Travelers

Chapter 25 - The Teams

Jacob stared in disbelief as Rose walked dejected off the field. She shot him a look as she exited as if to ask what to do next. Several more prodigies entered the field, ready and confident. Only one of them stayed on with a team. Then they called for him, Jacob Sessions, Radian. He thought the name was clever, since he could see all the math and angles. He often saw them more in degrees and calculations, but the name was still quite humorous. He walked out onto the field, chromium plated frisbee in hand. Hugh recognized him and smiled. They had only just met, but Jacob felt a connection with the captain. Hugh was sitting in his seat and pointing to him while talking to The Dread Warden, who was sitting next to him. He scanned the tables and saw Genissa, who was unconscious, and recognized Cat at a table with Adrian's team. She whispered something into Adrian's ear and he smiled, clearly expecting quite a show. He asked Sketch to draw something that could fly. He drew a simple bird and it sprang to life. Jacob eyed the bird as it soared into the air. He hurled his disk, only for it to miss the bird by a few inches. The crowd let out a collective sigh, but then he held up his hand and the disk came to the apex of its arch. It began speeding downward and smashed the bird, which had continued on its course, in two as it returned to exactly where he had walked moments before. He caught the disc with ease as it slowed to a stop just next to him. Hugh gave an approving nod, and turned to the others. Moments later he was an approved Renegade, with three teams asking for him to join, one of which was Mal's team. Unfortunately, Adrian didn't seem to be interested in another teammate. Cat asked him something else , and he nodded.

"We challenge!" Adrian said, "I don't believe that with just the abilities you have shown us that you really are worthy of being a Renegade." At this the girl sitting next to him gave a miniscule flinch. That must have been Nova. That would be the one he would challenge. "Now pick your opponent, Radian." Jacob pointed straight towards Insomnia, and the crowd let out a collective ooh. They remembered the last time someone did this sort of thing. It had been when Nova herself had challenged The Gargoyle.

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Cat watched as Nova stood and approached Jacob. This was all part of their plan. She knew what Jacob would do next. He would ask about her uncle, tell her what happened to her parents was tragic, and finally he would tell her not to go easy on her, even though she would. It turned out that she had a power that none of the Renegades knew about. She noticed that Jacob delivered the words well, and a look of fear spread across Nova's face. Then, she thought she could see hear what he said next, thanks to her powers.

"Oh, you shouldn't worry. I won't tell anyone your little secret, Nova Artino. Should I call you... Nightmare?" Nova lunged forward in a hand to hand combat spree, clearly trying to incapacitate him. As the two traded blows, Cat continued to listen in to their conversation.

"How... do you... know... all that?" Nova said between kicks. Jacob seemed about to answer when he let down his guard to do so. She planted a kick to his jaw, and he fell to the ground. He looked defeated, then suddenly he turned to get in the final word.

"Now what would your uncle Ace say about this?" That moment of conflict within her was all he needed. He pulled the chromium disk from underneath himself and slammed it into her leg, crumpling her. She cried out in pain, and he quickly apologized. That made her laugh actually.

"Now what do you mean?" She said through her held breath due to the pain in her leg, "Congratulations, Renegade. You get to have a long talk with the girl that never sleeps later." She walked back to the table and sat down, a scowl on her face.

"You let him win, didn't you?" Adrian asked, "I saw that moment of hesitation. You never hesitate." She stayed silent and said nothing, but watched as he went to join the team led by Kate, the same one that had recruited Mal. Cat leaned back and listened to music in her earbuds as the trials concluded.