G.U.A.R.D. Book #3: Recusant

-25-

    The Trials were at the end of the fourth week. Rico took us in a car, dumped us in the middle of nowhere, and told us to make it back to the station. First team back got extra shower privileges.

For survival, he gave us five knives, three for throwing, two for cutting. He also gave us all a canteen, but only Brooks' was full.

"We drove for around three hours," Brooks said once everyone had taken pee breaks. "Around twenty-five miles per hour. That's around seventy-five miles. Holly?"

"Our average is nine point two five miles per hour," she said. Ever since Brooks was appointed captain, she had been giving us little jobs in preparation of the Trials. One of Moffett's was to clock our times on pretty much everything. "What's seventy-five divided by nine point two five?"

"A little more than eight," Bats said.

"But that's only if we continue at a steady pace," Brooks said. "Trent, what were the other teams' averages?"

Porter had studied the other teams.

"Team Red was seven and a half miles per hour," he said. "Yellows are just a little faster than us with nine point seven miles per hour. Team Green is eight point nine."

Brooks seemed surprised at the news. I almost snarled at her shock. Everyone thought the teams with the teenagers would do the worst. From what I had seen, though, Tim was the best runner of all the Yellows.

"Bats, give me a direction towards the station," she said.

Bats' job had been to analyze the layout of the land and memorize where the station was located.

"We need to head southwest," he told her.

She gave a brisk nod. "Alright. Let's start. Keep a lookout for water, though. We won't last long without it. Holly, keep track of our time."

My heart flared at the thought that she hadn't given me any jobs, hadn't asked anything of me. While she delegated different assignments for all of Team Blue, I was told to pick up the slack for the chores. As if Moffett was a better agent than I was.

The five of us started out at a slow run. Bats lead with Brooks in the back. It wasn't long before the sweat began pouring and the humidity got to me. We had already gone on so many routine runs I was used to it, but the anxiety of not having enough water for us all made the thirst flourish.

"I'm getting kind of thirsty," Moffett said between huffs. "We've been running for forty minutes now."

"Halt," Brooks shouted, and we immediately came to a stop.

I looked up, noticing the area was more plentiful in insect activity. Birds flew in the sky.

"Pass the cantee," our captain said after a short sip. "We need to spare it. Perhaps we should try a different path. It seems we can't find any water on this one."

"We won't find any water if we continue running," I said.

"We don't have time to stop," Brooks said, giving me a warning with her eyes.

"We can't even drink the water without cleaning it first," I responded. "Unless you want us to get sick."
"Maybe so. But we can't just go and start searching randomly. If we keep running and keep an eye out, we'll be doing two things at a time."

I narrowed my eyes at her, grinding my teeth. "We're already dehydrated. If we keep going, we'll collapse. We need water."

"Which is why we'll continue looking for water on the way. I advise you to stand down, agent."