Walk in the light: Legend novella

June (7)

June

0632 hours, July 12

Ruby sector, Los Angeles

69°F outdoors

The morning air was refreshing, especially after being stuck in a conference room since before the sun was even up, listening to my Captains report what was going on at their particular patrols. I was free from work for the rest of the day, since crime rates are at an all time low and my 'colleagues' were insisting that I needed more sleep. But just because I didn't have an ice cold stare like former Commander Jameson did, doesn't mean that I wouldn't constantly drop in on them. Once a month I would personally check up on all my troops. Sometimes I visited again after just two weeks to make sure I wasn't being too predictable. Aside from twice in the beginning, my Captains have seemed to be doing a phenomenal job with their own sections and have not failed to disappoint me since. I made sure to subtlety praise them for it. California has become the most populated Republic state, a big part due to the fact that it has the lowest crime rate in the whole country, even counting the former slum sectors. It says something about prodigies.

My mind was constantly wandering off about Anden, I slept off some of the guilt that occurred last night, but it was still nagging me at the back of my mind. With reminders of Anden came thoughts of Day. With Day came the thoughts of an adolescent girl that kept popping up in the back of my head, a reoccurrence of off topic questions that only the teenage brain would be able to take.

Things like; What is he doing? Is he thinking about me? What does he remember? Does he know it's me who gave him the paper clip ring? Why did he keep it in the first place? What did Tess and Eden tell him about our year together?

Turns out I was getting my last few questions answered the moment I spotted Day's sibling two blocks down.

**********

The morning mist was present, but it was thin, giving me practically no excuse on my part to say that Eden spotted me before I recognized him. So much for a lifetime of training. By the time I looked up to behold the figure of a man, he had already started to speed up, clearly coming towards me on the vacant street.

My mind was whirling. Should I talk to him? I honestly didn't know what to say to Eden. I did know that he had questions for me and vice versa but he was only twelve when I met him. Twelve and twenty-two were very different stories. With my internal debate I was loosing time, and on impulse I ducked into the nearest shop before Eden could call my name. The shop happened to be a very popular breakfast parlor. At this time of day though, it was unoccupied. The warm aroma of caramelized sugar and fresh baked bread engulfed me, and with my sudden entrance the woman working at the counter looked up and recognized me instantly.

"Commander Iparis! What a surprise! What may I get you?" she asked, overdoing her hospitality just a tad. I opened my mouth to reply but the door suddenly swung open and none other than Eden stepped in.

"Miss. Iparis!" He panted, out of breath. "I thought it was you." I was speechless, what could I say? 'I miss took you for another person?' Like that was believable. Besides, there was no one in the entire Republic I was on such bad terms on to the point where I would avoid them given my high status.

"Mr.Wing," I greeted, "I didn't think you would be up this early." It was true enough.

"Well we're still getting used to the time change. Besides, our bodies are used only functioning on a few hours of sleep, considering the Antarticans can program the sunrise to when ever they want." He chuckled at my stunned expression, but seriously, how was I supposed to anticipate that answer?

"Well, I bet you're hungry." I stated knowingly. His nostrils had flared and a look of delight had dances across his eyes the moment the aroma of the shop had engulfed him.