The Project

Spread Wider than the Grand Canyon

-Aristas POV-

My heart is pounding, loudly. Or at least it is to me, I feel like I can hear it about to blow my eardrums out.

This is Nicolai? This guy is a big bad element wielder?

I had hoped he was just another regular I guess, someone who could slip through the sytem and maybe get out with his life at the end. In the short time I'd spent with him, he impressed on me the belief that he deserved to live. But as an element weilder, his life was probably far from normal. Cade had already informed me bits and pieces about the weilders of years before, they were treated far worse than the kids that weren't so freaky.

Now the people like Cade and myself weren't abused per-say, they endured far worse. While we are all different from society, the kids here hated element masters with passion, because in the public eye they were treated far better. Good food, clean living accomadations. But what was kept from them is that our kind was reserved for the deadly missions, the life or death ones. Thus, they hated us for supposed favoritism.

Nicolai looks sheepishly at me, flushing a bit.

"I had hoped you'd find out who I was a little later." He says, his eyes portraying a series of odd emotions.

Cade sneers at him, "Well I have a news flash for you too Nicki. She's the other wielder."

Now he seems taken aback. I glare at Cade, the kids nearby are staring and a few are sending the four of us dirty looks, as Cole is still standing by watching. Nick takes me in again, making me shift on my feet a little. Cade can only take so much of this so he grabs my arm and pulls me behind him.

"What's your problem 2020?"

"I could ask you the same question 2460."

Ugh.

The raging testosterone right now is quite overpowering and I'm done. Yanking my arm out of Cade's grasp I make my way to the door with the rest of the kids headed that way. I feel the boys behind me but I don't turn around till I feel a hand snaking around my waist. I whirl around and see a grinning Cole, who obviously isn't giving up.

"Can I help you?''

"I was gonna ask you that." He pouts.

Cade shoves him out of the way and walks next to me, leaving Nick to take care of the little ladies man.

"He drives me crazy." Cade huffs.

I have to smirk a little as I state the obvious. "You know he's just like you."

"As if my dear. I have a suave, adult charm. The most he can offer is a date of apple juice and goldfish." Ignoring Coles indignant voice behind us he continues. "I on the other hand, can offer so much more." He states as he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Before I can snap back at him Nick appears and takes care of it.

"Yeah, you can offer a wide range of sexually transmitted diseases."

I make a noise that sounds like a mix between a dolphin and a cat in distress that passes as my real laugh, because that took me off gaurd. Maybe we should keep Nick around to deal with Cade. Who, speaking of which, is giving Nicolai a look that would put fear in the heart of any adversary to say the least.

"Well to get those diseases you mention, one has to have 'experience' which, unlike you 2020, I have."

"That has to be one of the worst comebacks I've ever heard Cade." I laugh.

He wheels to face me, and with a smirk, responds.

"At least I don't use animatronics for batting practice. That is a low I have yet to reach."