Rampant

Chapter 6: Alaska

"That's right. We need to evaluate your skills Alaska." The director had an evil look in his eyes as he gestured for me to follow

"I thought I was just going to train to be a marine..." I said. Wasn't this the UNSC?

"No. We are the freelancers. An entirely different thing from the UNSC." The director explained. Something about the way he said UNSC wasn't right.

The director led me into a large room. On one side of the room was another smaller room, separated by glass. A large screen was on the back wall along with many buttons.

"Phillis! Start evaluation" the director yelled to no one in particular.

A female robot voice answered.
"Starting evaluation. 5 areas are to be tested. Speed/Agility, Strength, Endurance, Accuracy, and Problem solving. Simulation starts in 3, 2, 1"

The lights dimmed; the simulation was starting. Green gridded holographic shapes rose from the floor and materialized. It looked like a playground, one I played on as a child. There were monkey bars, and steps that spiraled upwards. Way at the top was a platform, I assumed that was the ending place.

Objects started to move, spinning and pushing, they made horrendous squeaking noises that made my fingers curl into a fist. I looked closer. There were blades. Actual sharp blades and spiked clubs. What was I supposed to do?

"Stage one: Speed and Agility. Weave and dodge through the weapons of this course. Finish it in the least amount of time possible with all means necessary. Your time starts in 5 seconds." Phyllis's artificial voice rung in my ears.

The other freelancers gathered in the control room. And in the middle of them was the director. Quickly I made a path I would take through this corse. With all means necessary implied, there weren't rules. This would be easy.

A beep sounded, signaling my start. Up the stairs I went, skipping a few for a faster time. I slid under a fence and then over one easily. But behind it was a vertical chain. I had to climb up it. I grabbed on to it, and used the wall to support some of my weight. If the whole corse was this easy, I could breeze through it.

Just as I ended that thought, I turned around to see spiked clubs being swung around violently. While thinking of a way to get through, I heard a large smack and the sound of steel bending. Two of the clubs had smashed together. One was still functioning, but stuck behind another one that had been hit. The steel bent at the robotic arm that had been moving it.

Quickly, I twisted the arm of the club until it finally gave way and I grabbed it. But to my mistake, I had forgotten about the stuck club. Without the other club holding it back, it swung forward with double the speed and connected to my gut. I flew backwards with a small cry. The world was spinning but I got up with the broken club still in hand.

An obvious idea came to me. The blobs were swinging parallel to the ground leaving about a foot gap. I could just go under. I dropped to my stomach and pushed with my feet and slunk through the corridor. I got up and looked up. I was no where near close. This course was designed to take hours! Frustrated, I stomped my feet like a little kid having a tantrum. I turned around to see what was waiting next. A knife flew right past my helmet creating a sound that made my heartbeat quicken. One step closer and I would be food for the Covenant.

A long hallway stretched in front of me. Curved knifes were being shot and stuck to opposite wall. They weren't trying to kill me, or at least I hoped. I swung my club at a knife and hit it out of the air. If I just swung fast enough, I could make it out. I walked backwards and sprinted into the hallway swinging my bat. A knife clipped me on the side of my neck but finally I got out. Blood dripped from my neck onto the floor that left a trail.

Knives stuck out from my club, making a more deadly weapon. I looked back and saw the knives buried in the wall which gave me a devilish idea. It was at last resort, so basically I could cheat. I grabbed two curved knives and dug them into the opposite wall. Since the pathways had no barriers or walls, I could see all the things I had past.

I jumped off the edge of the pathway and hung off the two knives in the wall. I took one out and put it higher and pulled myself up and did the same with the other. I kept climbing myself up with the knives. Now I was reaching the platform at a much faster rate.

After about 20 minutes of climbing, I reached the platform. I scrambled up onto it and stood. Large green numbers flashed above me. 31:46 was my total time of completion.

"Even though this is the speed and agility corse, I can conclude statistics for strength, endurance, and problem solving as well. I could not calculate accuracy. ". Phillis' voice echoed.

The obstacle corse started to recede back into nothingness and delivered me safe to the ground.

"Speed/Agility: proficient. 9.5/10.
Strength: needs improvement. 4/10.
Problem Solving: 10/10. My computers did not even think of that option.
Endurance: average 5/10

Overall score is 28.5. Accuracy is next." Phillis ended as a 3 guns materialized in front of me and targets appeared on the opposite side. What should I choose.

Out of the Battle rifle, DMR, and the Assault rifle, I chose the DMR. This will be easy. Or not. The targets started to move back and forth at high speeds. I'd have to shoot a little in advance to hit them.

I nailed the first three shots, hit the fourth in the arm, and the fifth I completely missed.

"Shit" I whispered. I was out of ammo.
The targets slowed to a stop.

"4 targets hit out of five. Recommended weapon: Energy Katana" Phillis concluded.

"Energy katana? What the hell is that?" I heard South Dakota shout.

Two guards brought out two short grips, it looked like. They handed them to me. I slowly took them from the guards hands and held them. Without warning, two blue fluorescent blades shot out, tearing right through one of the guards arms. I could hear the flesh melt as I retracted the blade.

I cringed as the guard wailed and fell to the floor. The other guard backed up slowly with fear glittering in his eyes.

"Why aren't the medics down here! Medic!!" I screamed. The director looked at me with a cold stare.

"You have to pay for your mistakes here" he growled.

The guard was still on the ground. It looked as his skin was boiling. The blood from the entry and exit wound was bubbling and fizzing. What kind of weapon did they give me?!

I knew what I had to do. I carefully picked up the guard and walked out. Where was the infirmary? I couldn't find it so I decided to use my dorm. I cleared everything off my bed and laid the guard down. Blood spilled onto my sheets as the guard writhed in pain.

I pulled out a first aid kit from under my bed. Quickly I grabbed the hydrogen peroxide and poured in on the wound as I held the guard down. The guard screamed and kicked in pure agony. I rummaged through the bag for a needle and thread. I found it by the needle piercing my finger.

"Shit" I whispered.

I threaded the needle through the wound. And neatly sewed the hole up at the cost of my now bloodied hands and sheets. I tied the knot and flipped the guard over who was now half conscious due to the pain. I sewed the exit wound up and gave him a shot of lidocaine. I bound the arm tightly and rested the guard on his back. He was unconscious.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me and I fell asleep kneeling next to the bed.