G.U.A.R.D. Book #3: Recusant

-28-

    I would say the days passed in a blur, but they really just crawled by. I would've preferred learning about torture over this. All we did was get up, eat food, clean weapons, eat more food, probably go to the bathroom a few times, and then sleep. Honestly, though, you could only have spaghetti and meatball so many times before getting tired of it.

We didn't converse much with the people outside of Station 4. We saw glimpses of Station 1 every now and then, but it was just in passing. But that didn't mean we were completely isolated. As we gave weapons to the agents going in combat, we'd hear scraps of their conversation—if we were lucky, we'd hear the whole thing. Rumors flew everywhere of how this all happened. Someone said that a recruit had a run-in with League agents before coming, and they embedded a tracking device under his skin. Others were less gory, simply saying that a League agent went undercover and somehow became one of our trainees. Several names were said in accusations: Carl Badge, Logan Ryder, Tiffany Watch, Grayson Maverick... the list went on.

In other words, even the agents didn't know the truth.

Word went around about tried and failed negotiations on G.U.A.R.D.'s part. And then suddenly the League came with reinforcements. The gas station went into a hyper frenzy. We passed along weapons as quickly as possible, helping the agents strap them on, loading the guns for them, and basically being the recruits we were. When almost everyone had disappeared, Tiago suddenly appeared in the conference room.

"Hawk, Porter, come with me. Get yourselves some service rifles and bulletproof vests."

Then he was gone. Porter and I scrambled to collect the rifles and vests, then hunted down magazines. Tim handed on to me.

"Thanks."

I took it, deposited it in one of my pockets, then ran after Tiago. Porter was hot on my tail. We passed Brooks and Foster on the way out, and my brow furrowed in confusion. Why weren't they in the infirmary? Shaking the thought, I found Tiago. He stood in the near-empty restaurant, near the door.

"Sir," Porter said as we stopped by him.

I didn't use any formalities. "What's going on?"

Brooks and Foster appeared, both with rifles slung over their shoulders and vests in hand. They joined us.

"Walk with me," Tiago said. "Put on your vests."
We went outside Preferito and moved through an empty lot. Only a few agents still lurked about.

"This new wave is nearly too much for our agents to hold," Tiago said. "You four have the highest marks of the entire station. You'll be fighting alongside them."

I nearly dropped a buckle.

"Do exactly as your ordered," Tiago said, stopping to face us. He opened the door. "Just like you were trained."

"Yes, sir," Brooks said with a nod.

As we started getting in, the man said, "There's also a recruit from Station 1 joining you. Alek Phoenix. Have you heard of the metahumans?"

A deep memory stirred within me, but I just shook my head along with the others.

"They're a group of people with... unusual abilities. Just... don't look him in the eye."

"Yes, sir," Porter said.

Tiago closed the door. Porter then glanced to the rest of us.

"You guys have any idea what he means?"

"'Unusual abilities?'" Foster said in his Yorkshire accent. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the man's gone bonkers."

Brooks shrugged. "Never heard of 'em."