(27) Phone Call
May 15th 3019
10:17 P.M.
Courser Continent, ???, Inanihil HQ
"I'm telling you Dwayne I have a bad feeling about this and it's only getting worse!"
"Martha Honey, please you know we can't call them or he will find a way to track us here or track the kids back there!"
It's a dilapidated building, the furniture recently dusted but more has fallen over everything. There's a small table with some plants, water and a spray bottle. A door opens as Aldrick enters the room.
"Have the others returned yet?" He dusts himself and wipes his clothes with a wet towel. As he throws it away one can see red stains in it...
"Not yet, Sinclair and Curie are still dealing with some of the local gangs while the others are still looking for information about him"
Martha types away on a computer with a straight gaze a sighs
"I'm still getting a bad feeling, we should call"
"Honey please"
"A bad feeling?" Interrupts Aldrick as he ponders and a glint crosses his eyes "Dwayne let her do it, I've had an odd feeling myself"
"But Aldrick, what if they track us?"
"I'll take care of it, now Martha could I?" He approaches the computer as he types and activates something.
"With this I can throw off any trackers don't worry" He continues to type away searching for something.
...
May 15th 3019
10:34 P.M.
Real Household, Cambridge
The guys already went to sleep, I tried to convince Uncle Case to move to a room but he insisted on sleeping on the couch. He's already passed out when I head upstairs but I hear the phone ring. *RING*
"I got it!" I go to the phone situated next to the living room.
"Yeah? Who is it?"
"Kris! Finally we have been trying to reach you but the signal was bad. We just wanted to check up on you, are you doing your homework?" My mom answers the phone.
"Mom? Why did you call the landline? Why didn't you call my Device?"
"Oh we couldn't reach you, that's why we used the landline"
"Oh I see" I hear a muffled sound as Uncle Case gets up from the couch.
"Yawn, what time is it? Don't tell me you want to practice at this time? I gotta say kid I admire your dedication"
...
The group is back together listening on the conversation when everyone's heart skips a beat, Martha continues.
"Kris who is that? Did you bring a stranger to the house?"
"What? Oh! Right I forgot I encountered a member of your old team mom! He says he was offgrid for a while but he's back! He also gave me a gift. It is an Elemental Technique or something? Why didn't you guys tell me about these things?"
...
Martha stands from her seat and her breathing gets ragged so Dwayne picks up.
"Ah! Forgive your mother she choked on her food! Now Kris, who is this man?"
"Oh right! Uncle Case says hi"
Everyone's back goes cold and Aldrick speaks up.
"Hey Kris what Technique did he give you?"
"Something about Time? He says he's gonna start to teach me tomorrow it looks cool"
"Kris, don't do it!"
...
I get startled by Aldrick raising his voice, he hasn't done that in a long while.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Ah nothing it's just" He clears his throat.
"Young Master, we only want to make sure to be there when you start to learn the Technique. We will begin packing right away! We have already rested and toured for long enough!"
"Aldrick No!" I say sternly.
"...??"
"You guys have all worked for too long already, with the Egoist job and school you guys should rest more, you haven't even been away for a week. What kind of rest is that?"
Case is silently watching and motions for me to hand the phone.
"Hold on Uncle Case wants a word with you"
"Ah! That is unnecessary we will begin packing right away" *BEEP*
I stare dumbfounded at the phone.
"Ah I'm sorry, Aldrick doesn't usually act like that" I scratch my head and blush, why was he acting like that?
"Oh it's fine, I remember him always being a cranky old geezer" He chuckles.
"Really? Ever since we hired him he has never been like that"
Case fluffs his pillow "Oh trust me he was always like that, Now now! let me sleep I'm tired"
"Alright then, Goonight Uncle!" I head upstairs to my room when I notice the coat he carried and a name tag hidden underneath. 'XLR8'
'Was that his hero name? What a weird Codename'
I think to myself as I open the door to my room and go to sleep on the floor with the others.
...
'Hmm, did they really tell the kid nothing? Why?' Case silently ponders to himself as he pulls his watch up and presses a button. A holographic scene appears with one golden white dot on it.
'Not here, so they really went back to draw me there? How dumb do they think I am?'