The Alpha's Beta

Chapter 12

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I gasped and panted for breath. It's not that I was out of shape, but man, was this hard.

Have you ever tried running 6 miles (on a treadmill), doing 50 push-ups, going through 50 sit-ups, and being forced into almost every other kind of exercise in only three hours? Yeah, before this, me neither. I don't recommend it.

"Are we done yet?" I asked, still a little breathless. I had just gotten done with playing tennis, with myself. Easier than it sounds, with a little Wolf speed on your side.

"With this task, yes. You've completed the first two, and now comes your final task. Follow me." Dr. Price walked out of the room dubbed "Maiming," for what reason I won't find out until later.

"Um, okay. What is the final task?" I wondered.

"Your final task will be decided by our Leader. You can ask him in a minute." Dr. Price slowed down and stopped in front of yet another door. This one had a sign that said, "Leader Office." Wow, real subtle.

The doctor knocked and opened the door upon hearing, "Come in."

I followed Dr. Price in, cautiously. The office had dark brown walls that made the room inviting. There were bookshelves along one wall, and filing cabinets on another. Paintings covered the walls, ones with birds in flight, birds in nests, birds in trees, I could go on, but I prefer to live until I am at least 80. Dylan sat at his extremely neat desk - there weren't any papers or anything, just a picture frame and a laptop! - and watched me as I surveyed his office.

"Did you have a fun time with Task Two?"

"Yeaaaah no. Who finds that fun?" I looked at him in disbelief.

"Surprisingly, no one." He chuckled a little. "Now, you're here for your final task, so I'm here to give it to you."

"Okay, and?" I asked, when he didn't continue.

"Take her to the Pods. I will have Lucas waiting there, to perform the Task with her." Dylan said, addressing Dr. Price. She looked shocked, but nodded anyways. Then the Leader looked at me. "You will be put into a type of simulator, which will bring you into a challenge. Complete it, and you will undergo the Flock Rites. Fail, and you will be sent back to your Wolves. And your mother, who betrayed you."

"One sec. I have two things. One: I've read "Divergent," and these simulation thingys seem like that. Two: I thought my mom sent me here or something? How would you know that if you hadn't talked to her? So, have you been talking to my mom?"

"Yes, the simulations are kind of like that. Where do you think we got the idea? As for your mother, I knew she sent you because she sends all of our new recruits here. She is our Scout. Now that your questions are answered, go on to your final task. Dr. Price?"

"Right this way, Raven." The doctor led me out of the room and down the hall. We walked until we reached the very end of the hallway. There were double doors and no sign.

The room was huge, about the size of seven high school gyms combined! There were machines everywhere, with scientists running them and people in them. Scientists practically ran everywhere, they were in such a hurry!

The thing that really caught my eye, though, was the giant hamster ball. Well, giant hamster balls. Plural. There was roughly 20 of them, and they were all a little bit bigger than the average human. There were chairs in them, the type that you'd find in a dentists' office. One weird thing about them was that there was always a group of two. The two Giant Hamster Balls were conjoined.

Some of the Giant Hamster Balls had people in them, hooked to wires. Some of those people were thrashing around like crazy, others were just calmly sitting there, and yet others were screaming to get them out of there.

"Those are the Pods. That's where your final task will be." Dr. Price said, noticing where I was staring. Also noticing my horror-stricken face, she added, "Don't worry! It doesn't hurt, it's just a little scary sometimes. Besides, Lucas will be there with you. Leader Dylan has decided that for you. "

"What, do other people get to choose who to go with?"

"Sometimes, but only if one of the party was already a member of the Flock."

Lucas was standing by a grouped Pod, and that's where we headed. "Hey," he said, as we got closer.

"Hi." I answered.

"Lucas, set yourself up, please. I have to deal with Raven here." Dr. Price started getting things out of a desk next to the Pod we were using. There was a computer that had some flat lines on it, and a lot of wires and electrodes. There were also some needles.

"Of course." He walked over to the desk on the other side, which was the exact same. Lucas pulled off his shirt and started sticking some electrodes on. I looked away before I was caught staring.

"Now, we won't use electrodes on you for personal reasons, so instead we will use the needles. I'll inject a tracker to observe your brain movement throughout the simulation." I pulled up my sleeve and let the doctor sterilize my arm. Dr. Price then filled one of the needles with a pale yellow liquid, flicked it, and went to stick it in me.

I gulped. I was deathly afraid of needles.I closed my eyes, and felt the slight prick of the needle. I hissed in pain as something burned through my arm, through my body. "What is that?!"

"It's just the tracker adjusting to your body. IT will stop in a few seconds." Sure enough, it did.

I looked over to see Lucas already in his chair, waiting for me. He smiled encouragingly. I smiled weakly back.

"Drink this, please. It doesn't taste as bad as it smells, trust me." I sniffed the cup, gagging, and chugged the whole coffee mug down. I coughed, and almost puked. She was right, it tasted worse!

I sat down in the hard chair, nervous.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I survived through my simulation. I'm sure you will, too. Especially with me." Lucas grinned cockily, but it came across as playful.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Ready?" Dr. Price checked with us, standing at the computer by me. There were two other scientists next to her, and three more over by Lucas. We nodded, mine hesitant, Lucas' confident. "In 3... 2... 1... Now!"

In that brief second before my life turned upside down, I thought I saw Dr. Price frown at me. Which wouldn't be weird, except she was glaring, too. She was angry at me, and I didn't know why.

But then the short second ended, and my world turned black.