The Wolfpack

Chapter 14: Preparation

     "You'll talk either way. Might as well go for the painless option," Kyle told him as he held the blade to the scout's neck.

     The scout looked at Jace and nodded. "He's accepting your declaration of war. He plans to turn the city into a battleground. He plans to make this city your final resting place." The scout looked up at Jace specifically and sat down. "He plans to destroy you, Reaper." Jace looked down at the scout and then turned to look at me, Blake, and Kyle. He looked back at the scout and knocked him out.

     "We've trained for a while now. It's been months since we've dealt with him, and now he's gonna destroy this city to get to us," Jace told us as we stood around him. "When he gets to this city, we have to stop him. And this time, we can't be so merciful. Last time, he didn't deserve it, but we let him live. Now he's going to turn this city into a battlefield. When we beat him this time, we can't be so nice." Jace looked at us and rolled his shoulders. "We're gonna have to kill the Grand Master."

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     We trained for days, waiting for the Grand Master, in an area outside the city as it was the only place that was away from the citizens and it was open enough for us to train. Kyle kept up his basic training routines as he got Jace and Fang in on them as well. I trained as well, but in my own way. I trained my body and wings to push past the limits I had been given since birth. That's what I was created to do: Push past limits and overcome obstacles, and that's all the Grand Master was really. An obstacle to be pushed past, and that's what we'd do. We were strong, fast, skilled, and the GM bit off more than he could chew with us.

     I was outside, flying through the clouds as the sun blazed down on me. I folded my wings and dove down towards the ground, gaining speed as I dropped down, then spread my wings out as I flew right above the ground. I moved quickly to avoid hitting the trees nearby our training area, flying around the entire building that the others were in. I flew inside the building and landed, folding my wings in as I stood up straight.

     "How are they doing?" I asked Kyle as I walked over to the three who were in the middle of their combat training.

     "They're getting better. Much better. their fighting skills before were decent in a fight, but not enough for a war-bound Grand Master," Kyle said as he watched Fang and Jace sparring in the center of a makeshift ring. "Think we're ready for a war, yet?" Kyle turned to me and shook his head.

     "Honestly, I don't think we're ready for anything. All I know is, whatever happens, we're never gonna be the same," I sighed as I responded. Kyle only shrugged as he watched Jace and Fang spar.

     "After everything that's happened to us, do you really think that any of us ever thought of going back to normal?" Jace groaned as he knocked Fang back onto the floor.

     "I feel ready to take this asshole on. How much more training do you think we need?" Jace asked as he grabbed a towel from the pile they bought, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

     Fang stood up and cracked his neck, reaching for a towel as well. "I say we could use a bit more training. You can never get too much training in," Fang said as he wiped his face clean of sweat. "One thing I don't have with these parasites? Air conditioning," Face stated as he threw the towel over his shoulder.

     Kyle moved to the center of the ring and stretched his shoulders. "We're four teenagers taking on an entire army on a warpath. I think we should get as much training in as we can get," Kyle said as he pulled up a punching bag and began to send a flutter of punches into it. "We barely know our enemy, and he's more than likely made himself stronger as well. He won't underestimate us this time around." Kyle sent another punch to the bag and the bag jolted back. Kyle grabbed it and settled it, keeping it from swinging and swaying.

     "Yeah, it's an entire army. But we're not just four normal teens," I told them as I walked to the center of the ring and kept the bag in place for Kyle. "We're a highly trained assassin, a parasitical controller that can make three symbiotic creatures bend to his will, an insanely strong powerhouse with the ability to level a city, and a genetic experiment meant to push past limits and come out on top. The Grand Master has his hands full with us," I said as I felt the bag move as Kyle punched it.

     "Has anyone thought of the possibility that we fail?" Fang asked as he looked at us with a concerned look. When no one answered, he laughed and shook his head. "Good. Neither have I. Because that's not a possibility. We're gonna kick the Grand Master's ass, and we're gonna save Silver Streak City from chaos in the process," He said as he took a drink from his water bottle.

     As the days went on and we trained, we sent word to the Grand Master through the use of the still captured scout that was sent our way. We sent him back to his leader with one message. "Meet us at the dirt road, right outside the city," we told him, and he took off to his leader. We took nothing with us but the clothes on our back as we walked onto the dirt road heading towards the Grand Master's fortress.

     "You guys ready for this?" Kyle asked as he pulled his hood over his head, only his respirator visible as his eyes were completely hidden. He pulled his exo-gauntlets over his forearms and shot the blades out.

     "I'm always ready to kick someone's ass," Jace responded as he pulled his trench coat over his body and flipped up the collar.

     "You are a very violent person, Jace," Fang replied as he had his parasites surround his body, except for his head. "Makes me wonder if you won't kill one of us by mistake, and I hope that doesn't become a problem."

     I smirked as I pulled the goggles I got over my eyes and the bandanna over my mouth. I pulled my combat gloves and arm guards over my arms, ready for a fight.

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     The Grand Master had received word that one of his scouts returned in critical condition. He walked over to the scout as he exited his resting room and into the main area of the fortress.

     "You have been missing for many days. What is your message?" He asked him as he knelt down before him.

     "I-it's the Wolfpack! They request your appearance at the dirt road outside of the city, for a battle." The Grand Master looked at the front doors as he growled. "Very well. We will bring them into the fortress after the battle, I suppose." The Grand Master prepared himself as he removed the civilian shirt he wore and replaced it with a sleeveless shirt to expose his muscled arms and put a syringe of his serum in his back pocket. "Prepare guards to bring their bodies into the fortress. This is where the Wolfpack dies."

     Before the Grand Master left, he saw his son at the door. "Don't worry son, I won't be long."

     The boy growled and shook his head. "It would be better if you didn't come back." The 16 year old then turned and walked out of the room.

     The Grand Master simply sighed and walked outside. As he walked out onto the dirt road, he saw the four figures of the Wolfpack in front of him. And there they stood, just before the fight ensured.