AllFreeNovel
Share Us
TWO
The call that cameover his secure line was unexpected. Groggy from too much drink through the night and well into the morning hour, Rook rolled over and grabbed the portable comm by his bedside. “What?”
His voice came out a raspy growl. There was a pause on the other end. Then a strong deep voice said, “I seek Rook Atrian.”
“Who wants him?” Rook snarled, turning on to his back with a heavy groan. He pressed his fingers to his dried eyes. Why had he drank so much? It never ended well.
“That information is for Atrian only.”
At the arrogant tone, Rook snorted and pushed himself upright in the bed. He swung his legs over the side and ran a hand through his hair, grimacing at the sweaty texture. “You got him. Now, who’s this?”
“You have been selected to participate in a highly elite unit due to your unique skill set.”
Rook tensed, his fingers tightening on the comm in his hand. Was this a joke? No one would select him for anything. Hadn’t his experience after the Jutak Academy proved that?
Too hot tempered, too impatient.
Those were just a few of the phrases listed in his file to explain why none of the teams had chosen him. Anger sizzled beneath his skin as he remembered the unfairness of it all. Three years later and Rook still felt the sting of humiliation as his peers in his graduating class were requested one after another while he hadn’t received so much as a contact for a trial period.
“I don’t know who you are or how you got my information but don’t call again.” He pressed his thumb on the end button and slammed the comm on the bed by his thigh.
The mild headache from the alcohol he’d imbibed cranked up the pain and became a determined throb. Time to see if he had anything in his med cabinet to ease the ache. He stood and froze as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
His comm beeped again. Rook recognized the code as the same contact from before. Flushing, he snatched it up and barked, “You have a listening problem?!”
“Rook Atrian known to have a problem with his temper, unable to control his reactions enough to be trusted on a Jutak warrior team. Your behavior is proving that your instructors were right. Now I’d like to see if there’s more to you than notes in a file.”
Pacing, Rook ignored his nudity to focus on the voice on the other end. “Tell me your name and maybe I’ll listen.”
Lie.Rook had no intention of being a part of someone’s attempt to trick him. He paused at his comp station and flicked a switch to activate the tracer on the other end. Shortly, he’d know exactly who and where this caller was.
“My name is Kyele Bastien. I led a Jutak team under the leadership of Tork—”
“Torkel Alonson,” Rook finished for him in stunned surprise.
There wasn’t a single soul that attended the Jutak Academy who didn’t know Alonson. His successful completion mission rate remained unbeaten to this day and was displayed in the main hall as an example of excellence to those who entered.
The program on his comp station flashed green and a single result from the tracer popped up. Kyele Bastien. Everything else was highlighted in red.
Location-blocked.
Details-blocked.
“That is correct,” Kyele said without missing a beat.
Gripping the back of his neck and tipping his head toward his stained ceiling, Rook huffed out a harsh laugh. “What could an esteemed former Team Leader with your reputation and history possibly want with me?”
Suicide mission? Something they needed a random body for? Each guess seemed more likely than the elite group shit Bastien had mentioned earlier.
“I know you may find this hard to believe but your name along with several others has been picked to be a part of a new experimental team,” Bastien informed him.
“Right. And I suppose the other members won’t have a problem working with someone like me?”
To Rook, that seemed highly unlikely. No one gave people like him a chance. He’d joined the academy at a later age than others but his record was clean of any crimes and he’d passed the rigorous preliminary trials and fitness tests. Doing well academically had been a pleasant side benefit and surprise for him.
For the first time in his life, he thought he’d have an opportunity to prove himself. To show he could be successful and do something good with his life.
Then he’d finished the academy, been passed over by every Unit leader for the next eighteen months and finally received notification from his Academy guide that his file was being closed because no one wanted to take a risk on a soldier like him.
