The Recruits

Chapter 7

1974

Matt was talking with his uncle on his porch. His uncle pat him on the back. They both had beers in their hands and Matt took a sip of his. His uncle sat down a little bench and urged Matt to do the same. Matt sat down and they started conversing.

"Look at you, kid. When was the last time your dad brought you by?" His uncle roared in glee. Matt chuckled.

"It's been a while, uncle. It's been a while." Matt cheers his drink to himself and took another gulp. His uncle continued.

"Your father tells me you're done with college by June?" he gulped down half the beer in a single swig. Matt hummed.

"Yeah, it was tough but I'm almost there." his uncle pat him on the back.

"Good on you, kid, make your mother proud." his uncle smiled. Matt smiled back, sipping the beer again. "I try uncle, I try." Matt said with a satisfactory tone. Just then, the front door opened and out came his uncle with their son, who was a toddler at this point.

"Dinner will be ready soon." she mumbled. Her hair was tied lazily in a bun and she was frowning. His uncle frowned a little. "What are you doing, out here wasting time? Tell us when it's ready, you hear?" he rang his ears and rose his brow, leaning forward. She nodded.

Before she could go back inside, Matt got up and took the toddler from her. She smiled softly at him and went inside. He sat back down, putting the baby on his lap. His uncle started to smile again. "I only hope my kid can grow up to be like you, Mathew." he stated. Matt looked at the child, who was a little chubby, and played with his hands.

"Davin will be his own person, but rest assured, I don't mind helping you and Aunt Chelsea out if you ever need the help." Matt smiled. His uncle nodded.

1979

Charlie and his mom were making sandcastles. People walked past and asked to take pictures with her. Her skin and hair were a pale teal, and her fingers and legs were webbed. She had an eye in the middle of her forehead and scary sharp teeth. Her son, however, looked nothing like her.

Charlie had pale Caucasian skin and his hair was a chestnut brown and frizzy. Marine looked over at her son and chuckled. He looked up and wondered why she was laughing.

"You're my little pride, Charlie." she said, before going back to her sandcastle. Charlie stared at her blankly for a minute before returning to his own castle. Charlie's eyes were hazel. He was wearing blue swim trunks while she wore a bikini in the same color. It was quite revealing-like most bikinis, and she was getting a lot of attention, which she liked a lot.

She would always tell Charlie that she would find him the perfect dad, because his dad was gone. She always avoided talking about his dad, changing the topic if he brought it up. As they were finishing up their castles, a blood curdling scream was heard from far out in the water. His mother looked up and saw a little girl drowning.

The lifeguard wasn't at his post, no one was. Thinking quickly, his mother got up and turned to Charlie. "Stay here, okay?" she said with urgency in her voice. Charlie nodded swiftly and she began running quickly to the water. She jumped in like a mermaid-or siren-and started swimming out to the girl.

Charlie shrugged and continued making his sandcastle, not understanding the situation. He was looking down when his body was swallowed by a shadow. He looked up, it was a guy with swim trunks and a jacket on. He was also wearing sunglasses.

"Hey kid, watcha making?" he asked, feigning curiosity. Charlie smiled, ready to present his 'masterpiece'.

"I'm making a sandcastle." he put both hands on his hip and puffed out his chest. Matt didn't smile, he just nodded.

"That's really cool, did you make this one, too?" he pointed to the one his mother was making. Charlie shook his head.

"No, my mama did." did he gave his mom her credit. Matt smirked.

"Well kid, they both look great. But," he started. Charlie frowned slightly at the 'but' "they could be firmer, the building's a little sloppy. Say, I have a bucket in my trunk, why don't you come with me, and I'll give it to you." he suggested slyly. Charlie smiled widely and nodded.

He jumped up and happily followed Matt.

Moments after that, his mother returned, drenched in water and her heart pounding. She looked around. "Charlie?" she asked to no one. She got worried rather quickly, having just been through a life-or-death situation-for the little girl.

"Charlie? This isn't time for games, if you don't come out now, we're leaving immediately." she stomped her foot, again, to no one. After two minutes going by without a reply to her threat, she calls out again.

"Charlie? Baby, mommy's not playing right now, please come out." she started walking around their set-up. Oh Aspen, she though, what am I going to do now? She was already an illegal immigrant; she couldn't risk being deported. She had to find him on her own. She asked people around the beach, to no avail.

"Mister!! Let me out, I have to go back to my mama!" Charlie shouted, with tears in his eyes. Matt pulled his car out of park.

"How cute, you think you're ever seeing your mother again." he started driving, humming over Charlie's cries. It got to a point where Charlie was about to full-on bawl. He screamed, loud. They were on a road by themselves, and Matt realized how much he underestimated this kid. Luckily for him, the windows were up and soundproof, so he was good there. However, it was annoying.

Mat got a piece of rope and a roll of tape from the glove compartment. He jumped over to the trunk and tackled the child. He tied his hands behind his back and taped his mouth shut.

"That'll keep you quiet, shouldn't it?"

1984

Matt was sitting in the Patterson's living room. His arms were crossed as he sat comfortably on the blue couch. On the couch in front of him, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson sat down, the Mrs. looking cross. She spoke first.

"You can have him. I don't want to be around that ability stealer anyway." she mumbled. Mr. Patterson sighed and glanced over his shoulder. Ozzie was playing with his little sister, June. He nodded and Matt smirked, standing up.

"You remember the agreement, correct?" he rose his eyebrow, his hand in his jacket pocket. They nodded and Matt started walking over to the children. He bent down in front of them and tapped Ozzie's shoulder. "You're Oswald, right?"

The little boy, not paying Mat too much attention, nodded, half-engaged. Matt smirked at the boy's dismissiveness. He grabbed the boy's hand tightly and squeezed a bit. Ozzie shrieked.

"We're going on a little 'trip', alright?" he asked, but it wasn't a question, it was happening, whether he agreed or not. Ozzie furrowed his brow and shook his head. He tried tugging his arm away, but Matt's grip was stronger than he was. Matt let go for a split second before swiping him up in his arms.

June looked up at Matt, who flashed his sharp teeth at her in the form of a mischievous grin. She got scared and ran to her parents, crying. Ozzie looked at him and started screaming. Matt seemed unfazed by this and walked back into the living room. June was in her mother's arms and starting to calm down, her eyes closed.

"Mr. Patterson, mind walking me out? It looks less suspicious that way, with his screaming and all." he held Ozzie with one arm at this point. Mr. Patterson nodded and got up, following Matt to the door. He made sure to stop at a view visible to the neighbors and waved Matt off. Ozzie tried stretching his hands out to his father, but Mr. Patterson just snorted.

"We won't report him missing." Mr. Patterson whisper-screamed to Matt. Squeezing Ozzie a bit, Mat smiled.

"You better not."