Bend In Line

Chapter 2

"What the hell, Ari? We've talked about this. That was-" At this point, I block him out. I briefly consider freezing him just to skip the lecture. In the end, I decide good old-fashioned selective hearing will suffice. In case you're wondering, Briar is pissed because I just broke a not so sacred pact to keep the power mimicking to a minimum within the team. I can replicate any power that I am in close proximity to. I do under normal circumstances try to keep it to a minimum unless in life threatening situations. I can understand how it seems like cheating or at least an invasion of sacred proportions.

"What do you think they'll send us after today?" Cass asks grabbing her hot pink water bottle and sitting down beside me on the bench of the locker room. I begin to rotate my right shoulder in slow circles trying to loosen the knots. Rowan appears behind me and his large hands take over, kneading and rubbing the ache away. I let out a moan and lean back into it. Briar enters the room and gives me a hard look which I return.

"You almost singed my hair, douchebag. You got off easy." Rowan laughs, his hands ceasing their circular movements. Briar shakes his head and continues pouting into his cubby. Turning back to Cass, "I'm not sure what they'll send us after today. But I hope it'll be an early day because I have to go home today." Cass looks at me with empathy and nods. I glance over my shoulder. "What about you? Are you coming over today?" Ro only answers once he is at his cubby, back to me.

"Depends on where the day takes us." I ignore what this really means and stand to head to the briefing room.

"Briefing in ten." I call over my shoulder.

An hour later we are rolling up to the outer skirts of the Capital City in our tactical vehicles. Rowan and I are the first out of the vehicles. I think he catches himself about to bark out Orders before taking a literal step back. I stride toward our objective, a watchtower on the border, with Ro and Luca on my flank. I can sense the rest of my team in their proper positions behind us ready for Orders.

Adora contains six territories surrounding our Capital City. The Capital City which contains the King's Mansion, the Capital Building and Council Chambers, the Guard headquarters, and the Academy, also houses a significant portion of the population within. The Plains are mostly farmland and cover a vast area around the Capital City. The Hills, sprawling across the northeastern border, is a more secluded area and houses a less considerable portion of the population. The Coast, the only portion of Adora touching the ocean to the southeast, is mostly vacation homes and weekend houses for those who can afford them. The Islands, three small islands off The Coast, are used for recreational purposes only. The Mountains, to the far northwest of our Capital City, are sparsely populated due to their rugged terrain. The Barrens, desert lands blockaded to the southwest, serve as the coven's place of exile. There are thirteen watchtowers in total spread out along the borders between the territories.

One of the watchtowers to the Northeast of the Capital City had gone dark. No communication in four hours. We are here to find out what is going on and where the Guards are. I stop and so does my team in unison.

"Cass, I want eyes on the inside before we go in."

"On it." She replies before she projects out of her physical body.

"Briar. Bishop." I can hear them moving to her flank while their names are still on my lips.

"Yes boss." Briar's tone had fallen back to that of soldier taking orders. When Cass projectsout of her body, her body becomes very vulnerable. Her astral projection can move and fight like normal, but her physical body is missing its operating system so to speak. Briar and Bishop are often called upon to Guard Cass' body while she does her job. A few long moments later I hear Cass deeply exhale when she returns to her body.