G.U.A.R.D. Book #4: Tracked

-4-

12:23, June 8. Base 5:

"I'm not normally summoned by agents, especially new recruits."

Eating our lunch peacefully, seeing Commander Mustard was the last thing we expected. I had told the others what Tim said, of course. I didn't tell them about him and Cleve being siblings, but everything else was out in the open. I didn't even tell him I saw the picture. All-in-all, I tried to forget the fact I saw it. It gave an explanation for why he was friends with Cleve, though.

We had been trying to do what he said for days. We went up to the fifth floor as often as we could, just hanging out. I hated doing it. I'm sure it was all my imagination, but it felt like people kept staring at me. As if they had never seen a guy get beat up by a girl before.

Salmon showed her face several times, but we could never get a word with her. Either she didn't let us, or she was too busy punching the crud out of an agent.

Throughout this whole time, G.U.A.R.D. agents kept taking Alek away. They were really secretive about it, and they didn't let anyone know what they were doing, but Alek told us. They would take him to the specialized training building, and they would put him through a bunch of tests, like trying to look through a solid wall, or use his laser beams for target practice. Alek didn't like how they were doing it, but I could tell he enjoyed being able to use his powers. They helped him hone them.

And here Mustard was. In all her glory. She plopped down directly opposite me, next to Grayson.

"What do you want?"

"Where's Ally?" Winnie instantly asked. Classic Winnie. Getting straight down to business.

Mustard sighed, shaking her head. "You should really stop referring to her by her real name. Call her Bluebird."

I felt my heart tighten. Bluebird was Ally's codename. On the way to G.U.A.R.D., Winnie kind of got obsessed with making new codenames for all of us. After declining "Power Punch," Cindy asked me what I thought her codename should be. I said Turquoise. The color of her eyes.

I shook the thoughts from my head.

"But where is she?" Alek asked. He sat next to Grayson, and had to lean over the table to see Mustard.

"Safe. In another base. Is this all you wanted to talk about?" It was clear she was annoyed.

"No," Winnie said, "but we came to G.U.A.R.D. thinking we would be reunited with Ally or Bluebird or whatever we're supposed to call her. Why isn't she here?"

"Because she's not," Mustard responded, voice clipped. "I'm sorry Slade mislead you. Even if she wanted to come here, you would have to be transferred. That's a long process, and only happens for good reason."

"What do you mean if she wanted to come here?" Grayson asked. I was thinking the same thing. "I mean... she knows we're here, right?"

For a moment, Mustard didn't answer, and when she did, she said, "I'm in charge of the people in this base, not hers."

"She doesn't know?" Alek demanded, voice unbelieving.

The commander pursed her lips. "No, she doesn't. Is that all? I'm not going to give you any more information than I already have."

It was hard to contain the anger I felt rising like bile. I couldn't believe she was just keeping us in the dark like this. It made me miss Slade's unconventional, but open, way of handlings things.

"It's not my choice," Mustard continued, defending herself. But her eyes were serious. "If it was up to me, I would let you see Bluebird. Heck, I would let you all go home. But the world doesn't work that way."