Acteon Syndicate

Chapter 8: Training

Annalee checked her guns three times and her knives twice. She pulled on a sweater over her jeans and pushed her glasses onto her face.
"Where are you going?"
Annalee whipped around and faced Allis.
"I'm going to the school. I have to let your father know that you're all right."
"Annalee," Allis paused, "Give him his lunch for me. He'll get so wrapped up in work, he'll forget to eat."
"Allis, I - Forget it." Annalee turned towards the door. "I'll make sure he eats." She left, followed by Daniel, leaving Allis alone.
"I'm glad you're here." Allis turned and faced Rand. "They always leave and I'm stuck here. All alone."
"Well, now we've got each other to keep us company." Allis smiled and followed him to the third floor.
"How'd you like to do a training exercise? Watching you on the mission, you need help. Have you ever shot a gun?" Rand asked as he pulled a holster and gun around his shoulders.
"No, I have not. Yesterday was the first I've ever held one." She admitted.
"Then," Rand drew his gun and twirled it in his hand. "I'm going to teach you."

Rand lifted Allis's arm a bit. "Relax." He said, "You're too stiff."
"Okay." She adjusted and aimed for the target, an animated holograph of a Hell Shadow.
"Each Ebony Demon attacks, moves, and detects differently. I've started you with a Hell Shadow because you've seen these. After this, you'll face a Gutling, then some new demons." Rand instructed. "Your goal is to defeat all the demons in under ten minutes."
"How long did it take you?" She asked.
"Eight. Annalee has the record at three minutes. The demons will cover all three floors. Don't worry about me or my computer. I've got bullet proof protection for situations like this."

Allis took a deep breath and nodded her head. Rand started the timer and Allis fired. She missed twice and the creature attacked.
"Dead!" Rand called. "You're dead. Start over."
Allis began again, this time shooting the creature in the head. Another Hell Shadow attacked. She ducked, fired, missed, and died again.
This is going to be a while. She thought as she died at the hands of a Gutling for the seventh time.
"Allis, fire, then climb with two hands. You'll move faster!" Rand yelled.
She started over, killed the Hell Shadow, then the three more that attacked behind her. She ducked, anticipating the Gutling, and threw a knife at it. Her hair stuck to her face and her jacket was tossed in the corner. She reloaded her gun, turned, and knocked the two Blood Howlers back before they could call more. She climbed the ladder and avoided the Phantom Morph that morphed into Annalee. She shot it through the head and moved on, reaching the third floor as the timer clicked on. Facing her was a man with purple hair. He gave her a crooked smile and adjusted his black jacket. He glared at her with red eyes.
"Ebony." She whispered. She fired her gun, ducked, and threw her knife. He caught it and threw it back. Allis fired again as he turned, avoiding the shot. Her third shot nicked his shoulder. Ebony smirked and lifted Allis by the throat. She scratched at his hands and kicked him between the legs. The move stunned him for a moment as he dropped Allis. She turned, and sliced her knife along his thigh. He fell, and lay bleeding on the ground. She aimed her gun and fired a last shot between his eyes.
Rand cheered as he stopped the timer. "Seven minutes and twenty-seven seconds!"
"Faster than Daniel." Allis turned and looked at Annalee.
"I didn't know you were watching."
"We came in as you killed Annalee." Daniel said with a laugh. "I lost precious seconds by slicing her throat. Only because the real thing was watching as I did."
"You did great, Lissi." Annalee smiled. "You're a fast learner."
"Yeah!" Rand left his protective bubble. "Nice move slicing the artery. I didn't even think of that."
Allis handed him his gun. "I learned about it in health class. I figured it was faster than trying to shoot him."

A/N: Above Picture is of Ebony