Énouement

Chapter Twelve

I climbed into my bunk, not really saying anything to Ender. I wasn't sure if I was angry with him for befriending Petra, or maybe just for trusting her so easily.

I took out my new desk and tried to see if they had taken anything from my new access codes. Sure enough, they had wiped out my entire security system. Nothing was private here, not even my desk. So much for having something the adults cant get into. Maybe in a few weeks I could make a better one. Lights dimmed a little. Getting toward bedtime.

"Go left out the door," I heard below me. Ender sat naked in his bunk staring at the boy who had spoken. "We share with Rat, Condor, and Squirrel." I guessed they were talking about the bathroom.

"Hey, you can't go like that. Uniforms at all times out of this room."
"Even going to the toilet?"

"Especially. But dont speak to anyone from any other army. At meals or in the toilet. You can get away with it sometimes in the game room, and of course whenever teacher tells you too. But if Bonzo catch you, you dead, eh?"

"Thanks."
"And, uh, Bonzo get mad if you skin by Petra." I raised an eyebrow at this. I didn't get it. Bonzo had hit Petra earlier, had reprimanded her, had belittled her. So what did he care about her modesty.

"She was naked when I came in, wasn't she?"
"She do what she like, but you keep your clothes on. Bonzo's orders."
That was stupid though. Petra still looked like a boy. It was an unnecessary rule and it set her apart, made her different, split the army.

Stupid stupid. How did Bonzo get to be a commander, if he didn't know better than that? Alai would be a better commander than Bonzo. He knew how to bring a group together.

"That goes for you too," the boy called up to me. Endef had already started walking to the bathroom. "Unless you wanna be Petra, be treated like Petra." I nodded and laid back down. I didn't exactly want to be naked infront of these boys anyways, even if I still looked like one.

The next morning we met Petra in the corridor infront of the battle room after breakfast. I went begrudgingly, but Ender seemed content.

She told us to wait because another army had just gone in. Ender sat down besides Petra, but before I could someone came into the corridor.

"Sophronia," A boy, whose name I didn't remember, stood at the opening of the corridor. Staring at me. He was one of Bonzo's guys. One of the big ones. "Bonzo wants to see you. Now."

Without waiting for an answer he turned and stomped out of the corridor. I looked at Ender over my shoulder, shrugged, and started walking out. I really didn't need an excuse not to do this with Petra.

"Tori! You're not going to go alone are you?"

"I think I'll be fine. At least, I'll be mostly fine. Go practice with Petra, it's fine." I rushed out. I didn't wait for a reply. I figured the boy had gone back to the barracks, because everyone else already finished eating. I walked back, slightly faster than normal, not wanting to anger Bonzo. I didn't bother looking for him in our Army barracks.

Bonzo seem more like the, i'm better than you, leader. He wouldn't hang out in the barracks. Instead I went straight to his room, his commanders quarters. I knocked on the door. Not softly, but not too hard. You never knew what mood Bonzo would be in.

"Enter." I walked in. Bonzo was sitting at his desk. Facing the door. He really had some trust issues.

"You want to see me, sir?"
"Shut the door." I did as he said and faced him again.

He stayed quiet for a second, then a minute, and then a few more. He looked to be calculating, calculating me.

"Your name. Sophronia. It's Greek, correct?"
"Yes sir."
"And your first name, Victorie. Did your parents plan to send you here?" I couldn't tell if he is being sarcastic, or condescending. But I decided it couldn't be bad to just answer.

"No sir. My parents don't like battle school. They're religious, and government distrusting hippies. They're Americans."

"Wise victory. It's an odd name for someone who wasn't going to battle school." That wasn't a question. "My father was proud when I was sent here. I imagin it was not the same for you. But, it is fortunate for me that you were." Bonzo was Spanish and all about honor, so I knew it was important that he become a commander and make his father proud.

"Sir?"
"There are not many girls here, Sophronia. Not many girls who are good either. But you, with the right training could be. They brought you up early for a reason. I don't care much for Wiggin, prodigy boys are a dime a dozen. But you, you can be something great." I understood now. Why Bonzo wanted me and not Ender. I was a rarity here. An exotic prize. If I had any potential at all, Bonzo could use it.

If he trained me and I became one of the best girls in the school, no one of the soldiers in the school, everyone would know it was because Bonzo had trained me. Not only would he be seen as a glorious commander and tactician, but as one who saw and cultivated talent. A perfect quality for someone in command.

"I will train you myself. During my free time, and maybe even other times. Just you. Do you think you can be something great Sophronia ?"

"I think I can be what will be most useful to the cause, sir." Bonzo barked a laugh. Most kids when they got to battle school, forgot about the real war. I didn't. We were training for war, training to be tools for our planet to use. And that's what I would be.

"We'll start later today. I'll let you know what time." That was my cue to leave, and somehow I was glad that we are taking up all the free time, and that I had to get to class. I didn't want to tell Ender what happened. I turned to walk out of the door.

"Victorie," I turned towards him, shocked he had used my first name. "Don't disappoint me."

He said it in such a deadly tone, and the feeling even reached his eyes. I reminded myself that as pretty and handsome and tall and beautiful and exotic as Bonzo Madrid may be, he was not to be trusted. Bonzo's eyes were dead, he was deadly.