the beginning of a bond

On the way back to the dorm that night, Andem couldn't stop thinking about it.

He'd stared at the sheet for so long that now, he could see it even when he closed his eyes. He'd passed. He'd done very well. He'd made some progress.

"You're unusually quiet," Nsemeke said, bumping his shoulder into Andem's as they walked. 

"Oh," he said, rubbing his forehead. "I had a good day with Jimmy."

"Must have been something to have you preoccupied like this."

"I feel like I'm on top of the world," he admitted. "Progress is always good. It's also always nice to hear what my chances are, and from what I hear, I'll make a pretty good agent." He couldn't help smiling. "I passed a test that's been holding the entire team back so now we're going on a mission."

"Well well," Nsemeke said, punching him on the shoulder. "Look at you."

"Not a real mission, yet. More like a trial run, but it's progress."

"I'm so proud of you."

Andem laughed. "I just have to work through a few kinks in my head and we'll be fine. I mean, not to brag," he said, knowing he was about to brag. "But I'm an alpha and a speedster. Nothing can hold me back, I've been told."

"Your head is getting bigger." Nsemeke mimed pressing it back together.

"Let it," Andem said. "I don't want to jinx it but I doubt there's anything that stands in our way."

"Are you sure about that?"

Andem thought about it. "Unless I meet another speedster, I'm sure I'll be fine."

"What about other alphas?" he asked. "Older alphas? Alphas with more training. People who can wear you down."

"I've been practicing," Andem said with a wide smile.

"Practicing how?"

"With Chima. When I first got here, I could feel a nudge when he used the alpha voice. Even when he wasn't talking to me. But every day, it's getting easier and easier to ignore it."

"What of omegas?"

Andem scoffed. "Omegas don't have a dominant voice."

"But trained omegas can lure alphas off track. They can distract you from your mission. They can get in your way."

"Nobody hires omegas because they're unreliable in the field," Andem said with a scoff. "An omega on suppressants is just as useless as a beta in that regard and if they're not on suppressants, then they'll be more susceptible to the alpha voice. They could be triggered, or dismantled. They could ruin an entire operation. Who would risk that?"

"Okay?" Nsemeke said, looking like he was racking his brain to poke holes in Andem's triumph. "What of uber-alphas?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What? Anything is possible?"

"Right?" Andem said. "Male alphas are rare already. Female alphas are even rarer than us. Where would you find a male and female alpha willing to procreate to make an uber-alpha?"

"It can happen."

"It's illegal in Nigeria. Who would risk jail time just to have a child?" Andem scoffed. 

"Maybe true love could do it."

"Even true love isn't enough to bring an uber-alpha into this world. That's just asking for trouble."

Nsemeke bit his lips as he continued to stroll, looking lost in deep thought. "You do have a point. Love doesn't matter much these days."

"Not in this economy," Andem said bitterly, remembering that his money was quickly dwindling into nothing. "Wish I could push us faster so that we could end our training contract and start getting paid."

"Enjoy your life now as much as you can."

"Are you enjoying yours?" Andem asked. "Considering."

"Considering what?"

"Nothing," he said, wishing he hadn't even brought it up. His lips had moved faster than he could control them.

"Tell me. Tell me," Nsemeke pestered. "Considering what?"

"I shouldn't have said it. It's nothing."

Nsemeke stopped walking, causing Andem to turn and wait. "Speak or I'm not moving."

"Really?" Andem laughed. "What? Are you going to throw a tantrum in the middle of the street?"

"Considering what?" he reiterated.

"Fine," Andem gave up. "I was going to say, considering how your debut's been pushed back because of Rotimi, but I know it's a sore subject."

"Why would it be sore?" Nsemeke asked, moving along and shrugging as he looked at the ground. "It's not sore. It's fine. I can talk about it."

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"I've only been wanting this for as long as I can remember, only for him to swoop in and copy me to get ahead."

"That's not how it is," Andem said, in Rotimi's defense. "He's trying his best."

"How would you know? You've been here for a couple of months. You haven't been chewed and spat out by Uyo. You have no idea what it's like."

"Would you like it if Uyo chews and spits him out too?" Andem asked. "Would that make you feel better if he suffered?"

Anger finally crossed Nsemeke's face so he turned away and continued home.

"You're not serious about debuting then," Andem said. He could not understand why someone was resisting. If the firm wanted you to jump, you asked how high.

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know that it doesn't matter if he's going to help you build and design worlds and worlds of tech."

"How is he helping me when I can do what he can do?" 

"Last I checked, two people doing the same job either makes it go faster or churns out more product. You're a supernatural engineer. One would have thought simple math would be easy for you."

Nsemeke narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Why am I even talking to you about this? You would never understand."

"I understand a lot," Andem bit back. "You think that you're the only one suffering? Look around, Uyo is made up of agents struggling to be one in a million."

"I AM NOT ONE OF YOU!" Nsemeke shouted back. "Please don't insult me."

"Insult you? Nsemeke, you're no different from the rest of us. Riddim will utilize your abilities the same way they'll utilize mine. You're not different from us just because we're a team and you work alone."

"It's not the same." Nsemeke shook his head. "I've been here before. I know what it's like to have loads of firms dependent on me for every bit, every gear, every gadget. You don't know what it's like being worked to the bone, day and night."

This time when Nsemeke started walking, Andem ran after him not planning to let him have the last word in. Andem cut in front of him as he stopped Nsemeke.

"Rotimi can help. Your argument is faulty. If I was the one being forced on you, I'd agree with you but don't you think Eteli knows what he's doing putting you two together?"

"He's human. He can make mistakes," Nsemeke bypassed him and kept going.

"And you can't? One-in-a-million Nsemeke isn't human. I wonder what you need a firm for when you can do everything on your own."

"What do you want me to do then?" Nsemeke asked, facing him again.

It took Andem a second or two to realize that he was asking.

"I don't know. Talk to the guy. For god's sake, everyone can see he's trying and you're not."

"And say what? We have nothing in common and he's so frustrating to be around," Nsemeke said moving and Andem had to jog again to meet him. "I don't like him."

Everyone knew that too. From the first day Nsemeke had moved in, it had been "Nsemeke this" and "Nsemeke that" from Rotimi but Nsemeke just ignored him, pretending Rotimi was not in the room. Andem knew desperation. Desperation, as obvious as Rotimi's, anyone could see. And Andem could not understand how an alpha would let himself be put through that.

It was degrading and an uphill battle but Rotimi didn't seem to mind that his affection fell on thick skin hardened with hate and malice. Andem didn't understand how Nsemeke made alphas behave like that around him. It wasn't the usual posturing or the bossy alpha-ness that alphas exuded when trying to impress the appealing mate. It was something else. Something different. But Andem understood it. Without meaning to, he understood the urge to know Nsemeke… be near him… have him acknowledge that Andem existed.

"I'm sure you can find common ground," Andem offered, which earned him a side glance from Nsemeke as they continued on their way.

"There is no common ground between us."

"He's a mimic."

"You mean phony."

"His powers are very real and very unique," Andem said. "Just like yours."

Putting his hands in his pockets as he walked, Nsemeke looked at Andem, quizzically. Like Andem was a puzzle he couldn't solve. After a while, he shook his head and looked forward, kicking at loose stones as they walked.

"You know, I was wondering when I'd see the real you."

"Heh?" Andem asked.

"You're always so… polite," he said, like being polite was an insult.

"My parents taught me to have manners."

"Or you just like to avoid conflict."

Andem shrugged. "If you say so."

Nsemeke laughed a little. "Nice to finally meet the real you."

Andem didn't know what to say to that, as they continued their walk home. Playing with his ears, Andem turned away, just so he could hide the fact that he, suddenly, couldn't stop smiling.

When they got to the dorm, Rotimi was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. He was on his feet the moment the door opened, smiling brightly at Nsemeke with a plate of akara.

Andem pitied him too much to even see him as competition.

"You must be tired," Rotimi said, ushering Nsemeke to the sofa in the gym as he pulled away Nsemeke's jacket and took his bag from him. Nsemeke gave Andem a dry look that Andem interpreted as "Save me, would you?" 

"Be nice," Andem mouthed to Nsemeke. 

Nsemeke just glared before he turned his attention to Rotimi.