A Spaceman

Chapter 24--They'll be peace when we are done

"Mum!" I cry and run to her. She is surprised almost to see me but she hugs me tightly.

"Russ, you look thinner than when you were home," she says, squeezing me.

"Hey Dasha, you look fatter than when we were home," I say, holding the baby's chubby hand. "Where's Anya?"

"She's-----she was---she was resting, she'll, she'll be here. she has the ID you sent," my mum says.

"Why are you crying?" I ask.

"Because I miss you," she says, hugging me again.

**

"Your big brother beat you up?" I should be nicer to Titus. I'm not.

"The cannibal escaped, were you trying to stop him?" Quinn asks.

"Yes, no----we were arguing, did you keep track of everyone else?" Titus asks, I'm putting ice on his head and trying to clean his bloody face. Quinn messaged Space Forces when we couldn't find Titus and they've descended. We are at a bench at the domestic station with about a dozen officials who are here to escort us and give us first aid supplies to fix Titus' face. They've also properly mobbed the Russian General we brought. The girl has stayed with him and he's explaining her somehow. Titus's relatives all vanished as soon as the train stopped. Titus did as well, technically, but Quinn found him unconscious and bleeding in a rail car. I was really calm about that by the way. Goes to show how many times I've seen him bleeding and unconscious. And freaked out and been trying to comfort him just for him to wake up and start talking about something random and like, walk away.

"Basically, the Russian has been turned in, your brothers are long gone," I say, holding the ice to his head and swatting his hands which he's trying to put to his forehead, "And I know you already have a headache, but apparently Thorn's quite all right. He got back a few hours ago, along with Leavitt whom he sent on his way."

"Oh good, all the criminals escaped," Titus says, standing.

"Quinn's sass is rubbing off," I observe.

"I maintain he got it from me---we need to get back to Milton," he says, rubbing his head like he does.

"Yeah, we'll get back," I say, "Want to have milk later?"

"No, I have to go AWOL and visit Tess," he says, distractedly.

"Oh, right then," I don't mind the Tess bit I do mind the AWOL bit.

"Sir, you say these things then I have to come watch you," Quinn says, "Thorn's already told me to."

"Meet me by the Academy this evening then," Titus says, "I'll be busy before that."

"Right, whatever, it was fun crashing in the jungle with you too," I say, leaving. We did make out several times. Now he has to go off and be AWOL. Typical.

"No, Tom---wait," he says.

"No, it's fine, you're busy," I say, and I walk away.

**

"I'm here to see Tess Card. I'm her uncle," I say, standing at the Academy front office. I have no idea if this will work but it feels like it should. "She messaged me about wanting sweets from a city shop, I'm just bringing them by."

"What did you say your name was?" I didn't say it. The receptionist is fierce. Another couple of elderly ladies come up behind her.

"Jacob Card," I say, smiling. I've not said that in years. "I'm here to see my niece."