"Squadron alpha, status?"
"Clear here, commander Iparis."
"Elector entering in minus five."
"Squadron Omega, ready?"
"Ready."
I'm watching my squadrons through my binoculars. Everything has to be in order, especially today
"Smith, you're not in position," I say. "Move two feet to east."
"I'm sorry, Commander."
"I won't be this nice next time," I warn.
"A laugh breaks into our connection."Don't be so hard with Smith, June. And weren't you even being nice?" Anden asks.
"Don't laugh, sir," I respond, using sir just to bother him back. "It's your life we're talking about."
"Are you trying to bother me before my most important meeting of the year?"
"You started, Anden." He goes off the car. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm relaxed." He looks up in my direction.
"Glad to hear." I nod to him and he nods back. "Good luck," I wish.
"Thank you," he says and then moves with the guards that form a circle around him. He enters the building without problems.
"Good job, team," I say in the auricular. "Alpha y Beta squadrons, you've got a twenty minute break. Omega, you maintain your place."
I hear them say clear.
"Lee, I'm going down there." I handle her my binoculars.
"I don't think you will be able to," she says.
"Why?" I ask frowning. She points behind me and Daniel is walking towards me with an easy smile. He nods politely. "Daniel, you know that today…"
"I know, sweetheart," he interrupts. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't really important."
"Is everything okay?" Now I'm worried.
"The twins," he says. I hold my breath. "They're alright!" After he stated that, I'm breathing again. "But they are expelled. They want us to go there."
"I can't, Daniel."
"Look," he starts and sounds so decided. "You went to that university and I don't know what in the goddy hell you have to do with those people. So you're coming with me."
I sigh. I knew he wouldn't go there without me. Things didn't turn out well the last time he went because the twins got in trouble: The secretary went all flirty with him, and the director wasn't really happy when Daniel said that sneaking out "wasn't a big deal" and that they "caught them anyway." Plus, he literally told the woman that "maybe the school wasn't that if the kids were bored and escaped successfully."
I support him on everything he says, but you just can't tell that people those things in their faces.
"Thirty minutes," I say. "Elizabeth," I call but she's ready. This happens more often that I'd like to admit.
She nods. "Keep an eye. Call you immediately if something happens."
"Daniel grabs my hand and we hurry downstairs to reach his jeep. "Don't be mad at them," he says opening the door for me.
"I'm not mad," I say once he's in his place. "It's just…" I sigh and he turns on the car. "I told them not to get in trouble just for today, was it that hard?"
"Look who are those parent's kids, sweetheart." He's smirking. "You can't ask for too much."
"While they don't get involved in a war, I'm okay," I whisper and Daniel laughs.
"They won't."
"Drake hasn't changed that much. They had to do some reparations on buildings after the war, but if you didn't know that, you wouldn't even imagine that those weren't the original buildings.
The twins are sitting outside the dean's secretary office. Metias hits John on the ribs and he looks up immediately.
This is how it works: They both get a brilliant idea. Then, after doing it and noticing they might be in trouble, John is the one who gives you the explanations and a puppy face, and when he's losing the fight, Metias gets in to support him.
"Mom, I'm sorry," says John and when I look down, for the first time in years, I don't see the puppy face. He's truly sorry.
"Mom, I'm sorry too! I thought they wouldn't notice," Metias says.
"We'll talk about it later, kids. Mom has to go fast so give her your stories later."
"Dad, we're really sorry!" John says.
"She's waiting for you," the secretary says. She doesn't even look up when I come here. Daniel puts his hand on my back. "Let's do this fast."
I open the door and the head looks so done that I already want to apologize.
"Please, sit," she invites us politely.
We sit.
"I know you must be in a hurry, so I'm going to do this fast."
I nod, saying thank you in this way.
"The twins escaped their classes, again. And like it wasn't enough, they climbed the tower."
"What tower, ma'am?" Daniel asks frowning. I immediately know which tower it is.
She clears her throat. "It's known as the 'Iparis tower' because your wife did something similar, sir."
Daniel chuckles and gives me an amazed look. I put my hand on his thigh, and he stops. Is our signal, or something like that.
"How many days?" I ask.
"Two weeks," she responds almost smiling.
I close my eyes.
"And please, tell your kids that being bored and wanting to break our mom's record isn't an excuse to do such dangerous things in front of the community of students."
Daniel snorts. I'm pretty sure we're thinking the same. Is not our fault that the kids are popular and the students cheer every stupid thing they do.
"I'm sorry," I decide to say, so we can go soon. "It won't happen again." And again I'm telling this lie.
When we leave Drake, the twins are silent. I am too.
Daniel decides to speak up. "Guys, you're about to turn fifteen years old soon, if you don't remember. I think it's time to calm down."
"But at that age, you and mom were fighting a war!" John says.
"It was when they were seventeen," Metias corrects him. "At fifteen they met. Did you ever read the textbook?"
"Kids," Daniel uses his warning tone. "I'm serious."
"Sorry," they same at the same time.
When we're in the car and Daniel turns it on, I look up the mirror and I recognize those expressions immediately. I remember doing the same when I did this exactly same thing.
Poor Metias. Now I understand how worried he was, and I'm paying it for two. I guess I deserve it.I know this kids know how to do this kind of stuff. They were climbing trees with Daniel before they could even speak, but my heart hurts with the idea of them getting hurt.
I can't be angry, not even when they pull me away of my work in such an important day. I understand the feeling when your classes aren't enough and you feel frustrated because you can do more.
I turn in my seat. They both immediately sit straight.
"So tell me," I say, remembering Metias words. "How fast did you guys climb those fourteen stories?"

guest: thank you for telling me about the problem, i don't know what happened but i guess i fixed it? (i hope)