"How did you find me here?" Lola quietly asked when he finally relieved her off his warmth. They were under the cold morning now, still dimly and serene.
"I observed you've been working extra hours since two weeks ago." He responded while he trailed beside her in his accustomed glorious black uniform. But this time, he wasn't heavily loaded with weapons.
"You usually leave the gym around six in the evening when in fact our working hours ends by four. And then, by six in the morning you're back at the gym." He explained.
She nodded whilst struck in a limbo if to appreciate his detailed explanation or react otherwise for being stalked.
"You're working hard, Lola." He sounded again. "More than the others but trust me, the body sometimes needs rest."
She sighed as she looked into the silent road.
"How can I rest when I have responsibilities on me. I have tons of work to attend to once I return to Area X." She paused. "And there's also this mission. Even though Doctor Roberts hasn't entirely explained what it's about, I know it entails lives. The enemies are busy maximizing their time creating a flawless plan so why should I rest?"
He retained silence as they threaded on the sandy path.
"I understand, Lola." He quoted in the most endearing voice possible.
"What happened back there was beyond training." He asserted. She deeply engaged his Chestnut eyes, clueless on trusting those sincere eyes.
"Just having one of those memories." She whispered. He nodded slowly.
"I still remember the incident like it happened yesterday. The joy, laughter," she mumbled as she stared into the road with a sad smile imprinted on her face. "Their adorable faces. But then, the explosion took them." She paused as traces of tears soaked her eyes.
"I used to have a wife," he softly mentioned after long minutes of silence.
"Well, That was until the explosion took her away from me." He continued as a tiny sad smile spread on his lips too. His voice now expressed heavy dose of depression.
"She had to be transported to Area X being a victim of the incident. But she died due to Area X's poor healthcare system."
She exhaled deeply wondering how much pain he had undergone and perhaps still suffering from.
"What could I have done?" He asked rhetorically as his eyes met hers. "Curse the world for birthing such disaster?"
"I'm sorry." She whispered while he breathed heavily.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's all in the past now."
"But it still hurts. Those painful memories haunts in one way or the other." She answered, reminiscing about her parents for some seconds. How she had lost them and how that fateful incident still taunts.
"Whatever I went through, you went through a lot worse." He affirmed solemnly. "I was once like you. Refusing to let go, Diverting all that pain to solidify my strength but the truth is, sometimes it becomes unbearable." He muttered while a light sigh escaped her breaths.
"You're working hard, Lola. But at the same time, you're putting yourself under pressure. Your pain still haunts you." He continued whilst another heavy sigh escaped her breaths.
"I've checked your body scan analysis with Service and trust me it's not good."
She frowned while he nodded sincerely in assertion.
"Your body is heavily stressed. Your stress to body ratio as also increased from fifteen percent to thirty five over the week."
Her body quivered from the wave of cold that stormed. His words were a sounding note of concern but it wasn't going to waver her. Her body might be stressed, her resolve wasn't.
"I guess I have to take a break." She effortlessly lied.
"I've spoken to Doctor Roberts and he'll be letting you off for the day." He answered with a renewed smile. She adored the handsomeness that sprung to life on his face. The Trainer rarely expressed emotions. Perhaps this was the second time, she saw this beautiful smile carve on his face.
"A day?" She queried with a frown. "Yes, it's hell breathing with the team but what am I going to do staying at home alone?"
He chuckled for a brief moment.
"Watch a movie, read a book, treat yourself to fine music and get some warm sleep."
She rolled her eyes already certain she wasn't going to partake in all those things except sleep. Regardless, boredom would still befriend her. As much as she loathed the fact, she'd miss Marcus talks about art and Collins taunting attitude that always entertained her.
"I guess I can do that." She jumbled her words uninterestingly.
###########
"I think I'm sick!" Collins groaned as he wore his Blue hooded sweatshirt before joining them at the dining. Lola heaved a light sigh before picking her cutlery.
"With what?" Rita was the only one kind enough to ask. This was her first time joining them for breakfast and Lola found it bizarre. For Rita was only seen around Doctor Roberts.
"Maybe I should start with the fact that Doctor Roberts has been working me tirelessly!" He toned with his discomfort evident.
"You're not the only one that's has been training, so shut up!" Marcus interjected.
"Hey that's rude!" Michael retorted.
"I wasn't talking to you, chicken brain!"
"How dare you?!" Michael scorned. Lola heaved an heavy sigh.
"I was a former MIT student so don't you dare call me chicken brain!"
Marcus scoffed. "I bet someone like you doesn't even know Two times two."
"It's Twenty two, dumb head."
She gasped while the others suddenly halted with their cutleries, their mouths agape and their awestruck gazes on Michael. She could have laughed him off but he was overly serious in his statement. Michael was the stupid one amongst them but she didn't expect it to reach this level.
"Okay I admit my friend is stupid but I won't tolerate any insults against him." Collins voice finally broke the silence while Michael grunted under his breath.
"I'm not stupid!"
"And this is the team that wants to go for a mission?" Marcus intended at Rita who simply smiled.
"None of you are perfect." Rita soothed with her silky voice. "For once, you guys should act like a family."
Theodore scoffed.
"Why are you even here, Rita?" Collins questioned in an infuriating tone but she retained her calmness regardless.
"Doctor Roberts will be busy with work for two weeks. Hence, The Trainer and I are in charge temporarily."
"So no training?" Collins grinned.
"Training hours still holds!" A dry look replaced his face.
Lola studied Rita carefully before rolling out her question.
"How did you join The Shining?"
Silence encompassed the room with all focus on Rita. She heaved a sigh.
"I was on a ship when the explosion happened. I should have died from the shipwreck just like the others but luck found me. Doctor Roberts happened to be on the same ship" She paused her lips while her eyes glued blankly on the wooden table. Lola could tell Rita wasn't here. Instead, she was sunk in her subconscious memory as if she were reliving that time again.
"He got severely burnt trying to save me." Her voice trailed a whispery path. "For days, we were stagnant on the ocean. Battling the cold, struggling for life till help finally reached us. The rest is history." She chattered with a renewed smile but Lola could clearly see the sadness lingering in her eyes.
"He hired me as his Personal Assistant but then by mistake I got to know about his secret agency. Doctor Roberts didn't hire me, I asked to join."
"Why?" Theodore asked.
"Because whatever Doctor Roberts he's planning, it's definitely for the prosperity of the world. I trust him completely."
"So you joined The Shining on the basis of trust?" Lola questioned with a slight frown.
"Well, that's absurd if you ask me." Collins muttered with heavy dose of sarcasm.
"Look," he explained to the hostility they rewarded him with. "Everyone here has lost something or someone to the explosion but that doesn't mean one man will come up to us and say 'oh there's a terrorist organization planning something disastrous for the world'." He mimicked.
"Let's be logical with ourselves, the world is doing just fine!"
"Just fine?!" Lola queried with gritted teeth, she loathed the fact he had chosen to utter nonsensical words. It easily irked her.
"Rivernea is basically on a lockdown, New Canada are busy exchanging political battles, Heathers is on recession, even Republic of Africa is occasionally terrorized by an organized band of robbers, let alone Area X!"
"So?" Collins retorted glancing at everyone as he explained. "Before the explosion occurred, insecurities, poverty, economic instability have all been happening. So it isn't new. It's just the natural order of the world."
Her grip on her knife tightened as those words dropped.
"Even if there's something big and dangerous happening in the coming months!" Collins arose, gesturing with his hands raised midair. "Why should a small girl like Ariel be involved?!"
Lola's eyes as well as the others darted to the young girl by her side. Who busied herself eating and ignoring Collins antics.
"Firstly, we don't even know if she has powers or not. Secondly, she might be a robot in disguise. Thirdly, what's with her refusal to talk, like she's better than all of us!!"
"Collins I'll advise you let this matter go." Rita cautiously sounded but Lola noticed Ariel's grip tightening. As if she were getting angered by him.
"No way!" He wriggled his head defiantly. "The truth is, this girl is an idiot and Doctor Roberts has probably fooled her with his money! If not why would--"
In an unprecedented moment, Ariel banged the table furiously with her fist and a shady wave of orange flowed from her hand. Flinging Collins and every other objects in his position in the air. They all watched in horrific awe as Collins crashed to the glassy center table. Unconscious.