize some people here though.”

“Quiet down, everyone,” Alec commanded as he held the door open for an older woman.

She slowly walked past all the students before standing at the head of the table. Without saying a word, she commanded the room and drew everyone’s attention. Her GDF issued uniform was adorned with medals and badges. The only person who seemed at ease was Alec.

He cleared his throat and said, “Brats, this is Jillian Graves, Director of the Gaia Defense Force.”

In reality, she needed no introduction. Anyone with any knowledge of the GDF knew about its leader. Jillian Graves had faced the daunting task of starting a new agency when no one else could. She informed the populace of Riftwalkers and created the branch schools. Some students stood to salute, Ray included. Those who hadn’t initially, slowly followed suit.

Director Graves chuckled, “Stand down. You could learn some respect from these students, Agent Barkley.” She turned her attention to the group and continued, “Before we begin, I must request that anything spoken of within these walls remains here. Am I clear?”

The students looked at each other before giving scattered acknowledgements to the director.

“Good, then I will get right to the point. You all have something in common. You have each encountered violent alien lifeforms and survived.”

Though the room was quiet, the tension was palpable. Anand slowly raised his hand but didn’t wait to be called on.

“Director, there’s no information about… whatever attacked us,” he said. “I even saw a single leaked image and within hours it was erased. Why are you revealing it now?”

Director Graves studied the boy and sighed. She chalked up his interruption to enthusiasm and a lack of professionalism he had yet to learn.

She replied, “Many people have seen the creature you saw; or rather one of its kind. Around 10% of those people have survived the sighting. 50% of the survivors are no longer mentally stable. The horror of dealing with a violent alien takes a toll on the average person.” Director Graves shut her eyes and sighed, as if to say a short prayer. Upon opening her eyes, she continued. “This is why we try to hide the aliens’ existence. You all fall within the half of survivors who remain unphased. When people react as you have, we recruit them. Those who choose to stay are required to keep the information-”

“What do you mean by ‘choose’ to stay?” Anand interrupted.

Director Graves sighed. “Dealing with a scenario like yesterday repeatedly can take a toll on someone so they choose to decline our offer. That is why this isn’t our only way of recruiting. As you may know, the Gaia Defense Force has a system in place to hire individuals of extraordinary quality outside of traditional means; like our branch schools. But they only prepare you for certain scenarios. You all displayed extraordinary abilities yesterday in a situation that is so rare that some GDF agents haven’t encountered it.” She held up the folder at her end of the table and said, “If you’d please open your folders and take a look inside. It has classified information dating back to 2021; the moment the first rift appeared.”

Flipping through it, the students saw notes about every Riftwalker that ever attacked the planet and research about what resources they were after.

“Um…” Anand started to speak but Eve nudged him and grimaced.

“What? I have questions!” Anand turned to Director Graves. “Look, This kind of recruitment is clearly uncommon if you came from the main base to see us. You’ve even included the overview of your research. What exactly do you want from us?”

Director Graves cleared her throat. “We are starting a new initiative: Project Glaive. It requires us to find unique individuals and what better place to look than our schools.”

“But why newbies?” Anand pestered. He tried his best to hide his excitement from hearing about the Glaive. “If it’s a new initiative, shouldn’t you start with your best soldiers?”

Director Graves let out a long sigh and kneaded the bridge of her nose.

“As I explained; people who survive an attack from the Oghrodi are rare. Even rarer are young survivors,” she said. “And some of the people in this room have done so multiple times.”

The moment Anand heard the word Oghrodi he started flipping through pages in the folder. He scoured them for the word and found they had been attacking ever since the first rift. But what grabbed his attention more was a different name.

Anand paused when he reached a report from 2024. He turned to Ray and asked, “Your dad… Ori died protecting you from a fire didn’t he?”

Ray furrowed his brow and flipped to the same records as Anand. The color drained from his face and he looked to the head of the table.

“Director Graves, my dad died during a fire, didn’t he?”

She frowned and replied, “It wasn’t an ordinary fire, Mr. Kekoa. An Oghrodi attacked the fire station and completely destroyed it. Your father sacrificed himself to protect you at minimal loss.” She nodded to Ray’s missing arm. “You were likely more focused on your arm and father than the creature in the shadows.”

Ray was speechless. Anand hadn’t seen Ray this distraught since the funeral years ago. He just kept muttering to himself, reading the file over and over.

Director Graves looked at Anand and then all the other students. “Anyone else? If there are records about you, now is the time to share. Ms. Stetson?”

Anand inhaled sharply and turned to Eve. She didn’t meet Anand’s gaze.

“I’ve known my parents were killed by an Oghrodi,” she said.

“What?” Anand asked, aghast.

“I was… My parents and I lived in Nebraska when the first rift appeared. It destroyed our house but we got away,” Eve explained. “We should’ve figured we’d be stuck in traffic, though. An Oghrodi saw us when it was returning to the rift. My parents tried to stop it. They weren’t firefighters or police or anything. They should’ve hidden with me.” Her voice cracked and she took a short breath. “I don’t know why the Oghrodi left me but it did. That’s all there is to it.”

“Sorry for your loss,” one student said.

“That’s awful,” another added.

Eve shook her head. “It’s okay. I came to terms with it a long time ago. The GDF explained everything to me and swore me to secrecy. I had a pretty good incentive since they covered all the costs of me attending CahlU.”

“But if that happened so long ago; why are you here today?” Ray asked.

“Like I said, yesterday, an Oghrodi attacked the community center. A few of us helped the teachers fight it so other students could get to the underground bunker safely.”

Ray nodded. “So, it was your second time encountering one. And mine.”

Anand turned his attention to Director Graves and asked, “What about the people who didn’t see an Oghrodi before yesterday? Why are we here?”

“You’re unphased,” she said. “Even if you panicked during the encounter, you’re all relatively calm now.”

“I’m still stuck on why you need newbies. Why are they the best option for Project Glaive?” he asked.

“It’s not about your status, it’s about your age. Young people have high neuroplasticity allowing for their brains to change and learn new concepts to a better degree than an adult brain,” Director Graves explained. “In layman's terms, you can learn things better and in a way your elders can’t. This will allow you to easily grasp the functions of new machines the GDF is creating.”

“Not to mention, you’re field tested,” Alec added. “If I recall, you had no kickback from the prototype you used.”

Everyone turned to look at Anand. He chuckled awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair. He’d wanted to know more about the Glaives but drawing so much attention was jarring. Director Graves tapped her knuckle against the table.

“As Agent Barkley confirmed, we have proof that you are more than capable of using the Glaives,” she said. “Not to mention, it wouldn’t do us any good to lose our BEAR pilots. Riftwalkers are still attacking in full force and we must defend against them while simultaneously combatting the Oghrodi.”

Anand raised his hand, this time waiting to be called on. Director Graves nodded at him.

“Do we know why the Oghrodi are showing up more often now?” he asked.

Director Graves looked around to make sure everyone was focused on her. “We believe the Oghrodi learned that our defenses are lacking against them specifically. We need something closer to their size to fight while protecting civilians. While we may have the pilot suits; they are not made for combat. Yes, they provide extra defenses but we’ve seen that they can’t stand up to an Oghrodi attack. That is why we have created Glaives. I have personally seen our agents use the prototype but I think it would be better to ask you. Mr. Desai, can you tell us how the prototype felt?”

Anand was flooded with things he wanted to say but stopped himself.

“I felt like a superhero,” he answered. Anand blushed. Of all the things he could’ve said, why that.

“Our lead engineer will be happy to hear your answer,” Director Graves replied. "As she says; those who protected humanity in the past were known as gods. In modern times they are called superheroes. We call them Glaives.”

Anand’s eyes went wide, he looked to Eve and then both looked at Ray. He was no longer staring at the file but at his friends with a glow in his eyes.This was everything he’d dreamed of and more. Anand and Eve couldn’t deny they were just as excited.

“What about school?” Eve asked. “If we take the job, I mean.”

“Oh, come on,” Ray complained. “If I got this job, I’d drop out.”

“That is unacceptable,” Director Graves said sternly. “This position would function like a part-time internship until you graduate. Even so, you would have all the benefits and risks of working for the GDF.”

“What risks?” Someone asked.

Director Graves frowned and said, “I know you’ve heard it before, being at our branch schools, but this job puts you on the frontlines. Please understand, working with Glaives means risking your lives. Even more so than piloting a BEAR. Think of what that means to you and those around you.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Anand felt a wave of questions in his head and didn’t hold back.

“Speaking of which, what about our families?” He blurted out. “How much do they get to know? How much can we tell them? Are they in any danger?”

Director Graves was fully prepared for the questions.

“You must keep the existence of Oghrodi and Glaives a secret until further notice,” she replied. “We recommend telling them you are interning as a BEAR pilot until graduation. What you tell them beyond that is up to you.”

Anand felt a wave of joy. This was his chance to join the GDF. Not only as a pilot but a specialist. And he’d get answers to all his questions about the Riftwalkers and Oghrodi. Plus he’d get to use a Glaive again. It was a dream come true. There was no reason to hesitate.

As he gained confidence in his decision, Anand remembered he had to talk to his parents. These weren't just some classes he could keep secret. This was a life changing decision. Even Director Graves’ lie about being a BEAR pilot wouldn’t sit well with Arjun. Anand groaned and put his head in his hands, garnering the attention of a few students and Director Graves.

“Don’t mind him; he realized something,” Ray said. “So, do we just put on a Glaive and work for you?”

“No, after we get all the paperwork done you must undergo specialized training,” Director Graves explained. “You would normally do this as an elective during your senior year. Some of you already have. Instead, it will work like an extra class on top of your current schedule. Once we are satisfied with your results, you will don a Glaive.”

Alec loudly cleared his throat and interjected. “Hold on. None of you brats think this is up to the director.” He looked at the students and continued, “You will each be learning from different teams that you will end up working with if you succeed. It’s up to them if you get a Glaive or if you go back to the normal GDF employment route.”

“I’ll do it,” Anand said. His mind was reeling but he was able to fake a confident tone.

Ray chuckled. “Of course you will. You know you’ll have to tell your parents you won’t be a medic, right?”

“Yeah,” Anand replied. “But this is way better than being a medic. I’m sure Dad will love the prospect of me being part of a special team. Mom won’t be happy that I’m putting myself in danger. But this is an opportunity that I don’t want to regret refusing.”

Ray took a deep breath and sighed. “I guess I’m in. Who knows what you’ll do without me?” He turned to Director Graves and pointed to his amputated arm. “I take it, the GDF is gonna do something about this?”

Director Graves nodded and awaited more responses.

“I’m in too,” Eve said while patting Anand’s shoulder. “You’ll need help reining him in.”

Anand wasn’t sure if Eve was talking about him or Ray. All he knew for sure was he’d need to rework all his plans. He never accounted for other people, even Ray and Eve, being part of them. He hoped no one else would be on his team but had no way of knowing. Looking around the room, Anand saw the others debating on what to do. The range of emotions surprised him, he was excited but some people looked ready to cry.

“I guess I can try this,” someone said unconvincingly.

“We can do this!” Another chimed in.

Director Graves eased up and smiled.

“That’s wonderful to hear,” she said. “Agent Barkley will take you through the base and answer any questions you may have. We will assign you all to your bases once we receive final responses. Worry not, they are all functionally similar to this one.” She walked towards the door and before leaving said, “Good luck; to all of you.”

“I thought at least some of you would decline,” Alec said. He looked over the room and sighed. “You’re all too young to realize how dangerous this is. Alright, follow me.”

The recruits hurriedly grabbed their folders and followed closely behind Alec. They left the hall and stepped out onto a long metal bridge that looked down on the hangar of the base. Anand’s attention was immediately drawn to the Glaives. Against one wall stood six humanoid suits within their own stations. They all looked similar except for one with a few scuffs. Anand was drawn to it.

“Those are Glaives, right?” Eve asked, noticing Anand had stopped.

“Yes. They were the prototypes but we’ve done enough testing that they are now considered the first versions,” Alec explained.

“They look like exo-skeletons,” Anand said. “I’m guessing the mechanics are modifying them.”

“Exactly,” Alec replied. “The Glaives essentially give the user powers through equipment. Like the lightning knuckles you used, Anand. But we doubt everyone would want the same thing. Once a new user is selected, the R&D team works with them to modify their Glaives.”

“If the mechanics are working on the Glaives, does that mean there are already users?”

“There were. As Director Graves mentioned, BEAR pilots were going to use Glaives and thus some had been modified,” Alec explained. “The team down there is reverting them to default settings. Once you recruits are trained up, you’ll choose your own modifications. If you pass your training that is.”

Alec pointed to a far wall of the hangar. Large metal doors slid open and a group of engineers rolled out a cart carrying a giant weapon. Alec explained that it was the R&D division. Every new GDF weapon and tool had to be tested before being mass-produced for every base.

“Moving gear around the world must be difficult,” Anand said.

“On the contrary, it’s incredibly easy,” Alec replied. He pointed to the hangar door where small boxes were affixed to each corner. “Those units are all connected and upon activation make a large teleportation gate. We activate another one on any of the bases and shelters around the world to move to them. It’s also how we get to missions so quickly no matter how far they are.”

“It’s kinda like a rift,” Eve said.

“A lot more controlled and a lot less destructive. But, you’re not wrong.”

Alec continued forward on the bridge and back into the main building. They travelled to a lab that was split with a long panel of glass facing into a room that held six large pods inside. They were arranged in a circle facing outward.

Alec tapped his knuckle against the window and said, “I think some of you are familiar with this; it’s a simulation room. Whoever is handling the controls can change what the people inside experience.”

“We have a few at CahlU that are reserved for seniors and teachers,” Eve said. “I doubt the GDF uses them in the same way.”

“Actually, we use them for similar training. They are the only place to test how an agent will act during a mission. Not to mention, we can safely monitor the use of different equipment,” Alec explained while he pulled up a diagram of a Glaive on one of the monitors.

“Glaives amplify all your bodily functions and capabilities to superhuman levels. If we let someone loose outside of a simulation, who knows the havoc they could cause.”

Anand raised his hand and asked, “If the Glaives make us stronger, what’s the point of training more?”

“Having proper training is simply a requirement of working at the GDF. Even our agents who don’t go out on missions need to go through extensive combat training,” Alec replied. “Not to mention, if an agent is strong, the Glaive will be stronger.”

“And the helmets are for what? Looking cool?” Ray asked while examining the diagram.

“You try moving at fifty miles per hour without a helmet and tell me how it feels,” Alec retorted. “It’s not pleasant. Plus, it’s loaded with functions that are necessary for agents. You’ll learn about that later.”

“Do we need one?” Ray pestered.

“Standard pilots can opt out since we have other options. You guys can’t,” Alec said. “Any guess why?”

“The public can’t figure out who’s using the Glaives” Eve answered readily. She turned to Ray and said, “Superheroes need to protect their identity, righ?.”

Ray nodded. “You’re totally right.”

“That’s not the only reason,” Alec replied. “The other is that, unlike with pilot suits, Glaive helmets are literally connected to the suit. You can’t separate them. We’ve seen what can go wrong if the Glaive user doesn’t have a helmet.”

Alec’s cocky demeanour vanished and he frowned. For a brief second, he wasn’t in the same place. He stared off into the distance and sighed.

“What happened?” Ray asked.

Alec shook his head and continued to walk. “Project Glaive has been in the testing phase for years. During the early stages some Glaives were allowed on the field if the team agreed unanimously. My team, Team Lucky, was always in sync so we opted to be test subjects. It didn’t work out.”

“How so?” Ray insisted.

“We fell out of sync. Check your folders for the Rift that appeared in May 2028.”

Anand began skimming the folder. That year was familiar. He was sure it was important. Before he reached the report he blurted out, “That was the year the GDF almost killed a Riftwalker!”

Alec grimaced. “And the year our team lost a member. Only one Glaive prototype was ready back then. We thought we were ready to work separately without issue. We were idiots.” Alec hung his head and sighed. “I lost my eye and Laxman died all because we couldn’t fight together properly. Let me tell you guys something; it doesn’t matter how long you’ve known someone, you can’t guess how they’ll think in a dire situation. That’s why we train together, to get a better understanding of each other’s thought processes.”

A silence fell over the group.

“Was it because he didn’t trust you guys enough to tell you what he was doing?” Eve asked awkwardly.

“No, it wasn’t that. He trusted us with his life. We… failed him.” Alec cleared his throat. “He had a rule of not speaking during a fight. He’d always complain, ‘I’ll bite my tongue.’” Alec smirked as he finished telling the story.

Anand replied dryly, “He wasn’t wrong. My mom always says to stay silent during rigorous physical activity because you don’t know if you’ll bite off your tongue.”

Alec furrowed his brow at the boy. “You’re a lot like him.”

“It’s because he’s Indian,” Ray muttered then chuckled. “He’s the token Indian friend of our group.”

Eve punched Ray’s arm and grimaced. “Not the time.”

Alec chuckled. “No, it’s fine. He’d make the same kind of joke. But that’s enough about my past. We have a tour to finish.”

He guided everyone into a portion of the base that resembled a hospital. It was an advanced medical wing. Simply by working at the GDF, agents and their loved ones were given access to the best medical care in the world. Alec didn’t spend much time there before taking everyone back to the hall of teleporters.

“Those of you who accepted the offer, please come back tomorrow. We will send you to the proper bases for initial onboarding,” he said. “For now, line up and I’ll send each of you back to the teleporters you used.”

Anand and his friends went to the back of the line to spend as much time as possible in the base.

“Everything okay?” Anand asked when he noticed Eve’s somber mood.

“Grandma and Grandpa are going to worry about me taking the job.” Eve sighed. “Like, they won’t stop me. They supported me going to CahlU and joining the GDF. This is just much sooner than they expected.” She chuckled. “But, why are you worried about me? Of the three of us, you’ve got it the worst.”

“Don’t remind me,” Anand grumbled.

“All right. Brats going to Cahlgren University; get in here.” Alec commanded.

Eve hugged her friends and departed. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Alright, you two are last. We’re going to the same place,” Alec said and stepped into the teleporter with Anand and Ray. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

They returned to the garage they had used hours ago. Anand sat quietly in the jeep Alec had led them to. Ray, on the other hand, was excitedly looking around for secrets.

“Is this GDF issued?” he asked.

Alec sighed and answered dryly, “No. Don’t touch anything.”

“How is your leg better already?

“You’ll learn about it during training.”

Ray hummed. “How long have you been an agent? Is the training still the same?”

“Will my answer change your decision?”

“No. Just wondering.”

Alec sighed. “Don’t worry about it, then.”

Ray continued to ask a myriad of questions that Alec masterfully deflected. He clearly had the answers but didn’t have the energy to deal with Ray. Anand could relate. It didn’t take long before they arrived in Ray’s driveway.

“Thanks for answering my questions,” Ray said. “Night. See you tomorrow, buddy.”

Anand mumbled, “Night.”

“Get some rest,” Alec said.

As he pulled out of the driveway, Anand asked, “So, are we going to be part of Team Lucky?”

“You’re assuming you’ll work at the Midwest Base.” Alec chuckled.

Anand took a moment to figure out his response.

“Even if most of the new recruits are CahlU students, only Ray and I are from Wisconsin. And Eve since she lives with her grandparents. Based on that info, it makes sense we’d work at the Midwest Base.”

“Smart guess.” Alec nodded. “You won’t be part of your mentors’ team. You are your own team and you’ll work alongside them.”

“What about once we get more experienced?” Anand asked.

“We’ll see if you last that long,” Alec murmured and parked the car in front of Anand’s house. “See you later, kid.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

Anand stood in front of his house, steadying his breath. His palms felt clammy and his head spun as he approached the door. Kneading his fists didn’t help and only made him more anxious. Anand had no confidence in his ability to convince his parents that this was a good idea. No matter how much he wanted it. With a shaky hand he reached for the door but before he could knock it opened. Arjun looked at him with a scowl. Priya and Sonia were sitting in the living room behind him, waiting for Anand to join.

“Bro! Are you gonna be an GDF agent? Does that mean you graduate early?” Sonia asked excitedly.

“Well, I need to discuss some things with Mom and Dad first. We’ll see after that,” Anand said and sat down, avoiding eye contact with his parents.

His heart pounded in his throat and he felt sick. It was like cicadas were chirping in his head while the world droned around his racing mind.

“How was the GDF base? Maaza aaya?” Priya asked.

“Good. Yeah,” Anand said as calmly as possible. Every word was a challenge to force out.

“I take it they made you a lucrative offer,” Arjun said. “They mentioned you would be part of a new initiative.”

“Yes.”

Anand’s heart felt like it would explode.

“I’d be part of a special team that learns to pilot BEARs early.” Anand lied. “It’s an opportunity unlike any other.”

Priya looked towards her husband with concern.

Arjun asked, “So, you want to take this job because some people you just met told you you’re special. Do you think you’ll suddenly be able to fight? You’ve been studying to be part of the medical team!”

Anand shook in place. He took a deep breath and said, “No, I haven’t. Of the seven courses I take every semester, only one is related to medical team training. Not four like you thought. The others are related to being a pilot or combatant.”

Something was rising within him. If he didn’t speak his mind now, this chance would slip away. He wasn’t sure if what he felt was confidence or recklessness but was thankful nonetheless. The hardest part would be keeping his emotions in check.

“I want to be a pilot,” he declared.

“You’re lying to do whatever you want. This is the first time I’ve ever heard you talk about wanting to be a pilot.” Arjun argued.

Anand exclaimed, “Of course it is! You never ask what I want!”

So much for keeping his emotions in check. But he didn’t falter and started rambling.

“When I got the scholarship for CahlU, you decided I’d join the medical crew. You didn’t even consider anything else, much less ask what I wanted. I got into the school based on what I can do. And none of that is related to being a medic. You just expect me to do what you want!” Anand yelled. “I got offered the opportunity of a lifetime and you expect me not to take it!”

Arjun grumbled. “Even if you’ve been studying for this, it’s not so easy that you’ll just be an expert in no time! It’s hard work. Do you think you’re up for it?”

“You expect me to be a medic which is way harder. You must think I have the focus to succeed at something that hard.”

“I thought you could become a medic after many years,” Arjun said through clenched teeth. “But since we’re being honest, I knew you were bound to fail.”

“Dad!” Sonia yelled.

Priya placed a hand on Arjun’s shoulder and shook her head. “Arjun, aap aisa nahi keh sakte.”

Anand felt a pulsing sensation in his head. Heartbeats like drums pounded in his ears. For the first time, he understood what it meant to see red.

“Congrats, you were right! I already failed to be a medic!” Anand screamed over his mother.

“Yes. I’m very disappointed,” Arjun replied.

“Shocking! Well, how about this? I’ll go be a pilot and spend the rest of my life disappointing you. If you’re lucky, it won’t be long!” Anand screamed and ran to his room.

“Anand!” Priya yelled after him.

Anand’s room shook as he slammed the door and locked it. He covered his head with a pillow to drown out his parents’ shouting. They always fought when Anand said what he was thinking. He knew it would happen again if he admitted he didn’t want to be a medic. His mind was flooded with anger and frustration at his father’s words. Anand knew he had lied but hoped his father would understand. What a stupid thought. Arjun was sure Anand was a failure and that would never change. He would be a failure to his father no matter how much he proved otherwise.

But Anand wouldn’t let Arjun stop him this time. This was a dream come true. Anand had forged his parent’s signatures before, he was sure he could again. He was finished following Arjun’s plan. As Anand rolled around, despairing about what to do, there was a knock at his door.

He growled, “What?”

“Bhai? It’s me,” Sonia said from behind the door.

“What do you want?”

“I know you’re angry but I’d appreciate it if you don’t take it out on me. I’ve always had your back.”

Anand took a deep breath before he opened his door and said, “Right. I’m sorry.”

The apology wasn’t the least bit convincing.

“It’s fine,” Sonia replied. “I wanted to say that no matter what Mom and Dad think, you’ll be a great pilot. I know you don’t show it to them but you’ve got a lot of fight in you.” She chuckled. “I mean, I guess you showed some fight today.”

Anand gave her a deadpan look.

“Sorry,” Sonia said. “Look, you saved my life yesterday as just, you know, a guy. And then you saved a GDF agent with whatever a ‘Glaive’ is. I know you were scared but you still did it. I don’t know why they’re sticking you in a BEAR but I know you’ll save a whole bunch of people either way.”

“Thanks,” Anand said with a soft smile. “Don’t ever use the G-word. It’s a secret. Got it?”

“It’s funny hearing you thank me.”

“I guess I’ll never do it again.” Anand smirked. “Shouldn’t you be getting to bed?”

“Tomorrow’s Sunday, though,” Sonia complained.

“Right.”

Anand didn’t realize he’d lost his weekend. After Sonia left, he looked at his unopened bag on the bed. Anand sighed, double checked his belongings and put them aside before laying down. With steady breathing he slowed his thoughts and finally felt a calmness wash over him. He shut his eyes but was immediately awoken by loud banging on his door.

“What is it, Sonia?” He groaned. “I told you to go to sleep.”

“What are you talking about? It’s ten. Wake up, Ray is here to pick you up,” Sonia replied.

Anand rolled over and checked his clock before running to the door and opening it.

“Tell him I’ll be down in a second,” Anand said hurriedly as he ran past his sister to the bathroom.

He rushed through his morning routine and got dressed but stopped before running down the stairs. Priya was talking and joking around with his friend but Anand couldn’t hear his father. He slowly crept down the stairs and peered through the hall into the dining room where Ray was enjoying breakfast.

“These are the best pancakes ever,” Ray said.

“I had to learn to make something that my children’s friends would eat. And you’ve always been so picky, Raimundo.” Priya chuckled.

“Come on, Priya. Call me Ray. It sounds so much cooler,” Ray complained.

“What’s wrong with Raimundo? It’s a nice name.”

Ray groaned and continued to eat when he saw Anand enter the dining room.

Priya nodded to him and said, “Khaanaa taiyaar hai. You’ve got a big day ahead of you.”

“What about-”

Anand started to speak but Priya shook her head and stopped him. He immediately understood. Arjun had made a decision but wouldn’t say so to Anand’s face. It was infuriating but nothing new. Anand sighed and turned his attention to Ray.

“Alright. So, we’ve got onboarding today,” Anand said. “Any clue what that means?”

“Aren’t you supposed to know?” Ray asked with a mouthful of food.

“Would you be shocked if I told you there’s no rumors about the GDF onboarding seminar?”

“Fair. Guess we’ll just have to go with it.”

Anand nodded, then scarfed down his food.

“Good luck, guys,” Sonia said while Priya walked them out.

A car was waiting in the driveway for them. Ray went ahead and left Anand alone.

He approached Priya and asked, “So, Dad agreed to let me do this?”

“He’s just worried about you,” she replied.

Anand groaned. “Sure, he is. Thanks for dealing with him.”

“You have to promise to come home,” Priya said abruptly.

“What?”

“I don’t care how bad it gets or how dangerous it is. You have to come home to us,” Priya demanded. “I know you’re too stubborn to give up but you’re also too smart to…”

Anand finally saw his mother’s red eyes and puffy, tear streaked cheeks.

“You have to come home to us,” she repeated.

“I’ll come back.”