Wild and Out of Control

|chapter twenty five|

"The Squad Battles are more important than the wingleaders will let on. They like to joke that it's a game, that it's just bragging rights for the squad leaders and the winning squad, but it's not. They're all watching. The commandant, the professors, the commanding officers - they're watching to see who will rise up to the top. They're salivating to see who will fall."

- Page ninety nine, the book of Antony

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|danica|

The crowd cheers so loudly that it snaps me back from disassociating and brings me back to the present where Liam is holding someone in a leg lock on the mat.

     The Squad Games have officially begun, and we're already on our second task. Each Squad was to pick a fighter who would challenge another from each Squad, and the last one standing gained the highest points. Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing obviously chose Liam as our fighter since he's the best in our year. Something about being trained by Riorson himself.
    
     The other cadet from Second Wing, Mikael, doesn't tap out, even if he's held in an impossible position with his chest to the floor and his legs bent so far back it must hurt.

     "Fuck me, that looks like it hurts," Violet mutters from my side over the cheering of the first years.

     "Yeah, he's not walking for a while," Ridoc agrees, cringing as the arch of Mikael's back looks like a broken spine waiting to happen.

     "What do you expect? It's Liam. He never loses." I smile proudly as Mikael's palm slams hard on the mat and my bodyguard wins the match.

     "Yes! Go Liam!" Sawyer screams from behind me as Liam drops Mikael to the mat, where he sprawls out, exhausted.

     "We won!" Liam rushes toward us but makes a beeline to me. I'm swept up in a tangle of arms and shouting and joyous squad mates.

     "Your winner!" Professor Emetterio shouts, his voice ringing through the gym and quieting the zealous energy as Liam steps out of our crushing hug. "Liam Mairi from Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing!"

     Liam puts up both hands in victory and turns in a small circle, and the sound of cheering makes my ears ring in the best way.

     Commandant Panchek steps onto the mat, and Liam joins the rest of our squad, sweat pouring off his skin. "I know you were all expecting the last portion of the Squad Battle to happen tomorrow, but the cadre and I have a surprise."

     He has every single rider's attention now.

     "Instead of telling you what the final, unknown task will be and giving you tonight to plan for it, your final task will begin this hour!" He grins, throwing out his hands and turning just like Liam had.

     "Tonight?" Ridoc whispers.

     My stomach hits the ground. "Dain isn't here. Neither is Cianna."

      "Oh shit," Imogen whispers, looking over the crowd herself.

     "As you may have noticed, your squad leaders and their executive officers have been...shall we say, sequestered with your section leaders and wingleaders, and no, before someone asks, your task is not to find them." He continues to walk in a small circle, addressing each side of the mat. "You are to break into your squads and accomplish a unique mission this evening without the leadership and instruction of your squad leaders"

     "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having squad leaders?" someone asks across the mat.

     "The purpose of a squad leader is to form a tightly knit unit that can carry on with a mission after their demise. Consider your leaders...demised."'Panchek shrugs with a gleeful smile. "You're on your own, riders. Your mission is simple: find and acquire, by any means necessary. The one thing that would be most advantageous to our enemies regarding the one effort. Leadership will serve as unbiased judges, and the winning squad will be awarded sixty points."