When I recovered from my moment, I tried my best to make myself presentable. But after rubbing my eyes, I realized the effort may be in vain, it was useless. So ten minutes later I sat down at dinner with an absent Chase and tried to engage in conversation. Jasha was being unusually friendly and even walked back to the room with me after showers. She was talking to me. It was weird.

"What do you want, Jahsa?" I blurt out.

She huffed, "Fine, you're right. I do want something from you. I'm just almost positive you won't give it to me." She crossed her arms and shifted her weight so her right hip stuck out.

"Jasha. Don't pretend like you'll know what I'll say. Just tell me whatever it is you want."

She smiles at me, "Yeah I guess that's why I like you. You really don't beat around the bush."

I raise my eyebrows at her as I mimic her previous motions.

"Alright, well I want you to let me win the next boxing match."

"Why?" I ask before she could continue. I knew she had wanted to say more but I was curious.

"Because I spoke with Tyler today and if I can win a match against you, then I can go out into the field." With her level of excitement, if it were anyone else, they would be jumping up and down right now.

"They're going to put you into the field?" Wow, she would get out of here, and I could help her do it. But to me, the field meant freedom, so at this point I was only jealous. "What makes you think I'd throw a match for you anyways?"

"I knew you wouldn't," she sighs. "But you insisted that I tell you."

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting this," I admit.

"I know," she sits down on her bed and looks down. "I wasn't either. It happened today. Tyler came by and asked about you. How I thought of your abilities in the ring... ohh he knew the ring was my haven and mentioning your name would get me upset." She eyed me with that last remark.

I shrugged at her, at least she was being honest. I sat down opposite from her on my bed.

"Anyways, I told him the truth. That you had this annoyingly natural talent with boxing. He agreed. Said that before you came along, I was the best. But now that I wasn't, I'd have to beat you to show my worth. I told him I'd find a way to beat you for sure. But then I asked what it meant, to 'show my worth' and he said I'd have to find out. Guess that means I do have to..."

"So finding a way to beat me, means asking me?"

She got up and strode over to me in two strides. Her changed demeanor would've scared me if I hadn't already known I could beat her. When her face was inches from mine, I smiled smugly up at her. Knowing this, her arrogant expression faded into an all knowing smile. She backed down, stepping backwards to her bed.

When she was sitting on the bed, I leaned back on my hands. "So, if I give you this, I think I deserve to know more. I mean, in order to make a good decision, I need to know everything..." I trailed off, raising my eyebrows at her.

"Oh, so you think I'm just gonna tell you my whole life story just, because?"

"If you want out of here so bad you will."

She frowned. Her green eyes transporting to a different time, another place entirely. When she finally looked back at me, she still seemed distant. "Fine," she gave in.

"I'll tell you about why I'm here, why I isolate myself to train, and why I want out so bad. Even though you pretty much do the same thing."

When I made a noise to interrupt, she held up a finger to keep me from talking, "you want me to tell you, or not?"

I frowned, wondering what she had meant earlier, but let her continue, "Right, sorry."

"Mhmm. Well," she took a deep breath and looked out the window as she began. "When I was young, my mother left us and took my brother with her. I was so little I barely even remember her... And when I was 9 my father was killed. Murdered. And you want to know by who? The same things were trained to kill, werewolves.

So I did what any girl at that age would do I guess. I fled. Ran; went anywhere I could to try to heal. But I only really felt peace when I knew I could avenge his death. I had learned about Cecil and his operation here. Took two years before I even found out about him and another three before I ever actually found him. More or less. So at 14 I joined and began training. That was six years ago. Been here ever since, and now, you can imagine how badly I want to get out and finally avenge my father."

Woah. It makes sense now, why she is so distant from everyone. She had been hardened by life. I sat there and tried to comprehend everything she had just told me. Her life was so diferent than mine, making me feel pity for her. I understood how badly she must want to get out, for her father's sake. But if she had to beat me, then throwing the match would mean she wasn't truly ready. How could I let her?

She didn't give me much time to think, "Now I told you that in confidence. You tell anyone, and I swear I'll kill you in your sleep."

I looked up to meet her stone cold gaze and realized I had made my decision. It had been made the second she began her story. Because she had finally trusted someone. So that meant she had made progress. That she learned something here.

I couldn't take that away from her. "I'll do it."

"You what? You will?"

Leaned back still, I sit forward again and meet her eyes. "Just one thing," I cross my arms and stand up, slowly walking towards her. "Tell me why you compared me to you earlier, what you meant when you said you 'more or less' found Cecil, and how you had even known it was werewolves that killed your father." They were questions but had been phrased as statements.

She only laughed at me, "that was more than one. Why don't you pick?"

I snorted back at her, leaning my hands on her knees and looking at her eye level, "Then why don't you let me kick your ass in the match later?"

Her wary expression told me she knew I had the upper hand. "Look, I only said that before about you and me because you did kind of isolate yourself too. You were like me and focused more on training," she shrugged before continuing. "With Cecil and this facility, you don't find them, they find you. No one is supposed to know where this place is. And..." She sighed before answering, "I knew it was werewolves when my mother came back and told me."

Ahh there it is, I stood back. "And what does that mean? You said your mother left you. How could she have come back?"

"Because she left me, you idiot. She didn't die." Jasha barely blinked.

I began to pace, "Sure but then why bother. I mean why even come back and tell you? It's almost as if she wanted-"

"No. Absolutely not. You are not gonna stand there and piece apart every moment of my life." She waved her hands and stood up to meet me at eye level. "That's where I cross the line."

"Fine." At least she had answered the other questions, and one partially. I nod at her before turning around back to my own bed.

The obnoxiously loud alarm I had learned to hate so much rang in my ears, signaling the start of another day. I groan and roll over, as I recall Jasha's small favor from me. I can only hope today wouldn't be the day I would have to throw the match.

It wasn't. No one was training today because today were the official trial runs. This event was planned but unknown to more than 95% of the occupants here. At breakfast, Cecil announced it as such. That everyone would be taken to their respective rooms and called upon when there turn was up. Then we were pretty much just supposed to show off. Try and get the attention of those in charge to get a higher shot of being chosen for the field. This also meant that a new group would be chosen soon for a mission out in the field, which made sense with the timing of Jasha asking me her "favor."

When an older man came into our room, Jasha and I followed him out to the training grounds. There were some other groups outside as well, but I wasn't focused on them. I couldn't help but think Jasha would want this to be the time to fake a loss. And I couldn't. If I was expected to 'show off' as they had told us, then I'd have to fight my hardest in the ring, and so would she.

So instead of showing off, I chose to throw knives. Jasha gave me a manic look before she turned the other direction to the heavy bags. I smirked as I approached the knife rack. Great. Why had I chosen this again? I'd even shown more promise in sword fighting than this. I mentally shook myself before picking up a slew of knives.

I centered myself on the line to throw. Then I thought of my last few weeks of training with Chase. How he had talked to me yesterday about using my hips and feet for momentum in the throw. And to not be afraid to throw hard.

Taking a deep breath, I swung my hips and took one step forward as I released the knife. It hit the center circle. I had never come that close before. I fist pumped to myself as a small victory before once again taking my stance. The next 9 throws were not as lucky. Only one more hit the center, seven hit the second or third rings, and one didn't even hit the target itself.

It was only a short 15 minutes outside, as the other recruits had to have their turn. I wondered where they even watched us from, and who was actually watching us. When we came back, we were allowed to eat. It would be the second and last meal of our day. Later in the room, Jasha did confront me about the fight, but I told her that there would be plenty of other chances to fight. And luckily, after some persuasion, she believed me.

Unfortunately for me, the match would happen the very next day. I had been practicing knife throwing, since the day before had ended up a failure, when Ross approached.

~*~

"What the hell happened?" Tyler yells at me as he forcefully snaps my shoulder back in place.

"Aaaarrrrgghhh!" I scream in pain. "You. Had. To do that. Right. Now?" I say between gritted teeth and heavy breathing.

"Yes. In order for me to get it back into place properly, you had to be unprepared," he says as he now helps me up. "Now, answer me. What happened?"

"What happened... Is that I lost," I give him a look.

"No, you didn't just lose. You gave up," he gives me the same all-knowing look back to me.

Crap. How did he know. It had been halfway through the fight that I realized I had the upper hand. Every time I fight at some point things go into slow motion, and I can strategize how I can win. This time was no different, only this time, I chose not to take that strategy.

I had promised I would lose. So instead I chose to let her hit me. And then from there it really wasn't that hard to lose. I mean her last hit had dislocated my shoulder. So I thought the loss looked believable. Or so I thought.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I take a deep breath to lessen the throbbing pain. "She dislocated my shoulder!"

"Ok," he eyed me skeptically. "C'mon, let's get you to the infirmary. Well talk about this later."

As he helped me walk away, I turn around to try to find Jasha. Last thing I remember was her standing over me before she kicked me in the gut one last time. No wonder I could barely stand up straight. She gave me a good beating.

Sure enough, she was basking in the glory of victory, in the ring. My ring, the winners circle as I liked to call it. Her right eye was swelling from the last right hook I threw at her, and her hip looked black and blue. Other than that, hardly half the wounds that I had suffered.

"She owes me good..." I mutter to myself.

Next to me, Tyler grunts before pushing me away. I fall onto the ground and look up at him, displaying a 'wtf' look. Then I remember his annoyingly good hearing.

"You know I can hear you, so stop denying it. What does she owe you?"

"Are you kidding me? I lost this fight with a broken leg, dislocated shoulder, and probably some bruised ribs." I wave my arm at her before continuing, "Meanwhile she barely has a broken bone in her entire body."

He only frowns, watching me struggle to get up off the ground. "Next time, I'll beat her."

He shakes his head, "there won't be a next time. She won, which means now she's a contender for the..." he trails off.

"Wait what? A contender for what?" I play dumb.

"Never mind, just forget it. You'll find out sooner or later."

"Yeah, OK, whatever. Just help me get to a nurse."

Once we went inside he walked right back out. Left me with one of the nurses rushing to me before I collapsed in the entrance. And within 20 minutes I was walking right back out the front door to look for Jasha. She did owe me.

"I had to make it look believable," she was looking at me in her typical snobby fashion.

"Oh C'mon. You had me walking away in a limp. I let my guard down so you could win, not beat me up."

"In case you haven't noticed," she eyed me up and down. "They're the same things."

She had a point. "Look, whatever. You win. You'll be out of here soon from what Tyler told me, and ya know what? I'm not gonna miss you at all."

"Ha Ha. I can say the same about you." I watched her as she walked back to the weight rack. "But what did Tyler tell you...exactly?"

I shook my head as I gripped the barbell tighter in my hands, "Don't think I'm going to tell you anything. Besides, you already know. Don't play dumb."

"Well he didn't say anything about my excellent fighting skills? Or the fact th-" She began again.

"No stop, it doesn't matter."

She lowered her weights and walked towards me, not stopping until she was practically touching my nose. "It does matter. If he finds out we planned this, I'll never go out in the field."

"Psh," I scoff at her, leaning away. "You'll be fine, trust me. I walked away with injuries, so it was believable. Even if Tyler doesn't believe us, enough other people would."

Her determined stare faltered as she stepped back and crossed her arms, "Well I hope you're right."

I wave my hand dismissively, emphasizing my point before turning to walk away. When I turned back she was already refocused on her stretching, so I completed another round of squats. After my loss in the ring earlier I was supposed to take it easy the rest of the day. Whatever that even meant here.

Sure enough, that night at dinner an announcement was made. Jasha was among the group chosen for Arc 34. A group of students who were trained well enough and thought to be ready to be taken out into the field for a mission. I only hoped Jasha was actually ready.

Once dinner was over I headed back to my room alone. Only to find no one was even in my room. Did Jasha really leave, already?

I jump when I hear someone come in, twisting around with both fists up and knees bent. Ready for a fight. I guess I really had been trained to react quickly.

"Tyler," I breathe as I relax my stance. "What do you want?"

"Nice reflexes. I'm only disappointed you aren't more indecent," as his eyes rove me over.

I roll my eyes. "No, really."

He chuckled. "Well, I came to tell you Jasha is going to be gone from now on... she and the group leave tonight. And soon you'll get a new roommate."

So soon. My heart soared momentarily at the thought of my chance to leave someday. "How long do I have by myself?"

He shrugged, "no way to tell. Depends on when we get the next recruit. I imagine soon though. With that last Arc, over 20 kids left."

"Hmmm," I thought over that number. Was that really a lot for them? "Ya know, I never was really told... just how many of us are there? I mean I have tried to guess but I have never been positive."

When he didn't answer right away, I just figured he didn't want to tell me. "it's always tough to say, since we have so many in and out all the time. The Arcs that leave are the group missions, but most of the time we give individual assignments." He sighed before continuing, "I'd say around 500 of you. Give or take."

"Right," I snorted. "And 20 is a lot for you guys."

"For me? Yes. Because that means those 20 kids could lose their lives. And for... for," he struggled with his words. His eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown, "do you think I don't care?"

I didn't know what to say. I had an idea of what he was going to say. That those kids could lose their lives because of him; them. Of course I knew 20 was not indispensable as far as human lives were concerned. I just didn't think any of that mattered to them. It seemed they were only worried about the numbers; who and how many were performing well enough to send out next.

He was waiting for a response, "I- I guess I didn't, Tyler."

Shaking his head, he focused on the ground. "Nice," his expression saddened even infinitesimally more, but I noticed. I said nothing more as he walked out, held down by an added invisible weight on his shoulders.

When he closed the door, I sighed and threw myself down on my bed. I stay there staring at the ceiling for so long I can't even remember when I fell asleep. Exhaustion must've taken over at some point though when I once again hear the alarm. Two weeks passed at this same slow rate. One in which I felt I was on auto pilot. The thought of getting out of here as Jasha had, the thought of going home again all clouded my mind. And now a more disturbing thought: if I was even the same; this place had changed me.

Every day was a battle with myself; to improve. There was a constant ominous cloud over me that shrouded my thoughts and altered my judgements. Decisions I found myself forced to make that I never thought I would do before. Like kicking someone who was already down or taking the last swing with my sword to stop my opponent. And the worst part was it wasn't even real, it was all set up, fictionalized fights and scenarios to train us.

But today I was told I would be getting a new roommate. I would concentrate on the positive to try and be friendly with him. Apparently he was taken here late last night and was being "broken into" today. Unwelcome memories surface as I think back to my first day of being "introduced." Instead of allowing my thoughts to linger, I focus on training. Today I was able to perfect my hooks and jabs a little more. My loss in the ring against Jasha was to thank for that. Guess something good did come out of that since I wasn't as good as they thought.

Dinner could not come soon enough that night but even though I was famished, I had to be taken to meet Trent first. My newly assigned roommate.

"And this, Alexis, is Trent," Tyler says after pulling me out of my sprint to the dining hall. He let go of my arm as I faced myself to him. My eyes met his wide brown ones as I watched them curiously watch me. His disheveled dirty blondish brown hair led me to believe they hadn't let him shower yet. The lack of facial hair and smooth skin led me to believe he was a little younger. Still, his larger frame made him seem older, I couldn't make out his age.

"Alexis," I hold my hand out to him.

Nodding his head, he firmly shook mine back. "Trent, nice, ahem. Nice to meet you Alexis."

I couldn't help but bark a small laugh at his nervousness. He blushed, and I immediately felt bad for laughing. Beside me, Tyler pushed me back around the corner to the dining hall. Finally, food.

But Tyler stops me before I can go any further, "you could have been a little nicer to him, ya know."

"Yeah, but that would have made things too easy for him," I teasingly punch his bicep. He only frowns, clearly unimpressed. His arms were big, and ridiculously solid. I almost blush right then and there thinking about it too much.

"Alexis," he snaps me out of my inner rant as he physically snaps his finger in my face. "I tried to make things easier for you when you started, just try to do the same for him."

I raise my eyebrows at him, "So, what you're saying is that I should flirt with him?" I gauge his reaction as I slowly back away from him.

He rolls his eyes as a smirk creeps onto his face. "I didn't just flirt with you then, I still do. It's fun," stating it with an expression that portrays it as if it were fond memories.

I cock my head at him, "Right. Did I ever tell you how bad you are at it? I mean it's so obvious you do it with all of the girls here."

"If that were true, wouldn't it make me good at it?"

"Touché. Well, do you?" I couldn't explain to myself in that instant, why I even cared.

His lips pressed together in a pouty face, glancing at the ground before centering his dazzling blue eyes back to me. "I never planned to flirt with you, Alexis. It just happened. It's not, professional of me to do so otherwise..."

"Oh," so did that mean he didn't? Or he did? "So typical with you and your vague answers..." I eye him before turning around.

"Goodbye Alexis," he teases behind me.