Alternate: 300 years into the future

Chapter 5

Zion obviously noticed me staring, but it was appearant he was trying not to stare back.
He was completely ripped.
Battle scars covered his perfectly sculpted chest like he wasn't even trying.
He ran his hands through his hair and shook his wrist, getting rid of excess sweat on his body.
"Seriously, though. It's completely obvious." I was snapped back into reality - for the past two minutes I didn't notice that Beam walked back next to me.
"What?" I pulled my gaze away from Zion and Beam shook his head.
"Nevermind. Good luck, Alyssa." Beam smiled, patted my shoulder and strolled out of the arena.
I looked back up at Zion, who was focusing on the weights that were being carried.
I sighed and turned back to Feras, whom looked as if he was waiting impatiently for me to remember he was there.
He gestured for me to come over and I speed - walked halfway across the arena to him.
He looked at me all serious and smiled. "Evening."
"Um, good eve-"
"Great. Today I'm going to teach you from the basics to the professionals, stelth 101."
"..Stelth?-"
"Before we begin, I know most humans are oblivious to these things. I'm going to teach you how to be a spy, in basic terms. Not really basic if you call ten hours of activity basic-"
"Ten hours nonstop? But I-"
"Now, first things first. We have to get started immediately if we're going to finish the course today. We lost about three minutes of time due to you eyeing our Captain-"
"I wasnt-"
"Good? Great. Let's get started, Alexa."
"It's Alyssa."
Feras chucked and looked at me. "Wrong. First rule of spying? Never reveal your name. Shall we continue?"
I already decided in my head that I didn't like Feras. I mean, how was I supposed to know the first rule of spying?
I opened my mouth to speak, then hesisated, then closed it - he would only just interrupt me again.
I nodded my head and he grinned victoriously.
"Good? Great."
Ten hours? More like ten millenials.

*

"Okay. To begin, I'm going to teach you the knowledge section for spying."
"Hmm." I wasn't listening to what he was saying and I absentmindly agreed to everything.
My attention was directed towards Zion, who was sitting on a bench and spraying cold water on his face.
"..Understand, Alyssa?"
"Hm? Yeah, I understand."
He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"No, Alyssa, you don't. I haven't even said anything."
"Oh."
"Maybe we should train somewhere else. You're clearly pre-occupied."
"What? No. I'm sorry. I won't let them distract me."
"Them? You're staring at Zion, Alyssa."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm-"
"Second rule of spying, always be aware of your surroundings. I was aware of your mental absence while you were aware of Zion. I'm unsure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Anyways, pay attention."
I sighed and nodded and he smiled.
"Good? Great."
I've only been with him five minutes and I already want to die.
"Now, the knowledge part is basic and easy. Don't tell anyone your name, etcetera. Now, pretend I'm an officer from Malis. What is your name?"
"Uh.. Alyssa..?"
"Wrong, fake name. Damn it, Alyssa."
"Oh, sorry-"
"What's your name?"
"Alexa."
"Wrong, again. Fake first and last name." He sighed and recorded something on a clipboard.
"What are you doing?"
"Noting your progress, if we can actually call this progress."
"Oh.. Okay.."
"What is your name?"
"Alexa.. Washington." I hesitated.
"Occupation?"
"Umm, uh-"
"Damn it, Alyssa. Make up something. And don't be afraid to expand on your answer. Like you're saying a speech and you would use anecdotes to engage your audience."
"Um.. Okay."
"What is your name?"
"My name is Alexa Washington."
"Where do you work, Ms Washington?"
"I work at Harvard university. I'm a professor in neurobiology. I've been working there for the past four years."
He looked at me, waiting for me to expand.
"Oh," I continued. "And I, - um, have many stories from the classes I have taught. Like malfunctions with the equiptment and um.. other.. s-stuff.."
He nodded. I didn't know if he was impressed until he ticked something off on the clipboard.
"Very good, for a beginner. Try not to use too many 'ums' in your sentances - it makes people doubt your speech. And don't hesitate when talking. Be sure to use facial expessions to portray your moods too."
"Should I be writing this down?" I asked.
"You'll remember. Moving on."
"Um, - okay."
"Good? Great. Now, remember, as a spy, there are alot of things you can accidently do to blow your cover. Don't distract yourself. With things or people." With that word he motioned towards Zion, who waved at me.
My face became red and I waved back, awkwardly.
"God, Alyssa. What did I just say?"
"Um, you said a spy shouldn't distract themselves with things or people."
"Exactly. And what did you juat do?"
"I, uh, distracted myself..?"
"Exactly. Should I have to ask Zion to leave?"
"No - It's fine. Sorry. Again."
"Apology accepted. Good?"
"Great."
"Fantastic." Feras grinned at me and I nodded my head. He's weird.
So far, I've been trying to analyse everyone here, and so far I think that Feras and Spire are both on my kill list.
This is all way to confusing and complicated for me right now.
"Great. The mental section of this exam is going pretty well so far. "
"Thanks."
"Don't get too ahead of yourself. We've been doing this for thirty minutes. I passed my theory test in two."
"Show off." I mumbled under my breath.
"What was that?" he turned around and stared me down.
"Um, uh-"
"Next rule; quick responses, damn it. What if someone's threatening to kill you if you don't explain yourself?"
"Happened to me the first day I came and here I am, living and breathing." I mumbled again.
He chuckled and looked at me "Funny. But you're lucky we're not psychotic. Not all of us, anyway."
"Um, okay?"
"Nice. What's the square root of sixty four?"
"What? What does that have to do with-"
"Wrong. Damn it, Alyssa. You're supposed to answer, quicker. I thought you were smarter than this."
"But I-"
"What's eight multiplied by seven?"
"Uh- Fifty six."
"How many stars are there on the flag of the united states?"
"Fifty..?"
"Are you really a human?"
"What?"
"Wrong. Quicker answers."
"Excuse me? Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"Alyssa, Alyssa. It's kind of suspicious that you just magically appear as soon as Dolly's gone."
"So? If I'm not a human then what are you? Trolls? God, this is so stupid. I don't even know why I agreed to do this bullshit anyway."
"Spies don't get mad over a question, Alyssa. You were progressing."
"Screw your stupid spies. Everything's not fine. I hate this - Fuck, I just want to go home." I could feel tears stinging in my eyes. God, I'm such a baby.
"It's just because you're just under alot of stress."
"No, I'm not. And stop answering for me - God. I can't do this anymore." I grabbed my jacket from the bench and almost stormed off, until I heard Feras shouting from behind me;
"Alyssa, we're almost at the obstacle part of the exam. Only a couple of hours left."
I turned around and scoffed.
"Fuck you."
Good? Great.
*

I didn't even go back to my room, which now that I think about it was kind of stupid as I had no idea where anything was.
I strolled alone in the dark corridor. It was near night time, I think - the little rooftop windows make it clear that the skies were almost black.
I wandered around and there was an unfamiliar hall. I decided to go through to that route and found myseld facing an indoor artifical garden area - with fake trees and flowers and nature, and fake plastic-y grass and plastic squirrels on a lawn.
I was in complete awe of the scene I was witnessing.
"It's beautiful, right?"
I didn't even notice Zion sitting at the edge of a rock in the centre of the artifical garden.
I stared back at him and looked around, then I nodded.
I walked over to him and sat beside him.
"Is it really still - I mean, does everything actually look like this? There are no animals here, anymore. Or - Or any trees or whatever."
I waited a moment before I answered.
"Yeah, it is." I looked around some more. It even smelled the same.
"Do you ever think I'd be able to go there?" He bit his lip and looked at me.
"Depends. Are you willing to be constantly reminded to stop littering?"
He laughed at my joke. His laugh made my heart flutter; it was genuine and soft and I swear I could hear it fifty more times if you asked me to.
He looked at me. The light from the ceiling windows were perfectly in line with his face, causing his green eyes to appear greener, his face softer due to the moonlight.
"Do you miss it there?"
I thought for a minute.
"Sometimes I do. I've only been here a couple of days."
He smiled. "Yeah, feels like years though. I mean, in a good way."
I smiled.
I thought for a minute. I didn't know what to say.
"Do you miss Dolly?"
He paused. I looked into his eyes, they saddened and I instantly regretted asking him. It was almost the same reaction I got from Queno, except worse.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do."
His voice cracked and his eyes were glassy. Then I looked at him and he did something strange.
He cried.
He put his head on my shoulder, and cried.
At first, I let him. I felt like he needed to get rid of the built up emotions he was feeling inside.
But then I remembered something that Queno said to me;
"We can't cry."