Chapter 7

Velvet (Green Sand) Air Force

Morning hot shower is always the best way to keep Gerome fully awake. He wiped the steam off his mirror and started clearing his stubble with a shaver, leaving a moustache and a tiny part of soul patch on the chin, just for a few seconds of admiration. He wanted to see how he’d look like with different facial hair.

Ouch! He nicked himself while he was shaving off that had-to-go patch of hair. Shaving is a hassle, but he had to accept the fact of being a hairy person. Lukah sometimes make jokes about his overly grown brows and sideburns, followed by his usual loud haw-haws.

Gerome ruffled his thick dark hair up with his fingers, and tied it up. His hair had already reached shoulder, and became a little wavy. He couldn’t be bothered to comb, or try an attempt on new hairstyle. Marteena approached him to crop his hair, many times. He’d just answered back by feigning a smile. Well, let’s just say he was too lazy to care for his looks. In fact, he was pretty much content with his hairstyle at the moment.

Something caught his attention suddenly. It looked like there was something new on the worktop next to the basin. It was a grey bottle that he had never seen before. He reached out for it.

Moisturiser + Sun Protector. Formulated for men.

Marteena must have replaced his old one with this new formulated 2-in-1 sunblock. She was heedful of things inside or outside the house, even smallest things. So sweet of her, he thought, she must have noticed he had finished his cream. He padded the cream onto his face. It smelled kind of fruity, like citrus or lime.

Ten to twelve minutes was usually how much time Gerome spends in the bathroom every morning, another five minutes to have himself fully clad in his slate grey, silver-ish uniform. Thanks to the easy-manageable hair, he could always wake up late (later than Judah). Now all set to make his way to have a quick pre-breakfast.

Gerome stood in front of a bigger, full-length mirror that he had in the bedroom, putting on his air force uniform. He was ruggedly good looking, though not the type of lady-killing charm Lukah has, but overall he was an oddly handsome young bloke that had never dated any girl. While all his friends were on the teenage dating trend, he was always secreted in the gym or training centres. He could be a little obsessed with working out and sports.

What a meatball, he could hear Lukah calling him that in his head. There were quite a few girls that liked him, but he had never exhibited any interests on them or taken any actions, imagine how many hearts he had broken over the years. It would be time-unmanageable for him to have an additional individual who shares his life, and his time with. He still hadn’t figure out how Lukah managed to find time for girls with all the trainings and assignments and SOAR practices. The thing is, he could hardly remember any of Lukah’s girlfriends over the years.

Imagine how many hearts he had broken over the years.

Take the tip of the life. You just have to make sure one thing: the girl is not one of Luke’s ex before you hit on her. That was Aisha’s advice, more like a caustic warning.

Gerome stuck the Eli on the back of his palm, and it disappeared by changing into his skin colour. Eli is a piece of device like a soft fabric, about the size of a watch, in an exact square. It could be attached anywhere on the skin because it was magnetic, and it had the ability to camouflage itself in within five seconds. The midget device is encrypted to detect only its owner by their aminas or magnetism level (unique in everyone), that means no one could operate it except its owner. The Eli was used for storing and communication, very much like the idea of fusing the data and communication system together, makes it into a convenient, portable widget. Eli was exceedingly important and essential for the military, especially for storing their weapons, like the Eli shelter, which is an impenetrable shield and is malleable into many shapes, reflected by Eli. It became an indispensable gadget that everyone needed to have in those days.

“Morning, Marteena,” Gerome greeted her with in a mannerly tone. “Thanks for your new 2-in-1 sunblock.”

“Good morning, Romey. It’s the newest skincare product I got from the esthetician. Make sure you use it every day. I want my boy to look his best, you get it?” Marteena pecked him lightly on the cheek.

“Yes, ma’am.” Gerome flashed a warm smile at her before she disappeared into the kitchen.

Judah was already at the table, munching sleepily with his eyes half closed. “You’re earlier than me. That’s unlikely,” Gerome said to him.

“I got up early to fix Jade’s bike. Mom said she needs to use her bike today,” he said, and took a mouthful bite of his delectable homemade sandwich. “It’s all fixed. She just took off.”

It was unusual for Jade depart without exchanging her perfunctory morning greeting. “To where?” Gerome asked.

“She’s off to see one of her lecturers. I can’t remember her name though, she told us last night. Apparently they have a vacancy of something intelligence… something officer… if I’m not mistaken. Gosh, I can never remember names these days,” Marteena said, pouring some milk into Gerome’s glass.

“Really? The Intelligence Department is just next to your VGAF building, Romey. If she gets the job she’ll be working close to you.” Judah serves in the Military Mechanical Department’s (VMMD) Mechanical Engineers Branch as Machinery Specialist, and his job is mainly inventing, fixing and improving the fighting equipment, machines and vehicles. For the moment he is working with a team of specialists of various departments to invent new machine. It is a confidential project and none of his family knew about it, except his father. Although his job does not include any heavy combat necessity, he was obliged to go for vigorous physical training at least three times a week. All of them needed to be in a fit physical condition, for there are chances that they might be dispatched along with the fighting armies to mind any malfunctioning machines.

“Yeah,” Gerome replied, and slurped his milk.

Spence Cartell

Brother number two: Gerome Ryder, currently serving in the Velvet (Green Sand) Air Force (abbreviated to VGAF), which is the aerial branch of Velvet Armed Forces. It is also an independent branch of the Velvet Armed Force, led by Commander Chandler Mechnie, who happened to oversee all the air force branches in Velvet.

Commander James Pine, Gerome’s superior, is in charge of the coming training. Pine was the youngest commander in the VGAF. Apart from being young, he was a dreamily beaut looking man. He was six foot two, buffed, dark brown hair… had the typical features a good looking guy should possess. They named him the hottest bachelor in Velvet Military. Aisha was completely infatuated with him. She had secretly kept an album of his pictures in her Eli.

The day started with a meeting for Gerome and all the aviators. The Senior Master Sergeant announced that the first Air Force Training Week this year will be starting next Monday. Phew. Gerome was relieved that the training is not going to clash with his upcoming big game. Commander Pine’s willingness to postpone the training as a gesture of solidarity was awesome.

“Team arrangement and timetable will be sent to your Eli within this week,” Commander Pine said. Everyone went back to their own work after Commander Pine dismissed the meeting.

“Hey, Sergeant Ryder.” Commander Pine walked over. “The SOAR tournament is starting soon huh?”

“That’s right, commander,” Gerome replied.

“Good luck, and win that chalice for Green Sand, will ya?” Commander Pine patted on Gerome’s shoulder, and smiled. For a split second Gerome thought he was being hypnotized by his killer signature smile.

“Thanks commander, I will.” He gave a quick nod.

Commander Pine walked away. That man has a desirable physique worth dying for. Maybe I need more booty workout, an abrupt idea popped into his head out of sudden. Well, an extra piece of workout should be totally fine for Gerome. He had seen Lukah done his bit of workout in the gym to maintain his sexy toned-butt, it wasn’t too hard, just repetitions.

Gerome sensed a sinister look darting towards him.

Spence Cartell.

Spence Cartell and Gerome had never been in a cordial relationship, there had been serious personal animosity between the two of them. Cartell had an unpleasant personality. He was cynical, condescend and caustic in his verbal choices. It was undeniable that he was an outstanding fighter with remarkable physical mensuration. He was named by the Velvet Association of Self Defense as one of the top ten best fighting armies of Velvet few years ago. But somehow for inexplicable reasons, Gerome sensed there were some disturbing dark feelings of abhorrence that Cartell had against him. Cartell was brash and very competitive. It was quite obvious he’d always wanted to surpass Gerome in everything, as though winning Gerome proves his military status. It was true that Gerome had been doing exceedingly well in his academics as well as his combat skills, and he had always been one of the top students of his year. However, Gerome had completely no idea why Cartell was always mean to him. He was mean to others too, but most of the time to him.

Spence Cartell walked over casually with a wicked smirk on his face.

“Good luck for this Wednesday, Ryder,” he said. “I hope you don’t break any of your bones. We still have a training week after that.”

You are disgusting to me, Cartell. Gerome cussed in his heart.

Cartell shoved his hands into his pockets and thrust past him before he could say anything. Gerome rolled his eyes in disgust. Even the sight of Cartell’s back filled him with inarticulate repulsion. What is wrong with that guy anyway? Menstruation? He marched back to his office, pissed. Spence Cartell managed to spoil his day, even with a simple phrase. If it wasn’t for Rhu and Marteena, he probably would have requested himself to be transferred to other aerial branch in Velvet. Having a team mate like Cartell is really a pain in the neck.

His biggest dream is to win SOAR, and secondly, never have to see Cartell again.