Chapter 29: Welcome to the Military – Final
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Location: Camp Lehigh, Leon's Room.
Omni POV (Leon Based)
It was now well past bedtime.
The whole base had long since fallen silent with the only sounds remaining being the occasional footsteps of a night patrol and the soft wind brushing against the wooden walls.
Most of Camp Lehigh was asleep. Daniel, Raymond, Erica and Martha had long since gone to bed even the soldiers assigned to night duty were probably wishing they were asleep Leon, however, remained wide awake.
Lying on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling while a faint red glow reflected in his eyes as Luxion projected a video directly into his HUD lenses.
And while he normally would have been completely engrossed this time his attention kept drifting elsewhere.
+What's troubling you, Sir?+
Leon blinked.+What do you mean?+
Luxion's red optic pulsed softly. +Your physiological indicators suggest elevated cognitive activity associated with concern and anxiety.+ A brief pause followed. +Furthermore, your dopamine levels are significantly lower than expected for someone currently engaging with a preferred recreational activity.+
After all, it had taken nearly ten years for him to finally get the chance to watch anime again.
Leon stared at the floating orb. +You're saying I'm thinking too much?+
+Correct.+
Leon sighed and rubbed the back of his head. +You have no sense of privacy do you.+
+You were the one who put those sensors into your system, it's now my job to monitor your health whether it be emotional or physical.+
+I'm going to take that as you caring.+
His gaze drifted back toward the ceiling, the humor slowly leaving his face, remaining silent for a few moments before speaking aloud. "I'm just wondering what's happening back home right now." His voice became quieter. "I'm worried."
For once Luxion didn't immediately answer.
Instead, the AI simply floated quietly beside him.
Leon closed his eyes allowing his memories to resurface.
††† Flashback
The day before Leon's departure.
Balcus and Leon stood together outside the main house, the evening sun was beginning to set over the fields.
For a while neither of them spoke but eventually Leon broke the silence. "So I'm really going, huh?"
Balcus gave him a tired smile, the sort that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm sorry."
His gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "I wish things would be different."
"But..." His smile widened. "I'm glad you won't be alone."
Leon frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Balcus glanced toward the empty air beside him or at least what should have been empty air. "I'm talking about your little friend."
Leon froze and instantly panic flooded through him. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
Balcus looked amused. "Leon. I'm not going to pry into your secrets." His expression softened. "So you don't need to lie to me."
Leon opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "...You know?"
Balcus chuckled. "I didn't know exactly what he was."
His eyes shifted toward Luxion's position. "But I knew something was there."
Leon blinked. "How?"
Balcus folded his arms. "While I don't consider myself infallible..." A faint grin appeared on his face. "I am quite strong and my senses aren't something to scoff at."
He looked toward the space Luxion occupied. "I can't detect him directly."
"But I can always feel it."
"Feel what?"
"The gap."
Leon frowned.
"The gap?"
Balcus nodded.
"The gap he is introducing to the world, his camouflage is good." A pause. "But it's too good."
He pointed toward Luxion.
"Like right now there is a gap where my senses are feeling nothing."
Leon slowly turned toward Luxion, the AI who remained suspiciously silent.
"I didn't mean to hide him, Dad."
Balcus laughed. "It's fine. Everyone is entitled to their secrets."
Then he placed a hand on Leon's shoulder. "Besides..." His gaze shifted toward Luxion once more."If it wasn't for your friend..." A serious look crossed his face. "I don't think we would have been smiling right now."
Leon became quiet.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Balcus squeezed his shoulder.
"Take care of yourself out there."
"I will."
"And try not to get into trouble."
"No promises."
"Fair enough."
††† End Flashback
Back in the present, Leon stared at the ceiling.
"Tell me something, Luxion."
+Yes, Sir?+
"The night those assassins came..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Why did you go to my father instead of me?"
A brief pause followed. "At the time it appeared to be the optimal decision."
Leon frowned. "Then why didn't you tell me about them afterwards? I only found out about them from my father."
The silence lasted longer this time before finally Luxion answered. " I did not wish to give you additional reasons to worry."
Leon stared at him only to let out a long sigh. "You know..." He rubbed his forehead. "Sometimes you're incredibly smart." A pause. "And sometimes you're unbelievably stupid."
"I will choose to interpret that as praise."
"It wasn't."
" Noted, sir"
Leon shook his head and despite himself, a small smile appeared with his expression softened. "Just promise me something."
" What is it, Sir?"
"From now on..." His voice became quieter. "Don't keep things from me."
Luxion remained silent for several moments.
Long enough that Leon wondered if he was processing the request.
Finally, "I will try to do so to the best of my ability."
Leon nodded. "Good enough."
The room became quiet once more.
Outside, the wind continued blowing.
Inside, exhaustion slowly began catching up to him.
And before long, Leon finally drifted off to sleep.
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The Next Morning.
Location: Camp Lehigh, Naturals Barracks.
Omni POV (Leon Based)
BANG! "Wake up!"
BANG! "Daniel!" BANG!
Leon pounded on Daniel's door so hard that his hand was beginning to hurt.
But unfortunately, a response refused to come from the room, well except the occasional snoring.
A few moments later another door opened nearby and Raymond stepped into the hallway while adjusting his glasses.
His uniform neat and hair nicely combed but judging by the dark circles under his eyes, he hadn't slept particularly well.
"Is he up yet?" Raymond asked.
Leon pointed at the door. "What do you think?"
Raymond listened, the sound of snoring reaching them both.
"...Wow."
"Exactly."
Raymond winced.
"We're already late."
"I know."
"And he's still asleep."
"I know."
"And Sergeant Major Barnes said being late wasn't an option."
"I know."
Raymond stared at him.
Leon stared back.
Both boys slowly looked toward Daniel's door.
Then toward each other.
Then back toward the door.
"We're dead," Raymond concluded.
"Probably."
BANG! Leon hit the door again.
"DANIEL!"
No response.
"DANIEL IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO KICK THIS DOOR DOWN!"
A few seconds passed yet nothing changed.
Finally Leon sighed and turned toward the floating silver orb beside him. "Luxion."
"Yes, Sir?"
"Open the door."
There was a pause. "Are you certain? It can be taken as invading privacy"
"Absolutely, he can whine about his privacy after he's awake"
Luxion did something to the door, and just after a second the lock clicked open.
Stepping inside the room the boys immediately froze.
The boy looked like he had died sometime during the night and simply forgot to inform anyone. He was sprawled across the bed in a position that looked uncomfortable with one arm hung off the mattress and a pillow resting on his face.
For several seconds neither Leon nor Raymond spoke.
Then "We're really dead," Raymond repeated.
"Yeah."
They were definitely dead.
†††
At the same time
Location: Camp Lehigh Training Grounds.
The morning sun had only just begun rising and around twenty recruits stood assembled on the training field with Sergeant Major James Buchanan Barnes standing at the front.
"ATTENTION!"
The recruits immediately snapped straight as Barnes slowly scanned the formation with his eyes narrowing.
"It appears," he said calmly. "A few of you failed to heed my advice."
The recruits collectively felt a chill run down their spines. Among them, Martha nervously glanced around. "Where are they?" she whispered.
"I don't know," Erica replied. Her voice remained as flat as ever.
"If they don't get here soon..." Martha swallowed. "They're going to be in trouble."
"That seems to be the case." Erica gave the understatement of the century.
†††
Back With The Boys.
Leon, Raymond, and Daniel sprinted across the base as if their lives depended on it.
Which, considering Sergeant Barnes, they very well might.
"Move!"
"I'm moving!"
"Move faster!"
"I'm trying!"
Daniel ran beside them while attempting to finish putting on his combat harness.
The giant boy looked genuinely apologetic. "I said I'm sorry!"
"Sorry isn't going to save us!" Leon shouted.
"Sergeant Barnes is going to skin us alive!"
"That's a bit dramatic."
"No it isn't!" Raymond was already wheezing with his glasses already starting to slip down his nose. "We're going to die."
"No we're not," Leon replied.
"We'll just throw Daniel under the bus."
Daniel looked betrayed. "That's not fair!"
"Not fair?" Leon barked out a laugh.
"This is literally your fault."
"I overslept! A little"
"...A little, too much." Leon couldn't help smiling because despite the panic he found himself enjoying this. 'This place might end up being fun.'
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I am writing my A Levels this year so I'm already stumped and if you add the time I use writing I think I'm entitled to POWER STONES sooooooo give them to me, I mean by 6 I'm going to school, 1300hrs I'm going to extra lessons and I only get to come back home at 1900hrs, and after that I still need to study on my own, so help me stay motivated.
P.S
Let it be known that the Story is undergoing a Rewrite, hence if you read the unedited chapters its on you, they are no longer part of the story.