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

-6-

07:56, September 1. Base 5:

Winnie and Alek would be going to Station 1. Grayson to Station 2. I would go to Station 3.

As stood in a circle, waiting for the drivers to call on us, silence fell over our heads. Jim was there, too, even though he actually wouldn't be going to a station. He was there to see us off. There to see his only friends leave him for a year.

We didn't know what would happen after the stations, or if we'd be in the same base again. But the worst part wasn't in what we didn't know. It was the fact that we knew, no matter what happened at the stations, we would come out changed. And that... that really scared us.

Maybe more than the prospect of going to a random place to be relentless trained for a whole year.

"Make sure to write," Alek joked, though his heart wasn't in it.

Grayson snorted, pulling him into a hug. Then he stood an arm's width away. "Be safe, okay?"

"You too."

Then he moved on to Winnie and grabbed her elbows. "And you... be careful."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Grayson."

"I'm serious, Winnie. Be careful. And if the League comes or anything, don't try to be a hero. Run."

"Dude," I said. "We're in G.U.A.R.D. I doubt the League will be able to find us."

"I'm not taking any chances."

Then he pulled his sister into a hug. I glanced to Alek, and he gave a wry smile and a shrug. I slapped his shoulder.

"Do me a favor and get a new power."

His brow furrowed. "What power?"

"A way to see Bluebird."
"Trust me. I've tried."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but I figured he wasn't. Grayson leaned down to Jim's level and pulled him into a tight hug. Winnie didn't let us off the hook. She wrapped an arm around my neck, then one around Alek's, and tugged us into a group hug.

"Ouch," I muttered.

"Stop it," she scolded. "Feel the love."

"I can feel the love stepping on my foot," Alek complained.

She pulled back, gazing at us with annoyed eyes. "You guys have no sense of sentimentality."

A man with a megaphone suddenly stepped up and began listing where the different vans would take the recruits.

"This is it," Alek said. I noted he sounded nervous.

"You and me, dude," Winnie told him, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

"Me and Cleve," I said, glaring at the girl. She was standing next to Tim, but the two were looking at the line of vans. Tim would be going to Station 4.

"Harsh luck," Grayson said by my side. "But try to get along with her at least."

"Bossy," Winnie and Jim said at the same time. Ah, the codename Winnie came up with for Grayson before he chose Aqua.

"Jinx," they said together. "Double jinx! Triple jinx!"

"No," Alek said, grabbing Winnie's arm. "Stop."

She stuck her tongue out at him, then ruffled Jim's hair (which he glared at her for). "See you guys in a year."

Before she could change her mind, she grabbed Alek's hand and dragged him towards their van.