Not only did Blaine's team want that outing but they wanted Lana there with them. They thought it would be great training for her and her team. It's also why they jumped at the idea of the one-shot-kill game. It inspired better tactics.
The teams returned to the tree to get some rest and eventually eat dinner. That many snakes at once was exhausting to a few. Lana pulled Chekof into the tree to talk to him privately. They sat at the farthest end of the bed with their heads together for maximum privacy.
"How are you doing on meat? We brought a bag with meat which I know won't be enough for a week but we can make trips to the shelter for supplies. Where are you with your provisions?"
"I'm good for today. It sounds like you have me covered for tomorrow as well."
Lana nodded, "keep me posted so we can make sure you're good. Not going back to the shelter will impact you more than the rest."
Blaine walked in just as they separated and he stopped short. Lana noticed the expression on his face and looked at Chekof. She quietly asked him, "does he know your secret?"
He shook his head.
"You need to tell him. Right now. He's going to think something else is happening."
Chekof looked at her incredulously then started laughing. She rolled her eyes as Blaine's expression said he didn't have any idea what to believe but he was not good with her being so close to Chekof.
Lana put her finger to her lips for Blaine to be quiet and motioned for him to come closer.
"Is…something going on?" he asked.
Lana smiled but looked toward the door. Star was standing just outside where she couldn't be seen but the tree told her she was there. She pointed to the doorway and did the hand motion he would use when putting in stone and he did so. Since it was just the three of them in there, they could talk freely now.
"Chekof, are you okay with him knowing your secret?"
Chekof took a deep breath, "not yet. Sorry Blaine but some things are best kept to yourself."
"Let me guess, Little Miss Smarty-Pants figured out your secrets too?" he chuckled.
Chekof replied, "that she did. I didn't know she got you as well."
To Blaine, "we were discussing his dietary habits. You know how he eats a lot of meat back at the base?"
Blaine nodded, "he certainly is a carnivore."
Lana nodded, "I knew he'd bring food for himself and we brought extra meat as well. I was trying to gauge when we'd need to go to the shelter to restock. Since no one knows things…. I decided to ask him about it in private."
"So … you're not interested in him?"
Lana chuckled.
"Blaine," Chekof spoke up, "I'm married."
Blaine's expression went from suspicious to shocked.
"My interest in Lana is purely that she is a good person who didn't deserve what happened to her. I want to help her get justice. Which also means she needs to trust me enough to tell me what happened," Chekof said
Lana looked at him sadly. "I'm not there yet. Just give it time, okay?"
Chekof nodded.
"In that case," Blaine sat on the bed and pulled her in his lap and kissed her. She kissed him back but informed him dinner still needed to happen.
"Star's a problem," Blaine said.
"Yes, but not your problem. We got this." Lana replied.
"We no longer have my problem or your problem. They are now our problems," Blaine said firmly.
Chekof was intrigued, "what's going on?"
"Kattie and I are trying to record as much of her actions as we can as evidence. The school doesn't take kindly to her kinds of actions. Though the bad people might."
Chekof smiled. "Add my watch to the fray from now on."
"Mine as well," Blaine said.
With a quick kiss, Blaine opened the tree back up
She got to work growing food for dinner. Her team and Blaine wanted to help but there wasn't enough room in there for all those people. Rene even came in, feeling both teams needed to contribute. Star leaned against the wall telling them servants work suited all of them, except Blaine, just fine. Kattie enjoyed it because it was more recordings.
Lana asked Dobin, Alto and Almin to go spend time with the other guys.
"Why is Blaine staying in here then?" Dobin asked.
"He wants to learn. You guys already learned this part." Dobin accepted Lana's response though he didn't fully believe it.
Kattie and Rene chose to do the cooking. Kattie had learned enough by helping Lana and Rene was taught how to cook by her mother.
"Let's have some strawberries as a treat!" She touched the ground a few times and grew several plants and started harvesting. She also set the record on her watch while she had it under a few leaves.
"I'll help! I love strawberries!" Blaine had kneeled on the ground and was helping her pick. Star went to his other side and started picking. She offered one to Blaine.
"Come one, open up! It was just grown, it's not poison. Look!" She threw it in her mouth and was shocked by how good it was. When she was done savoring it, "see, it's really good. Just give it a try."
"I told you to stay away from me. Why are you next to me?" he asked.
"Because I know if you spend time with me. You'll fall in love with me. I'm a very talented girl from a very powerful family. Our families would be great together. You shouldn't be hob-nobbing with an orphan. It's a serious offense in our circles."
Blaine looked her in the eye, "what do you think you know about my family and it's station in this world?"
"Well, you're an original, clearly your family is powerful. Maybe not as powerful as mine but it's still okay."
Blaine laughed, "what did your family do during the Walker War?"
She looked shocked by the question. Her family used telekinesis. While they taught it to a lot of people, they used the war to grow their family and send those that were lesser than them to fight in their stead.
"My family owns many factories that produce the equipment the military needs. Many of our family use our ability to expedite production by moving heavy things rather than having to use machines. It reduces costs and makes it easier on everyone."
Blaine glared at her, "my family fought ten walkers," her eyes went wide, "by ourselves. We lost family members when they destroyed the continent. We are not the same. My family certainly doesn't appreciate people who refuse to stand on their own two feet. Laziness is not tolerated. On top of that, only an idiot would wear an entire bottle of perfume in a danger zone! You lack manners, etiquette, common sense, intelligence, fortitude, and independence. My family would eat you for breakfast then demand more food that is properly sustaining."
Blaine gritted his teeth, "I will tell you one more time. Stay. Away. From. Me."
"Would she," Star pointed at Lana, "be accepted?"
"No. Because she is an orphan. However, she has all the other qualities that are required. We have even given thought to pretending to date to keep skanks like you away from me. I'm tired of the sexual harassment."
Star got up and left the room. They both touched their watch.
Lana smiled and held out a strawberry for him and he opened his mouth, gladly taking it from her.
Soon dinner was done and everyone was eating. Lana put a bowl of strawberries at each end of the table and sat down between Dobin and Blaine. The dishes were eventually cleared and Almin and Alto washed them. Soon, the sun was going down. Lana warned them of last call for the bathroom before she put them in the tree and it was locked down. She and Blaine went to their room, the tree now in what she called "sentry mode".
Lana pulled out her snow globe and set it near the bed. She then hit a button at the bottom of the bedroll. The bottom inflated about 4 inches high providing more padding.
Blaine put his hand on the ground and hardened it so dirt would not track into the bed. He chuckled when he saw her. "You could have done that earlier…"
She smiled, "well, someone was pretending to be drugged so I needed to be quick."
He laughed and stood up. He put his arms around her, "are you tired?"
"A little. I was going to remove excess clothing and climb in bed."
"Do you want me to sleep on the floor?"
She laughed, "don't be ridiculous. Come to bed when you're ready." She already had one boot off and was working on the other. She wore her military PT gear under her uniform and was planning on that for sleep wear while here. Blaine watched her take off the outer portion of her uniform, hoping it wouldn't make her uncomfortable but he wanted to enjoy the show.
After she climbed into bed, he gave her the same show, only he took off his PT shirt as well. She couldn't quit staring at his chest.
**********************************
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