Iron Will

A Secret In The Basement

The week wore on slower then ever. Mr. Clay wouldn't get off Marcus's back and Golem training wasn't getting better. Everyone was excited on Friday sense they were leaving for a two day trip to Draco on the planet below the school, everyone but Marcus that is. Everyone from class 3487 was in the hanger ready to board the shuttle to the city. Going with them was Mr. Clay, Mr. Frank, Ms. Gear, and other teachers.

"Alright everyone," Principle Juliet called. "You'll all be leaving soon so I want to go over somethings. First you are to be on your best behavior, and listen to your teachers. Also to Mr. Frank and Ms. Gear's request Marcus Kelo will be a guide sense he lived in Draco for sometime. Anything you want to say to the class Marcus?"

"Sure," Marcus said. "When we get to the city keep your valuables close to you and never go anywhere alone. The City is known for its crime rate."

"Please," Brian laughed. "I'll knock out any thief."

"They don't just threaten you Brian." Marcus said. "They will kill you if you don't do as they say. Trust me on that. I should know sense I use to live with some."

Everyone stared at Marcus waiting for him to say it was a joke, but he didn't. Instead he smiled and went back to his seat. They then boarded their shuttle and left for the City of Draco. The city was beautiful, but Marcus knew under that beautiful look was a dark place. Before he moved into an orphanage and was adopted at ten he lived on the street with thieves. Truth was they weren't so bad it was them who feed Marcus and cared for him, and the evil people were those who walked the streets with no worry in the galaxy for the starving child in the cold.

After they landed groups were made. Marcus's group was made up of Mr. Clay, Mr. Frank, Ms. Gear, Angel, Brian, and a few other students. They all pilled into a air bus to give them a tour of the city. Even though they weren't at school they still had to learn.

"Okay," Mr. Clay asked. "Who can tell me the family who founded this city."

A few hands rose up and Mr. Clay chose Marcus. "The Draco family." Marcus replied.

"Correct," Mr. Clay said. "And do you know who is Mayor?"

"Hal Draco," Marcus said. "Descendant of the first Draco who founded the city."

"Correct again." Mr. Clay said. "Now we will be starting the tour. Do try to pay attention."

Every air bus had a tour bot on it. It would give you the whole tour of the city as you passed things by. Marcus ignored it all the way until they came to the rich side of the city. Far away from the city life in a quite area with grass and trees growing.

"On my right is the former home of Scientist Mark Kelo." The Tour Bot said making everyone look at Marcus. "He was once a Scientist for the Core worlds who fled to the outer worlds after he became a wanted criminal by the Core world for steeling research. He later came out of hiding to help the confederacy, but was murdered ten years ago. His grandson Marcus was left an orphan until he was adopted by the Scientist's close friend General Locks."

"You didn't tell me your grandfather was famous." Angel said. "Why were you on the street for three years?"

"I was six the night he died." Marcus said. "I ran in hid in fear they would kill me next. When I lost my hand in a traffic accident General Locks was able to find me from the orphanage they threw me in."

"Oh," Angel said. "I never knew."

"Not many people do." Marcus said.

"Do...do you want to talk about it?" Angel asked.

"Not really," Marcus said. "I just want to get through the day."

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When the tour ended Marcus and the group headed for the hotel they were to stay at. After talking, eating, and listening to Mr. Clay drag on about the cities history everyone went to bed. Being back home Marcus couldn't sleep. He was kept awake by the memorize of that night. He was hiding in the closet close to the basement at his house. All he heard was muffled voices, and then a loud bang. He needed to go back.

Dressing in a black hoodie and jeans Marcus left his room. Everyone was sleeping so he didn't need to worry about being followed. He walked the streets watching the night life of the city. When he was on the street he learned to steal from drunk idiots at night sense they were easy targets. After a few stops by thieving kids like himself when he lived on the streets he found himself at the rich sector.

He waved good by the the thieves, who he gave money to as a friend not a victim of theft, then went towards his old house. The lawn was over grown and the old Fluco Tree native to this world that had stood on the lawn was now dead and rotting. Many of the grimy windows were broken and dust covered the house floor.

Marcus looked at his old home with a sad smile. The days in which he would play on the lawn with his grandfather were gone. Now it was just a home full of dust and painful memorize. Walking through it Marcus looked to see everything he had left was still there just aging. His old baseball bat, toys, and a few drawings he made for his grandfather. He took one and smiled at it. A drawing of a small and big stick figure that looked to be fishing. Under them it read in messy letters, "Me and Grandpa."

The tears began to role down his face. He may have been six, but he remembered the old man. He looked like Marcus only with gray hair, a beard, and a worn face from years of the weather's torture. He always had a smile on even though he was dying. A diseases he got from working on a moon somewhere in the core worlds was killing him and the doctors said he had until Marcus was nineteen, them he would have died. Sadly those years with Marcus were stolen by some man who was never caught.

Placing the picture in his pocket Marcus moved to the kitchen. He ran his finger on the counter and looked at the dust that had been laying there for years. One day Marcus would clean this place up and move back in more then likely after the war. Marcus planned to live here with his future wife and kids. Raise a family in the house he should have been raised in himself.

The smile he had  on his face from thinking about the future slowly faded away once his eyes shifted to the basement door. Down there was his grandfather's lab. Apparently the man who killed him wanted notes and research from the old man, but no one ever found them. For safety reasons Marcus's grandfather hid his papers, holo tapes, and notes where no one could find them. Not even the confederacy found them when the searched the house.

It was hard walking down the stairs into the room sense this was where everything changed. This was the place his loving grandfather had met his end. Marcus scanned the room to see old equipment, tools , and other things. On his grandfather's desk sat a picture of Marcus and the old man on his fifth birthday.

"Wish that bastard would have waited a day before killing you gramps." Marcus said. "Who kills a kid's grandfather on the kid's birthday right?"

Marcus took the picture from the frame and placed it next to the one he drew when he was a kid. These were the last pieces of his days with his grandfather he had left. After taking out the picture he saw a slip of of paper was behind the picture. It read,

"Dear Marcus,

If your reading this I'm dead and I need some one to look after my final project. Pull the fourth book on the second self and a secret door will open. After that you need to place your hand on a scanner to enter my secret lab. This is good-bye my little Marcus, stay safe and one last reminder. Make sure you find the right girl and keep her close, I made the mistake of pushing your grandmother way. Yours truly, Grandpa.

                                                                                                                                                                Love, your Grandfather."

Marcus stunned by the note shook his head and read the note again. He went to his grandfather's bookshelf  and pulled the book it said to pull. The wall on the other side of the room slid open sending years of dust into the air. Inside was a scanner that came to life as the door opened. Marcus placed his hand on the scanner and it opened another door. What was inside surprised Marcus.