Red Skies | The Prime Archives #1 ✓

seventeen

''Why do these things have to be everywhere?'' The scanner-protected door at the edge of the corridor forced Theo into a stop. The speedster skidded in front of the door, leaving a feet-shaped marks on the polished floor. The janitors surely hated him.

''Because Atlas likes their security?'' Andre offered.

''I'm getting tired of having to scan my ID every time I go somewhere in this building.''

''Stop running so fast everywhere then,'' Oscar muttered. He rolled his silver lighter between his fingers as he lagged behind the group. He stepped it in his palm, running his fingertips over the engraved initials of his father. His eyes glossed over.

He missed his parents.

''Theo Holland. Designation P2. Welcome, Blur,'' PAI announced after Theo scanned his ID. The doors slid into the wall, revealing the entrance to Director Shaw's office. Light poured in from the windows, revealing the snowcapped mountain range stretching across the horizon outside.

Oscar scratched the top of his head and whistled. They'd been at The Acropolis for nearly three months now. His life was totally different. Had someone told him he'd be training to fight a terrorist organization, he'd have personally checked them into an insane asylum. At times, he still didn't believe any of it was real. He could throw fire from his hands as if it were the most natural thing in the world; it completely baffled him.

''Wonder what he wants us for,'' Andre asked.

Oscar shrugged. ''Who knows?''

''Well,'' Chase said, brushing past the two of them as he went to open the door to Shaw's office. ''We're about to find out.'' The de-facto leader of the team escorted the six of them into the depths of the Atlas CEO's office.

Director Shaw, clad in his usual black suit coupled with white dress shirt, was typing away on his digital keyboard. The glasses on his pointed nose slipped down a bit, though, he appeared to be too invested in his work to care. It seemed like the guy never stopped working. Chase knocked on the now opened door, which Oscar found redundant since they were already inside.

''Ah, there you are,'' the man said without even acknowledging their arrivals. He motioned for them all to sit. Oscar trudged over to a sofa next to the windows.

The whole room creeped him out. The black and white décor made it seem like he was stuck in a silent movie from the 1940s. He felt like all the modernized furniture were silently judging him. It was almost if they expensive-looking couches knew his own dorm room looked like a tornado ransacked it.

''So...'' Oscar clicked the top off of his lighter. He plucked the small flame off the metal and willed it to jump around his fingers like a fiery cricket. ''What's up, boss?''

Director Shaw didn't respond with words. Instead, he typed something on his desk and the screen on the other side of the room switched on. A detailed report materialized on the display. Oscar's arched an eyebrow at the information.

''Kismet has broken their silence,'' he explained. ''We suspect they've been putting together their Asclepius bioweapon while staying under the radar. We've been keeping in close contact with Nexxus Industries and, apparently, Kane is expecting a shipment in Northern California.''

''Isn't that your hometown, Goldilocks?'' Stella teased.

The boy beside her grunted. ''I'm not even from that part of California.''

''Whatever you say.'' They playfully glared at each other. While the chemistry between them couldn't be ignored, Oscar couldn't help but be amused by the situation. Had they still been at River Hill, the two of them would've been on warring sides of the school. The Preps versus the Nobodies. Now they were on a couch in a military base making kissy faces at each other.