Chapter 4: The Calm-

A couple of years passed with no advancement into the knowledge of these Tyrants. Stephanie would develop many missions that would keep these Tyrants at bay and at least 200 meters away from the base. She also had to make preparations every 4 months for Ace, Alice, and Sean to go outside and raid the nearest food supply store and or find vegetables and livestock they could take.

Alice became an excellent fighter under Sean. She also learned how to wield a gun better than most of the people Ace had worked with through Eric having a soft spot for all of the kid’s puppy eyes.

Jordan, on the other hand, worked better with Stephanie in intelligence. He was a genius just like his old man. Jordan could also help sometimes in the strategic field. Stephanie didn’t really let him help a lot until he turned 12, but he would sneak out anyway and write down something after bedtime between the ages of 7 and 10.

Speaking of bedtime, Jordan and Tarrant never truly broke their newfound tradition. Ever since Jordan found solace in Tarrant, he couldn’t go to sleep without knowing that Tarrant was next to him or near him in any way. His teddy bear clutched tightly to his chest and Tarrant keeping his head close to his heart was the best way for both of them to sleep.

You wouldn’t hear it from Tarrant, but he actually enjoyed these moments. After Tarrant turned 14 and he started properly training, it helped to calm him down after a hellish day and was a moment he always looked forward to. Would he ever admit it? No.

It was finally year 2036 and Jordan was allowed into the strategic room for the first time without sneaking in. When Jordan turned 12 in November, he quickly ran down to tell Stephanie the good news. He took Tarrant’s hand and dragged the now 15 year old Tarrant with him. Alice chuckled in the battle room.

“Hold off for a few.” Alice put the blade down and walked out to follow after her hyper brother with Sean on her heels. Anyone could tell that Sean had fallen for Alice and acted like a big-eyed puppy whenever he saw her outside of the training room. At 21, she had made a name for herself around the other few bunkers that were in the surrounding U.S. No one wanted to mess with her, well, Sean might, but that is a different story. He did get on her nerves more than once. He still has the wounds to prove it.

“Stephanie! Stephanie!” Jordan ran and stopped right in front of her clutching his bear in one hand and Tarrant’s hand in the other with the biggest smile gracing his features. “I finally get to help you make a strategic plan!” Stephanie gave a curt smile before explaining everything to Jordan as a precaution, but he already knew everything from sneaking in again the night before.

Tarrant leaned against the big table showing as it showed a holographic projection of the land surrounding the building with only a few landmarks made of the other buildings they’ve found and any hordes of Tyrants. Tarrant wouldn’t admit it if anyone asked, but he never took his eyes off of Jordan, and seeing him this happy made all of those endless nights for the past seven years worth it.

“Well well well. So, who wants to be the one to tell Ace that his son is falling fast and hard?” Miss. Flora asked from the second floor of the strategist room. Eric stood next to her writing something else down in his huge book of notes: volume 23.

“I think he’ll figure it out eventually. . . hopefully.”

“Where in the world do you even keep all of those?” Eric chuckled, closed his book, and let his glasses glare in the light. An evil smirk graced his features.

“That is a secret that only me and Ace need to know.” Miss. Flora shook her head and looked at her watch. “What time is it?”

“12 on the dot.”

“AH! Crap! I need to go switch places with Ace!” Eric scrambled to get out of the room as Flora laughed at the situation.

“Ah Ace, good luck with those children.” Flora stayed until Tarrant finally noticed her. “Time to cook dinner.” And she left it at that.

Tarrant looked up at the second floor and caught a glimpse of Miss. Flora.

“Did you get all of that, Jordan?”

“Yes, I think we can try to make a move on expanding the border if we get the materials from the trees nearby. Also, we have learned that they can’t pass through electricity, so maybe we can find an old telephone pole and connect it with the main power source here.”

Tarrant turned his gaze to Jordan and smirked with literal heart eyes. Anyone but Jordan could tell that Tarrant was falling and falling HARD.

At the top, Ace sneezed hard before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Eric popping up from the bottom holding a cigarette in hand.

“Want one? Or do you want a tissue?”

“You know we don’t have the luxury to burn those out.” Ace muttered, pulling the cigarette from Eric before taking one long drag and handing it back.

“You know you’re going to have to give that child the talk.” Eric sighed, taking the rifle out of Ace’s hands.

“That will happen when he’s ready. I was supposed to have help on this. . .” Eric didn’t say anything else, getting on the floor and gazing at the red sky above them. After the first attack happened, the sky was draped in some red particles that never left the air. Now, it’s dyed red outside. Eric nodded and waved Ace off as he left the room.

“You’ll figure it out. Just don’t think of it as an awkward experience anymore. We’re in a time where we have to explain it. Be glad that Steph and Miss. Flora were there to explain everything to Alice.” Ace nodded in agreement. “Sean and I can explain a few things, but I wouldn’t suggest it with Sean’s teaching skills.” Eric checked the amo and laid on the many sandbags. Eric nodded and went down the ladder to the main area.

He walked through the halls and came to be where Eric and Miss. Flora stood just moments ago.

“Hey, Tarrant!” Tarrant looked up from his doting on Jordan to see his father smiling down at him. “Time for your training. Come on, leave Jordan to learn as well. You’re coming with us next time to go into the field with us.” Tarrant’s eyes lit up at the mention of the outside world and rushed to the second floor. Ace wrapped an arm around Tarrant’s shoulders and led him into a different room.

“Papa, this isn’t the training room. What are we doing here?” It was Ace’s office.

“I’m here to talk to you about your. . .advances.” Ace pulled out his chair motioning for Tarrant to do the same.

“What do you mean, old man?” Tarrant sat down trying to keep his leg from bouncing as he wiped his hands on his pants. Now his heart beat rapidly for another reason.

“You’re my son. You can’t hide anything from me, but please wait until both of you are able to consent to anything. I-I know I’m supposed to give you that talk, but ugh.” Ace rubbed at the back of his head trying to figure out how to phrase his next words.

“Papa, I already know about sex.”

“But we haven’t gotten anything close to protection. . .” He mumbled under his breath.

“What are you talking about? Sean brought some condoms back this last trip out.” Ace’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline and he sighed.

“I will have to have a talk with that muscle idiot.” Ace rubbed his temples and placed his elbows on the desk looking at his son who was doing everything in his power to avoid Ace’s gaze. “Anyway, please understand my concern. Everyone has noticed your advances as of late.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Tarrant seemed to be halfway genuine. It might be because of them being in seclusion for seven years, but Ace sighed trying to think about what Kagome would do.

“Tarrant don’t lie to me. All of us except for Alice and Jordan know that you might be developing a liking towards Jordan.” Tarrant’s face turned beet red as he mulled over everything in his head. He put his head in his hands trying to calm his racing heart.

“But, I’m a boy. I’m still only fifteen.”

“And that’s totally fine, the boy part, not the fifteen part. Since Jordan is only twelve, I want you to try and not make any advancements further than what you’ve done until I give Jordan the talk as well. He needs to consent. Also, I think it would be best then to move either you or Jordan out of your shared room. I know boys your age can get. . .urges.” Ace looked up to see Tarrant’s face sag into a crestfallen frown.

“You can’t do that. You know my sleeping situation now.”

“I do, but I also know that you’re a growing boy. Please understand that I’m handling this the best way that I can.”

“You do know that if you do this, Jordan won’t be able to fall asleep.”

“I’m sure he can. You’ve been drowning that koala in your scent for this. Just give him the koala and you can move in with Sean.”

“No. Please don’t do that.”

“What would you have done, Kagome? I can’t calm him like you could. I can only do this much for them. Besides, this world is too cruel for them.” He rubbed the cheek of a picture of a girl with short black hair and a smile before going back to work contacting the other bases to do status reports.