The Two Of Us

Chapter 17

Davis' POV

I run as fast as I can. Cursing as I hit my leg against a boulder. He's right behind me and is now closing in. My heart rate accelerates as I force my legs to move faster. Adrenaline is coursing through my body like a wildfire. I spear a quick glance behind me. I've successfully left him behind. I let myself enjoy a bit of triumph. I've been trying to avoid to get in a fight for the last one hour. It's getting tougher and tougher by the minute. Though Henry's signals are helping a lot.

"Davis. Get up and move to the bank of the river and hide behind the first big object you find. I'll try to track the others down." I notice the alarm in his voice and I quickly get up and run towards the shore and find a huge tree to rest. I sit there panting as a fit of coughing overpowers my. I feel vaguely dizzy. I plunge me face into the cool water of the river and drink enough.

I curse under my breath. And try to reassure myself. We only have a few kilometres to go then we will be officially entering the organisation. Damn. This enterence test is hediously hard. I know at the other end Henry is working his butt off to track the guys. There must be around fifty. I sourly try to get up but feel a sharp stab of pain in the toe of my right leg and wince. Of course. I must have injured it while I hit it against the boulder. I feel the pain now as the adrenaline is wearing off. I gingerly take one step then the other... The pain seems to be wearing off with each step. I get up and Henry's voice booms into my ear.

"Fuck, Davis! Run! Right behind you. He is the most toughest. Run!"

I don't bother to look behind. I blindly run but it's of no good at all. My leg is not cooperating at all. I feel continuous stabs of pain and I take an impromptu decision. I slowly turn around and stay rooted to the spot. Henry screams desperately in my ears to run for my dear life but I've decided it and I completely intend to follow it. I'm gonna fight the guy. Henry understands my decision and goes forward to create more difficulties and traps for the rest of the 49 people in the arena. Most of them will be hallucinations. I know Henry's way of working and he likes to impart fear. My breathing becomes shallow and the adrenaline is still fresh and charged in my blood. I look sideways and wait. Anticipating a attack. My palpitations increase by the second and I make a few fruitless attempts to calm the rising panic.

Then he comes out of nowhere. And I know at this point, Henry can no longer help me. I have to fight my own battle. He is probably busy to keep the other 49 away from me. He runs at me and slams into me. Showing no mercy. In seconds, I find myself wincing and writhering against a boulder. He comes again but this time, I let my instincts take over. I quickly move and miss his solid punch by a nanosecond. Panting hysterically. I quickly move behind him. He winces as he hits his fist against the boulder. I kick him in the back and grab his hand behind, yanking it roughly and it gets dislocated from his shoulder. He cries out in acute and absolute pain then he passes out I quickly move with haphazard steps and go away from that place. I need some hiding place. I'm sure someone will follow me. I still have not deviated from the path of my goal. It is some 4km away or so. I'm not sure.

I walk. Trying to regain my balance as another guy comes with a gun. He swiftly aims at my leg and manages to hit my toe. I immediately collapse. All my hopes are gone. I'm gonna fail. Should I quit? No way. I get what I want and right now, all I want is to win. I pretend to be unconscious. He strolls over to me in an easy grace and moves my hand with the gun handle. I try not to shudder. Man, the handle is hot as hell. He produces a bullet to reload the gun when I make my move.

I suddenly yank his leg and he falls. I've caught his off-guard. I quickly take the gun from him and toss it away and I kick him right in the balls. He screams and curses. I pull him up and punch him right on his nose, drawing blood. He faints on the spot I check his pockets and as expected, I find a tranquilizer gun in his pocket it's small but highly useful. I pocket it and run ahead. I run as fast as I can. Henry mutters words of encouragement but I barely hear them. I'm dizzy and on the verge of collapsing. I can nearly keep my balance. I know I'm only one kilometre away from becoming a spy officially. One kilometre away from my dream... When I pass out.

I only wake up after I've regained my breath and equilibrium. I suddenly feel strong I almost get up when I hear voices. From very near me. I glance up and find that two people are having a conversation about how to make me surrender. Killing is not allowed in the arena. They are standing in front of me. Not paying me any attention. How immature.

"We should shoot him with a tranquilizer gun. He is just a trainee." A guy with a thick Middle Eastern accent scoffs.

"At least dislocate his shoulder. Man he inflicted some real pain in Luke. We need to repay him." Trying to make minimal noise, I quietly remove the tranquilizer gun from my pocket and take aim. I shoot the first person and before the other can react, I quickly shoot him too. I grin and get up. I am hardly any Meters away from the finish line. I see it. I want to run towards it. I quickly look at the time remaining in my hand. Fuck. I have presisly 42 seconds left. I touch my bluetooth by which I'm connected to Henry. Shit it's broken. I dash towards the end line. Ignoring my leg which is screaming in protest. I. Must. Get. To. The. Line. A few steps. A few seconds. For a horrible second I think I won't make it then I dive and I'm inside the line and in a nanosecond, the gong sounds, declaring the end of my time limit. I wait and wait and wait. Then it happens. The announcement.

"Davis Haywood and Henry Grey. Welcome to the organisation. You are officially the new members of the firm."

I scream in triumph and give way.

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We sit in the audience. Me and Henry. I am wearing a suit and so is Henry. There are many people around us. All are respected assassins and agents. We took a day off from college for our official registration in the firm. Henry is in intelligence. And I am in force. We gave our tests today. It's Sunday today and we arrived in London, where the headquarters of the firm are, on Friday. We told everyone in the college that we were going to visit Henry's parents. The test that was just conducted was in an underground arena completely owned by the firm and me and Henry had to go through obstacles to pass the test and officially become assassins.

"Now, I would like to call upon Davis Haywood and Henry Grey who very courageously passed the test." says Malory Clarkson. The assistant head of the organisation. The main head is Charles Haywood. Aka my dad. But no one knows that except me..And the head before him... I shake my head in disgust. I don't want to bring up Shit when I'm in such good mood.

Henry and I smile at each other as we make our way towards the stage. First, the give the certificate to Henry on officially becoming an intelligence member and then me for the force. Henry could have passed in force but he insisted on intelligence. Honestly that guy is really really smart. He could top the whole university if he wanted to. But he can't. He can't do exceedingly good in college. It's just one of the rules of the firm. No intelligence member can do really good in school. No one questions it.

We finally get our certificates and we are now officially assassins.