The Gifted (ONC 2023)

Chapter 11 Respite

Aleks and Toni returned to GSO headquarters right after their unexpected discovery, and before they finished reporting, it was already the middle of the night. Regan ordered them to get some sleep as it would take some time before they could prepare and launch the assault team. Toni was still weak after his last encounter with Rioters, so he needed all the sleep he could get.

But Aleks was too restless. She got some shuteye but was up as soon as other people in the building started to move around, busy with their daily schedules. Even after showering, she felt only half-alive, so she wandered downstairs to the little cafeteria. The halls of the dormitory building were tranquil. After the announcement two days prior, many agents took time off to reconsider their careers. No lessons or training were scheduled this week either, so Aleks felt as if she was walking through the ghost town.

She was still wondering how she would fill the time till the evening when the assault team would finally be ready to roll out. Not that she would be part of it, as Regan didn't fail to remind her. The thought of all those innocent people kidnapped and being left to face some crazy and repulsive experiments at the hands of the Rioters made her skin crawl. But she knew they couldn't just charge there head-first. The last fight proved that deviants were not easy opponents.

"Well, someone looks like sunshine today." The familiar voice took her completely off guard, and she blinked several times to clear her head.

"Yuliya? What are you doing here? Getting a second shift as a bartender?"

A petite blond woman shrugged. "It's not like I have anything to do now, with all the doom and gloom hanging over GSO. What can I get you today? I can recommend a flavoured latte." She leaned over the counter, lowering her voice. "I found all different syrups hidden away in the pantry. I bet Mrs Callaghan hid them from us. Probably afraid of what we could do on a sugar rush!"

Aleks couldn't help but smile. Yuliya's cheerful nature never failed to lift her spirit, no matter how down she was. "That sounds great, but I'll have just plain black coffee, thanks."

"Gee, you are no fun! Suit yourself. I save my mad bartending skills for someone else," she grumbled but grabbed a cup and turned on the coffee machine.

"I'd rather have you here in GSO than in some fancy cafe," Aleks countered with a smile but then realised she didn't know her friend's plans for the future. "You are staying in the agency, right?"

Yuliya smiled at her so charmingly that even celebrities would get jealous. "Of course, I'm staying, silly. Where else would I go? Besides, it's not like I use my gift excessively to be in any danger. I guess you and I are pretty similar in that regard, no?"

"Yes, I guess we are."

Yuliya turned around and put two takeaway cups on the counter.

Aleks raised a brow. "Do I look like I need two?" She rubbed her yes. "I know it's not my best day, but...."

"Don't be ridiculous. One is for you, and the other is for your cute Brazilian guy," Yuliya explained with a mischievous smile.

Aleks' cheeks flushed, and she scowled at her friend. "I won't bother him this early morning to force a coffee on him. I don't even know if he drinks coffee."

"Oh please, he was the one who suggested you should have coffee sometime."

Aleks narrowed her eyes. "Did you spy on me?"

Yuliya burst out with laughter. "Do you seriously think I'm using my gift to spy on my friends? Because that would be such a deviant thing to do."

"I don't know." Aleks sipped her coffee. "You seem like the type to do that."