RUN

Chapter 3

I felt a tug on my shoulder. I ignored it and rolled over. The tug came again—harder this time.

"Wake up, Kris!" a sharp voice cut through the haze of sleep. I blinked and found myself face-to-face with Christina.

Or, well—Tina, apparently.

"That's your name for now," she said, straightening up. "Mine's Tina. Our training starts in an hour. We meet our trainers today."

I groaned and buried my face in the pillow.

"Kris!" she snapped, yanking my covers off. "When I say an hour, I mean get up, get dressed, and meet me on the third floor. Don't be late."

I finally rolled out of bed. Strangely, I wasn't in pajamas—I was already dressed in military green sweats and a matching top. Trendy. By my bunk sat a pair of black combat boots. I laced them up, still half-asleep, and stood.

"Tina! Where are the bathrooms? I can't brush my teeth with air!"

A mop of platinum-blonde hair dropped down from the top bunk like a curtain.

"Just out the room and third door on the right," she called, then vanished.

I followed her directions and found a bathroom clearly labeled in blocky letters. Inside were rows of sinks, showers, and stalls—busy with other girls. The atmosphere wasn't exactly warm. I smiled politely at one of them. She frowned in return.

Charming.

I found a toothbrush and toothpaste already waiting at a sink. After cleaning up and rinsing my face, I headed back to the dorm. Christina was pacing the room, visibly tense.

"You look like you're about to face a firing squad," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

She plopped down on my bunk, exhaling. "I'm just... scared. I've done sports before, but this? This isn't soccer or cheer or a sprint. This is real. Life or death. And I'm not even popular anymore." She paused. "And these outfits? Not even remotely cute."

I sat beside her. "Look, maybe we won't get our old lives back, but that doesn't mean we can't build something new here. You're still you. That's what matters."

She gave me a small nod, just as the door creaked open and William stepped in. He wore the same outfit as us, his brown hair swept back, looking more grown-up than he had yesterday.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked, already smiling.

I got up and shook my head. Christina followed.

"William," she said, hands on her hips, "we have new names now. I'm Tina, and she's Kris."

He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yup. And I hate Tina," she added, muttering under her breath.

William chuckled. "Of course you—"

A guard appeared in the doorway, cutting him off.

"Are you Kris, Tina, and Will?" he asked. We nodded, and he continued. "Follow me."

We trailed him down the hall and into a room.

"Tina Scott, this is your training room. Your trainer will be here shortly."

We left her there and continued. The guard opened the next door and, without warning, shoved William inside. The door clicked shut.

"Rude," I mumbled.

The final door opened. "Kris Lennons, this is your training room. I'll be your instructor," the man inside said, stepping forward. "Name's Paul. Mr. Gardner wants me to train you in boxing and kickboxing to prep for your missions with Tina and Will."