Chapter 1: Ah, The Academy Life

The black-haired beauty stopped talking and looked at the dreamy-eyed boy, lost in his own thoughts. Her calm beauty persona slowly changed as irritation was creeping onto her face. She continued to try to get his attention at first gently with a quiet voice that sounded like a mother waking up her son in the morning, “Nick. Hey Nico, could you please pay attention?” Seeing that his head was still up in the clouds, she calmly gave a dark smile, took out her taser baton, and slapped the side of his right thigh with it, screaming into his ear. “Space cadet Nicolaus, get your head out of the clouds and pay attention to your briefing! This is mandatory knowledge to understand before you can join your team and be a part of the unit. You got that, Moron!”

Nicolaus winced in pain as he gritted his teeth, thinking of what vulgarities he should shout back at her, but held back his tongue tantrum. His cool beauty advisor narrowed her eyes as she whispered, “cowered” under her breath before continuing what she was saying. “As I said, boy.” She pointed to a new frozen figure of the mad scientist on the television to continue her debriefing. “This madman is Dr. Howard Spinner and is still to this day in an undisclosed security prison for the past 150 years, continuing with his indefinite life sentence. He just mumbles to himself that he would outlast us all, but that is beside the point.

Now, I know that this may not be important in your eyes, but the lesson is that it is part of our branch’s job to stop these sorts of mad men from cropping up and continuing in the good doctor’s legacy of human experimentation or terrorism. That is also.” She cut her words as short as she could that Nicolaus quickly lost interest and changed the subject.

"Look, hothead, as your instructor, I see great potential in you and as a hard worker, but if you don’t get your act together, you will end up in the barracks or under the knife of these madmen instead of graduating. I know you don’t want to end up in that sort of situation again. I just-.”

A voice echoed from the walls, cutting her off, saying, “Agent Conners, take Nicolaus Glymoore back to the barracks. He, like everyone else, needs to be well-rested for tomorrow's rank placement examination. Oh, and Nick, you have better put on a good show for us tomorrow, that is all.”

Once the voice stopped, Agent Conners grimaced and muttered, “That ironic needle head, just because he was recently made commander, gives him the right to interrupt me while talking to my student? No!” Conners yelled as she slammed her hand into the table, leaving a small indent.

A little amused, Nicolaus looked at his instructor and mocked, “Teach, are you going to get your revenge on him by draining his blood with your feminine whiles, oh great and power vampire queen?” Nicolaus choked a little, trying to hold back his laughter after saying this with a serious face.

"How cute, the student thinks he can haze the teacher. With that note, I will personally pick the hardest opponent for your exam tomorrow,” Conners catted in a loving voice.

“What! Since when could you do that? I thought only the Commander.” Nicolaus trailed off into thought for a moment and continued to say, “Fine, use your old partner and femininity to get what you want out of that old dog, but then what about your revenge teach,” chimed Nicolaus.

“My vendetta is my matter! Now, since you're in a sour mood, I suggest you skip right off to bed,” said Conners in an irritated voice. She walked to the side of the door and signaled him to leave.

“Fine,” said Nicolaus begrudgingly as he got out of his chair and slunk towards the exit. As soon as he stepped out of the iron door, he was tackled to the ground by what could only be described by him as a big blur. Nicolaus' head is ringing as he is slow to realize what just happened. Slowly getting back to his senses, he sees a squinting monkey over him only to realize that it is the well-built troublemaker and student Chango Cortez looking over him coming into focus. Before Nicolaus can get Chango off of himself. Nicolaus was pushed back down as Chango stood up and placed his foot on Nicolaus’ stomach.

“Sorry, man. I thought I would have a fateful encounter with a beauty and not your scaled skinny a-,” was all the Chango could say before his leg was grabbed by Nicolaus and being pulled down to land face first on the ground beside each other.

Nicolaus exploded, “Dude, what was that for banana head? Is that brain of yours a monkey's too? Do you want me to melt you like a candle,” he said in a punch-drunk voice.

Chango pushes his face off of the ground, wearing an insidiously dark smile as he mutters, “I wish you could have seen the look on your face. Priceless. Besides, I have no interest in a dumb serpent lizard thing. Now, where is the apple of my eye?”

Chango prepares to go off while Nicolaus is getting ready to land a punch, only to be interrupted by the shouting of his instructor, “Didn’t I tell you to hit the hay? Get to the barracks. Now!” Conners points left down the hall.

Seeing her, Chango gets doe-eyed and tries to start a conversation with her, only to get a leering gaze filled with disgust that fills his thoughts with glee and disappointment as he is being sent away. Conners called out to the two of them as they continued to walk away, “Cadet Cortez, I better not see any more such behavior from you or it will be reported to your instructor and the commander.” Chango flinched a little as he continued to catch up with Nicolaus.

When they were finally out of earshot, Chango put his right arm around Nicolaus and started a new conversation from earlier. “Who did you have to kill to get an examiner that fine to be your instructor while I get some fossil with a stick up his rear?”

“I didn’t do anything to get her to be my instructor. Maybe since I met her before my time here, she probably asked for me, thinking that I would be easy to teach so she could laze around somewhere else while I am struggling,” said Nicolaus with a sarcastic undertone.

“So, you met a dedicated officer, like her, out of the facility? Were,” questions Chango seriously.

“I told you that my life is not for anyone else’s entertainment. I don’t need some nosy chimp looking into my everyday life,” Nicolaus stated.

“Oh, anyone? As I recall, there is an exception, right? I think her name is Sarah Turner the Morph, no? Sure, she is fine, but not enough womanly charm to really lose one's dignity over,” Chango said while being lost in thought. He soon stopped in his tracks, and it seemed as if a dark light descended upon him, and his form blurred momentarily as his body now faced towards Nicolaus with his fist extending forward.

Nicolaus had caught Chango’s punch with his hands clasping around his wrist. The muscles in his arm relaxed, and Chango slowly withdrew his arm. He had a stupid grin on his face again. He looked somewhat refreshed with his short, spiky, velcro strap hair and his shirt that is ripped open, revealing his burly hidden muscles. He straightened his uniform before continuing to walk.

Although a little annoyed, Chango continued to smile as to say with a slight laugh, “And here I thought I could have some fun taking you down a peg to help you learn a little humility before the matches.” Chango looks at his torn buttons and grimaces at the new work he has to do before continuing. “Great, more sowing. Just remember that if you let your pride guide you that you won’t be flying so high much longer, boy. Protect those that are important to you more than that pride of yours.” Chango continues to walk forward and stumbles a little as he catches the buttons that fall from his shirt, only to stop in front of a door.

Nicolaus smiles a little, looking at the person in front of him bewildered. Nicolaus laughs a little about how Chango wanted to walk off looking high-handed after giving sage advice, only to be stopped like this. With a smile plastered on his face, he says, “Sure, I will take it into account, but I will first solve the door issue you're so desperately faci-.”

The door swings open and hits Nicolaus in the face, and he falls on his butt while clutching the side of his jaw. Chango put his buttons in his back pockets and lowered his right hand out, laughing while saying, “I know you have a head of steal, pft, but I didn’t know you had a glass jaw too.” While Nicolaus was thinking dark thoughts about the idiot who swung that door open, Chango lifted him up by the scruff of his jacket neckline. Though Chango did struggle as he could barely breathe from the laughter that would not cease, almost causing him to collapse on the floor, he was able to calm down for a moment.

A perplexed James Neal stood at the entrance, a tall, slender boy with dark brown eyes and black hair that had bags under them from his late-night studying looking at his feet. His hair stood on end from the constant static discard that he gave off. James was raising his head as he was about to ask what Chango thought was funny while subconsciously putting his left hand on his head to check his hair. Did he not notice Nicolaus being held in front of his face? Nicolaus resembles an upset house cat at this moment.

The pupils of James’ eyes shrunk as small sparks danced along his arms. He felt a little sick and continued walking in front of Nicolaus, saying, “Sorry for hitting you with the door.” James bumps shoulders with Nicolaus while turning back to the barracks. “I will get you back to your bed; it's the least I can do for my mishap.” James walks Nicolaus back to his bed and tucks him into his sheets; before Nicolaus can take in what is happening, he falls asleep, and James walks away.

Nicolaus awoke to the screaming of other cadets running to get dressed or falling to the ground from their top bunks. As he is about to fall back asleep, an arm grabs him, sending an electric current through him. Nicolaus twitches violently for a moment before fighting the pain and grabbing his assailant's wrist, bringing them to his eye level. Nicolaus snaps open his eyes, revealing reptilian pupils looking at James’ pale, deadpan face looking back at him. Unamused by this unwelcome wake-up call, he shoves James out of the way and gets out of bed. He continues to walk towards the showers to get ready for the day while hearing the muttering of James saying, “That is no way to treat your friend.” Nicolaus held in his desire to shout back in argument but continued on his way.

After he is ready for the day Nicolaus finds himself in front of the exam's registry for the final exam. He said to himself, “Wow, only 16 qualified for the final team placement. Could the graduating class be that poor this year?” Nicolaus continues to look at the notice posted on the wall stating those listed would go to attend area 46-A5 for the test. Those that pass are Flo Bella, Chango Cortez, Marten Fields, Peter Frost, Nicolaus Glymoore, Alexa Grey, Sammual Hill, Phillip Maxwell, James Neal, Cadi Reid, Rose Ross, Kaylin Soto, Lucy Snider, Christopher Turner, Sarah Turner, and Jordan Watson.

A voice that came out of nowhere echoes from over his shoulder, saying, “Looks like both Sarah and you are qualified for the placement exam this month along with me.” Nicolaus’ heart races a little from the shock, lurching a little to the right before he looks left to see this mysterious being that got the better of him, only to see his cousin Chris Turner. He has a slight childish grin while giving Nicolaus a lazy, slack three-finger salute. “Well, what got into you, Nick? You seem a little jumpy or something. Oh, could it be you nervous to see my cousin Sarah? Look cuz, I know it's been a couple of months since the trio has been together, but keep it cool. Don’t be too flustered, or you might scare her off,” teased Chris.

“Geez, that's not it. It's more like a challenge for me to fight with sparkling eyes. Besides, you came out of nowhere and took me by surprise, is all,” Nicolaus gasped while taking a few short breaths before continuing to say, “Or are you trying to apply to the assassination unit?”

“I don’t know what you're talking about. Although, if you read the roster, it doesn’t say when the exam will be held. Well, we might as well get going before the pairings are stacked against us,” Chris said as he started walking away with his back facing Nicolaus.

“Hey, don’t just leave me behind! When I catch you. I don’t care if your type is. You’re going to be roast turkey when I'm done with you,” states Nicolaus.

Chris continues walking down the concrete corridor, thinking aloud, “Ah, this will be fun. I do always prefer to dance with a girl, but a good tussle is a good second. Yes, I do agree with myself on that note. Should I taunt Nick a little more as long as I am walking here? Nah.”

“Hey, come back and say that to my face! I can’t understand what you're saying,” yells Nicolaus as he runs towards Chris. Christopher Turner is a nineteen-year-old young man who constantly talks or is silent as stone. He has dark wavy-brown hair and blue eyes, and his jacket is always tied around his waist with a plain white t-shirt on and worn-out shoes.

“Come on and get the lead out of your shoes,” Chris said as his figure slowly faded.

” You call that stride walking,” questioned Nicolaus as he started to jog after Chris’s figure.

” You call that stride walking,” questioned Nicolaus as he started to jog after Chris’s figure.