The Modified (The Biotics Trilogy, #1) by C.A. Kunz Page A

jokingly while giving him a love tap on the shoulder.
    “Ready to go get some grub?” he asks, putting his arm around me.
    “Yep, I was actually just leaving to come get you. Hey, where’s the rest of the gang?”
    “I think they’re already there,” he replies.
    As we walk to the mess hall, it takes every fiber in my body to not tell Joey the truth about why we’re here. His constant talk about how cool it is that the two of us were chosen together makes it even harder.
    “I wonder what kind of food they serve here,” Joey says as we enter the crowded mess hall.
    Looking around the room I see all kinds of food on the tables. There’s yogurt, cereal, fruit, eggs, bagels, different juices—a whole slew of options.
    “Grayson! You’ve got to check this out,” I hear Sam yell out to me as we make our way over to our seating section.
    Landon is sitting six people down from Sam and his head pops up when she says my name. Our eyes meet and he mouths good morning . I mouth it back to him and smile shyly. Could he get any cuter? I mean, seriously. He has to have some major flaw, I tell myself.
    “Nothing, huh?” Sam asks, looking at me suspiciously with an eyebrow raised. I roll my eyes and take a seat. Joey nudges me and makes a kissy face, causing everyone in our immediate area to laugh. I shove Joey playfully and my eyes meet Landon’s again. He’s sitting there, foolishly grinning at me.
    “Anyway, like I was saying, you’ve got to check this out,” Sam states and then touches the menu button that is showing on the table. I notice everyone has one in front of them. A hologram of a menu, full of food options, pops up from the table, and Sam begins to flip through it to show me.
    “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Is that how we order our food?” I ask with wide eyes.
    “Yeah, and here’s the best part,” Geoffrey interjects as he presses on the picture of a bowl of cereal. The menu closes up and shrinks back into the table. A second later a male android is at our table section, setting down a bowl of cereal in front of Geoffrey and then proceeds to pour milk over it.
    “That’s insane,” Joey chimes in and brings up his menu.
    I look over and Caleb is sitting there with a smirk on his face while flipping through his menu. I wonder why he doesn’t talk much, I think to myself.
    “So Grayson, how’d you get your hair that way?” Sam asks, flipping my braid.
    “I told Galileo and he made it happen. I swear two seconds after I said I needed help, he had an android at my door.”
    “Too bad my AI isn’t as kick ass as yours. I think I got the cheap model or something. I had to put my hair up with this rubber band. I really need a braid. They’re harder to grab ’cuz it doesn’t swing free while fighting. Can you tell your AI to hook me up?”
    “I’m sure if yours can’t do it, Galileo would be happy…well, I don’t think he knows what happy is, but I think he’d be okay with it,” I say as I make my selection from the menu. Moments later, an android with my food places the tray in front of me.
    As I finish my oatmeal with blueberries, my bangle begins to ring. It reminds me of the tardy bell we had in high school. I hear the same chime ping from down the table. It’s Landon’s band. Then I begin to hear more bands ring around the room.
    Galileo appears, “Your introductory training session begins in fifteen minutes, Kenley. Please proceed to training room B. Your instructor will be waiting for you.”
    “See ya, Grayson.” Sam nudges my shoulder with hers, while Geoffrey waves sheepishly, and I get a nod from Caleb.
    “Good luck,” Joey says, placing his hand on my forearm as I get up to leave.
    “Thanks,” I reply, wishing at least one of them, even Caleb, was coming with me.
    Halfway to the door I hear my name being called from behind me. “Hey, Kenley, wait up. Think we could walk to class together?” Landon asks.
    How can I deny that face?“Sure, I’d like that.”
    Both of