The Sage's Vow [COMPLETE]

9.1 || An Unfortunate Mission

"YOU'RE A TRAITOR. I just want to be sure that you know that."

Mateo rolled his eyes as he continued to pack his clothes into the backpack he'd brought with him. "Would you rather we both get recalled?"

Josh stopped shuffling the deck in his hands. He sat on his bed, legs crossed. Early morning light streamed in from his window. Josh would rather have slept in longer, but Mateo had woken him up to share the new information: someone had spotted a monster lurking in the ocean off the coast of South Carolina.

Another breach. Josh swallowed, his stomach twisting. How many did that make this week? They had gone on a few missions themselves, and if Xander needed to pull back Mateo, that meant that everyone else had already been dispatched or needed a short reprieve. They'd know if the Shadow Knights had broken another seal, right?

He was starting to worry they wouldn't until it was too late.

Shoving all of these concerns to the back of his mind, he shrugged at Mateo and resumed his shuffling, needing some way to release his pent-up energy since there were no monsters to slice up. "If we're talking about what I'd rather happen, I'd love to get sent to Japan. Not as an assignment. Just an awesome vacation."

Pausing just long enough to consider, Mateo gave a small nod. "That's fair, though I get to hang out at an evacuated beach with Taji after this fight. Don't know about you, but that sounds like an awesome afternoon to me."

Glaring, Josh asked, "Am I a bad friend if I hope you drink salt water?"

Mateo grinned. "Neither drowning nor dry drowning are on my lists of things to accomplish, so perhaps a little."

Before Josh could say anything further, the bond wavered. For a moment, Josh was there with Boomer as he rose from his napping place. Xander approached, a hardness in his eyes even as he smiled.

I have a feeling I'm going to miss my nap soon, Boomer said.

Josh had a feeling that he'd agree.

"Hey, Boomer. Sorry to disturb you," Xander said.

Boomer tilted his head. I was just waking up, anyway. Do you need help with something?

"I was actually wondering if Josh was awake."

Yes. Rising to his feet, Boomer stretched. He wouldn't be going back to sleep, most likely.

Xander made a vague gesture toward Boomer's head. "Would you mind, uh..."

He's already here. More awake now, Boomer studied Xander. What's going on? Then, to Josh he asked, Do you know anything?

Only that they're sending Mateo on an assignment. Which it was nice if Xander thought to make sure Josh knew, but it seemed way too much work. Xander should have known that Mateo wouldn't ditch Josh without a word.

Xander met Boomer's eyes in a way that made it clear he was looking into Boomer and to Josh. "I'm sure you're aware about Mateo?"

Yes, Josh replied. Boomer opened his soul to press against Xander, and Josh had this uncanny sense of the Paladin leader being right there beside him. He realized what Boomer had done when, without any relay from Boomer, Xander nodded. Josh's dragon was basically acting as a cellphone.

"Mateo will handle the outbreak, but it isn't our only issue at the moment."

Josh frowned. What else is happening? Another outbreak? Do I need to go somewhere? A horrible thought struck Josh then. His breath caught in his chest. Nothing is wrong with Cale and Mara, right?