GOLD [Book 2 in the JESSE series] | Completed

Chapter Nine: The Trials

It's just another sparring match. You think to yourself as you wait in the long line of people. It's been an hour since you left the bleachers and waited down by the entrance to the sparring area. Now filling the bottom row of bleachers are the other Commanders who are judging this portion of the test. Morrison is already having meetings with other agents in the running, as the trials are in whatever order available. 

You hear the now familiar beep of the sparring match ending, and watch as two barely bruised lower agents exit the arena. You've been moved to the "A" section, the left side of the arena, and "Agent Adams" whom you're sparring is over in the "B" section. You watch your two names slowly tick down the list. You check your watch. It isn't even 10 in the morning. This is going to be a very long day. 

Nothing much interesting has happened other than the two who sparred for less than a minute before the Commanders asked them to leave. Another half hour ticks by before you hear the beep of the old match ending, and hear Athena's voice call, "(L/N) and Adams to the sparring area."

As you enter, you look across to see who Adams is. She has tattoos crawling up one arm, and a cybernetic arm on the other side. She's dyed her hair pink and put it into a high ponytail, but the roots are coming in black. She's built heavier, she's tall with toned muscles and you can't help but feel intimidated. As the two of you meet in the middle, you lock eyes and she gives you an instinctual smile.

"Agent (Y/N)(L/N), Gold, Consideration." One of the Commanders, a women with an English accent and salt and pepper hair, says, "and Agent Armani Adams, Silver, Challenger. Note that a Consideration and Challenger have been paired due to an odd amount of Considerations. Now, for the match, please both demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of combat and your cybernetic appendages."

This startles you, as you haven't given much thought to your legs since the last time they were broken. Angela had never mentioned anything about them before. 

"You may begin." Another Commander says, peering over her glasses to look at you, tablet and stylus in hand.

Armani immediately assumes a ready position, and you match it. You try to remember everything you've learned, whether it be from Lena, or Madison, or Hunter, or.... McCree. There's a lot riding on this fight... You feel the wind leave you as you leave yourself completely open for an attack from Armani. You chastise yourself, Get out of my head. Get out of your own head.

You ready yourself and make three attacks. She catches one with her cybernetic arm but takes the other two trying to stop the other. 

She staggers back a bit, and you reassume ready position. She launches at you with an intensified punch with her cybernetic arm, and you just barely block it. It takes a lot of effort to shove her arm to the side. As she staggers back, recovering, you kick, and it catches her in the gut. She falls to a knee briefly before getting back up. 

The two of you trade blows for what feels like eternity before you hear a whirring sound coming from her arm. It glows blue in some places as thin sheets of metal move out of the way to uncover the inner portions of the arm, now sparking with blue energy. She throws a punch and crackling blue force shoots out towards you. As it hits you, you fall to your knees, your legs buckling out from under you.

You glance down, trying to assess the situation, and you see small blue sparks jumping around your legs. You try to stand up, but can't. You block a couple of punches from Armani but eventually she kicks you down to the ground. You hear murmurs coming from the Commanders, and as Armani's foot connects with your face, its as if a light switch has been turned on in your mind. You feel the connection to your legs snap back and you kick up.