𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃 (𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚇 𝙴𝚗𝚋𝚒 𝙾𝙲)

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐋𝐞𝐨'𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲

"Adam, that was the Rebel Leader. The whole purpose of today's mission simulation was to interrogate him." Davenport scolds. I stand next to him watching the others train. My arm rests in its brace on the counter gently. I sprained my wrist yesterday falling off my skateboard so I don't have to do training today.

Adam, Bree and Chase walk over to us. "I did, and his answer was, 'Aaaaah!'" Adam grins. I walk over to chase and hand him his drink bottle.

"Hey, next time could you maybe throw in a cute, blue-eyed rebel? What? I'm just sayin'. It's not gonna kill you to add a little somethin'-somethin' for the ladies." Bree asks.

Leo takes a pair of the simulation goggles and walks to the simulator. "Step aside, amateurs. Go ahead, Big D. Set it to 'awesome.'"

"Leo, these goggles are not a toy." Davenport takes the goggles off of Leo while me and the others walk to get out of the gear.

"Come on! My birthday's coming up-- Globally known as 'Dia De Leo.'"

"No. I designed the mission simulator to fine-tune their bionics, not to go on 3-D joyrides. Besides, you're not trained for it."

"Well, how about as a birthday gift you give me a bionic ability?"

"Or I could gift-wrap reality and you could play with that for a while."

Leo walks over to us disappointedly. "So Leo's having a birthday. What are you, like, nine?" Chase chuckles.

"Fourteen." Leo barks.

"No, seriously." Chase says.

"So how are you gonna celebrate?" I ask from beside Chase.

"We're all going to celebrate. Every year my mom throws me a big surprise party." Leo informs us.

"Really?" Adam asks.

"Last year she baked a cake the size of me. I'm not gonna brag, but I was delicious." Leo brags.

The lab doors open and Tasha struts outs. "Guess what? I just found out that I won an award for my undercover reporting on expired produce: 'Something in the crisper can kill you.'" She announces proudly.

Davenport hugs Tasha. "Congratulations! That's so great!" He congratulates.

"Oh, thank you. But the awards banquet is the same night as Leo's birthday." Tasha informs us. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm gonna miss it. If I don't show up, I'm afraid that they're gonna give my award to that overdramatic screen hog Linda Montieres." She apologises while also mocking Linda Montieres.

"It's okay, mom. Go have fun. You deserve it." Leo smiles.

Bree grabs him and drags him closer to us. "I thought she was gonna throw you a party. I was promised a party!" She growls.

"Every year she comes up with this lame excuse to make me think she's not throwing me a party." Leo explains. "Award? Please. Have you seen her reporting?" I nod remembering the last time I saw her reporting.

"Leo, are you sure you're not mad? We've never been apart on your birthday." Tasha ask walking over to us.

"Oh, please! He'll have plenty of birthdays, but who knows if you'll ever win anything again." Adam comments.

"Mom, go get your award." Leo smiles before coughing. "Chocolate frosting!"

"I promise we will celebrate the following night." She promises.

"Hey, why haven't we ever had a birthday party?" I ask looking at Davenport while pointing between me and the others.

Tasha looks to Davenport shocked. "Donald! You never celebrated their birthdays?" She scolds crossing her arms.