Rising Up

Chapter 3

         I waited on the front steps of the school for Alice and Clint, pondering the conversations with authorities the night before. What frustrated me the most is that they didn't believe me. A Null. Why did they stay as long as they did seemed to be their attitude. A large hole in the house? I'm sure the Null did that too. As if I had abilities. Idiots. I gripped my knees in frustration and anger.

"Allen Adams?" The voice jerked me from my thoughts mercilessly. I glanced over to a tall, dark haired man in an immaculate crimson government uniform glittered with awards and trophies of war and conquest. He smiled too broadly down at me and extended a hand, "I'm General Collion. Can I have a moment of your time son?" I gazed over my shoulder at the school behind me. I looked back and nodded slightly, clearly confused.

"I've been notified that you are a Null." He said the last word as if it were vile. I glared slightly and curtly nodded. His grin widened slightly as he stared down at me, "I'm here to extend a position in the program I created for your kind."

"I'm not interested," I ground out and turned away.

A firm hand clamped down on my shoulder and whipped me back around to face the over exaggerated smile. I winced slightly jerking from his grip. He stared into my eyes. "Oh I think you are Mr. Adams, you don't have anywhere to go now," he said darkly.

My vision went blurry making everything around me melt away. His almost unnatural, blue eyes burning holes in my mind. "You will join the military," I heard his voice say as the ground pitched.

Furiously, I snapped out of it and stared blankly up at him. "Excuse me?" I asked him, my voice firm. A rush of courage washed over me. He stepped back startled and confused. Then his smile grew even wider if possible.

"I just told you. I am not interested," I said as I stood. "Excuse me."

He glanced over my shoulder and stepped back as Alice and Clint exited the school. Alice looked with confusion and then anger at the general next to me. Before she could say anything General Collion turned and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Who, was that?" Alice asked, looking at the retreating general. I turned my head and watched him walk briskly away. I shook my head and glanced back at my two friends. "Some General or something," I stated blankly, "He came to see if I'd be interested in joining the military." Alice's eyebrows knit together in anger as she watched the tall man leave.

"That's a little strange, don't you think?" she asked, "I mean after your brother goes missing? Seems a little off to me." I stared at her for a minute and back over my shoulder. It did seem a little strange.

ØØØØØØ

"Thanks again, Max." I stated quietly as Max turned to stare over at me, He let out a chuckle and patted me on the head. I looked around the small guest room of the apartment Max owned just above the old garage.

"It's cool kid. I'd be a monster if I didn't help out in some way," I stared down at my feet and nodded slightly. My mind wandered back to the words. "I'll let you settle in. Night Kiddo." I nodded a thank you and he shut the door.

I pulled out my BUL and pulled up images of the destruction in Sam's room quickly searching for the one which showed the words left for me. The final image loaded and then confusion hit. There were no words. Nothing. The ceiling was bare. I remembered the confused looks of my friends and realization hit me. Only I could see the words. There had to be a connection.

ØØØØØØ

I read articles of Surplex SA disappearances across the Quatrain Sector, not just Harthan. I discovered hundreds of missing persons cases but none matched Sam's disappearance. All of the other missing case files were alike. Disappearing at night. No clues indicating they had been taken. My brother's room was different. Chaos. A message left behind. What made my brother so different from all of them?