Chapter 17 - Tattoos

                                    

                                          
Lillian 
                          
    The next day, Ava and I ordered Josh to a full day in bed so he would rest up in time for our upcoming mission.  While he slept, the rest of the team and I worked on our individual skills.  We never completed mission sims when another member was out.  
                          
    It wasn't a long day, but it definitely held hours of grueling work.  I also messaged Keith, letting him know the time change.  We'd need a warm-up mission before our actual mission.  I wasn't too eager to throw him into the middle of an intelligence extraction when he had no idea how we operated.  
                          
    Over the days leading up to the mission, we continued to go through the simulation.  Josh said he had a bit of headache still, but Ava and I deemed him training worthy.  
                          
    Keith came in early as I had instructed him to do, however, when I saw him exit his pod, I had to look down to make sure I didn't blush.  When my whole unit didn't move, and Keith stood awkwardly by his ship, Kiana nudged me. 
                          
    "Um, yes," I coughed. "On me."
                          
    I turned away from my unit and forced them to fall in line behind me as I led them to the training room.  
                          
    "Who's taking the mission this time?" Kiana asked when we got to the training arena. 
                          
    "Well, considering that it's only you, me, Josh, and the rookie, I think only the four of us should complete a sim," I said. 
                          
    "Sounds logical," Kiana nodded. 
                          
    "So, you're leading then?" Josh asked with a smirk. 
                          
    I rolled my eyes and began to set the training simulation to a hard setting.  I transferred the mission directions to my wrist device.  
                          
    "Obviously, Josh.  Alright, Ava, Adrien, Ella, you are dismissed for the rest of the day.  You have no assignments until tomorrow," I said.  
                          
    They nodded and left.  I caught myself staring at Keith, and he stared back with arched eyebrows.  I blinked and shook my head. 
                          
    Josh's voice brought me back to reality.  He was holding open the door to the sim.  "After you, General."
                          
    I scanned the mission log and looked at the rest of my team when we made it inside the simulation. "We've got intelligence to gather from three locations.  No people to save, but the intel will not be easy to grab under the circumstances of the rest of the mission."
                          
    "What are the circumstances of the rest of the mission?" Keith asked. 
                          
    "Gun fire and flying objects," I said. 
                          
    "Oh, and barriers." Kiana grinned. 
                          
    I nodded. 
                          
    "Plan?" Josh asked. 
                          
    "We've got three things to gather and an exit point to meet at.  We only have an hour to get through this sim before we prep for the actual mission.  So I suggest—"
                          
    "I can take one on my own," Keith said. 
                          
    I stared hard at him. "Excuse me?"
                          
    "I'll go gather some intel on my own.  I know how to.  I'm not some delinquent." He glared back. 
                          
    Josh and Kiana knew the boundary he just crossed. 
                          
    "Kiana," I said, turning to her.  
                          
    She nodded and pulled up her wrist device.  
                          
    "Notes," I instructed. 
                          
    "Got it, General."
                          
    "I want you to add that Private Kogane shall serve on cleaning duty for two weeks, and when we get back from our mission, no matter his condition, he will complete fifty pushups in five minutes otherwise he is herby booted from the Blade of Marmora as a result of his insubordinate behavior and temper." I made sure Kiana got it all and then looked up at Keith. "Is that clear?"