Chapter 11: a trip to England.

Marcus found himself on a plane taking off from Jacksonville Florida, heading to Manchester England.

He was sitting in the mid-section of the plane watching out of the window, with a calm expression. 

He was reminiscing on the past three months that led him up to this point, the chaotic transition from a normal life to the anomaly correction life was jarring and filled with a varied spectrum of emotions and feelings, yet Marcus was satisfied with everything overall.

"You've been staring out the window for an hour," Luna said in an emotionless tone. She was sitting across from Marcus reading a book on the history of animation. 

Marcus chuckled as he turned his attention towards Luna with a grin, "Yeah, it just feels so surreal, I still can't believe that just three months ago I was sitting in my room playing video games, with the only thing on my mind was what I was gonna eat and play next."

Luna huffed as she flipped a page on her book, "I see, does that include your current medical situation as well?"

Marcus turned his head in confusion, "Medical situation?"

He didn't remember being sick, nor having anything lasting medical issues from the fight with her…

Suddenly Marcus was hit with a sudden realization, Luna was using code to talk about her core.

"Nah, I'm fine on that front, the pills Dr. Fletcher gave me work pretty well all things considered."

Marcus then leaned over the table that separated Luna and himself.

He pulled up his sleeve and flexed his arm in front of Luna, "you see this?" He asked smugly.

"As long as I have my guns with me, no challenge is too much for me." He said with a chuckle as he continued to flex his arm.

Luna rolled her silver eyes as she closed her book, "I see." She said in an exasperated tone, "But I'd prefer you remove that ghastly thing from my sight."

Marcus feigned a pout as he leaned away from Luna, "now that's just cruel." He said in a joking manner.

While Marcus and Luna chatted, Dr. Fletcher emerged from the back of the plane with her same cold expression. She approached Marcus and Luna with a tablet in her left hand.

"You two seem to be getting along well." Dr. Fletcher said in slight amusement as she placed her tablet on the table between Marcus and Luna.

Marcus chuckled as he crossed his arms, "I wouldn't call it getting along, but yeah we're fine for now."

Dr. Fletcher nodded, "anyway, I came to talk to you about your accommodations before we arrive in Manchester."

Marcus' eyes widened in excitement as he rubbed his hands together, "accommodations you say? What are talking about, Five star hotel, maybe a mansion, ohh, or a castle!"

Dr. Fletcher smiled briefly, "No, not quite, you'll be staying at a building owned and operated by the organization, it'll be your new home for the entirety of the examination period."

Marcus nodded, "that doesn't sound too bad." 

Marcus then looked down at the tablet Dr. Fletcher had placed on the table, "so what's the tablet for?"

Dr. Fletcher looked down at the tablet, she then reached a finger towards it and tapped it.

The tablet illuminated and showed a prepared video call, "You'll have a roommate during your stay, it's usually proper etiquette for cadets to greet their roommates before the exams, so I figured I'd give you the choice."

Marcus raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Oh, do you know who my roommate is exactly?"

Dr. Fletcher nodded. "Of course, his name is Felix Abel, he's 17, born and raised in Leipzig Germany, and apparently he has a liking for humor."

Marcus nodded as he grabbed the tablet, "All alright then, I'll go ahead and call him."

With the press of the call button, the screen began flickering for a moment before an unfamiliar face appeared.

He was a young man, with long blonde hair tied in a man bun and cut into a fade. He had deep emerald eyes and freckles that went from the right cheek, across the nose, and onto the left cheek.

"Sup bro," Felix said with a nod of his head as he leaned back in a chair with his arms crossed. His backdrop was one of a large white room with various pieces of tech and equipment.

From the looks of it, Felix had already settled into their room.

"What's going on?" Marcus said as he adjusted himself into a comfortable position, "Looks like you're already settling into our room."

Felix nodded with a grin, "obviously, you think I'm going to wait for you? I'm an impatient man bro, something I think you'll find out soon enough."

Marcus chuckled, "Oh yeah? How's England for ya?"

Felix groaned as he raised a hand in the air in dissatisfaction, "There's no sun here, I thought they were lying but no, it feels like I'm trapped in a perpetual fog, nothing like my beautiful fatherland." Felix said with a chuckle.

Dr. Fletcher watched the exchange with a satisfied smile, "well then, I'll leave you boys to it." She said softly as she turned to make her way back towards the back of the plane.

Marcus turned to watch her leave with a small but appreciative smile. Dr. Fletcher was a mysterious woman, yet she was constantly kind in her own way.

Marcus felt the need to repay her back someday, perhaps taking her to dinner or something.

"Oh, was Dr. Fletcher there the whole time?" Felix asked curiously as he tried to catch a glimpse of her to no avail.

Marcus turned back towards the tablet with a nod, "Yeah, why do you know her?"

Felix shrugged. "Kind off, she called me a while ago to inform me about my roommate, which I now know is you."

"Anyway, since you are already at the training grounds do you know what the entrance exams are going to be like?" Marcus asked curiously.

Felix shook his head his expression growing complex with emotions. "No, all know is that there are three exams in total and that the entrance exam is the first and shortest one."

Marcus raised an eyebrow in confusion, "what do you mean? I thought it was only the entrance exams. You mean there's more?"

Felix nodded, "That's what I've been told, other than that though, you know just as much as I do."

Marcus felt a rather strange sensation running down his back, before settling deep into the pits of his stomach. 

The idea of not just one, but multiple exams sounded almost ludicrous, yet it also made sense in its own right.

There's no way you'd base your officer's results on one set of tests before fully vetting them, but still, the fact that he was just now finding out about this was a little unsettling.

"You alright bro?" Felix asked curiously as he waved his hand at the camera.

Marcus nodded hesitantly. "I'm fine, just a little surprised is all."

"Ehh, I'm sure whatever it is I'll pass no problem." 

"Oh really?" Marcus asked curiously.

Felix nodded. "Yeah, my mentors have been training me for the past year to be at my peak performance, not only that but I've personally dealt with five rifts, so I'll be fine whatever they throw at me."

Marcus chuckled. "You seem pretty confident, I hope I can get some of that confidence for myself."

Felix scoffed as a grin spread across his face. "I'll see what I can do when you get here."

Marcus grinned in response. "Alright then, see you in a few hours?"

Felix gave a short nod. "Alright then, try not to get cold feet before then," Felix said with a challenging smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Marcus replied as he hung up the video call. He then set the tablet down gently as he turned his attention towards Luna, "So, what do you think of our new roommate?"

Luna sighed. "He seems worse than you if I'm being honest, however as long as he doesn't speak nor talk to me personally then all will be well."

Marcus laughed, "You know, you claim to be anti-social, yet we talk all the time, is it just that I'm your favorite?" Marcus asked playfully as he leaned closer.

Luna paused for a moment, an expression of annoyance growing on her general features. She then sighed as she crossed her arms, "Our circumstances require a certain amount of cooperation and contact, it's not that I like you it's more that we require each other."

Marcus smiled gently. "You know, I actually expected you to say you hate my guts, but I think it's adorable how you went through so much trouble to avoid saying we need each other."

Luna narrowed her silver eyes, "I'm using you."

Marcus shrugged as he leaned back in his seat, "You being selfish benefits me at all times remember, that's what you said."

Luna rolled her eyes as she picked up her book once more. "Whatever, this conversation is over."

Marcus chuckled as he turned his attention back toward the window.

The view from the window was more of the same, translucent clouds above the Atlantic Ocean, it was like a beautiful painting put over an oval canvas.

As he stared out the window, his mind began to wonder what challenges he'd face next.

The idea of facing multiple exams had barely sunken in, while Marcus had prided himself on his ability to adapt, he still felt severely underprepared. 

It didn't help that Felix seemed to ooze with confidence and bravado, was the difference between a year and three months' worth of training really that vast?

Marcus continued to ponder as the plane continued its journey, eventually, he drifted asleep.

Around 8 hours later Marcus was awoken by a loud voice speaking through the plane's intercom, "Attention all personnel, this is your captain speaking. We're about five minutes out from landing at airstrip 47, I repeat five minutes before landing on airstrip 47."

Marcus jolted awake eyes wide and scanning the plane's cabin, he immediately noticed most of the previously empty seats were filled by men and women in suits among them Dr. Fletcher.

"What's happening?" Marcus asked in a tone mixed with disorientation and alarm.

Luna gave Marcus a side eye, "The plane is landing genius." She said in a neutral tone.

Marcus couldn't believe he had slept through the entire flight. "Man, I guess I was tired."

Luna rolled her eyes as she remained silent.

Marcus chuckled nervously as he reached to buckle himself in, only to notice that he'd been buckled up already. 

Perhaps Luna had done it? Marcus asked himself as he glanced up only to see her looking out the window with a curious gaze. 

Marcus glanced out towards his own window, where he noticed that the plane had begun its descent. 

The vast ocean was long gone, replaced by the beautiful English countryside. 

As the plane finally touched down, Marcus felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. 

This was the moment he knew life started, one filled with the unknown and unexpected. 

The plane finally came to a stop and the passengers began to disembark.

Marcus turned to see Luna unbuckling herself, her expression seemingly unfazed. He then turned to see Dr. Fletcher doing the same, her expression similar to that of Luna's.

She looked up to see Marcus staring at her. She smiled lightly as she pointed a finger toward Marcus, "Unbuckle yourself, we have a car waiting for us outside."

Marcus gave a quick nod as he unbuckled himself. He then stood up and turned to look at Luna, he reached out his hand. "You wanna hold hands?" He asked genuinely.

Luna gave Marcus a side-eye. A brief moment of silence passed as Luna continued to eye Marcus, eventually, her gaze turned from annoyance to reluctance, "fine." She said coldly as she accepted Marcus's hand.

Marcus was surprised. 

While his offer was genuine he expected Luna to deny him outright, yet as her cold hand became encased in his own, he realized that he stood corrected.

Even Dr. Fletcher, whose face resembled that of a doll most of the time, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.