Page 66 of Rage

“Merrill.”

“Batya.”

Merrill nodded at the two men still piling food on their plates.

“The bald glutton is Christopher and the blonde glutton is Alex.”

Christopher smiled broadly and turned to her.

“Or you can call me the Black Adonis if you’d like.”

Batya rolled her eyes.

“No thank you, Christopher,” she replied, placing an emphasis on his given name.

He shrugged and started to eat. Since they didn’t know what was in store for them, Batya and the others did the same. Just asthey’d cleared their plates, a soldier walked in. He was the same one that had brought Batya into the room.

“Hello, recruits. Now that you’ve eaten, we can focus on what your next few days will be like. I trust you’ve all read the code of conduct manuals in your rooms?”

His grey eyes pierced into them, searching for any lies behind their nods of assent.

“Good. Now pay close attention to the presentation. It will not be repeated. Save your questions for the end.”

The minute scenes of battle filled the screen Batya leaned forward with growing interest. This squadron’s missions were even more varied than she’d heard. A fascinated smile spread across her face.

By the time the presentation was over, she was almost giddy with glee.

“Is something amusing, Batya?”

“No…sir.”

He smirked.

“As you might have noticed, our ranking structure is a bit different here. Think of us more like a company where there are entry-level employees, supervisors, managers and then the big man in charge. You’re all entry-level and I’m a manager. But sure, sir will do quite fine.”

Everyone else nodded, but Batya pressed further.

“Does that mean we don’t learn your names, sir?”

He retrieved four slim tablets and handed them out.

“More information for you to study. Names and all.”

When he looked pointedly at Batya, a brief heat flared in her cheeks.

“Are there any other questions?”

There was a chorus of, “No, sir,” around the table.

“Good. Be prepared for extensive training in the morning.”

He marched from the room. Alex sported a grin that spread all the way to his sky-blue eyes.

“Well, someone’s gotten into management’s good graces. I don’t know whether to call you teacher’s pet or employee of the month.”

Annoyed, Batya grabbed her fork and jabbed it a hair’s breadth away from Alex’s eye. To his credit, the young soldier didn’t flinch. He was already pressing the sharp tines of his fork into her arm.

With a bit more force, both of them could have drawn blood.

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