Glitches (Book 1)

Chapter 41: Teren

Hey everyone, Strawberry here :D I know on the last chapter I posted the cover for the sequel, which was going to be Codes. However, I've reconsidered, and the title Flames seems to go better with the book, as the Lessaenite rebels who the book focuses on call themselves the Flames. Codes, on the other hand, has very minimal significance in the book as it just refers to a briefly mentioned piece of one of Saralee's sadistic experiments. 

However, I managed to make a pretty good cover for Codes, and I'm not sure if the Flames one is as good. I still haven't decided what to do. Which one do you guys like better (considering the title and cover?)

............................................

Slipping on a worn brown coat and black gloves, I effortlessly swung through the invisibility shield and entered WGO. Dumb humans and their pathetic excuses for security. The Glitches thought their shield was fancy? They should've seen Queen Saralee's castle. 

As I climbed down the well worn steps, the cool night enveloped me like a soothing blanket. At least Earth temperatures were relatively comfortable, you had to give its sorry inhabitants that. 

I occasionally had to dodge reg patrols, but otherwise I approached their Government Buildings with no hurdles. Nothing a seasoned White Hot Flame thief and spy couldn't handle. I made it a point to spit on Amanda Myers's doorstep as I passed her stately home in the heart of the WGO complex. Queen-loving noble scum. 

Feeling a soft brushing sensation in my Aural Receptors, I stopped under a tree to check my ConnecTalk log. Dang it! I had at least ten CTs from my brother! If he knew where I was, he'd rat me out to Eleanna in a heartbeat and I'd be dead! There was a pretty harsh punishment for sneaking off the Flame complex at night, I could only imagine what our leaders would do to someone who snuck off the planet! I looked down to read the CTs. 

Aronel Faerlen: Teren, where are you? didn't catch you at the bunks tonight. Late meeting with Lady Myers? Gosh you're so lucky you're in her Order. 

Aronel Faerlen: Hey it's almost curfew! Get your dumb face to the bunks or you'll be Lady Myers' french toast tomorrow morning! You know she hates it when people are out late, especially kids. 

Aronel Faerlen: TERENNEL FAERLEN, WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU? You're never not in the bunks this late, get back before the guards come around or you might even lose your spot in the Order!

I decided to shoot him a quick reply to keep him from worrying too much or that paranoid wimp would have a heart attack. 

You: Hey chill Aron. I'm just in one of Eleanna's Order meetings. Should be over soon. 

Aronel Faerlen: I'm not stupid, Teren, I can see your CT signals coming from Earth. Did you hack it to say that as a joke, or are you actually...please tell me you didn't actually

You: Oh yes I did ;) This high class White Hot Flame agent right here stole a supersonic spacejet, flew to Earth in less than twelve hours and infiltrated Amanda Myers' little hideout here. 

Aronel Faerlen: Wow. I don't even know how to respond to a person like you. You've always been reckless, stupid, and pretty dangerous, but I didn't think even you would leave the dang planet without permission! And what's even the point of going to Earth? It's just barren rock now. If I ever left the planet, I'd go to Lessaenes. They say that place is awesome. 

You: The rumors are true, Aron. The humans are alive. 

Aronel Faerlen: What? How? We watched the airstrikes over the Auraweb, remember? Those Iceheart planes bombarded Earth with so much fire it looked like the whole planet was burning; no one could've survived that! Especially not a bunch of Plague-weakened humans.