Fear for the Ages

Ian- Someplace New

"Line formation. A5 grid," Captain shouted at all of us celebrating. I leapt over the cords and sparkling wires, dancing my way to the steel door. The others took their time to cross the path of triggers and mini canisters.

Green duct tape grided over the array of afghan rugs in the dark room. When aur small team lined themselves on the green, we stretched from the door to the corner.

I straightened out the light blue latex mask that protected the entirety of my body above small breasts. The same tight material ran down my arms and enveloped my nine fingers; Captain sewed the set for me personally. *er signature sea*orse logo remained in perfect condition on the inside of the neck. I adjusted a white lab coat *igher on my shoulders, then puffed out my chest to seem stronger than the rest in line.

One representative was selected from aur team, and that was me for the third time in a row. Captain *eld *er finger to my chest, and my jaw dropped to sputter, "I can do this!"

Captain's face scrunched into a knot at the slurrishness of my accent. "Vee-I-I, pick up the blue costume on the rack" The clarity in her voice sounded *arsh, but beautiful. Captain retrieved *er organizer from *er desk and dished a paper out to us. Mine *ad the specifics of this mission.

"Ophearick, Ophie-..." A strong woman's voice mumbled in front of me. She dragged her hands down her face and the skin snapped back. "We're going to find you."

I nodded, biting down on my babbling. Captain's eyes smoked up, and I don't bother with what Captain does. For the moments until she strode away from the group, I fanned the orders in the warm air between us. Aur features remaining mannequin, not moving, under the colorful masks.

The next person aur division *unted down came from the same "Tancoowanee" school, Ian Jatruda. *is spine curved now; *is wheelchair was there for *im more than *is daughter, and *is daughter's boyfriend might've nursed the old legend ten thousand times more than anyone left in the family.

Admittedly, the guy could sleep on a matress of *is own money, but Ian Jatruda's pent*ouse was the solitary life in disguise of a luxury. We stalked *im for three days, and today,

It was my turn, once again, to lead this brave team.