章節 30: First Night Out

The guys all seem comfortable around the fire but I can't help but feel on edge. I've never even camped before... not even in my own back yard! When they start passing around dried beef, I take a piece and silently nibble on it.

The other's are talking about the room again and what could have possibly happened but I can't help but feel like we're being watched. I look around us but I can't see anything past the light given off by the fire.

I try to shake the feeling, especially because the others don't seem to notice anything but when something catches my eye, I quickly look over to where Titus is sitting. Something moved behind him... "Valen?" Someone calls me, making me jump.

I turn to see Conner looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I awkwardly smile and say "Yeah?" Conner frowns and says "Do you need to go to the bathroom? We're going in pairs." I quickly shake my head and say "Are you sure that's safe? I mean... I feel like we're being watched."

Thane frowns and silently starts looking around us as Conner laughs and says "Titus has a radar that will tell us if anything larger than ten pounds gets close to us. Don't worry." I look to Titus to see him lift a small device and say "Calm down, boy. Everyone gets a little jumpy on their first Void trip."

I slowly nod my head and go back to my dried beef but I can't help but feel like they're relying on the radar a little too much. I know I saw something...

Titus decides to put Thane and I on the first shift since it's the easiest. While the others all drift off to sleep, Thane and I remain sitting around the fire in silence. When I look up at the sky, thousands of stars can be seen above us.

"Do you think we'd be exploring space right now if our ancestors hadn't nearly brought us all back to the stone age?" I softly ask watching the stars blink in and out. Thane sighs and says "Maybe? What does it matter now?"

I glance over to him to see him looking up at the stars with a blank face. I smile a little as I ask "What do you think they were doing?" Thane sighs again and looks to me before saying "There's no telling. Whatever it was... it was done in secret and headquarters is pissed."

I slowly nod my head and ask "What about the other bases? Maybe we can ask them if they know anything." Thane makes a face and says "We... we can't get in touch with them either." I sit up a little straighter and ask "None of them?"

Thane lifts a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet as he says "None of them." I blink in shock for a few seconds before moving closer to him to whisper yell "Then who the hell is guarding the city!?"

He gives me a dry look and says "No one, obviously but now we're here. We'll figure out what the hell happened and keep the city safe." My mind races at the new information before I turn back to him and ask "How many more will they be sending out?"

Thane's jaw clenches tight as he says "After what we just discovered... zero. They want us to investigate what happened and stop it before they lose any more men to it. They also don't want the others finding out about it or there could be a risk of panic breaking out."

I make a face and say "Others deserve to know what's going on. Especially if people are disappearing!" Thane reaches over and flicks my forehead before saying "Quiet! Think about it. Could you imagine people in the city breaking out in chaos? Fear and panic will drive people to do things they normally wouldn't especially when they're all locked within one city. It would turn into a war zone inside the city within a matter of days." I rub my forehead with a glare. It was already sore from running into the tree...

I bite my lip when I realize he's right. As much as I feel that others should know... I can't help but think about the chaos that would soon follow. In a way... it's better for them to be blissfully ignorant. For now...

I turn back to him and ask "Does that mean we're going to the other bases as well?" Thane strokes the fire a little as he nods his head and says "Yeah, we have to investigate them all. Are you good with computers?"

I blink in surprise and shake my head 'no' as I say "I even have a hard time working my com device at times." Thane sighs and says "It doesn't hurt to ask." Silence falls between the two of us and all that can be heard is the popping from the fire but I just can't help it. I have to know...

I turn back to Thane and ask "You've seen Ragers, right?" Thane stares at the fire as he says "Yes" I wait but he doesn't say anything else so I lean in a little more and ask "Well... what are they like?" Thane slowly turns and looks down at me with those ice-cold blue eyes as he says "Similar to us just more... violent and animalistic. They even sometimes carry the traits of animals."

That's the same thing that's taught us in class... I frown and say "Can you give me something more than a textbook answer?" Thane's eyes become colder as he says "They can be covered in scales, fur, and even feathers making them twice as deadly. They're sometimes faster and stronger, making them the perfect killing machines. They seem to like the way we taste so they won't hesitate to rip you apart and devour you while you're still alive. They like it when we scream. The louder the better... is that what you wanted to know?"

I clench my teeth and swallow hard as I slowly nod my head. Whether I want to hear it or not, I feel it's better to know beforehand. To know what you're really going up against...

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