“Well…” Armaan started. “I think I need some training.”
“Ah! Then you’ve come to the right place!” The Russian fighter walked to the back of the room and grabbed two wooden training poles. He threw one at the boy and Armaan scrambled to catch it. “Give me your best shot.”
Armaan glanced at the man’s bulging arms, dragon tattoo, and military style haircut and started to wonder if this was a good idea. “Shouldn’t we start with the easy stuff?” he asked.
“This is easy!” Lionell answered with a rumbling laugh. “Go ahead! You won’t hurt me.”
Armaan was more worried about himself than this large man before him. But he couldn’t let that stop him. He had to get into the HIA, one way or another. He lifted his pole, tightening his grip on it. Then he dived at the man.
****************
Laura smiled. She knew Kalyia would be able to make it through the first few rounds. Kalyia was extremely smart, just like Jace, and had dodged everything that had been thrown at her. She’d danced around the mines, jumped over the trap lines, dodged the missiles, and had even made it out through a maze of laser sensors eight feet long without touching a single one of them. Laura had to hand it to her. This girl was good.
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Katie was relieved to hear that the agents had been found, even though she was still unhappy that she hadn’t been there for it. She was also relieved to hear that she was going to be released form her mission in Tanzania. So far she had stopped two smugglers from illegal animal hunting, and had even tracked down a forty-foot smuggling ship with live monkeys on it. She’d helped save a crippled lion and had unsuccessfully tried to ride a zebra. She had to admit it was a lot of fun in Tanzania, especially with all the little native children trying to touch her hair, but she couldn’t wait to go back home.
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"Hiaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!" Armaan shouted, raising his stick and bringing it down on Lionell. Lionell blocked it with ease and knocked the stick out of Armaan's hand. He threw it back at him.
"Try again." Lionell instructed. Armaan kept going until he was worn through.
"Come again tomorrow at 12:30." Lionell commanded. Armaan nodded and left the room, exhausted.
****************
"You've made it to the last test. Choose your weapon." Laura instructed Kalyia. Kalyia looked through the weapon rack and chose the sword. Laura picked up the other one and commanded," Begin."
Kalyia yelled and began to fight Laura. Laura blocked her attacks with ease, and then started to attack her. Kalyia was obviously having troubles. She was worn out by the other tests and couldn't keep going for much longer. She then thought of what kind of life she had if she didn't pass this test. Laura saw the change in her eyes and warned,
"Remember, this is a wound, not maim or kill test." Kalyia couldn't tell if she was warning her or if she was simply frightened.
"What would happen if I accidentally hurt you too much?" she asked.
"You won't. I just saw the hatred in your eyes. That could be your greatest downfall."
Is she trying to teach me? Kalyia asked herself. She hadn’t even passed these tests, and it already seemed Laura had begun the training. "Ok, what happens if I pass?" she questioned.
"You become my trainee, and I will train you. You will have to come with me to all of my missions." Laura replied. They were clashing their swords together.
"You seem like a nice person. I would like to be your trainee."
"Then let that be your motive to defeat me."
They fought some more. The crowd was extremely entertained.
"I think that I recognize you from somewhere. Could you unveil the mystery for me?"
"Of course. I was the female that your group had kidnapped."
Kalyia dropped her mouth wide open, nearly dropping her sword. "What?" She was momentarily stunned. This was one of the agents she kidnapped? Why was she so willing to help?
Laura brought down her sword and Kalyia had to act quickly to repel it.
"Yeah, your boss sort of tried to make me talk through different types of pain. Don't worry; it's not your fault. I'm sure that there's an explanation from you of some sort."
Kalyia almost couldn't believe what this girl was saying. "Whatever I did to help them torture you or prevent your escape, I am truly sorry. I never wanted to be in that agency anyway. If I manage to beat you, I'll tell you more about it, but I don't think that I'll be able to," Kalyia apologized. Laura stopped her attack in midair, then lowered her sword and proclaimed to the audience,
"I yield to the prisoner. She will be my trainee for one year."
The crowd half cheered and half booed at Laura. This was the second time in a row that this had happened. Laura ignored them, throwing away the sword and offering her right hand to Kalyia. Kalyia put her sword down and shook it.
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"Hey you guys, I'm back!" Katie called to her friends sitting at a table.
They jumped up and gave her a large group hug and dragged her to the table that they were sitting at to tell her everything that had happened while she was gone.
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