Recruits (New Haven Book 1), page 8
Wallace looked at his son. “And be quiet, too.” He turned to me and Tina. “He's not to interfere with your challenges. Just observe. If he becomes too much of a hassle, please let me know.”
“You won't notice I'm here, promise.” Dante winked at us. “You can continue talking about your hair, boys and whatever girls talk about.”
“You forgot about nails,” Tina said with an eye roll.
I let out a little laugh.
VP Oliver smiled at me. “Well, good luck. We'll get out of your way now.” He and Wallace headed back to the car.
After a moment's hesitation, I ran over to them and stopped VP Oliver. “Is there a time we can talk?”
He kept his voice low. “Come see me tonight in my office. I'd like a full report of what happens today.”
“Thanks.” I gave him another hug and then ran back to Tina and Dante.
Tina pointed to the ladder. “Ready to carry this thing and see if we can actually use it without seriously injuring ourselves?”
“As ready as ever,” I said. “You grab the front and I’ll grab the back. Let’s try to find the closest tree we can.”
We both took hold of our ends and lifted. It was heavy, but nothing we couldn’t manage. The first few steps weren’t very gracious.
“Let’s get our steps in synch,” I suggested.
“Smart. Let’s start with the left foot. Ready?” Tina asked from up front.
“Yes. Left,” I said.
“Right,” Tina said.
We continued like that until we reached a tree. I was happy when I looked up to see that there were still bags in the tree we picked. We set the ladder down in front of it.
“Come back here and help me push this side up and rest it on the tree,” I said to Tina. I grabbed the left side of the ladder, she took the right, and we lifted it into place. I shook it a little to test it. It seemed sturdy enough. I looked at Dante. “Want to try it out for us?”
With a smile, he shook his head and made a gesture like he was zipping his lips.
Sighing, I placed my hand on my hip. “Well, I guess I’ll climb up first and head to the branch on the left. Once I’m up there, you can head up and go to the right. It looks like there are three bags on each side.”
“Don’t fall.” Tina gave me a small smirk.
“I'll try not to. Cross your fingers for me.” I looked over at Dante, eyeing his muscles. “Will you at least catch me if I fall?”
When he nodded, I put my left foot on the first step and lifted myself off the ground, bouncing a little to test it out. So far, so good. I slowly made my way up, surprised at how well it held together. As I neared the top, some loud thuds to my right caught my attention. I looked over to see that two guys’ ladder had fallen apart and most of the logs were rolling away. “That sucks,” I said to no one in particular. I reached over to my left and hoisted myself onto a branch.
“Your turn!” I yelled down to Tina.
“Oh joy,” Tina said as she started up the ladder.
I watched her until I was certain she was stable, and then reached out for my first bag. I untied it and then tied the bag to one of my belt loops.
“Smart,” Tina said as she got to the top of the ladder.
“I figured it would be better than trying to hold onto it. I also figured if I dropped it on the ground, those two short girls might make a dash for them.”
“I wonder if that would disqualify someone?” Tina asked, untying her first bag.
I already had my second bag in my hand, working at the rope to untie it. “They never specifically said you couldn’t.”
“True. But that would be very daring of someone.”
I put my hand on the branch next to me and pulled myself onto it. “It would prove you would be a good leader. Let someone else do the dirty work for you, and then sweep in at the last second to take credit and finish the job.”
“No kidding,” Tina said with a laugh.
She reached out for another branch, losing her footing for a second and slipping. She grabbed ahold of another branch at the last second and steadied herself.
“Be careful over there,” I said to her. “I don’t want to have to carry you back.”
“Hey, just be grateful I’m not Thunder Thighs. I’d like to see you carry her around.”
I laughed as I untied my last bag. “I have all my bags. I'll meet you on the ground.”
I worked my way back to the ladder, resisting the urge to swing around like a monkey, and climbed down. As I waited for Tina, I took a look around.
Eric and Luke were a few trees over, almost done getting their bags. There were maybe six other groups of guys working on their trees. Quiet girl from the line the day before and her partner were just getting to a tree.
The rest of the Recruits were still working on their ladders, including the ones whose ladder had fallen apart. Thunder Thighs was giving Skinny an earful. It didn’t seem like they worked too well together which again made me grateful for my swap.
I turned my attention to Dante. The connection to him was still there. I knew exactly where he had been standing before I looked. “Have you been to River Springs before?”
Dante glanced around, hesitating.
“Oh, come on,” I said, giving his arm a little shove. “You can talk to me. Nothing bad will happen. Promise.” I felt so comfortable around him. Why? Who was he?
He finally caved. “First time. It's nice. Different than Kingsland, that's for sure.”
“How so?” I asked.
Tina came back down the ladder, interrupting us. “Let's go finish this.”
Dante closed himself back up and wouldn't talk any more. With an inward sigh, I went over to one of the boxes. Dante sat down nearby, keeping his mouth shut. Eric and Luke came up to a box next to us.
Eric gave me a mischievous smile, telling me he wanted to race. I always loved a challenge. I smiled back and then Tina and I dumped out our pieces and sorted through them.
“Are you a puzzle person?” Tina asked me.
“Yes. I used to do jigsaw puzzles all the time with my Great Grandma Mae when I was little. She always said it relaxed her soul.”
“Good. I am, too. Why don't I place them, and you tell me what to do?”
She placed the pieces in the sandbox and I directed her movements, arranging the pieces one by one. Tina had no trouble following my instructions. Within minutes, we had put together the pieces as we thought they should go. In the center stood a huge lion with a golden mane. With his chest puffed out, he looked bold and confident.
“RL Steven! I think we have it!” Tina shouted over to him.
RL Steven jogged over and looked over our puzzle. “Nice work. First ones done.”
Tina and I jumped up and hugged. I looked over at Eric and Luke. They were only about halfway through their puzzle. I gave Eric a shrug and he shook his head, half smiling, half glaring.
RL Steven cleared his throat. “Take some of the sand and cover up your puzzle so the other teams won’t see it.”
“Sure thing,” I said.
Tina and I bent down and pushed the sand over the puzzle. I picked up a handful of sand, running it through my fingers. The soft, cold feel of it made me smile.
“You can go sit by the bus with the other girls,” RL Steven said, pointing at the two short girls.
I reluctantly walked away from the sand, went over to the bus, and took a seat on the ground. I looked at Tina as she sat down next to me. “So, Eric and Luke, they seemed to work things out pretty quick. The first day Luke talked as if he hated Eric.”
“As I said before,” Tina said, tucking her legs to the side, “Luke takes this whole process very seriously. He’s the type who would put aside any feelings to get the job done.”
“Any way he can talk to Amber about that? That would be nice for Dee.” I stretched my legs, trying to work out the stiff muscles from the hard work out last night.
“I feel so bad for her,” Tina said, looking up at the clear blue sky. It was a beautiful day. “Luckily, Luke isn’t that bad. What he said the other day to Eric, well that was just his dad talking. His dad is very opinionated. I've noticed Luke sometimes gives an opinion that sounds more like his dad’s than his own. But deep down inside, I’m not sure if he feels the same way.”
“Well, at least they're being civil around each other now.” I watched them as they worked on their puzzle. “They seem to be working well together.”
“Let’s just hope they can stay that way.”
Dante sat nearby, watching us with an amused smile. I turned toward him. “Will you talk now, or are you just going to continue to observe?”
“Listen,” Dante said. “I know I'm irresistible, but you're going to have to pretend like I'm not here. It will make it easier for everyone.”
I rolled my eyes at Tina. “What a charmer.”
Dante responded with a smile.
Eric and Luke ended up finishing their puzzle ten minutes later. They joined us over at the bus, giving Tina and me high fives.
Some of the stress of the previous night melted away as we sat and talked. The thought of finishing first made me giddy. It would make Mom proud.
During our chat, I kept looking over at Dante. I figured VP Oliver had chosen me and Tina because he knew me well, but it would have made more sense to put him with some guys. I had a nagging sensation that there was more behind it than what VP Oliver had said.
I guess I would have to wait until tonight before I found out.
A fter dinner, I wanted to go and talk to VP Oliver. Once I left the dining hall, it suddenly dawned onto me that I couldn't leave the Recruitment dorms without permission. VP Oliver's office was in the Infinity Corp headquarters located two buildings away.
As my brain tried to come up with a possible solution, a light tap on my shoulder took me by surprise. When I turned around, Dante stood there with a smile on his face. “You look lost.”
“I feel lost.” My eyes went to a badge that hung around his neck. The word visitor sat in the middle of it. “Can you get anywhere with that badge?”
Dante shrugged. “I've been walking around a few different areas and no one has stopped me. Why?”
“I need to go see VP Oliver.” I put on the best innocent smile I could muster. “Do you think you could let me borrow your badge for twenty minutes or so?”
“No way,” Dante said. “President Randall said I'd be in big trouble if I lost it. He seems like a guy you don't want to cross.”
My smile faltered. “I'll bring it back to you. I promise.”
He shook his head. “I'm not going to part with it. I'll go with you. Maybe they won't stop the two of us.”
I looked down at my green Recruitment clothes and pointed to them. “It's obvious I'm a Recruit.”
Dante shrugged out of his hooded jacket and handed it to me. “Put this on.”
I hesitated for a moment and then finally slipped it on. Despite being way too big, it at least covered up my shirt. Nothing I could do for the pants, though. “Let's go.” As we walked, I tried to keep a casual demeanor, but I wasn't doing a very good job. I hoped people would completely overlook me and only have eyes for Dante since he was a foreigner.
Dante smirked at me. “Can you at least try to not look so suspicious? You look like you just committed a crime.”
“It's not easy. I could get in a lot of trouble if I get caught.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two Recruitment leaders headed toward us. I quickly grabbed Dante by the shirt and yanked him down another hallway. I pressed myself up against the wall and positioned Dante so he blocked me.
“I'm just supposed to stand here in the middle of this hall?” Dante asked.
I stole a glance past him, but the leaders hadn't crossed the hall yet. “Yes.”
“Can we at least pretend we're kissing or something?”
When I looked at Dante, he wiggled his eyebrows. My face flushed. “No.”
Dante sighed. “Fine, then we can really kiss.” He leaned in, but I pushed him away.
“What are you doing?” I said through clenched teeth. When I looked past him again, the leaders were walking by, so I snapped my head back, using Dante's body as a shield.
“I'm trying to see how red your face can get,” Dante said with a small laugh.
“Shhh! They might hear you.” I suddenly realized that our bodies were touching. I stepped back and pulled his jacket tighter around me. I cleared my throat. “That's another rule in Recruitment. No kissing.”
Dante frowned. “This Recruitment isn't sounding all that great. Lots of physical labor and nothing physical with a girl.”
I wished I could stop my face from turning red, but it was a hopeless cause. “I think we're clear now.”
Without looking at him, I started walking again. We made it outside without further incident. As we walked down the sidewalk, I pulled the hood over my head, ignoring Dante's snicker. Every time we passed by someone, I stepped in closer to Dante.
We finally arrived at Infinity Corp. I let out a sigh of relief when we walked in and no one was in the lobby. I drummed my fingers along my arm as we waited for the elevator.
“Are you always this anxious?” Dante asked, eyeing me. He had his hands stuffed in his jean pockets. I wondered what they felt like. I'd never worn jeans, just seen them in some old photos.
I shook my head. “Not usually. But after last night's punishment, I'm not ready for another workout.”
The elevator door opened, so we stepped in. I pressed the button for the thirtieth floor and watched the door close.
Dante's eyebrow shot up. “Punishment? You got in trouble on the first day of Recruitment?” He shook his head, smiling. “Sounds like something I would do.”
I ignored him the rest of the way. My anxiety melted away when I walked into VP Oliver's office and saw him standing near the window. He smiled when he saw us walk in. “Good, you came.” He looked at Dante. “Mind if I speak with Emmie alone?”
With a wink at me, Dante left the room, closing the door behind him.
VP Oliver laughed. “How did the two of you hit it off?”
My cheeks colored again. “We didn't hit it off!”
“I meant with him tagging along in Recruitment.” VP Oliver sat down in his chair, motioning to a chair across the table from him. “Not a relationship.”
“Oh.” I sat down in the chair, pulling my legs up close to me. “It went fine, I guess. He kept his mouth closed as you told him to. VP Oliver, can I ask why you picked me and Tina for Dante to follow?”
He leaned back in his chair. “In my office, you can call me Frank. As for Dante, because I knew the two of you would get along.”
I laughed. “Hardly. He's a little full of himself and quite rash. He loves to tease people, too.”
“Sounds an awful lot like someone I know.” He smiled dryly.
“I may be rash and tease people,” I said, crossing my arms, “but I'm not full of myself.” When he raised his eyebrow, I rolled my eyes. “Well, maybe a little.” I played with the zipper on Dante's jacket. “Frank, why is he really here?”
He held my gaze. “To find out more about Recruitment.”
I shook my head. “I'm not buying that. I know there's another reason.”
Sighing, he interlocked his fingers. “Emmie, you're observant. I could never get anything passed you. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much right now. What I can tell you is that President Randall is keeping a close eye on you and everyone you're around. Be careful, Emmie. One wrong move and you'll be in serious trouble.”
Trouble? I'd only broken one rule. It couldn't have been that serious. “What do you mean? Why is he watching me?”
“Emmie, promise me you'll be on your best behavior.” He gave me a similar look my dad did when he worried about me. “You need to be mindful of every move you make.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but the phone rang in his office.
“Hello?” He kept his eyes on mine as he listened. “Understood.” He hung up the phone. “You need to get back to the dorms. Now.”
“Why?” I asked, standing at the same time he did.
“They're doing a sweep of the entire building.” He went over to his office door, his hand resting on the knob. “Emmie, how well do you know Eric Greene?”
I pulled back in surprise. “Not too well. We just met in Recruitment.”
He mulled that over. Finally, he nodded. “President Randall seems interested in the fact that you two are around each other so much. Try to keep your distance if possible.” He paused. “And don't put too much trust in Eric.” He opened the door. Dante was leaning against the wall outside. “Get her back to her dorms without being seen.”
“What's a sweep?” I looked at VP Oliver.
His forehead creased in worry. “It's standard practice during Recruitment. They just want to make sure no one is hiding any contraband or doing things they aren't supposed to.” He grabbed me by my arms. “Promise me you'll be careful.”
His intensity troubled me. I'd never seen him act this way before. “I promise.”
VP Oliver gave me a tight hug and then looked at Dante. “Hurry.”
I wanted to continue talking, but Dante grabbed my arms and dragged me down the hall. He pressed the button for the elevator repeatedly until it opened.
When we were inside the elevator, I looked at him. “What's going on? Why are you here?” He opened his mouth, so I held up my hand. “And don't give me any crap about wanting to know more about Recruitment.”
“It's complicated.” Dante stayed silent until the doors opened, and we were running out the front door. He took my hand in his as we ran down the sidewalk. “Do you know anything about a prophecy?”
I'd heard rumors about one, but never anything specific. Mom always said it was complete garbage and to not believe in it. “Not much.”
An Infinity Corp security vehicle rounded the corner. Dante stopped me and pushed me up against the wall, still holding onto my hand and putting his other hand on my hip. “A long time ago a man prophesied that a rebellion would break out in all four cities left in the U.S.” He looked to make sure the vehicle was out of sight and then we continued running. “Each city would have a citizen who would lead the revolution.”
