Unit 15

Jack

Today we went back to the arena. I seems like we spent out whole lives in it. But today was different. I could feel it.

When we got in the arena, the trainers let us do whatever exercise we wanted to for a half an hour. I chose to fly. With a mighty flap of my wings, I took off. I soared in circles in the arena, the breeze blowing my hair back. I flew around for a bit before going over the center of the arena and turning so my back was facing the ground. I lay in the air, flapping my wings every so often to keep me up. I smiled as I let the sun warm my body. It felt good after the cold training days.

I looked up, out of the glass roof of the arena. The sky was blue with few clouds floating across the sky. I wish I was out there, soaring in the sky and not limited to the glass dome of the arena and the room where we spent our mornings and nights in.

As I looked up at the sky, I saw something I haven't seen in a long time. A helicopter! I casually made myself go higher until I couldn't go any higher without moving my position. I watched the helicopter fly past with interest.

"Why is that helicopter flying so low?" I mumbled as I noticed how low it was.

Before I could study it any longer, X'zaver sent me a mind message. "The trainers want you back." He said.

With a sigh, I turned and dove to where my friends were in the field at the edge of the arena. Once I was starting to get close, I spread my wings, flying up a few feet due to the wind. I then flew to the ground, landing without a sound.

"Today we will work on combat based on your abilities." Drake explained. "I brought a couple more soldiers to work with each of you individually."

It was after he said that I noticed the soldiers behind him. There was a total of 8 extra soldiers, one for each of us. The twins had one soldier to work with, not two. On Drake's command, the soldiers walked toward us and led us in separate ways. My soldier was a guy with tan skin, long brown hair, and green eyes.

We walked to the front of the arena where I saw a small boat like thing with a flat bottom sitting near the door. The soldier, who's name is Tyler, got in the boat thing and turned it on. Once the engine started, it started floating.

"Come on." Tyler ordered, making the hover boat go up.

I flew up with him to above the trees. Tyler called me over to the hover boat, where he gave me a black metal bow and a black quiver. The quiver held 15 metal arrows. I put the quiver on my back, between my wings and held the bow. Tyler said that I can keep the weapon.

"Do you know how to use a bow?" Tyler asked.

"Yea. I spent every weekend hunting with a bow before I came here." I answered.

"Then you must be good with one." Tyler observed.

"I am. I entered competitions and either got first or second every time." I agreed.

"A little extra practice won't hurt then." Tyler said.

We then spent the rest of the morning practicing with my bow. I learned that there was a button near the top and if I pressed it, the bow became a staff with the string going inside the body of the bow. We then went back to the ground for lunch. The helicopter that I saw earlier hovered just out of war shot above the arena. I didn't say anything about it.

We ate lunch by the river. The soldiers on one side and my friends and I on the other. The helicopter still didn't leave. I wonder why.

I got my answer soon enough. While I was training after lunch, I heard a thud on the roof and looked up. Right as I did, the glass at the top shattered and I flew under the hover boat before glass could reach me. A second later, I heard something land in the hover boat, causing the boat to go down a foot before going back up. I got out from under the boat, loading an arrow in my bow. I saw a guy in all black holding Tyler in a choke hold.

"Let him go." I ordered.

Before I could hear the guy in black answer, a net came down, landing on me. I tried to get out but the more I tried to escape, the more entangled the net became with my wings. I started to fall. Before I could fall far, something caught me. I looked up and saw another guy in black had caught the net and attach a hook onto the net.

"Jack, Gene, Ryan! Anyone help!" I called, trying to grab an arrow to cut the ropes loose.

Before I could great an arrow, I felt myself being lifted up. I tried even more frantically to get myself untangled. But it was no use. I saw myself rise above the glass dome and I tried to grab at the glass to break a piece off. But I couldn't get a grip. I got myself a couple cuts on my hand because of that.

I was then lifted into the helicopter and the floor closed underneath me, blocking out my vision of the arena, my home, and my friends who have become as close as family sense we met.

'What are these people going to do with me?' I thought. 'And when will I get to see my friends again?'