The Alliance (The Alliance #1)

Chapter 17

I wake up on a small bed, not the one in my room. I don't feel like opening my eyes, I don't want to open my eyes. I want to stay here, safe and sound. I want to stay here and never worry about a thing again.

"Mia?" I hear his voice right above me. His voice is always there for me. His voice makes me open my eyes.

"You scared me," Archer says, his slight smile appearing on his lips.

Why did I scare him? Wait, what even happened?

I think back, remembering the news on tv, seeing Dave and Tessa, me freaking out...

"I fainted?" I ask, and he nods. "And your at the doctor. Luckily you didn't hit your head that hard when you went down."

"Gosh, I fainted?" I ask again, trying to sit up.

"Whoa, slow down there." Archers hand push my shoulders back down. "I think the doctor wanted you to stay here for the night."

"I don't want to.." I try to sit up again, but my head hurts. "I don't want to stay here."

"It's just one night, the beds aren't that bad.."

"Will you stay?" I blurt out, and Archer freezes. Then he nods and smiles a little. "Sure, yeah. I will."

I see him walk over and grab a chair, then he brings it back and sits.

"You can't sit all night. You could probably use a bed.."

"No." Archer spits out. "The chair is fine. I don't sleep much, remember?"

"Then what do you do all night?" I ask.

Archer leans back in his chair. "I don't know, I just think. About stuff."

I want to ask him what "stuff" meant, but I don't bother. Besides, I'm tired. I turn to my side and close my eyes. I hear the click of the light switch, and Archer settling back into his chair again.

"Thanks," I whisper, and seconds after that I fall asleep.

***

I feel fine the next morning, even though I felt fine last night. But the doctor still checks me up.

Archer and I meet Adam and Dana for breakfast afterwards. They're already almost done eating by the time we come.

"What took you guys so long?" Adam asks.

"Mia fainted last night." Archer says, and Dana gasps. "Are you okay? How'd that happen?"

Because the president wants me dead. Because all we're worth is $10,000. Because it was so serious they put it on tv...

"I don't know. I must've been dehydrated," I say. I know they'll figure it out that we're wanted sooner or later, but I don't want to think about it right now.

After we eat, we head out for training again. I look around, seeing about the same amount of people from yesterday. Except...

I see her, standing on the opposite side of me. Her long black hair in a pony, her hands on her hips.

Tami.

I thought she didn't want to fight. But here she is, ready for training. I nudge Archer's arm, and he looks over at Tami. He then looks at me and shrugs. "Maybe she's changed."

"Alright everybody, listen up." Dave speaks. "Today we have set up an obstacle course, as you can see behind me." I didn't even notice it, but then I wonder how I didn't. It's huge. There's a whole bunch of things mixed up into one obstacle. Monkey bars, moving rings you have to jump through, a swinging rope, a mini rock climbing wall, a long whole in the course you have to jump over.

"You will be tested on this, to see how well you are at quick thinking, and also moving quick. And of course, your physical shape. I will call off names, the rest of you may stretch and prepare. Good luck."

I quick head over to Tami. When I walk up to her, she smiles at me. "How are you doing?" She asks. Oh yeah, I totally walked out her door last night. "Fine. What are you doing here?"

"I've decided I wanna help. The Alliance is growing on me, I guess."

"Jade! Your first." I hear Dave.

"I better go stretch and stuff," I say, and I head back. Archer raises his eyebrows at me.

"She just said she wants to help."

"Huh, weird." Is all he says.

I watch as the first girl, Jade, walks up to the obstacle course. I see Dave holding a stopwatch, and then Jade goes. She first does the monkey bars easily, then goes into the moving rings. It takes her a while to figure out when she should jump. She throws her short blonde hair out of her face and keeps going. She does good on the other obstacles, except the last one. The jumping over the ground one. She's really short, maybe only 5 feet. And her legs just can't reach the other side. She falls, luckily a mat under it. I go back to stretching, but it almost seems as if everyone is watching. Dave writes on his clipboard, and calls another name.

Everyone is watching now, as the names go by. Adam goes, and makes it through, a little slow though. I watch as Tami goes. Her grip fails her at the rock climbing wall. Dana also misses the last jump. Lydia makes it through quickly, her long lean body an advantage on this course. Still no flaw about her.

"Mia."

I freeze, forgetting what's happening for a moment, until Archer nudges me to move. He quick whispers in my ear.

"Make Dave want to keep you on this mission." He says, and I make my way up on the course.

"Whenever your ready," Dave says.

Archer is right. I have to do good, and stand out. Cause if I don't, Dave won't want me on the mission.

I stare ahead, take a deep breath, and run to the monkey bars. These I can do without a problem. Next are the rings. I see one go around once, and I try timing it. Then I go through all of them, making it in good time. Next I grab the rope as it swings down. Right at the bottom is the rock climbing wall. Luckily I'm not afraid of heights. I get to the top, swing to the other side, and climb back down. Easy.

Now the jump.

I'm not very tall, only 5 foot 7. I back up, taking a deep breath. And I sprint my hardest and jump.

Crap crap crap. I'm not going to make it. My legs don't hit the other side, but I spread my arms out and grasp onto the edge. But my arms are so tired, pushing myself up is a challenge. But I know Dave is watching me, so I grunt and push myself up.

"Alright, nicely done." Dave says. I smile and go back, receiving high fives from Archer Adam and Dana.

"Nice job from a girl who just fainted last night," Adam says, laughing.

"Archer." Dave says, and Archer runs to the course. He looks excited, his face focused. And then he runs to the monkey bars, skipping one every time. He goes through the rings, not even stopping. He then grabs the rope and swings his body, making him go down faster. He climbs the rock wall without a problem, then jumps down, sprinting and making it easily over the jump. Dave's eyes are wide as he writes on the clipboard.

"What the hell?!" Adam shouts as Archer walks back to us. "How?"

"It's fun." Archer shrugs. Adam just shakes his head. "This kid isn't even human, I swear he can't be."

Another few people go, and then Dave says we're done for the day. But we all go to the weight room right after, getting it over with.

I realize if I really do want to help attack the government, I need to get in even better shape. Especially now, I can't get caught. There's no option. I need to be the best. I need to be smart.

I need to be unstoppable.