Intermix Nation

“Really, Irri?”

Cato watches in increasing recognition asNazirah walks through the small gate in front of them. This is theonly area of the grounds still bathed in an orange glow. Theabandoned swing set that Nazirah has led them to shines like abeacon.

“Don’t be such a baby!” Nazirah laughs,walking over to the closest wooden swing. “We haven’t done this inyears!”

When Nazirah and Cato were younger, theyalways used to ride their bicycles on the rundown boardwalk inRafu. They would peddle hard, racing to the swings at the end ofthe beach. Nazirah always won, much to Cato’s chagrin. On the sanddunes, they would swing for hours, daring each other to go higherand higher, until someone eventually either chickened out oraccidentally launched off. Nazirah can’t recall why they stoppeddoing that.

Nazirah hops up onto one swing, standing onthe flat wooden board. It creaks slightly and Nazirah gently teststhe rusty metal chains, making sure they will hold her weight. Shestarts swinging, feeling light, suddenly in a great mood for nogood reason at all.

“And I’m the baby?” Cato asks dryly.

Her laughter rings out like a dozen tinklingbells, completely infectious. Without another moment’s hesitation,Cato stands on the swing to her left, beaming. They swing for a fewminutes, not competitively like they used to as children, but justenjoying each other’s company. Nazirah’s hair whips everywhere,wild copper highlights ablaze in the setting sun. “Would be nice tohave an ocean to look at right now, instead of just concrete,” shesays, breathless. Cato doesn’t respond. Nazirah looks at himquestioningly. He is staring past her right shoulder, visiblyupset. He isn’t laughing anymore. “What’s wrong?”

Nazirah turns her head and she has heranswer.

Adamek stands not ten feet away, leaninglazily against the chain-link fence. His book is closed. The fadingsunlight highlights his cheekbones and glitters in his emeraldeyes, making him look not entirely human. He clearly moved from thepicnic tables awhile back in order to catch the last rays ofreading light, and has been watching them the entire time. Watchingher the entire time.

Nazirah is shocked that she didn’t noticehim, when he has been so close. And she is angry, because he hasseen her vulnerable. Quick as a flash, Cato is off the swing andstanding menacingly in front of Adamek. Cato is a head shorter, buthe is fearless, hands balled into fists. Adamek’s stance ispassive, his entire body relaxed. He watches Nazirah clumsily getdown and stumble over to them.

“Look at me, you sick fuck!” Catoshouts.

Adamek does, eyes narrowing dangerously.Cato is too close to him. Nazirah has known Cato her entire lifeand is well acquainted with his hot temper. Nazirah looks aroundfor help, but no one else is outside anymore. “Cato, stop!” shecries.

“Stay the fuck away from her!”

Adamek’s raises an eyebrow. “Or what?” heasks. “What are you going to do about it?”

Cato grabs the front of Adamek’s shirt, butAdamek doesn’t flinch. “Just because you have amnesty doesn’t meanI won’t beat the shit out of you!”

“Cato!” Nazirah grabs his arm. Her voicetriggers something. Cato slowly releases Adamek’s shirt and stepsaway. Nazirah looks between Cato, who is panting heavily andflushed red, and Adamek, who has not moved a muscle.

In Niko’s office she called him amurderer.

He told her not to forget it.

And Nazirah gets it now, really gets it.

It’s terrifying.

“Watch your back, Morgen,” Cato threatens,cracking his knuckles.

Nazirah reaches for his hand. Cato looks ather then, looks at their joint hands. Nazirah can see his angerdiminishing, if only slightly. She takes the opportunity and pullshim away, dragging him towards the main building. Halfway there,Cato strides ahead of her, slamming angrily through the doors.Nazirah follows him inside, taking one final look back at Adamek.He’s still in the same position against the fence, has not moved atall. But it’s his expression that completely unsettles Nazirah.Adamek stares almost longingly at the swings, still swaying backand forth in the breeze.

Nazirah doesn’t dwell on that as she walksthrough the door. Moving quickly, she catches up to Cato by themess hall entrance. He waits for her there, arms crossed.

“What was that?” she asks.

“What was that?” Cato snaps. “You’rekidding.”

“No, I’m not kidding!” Nazirah says hotly.“You completely provoked him! He was just standing there!”

Cato looks at her in disbelief. “Are youseriously that naïve?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’m sorry. But he wasn’t just standingthere, Irri. He was watching you … only you. Just steer clear ofhim, okay? I feel like he’s singling you out.”

Nazirah hates the way he babies her, speaksin delicacies, keeps her from the whole truth. “It’s not like weexactly hang.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Fine,” she says, hoping to drop thesubject. She tries to reassure him with, “Don’t worry about me,Cato. I can handle myself.”

Cato sighs as they walk through the messhall doors. Nazirah knows he isn’t convinced. She doesn’t blamehim.

She isn’t convinced either.

Chapter Six

Nazirah falls to the floor hard, air crushedfrom her lungs. She ca

Combat training.

It started two weeks ago and has beentorture ever since. On the first day, a rainy Monday afternoon, therecruits shuffled lethargically into the old gymnasium with theirfighting instructor, Grum. Grum is an exceptionally cranky,middle-aged intermix. He takes every chance he possibly can to beathis students down, both physically and emotionally. Not much isknown about him except that he was a rum-ru

When Grum told the class they were to startlearning actual fighting techniques, the recruits didn’t take himseriously. They laughed and joked and practiced mock karate moveson one another. Nazirah got into plenty of fights in Rafu, butalways with bullies who tried to mess with her. She never startedfights, and the thought of battling her fellow recruits wasdisturbing. Nazirah hoped they would practice on dummies, like whenthey learned to throw knives or shoot guns – or maybe just watchGrum perform a move and follow his directions.

But that was not the case.

Grum made them form a semicircle, selectedtwo recruits at random, and forced them to battle each other. Onlywhen they both were bruised, bloody, and crying had Grum said itwas enough. If the recruits viewed rebel training throughrose-colored glasses before, well, the glasses are definitely offnow. They are being groomed to win. And in order to win, they haveto fight and kill.

For the last two weeks, Nazirah has beenlosing touch with reality.

Nazirah slowly faces her opponent, an Oseninamed Anzares. Nazirah has never spoken to her before today, butshe knows from watching Anzares fight in class that she isvicious.

Anzares doesn’t give Nazirah even a momentto prepare. She kicks her full in the stomach, sending hersprawling onto the floor again.

“Enough of this!”

Cato yells at Grum from somewhere toNazirah’s left. Cato has defended Nazirah each time she has tofight, but Grum never lets her off that easily. Nazirah holds herhands over her stomach protectively, the blood rushing to her ears.Anzares stands over her, looking up at Grum, seeking his approvalto end the fight. But Grum shakes his head.