Chapter 4

I was determined to find out who he was. The Spartan in the basic armor was all the buzz. The Spartan that beat me, and made me cry. I turned a corner and ran right into him. I wasn't exactly focused on things after last night.

I stumbled back and he just stood there. That ticked me off. "Hey I'm Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Liz." I held out a hand and waited for him to shake it, He just walked by me.

Now I was really mad, I turned; slightly shocked by his rudeness. I caught back up with him, and held my hand out again saying with a bit of attitude. "You know, usually when someone holds out a hand and introduces themselves. You introduce yourself and shake their hand."

I knew he was staring at me, but I kept my hand there waiting for him to shake it. So he did after a deep sigh, and said. "John… My name is John. "His voice was so deep; it really took me off guard.

John huh, John and James… Similar names… I thought for a moment or two and then realized he was walking away. I cart wheeled back and got in his way. I could see him take a deep breath as though trying to stay calm.

"You are the first person to ever beat me in a sparring match. I've taken on twenty-one other Spartans and came out with only a beaten visor." I pointed at him with my index finger, my frustration showing.

"So, what makes you so strong and fast that you can show up and beat me so bad I cried with frustration and pain from that blow to my stomach?" I heard him snicker. "What? What is so funny?"

He shook his head and turned around to walk the other way. I stood there, feeling worse than I did after I was punched in the stomach in the sparring match.

I let out a frustrated cry after he was far enough to not hear. I turned and went to the armory. I had to pick up my chest piece sense I had to send it in to get repaired. John's fist ruptured the outer layer, and the shock absorption layer was ruined.

"Good morning Liz, your armor is all repaired. Your visor is also ready for use again. Try to avoid getting punched in the face please." A woman in a white trench coat called out to me over a counter. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. She sure is lucky, I thought, she can have her hair long.

I could still remember that one girl who refused to get her hair cut, and I had heard one of the men who tried cutting it remark. "I've seen feral cats that squirmed and clawed less." I snickered to myself at that and walked over to get my armor.

I didn't know what to do with my day after that so I kind of wandered around. Bumped into a few Spartans, and asked them if they knew of something to do. None of them had an idea other then training.

I decided to wander aimlessly for a bit then an idea crept into my mind. James will get a kick out of this! I raced to the weights room, and was right. He was drinking some water on a bench to the side. He had sweat pouring off his face and he froze at the sight of me. Then the cocky smile crept across his face.

I walked over and leaned down, taking a towel and wiped the sweat off of his brow. He was a little confused and I kissed his brow. The others in the room stared. One even asked "Luke is Liz deranged or did James do something great?"

I looked back at him, a smile clear on my face. "James sure didn't do something great, but I finally realized he already was great." I wiped the rest of the sweat off his face and sat on his lap.

He played with my hair and I laughed a bit, and then whispered into his right ear. "James, I met the Spartan that beat me yesterday. His name is John, and he sure is quiet, until he talks. You can't ignore a voice that deep." He looked at me strangely. I laughed.

"You don't like deep voices do you?" James asked me and I shook my head and wrap my arms around his neck. I was smiling so wide he started laughing. "Now why are you so happy? I figured you would be kind of ticked off after yesterday." My face grew a bit somber at that.

"I'm pretty ticked off, but around you. I feel like a little girl, playing with a boy that yells cooties. I would chase you, just to be with you." I leaned against him, and he curled an arm around me. The guys in there stared at us. I held back the urge to laugh at them.

James whispered in my ear. "I know what you're doing. Want to play with them further?" I looked at him mischievously. I looked around swiftly and then kissed his lips. We kissed for three minutes and when we stopped it was only because of a loud crash behind me us.

"Damn it! GET THIS THING OFF ME!" A man who was being crushed by the heavy bar he had tried to push up without checking the setting it was on. I snickered, knowing we were the cause of that. I stood up and James hugged me the moment he was up.

We left the weight room, hand in hand and walked over to the cafeteria. Our stomachs were growling pretty loud when we sat down with food and started eating. "So Liz, what did you think about last night?" I looked up from my corn and smiled.

"Best night ever, even though earlier that day I got my ass kicked by a jerk… You always are there when I need you." I watched his face grow that cocky smile and I smiled back. Then John walked past us and James's smile left.

"Do you need me to give him a message? Like you want a rematch or something?" He asked me as John got to the line for food. I shook my head.

"Nah, I want to be the one if he ever talks. Do you know about the training coming up? I heard that they are intensifying it. More than just gun practice with moving targets. More battle simulators…" I looked around, everyone was sitting by now, eating and talking with their friends.

I looked into his eyes, and watched him cut up his steak. "Haven't heard a thing; everyone in the Weight room was talking about you and me… and John." He took a bite of his steak and things got a little quiet.

"What if we have another casualty… like last times things got pretty intense? That kid died, and we had a quick ceremony. Damn it James! If we have spent so much time training! So much time working our asses off! Where the hell is that big, bad enemy! Where the hell are they!" I slammed my fork down, got up and left.

I knew that was out of the ordinary. But that ceremony was rather short. Death was the kid's reward for training to fight something terrible. Well there has been a lot of time between getting recruited as a child to now. Where the hell is the enemy…? I wonder if the dream from three days ago, if that was them. Maybe they are close, and will strike…

I walked around the base for a bit and then heard a large commotion. I turned and ran to the source of the site. There was a TV screen lit up with lights of orbital bombs. They finally strike…