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Chapter 12 - Fourth Period

Miles made his way down into the basement for the second time that day. This time, however, he was not chasing after a ghost. He was just going to his last class. Since first period included both math and archery, their last class was referred to as fourth period. The only thing Miles knew about the class that was about to start was that it was in the basement, and there were no textbooks involved. For Caspar, that was reason enough for excitement. The only thing Miles felt, though, was skepticism. He didn't know what the next class would hold, but it was sure to be some kind of training. That was, after all, the only reason they were at the academy rather than in their own separate states, countries even. Whatever it was, one thing was clear to him—it was important. So, as Miles walked through the one door at the end of the basement, he felt more determined than ever. To do whatever Lancaster or whoever else needed from him and get back home for good.

"Welcome to class," growled a voice that Miles knew immediately belonged to the so-called Captain R, even before looking up at him. And look up he had to—Captain R looked to be on his way to seven feet tall, although that might have just been an illusion created from the way the man looked above everyone. He didn't make eye contact with any one person, rather looked above a spot between two students. The man himself looked drained. That was the only word for it. Miles would have considered him a pirate if not for the camouflage jacket that he wore.  He had a mutton chops style beard and barely any hair on the top of his head. Both of his eyes were squinted, the balls of his eyes jolting back and forth among the people in the room like a tiger waiting to strike.

The room was unlike anything Miles had seen before. He and his fellow classmates stood on a faded blue, rubbery feeling floor that came out from the door and crawled across the room. To the left and right of where Miles and his classmates were standing, there was nothing. An empty space. Behind Captain R, however, was where things got interesting. The rest of the room looked to stretch almost football field back, though that was a rough estimate as Miles had never played football. It could have been two or three whole fields for all that was back there. From weigh machines, to obstacle courses, to those arenas shown on WWE, and more. Way more. There were devices Miles had never seen before, that he couldn't even begin to guess the purpose of. So instead he focused back on Captain R.

"I am here to teach you," the man paused dramatically, pulling on his facial hair, "to train you."

"For what?" asked Ian.

Captain R's head snapped in the boy's direction sharply. He studied Ian for a few seconds, staring him down. Then he relented, and focused back on the rest of the class.

"That will be the last interruption, understand?" No one said anything. Everyone continued to stare either at Captain R or into the distance. "I said, do you understand!"

"We understand," the class said, everyone speaking up at different times and pitches.

Captain R nodded slowly. "Very well. To answer your question, boy, all of you know exactly what you need to know to be effective. Nothing more. That is how it is, that is how it will stay. It is not by business to ask the Doctor questions, no, I take orders. As do all of you. I have been put above you, and despite your age, you are my army. You will do as I say, which means no further questions. I will explain everything precisely when and where I need to. If I do not mention something, you need not know it. So listen very carefully to my words; I do not repeat myself."

And that was the rest of class—words. Captain R told the class that they would attend his class daily, with the other three classes switching off. First period would be math and archery one day, then math and combat training. Second period: history, then foreign language. Third period would be English, and then science. Then fourth period. Captain R said that he didn't care what the class called his training sessions, and that he didn't care what they called him.