Chapter 10 - Father's Wishes

"Alright rookies find a seat and get comfortable, today you'll be learning something very interesting." Says Rodney as he leads us into a classroom.

Me, Lj, Dameer, Lici, Alyssa and Liam grab a corner to ourselves. This is the first time we've been inside since that meeting. It's also been five days since the second cut and we had to say goodbye to Miguel.

After lunch that day Rodney resumed the test but changed the plans. Instead of having a loser's bracket, he passed people that made a commendable losing effort. Lyssa lost to Lici but gave the most effort out of any of the other girls who lost, so she got permitted. Desmond was permitted and so was both Lj and Cory. Miguel however was injured badly in his race. He was on the roof of the flag building wrestling against his opponent for the flag, when they both tripped close to the edge. The other kid managed to grab the ledge but Miguel fell four stories to the dirt. The doctor said he's lucky to still be alive but his injuries are very severe. He'll recover but nowhere close to now. With that cut the class now stands at twenty six people. Training has become even more intense and punishing. None of us could've even dug for more information if we wanted to. However Angie told me that my mom was at her house a few nights ago looking to talk to the Captain. He was at the guard's office at that time though so she left. Me and Lj have both tried to get even the smallest amount of information out of her but nothing has worked. I'm starting to think she actually doesn't know anything.

"Soon I won't be able to bend my body at all." Lyssa says while slowly sitting down.

"My soreness is feeling sore right now." Dameer exclaimed.

"I sure even you two bush boys have to be feeling the pain at this point." Lici says to me and Lj.

"We had to jog in place in the rain, holding car doors over our head while baseballs were being tossed at out torsos. Soreness is a mentality at this point." Lj replied.

"What gone down?" Lyssa exclaims while me and Lj start to laugh.

"He's joking." I responded.

I wish.

"Ok rooks, listen up." Says Rodney as he sat in front of the class. "Today I'm going to be giving you guys more information about the infected. Anybody could tell me the name of the virus that causes the infection?"

"Ursus 1." Replied Dameer.

"Good and why was it given that name?"

"Ursus is apart of the scientific name for the polar bear and they were presumed to be the first animals to contract the virus." Lici added.

"Lucky guess. So does that mean humans aren't the only living creatures affected by the virus?"

"There have been reports of other mammal and bird species that suffer from the virus also." A random girl responded.

"As my time being a searcher I've been attacked by deer, hawks, bats, dogs and even cows that have shown signs of being infected. So yes other creatures are affected by the virus which means outside this city there are much more challenges than you would first expect. Since its emergence almost two decades ago the virus has displayed several... mutations. There are some infected running around that have shown very unique attributes. From abnormal size and strength to deceptive speed and agility. The variety of different infected seem to be growing every day, which means the danger of the outside is becoming unpredictable. These pass two weeks you have all proven that your physically capable to be a searcher. Now however you need to prove to me that you can protect yourself. Tomorrow morning don't come to the school, we will be meeting by the northern gate. Those who still have their bows and arrows your more than welcome to bring them. You might be using them on a lot more than targets."

"You think he plans on taking us outside the city?" Dameer asks looking back at us.

"After lunch I want you guys to pair up with someone and meet me in the yard out back. There's twenty-six of you which divides perfectly to thirteen pairs. I don't wanna give away too much on what you will be doing but try find someone who is a physical match for you."

I doubt he's going to make us compete against each other so maybe this'll be a training exercise to prepare for tomorrow. Before he was even finished talking about the subjects we were meant to be discussing in here, people had already found their partner. Me and Lj decided that since we know almost everything about each other and trained together for so long, maybe it'd be best if we found different partners. He teamed up with Desmond while I ended up with Liam. Alyssa and Lici were together of course but I was suprised when I saw Cory had asked Dameer to be his partner. They're very much similar from a physical standpoint but I'm suprised Cory came and asked him.

"Remember, we meet in the yard out back." Rodney says as we all began to leave the room. "Ejay could you stay behind for a minute?"

I stopped at the door while Lici and Liam walked pass me and looking back at me in concern. There's no way he should know that I eavesdropped on them. This could be for anything so I just have to play cool.

"Um yeah, sure." I finally responded as I turned and walked to the center of the room.

As the last person exited Rodney got up and closed the door behind them. He didn't say anything at first, he just proceeded to stack up the chairs so I started doing the same. The silence was yelling at me louder than any noise and there's no way to block it out. What's he thinking, did he really just asked me to stay back to help him straighten the room? Say something dammit!

"You've shown a lot of progress and talent in the past two weeks. I could definitely see you making it through the final cut and becoming a searcher." He says as he leans against one of the chair stacks.

"Thanks." I reply.

"If you become a searcher there's a lot that you don't understand right now that you will be forced to in the future. That's what they tell me, their excuse for not being truthful to you."

"Wait what do you mean excuse?" I ask while looking at him.

"When last did you talk to your dad kid?"

"Almost six months ago now. Why?"

Why address me as kid?

"You need to promise me whatever I tell you in this room, stays in this room."

I hesitated at first but managed to slip out a "Yes sir."

"Now, before I was appointed as Sergeant of the searcher unit about five months ago. I was leading a small group to investigate an abandoned geological lab, because scientists here needed some pieces of equipment. On our way there we came across a man who was unconscious in a car. We don't leave healthy civilians behind if we come across any, so we dismissed the mission and chose to carry the man back to the city. He had a duffel bag with him that carried some of the equipment we went out looking for, and also a map of the world with a lot of writing and markings on it. We had our inferences about it but we thought it would be best to get it to the city and let the analyst check it out. The guy was dehydrated and showed signs of heat stroke, luckily we found him when we did. When he regained consciousness he was determined to leave the city didn't want to talk to anybody. He wasn't answering any questions or being cooperative at all. At least not until Captain Nash and Doctor Reeves came to where we was keeping him. They brought his map and asked my squad mate to wait outside. They proceeded to interrogate the man on why did he collect the equipment. What does the map mean? Where did he come from? Then he started to ramble on and on about the end of the world but he wasn't making any sense."

"Pause pause pause." I jumped in and said. "Why are you choosing to tell me all of this now? What is the importance of you telling me this now."

Anger starting to fill my veins and my breathing starting to escalate. I wanted them to tell me the truth so why am I this angry.

"I felt as if you shouldn't be lied to anymore, especially when it pertains to your dad. He radios in to the city once every week to give updates on his situation, and every time he asks about you."

Why? My body is shaking. I'm angry but I could feel tears building in my eyes. I can't even look at Rodney anymore.

"I lost my son two years ago. He was only six years old. My wife at the time blamed me for what happened to him so she then left me. All I'm saying is I don't like lying to kid about something like this. I would give the world to have my kid back and I know your dad is suffering without you and your mom with him right now. The last thing he told us before leaving the city was to watch over you. He told us you would come here one day and we were to keep you safe until he could get back to you."

We both paused in silence for a moment.

"Where is he right now?" I was finally able to mutter out.

"He's at a small outpost near the coastline." He replied walking closer to me.

"I still don't fully understand why you're telling me this."

"I think you deserve to know what's happening. He's risking his life for not only the safety of humanity but you in particular. You shouldn't be in the dark."

"Can... can I leave now?" I ask looking up to him.

"Yeah, I don't wanna overwhelm you with everything. We could talk again later."

I walk over to the exit and right before I could open the door he says to me...

"Remember, this has to stay between us."

I don't even look back as I proceed to exit the class. A single tear had managed to fight it's way out of my eye and down my face. I don't know how to feel. Before I turn the corner to enter the cafeteria, I wipe the tear away and compose myself. I turned the corner and Lj is there waiting right by the entrance.

"Is everything good?" He asked me.

"Never better."