The Phylum

Chapter Fourteen: Preparation Is A Virtue

"You'll do okay," Calico adjusted the collar of my battle gear. "Right? You'll do okay?" She looked up at me, her dark eyes searching mine. I raised an eyebrow at her, was she asking me? I had no idea what I was doing. I nodded anyway, Calico was worried enough without me pointing out the obvious odds. At times I couldn't tell if she was worried for me, or if she was worried I'd embarrass her. I was bound to embarrass one of us, I just hoped it wasn't her.

The rushed training I had received was helpful, but it was also... rushed. We'd raced through stungun shooting, offensive and defensive training, and fighting one-on-one with our powers. In those four days I'd learned I was a decent shot, I was better on the offensive, and I stood no chance fighting against anyone who even had even a sliver of Calico's battle talent. However, the latter wasn't news to me.

I rolled my shoulders, adjusting to the form-fitting battle suit. Calico brushed the nonexistent lint off of me, she looked more nervous than I did. Calico sighed, "we trained for this, Ezra. You know what's in there just like everybody else. No one has anything over you." Besides training, I thought. I guessed she saw something in my eye because she scowled, "take this." She retrieved something from her back pocket and tossed it at me, I caught it with ease. It was a black mouth mask, one similar to the one I'd seen Calico don when we'd first met. "We were supposed to train with it on but we- we ran out of time," she turned away from me and headed toward the battle shelf.

I hooked the mouth mask over my ears. The mesh muffled my words, but it didn't matter. There wasn't going to be a lot of conversation between me and whoever I was going to fight.

The masks concealed our identities, keeping us from being influenced by feelings for friends. Calico said it was a good thing I had kept to myself, I agreed. There was no one's well-being I was concerned with besides my own. Well, there was China, but I didn't consider her a friend. I was more concerned for her unlucky opponent. From the looks of it, she could barely keep her powers from hurting herself. I cringed at the thought of her focusing all that overwhelming fire power on someone else.

It was almost time.

Calico and I had spent a good hour in the Preparation Room doing what exactly it's name suggested. The room unpleasantly reminded me of Isolation with its white, claustrophobic walls. There was only one way to leave the chamber now. The door that had lead into the Preparation Room had sealed itself once Calico and I were inside. There was no escape. Even though I was living underground, this was the first time I had ever felt trapped. I tried to push the uneasy feeling to the back of my mind, I focused on the tangible things in front of me instead. I looked over the racks of stunguns, battle clothing, and helmets on the walls. I noticed how some stunguns has been used already, every TK's Duel taking place at different times throughout the day. The used guns were plugged into a charging station, their modified ammunition slowly gaining strength.

Calico returned to me, a stungun in one hand and something small and unrecognizable in her other. She stretched out her hand for me. I looked confusedly at the tiny thing, picking it up from her palm. Calico grinned at me, "it's an earpiece. There's advantages to being a little unprepared." I stifled a sarcastic retort at her use of 'slightly'. However the earpiece did provide me some relief. "I'll be giving you advice through the piece, but Legion gave me limits," Calico helped me properly fix the earpiece into my ear. I winced at the sudden static inside my head, but I gave it a few taps the noise melted away.

I took the gun from Calico, grateful to handle something I was familiar with. I shrugged off the quiet reminder that I had only handled this 'familiar' object for four days. It was as good as it was going to get.

While I'd been musing over my stungun Calico had retrieved a helmet from one of the racks. It was sleek, the tinted glass that covered the eyes so dark I doubted whether I'd be able to see out of it. Calico had drawn me diagrams of the battle suit we'd be using in the simulation chamber, the helmet included. I'd have to thank her later.

I slipped the helmet over my head, the pillowy, sweat-absorbing material adjusting to my head shape. I slid the dark glass away from my eyes so I could see Calico better.

Apparently there was nothing else for me to have because my mentor stood very still. "I'll be watching," Calico said, her voice soft. She would, each simulation chamber was ringed in risers. Anyone could watch if they wanted, it was an opportunity to observe others' strategies and better your own. According to Calico no one watched the first or second round of the Duels, students would rather train their own strategies then develop new ones. For this I was glad, the last thing I needed was something else to contribute to my anxiety. "And I'll be listening," I patted the side of my helmet as I said this.

"Try to make it five minutes," I couldn't help but notice the truth behind Calico's harmless joke. Calico noticed too because she widened her eyes. I forced a laugh, letting her know it was okay.

Suddenly, a deep voice was emitted from the hidden speakers in the room, "players stand by. Duel beginning in three minutes." The voice sent chills down my spine, it wasn't human. It wasn't friendly. It didn't care what happened in the chamber.

Calico moved the helmet glass over my eyes and gently pushed me toward the door.

Silence.

It wasn't uncomfortable, there was simply nothing left to say.

"One minute."

I looked around the room, searching for the speakers. I'd tear them out by hand if it meant I didn't have to hear the announcer's cold voice again.

After a grueling sixty seconds, the door slid to the side. I stepped hesitantly into the foggy darkness. I listened as the door closed behind me.

Game on.