Ghost Bird... Do You Hear Me?Book II

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Rock, Paper, Scissors....Lizard, Spock!! I Win!!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Phoenix's POV:

I had to laugh when they mentioned "camp". Camp was a glorified convention inside a small college campus that the Academy had purchased about ten years ago. There were massive lawns, trees, and ponds for numerous activities considering the amount of people that came. There was even a gun range available for training. Sadly, this was just a team building exercise, so the closest the others would get to guns would be self-defense. The positive is that every single one of us had already had extensive training because of who our parents were.

I carried my small suitcase out to the Mercedes Vito nine-seater that our families used for large passenger trips. It could carry nine people and luggage comfortably. I wonder who was driving us? I didn't see any of the adults. I helped with arranging the pieces of luggage everyone had brought, one piece each and a small bag to keep devices and other immediate items in.

Dad? Do you know who is driving us?

Oy! Fu*k if I know. I'm in the dark.

Ha-ha, very funny, Dad.

"I call shotgun!" Alyosha signed.

"You always call shotgun," Nova signed back.

Violet quietly cut in, "Who am I going to sit with then? Nova, could I sit with you?"

"Uh..." Nova glanced at me.

"Why don't we be fair about this?" I signed to everyone. "Let's play rock, paper, scissors. There are five seats in the very back facing each other, then two, then shot-gun, and whomever is driving." Everyone nodded their heads as we moved into a circle. Whenever we had a disagreement growing up, this was how we solved it. It was quick, easy, and no one could say there was any cheating.

But, Son! I can stack the cards for you now.

No, Dad. Not for things like this. That would not be fair.

We started as a group and eliminated ourselves from the front seat to the back. I ended up next to Ricci in the middle two seats, Cadence was shot-gun, and everyone else was in the back. We weren't paying any attention when someone opened the driver's side door. I was surprised to see mom hop in.

"You're taking us?" I asked.

"You seem surprised. Why can't I take you? I believe I learned how to drive fairly young. I have been driving you around for your whole life." Mom turned to face everyone else. "Is everyone buckled in?" After we all double checked ourselves, we were off.

Ricci looked up at me like he was about to burst with the questions he was holding in. I signed to him, "Go ahead, I know you want to ask. I will answer what I am allowed to."

He smiled and his hands started firing off a mile a minute. "Our parents won't talk to us about this camp. Where is it located? Are we actually camping? Where will we sleep? Will there be other teams there or are there individuals or how does this work?"

I put my hand up to stop him. "Someplace you'll enjoy. Maybe. Together. Teams, and for the rest you will have to wait. Just trust Alyosha and I, trust yourselves, and more importantly, remember to trust us as a team. All of you have seen our parents work together for years. Do they argue? Of course. Nothing is perfect."

"I'm actually nervous, Phoenix. I know that is not in the normal parameters of my neurological factors." Ricci's lips pursed as he thought about the information given to him. "However, I believe this is information I can work with. Come what may, we will make a fine team."

I smiled at my cousin, no, my brother. "Absolutely, Einstein." His cheeks dimpled before he put his headphones on and began listening to something on his tablet.

Ricci will be a great asset to the team.

I know. I worry about him though, Dad.

How so?

I don't want him feeling obligated to learn everything there is because he has to. He's still a kid. He needs to have fun too.

I agree. Perhaps that is something that can be discussed as a team. Although he is going to learn the complete Korean language in a week.

Is that what he's doing?! I heard my dad laughing.

Maybe one day it will come in handy. I never thought I would need to learn Russian.

I fell asleep listening to my dad telling me about the Academy Ninja course that had been set up for Papa Luke and Uncle Ji. Everyone had a lot of fun playing on it afterwards. Maybe one day I would get to try something like that.

I woke up right as we were pulling into the campus. I turned to see everyone's reactions. Alyosha had somehow or other maneuvered his arm around Violet, and they were sitting closer, but nothing important was touching. Besides that, everyone was looking out the windows admiring the campus. People were milling about in groups, others were carrying luggage to their dorms, or hugging friends or family.

You are one of the few teams who actually comes from a cohesive family. It was never supposed to be that way.

What do you mean?

When you enter the Academy, you are given the option for a little snip. We were put in positions where we could potentially have to have sex. It would keep us from being trapped if someone came back saying we were fathers.

You're kidding? No one has ever mentioned that to me.

For what it's worth, I am happy that none of us took that option. I am so happy to have you for a son.

Same here, Dad.