Richard walked over to the table where Nick was sitting and slid into the seat opposite him.
"Morning Nick," he said. "You're up early."
Nick looked up from his breakfast. He had black hair and brown eyes. And what could be seen of his build beneath his t-shirt would instantly tell you that he was not to be messed with.
"Morning," Nick grunted. "I stayed up late training."
"As usual," replied Richard. "You really should get more sleep."
"I get more than you," said Nick. "All those late night trips to exotic places? You could be spending your time better."
"I haven't done one of those in over a month," laughed Richard. "Not since they put in the Anti-Teleportation shield around the base."
An Anti-Teleportation shield prevented teleports through it. Something Richard didn't like.
"For good reasons," muttered Nick. "Would you want a top secret weapons program asset taking random trips to God knows where?"
Richard was about to reply when a voice spoke up from behind him.
"If you two are arguing again we'll go find somewhere else to sit."
Richard twisted his head to look behind him and saw to girls carrying trays of food. Both girls were around the same height of 5'6" give or take an inch. One had long blonde hair hanging loosely down her back. The shorter girl had brown hair pulled back in a ponytail.
What was scary about the girl with the brown hair were the scars. One running across her forehead and the other running from her right temple to her chin.
"Morning Janette, Shari," he said as they sat down. "We weren't arguing. We were having a friendly debate."
Shari, the girl with the scars, looked at him. "The last time you guys had a 'debate' Janette had to shock some sense into both of you."
Richard grimaced. Janette's ability was to concentrate massive amounts of electricity into any part of her body. Something he hated in his training matches when he had to face her.
He hated Shari's abilities even more. Her telepathy allowed her to anticipate her opponents moves by reading their minds. And she could generate fields of pure energy. Using them for attack or defense.
"Well that's not happening today, right Nick?" Said Richard.
"Nope," said Nick. "I'm not getting tasered today. You though, still have a good chance."
"I'm not arguing anymore," said Richard. "I haven't had my coffee yet."
He snapped his fingers and shoved his hand forwards. his hand disappeared just before it would have hit the table. he pulled it back out gripping a white coffee mug.
He snapped his fingers twice as he set the mug down on the table. once to close the portal he'd opened and the second to open a very very small portal.
A thin stream of steaming coffee appeared and ran into the mug. Richard waited till the mug was almost full then snapped his fingers. closing the portal.
"Cream and sugar please," he smiled.
Shari sighed and passed the cream and sugar dishes. "Stop using your powers so lightly. You have them for a purpose."
"I consider it practice," said Richard as he spooned sugar into his coffee. "If I can control them well enough to do this I can control them better and better as I go along."
He looked around at the others. "You fear your powers. That makes you hesitate to use them. And in battle hesitation can kill you."
"Richard's right, came Camron's voice behind him.
Camron walked over and sat down at the table. "I hate to break it to you guys but one hour from now we head out on our first assignment."
There was stunned silence around the table. Richard was the first to break it.
"Uh, say what?" he asked. Disbelief evident in his voice. "You're joking right?"
Camron shook his head. "I wish." He looked around the table. "We're protecting a convoy of trucks heading from a drill site. The cargo is coming here. Our job is to make sure it gets here without accident."
"What's the cargo?" asked Nick.
"I'm not sure," said Camron. "All I know is that it is considered extremely dangerous."
"Whatever it is," muttered Richard.
"The trucks are each carrying an Anti-Teleportation shield on them to prevent whatever might come at us from getting into the trucks." Camron leaned forwards. "I don't know what we're protecting. But we'll do our job. No slip ups."
"Nobody bring a banana then," said Richard.
Camron glared at him. "Just do your job."
"I will," replied Richard. "I will."
ns 15.158.61.48da2
