52 Danev

"And you believed him?" Riu asked from across the table. He had closed off the cafeteria from the rest of the Hornets just for this "meeting" as he called it. Really, it was me trying to get him on board with the Fire Nation's offer.

"I wasn't exactly in a position to question what he was saying, but yeah. I've thought about it for around a week or so, and yeah. I believe, that if we do what they asked of us, they'll hold up their end of the bargain and let us in the military district."

"Do you realize how little fucking sense that makes?" Why would they take us in? We're just more damn mouths to feed."

"Mouths that work. Obviously, they expect something from us. They said we'd be enlisted into the Fire Nation military."

"And us killing the Rats is our rite of passage? Believe me, I have no problem killing those Rat scum. We've already been making some good steps in that direction while you were gone, but doing it for the Fire Nation? I just don't know."

"What difference does it make. The whole point of us getting this supplies in the first place was to wage war against the Rats. Are you saying that now that we have the go-ahead from the Fire Nation, the idea doesn't seem as intriguing?"

"No, but I am hesitant in making deals with the Fire Nation. How many people got killed because of it last time? Genji, Heddik, Sunji, Lanni- "

"A good number of us, I know. Genji died because he was a fuck up who couldn't be trusted. I agreed with you on that. Sunji was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Heddik and Lannit were killed because they were too aggressive."

"They were Hornets"

"And they fucked up. I know they were family, but they made mistakes and paid the price. That won't happen this time. We have one job, and that's to carry out the destruction of the Rats. I believe we're perfectly capable of doing that. We do that, and we're home free. Food, water, shelter. We may have some of this stuff now, but how long will that last. I looked through our stocks and yes, the raid on the Fire Nation camp helped, but over the last 4 weeks, you've been eating, and I can't help but notice that you haven't been rationing like we should be."

Riu looked down at the table, as though his parent had scolded him. Was that what I was? A parent there to scold him. If so, I definitely didn't have the authority becoming of one. "I know." He said. "They've earned it, though. That's all."

"I know they've earned it, but my point is, we don't have a choice. At this rate, we'll be running out of food in five weeks. The water purification supplies we took from the camp is being worn down and isn't being maintained. We could probably keep it running another 6 weeks at most, then it's back to sewage water. Also, I don't know if you've checked the Hive walls recently, but it's just falling apart. No way around it. Luke and I patched a hole in the wall the other day with a bookshelf. A fucking bookshelf. This entire city is falling apart. We need to get out of here before it does."

He let out a sigh that carried any potential argument he was planning on making and just let his head fall into his hands. "I know you're right, but come on. For our entire lives, the Fire Nation's been the enemy. How am I supposed to tell them that we're suddenly buddy buddy?"

"Riu," I said, putting a hand on the table. "You're the only one who sees it this way. The Hornets here. Our family. They're worried about one thing. Survival. That's all they've come to learn in Citadel. When they hear that they're being given a chance to survive, they'll take it. You're the only one here who looks past survival, and that's a good thing. We need that, but we need to have priorities. And right now. That number one priority is living to fight another day.

There was a pause. I wasn't bullshitting him, and I think he saw that. I think that's what it was that got him on board. "Fuck it. So, do I need to go over there and sign some paper or some bullshit?"

"No. They asked for one thing. Results. And we're going to get results."

"Damn it. Fine. We'll get their fucking results." He leaned back in his chair, wiping off some of the summer sweat that the humidity of the Hive cafeteria didn't alleviate.

"So." I said, changing the topic. "I've been gone for 4 weeks. How've we been doing against the rats so far?"

He sat back up, now talking about a subject he was expert in. War. "Well." He said. "During the last 4 weeks. We thought you and the others dead. And from what Goni told us, the Fire Nation had just killed three of our friends. We were planning a retaliatory strike. Among what you and the others stole, there was a packet of blasting jelly. We were going to send Luke inside the military district and plant some of it at the base of the Citadel command spire and hope to kill some soldiers in the process."

What in the actual fuck?

"What in the actual fuck? Did Luke volunteer for that?"

"No, but we figured he'd step up to it if we had to. He's grown quite a lot. Definitely grown on me. Good catch with that one."

"Were you planning on him getting out after planting that bomb?"

"Of course. We know about that secret entrance into the inner district through that warehouse. We'd just fetch him from there, but, seeing that your so concerned about your star pupil dying in some horrible explosion, you'll be glad to know that we had a change of plans a while back."

"What kind of 'change of plans'"

"Well." He said, looking to the side, thinking of how to word his next sentence, somewhat grinning while doing so. "It's hard to explain, but Trap. Fucking Trap. I think it's just best you see for yourself."

And with that, he stood up, motioning towards me to follow. I didn't know what Riu was planning on showing me, but I had a feeling that I wouldn't like it.