Freedom Hunters

Chapter 6

Start rose rapidly from bed when he heard a very loud and sharp noise near his left ear. He looked in that direction and saw that his uncle had a whistle and that he blew it full force on his ear to wake him up.

--- What was that for!? --- Shouted angrily Start

--- Wake up noobie! You have some bounty hunter training scheduled! Today, --- Said as he looked in his tablet --- I am going to teach you the basics of what you have read in the book I gave you yesterday. --- Then he looked at Start --- You have read the book, right?

--- No. You haven't explained anything about how this --- Said as he picked up the book --- Is going to help us rescue my mother.

--- Ugh! --- Said Coth with a frustrated look --- Look, I need you to trust me. I made you promise yesterday that you would do your best to learn the things I am teaching you to rescue your mother. The skills that the book talks about are essential to surviving in space as a wanted person and it will help you fight off the soldiers that have custody of your mother with tools that you have never seen or thought about, but for this to happen you need to co-operate with me.

--- Sure... --- Said Start with ignorance.

--- No. I need to know you will be committed to your fullest. Say "Yes. I promise."

--- Yes, I promise

--- Good --- Said Coth as he turned around to reach for a small metallic box behind him. --- Here. Take this and put it on.

--- What is it? --- Said Start with curiosity and confusion.

--- A suit that will help you with today's training. When you finish putting it on, come meet me outside like yesterday. --- And Coth headed out through the back door.

Start opened the little box and found a blue suit with orange patches in the shoulders and the knees. He quickly inspected the weird suit and put it on. It was too big for him, but he decided to trust his uncle and he headed out. He saw exactly what he saw what he saw the day before: he was around 100 meters in the air and his uncle was waiting for him down at the bottom with a big pile of mattresses. But this time, something was a little bit different. The mattresses seemed bigger and the environment looked more realistic. Something didn't seem right.

--- Hey! Start! I am on your arm! --- Said a very raspy voice of Coth. He looked to his left arm and saw a small screen pop up from his wrist. His uncle's face showed up there. ---Your first test for today is very similar to yesterday's, only that today... It is real!

--- What?!

--- Yes. Your clothes are equipped with a deployable wingsuit that materializes when you separate your arms from your hip. You have to use that to land on these mattresses.

--- Couldn't I just drop down since it is right below me?

--- Now, you might have a wingsuit but you don't have any impact reduction boots like the military. Your suit is designed for swiftness, not heavy duty. The fall from that height could break your ankles.

--- Could?

--- More like... Should... That is why you have to use the wingsuit. If you don't land on the mattresses with it, you won't break much, but if you don't use it at all, you will break a lot of bones.

--- Thanks for the pep-talk.

--- No problem. That is what I am here for.

Start was contemplating if he should jump or just give up on this crazy idea, but then he remembered his dad. His father who was killed without mercy. Without any compassion. And he remembered the terrified and sad look on his mother's eyes when they killed his father and took her hostage. He needed to save her. He needed to bring her back to safety. Start looked at the big fall in front of him without fear and jumped off like he was diving into a pool but quickly closed his arms to his body. The air was hitting his face furiously as he got closer and closer to the floor. After a couple of seconds, he opened his arms once again and felt some resistance between his arms and his stomach. He saw a small plastic-like fabric form and create the wings of the wingsuit. He quickly passed from dropping to gliding off into the distance. After a few seconds to stabilize, he used the little he knew about aerodynamics from school to turn around and land on the mattresses. Coth went quickly to greet him.