The Innates (Book #1)

Chapter 12

"Welcome back, Jess," Mr. André said. I was still groggy from my short slumber. I couldn't sleep with all the excitement about the following day. Now, I feel lousy and limp.
"Hi, Mr. André..." I yawned.
"You look tired." He said, walking around me in a circle with his hands behind his back. I nodded and rubbed my eyes. "Never show your opponent that you're in a weak state."
"Okay." I said.
"And the proper way to answer your instructors are, "yes, sir", "no, sir", "my apologies, sir". Got it?"
"Yes, sir. My apologies, sir."
"Good-- now, go to your places, students! From left to right, shortest to tallest." He yelled suddenly.
I ran towards the socializing students who immediately stopped conversing. I squeeze myself between two people. On my right, stood a boy who is a few half inches lower than my earlobe. On my left, a girl with multi-colored hair stood in a straight posture, making her height impossible for me to achieve. I wasn't supposed to move, so I shifted my eyes side to side. What's infront of me are sixteen wooden dummies suspended by a rope in the ceiling. They continue to swing even though there's not much air inside the hollow room. It was formerly a warehouse for supplies and stuff, but our population grew larger and larger. So they switched the training room underground and added more square footage.
The walls are covered in cement and crafted with cinderblock. There's not a spot where you couldn't find amy weapon. They're everywhere. Knives, guns, spears, swords, axes and explosives were hooked on every wall. The tiled floors looked normal, not unless there's a bloodbath later on. Numerous pipes are connected to the high ceiling. Computer screens, similar to upstairs', were implanted on the walls too. The whole area was dimly lit, close to complete darkness. I wasn't able to scan the whole place, but I have my priorities.
"Let's recite the Seekers' manifesto." Mr. André said with an unyielding tone. I mouthed the words that they were saying. I was clueless.
"No. 1: To be loyal to your own kind." Us students repeated what Mr. André said as he continued to walk around.
"No. 2: To always devote yourself and strive to be better at what you do. No. 3: To always stay under control. No. 4: To believe in self-sufficiency, trust, loyalty, courage, and justice. No. 5: To put others before yourself, even if it costs your life. And No. 6: To always remember to fulfill your promises."
Those were strong words, strong enough to damage me if I try to disobey one of the creeds.
"Okay, split into three groups and practice weapon combat. First group; sword-fighting, second group; knife-throwing, and the third group; archery--Jess, come here for s sec." Mr. André said. I walk over to him. "Since you're new student, a scanning has to occur."
"Scanning?"
"First, I'm gonna a DNA sample."
"Am I gonna have to cut myself?" I asked.
"No, I will. But don't worry, it's just a little prick." He walks me over to a steel table and takes out a sharp needle. I took a deep breath as he takes my right finger and inserts a needle through my third layer of skin. It stings, he puts my finger on top of an open test tube. Two drops fall on the bottom of the glass but he insisted on nine more drops. He squeezed my finger like a lemon, but instead of green pulp, it was a substance filled with my DNA. He wipes off the blood and placed the test tube in a medium-sized clear cylinder. He closed the lid and pressed a button on the center of the lid. The cylinder started blinking with green light that says, "scanning".
"Pretty cool, huh?" He said.
"Yeah."
"DNA scan: complete, name: Jess Hartley Mckidd" A robotic android voice said after the cylinder stopped blinking. "Blood type: Type AB negative, age: 13, gender: male, Innate ability: error." Mr. André frowns.
"Error?" I asked.
"Oh, don't worry, Jess, it's just a glitch." He said. "I'm sure you're just a same, old Passer. Now, here's a list of all the types of Innates..." He hands me a piece of laminated paper. Passers, Controllers, Burners, Shields, Readers, Freezers, Vanishers, Retaliaters, Flyers, Dashers, Hoaxes, Shadows, Mimics, Screechers, Armors, Liquids, Blockers, Shockers, Multipliers, and Beamers, I can't believe we're actually labeled based on our abilities. "I suggest reading that after class." He says. "Hey, uh, Alice!" I turned and saw the similar girl who played on my street.
"Sorry we're late, what is it?" Her voice was lower than Sarra's obviously. Her ashen skin tone still shimmered in the dark as she walked straight to us.
"Please escort our new member to every section and let him have his first trial of every weapon available. And please... be patient with him." Wow, he actually has s good side.
"Sure." She clutches my collarbone and walked me over to the first group, sword-fighting.
"Listen, I'm not really good at these type of stuff."
"I don't understand why he chose me to help you."
"Hmm? Aren't you my other instructor?"
"I'm not your instructor, we're just pros who assist the new kids. And honestly, it's difficult to help people who need more than what they actually need."
"If you insist on not guiding me, then tell Jackson. He has more patience than what you actually have, I'm sorry."
"Most of the students here think I have anger issues."
"Well, maybe they're right." I said. "You don't like me do you?" I asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"I appreciate your honesty." I spot Jackson with his arms crossed, looking at the knife-throwers and nodding. I approached him and ignored Alice.
"Hi again." I greeted him.
"Hey."
"Can you show me how to throw knives?" I requested.
"Isn't that Alice's job?"
"She doesn't like me because I'm needy."
"And you don't like her because she's, her."
"Good psychic!" I pet his hair. He giggles.
"Okay, come on." I stand infront of the first dummy I laid my eyes on. So technically, the same spot I was in earlier. He secures three knives on my left hand.
"First thing's first: always stay alert. And never let your adversary know everything is out in the open. The number one goal you should always remember is to protect the defenseless." Jackson started. I raised my right hand and clenched the knife's handle. "Always remember to stay alert." So I bent knees and straightened my arm forward with the knife's tip facing the dummy's torso.
"What if..." Jackson said. "your opponent just lunges at you? Like--" I saw him raise his hand and clench it. The dummy's rope snapped by itself, but it was still suspended. I gasped for air and gulped. Unexpectedly, the lifeless target flies forward and was about to crush me. For I am a brand new person, I will fight this time.
I swing my right arm forward swiftly, but hard. I was unsure if it'll penetrate the target, I wasn't thinking because fear took control for a second. And that was the key. The sharp weaponry spun forward for everything was too spine-tingling for me to be pressured to fight. The students behind me and Jackson hear the soft, chopping sound the knife created as it landed straight to its heart. The featureless target stopped and dropped. All of them, including Mr. André, looked in marvel and applauded.
"You're a natural." Jackson said. "You might actually be better than the rest of the class." He whispered.
"Thanks." I said. "Can I go again?"
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Unless that's your intention."
"Fine." This time, two ropes snapped and I threw one knife at the attacker on my left. But on my right, the hard object was a few inches away from me. I felt it touch my shoulder, so I buried the blade into the back of its head. The impact was so extreme, we both flipped down, but I ended up on top of my opponent. I looked at Jackson as everyone watched. He raised his thumb and smiled. "Good job."