Injection

Chapter 2

I always seemed to be amazed by the training facility, ever since I came here. Maybe it was the fact that it was the biggest building on camp grounds. No not just that. Maybe it was the huge work out gym with every exercise machine possible, or the two, four hundred metre tracks, or the two fields as big as soccer fields side by side. And it's all accented with great white fluorescent lights shining down on us.

Kids are already in here training, sparring with each other, or racing around the track. Speedsters running around tracks like blurs. Kids flying dangerously close to the high ceiling. The telekinetics are lifting various things, like tires or even each other. Even the Beast is here.

The Beast was -no he is- the strongest person in this camp. He's stronger than anyone I've ever seen. I would even say he's a real life superman, but way stronger. His strength is unmatchable by anyone in this camp. I've seen him stop a plane in mid-air, with nothing but his body. Him and the plane both came crashing down to the ground with an explosion. The explosion or the plane completely falling on him, had no affect on him what so ever. One time we sparred together, and he punched me so hard I flew at least thirty feet away and, I had internal bleeding, and all my ribs broke. I've never sparred with him since then. I turn ,you attention away from him and to the corner of the field where Vladimir is already sparring with someone.

I run over to where him and Electro are fighting. Electro has the exact same power as Vladimir but it's continuous currents of electricity. I don't really see much of a difference but I'll let the two Russian friends have their ways.

They stand at least six feet apart, both of their hands raised in fists in front of their faces, ready to fight. Electro is in with in Vladimir's face in no time. He throws a
left hook straight for his face. Vladimir takes a quick step back, nearly dodging the punch. Electro throws 3 quick jabs for his face, which Vladimir quickly dodges again.

Now Vladimir switches to offense. He gives Electro a round house kick to his ribs and I hear one cracked a little. Electro rears back with a grunt, but not fast enough. Vladimir smiles and grabs both of Electro's shoulders, then brings a hard knee into his chest. With that, Electro crumbles to the ground, ending the fight.

"Screw you." Electro grunts, with his lighter Russian accent. He laughs and gets back to his feet with a hand from Vladimir. "I almost won that time, comrade." He always says that. But he loses every time. He sucks at close combat. His power is the only impressive thing about him.

"You need more practice, I'm afraid" Vladimir says laughing. Everyone needs more practice when it comes to fighting Vladimir. He's known to have the best combat skills on camp grounds. He turns to me, with the expression of a challenge written all over his face." Hunter, my friend. Let's spar." Crap. I hate fighting Vladimir. He's way too good, and fast. But I know he won't leave me alone without a fight.

"OK Vlad. Just get it over with." I step onto the field, where Electro just had his ass handed to him. And so will I. I raise my fists in front of my face, and place my right foot a little father forward than my left in the stance I always do. I stare straight at Vladimir, making sure he doesn't make any quick movements, as he takes his stance.

Without any type of warning, he lunges at me. I would of lost a tooth if I didn't dodge the punch he just threw. I bring my leg up to hit him right under the left side of his ribcage. It hits him, releasing a slight grunt from his mouth. He reacts quickly by grabbing my leg and tugging it under his armpit. He grabs my coller and lifts me off the ground. With my leg under his arm and my chest in his grasp, he brings me down, back first. All the air flies out of me as I smash into the ground. My head is swimming and I can only see the blurry figure of Vlad standing over me, as if he's win. Not yet.

A wave of confidence washes over me. And I decide that today is the day I'll beat him. I've been training every day so I can protect my friends. I've been training every day for three years, of pain and fear and guts, so I don't lose my friends like how I lost my parents. My vision becomes clear and I look at Vladimir through eyes of determination.

I swing my legs straight at his and they go out from under him. His shoulder smashes into the ground, and he let's out another grunt. Now he turns onto his back and lifts his leg in a "L" shape, he brings his heel down to connect with my face, but I barely roll out of the way, and hop to my feet. I get back into my stance, as he gets up and pops his dislocated shoulder back in to place.

"Good job" he says, with a matter-of-fact tone. He steps closer to me sends one of those vicious roundhouse kicks to my head. I crouch down fast enough before his kick connects and lunge at him. I drive my shoulder into his gut, sending him flying three feet, where he lands hard on his back with a whimper. I shuffle back, to make sure he doesn't do any cheap hits on me.

He does a swift kick-up, and runs toward me without wasting any time. He jumps to give me a flying knee to my face, but I bring my arms up in an "x" shape to block it. Although it didn't hit my face, the momentum of the knee knocks me off balance and I fall onto my back. I kick my legs wildly until I connect with him and I hear him fall to the ground a second later. I sit up and he makes a cutting gesture with his hand, ending the match.

I don't even realize that I'm on my feet, with my hands in the air in victory. I quickly put them back at my sides, in embarrassment. Besides, I don't think that Vladimir was really trying. I think he just let me win. I walk over to him and yank back onto his feet." What the hell was that?" I ask him. The confused expression is probably all over my face because Vladimir just chuckles at me.

"Well I wasn't trying" he says dryly.

"Yeah, no shit. Why did you just let me win?

"Oh now that's where you're wrong. I wasn't trying, but I wasn't trying to let you win either." he says. He holds right under his chest where I hit him. "You are getting better though." He turns to walk away but I can't let him leave just like that.

"Hey, we're not done-"

My words stop as a tremble moves through the ground and the building moves slightly. We hear the explosion in the direction of the cafeteria at the same time. Everyone in the training facility blots for the doors, to see what the hell is going on.

Kids flood and crash through the doors to be he first people to see what's happening. Outside, just like we all expected, one half of the cafeteria has a hole the size of a truck in it, with tounges of flames erupting straight out of the hole. The jet that caused to damage, rears back around to deliver one more destructive missile into the building.

The jet stops midair. It hovers there unmoving. The engine is still running but it's stuck there like something is holding it back. Magnet. The boy with the ability to control all types of metal. The crowd parts for him, as he walks forward, with his hands raised towards the jet. The jets engine roars as it tries to break from Magnet's metal controlling grasp. Magnet begins to lower his hands slightly, making the jet descend slightly. He twists his hands and makes the point of the jet point directly at the ground. He whips his hands down and the jet goes crashing to the ground with a loud, orange, explosion of flames. The front of the jet is completely crushed like a pop can, and it tips over to land upside with another loud crash. The jet is completely engulfed in flames now.

We all turn towards the forest when we hear the trees breaking and more loud engines. Tanks. Trucks. Motorcycles. All crashing through the forest. By now it's pretty much obvious. This is not a drill. These people clearly aren't our friends. I'm not the only one that notices because the Beast raises his voice for the whole crowd to hear.

"The SYD is under attack!"