“What are you doing? Move those muscles you weaklings!” Hannah screams at Alice and Kai, pulling the whip from her belt. “Run faster!” She demands from the golf cart. “Faster! Run faster before a whip your !”

“I can’t believe this.” Alice says between pants. “Why are you not out of breath?”

“Just keep your pace and run. If you force yourself to run, you’ll get tiredly easily.”

“That’s not so easy when she’s literally whipping us to shape.”

“I run every morning and night so you can join me if you want.”

“So…what were you doing before you did this?”

“Me? I was in group of thieves stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor.”

“Like Robin Hood?”

“Yeah, you can think of it that way.” Kai smiles. “I was in charge of making our escape by blowing up the route so we can’t be followed.”

“Why did you quit?”

“The idiots think they’ll get caught if I destroy too much stuff so they went without me and got caught. Since they never saw my face, I was safe. I never went with them to do the jobs so those idiots got blamed for the destruction.”

“You really like blowing up stuff don’t you?”

“Not really.” Kai replies with a smile at the other’s frown. “I joined because I can finally do something worthy of my skills and be able to protect something.”

“Stop your yapping and run!” Hannah says from her spot under the shade of the tree. “It’s so hot.” She says to herself, sipping on her ice cold lemonade.

Standing in the trees about seventy feet away from the field, Katydid looks down with a smile. “Zero-zero-one, where are you?” She asks into the mouth piece. “AD1, answer me.”

“I’m here.”

“How’s Alice today?”

“She’s seems to be tired from yesterday’s training, otherwise she’s fine.”

“Good. KT3, get ready.”

“Yes, ma’am.” A voice in her ear says. “Should I wait in her room?”

“No, I’ll come for you. Just stay where you are.” Katydid cuts the connection and watches as Alice and Kai finish the lap. She smiles and heads towards the building were her agent is waiting for her.

Watching her enter the building, he walks down the longs stairs, bowing his head politely towards her. “How is she?”

“Kai’s physically more in shape than Alice is right now, that’s for sure. In a few days when she’s comfortable, she might be a challenge for Hannah’s training. With her around, Alice will have a better chance to improve.”

“She’ll be fine right?” He asks, biting his lips. “I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“Don’t worry. Once she’s registered to be with you, you’ll know all you need to.”

“But she already registered her room. Can’t you do that with me too?”

“Really? Then let’s do that now.”

He flashes a charming smile and pushes her towards the elevators. “Let’s go. Let’s go.” He presses the button for the ninth floor. “Next stop, Cloud 9.”

Kai walks out of the shower feeling refreshes and smiles at how Alice looks like she’s going to drop dead. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I need food!” Alice cries, rushing to the kitchen. “Food! Meat!” She glances around for ingredients, mainly meat. “Meat? Any meat?”

“I think the rest got eaten already.”

“WHAT?? By who?”

“I did. You got a problem with that?” Hannah says, dumping the chicken bones into the trash. With a hand to her hip, she looks like a mother scolding her child for stealing ice cream and ruining her appetite for dinner.

“No…” Alice whines. “Not really…” She mumbles. Her stomach growls horribly and she begins to sulk. “I’m going to bed.”

“What’s going on?”

“Alice is whining because she’s hungry.” Hannah explains.

“There’s food in the fridge. There are cookies, ramen, bread, rice, noodles, and plenty of other stuff. Why would you be hungry?”

“They’re not meat. I want meat.” Alice whines. “I can’t survive without meat.”

“If that’s what you want, then we don’t have anymore.” Katydid replies apologetically. “We get our grocery delivered, but it’s only on Sundays. You’ll have to wait five days.”

“WHAT?! I HAVE TO GO FIVE DAYS WITHOUT MEAT?!”

Katydid pats the groaning girl’s back. “It’ll be okay.”

“No it won’t. I’ll die and rot before Sunday arrives.”

“Want to eat mine?” Kai asks, offering her dish of fish fillet with fried rice.

“That’s fish.”

“Yeah so? It’s a type of meat.”

“I want steak. Or spare ribs. Or something.”

“Fish is something.”

“It’s not my something.” Alice pouts. “I’ll just go starve myself to sleep.”

Katydid smiles at the pouting girl.

“Katy?”

“Yes?” She turns to Hannah with a smile. “Is something wrong?”

“You’re not doing something against me or my training, right?”

“Like what?”

“Never mind.” Hannah says, unable to figure out what the girl is thinking with her childish and naïve looking face.

“Okay, good night then.” She turns to Kai. “Are you done?”

“Yeah. I’m going back to my room to read a bit before sleeping.”

“I’ll go with you. There’s something I need to tell you.” Katydid follows the girl into the elevator, yawning as she walks in.

“Tired?”

“Yeah, I am.”

Kai smiles widely at the mark on the girl’s neck. She reaches over and presses it, causing the girl to flinch. “What have you been doing to get that?”

“What? I accidently hurt myself while training.”

“What type of training?” Kai asks, unconvinced. “It looks like a hick…”

“I was practicing my speed.” Katydid explains.

“Hm…is that so?” Kai replies doubtfully. “Were you alone?”

“What’s this? I feel like I’m being question, interrogated like a criminal.”

“I’m just asking. In the contract, it said that we can’t bring any guys here, no matter what the situation is. If you’re not hiding a guy, then what?”

“You’re crazy.” Katydid says, backing up into the corner. “I was trying to dodge ping pong balls when I slipped and one of them hit me. Those things hurt when they’re being shot out of a machine.”

“Whatever you say.” Kai smiles and walks out of the elevator, heading towards her room. Opening her room, he finds a half dressed man on her bed. The man has his face turned away from her and is lying stomach down on her bed, spread out like it’s the most natural thing to do.

“Looks like you’re the one hiding a man.” Katydid teases.

“What? I don’t even know who the guy is.”

“Yeah, right. That’s what they all say when they’re caught red-handed.”

“I’m telling the truth, I…”

“So noisy.” The man sits up with his right leg bend and his right hand in his hair, his muscles blocking his face. “Can’t a guy get some sleep around here?” He asks with a sigh.

“I guess this is my cue to leave.” Katydid says with a smirk.

“What? You’re going to leave me with this guy?” Kai shouts.

“What’s the matter? You don’t want to be alone with me?”

A pair of arms wraps around her waist, making her freeze up.

“Why don’t we go to the bed?” He asks seductively, his voice melting her.

“I don’t think so.” Without another though, Kai grabs his arm and flings him over his shoulders. “Die!” She throws a fist downwards to the intruder’s face. It stops an inch short of the man’s nose when she gets a better look at the man’s face.

Opening his eyes, he peeks out from behind his free hand. As natural response, he had pulled his arm up to protect himself. The hand on his wrist releases and the girl backs up. Standing up, he straightens his pants and turns to the girl. He smiles as he leans in. “You shouldn’t do that.” He presses his lips into hers in a chaste kiss.

Smiling at the shocked girl, Katydid takes her cue to leave, closing the door behind her. “What’s wrong Alice?”

“I’m hungry.” She whines. “I thought I could enjoy a nice dinner after what Hannah put me through, but no~ she has to eat all the meat.” She complains and puffs up her cheeks. “I want me meat!”

“I know you would get upset so I saved you some. It’s in your room. You better go eat it while it’s still warm.”

“Hurray!”

Katydid smiles and follows the girl to her room, waiting at the door as the other rushes in, mouth widen at the sight and peeks in. Standing in the middle of the room, dressed in a tuxedo, is the man waiting for Alice’s return. She watches as he walks towards Alice, giving her a wink.

Closing the door, he leads Alice to the table he had set up in her room. With two candles in the middle and a meal set out in front of her, Alice can’t help but be captivated by the sight. The aroma of the steak rose to her nose, causing her stomach to protest loudly. “What’s…?”

He kneels down on the floor, taking Alice’s hand. “This is a meal made with you in mind. I hope you’ll enjoy your dinner, my princess.” He places a gentle kiss on her hand, causing her heart to flutter with joy.

Hearing the sound of utensils, Katydid pushes herself off the wall and head towards the hidden passageway to her own quarters.