Chapter 1: Memories
"Great mission today, guys," CJ said happily. She high fived her sisters, Cobi, and Sarah as they went inside. Their dad, Jake was waiting for them.
"Hey kids! How'd Alaska go?" he said, putting down the book he was reading.
"Great! We got most of the stolen arms back to the lab," Cobi said flourishing his sword.
"And, we put a couple guys away," Sarah, his twin added, examining her crossbows.
"Cobi, how many times do I have tell you? Don't twirl that thing near anyone," CJ's dad scolded him playfully.
"Right, I keep forgetting," Cobi answered, tapping a button in his watch to make the sheath on his back of his hoodie and his sword fade into holographic cubes.
"Same goes for all of you," her dad added. The kids responded by tapping their watches, and their weapons also faded into cubes.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Lilly said.
"How about playing video games? We haven't played in a while," Silvia quietly added.
"True, but what would we play?" Angela questioned as the group of kids went up the stairs.
"After you guys play, you need to go to the training center, okay?" CJ's dad shouted up the stairs.
"Okay, we will," the kids shouted back simultaneously
Jake watched them go. They reminded him of his best friends. CJ reminded him of Miley's determined side and her ability to lead; Angela reminded him of her serious side; Lilly reminded him of her playful and kind side, and Silvia reminded him of when they had first met: shy and quiet. The twins reminded him of Mark, with their cockiness and determination. Things had been so….different after Miley and Mark….
Jake forced the image from his head.
"Let it go, Jake. She's been gone for almost three years now. And…..heaven knows what happened to Mark," Jake thought solemnly.
He went over to the picture hanging on the wall. Most of them were of him and Miley. One showed him carrying her in his arms, another showed him and her at Christmas, and the last one showed him and her asleep, leaning on each other's shoulders. All of them showed them when they were kids.
His anger took over.
He punched the wall, leaving a crack. He realized what he was doing, took some deep breaths to calm down, and went back to his book.