Page 26 of Uprooted
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re waiting.”
I step up behind the podium and clear my throat. “Good news, boys. Today is Tactical Ground Operations Training.” I love T-GOT, especially today. It’s a perfect time to get out of the dome and do something physical to keep my focus on work and not on the apprehensive feeling weighing on me from last night.
“T-GOT!” I hear from the back of the room.
“Check your yuriOS for team assignments, and whoever takes down the target will get an extra day of paid leave, courtesy of Deputy Commander Petrok.” Almost in perfect unison the unit looks down at their devices and starts murmuring about their roles for the training.
“You said you needed that day for a private matter.” Petrok crosses his arms and frowns at me.
“Oh yeah… I got it from here, boss,” I tell him with an awkward smile.
“Hey, Aro—I’m going to need your sister’s number so I can take her out on my day off!” Locke yells over the loud group.
“That’s never going to happen.” Someone in the back yells, “Dayum!” Locke can’t handle Kiera, and he’d be too hard to replace after she kicks his ass for saying something asinine.
“I look forward to beating you all for the—what is it… sixth consecutive time?” I can’t resist taunting them a little.
“Fifth,” Tai mutters under his breath.
“Let’s go, it smells like desperation in here,” I say and grab my yuriOS. “You’ve got five minutes to report to your rally point. Training begins at 0700.” I’ve barely finished my sentence when the room erupts, everyone rushing to their assigned posts.
“What team are you on?” Tai asks as we leave the briefing room.
“Alpha Recon.”
“Just like old times. Who else is with us?” he asks.
“Maak and one of the new guys, Lugo.”
“The one Maak messed with during barracks inspection?”
“One of many. I've paired them up for the day.”
“Good. It serves him right for being a dick,” Tai says.
Everything we need for the training is waiting for us at our rally point in the cargo bay. Tai shoves supplies into his pack while I inventory the weapons in our pile.
“You need to find someone else to entertain Bri next time,” Tai says.
“What? You got off on such a great start!” It was fun to watch them bicker.
“She’s a cheat,” he says.
“That’s a pretty serious accusation. I think you’re just a sore loser.” He flairs his nostrils at me. I’m sure the truth is somewhere in the middle. I wouldn’t put it past Bri to cheat, and I know firsthand that Tai is a sore loser.
"What's going on with you and the female?” Tai asks as he straps blaster cartridges to his belt.
“I don’t think they like being called that,” I correct him.
“Whatever. What’s going on between you two?” he asks again.
“I don’t exactly know,” I answer honestly.
“I’m not complaining. At least your mood has improved." He looks up at me with an accusatory stare.
“Oh, come on. I wasn’t that bad.”
