I looked at Anderson with a calm face, my expression giving nothing away. "What do you mean by that?"
Anderson's smile remained easy, unthreatening. He gestured vaguely toward the street beyond the alley. "How about we talk over some hot food instead of out here in the cold?"
I glanced at Jane and she met my eyes for half a second, long enough for us to communicate without words. Your call, that look said. I'll follow your lead.
I turned back to Anderson. "Is your ride nearby?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Follow us," I said, pulling my helmet back on. "We'll meet you at Club Inferno."
Anderson raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Club Inferno? I've been meaning to eat there, actually. But it's always packed. Hard to reserve a table."
Jane and I smirked at each other beneath our helmets. I then swung my leg over my bike, the engine humming to life beneath me as the bike lifted up off the ground. "Don't worry about that, you won't have a problem with us there," I said dryly.
Jane was already mounting her bike.
Anderson looked between us, clearly confused but willing to play along. "Alright. Lead the way."
The ride back to Club Inferno took less than five minutes. The morning traffic had thinned slightly, and Jane and I wove through the hovercars with practiced ease. Anderson followed in a nondescript civilian hovercar.
We parked behind the club, and Anderson pulled up behind us a moment later. He stepped out, adjusting his jacket, and looked up at the building.
Club Inferno looked different during the day. The neon signs were off, the exterior clean and professional. The large windows showed the interior—polished wood, ambient lighting, tables set with care. It looked like what it was supposed to be: a high-end restaurant.
"Nice place," you sure it's fine for us to park behind the building? Won't the owner get mad?" Anderson said as we walked to the front of the club.
I didn't respond but Jane did.
"Don't worry about that, that's our parking spot, so your good."
Anderson raised an eyebrow in confusion.
The front door opened smoothly, and the familiar scent of the club washed over me, the wood polish, faint traces of last night's cooking, the clean smell of a well-maintained establishment. Then there was the pain of to many thoughts my psychic sense was picking up.
The hostess stand was occupied.
The young woman looked up as we entered, her bright blue eyes widening in surprise. She had rich light brown skin and curly black hair pulled back in a professional style. She wore the club's uniform, a sleek black dress with gold accents.
"Thirteen? Jane?" She blinked. "What are you two doing back here, I heard you both weren't coming back for a while? Don't tell me you both are doing a going away dinner after all?"
Anderson looked confused. " What did you two work here or something?"
"Something like that," I said.
I looked at Naomi, gesturing toward Anderson. "Hey, Naomi, we're having a meeting with our friend here, can you give us the VIP room, please?"
Her smile brightened instantly. "Of course, boss. Just let me make sure it's cleaned and set up." She then turned and walked toward the back.
Jane leaned against the hostess stand, watching Naomi disappear. "You know she only ever smiles like that for you," she said, her tone casual but pointed. "You should go out with her sometime."
I said coldly, "There'd be no point since I don't plan on coming back to Earth that much."
Anderson's expression shifted slightly with interest. "You two have plans to leave Earth?"
"Yeah," I said. "I plan on joining the Alliance Military."
Jane added, "We both do."
Anderson's eyebrows rose fractionally, but before he could respond, Naomi returned.
She gesturing toward the back. "It's all set, please follow me."
As we walked through the main dining area. The morning shift was already prepping for lunch service, staff moving between tables, the soft clink of silverware being set, the low murmur of conversation from the kitchen.
Several staff members looked up as we passed.
"Good to see you, boss!"
"Hey, Thirteen! Jane! You two weren't going to leave without saying goodbye."
"Morning, you two!"
Anderson noticed it all. "Sounds like you did more than work here from how everyone greets you."
"Yeah," I said. "You could say I was the manager of this place, and Jane was the head hostess."
How old are you two?"
I glanced at him. "Now you ask our ages? When you said we looked too young? Which is the first time I think either one of us have been told that in a while." I said looking to Jane.
Jane nodded. "Yeah. After we turned fourteen, everyone thought we were college students. But we're actually seventeen right now."
Anderson's expression shifted, something unreadable passing behind his eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I can see it in your eyes. You two have been through some stuff." He paused. "But to me, someone who has seen and done a lot, you're both just children."
Jane and I didn't respond to that. We knew he was right on both accounts.
As we reached the VIP room, and Naomi opened the door, and the room was immaculate.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, as the morning light streaming in and casting everything in warm tones. The table was polished dark wood, surrounded by plush chairs. Ambient lighting, with art that hung on the walls. It gave off tasteful and expensive. Everything about the room was designed to make someone feel important.
Anderson stepped inside, his eyes sweeping the space. "God damn, this room looks amazing," he said, then immediately added, "Excuse my language."
I gestured for him to sit. "Don't worry. That's the type of reaction I want someone to have when coming here. I want them to be amazed and feel like they're special."
Jane and I then sat across from Anderson at the table.
I looked at Naomi. "Tell Lily to prepare the special."
Naomi's smile widened. "Yes, boss."
She then left, closing the door softly behind her.
Anderson leaned back in his chair. "What's the special?"
"Imported wagyu from a human colony," I said. "But we're also doing a seafood special with Eastern Chinese medicine food. So you'll eat good and feel healthier as well." I paused. "And don't worry about the price. It's my treat."
Anderson smirked. "Here I was trying to treat you both, but now I'm being treated."
Jane said, "That's how we like to do things. We go into a situation on our terms, or we change everything to fit our terms."
Anderson nodded slowly. "That is some confidence you two have."
"We let our results speak for themselves, and so far they do all the talking. " Jane said.
Now was the perfect time to get some info to why Anderson made contact with us. I then let my psychic sense extend toward Anderson.
Images began to flicker through my mind, they came in fragments of his recent thoughts and memories.
Anderson in an office, looking at a file. My name on it, while another file beside it was Jane's which was mostly covered.
Anderson talking with people whose faces I couldn't see clearly. A screen and voices saying, "It's time." Anderson responding, "I don't like this, but I also want to be here to see if he's worth it."
It's time? Worth what?
I pulled back, my expression unchanged. So he's here to recruit us, but there's something else he's not saying. Who told him to come recruit us, and the bigger question is why?
I looked at Anderson directly. "So what's your sales pitch, Mr. Military Man?"
Anderson raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm in the military?"
You can't be serious old. Did they tell you nothing about me?
"Your haircut for one, is a dead give away." I said. "Plus the way you carry yourself. And when I said what we were doing with ourselves, you had a look when I mentioned Alliance Military. But that is just my theory."
Jane leaned back in her chair and smiled.
Anderson smiled with genuine amusement. "You're a perceptive young man." He then leaned forward slightly. "Let me formally reintroduce myself. I am Lieutenant David Anderson of the Systems Alliance Navy."
Jane said, "So it was Navy."
I said, "Let me guess. You want to recruit us to join."
Anderson chuckled. "Yes. Yes, I do."
"That's easy," I said. "But my question is why? And how do you know about me?"
Anderson's expression became more serious. "Because of your ASVAB scores. When you went to take them a few weeks ago, the recruiter told me your scores." He looked at Jane. "You got a ninety-eight. A very high score any field would be happy to have you." Then he looked at me. "And you, Thirteen, got a one hundred. Which is mathematically impossible, but you did it. I heard they even made you retake the test, and you still got the same score."
I said flatly, "I remember. I was there."
Anderson nodded. "You're both orphans from what your recruiter told me."
Jane's tone sharpened. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Nothing wrong," Anderson said quickly. "It's just sad that two bright kids fell through the cracks."
I said, "That still doesn't explain why you came searching for us."
Anderson nodded. "I want you both to enlist in OCS or Officer Candidate School, and Join the Alliance Navy as officers. I promise if you both join, you'll have great careers in store for you."
Jane looked at me, and I looked at her.
She said, "Well, that was the plan anyway, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "But don't we have to do a bunch of more tests? Like a physical and medical screening? Interview with a Board of Selection? Not to mention build a packet for our application, college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a professional resume detailing our leadership and work experience. Plus, we have to be at least nineteen, and we're seventeen."
Anderson smiled. "I will help you both with the process. From what I hear, you're both loved in your community. The local law enforcement and mayor love you."
If only he knew how many bodies we buried to make it that way, I thought. And not to mention the dirt I have on the Mayor or should I the amount of dirt Miro and and I have on the mayor.
Anderson continued, "You sure know a lot about it too."
"Of course I do," I said. "I've been wanting to go to the Alliance since I was a kid. It was the best way to see the galaxy."
Anderson nodded. "I was right about you." He paused. "You and Jane think you can do some college before you both turn 19?"
"Yeah on top of taking our G.E.D.'s, we already took college courses and graduated." I said.
"Really? Your recruiter didn't say you had college experience."
"She was a little preoccupied with other recruits," I said but really she was mainly sleeping with me whenever she had a chance.
"Me and Jane both have bachelor's degrees."
Anderson asked, "In what?"
Jane said, "Engineering and Computer Programming."
I said, "Criminal Justice and Physics." Criminal Justice was my previous life major so it was a easy. I picked up Physics cause I was bored.
Anderson's eyes widened. "Wait. You both have two degrees?"
"Yes," we said in unison.
"We had a lot of time after we got our GEDs," Jane added.
Anderson leaned back, clearly impressed. "Well damn you both are something else and, from what I hear, you're both physically fit and got perfect scores on your PFT tests."
That's when Naomi returned with a cart with our trays of food, and the food looked incredible.
Perfectly seared wagyu steaks, marbled beautifully, the char marks dark and appetizing. Fresh oysters on ice, their shells were glistening. And traditional Chinese medicine dishes, from steamed fish with ginger and scallions, herbal soups, and vegetables.
Naomi then began to poured tea into out cups.
Anderson stared. "God damn this looks all looks amazing."
I said, "Just wait. It tastes even better."
Naomi set everything down with practiced grace. "Enjoy everyone. please let me know if you need anything else."
"Thank you Naomi your the best like always, and tell Lily I said thank you for the food." I said.
"Of course boss." She the left, closing the door behind her.
Anderson said, "Now as for the age requirement, I believe we can get a waiver. And I, along with several people you know, can write letters of recommendation." He paused, picking up his fork. "But there is one problem."
I said, "What?"
Anderson looked at me directly. "Your name. Thirteen isn't a real name. So we need something else, and I can't seem to find your official records anywhere."
Jane said, "Thank you. Everyone has been saying that for years."
I sighed. "Okay. Then I'll legally get my name changed. I can't help with the records though. Orphan on the streets doesn't really give me a chance to save all my documents."
Anderson eyes narrowed, " Well we can figure that stuff out later. But as for a name, what about Adam?"
I looked at him.
Adam huh? If I think about I am technically Adam in a sense. I'm the first successful male test subject to bring humanity into a new evolution that Cerberus created. The first of my kind, It was poetic in way.
"That's actually perfect," I said.
Anderson smiled. "What about a last name? Like Kline, for instance?"
"No." The word came out immediately, sharp and final.
Anderson and Jane blinked. "Okay. Well, we can figure that out later when filling out the paperwork."
"Good, now let's eat."
I cut into the wagyu. The meat was tender, rich, buttery, cooked to a perfect medium well, with the right amount of pink in the center. The oysters were fresh and briny, and the Chinese dishes were flavorful and comforting.
Anderson ate with genuine appreciation, his expression shifting from impressed to delighted.
"This is amazing," he said after finishing. "Now let me give you my card."
Jane and I activated our omni-tools."Just send us your contact information," I said.
Anderson just smiled.
We finished the meal in relative silence, the conversation shifting to lighter topics like. What jobs we can apply for, and where in the galaxy that could take us.
But my mind was elsewhere.
Later that night, back at the Runaway House, I sat in my living room with the lights off.
The city glowed beyond the window, as the Vancouver's skyline a constellation of stars. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of my omni-tool as I scrolled through the galactic trade market and other galactic news.
I knew this whole situation seemed too good to be just a coincidence. Anderson finding me, and out of all the names he could have recommended, Kline?
I swear that doctor is connected to this somehow, but so far, they aren't making any moves. My only question is, how is Anderson in the middle of this? Or am I just being paranoid?
I shook my head. "No. Something is going on here, and I'm going to find out."
I pulled up Anderson's file, what little public information was available. His service record was impressive. Decorated and respected just like in the game. So there would be no obvious ties to Cerberus, but that didn't mean anything.
Cerberus was good at hiding their connections, but not there experiments. Those seem to keep getting out of control.
I thought back to the psychic images I'd picked up from him. The office. The files. The conversation with people whose faces I couldn't see.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
There were too many coincidences. Either he was connected to Cerberus, or someone was using him without his knowledge. Either way, I needed to be careful.