Atlantech: The Early Days Volume One

Chapter 2: The Carefree and Innocent

 

Meanwhile, at the AMF's airbase, the young hybrid William Sterling was alone in the locker room, putting his flight suit away. He had just returned from a flight simulation test, when all of a sudden, he felt a pair of hands grab him by the shoulders.

"Surprise!" A familiar voice shouted gleefully, nearly startling the daylights out of him, when he whipped around and shoved his younger comrade Justin church.

"You know I hate when you do that," William snarled, clenching his fists.

Corporal William Sterling was about ten inches taller than Justin, with wide blue eyes and short dark blue hair that was slightly longer in the back. He usually wore it parted on the left side of his head, where his long bangs hung over his right eye, practically concealing it at times. Justin too wore his hair in a similar fashion, only shorter and cropped closer to his head.

They both wore the same style of uniform, which consisted of a long sleeved top and pants, with lighter colored striping than the base color, which ran from the neck and shoulders down the arms, as well as across the chest in an angular form. William's uniform was blue while Justin's was green. And surprisingly they were the only two soldiers on the entire base with those exact colors. It seemed to be a personal preference.

Laughing while trying to catch his fall, Justin brushed his shaggy blonde bangs out of his eye as William finished locking up his belongings.
"So how'd the test run go?" Justin then asked, propping himself up against one of the lockers. "Did it feel good to get back up into the old airspace again?"

"It was only a simulation run," William answered. "Where have you been? I thought you were scheduled for testing as well?"

Justin shrugged and crossed his arms. "You know me, I don't like following orders. Never did to be honest here. That said, my whereabouts ain't none of your business."

"Uh-huh," William stared at him blankly. "And you wonder why you're on Commander William's shit list?"

"Truthfully, she loves me!" Justin rambled. "And being that, that spot on her list is reserved just for me, should say it all!"

William shook his head and snickered at him. "You have a strange definition of love, my friend. In fact I think she'd rather put her hands around your neck sometimes."

"Oh-ho-ho, look who's talking," Justin quipped. "At least my girl knows I exist!"

Despite the fact such a remark stung, William let it roll off of him, knowing this was nothing but playful banter on Justin's part.
"That was harsh," William commented. "But what about Grace Hanes? I thought she was the one you were pining for?"

Justin looked shifty eyed. "What can I say? I'm opportunistic? And besides, Grace has been giving me the cold shoulder lately. I think Lucy finally got inside her head."

"She is half your age," William mentioned then as he propped himself up against his locker. "And a gold digger, so you don't stand much of a chance there, my friend."

Justin scowled at him and William smirked right back.
"I'll have you know, that I could even have your girl Victoria if I wanted," Justin grinned slyly. "Speaking of which, she ain't your girl yet is she? You still haven't gotten the courage to ask her out."

Once again William allowed Justin's remarks to slide, but he couldn't help but feel insulted on the inside. Why oh why did Justin have to rub it in?

"Yeah, that's right you heard me," Justin taunted him. "So it's best you take back what you said about my Grace, or I'm going to pay Victoria a little visit, and I'll even bring her flowers."