Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday

Chapter 4: Get Ready

I don't think Justin has it in him to stay mad at Katrina for that long. By the next morning he was back to normal, at least on the outside. As his friend, I could look in his eyes and still see the hurt. The WCs affected us all in different ways. Katrina and Xavier got tossed out by their family, Megan lost her sister, and Justin... Well Justin was a little different. The rest of us aren't necessarily in our positions as fugitives by choice. Instead, it was a result of circumstances out of our control. But Justin chose to be here, chose to stand by me at a time when he was one of the only people I had left. You see, his computer skills didn't go unnoticed by the rapidly forming and expanding U.N.A. They tried to recruit him, said he'd be set up for life once he finished High School, with a steady job working for them. An opportunity for rare stability in a time of shifting chaos. Anyone would jump at the chance right? Wrong. He dropped out of school, left his family and essentially disappeared. He joined R.I.O.T, probably the least stable possibility out there for him. And why? Because of a Middle School friendship with a crazy guy named Warren. And because like the rest of us, he believes that the WCs are wrong.

~~~

"We're as ready as we'll ever be Warren, so stop fussing." Megan told me, leaning against my open door.

"I know that, I just can't help this feeling." I replied over my shoulder as I straightened my armor in the mirror opposite my bed. "I'm not usually so nervous when we go out, but there's something different about this Megan." I turned around to face her, reading her expression carefully. She was kinda smiling, but also acknowledging I was serious.

"You're right, there is something different. We have Element, Shock, Mr. Senior and about half the U.N.A army sitting a couple miles from our base. You have every right to be worried." She paused for a second before a smile spread across her face.

"Still can't say Mr. Senior with a straight face, huh?" I said, joining her in laughter. I took a deep breath, walking towards the door, but Megan didn't move out of the way. Instead she put a hand on my chest and looked me in the eyes.
"What's the worst that can happen Warren? It's a press conference, that's all it is."

"I know, you're right." She took her hand away, moving to the side so I could get through the door. She followed behind me as we headed into the Tech Room. Justin swiveled around in his comfy computer chair, nearly knocking Katrina off of her perch on his desk. Felma looked up at me from under the desk and Xavier rolled out from next to her, popping up between Justin and Kat. Megan smiled at me and sat down next to Katrina, giving her a quick hug.

"Alright, everyone ready?" I asked them, flipping my hair out of my eyes.

"Ready!" Justin exclaimed, reaching up to click his eye-piece into place.
"Me too." Katrina said, jumping off the desk and grabbing her satchel as it swung around her from the force of her movement. X dropped down on his knees and peered under the desk, looking at Felma.
"You ready girl?" He asked her, to which a bark was Felma's response. X turned and sprung back up, looking at me.
"We're good." I smiled at my team, they trusted me, and I could rely on them. What more could you ask for? My heart sunk as my brain tried to provide an answer to that question but I just kept smiling. Focus Warren, focus.

"Let's do this." Megan said, looking me in the eyes.

"Yes," I said quickly, recovering. "Let's see what on earth the WCs want to announce now." Katrina, Megan and X started walking towards to door to follow me out, but Justin stayed seated in his chair, staring at the computer screen in front of him.

"What's up, Justin?" I asked, walking over to look at the screen. It took me a second to realize what we were looking at.

"This my friends, is BBC news coverage of the conference today." Justin proclaimed.