Imperfect (on hold)

Training 2.0

"Welcome to Training 2.0!" Kelly chirps cheerfully. "In other words, training with-"

"Kelly!" I bark, striding in. "I think they get it."

Everybody turns around to look at me. If being late becomes a habit, you get kicked out. And how ironic is it that the Head is late? But I blame it on MA. If he hadn't decided to drive by in that crappy old taxi of his, then try to steal my purse, then beg me to let him become an initiate, this would've never happened. So it was really all his fault.

"Everybody grab a gun." I instruct.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, a metal tray containing thirty guns slides out of the wall. They are ordered from the best quality, to the worst quality. The first one there will obviously get the best; the last will have to settle for whatever crappy gun remains. Some days, when we are short people, or have too many, some will have more than one gun, or one will be left as the target. Though fair is fair, and nobody is allowed to take more than one gun if there is an even number of students and guns. The punishment for that is playing target practice for the day.

Today the first turns out to be Lisel, the best girl in our group. In the opinions of everybody's but mine. In my opinion, she is too rash and proud. She knows how to shoot a gun accurately, but she's doesn't know where, when, or who to shoot to gun at. Someone's missing today, so she's managed to get two.

The last one is Angeline. Who is surprisingly valuable. She's much, much, much smarter than Lisel. The only problem is, she's got no reflexes. That and she thinks too much. Especially in heated situations.

Apparently, she's got the fastest record for our BI sim. or the break in sim. In it, you've got to break into a car, drive it to an official house, break through their door, find a computer or database, and hack into that. Then you've got the get the information and get out if there before someone catches you. Surprise surprise, Lisel came in last. She couldn't break into the car, so she smashed the door open, and did the same with the house. And so obviously, someone came running and she was discovered.

Angeline on the other hand, finished quickly enough to have some one-on-one time with Darrel, one of our trainers. In fact sometimes, I wonder if she pretends to be slow so she can get help from him. He's got one of those faces that girls swoon over and she's no ugly duckling. And by the way they act around each other, there's definitely something going in between the two. Even if it isn't allowed for trainers to have relationships with initiates, and she is three years his junior. But I don't care about those things nearly as much as Chastity. As long as you get the job done, really? Who gives a shit about your love life?

"Today we're doing something a bit different. Everybody grab a partner."

They all scramble around to be with one of their friends and per usual, Angeline is left out. Not because no one wants to partner with her, but because she doesn't want to partner with them. And it's because Kelly never participates, and neither do I. Which leaves Darrel. In some ways, Angeline reminds me of a fox. Sly, cunning, and charming.

"Today we're going to test bravery and accuracy." I say. "One of you will stand behind the target, while the other takes a shot. Alternate around. The group that gets the most shots in can skip warm-up."

Angeline looks giddy with delight. With Darrel as her partner, there's no way she'll get hit. Though there's no guarantee she won't hit him. Fortunately, no one's died yet, but we've had a lot of injuries.

I watch Angeline pick her awkward little gun up and Darrel select his from locked cabinet. We never give trainers initiates guns. Darrel goes to stand behind the target first and nods encouragingly at Angeline. With surprisingly accuracy, she one-handedly fires the shot right above his head. She grins and blushes as she accepts his praise and goes to stand by the target herself. I roll my eyes and move on.