[October/November – 5 months later]
“Again!” I shout picking my sorry ass up off the ground. Mina and Lillian both come at me with pure hatred in their eyes. We’ve been at this for hours, but I can’t seem to figure out how to get through the two of them.
We have progressed through training to the point where we are each given secret instructions by a leader and we have to follow through with our objective while also trying to figure out and stop our opponent, or in my case opponents, from completing their task. I moved onto multiple opponents a few weeks ago when I was able to subdue Warrior Nickolas and complete my task.
I’m not the only one, but I was the first. Ever since the attack at the beginning of the summer I have been more focused on training. I never want to be the weak link again. I could have died because I wasn’t paying attention just hanging out with my friends.
Lil and Mina won’t let me just hole up in my room or the study room when we aren’t training, much to my annoyance at first. It was so bad at one poin that they got permission to bring Sierra to the compound to ‘talk’ me out of acting stupid. I say talk loosely, because she dragged me outside and proceeded to kick my ass until I pulled my head out and started fighting back. Then she brought the other girls in and it was three on one. We spared until we were all on the ground laughing and Sierra reminded me that I needed this too. I need friends and to relax so when I do fight my head is fresh and clear.
“Seriously?! I don’t think I have a body part that doesn’t hurt right now.” Lil whines at me. “You do realize that training ended an hour ago right?” “And we have been doing this exercise for four hours.” Mina chimes in. They are trying to distract me so they can either get past me to just get a break. I’m thinking it’s the latter.
“I want to figure this out.” I say a bit whiny to my own ears. “I don’t like leaving things unfinished. And besides, if we are in a fight like this, our attacker isn’t going to give us a break, no matter how long we’ve been fighting.”
“We don’t have to leave this unfinished, just on pause. We both have homework and we all need to eat. There is no point in getting injured in training because you don’t know when to stop. We also have to meet with Warrior Brogen and Warrior Nickolas in twenty minutes. You know they will both be pissed if we are late. Even if it was to complete this crazy ass battle assignment.” Mina says looking at her phone. I hadn’t even noticed she walked away from us.
“Fine.” I grumble as I walk over to where our stuff is. “Let’s go shower and change, then we can grab something to eat on the way to their offices.” We were ready in record time and arrived at the building that housed all of our trainers. I discovered it a few weeks after getting here. It’s set on the opposite side of the obstacle training grounds, so you would never see it unless you are like me and need to understand your surroundings completely. Which means being nosey and wandering around getting a lay of the land. On the outside it looks the same as our building, modern white and black and very grand. The inside is all dark wood and cabin feeling. It is so much more homey than the utilitarian style we have. But that does make sense since most of these trainers live here full time, unless they are on assignment.
We walk into the entryway and ring the bell, signaling our arrival. No trainee is allowed past this room without an escort. It’s the one way they keep a solid line between their personal and professional lives.
