Chapter 3
Adelio found out the boy’s name was Martin. He managed to wriggle this out of him after a lengthy conversation about his sister. Mostly, it was the description of her better virtues that got Martin to both look and talk to him again. He was a brown haired young man with green eyes that frequently misted up when he thought of his departure. Adelio found himself wanting to protect him, he had a feeling that it was something most people who came in contact with the boy felt. It also meant Martin would more than likely not have an overly hard time in the training camp just as long as he kept his head down. It made Adelio feel better about the idea of him serving.
After Martin, there was an overly confident young man.
“I’m going to kill our enemies and rise up in the ranks,” he boasted with a wide grin. Apparently, while his parents had been distressed, he had been enthusiastic. That was putting it lightly.
“Watch me, I’ll be the one all of you come crying to help for,” he gasconaded. Adelio was certain that he was full of hot air.
“I don’t really want to fight, Benedict,” Martin admitted. It was quite possibly the worst thing to say to the man.
“Call me Bennie. What do you mean you don’t want to fight? You’re here aren’t you? In this voluntary enlistment campaign,” Bennie exclaimed staring at him with a violent frown.
“But we were escorted here,” the other pointed out. Bennie scoffed.
“So? Doesn’t mean you couldn’t just say no. I mean the ‘man’ doesn’t control everything,” He retorted disdainfully.
“Private Cerny, what would you have done if we had refused to go with you?” Adelio asked getting sick of the two of them arguing. Bennie had the most aggravating voice on the planet.
“I can’t discuss those details with you since you’ve already agreed,” the Private replied haggardly.
“Then say, hypothetically, that the next person to come with us, I’m guessing the magic user, refuses to go with you. What would you do then?” Adelio pried, staring out of the window on his side. Bennie sat behind the two of them and was leaning forward to talk. His blonde head right next to Martin’s.
“Hypothetically?” the Private hesitated but met Adelio’s gaze in the mirror. He relinquished with a sigh.
“Hypothetically,” he began. “I would have to make sure the next person would come with me, even if by force. With a magic user, it would require a Suppressing Bullet. If, hypothetically, it was a non-magic user, then I would have used a simple touch to a certain part of your neck. The person would be at the Army Office when they woke up.”
“No shit,” Bennie said, his blue eyes widening. “That’s damn cool!”
Martin glanced over at him with a scowl.
“Not if you’re the one who has to be shot or pass out,” he challenged.
“Well, yeah. But that shit’s for suckers. I mean if Private Cerny had to do it. I bet he’d go all kung fu on their asses,” Bennie beamed at the prospect. Adelio wondered vaguely if he was sucking up or if he was genuinely excited by the idea. He then wondered if he actually wanted to know or if it was a distraction from the actual man himself.
“There’s nothing to enjoy about harming another person,” the Private bit out, angrily. Adelio decided that it was just a distraction if even the Private was having issues with him.
When Bennie started up again, Adelio tuned him out. Instead, he focused on counting how many turns they made and where they made them. The yipping man was still shouting orders, which made Bennie have to speak louder to be heard. So, he was having a hard time getting his irritating voice out of his ear.
