Chapter 31: The Drop Zone
As they stepped out of the elevator, the recruits found themselves standing on the gleaming white floors of the mission base, a grand circular room reminiscent of their first day when they had ventured through the vortex.
Tess, like her fellow recruits, was occupied with adjusting their new attire. She couldn't help but admire her new boots, a perfect combination of sturdiness and lightness that accentuated the curves of her legs. What truly caught her attention, though, were the menacing metal spikes adorning the soles, adding a touch of lethal flair. It made her feel empowered, ready to conquer any challenge that lay ahead.
Her enthusiasm waned slightly as she realized that all the turtlenecks had sleeves that extended down to the elbows. Refusing to be hindered by unnecessary fabric, Tess meticulously rolled up both sleeves into neat folds, revealing a hint of skin above her black elbow pads. It was a compromise, a way to avoid tearing off the sleeves altogether and incurring Sensei's disapproval.
Examining her attire further, Tess found the large metal zipper above her turtleneck to be a charming detail, giving the illusion of a fashionable necklace paired with her shirt. She had opted for a dark blue shade to prevent overheating, knowing that black shirts absorb heat easily.
The breathable polyester material brought a sigh of relief, and she reluctantly followed Sensei's recommendation to tuck her shirt into her pants. While it felt more like an order than a suggestion, she couldn't deny that it transformed her appearance, resembling one of the stiff Priman soldiers fresh out of the military.
Lanse, her partner in training, sported a similar pair of pants to hers, the black MS off security force pants with an abundance of compartments, more than anyone could possibly need. Tess speculated that there wasn't much variety in that section of the wardrobe.
Meanwhile, Zack stood out with pants that fell above his knees, although his high boots and knee pads concealed any glimpse of exposed skin.
Each of them sported a distinct color in their attire, adding a touch of individuality to their uniforms. Lanse stood out with a purple hue that matched the tattoo Tess knew he had on his upper left arm—a thick line that extended from under his neck, running down the center of his black shirt.
Tess had to do a double take to spot Zino, whose color was not quite pink, but rather a deep, rich red. It was the closest available option, and although not an exact match, it suited him well enough.
Szedra's dark green shirt blended in with the familiar color scheme that dominated their surroundings, giving her a more cadet-like appearance. It was an obvious attempt to impress Sensei, although Tess found the shade more reminiscent of an unappetizing barf-green.
As for Zack, specks of a dark and gloomy yellow could be seen on his attire. It wasn't the most vibrant or cheerful color, but it seemed fitting for his demeanor. Other than these distinct colors, the rest of their attire remained predominantly black or close variations of it.
In an unexpected departure from the Mid-Sentry's rules, none of them had to cut their hair. Girls were usually required to keep their hair at shoulder length or in a tight bun, while boys received a low trim. No hair was to obstruct their faces.
Tess had taken advantage of this leniency, styling her white hair into a tight bun and carefully arranging loose strands to frame both sides of her face. It was a deliberate choice, anticipating their eventual escape.
"Right this way, cadets," Sensei beckoned, bringing their attention back to him. They followed his lead until they reached the dead center of the room, where Zack handed Tess a cold device.
"It's from Annie," he informed her.
The mention of Annie brought back memories of the lady with dark brown hair and round glasses they had encountered on their first day. Tess had almost forgotten about her presence until she spotted her standing by Sensei's side.
Tess secured the device around her arm, mimicking Zack's actions. It felt strange, so she folded the cuff of her glove, shortening it to match the length of her sleeves. With this adjustment, the device remained hidden, its bulge no longer conspicuous. She repeated the same alteration on her other hand.
Sensei's voice commanded their attention, diverting their focus from their outfits and back to him.
"To replicate the conditions of your real missions, you will be utilizing Drop Zone teleportation," Sensei explained, his gaze shifting away from them to the distant walls. "In less than a second, you will seamlessly appear within the designated target location." He paused briefly before adding, "This is done for security and safety purposes."
Annie approached a hologram screen and with a touch, the ground beneath their feet transformed from white light to a vivid red. "Good luck," she wished them, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of them behind the screen.
"Oh, and before I forget, all five of you must teleport at the same time if—," Sensei interjected, his face abruptly vanishing along with their surroundings. In an instant, they found themselves surrounded by the shadowy bases of towering trees that stretched far into the dimness.
Blinking their uncomfortable eyes, they adjusted to the newfound dimness and looked up at the enormous trees with an abundance of branches, blocking out the sunlight. Tess felt as small as an ant gazing up at colossal human legs.
It became evident that they were not on the familiar continent of GeoSaun, but rather on a newly discovered island concealed from the public's knowledge. From high above the treetops, a cacophony of shuffling sounds reverberated, resembling the flapping of thousands of bird wings.
A subtle vibration emanated from their arms, prompting them to roll back the cuffs of their gloves to examine the device. It displayed a countdown.
"Four hours?" Zack exclaimed, his eyes widening in astonishment. "What are we going to be doing for that long?" he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.
Their expressions turned serious, and Tess saw it as the perfect opportunity to inject a bit of humor. Standing at attention, she adopted a soldier-like demeanor and declared, "Alright, cadets, as a precautionary measure, perform a thorough body check to ensure no body parts were left behind during teleportation!"
Zino's eyes darted frantically downward, inspecting her lower body, causing Tess to burst into uncontrollable laughter. Szedra pressed her hand against her forehead, as if experiencing a sudden headache, while Zino stamped her feet in frustration.
However, the image of Sensei's stern face quickly invaded Tess's mind, extinguishing her laughter. It reminded her of the code she needed to remember. She turned her attention to the ground, searching for fresh leaves and a twig.
"What are you doing now?" Zino inquired, perplexed.
Ignoring the question, Tess pressed two leaves onto the bark of a nearby tree and used the twig to delicately engrave numbers onto their supple surfaces. The presence of an extra leaf served as a contingency in case one of them got damaged.
"We have no clue how to begin, and here you are searching for leaves like a mad person," Lanse remarked, releasing a weak chuckle as he placed one hand on his hip and rested the other on his slightly raised leg, which had been stomping on a large rock.
His dark red eyes swept across the group, as if asserting his superiority, as he declared, "I hate teamwork. Based on what I've observed during training, it seems I'll be carrying this entire team."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Szedra snapped, her voice tinged with irritation.
Scratching his head, Zack chimed in, "Well, he does have a point."
"No, Lanse, we will work as a team," Zino interjected with determination. "And we will be great!" Her right fist shot up triumphantly, signaling her unwavering belief in their collective abilities.
"You won't be carrying this entire team," Tess declared confidently, securing her leaves back into a pouch. All eyes turned towards her, and she gestured towards herself with one hand, boldly asserting, "Because I will."
Her statement caused their eyes to widen, with the exception of Lanse, whose right eyebrow arched slightly, visible through the parting in his bangs.
His words triggered a flood of memories, reminding her of all the dismissive remarks he had muttered during the past few weeks when she was no longer his rival. Since she was soon to depart, she wanted to leave her mark, ensuring that he would regret uttering those words and rue their existence.
"No, we need to work as a team," Zino interjected, positioning herself between Tess and Lanse, acting as a mediator to diffuse the mounting tension.
"Alright then, if you two think you're better than the rest of us," Szedra chimed in, without any animosity in her voice, "Tell us how to start this stupid exam. Time is ticking." As she spoke, she lifted her hand to reveal the countdown ticking on her wrist.
Meanwhile, Zack, who had been straining his eyes to peer beyond the towering trees, formed a makeshift cone with his hands and bellowed, "Hello!"
Szedra twitched, and her shoulder-length curly hair fluttered as she swiftly turned to face him. "Are you crazy? Do you want to give away our location? What if we get attacked now?"
"Well, that would certainly speed things up," Zino chimed in, her voice laced with an oddly cheerful tone, emphasizing the potential positive outcome of such an encounter.
"We're wasting precious time by just standing here," Lanse remarked impatiently.
Tess's smile grew wider as she realized it was the perfect moment to utilize her enhanced eye ability, honed during her preparations for escape over the past three weeks. If they could complete the exam ahead of schedule, and she managed to survive, she might be able to leave that prison on the very same day.
"I can use my eyes to search for any signs of activity," Tess suggested, eager to demonstrate her unique talent.
"Didn't I already try that?" Zack interjected, failing to grasp her point.
Tess scanned the ground, eventually finding a perfect spot to sit with her legs folded on the chilly forest floor. "It's my ability. I can't quite explain it, but my vision extends far beyond the average field of view."
Szedra crossed her arms, her gaze fixed directly on Tess. "Finally, you reveal that you do have an ability. I knew there was something special about you."
Lanse shifted his weight, moving away from the rock to approach Tess. "What ability? I had no idea you had a..." His words trailed off as he recalled the countless instances when he had found her seated on the couch, eyes wide open, seemingly staring at nothing. "Oh, so that's what you were doing all along?"
Szedra turned to Lanse, her eyes filled with curiosity. "What? What was she doing?"
Lanse smirked, folding his arms as he looked down at Tess. "All this time, I thought you were communicating with the dead or something, you ghost freak."
Tess closed her eyes, shutting out his taunting words. She took a deep breath and said, "This place is vast, and I'm unfamiliar with it, so it may take a while."
"Take all the time you need. We're not going anywhere," she heard his voice echo through the darkness.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Mackaina
Mackaina **Hey guys, remember about the goals for extra chapters weekly apart from the seven. I’m doing this all for you!
3000 (2k) stones = 2 extra chapters
4000 (4k) stones = 4 extra chapters
(づ￣ ³￣)づ
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