Callidus Rising | Complete ✔️ | Book 1

21: Relateable

Beside me, Dark laughs and Lukas' eyebrow raises.

To me, however, this is no joking matter. I really want those shoes.

I nod vigorously and Monty pushes out of the bright blue cushion of the couch he was sunken into to retrieve some for me.

A small smile appears on my face as I register that for the moment, I an safe. My brief period of bliss does not last to long though because I soon remember my dilemma.

I am most likely going to become a Victim sometime very soon. And Monty might as well.

Oh, man. I'm not ready to become an evil eat-everything-in sight zombie on steroids.

Static fizzes in my right ear and I turn to shoot Lukas a look. We are literally right beside each other.

"You're not going to become a... Whatever it was that you said."

What do you mean?

"You think I would've ever aloud you to go outside the hotel if you weren't immune to the mutated GASP virus? Definitely not."

What?! So you mean all the stuff I've been wearing is just for show? C'mon ma-

"No, Alexi, it's not just for show. You're acting like the plague is the only thing that could hurt you during the apocalypse. It was not for show."

Okay. So, I'm immune to this thing. Is that why Dark- Sorry, Bash, or James... Whatever- wanted to bring me to the Revolution? Is it that rare?

"No. The majority of the population that's alive right now is immune. That's not the reason that James wants to bring you in, Alexi."

Then why? I'm getting very confused.

Wait... My parents were susceptible... That doesn't make sense!

Explain please?

"Alexi, I don't think this is the right time for me to tell you the answer to that question. It is something that would most likely alter your life, and I am not prepared to see it make you have a mental breakdown here."

Lukas? What the hell? You've never not answered me... What's the answer?

Dead silence. I raise an eyebrow at him and set my jaw.

Lukas!

Still no answer. I stare very intensely at him for a little while before someone clears their throat.

I turn to see James on the other side of me on the plush cushions about a foot away. I rub the back of my neck sheepishly realizing that what I was doing must have looked very odd.

He scoots a little closer to me on the hot pink couch and reaches across me for my right hand. I pull it away and gave him a glare.

"Alexi, I'm seeing if it's severe or not. There are plenty of things that could infect an open wound like that."

Oh.

I didn't say anything as I reluctantly place my hand in his gloved one with my slashed palm upward. It seems to be pretty deep, and the blood is kind of dark.

It really hurts, especially since I have moved it.

He presses down lightly on a few places on my hand until I wince. He nods to himself and I was just sitting there all confused.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see how damaged your hand is, and if it is infected."

He moves his other hand down the thin belt that had his holster on it and pressed a small tube-like shape. A thin transparent vial that held some yellowish liquid plops out and into his waiting hand.

"Okay, so, this might hurt a little bit."

Great. Just like in those old movies where the doctors like: "this won't hurt at all", and then the kid is like: "oh okay" and is all happy and then Doc gets out some huge syringe and stabs him in the eye with it. Well, not quite-

"MOTHER OF FLOATING CARS!!!"

I look down at my palm which is now bubbling and hissing at me. The foamy residue is tinged a slight green color as it slithers about my would like a reptile.

With my free hand, I squeeze the heck out of of poor James' wrist. He doesn't wince at all.

As the evil concoction subsides, he pats me on the shoulder and looks up at me.

"Not too bad, huh?"

He gives me a genuine smile and I cannot decide if I have a profound hatred for him or approve of his relatable sarcastic nature.

I just glare at him in response, and he bursts out laughing. He reaches for his belt when he can breathe again and produces a thin, shiny sheet of soft white material. He gently places it on my palm over the wound, and I shift around uncomfortably with the anticipation of impending pain.

James gives me a sympathetic look before pressing it all around my wound. The sheet soon hugs every single centimeter of damaged flesh and protects it despite how much it burns.

Lukas puts a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to distract me.

As soon as James finishes, Monty comes in carrying about four pairs of assorted shoes, and behind him a bot with a shark's mouth hand-painted on the dome carried five more.

Oh, great.

My eyes dart to the cut on his cheek and a thought flew into my mind.

Is Monty immune?

"Yes," Lukas said. He doesn't even bother to use the secret mic in my ear.

Both of the other people give him confused looks, but only for a moment.

"So," Monty says as he set them down in front of me,"which ones do you like?"

After a little while of trying on the shoes, I settle for a pair of worn Nike Hovers and some Compression boots for later on.

"Thank you for this," I say to Monty. He gives me an odd look.

"We practically came in here and caused like half of your... Friends... To be killed. And you're still helping us. So, thank you Monty."

He takes it in for a moment and nods.

"It's what you do in the Revolution. You forgive and you move on instead of lingering in the past. Well, that and the fact that you have the Bash here. That's just wicked," Monty says as a smile grows on his face.

"Oh, and call me Carlo, friend."

I nod and smile. He pulls something up on a holographic device on his wrist and swipes through the air.

"Alrighty, welllll, I am absolutely beat after today's events, and I still have hours to repair everything and send my new info to HQ, but I think it best for you to get some sleep. There are four or five shells all made up in here so you guys should be good to go!"

He smiles and gestures to all the hovering beds. Despite Carlo's obvious youth, he is very responsible... And wise.

He is a good ally to have.

As I go to lay down in my adopted shell to get some much needed rest, I think of all of the crazy events that had unfolded in under three days.

My life has just become completely altered, and there are still so many more secrets that I will have to discover before I can ever return to my cozy little hotel.

~~~~~~~~~~

Here's an extra chapter! Two in one day!!!!! On another note: Sorry guys! I know that one was a bit boring, but I thought that after everything Alexi has gone through in one friggin day she deserves a nap and some shoes. Agree? Sooo over 340 reads now!! Geez this is crazy to me! Anywho...
Thanks for reading, loves!!!! ♥️♥️