One Of Them

Chapter 13

~Sabina~

The past week has been the most intense week of my life. Now I just have a few more days left of testing and then hopefully I'll become a full-fledged IE member.

"You are late," Bruno explains when I enter the training room.

"Sorry, I couldn't find my sneakers."

"Yeah, they all say that. Now take the weapon of your choice." He gestures to the weapon stack.

Walking up to the weapons, I trail my finger along the gleaming seax's blade.

"Good choice." Bruno smiles. A rare treat.

He leads me through an automatic glass door into a boxed-shaped room. "Today you'll be doing something that I guess is similar to a simulation." He hands me a pair of shades and I put them on. "Your task is simple. Cut down those that are charging at you using the weapon you chose."

I nod.

"Good on the count of 3. 1-2-3."

And let the next test begin.

I stand still, waiting for the first black form shaped like a man to attack. He charges at me, his axe raised above his head. The past few weeks of training takes hold of me and I quickly duck, swinging the seax at his legs, cutting him down.

One up.

Next, I find myself facing three opponents. Three! The first one attacks and I cut him down with a stab to the chest. The two remaining men charge together. I jump to the right, slicing at the man rushing by. He falls to the floor and I stab him in the heart. I can sense the other man right behind me. Pivoting on my heels, I face him. His colorless eyes widen as I sink my sword deep into his abdomen. The man fades away in many little pixels.

"Great job," Bruno says, removing the glasses from my face. "You really have improved over the past week."

"I've been practicing on my own," I admit.

"Well, it isn't in vain," he says, taking the seax from me.

"Yeah, my hand still hurts from last night's practice session."

He laughs. "Go Sabina, you're done for the day."

"Thank you, master." I give him a little smirk before walking off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Isn't this dinner just divine." Alex slides onto the bench beside me, her tray piled with plates in small portions of all the food the kitchen is serving tonight.

"Yup," I say through a mouth full of meatballs. "Finally something decent."

She nods, starting on the salad before her. "So how's your testing coming along?"

"Ok, I guess."

"That's good."

"Hmm."

I twirl the spaghetti around my fork, while I watch Ashton make his way to the boys' table. He glances in my direction and I look down at my food.

"Is everything alright between you and Ashton?"

I don't look at Alex as I reply, "Yeah, I don't think he's too happy though with me becoming his teammate soon."

She snorts. "He'll get over it eventually. Don't worry."

"I hope so," I say as I scratch at my elbow.

"I promise he will since his new teammate sure knows how to kick some butt."

I laugh at that. "You're too kind."

"I know." She smirks.

I shove Alex in the side just as Ezra and Sam wave me over.

"Uh oh, what do you think this is about? Should I go?"

"Obviously. You don't want to keep the men waiting." She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I roll my eyes at her, but still listen.

"What?" I ask Ezra as I approach him.

He smiles. "I just wanted to tell you that we are having a party tonight on the roof and well you're invited."

"Oh," I exclaim stupidly. "Uh, thanks."

"Are you going to come?"

I look over at Sam. "Yeah, why not."

He grins at that. "Awesome. See you at nine."

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"Don't tell me you plan on going in that?" Alex eyes me.

I look down at my gray tee and jeans. "Yeah, why?"

"Because it's a party, not training."

"So it's only us. There's no point in getting all dressed up."

"She's right," Ashton says, sauntering into the room, "since she won't be attending any party."

I stare at him. "What do you mean?"

"Follow me and I'll tell you." He motions for me to walk with him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ashton~

This time I'm seriously going to kill Ethan Mayor and I'm going to make sure his death is painful. Extremely so.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?

I glance over at Sabina, who's doing a great job this time around at keeping up with my quick pace.

I don't want to tell her what just occurred in Ethan's office.

"Ash please take a seat."

"You should know by now Ethan that I don't like to sit."

"Fine stand. I don't care."

So I did. I stood throughout the entire argument.

"Do you know why you're here tonight?"

I stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Humor me."

He didn't crack a smile this time. "I have a mission for you."

I stood straighter. "Ok and what are the details."

"I can't share them with you until you get your new teammate, Sabina."

My mouth dropped open. "You have to be kidding me. She hasn't finished testing yet. How can you send her on a mission?"

"Because I believe she's ready."

"Ready? Ready?!" I shouted. "You're going to be sending the girl to her death."

"Is that what you really believe Ash? Tell me how accurate was her shot back in the simulation?" He watched me with a raised eyebrow.

"That wasn't real."

"How accurate was it?" He repeated.

I sighed, defeated. "One hundred percent."

"So you see she has potential and that's why I believe she's ready. Plus this mission shouldn't be that tough, hopefully."

I grinded my teeth together, fuming and knowing that he had a point. Sabina might actually be ready to go on her first simple mission.

"Soo?"

My eyes lock on Sabina's. "Congratulations. You'll be going on your first mission."

Her eyes widen. "Is this a joke?"

"I wish," I mumble as I lead her to Ethan's office.