"One more time, kiddo. Practice makes perfect."

Valeria groaned as she looked up the training tower and noticed Frank looking down at her, a smug grin across his face. She took a deep breath as she faced the tower's smooth wall directly ahead.

Time to climb like Spider-Man again.

Frank had explained how the gloves from her Aegis suit and the footwear from Xun both had special hooks embedded within the leather. His explanation was boring and technical, but she got the gist; they allowed her to scale walls like a superhero. She placed both palms up on the wall and slowly pulled herself up.

While the gloves and shoes allowed her to adhere to the wall, they did little to help with the physical demands of pulling oneself upward. Luckily, the entire Training Hall was enveloped in darkness. Here, in the dark, she found her strength augmented like the Hall of Shadows. She forced herself to breathe as she climbed the flat surface, and avoided looking down. She kept up the same rhythm: Right hand up...left foot up. Left hand up...right foot up.

When Valeria reached the top of the tower, she sat along the edge and panted for air.

Frank laughed as he helped her stand. "It's a good work out, eh? Ready to do another Safety Roll?"

"Not really," Valeria said through labored breaths. "But I don't have a choice, do I?"

Frank shrugged. "You can either jump, or climb down. It's up to you."

"Maybe in a bit," Valeria said, taking in the sights. "I need a break." From up here, she could see the entire Training Hall. The room was a massive complex, much like their school gymnasium. A group of hooded Rogues ran around some sort of obstacle course below, playing a game that resembled laser tag. Pointing at them, she asked, "What are they doing?"

"They're playing Blitzflag," Frank said, a smile across his face.

"What's that?"

"It's a game Rogues play to train together and develop comradery. Lots of Rogues play Blitzflag together before forming professional crews. There's even an annual worldwide competition."

"Professional crews?" Valeria asked.

"Yeah," Frank said, taking a seat along the edge. "For big jobs, most Rogues need to group together as a Crew. You've seen this in the movies, where the robbers all organize their team before a big heist. Blitzflag is a good way for Rogues from different guilds to practice together, and figure out each person's basic strengths."

Valeria nodded. "Okay, so how do you play?"

"Well, it's basically a laser tag-like version of capture the flag," Frank said, pointing below. "Each team gets five players. Two players can hold guns and are called Gunners," he said, pointing to a Rogue below holding a rifle. "Stabbers are the two players who get dull 'laser' knives. In the past, we used paintball guns and wooden knives covered in paint." He pointed to a Rogue with a glowing knife and said, "There's a Stabber - watch closely."

Valeria watched this Rogue sneak behind a rival Gunner and stab him from behind. His victim fell to the floor and lay still for a few moments. "Holy crap! Did he just hurt that guy?"

Frank laughed. "Nah, he'll be fine...see?" After a few moments, the Gunner stood and began returning fire at the enemy team again. "Your generation wears a special vest when you play Blitzflag. When you get hit with either a shot or a knife, the suit shocks you and leaves you paralyzed for ten seconds. We used to just count to ten with an honor system or referee."

"I see. What's that guy doing?" Valeria asked, pointing at a Rogue trying to creep along a back wall. This guy was unarmed and carried a glowing yellow flag.

"That's their Runner," Frank said. "Like I said, the game is basically a modified version of Capture the Flag. The goal is to capture the enemy's flag, while preventing them from capturing yours. The only people who can carry enemy or friendly flags are the teams' Runners."

"I see," Valeria said, massaging her chin. "So can those runners carry weapons?"

Frank shook his head. "No. You can't carry a weapon and a flag at the same time, but a Gunner or Stabber can give their weapon to a Runner, and they switch roles. That doesn't happen too often since people are given a role they're good at. Assassins and Pirates make good Gunners, while Bounty Hunters and Ninjas usually make the best Stabbers. Thieves or Ninjas are usually the best Runners, but it really depends on the group of people."

Valeria looked at the Rogues playing Blitzflag below with an eager grin. "Sounds like fun. When can I do that?"

Frank shook his head. "Later, but first things first. See you down there," he said before jumping off the ledge. He hit the ground below feet first and pushed off his toes, somersaulted into a ball, and popped back up to his feet.

Valeria groaned from the top of the tower. She had tried to execute that maneuver twice and failed miserably both times. Her ankle was still sore from the last impact, and she could feel her father's anklet digging into her swollen flesh. She took a step back, gathered her resolve, and performed a running leap off the ledge.

She tried to keep her balance in the air and landed on her feet, just like Frank. She pushed off her toes immediately upon impact and tried to roll forward, but failed and landed flat on her back. The Aegis nullified most of the impact from the fall – but it still took a moment before she could stand.

"Good try, kiddo. Let me help you up."

Valeria stood and limped with every step. "I don't think I'll ever land one of those."

"It took me weeks to land my first one," Frank said with a laugh. "Don't worry, like the rest of your training - you will get better with practice."

"Can we get lunch now?"

"I guess so," he said, checking his watch. "We still have one technique left to learn, but we can learn that afterwards. Follow me."

Limping, Valeria followed Frank out of the Training Hall and down a narrow dark corridor. While the pain from her ankle was overwhelming, she felt something else. Something... familiar. The pain in her ankle was replaced by warmth and an itchy sensation, and Valeria jumped upon hearing a barely audible whisper.

"In...Anna...In...Anna..."

She could hear Frank rambling about their food choices ahead, but zoned him out. She focused on the odd whispering and followed it toward a nearby wall. She didn't notice anything different about this part of the wall, but definitely heard the whispering more clearly here.

She reached out to touch the wall, but gasped when her hand disappeared within it. She pulled her hand back before Frank turned around.

"What are you doing, kiddo? Thought you wanted lunch?" When she didn't respond, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Umm," Valeria muttered. "Maybe I landed wrong and hit my head earlier, cause I think I'm hearing things. Do you hear anything?"

Frank shook his head. "No. Why?"

"In...Anna...In...Anna..."

"Uhh...nothing," she said, unsure how to reply. "Nothing at all. Maybe I just need something to eat."

Frank shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, let's go."

Nodding, Valeria let him lead the way. She stole one last glance backward as the whispering voice slowly became inaudible and thought, what the hell was that all about?

                                   #

Valeria tried to regain her composure as she, Frank, and Jada ate lunch in the Sovereign Quarters. She remained quiet while the two chatted, reviewing her options in her mind. She could tell them about what happened near the training hall, but she wasn't sure they'd believe her. But she was also curious and tempted to find out more information by herself.

"How's training going?" Jada asked.

"Pretty good," Frank replied. "She's got climbing and falling down pat."

"I was asking the girl. Did you practice the Vanish skill yet?"

"Not yet," Valeria said, stabbing at the food with her fork.

"We'll work on it after lunch," Frank added. "Any word from Xun?"

"So far so good," Jada said. "If everything checks out tomorrow, I think we can head back. Valeria needs time to work on her homework before school on Monday."

"You're worried about that?!" Valeria asked with disbelief. "What if the Celestials find and arrest us?"

Jada shrugged. "If Lawrence Tyrell's protege told him who we were, he would have made a move by now."

"You really think you can trust that girl?" Frank asked, his voice ripe with skepticism.

Before she could answer, Jada cut in. "It doesn't matter if you trust her or not. Make that girl feel like she can trust you. You will seek her out at school on Monday and tell her who you really are."

"What?!" Frank protested. "You can't be serious."

Jada ignored him, her eyes focused on Valeria. "This is not a suggestion. Do you understand?"

"You want me to tell her I'm a Rogue?"

Jada shook her head. "She already knows you're a Rogue. You need to be more intimate with her. Tell Erin where you come from and what you've been through. I want you to prey on her sympathy."

Valeria's fists clenched under the table. She could read between the lines, and didn't like where this conversation was headed. If Jada viewed Erin as a target - then Valeria was her weapon, and she didn't appreciate being used like that. "Why should I?"

"Because," Jada replied, "You will spy on her for us. I want to know everything about that girl. Understood?"

When Valeria protested, Jada cut her off. "This is non-negotiable! You got us into this mess, and you will do your part. Tell me you understand!"

Valeria nodded, but refused to offer a verbal reply. Like before, she understood Jada's position - but disagreed. The tension was palpable as the three of them finished the rest of their meal in silence. Afterward, they walked back to the Training Hall, and Valeria heard the whispering voice as they approached the entrance.

"In...Anna...In...Anna..."

She turned toward the wall for just a moment, tempted to investigate further. She couldn't understand why the voice was calling out to her. But that wasn't all. The weird part was how familiar the voice was. It sounded just like...

"Something wrong?" Jada asked, eyes narrowed.

Valeria cursed under her breath. She had been distracted and didn't even realize she had turned around. "Umm...no. Nothing's wrong."

"Good," Jada said before turning around. "Time to practice Vanishing techniques," she lectured as they entered the Training Hall.

Vanishing skills involved a combination of misdirection and the stealthy creeping skills Xun had taught during their training. The most common version involved throwing a ninja smoke bomb as a distraction and creeping around someone during the commotion. Valeria hadn't believed it was possible of course - but that all changed after watching Jada in action.

"Go on," Jada commanded, standing at the ready. "Two against one - you and Frank versus me. Either one of you lays a hand on me," she said while turning to Valeria, "you get a smartphone. And you," she said while turning to Frank, "Get a surprise later tonight."

Frank laughed. "Me and the kid against you? Without any traps or smoke bombs? I won't get my hopes up."

Valeria stood next to Frank and waited. On Jada's command, they both charged her - but their effort was in vain; Jada threw a smoke bomb near her feet and vanished in a cloud of smoke. She heard a grunt next to her, and watched Frank hit the ground with a thud. She looked around for Jada, but Valeria couldn't find her anywhere.

"Over here," Jada whispered somewhere nearby.

Valeria used her night vision to survey the dark open space within the training hall, but still couldn't find her. "You can't stay hidden forever! You'll eventually need to get close!" As she finished, her neck hairs prickled from someone's warm breath.

"Who said I was far away?" Jada whispered.

Valeria spun and tried to swing at Jada, but she was too quick. Another smoke bomb detonated at her feet, releasing a puff of smoke and noise that sent her staggering backward. Next thing she knew - she was pinned to the ground.

"No Smartphone for you," Jada whispered before letting go.

Valeria groaned as she stood. She limped over to Frank, who still hadn't completely recovered himself.

"Shall we practice some more?" Jada asked, a smile slowly creeping across her face.

"Definitely," Valeria replied, her voice ripe with eager enthusiasm.

After a few hours of practice, Valeria started to grasp the basics of vanishing and reappearing behind an opponent without being detected. Unlike her other training, this didn't seem as complicated and played to her strengths. She was already deceptive and quick. Now she could add smoke bombs to her arsenal.

Jada explained that she would need to prepare to Vanish at all times, as this allowed Rogues to overpower opponents and evade danger.

"We will get more smoke bombs before we leave," Jada said. "You will always carry these devices on you - even at school." Exhaling, she leaned closer to her, eyes narrowed. "This is important, so listen up. You will always keep your Aegis in your bookbag at all times, and if you sense danger, you should use it. Understood?"

Valeria agreed.

After their afternoon training session, the three of them got dinner from the dining hall and brought it back to Jada's quarters. As they sat there eating, Valeria couldn't help but daydream about showing off her Aegis at school. This included her Ninja shoes, which meant she could sneak out of any class undetected now. While she had promised to use these tools to evade danger, she wondered if Biology tests counted?

After dinner, they returned to their rental room and watched a movie. Once again, Jada picked the movie and selected the original 1968 version of the Thomas Crown Affair with Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway.

The movie was similar to the other one they watched last week: Out of Sight. Both involved a male thief seducing a woman trying to capture them. When the movie ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, only one word came to mind. "Wow," she said, her eyes widening. "That guy acted like he was in love with the girl, but flew off without her. That's cold."

Jada nodded. "I picked that movie on purpose. No matter how many feelings you have for someone, you must trust your instincts. If Thomas had trusted Vicki, he would have gotten caught." She looked over at her husband for a moment, an odd expression across her face. Sighing, she turned back to Valeria. "As a Rogue, you must prepare to make sacrifices. Understood?"

Valeria nodded. "I got it."

"Good," Jada said. "Let's all get some sleep."

As she lay in bed, Valeria couldn't help but think about Erin and Sai. She cared about both of them, and tried to imagine turning a cold shoulder to them like the character in the movie. She thought about Frank and Jada, and wondered if she would ever have to abandon them some day too. She had been alone for such a long time, but not any more. She gripped her pillow and thought, I finally have people I care about...and I don't want to let them go.

"Then don't," a familiar voice whispered back.

Valeria's eyes widened as she sat bolt upright in bed. She looked around their dark hotel room, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Frank and Jada slept in the bed across from her, with Frank snoring every so often. Her eyes had already adjusted to the dark, and she searched the room. "Who are you?" Valeria whispered. "Where are you?"

"Who are you?" the voice whispered back. "Where are you?"

Valeria looked around the room, but no one was there. "It's you, isn't it?" She whispered. "The voice I heard earlier?"

"It is you, isn't it?" the voice whispered back.

"You want me to go there, don't you?" she whispered.

"You want to go there, don't you?" the voice whispered back.

Valeria flopped back against her pillow, trying to contain her frustration. Being taunted was annoying, but the voice was familiar - and unfamiliar at the same time. The overwhelming feeling of nostalgia left her disoriented and confused. She would never figure out the answer lying here in bed; she knew what she needed to do.

Holding her breath, she crept out of bed and found her Aegis suit. She slipped into the armor and nearly collapsed as vertigo overwhelmed her again. When the nausea passed, she checked the other bed and found Jada and Frank fast asleep. Sorry guys. She exited the room and closed the door behind her without making a sound. She navigated the dark vacant hallways, using the shadows to her advantage. Near the training hall, she stopped upon hearing familiar voices talking in hushed tones.

"I don't know why you can't just try breaking in?" a female voice asked.

"Because," a male voice responded - clearly Dontrell's, "I'm not exactly sure where the entrance is. I also love my sister, and if she found out I tried to break in there – she would disown me."

"You are letting your emotions get in the way," the female voice hissed.

"Don't forget who you're talking to, Brigitte," Dontrell fired back. "Without me, you'd still be walking the streets in Amsterdam, using the color red for a different profession."

"Of course I remember," Brigitte replied, her tone a little more seductive. "I will always be indebted to you, the deadliest man in the world. It should be you leading us, not her. If you were to possess the artifact...maybe we could –"

"Enough," Dontrell interrupted. "I didn't come here to debate. Even if I knew where the entrance was, I still have no idea what traps are in there. Besides, I've got an even more important mission for you."

"What could possibly be more important than the artifact?" Brigitte asked, her tone defiant.

"I want you to follow someone."

"What about my original target?" Brigitte asked with surprise.

"Forget about her," Dontrell said. "This mission is more important. We'll discuss it in your room, unless you want to keep snooping around out here."

"I will always do whatever you command."

Valeria hid behind the corner as they walked away, trying to make sense of what she heard. She wondered who Brigitte was supposed to follow. Could she be Brigitte's target? Was she that creepy Rogue in their backyard? And what artifact were they talking about?

There were so many questions without answers. As she crept toward the Training Hall, she hoped to answer at least one question tonight.  She heard the whispering voice near the entrance again.

"In...Anna...In...Anna...In...Anna..."

Valeria studied the ordinary wall, weighing her options. She knew this voice wanted her to go in, even if her name wasn't Anna. But part of her wondered if this was some kind of trap. She extended her hand to the wall, and just like before, it disappeared within it. She pulled her hand back and studied it, but nothing was wrong. Heart pounding, she clutched her chest, closed her eyes and stepped through the wall.

She should have smacked into concrete, but didn't. When she opened her eyes, she stood within a circular room with a large vault door ahead. She looked behind her and noticed odd cameras where she entered, each projecting an optical illusion of a wall. Nothing magical about that, she thought with a smile.

Valeria turned back to the vault with three massive rotating dials on the door. They currently read, "0,0,0." A framed wooden sign stood beside it.

"The Strange Vault: 2011."
-----------------------------------
"Beware all who enter here,
You get one chance to dial dear.
The man inside will guide you,
His number will let you through.
Be sure to recall this vault's name clearly,
For respect is the ultimate currency."

Valeria blinked after reading the sign. Confused, she tried reading the clues again, but failed to make any sense of it. She looked past the sign and noticed a large bold faced name imprinted over the top of the vault door:

Midas Vault: Est 1872

Directly below this name, she observed a second name that appeared to be hand-etched into the wall beside the vault door, instead of on top.

Vault of Wonders: 1992

Valeria looked at both vault titles before returning to the sign again. She guessed it must have been put here by Jada in 2011. She tried to understand why a Sovereign ruler like Jada would leave a clue to her vault. But it appeared the previous Sovereign must have done something similar back in 1992, so maybe this was some sort of tradition?

She made sure to read the clues a few more times until she had them memorized. She hated to retreat, but knew she couldn't touch the door tonight. While most of the clues were a mystery, the first part wasn't. She would only get one chance to enter the code, and until she figured it out - she was shit out of luck.

Groaning, she crept back the way she came and peaked around the corridor. Vacant. She should have gone back to their room, but noticed the Training Hall nearby and crept toward it. She was all jacked up on adrenaline now, and figured it couldn't hurt to practice her new skills for a while.

Satisfied that she was alone, Valeria casually strolled into the Training Hall, oblivious to the figure watching her silently from the corridor, arms crossed against their chest.