2050: The Beginning of the End

Chapter 9: Jason/Dimitri

Jason

The training room is relatively plain. The walls and floor are a perfect white, the ceiling isn't unnaturally high, and being on the first floor there are no windows.

What is unusual are the various weapons, ranging from an array of knives to weights attached to the end of lengthy chains, lining one wall, and the targets positioned along another.

Lili stands next to me, looking around in bewilderment.

"Don't worry, nobody's gotten hurt during a session. I'm sure you two will be fine." Theo smiles reassuringly, catching the look of apprehension on Lili's face.

"Should Jason ... I mean he's only nine ..."

I roll my eyes. "Lil, the only way to learn is to practice. You can't always look out for both of us at the same time."

Lili takes a deep breath before saying, "You're right."

I can't help smirking. For once, I'm getting a little credit.

Rose and Shemik join the three of us in the center of the room. I have the urge to apologize to Rose yet again, but before I can do so we're being divided into groups.

Shemik studies us, then turns her attention to Theo. "You train with Lili and Rose. I want Jason today."

My eyes narrow. Does everyone around here see me as an incompetent little kid?

~*~

I stare in amazement as I land yet another throwing knife in the center of the target in front of me. We've been training for all of an hour, and I've managed this three times now.

Nearby, Lili keeps cursing under her breath, a sure sign that she's frustrated with herself. She hasn't come close to hitting the center of her target, and knowing her it'll drive her crazy until she does. Shemik, standing next to me, throws another knife at the target before her. I've noticed that she almost always hits her intended mark, and it makes me wonder who trained her in the art. She lands it perfectly in the center, then turns to look at me.

"You seem to be a fast learner."

I smile despite myself. "Yeah, I  guess so. Lili usually learns quicker than me though."

"Some people are better at it than others. She'll catch on soon enough."

"I hope so."

I take aim yet again, preparing to throw. Pain shoots through my skull, and I freeze.

I rarely have visions this close together, typically when I'm seeing events from the war. Usually, I have a few minutes of forewarning, but today it seems I'm not going to be that lucky.

I find myself on the floor, unsure how exactly I got there, then the room disappears entirely.

I'm standing in what appears to be a parking lot. The building in front of me appears to be made mostly of brick, and the sign out front is in another language.

The door opens, and I watch as a group of people exit in single file. I count at least twenty, all of whom are wearing camouflage and some carrying backpacks. They walk across the lot toward me, passing through the spot where I'm standing without hesitation.

I follow them, moving swiftly toward a group of trucks parked across the lot. They must be soldiers of some kind, I realize, spotting the guns many of them carry. They stop next to their vehicles, and the group's leader speaks.