Battleborn

Chapter 22

Malick, Janice, Giovanni, and Isaac stepped through a transparent automated door. Malick wore a simple Hawaiian-inspired shirt with khaki shorts, half of his dreadlocks tied up while the rest flowed freely. Janice was dressed just as simply—she wore a dark blue sleeveless crop top paired with high-waisted dark blue jeans and a pair of dark sunglasses. Isaac and Giovanni followed behind them, both dressed in the Hero Association's standard black top and trousers. Giovanni, as always, added a personal touch—his shirt was neatly tucked in, and a red tie lay crisp against his chest.

"Did someone tell them this was a recruitment event, not a romantic getaway?" Giovanni muttered.

Isaac glanced at him, slightly confused.

"That could also mean you like it. Where do you all think we're going—on vacation?" Isaac asked.

"Well, the council did say it was being held on a private island. Kinda gives off holiday vibes," Giovanni replied with a smirk.

"But still, why the sudden change? We originally planned for this to take place in Sierra, but now I'm hearing it's being hosted by the Four Colonies. And we only got to pick five members each. Just because they came from me, their spots were sealed, but I still don't know who the other three are..."

"Whoa," Giovanni breathed, his attention caught by a sleek black jet parked at the edge of the runway.

"Are you even listening?" Isaac frowned as Giovanni, almost entranced, walked toward the jet.

Isaac sighed heavily. "I just have a bad feeling this won't end well."

Malick watched as Janice walked silently toward the jet. Giovanni lingered beside him for a moment before quickening his pace and throwing an arm around Malick's neck.

"Why the long face?" Giovanni asked.

"Nothing. Just a bit nervous," Malick admitted.

"Really? Well, that doesn't explain why you and Janice haven't been talking for a while."

"You noticed?"

"People say I pick up the most irrelevant things, but I catch the subtle ones too," Giovanni said, flashing a wide grin.

Malick hesitated before speaking. "Janice has been acting weird lately. Ever since that day when Isaac and the General fought, she's been angry—pained. I've tried reaching out, but I can't seem to get through to her. And, to be honest, it hurts." His face reddened slightly.

Giovanni smiled.

"She's always been there for me—when I needed her and when I didn't. Now I'm trying to be there for her. Not because I owe her, but because I actually care."

Giovanni let the words settle before responding.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"Just stay close to her. She'll open up eventually. But make sure you're really there—so you understand how she feels. Don't force it."

"But I've tried."

"Keep trying."

With that, Giovanni continued his trance-like walk toward the jet.

Malick turned and walked toward Janice, who stood with her back to the aircraft. He moved to stand beside her, saying nothing.

And together, they stood in silence.

"You're finally getting close to fulfilling your dream of becoming a hero, huh?" he said, his voice barely audible.

"Yeah... To be honest, I'm kinda scared."

"Why's that?"

Janice stayed quiet for a moment.

"I don't know if I'll still be human by the time I become the hero I want to be."

Before Malick could respond, the sound of approaching cars filled the runway.

"Guess the people we've been waiting for are here," Giovanni said as a line of sleek black vehicles pulled up near the jet.

"Did they all plan this grand entrance together, or am I missing something?" Isaac muttered as the car doors swung open.

The first group emerged—five individuals dressed in black tops and camouflage trousers, each wearing a green beret. The front passenger door of one car opened, and Vladimir stepped out, dressed even more loosely than usual, one hand holding up his trousers to keep them from slipping.

"Isn't that…?" Giovanni nudged Isaac, nodding toward Vladimir, who met their gaze before blatantly ignoring them. Instead, his attention turned to the blonde woman stepping out from the driver's seat.

"That scum," Giovanni growled under his breath.

"Seeing Vladimir with them… That must mean they're the students from Vostara," Isaac noted.

The second and third groups arrived with far less composure, clearly having taken the "private island" setting as an excuse to treat this as a vacation—much like Sierra's team.

"Shouldn't the rest of our representatives be here by now?" Giovanni asked, checking his watch.

"Sorry we're late!" A high-pitched masculine voice rang out from the automated doors as they slid apart. Three people strode toward them.

The first, grinning broadly, waved enthusiastically. He wore a red graphic tee and dark blue shorts, his ear piercings catching the light as they bounced with his movement.

"Jayson, can't you be a little quieter?" the young woman beside him muttered.

"They're looking at us," she added, pulling her oversized purple hoodie further over her face. It draped down to her knees, concealing the black shorts underneath.

"Come on, Dionne! At least let them know we're here so they don't leave without us," Jayson teased.

"They can't leave without us. Sierra would definitely lose if we weren't with them," Ezra remarked, walking with casual confidence. He wore beige trousers and a dark green shirt, paired with a well-fitted waistcoat that gave him a refined edge.

Their conversation trailed off as they approached.

Meanwhile, the representatives from Sierra stood in stunned silence.

"I still don't get why Sierra gets so much respect when they act like kids," someone from the Vostara group muttered. "Just look at the people they chose to represent them."

"What did you just say?" Giovanni turned to face them, his tone sharp.

"They're not worth it," Isaac interjected, stopping Giovanni before he could make a move. His eyes flicked toward the Vostara group, quickly assessing their stance. They were ready to strike. Vladimir, in particular, already had his fingers flexed—his exposed bones protruding slightly.

Vladimir caught Isaac's gaze and nodded slightly. Isaac ignored him.

By then, Jayson and the others had reached them.

"Sorry you had to see that," Jayson said, rubbing the back of his short, dark-orange hair. Then, flashing a wide smile, he turned to the rest of the Sierra camp.

"Nice to meet y'all."

A slight mechanical hiss from above drew their attention. The jet's door slid open, and a small escalator descended. A man appeared at the top of the steps.

"Now that we're all here," he began in a monotone voice, "my name is Francis Tierra, and I'll be your pilot today."

His gaze swept over them as he continued, "The jet has been divided into four sections, one for each colony, to prevent any unnecessary altercations. Any bad blood or unresolved drama between students will be addressed in due time—I assure you of that. For now, let's all be on our best behavior and enjoy the flight."

With that, he turned and disappeared back into the jet.

Sierra's group boarded first, followed by Vostara, then Lima, and finally Aurora Kyoto.

"I call top bunk!" Jayson shouted as he burst into their cabin.

Inside, four beds were neatly aligned in a row, with a fifth placed opposite them along the wall.

"No bed against the wall?" Jayson frowned, before spotting the last bed at the back. Without hesitation, he raced over and threw his bag onto it.

"Where's Giovanni?" Janice asked, looking around.

"He was just here to escort us," Isaac replied, face-planting onto his bed. "His main priority is Sierra, after all."

"Hey, you're Hero X, right?"

Isaac barely lifted his head before finding Jayson's face uncomfortably close to his own. Without thinking, he blasted Jayson away with a small burst of soundwave energy.

"Goddamn, what did he take this morning?" Isaac grumbled, visibly frustrated.

Jayson chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. The rest of the group broke into laughter, which, after a moment, caused Isaac to smile too.

Isaac took a deep breath before sitting up. "Alright, listen up," he said. The five of them turned their attention toward him.

"My name is Isaac Hart, which I'm sure you already know. I'll be one of your tutors for this three-month camp. You'll meet different instructors from each colony and at the training site, but don't worry—everything's going to be fine. The fact that we're here means we're already strong in our own right. So trust in the strength you have, and you'll come out of this camp as the best."

Jayson immediately started a raucous applause, and Isaac couldn't help but smile.

The door to Sierra's cabin creaked open as Jayson stepped out, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely.

"Why wouldn't they stock enough water in the cabin?" he muttered to himself.

Dragging himself to the kitchen, he yanked open the fridge. The dim interior light forced his eyes to adjust as he grabbed a bottle and chugged half of it down.

"You're that clown from yesterday, aren't you?"

The voice from behind him made Jayson pause. He turned to see a boy around his age perched on the edge of a table, white hair standing out starkly in the poorly lit room.

Jayson raised the bottle. "You want some?"

The boy ignored the offer. "This is a warning. We don't plan on losing to you."

Jayson said nothing at first. He shut the fridge door and walked toward him, stopping just a step away.

"This is more of a recruitment training, not a competition," he said evenly. Then, his voice dipped into something colder. "That being said, we don't plan on losing either."

The kitchen light flickered on, illuminating Jayson's face—a grin stretched wide, excitement gleaming in his eyes, but there was something unnerving about it.

"Everything alright?" Vladimir's voice cut through the tension from the doorway.

"Just came for water," Jayson replied smoothly, before turning and walking back toward the cabin.