It was simply a nice day. That’s all it was. It was sunny and a light breeze would cool you down from the sun’s heat. I was walking from school back to my temporary home. They didn’t have enough houses and such and some had to live in large hotel like places. I pushed the doors open (this place was so old that the doors didn’t have motion sensors on them!)and went to the elevator, pressing the second floor button on the touch screen pad inside (at least they had updated that). 

I waited silently holding my book bag close to my side, the old outdated music playing getting on my nerves. Eventually, there was a soft ding signaling that the lift had reached the second floor. The metal doors pulled open slowly and I stepped out into the dimly lit hall. I strode down the hall until reaching room 107. I pressed my key card to the doorknob and the door opened. My messy room had scattered chip bags, soda cans, and crumpled up paper. I carefully stepped over the pieces of trash lying among the ground to my desk. I took out my HOLOtablet from my book bag.  It was pretty old, but when you’re living in the Reconstruction, you can’t afford the newer versions. As soon as I placed it on the desk it turned on, and I said clearly, 

“Criminal justice homework.” The tablet instantly went to my homework. Mrs. Thread had given us a lot of homework today. I tried to finish as quick as possible, so I could do something fun. I finished my homework in about forty-five minutes and flipped on the old LED tv at the front of the room. 

“WWBC,” I told the television. It took about 30 seconds for it to load, but soon enough the channel changed to the World Wide Broadcasting Channel. The news made me jump off the sofa. On it was a picture of a Reconstruction tent set ablaze. The headlines read, ATTACK AT RECONSTRUCTION SITE IN AMERICA. The news turned over to a woman and she further announced the news. 

“At a Reconstruction Site down in America, eighty-seven people were killed due to a sudden assault at the camp. The attacker is unknown, but most investigators are coming to a conclusion that it might be another attack from the group of terrorists known as The Horsemen. If The Horsemen are the ones responsible, then that would have been their fourth attack.” 

I grimaced at this. I had been so eager to get back home. Now it was delayed. I had been gone from America for almost eight years! This was ridiculous. How much longer would it take for the reconstruction to take?

I flipped off the tv once I heard knocking on the door. Ernest. He had been my “roommate” for these eight years and I was starting to get annoyed by him.

Ernest was a small guy, with large squared glasses, and his eyes were rather large for his small head. He had finally outgrown those old glasses and had a mop of dark brown hair on his head.

I opened the door, and Ernest stepped in looking he was out of breath.

“Have you heard the news?” Ernest gasped.

“I know, The Horsemen delayed the Reconstruction,” I said.

“They’re scary.”

“It’s ok,” I assured him. He shook his head and walked into the room.

“They need to stop The Horsemen!” he plopped himself onto the couch and stared at me. “I want to go home. Don’t you remember when I used to be your math tutor? After we studied, we hung out and played a little.”

“I know you want to go back home, but we’re not kids anymore.” I said, closing the door. “There’s no more fun for us. We’re almost on our second year of college.” However, I didn’t like the subject, so I started a new conversation. 

“How’s Finn?” I asked. Ernest had a class with him, Economical Evolution. 

“He’s seem to grown better, but I still think thought of her is still on his mind. He’s still grieving a little.” I stared at the floor and thought about what happened in Tokyo. That scene of her death had scarred me for life. Every once and awhile, I dreamed that we were at Barnsthustle Middle. In all of my dreams, we were playing soccer. Ava, Finn, she, and I were hanging out like we did as kids. I always felt so nostalgic about that. I still wasn’t satisfied with  the topic, so I changed it.

“Wyatt?”

“He still won’t talk to me,” Ernest said. “He’s kinda becomin’ a jerk.”

“He already was a jerk.”

“Sorta, I guess,” Ernest agreed.

Then, suddenly there was a knock the door. Ernest went and answered it. Secretary Saito was there, but he was older and his hair was more gray.

“Dylan Novachez,” He spoke.

“Secretary Saito?”

“Yes,” he said.

“I was told by the Prime Minister to invite you to his funeral once he had died, and…” The Secretary trailed off with a grim look on his face.

“He’s dead.”

The former Prime Minister of Japan. Dead?

“How?”

“He died at an attack in two months ago,” Secretary Saito said.

“Attacked by whom?” Ernest asked.

“A group of terrorists which you might have heard of. The Four Horsemen?”

Ernest and I nodded in unison.

“Where is it?”

“It’ s in Kinkaku-ji.”

“Oh well I don’t have enough money for a plane there.”

“We are supposed to bring you there,” said The Secretary. He spoke once more, “With Ernest Jefferson, Wyatt Alexander, Jacy Cohen, Ava Morgan, and Finn Adams.”

“Ernest and I can come,” I said. “I’ll check with the others.”

Secretary Saito nodded. “You will have until next Tuesday. Contact me a list of all that are going.” He pulled out his phone, and tapped it against mine, uploading his phone number (a new thing that had just come out on the latest phones).

The Secretary was about to leave, when Ernest asked, “do you know who The Hacker actually is? I’m just so curious. He doesn’t show his face like the others. We already know they are Frank Johnson, Francisco Bertrand, and Khari West, except the fourth one. He is so mysterious.” 

“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but the government of Japan has been trying to work it out and they have some suspects.” Sora spoke.

“Who are they?” The Secretary looked around as if someone was watching and walked into our room. He shut the door and locked it. He handed us some files of people. He pointed at one man on the papers

“This is Daniel Harrison. He is a male adult, nationality is American. Birth date is March 15, 2024. He is about 23 years old currently.”

“So he is about our age?”

“Yes, his height is about 1.8 meters. After two of the attacks, we tracked where the signal was, and Daniel was there, ” I picked up the files. This man had to be one of the Horsemen.

“Another suspect is Marius Raffin. His nationality is America. He was born June 24, 2027. He should be 20 years old currently. He is 1.9 meters. When the muffled voice was derived it sounded similar to his voice.”

“Last is Harry Chang,” Sora Saito said pulling forth, a file of an old Asian man. “His nationality is China. Birthdate is December 21, 2010. He is about 1.6 meters, and currently works for a company called Orbit. He works on coding their tech. His style is similar to that of The Hacker. However his voice is nowhere near the accent of the muffled voice.”

“Thanks,” said Ernest.

“No problem,” said Saito.

“Just don’t tell anyone. This is classified information.”

“Ok.”

Secretary Saito left.

“So...” I said trailing off.

“Let’s go get the old gang back together,” Ernest said grinning, wide.