Chapter 4

The next few days consisted of us training hard and long. It seemed like every day filled with extensive training. There wasn't a night where I didn't go to sleep sore in so many places. After the fifth day we were going to train with our robots.

"Today we are going to learn how to use the robots," the director stated, "Robin, I know that you are scared of heights but if you can learn to use this, you will become a formidable enemy."

Once I got into the robot, the fear of heights was erased from my mind. It felt like I wasn't really six feet in the air. I actually enjoyed being up that high.

"Are your seat belts on?" Greg asked all of us. We were about to start training.

"Yes, Sir," Jonathan stated.

"Yes," I added as well as Ace and Camino.

"Take your controls that should be sitting in between your legs. Just move it around and your robot should move."

I moved the joy stick like control stick that sat between my legs to the left and the whole robot turned to the left. The feeling of being afraid of heights came back. I then moved it forward a few steps. The whirring of the machine filled my ears. As my robot lurched forward, that scared of heights phobia went away as I realized that it wouldn't crumble beneath me.

"Are you comfortable in there?" Jonathan asked me through communication devices that were built in to the robots already.

"Yeah," I replied," Getting there slowly but surely."

"This is fun!" Camino gleefully exclaimed.

"Now I am going to put up an easy simulation of what you will be up against. I want you to take it one at a time. Don't rush each other. Camino you're up first. The firing button should the red one on your control stick," Greg instructed. He took a remote and pressed a button that revealed a target like the ones that you would find at a shooting range.

Camino made the arm if his robot forward so that the guns on the arm were pointing at the target. He took careful aim and pressed the red button on the control stick. The bullet looked like plasma. It definitely wasn't your everyday metal bullet, but he hit the target square in the chest.

"Nice aim!" I stated.

"Thanks!" Camino said. Even though I couldn't see his face, I could hear happiness in his voice.

"Camino, try shooting at several moving targets at the same time," the director directed. The he pressed a button and out popped five moving targets each moving in a different direction than one another. With ease, Camino shot the five targets without hesitation.

"Good job Camino," Director Alexander stated, "Now it is Jonathan's turn."

Jonathan started out with the one target and successfully removed the head of that target. Then when he moved on to the moving targets, he missed only two.

"I hope you are a better leader than you are a shooter," Ace joked.

"You don't have to be so mean, Ace. I bet I shoot better than you," Jonathan defended.

"Robin, you are up!" Greg told me through the communication devices.

I aimed at the single target that the director had put up for me.

"No it is my turn!" Ace exclaimed as knocked me out of the way and shot the target that was set for me. The noise of my robot falling on the ground was so loud, that the others had to close their ears while still being inside theirs.

"What was that for?" I asked Ace with an angry tone as I exited my robot.

"You were taking too long with your turn," Ace exclaimed angrily.

"We are supposed to be training. Not worrying about who goes when," I stated, "This is the first time I have been in that robot and do you think that I might need a little time to learn how the controls work?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Jonathan exclaimed, "We are supposed to working as a team, not bickering amongst each other."

"This is exactly the reason I am hesitant to join a team with three boys. I was trying to get away from my seven brothers and it seems like I was put right back into that same situation," I said exasperated.

"I don't think that I want to be on a team with a girl like you either," Ace also exclaimed.

"Calm it down," Greg intervened, "Ace, it was her turn and it is okay for her to take long. That is part of training. If you do that again, then I will have to permanently take you off the team. I need someone who would be willing to work as a team."

Ace grumbled to himself. He was obviously not happy about how the situation worked out.

"Now I want you guys to do a drill that requires teamwork. I will set up targets similar to the ones with the robots and there will be obstacles in your way for each of you to show me your skills. I want Ace and Jonathan working one side and Camino and Robin on the other. You will be using training weapons that are similar to the ones that were created for you."

Someone, who I assumed was his assistant, came in with the four guns for us. I was handed a Sniper Rifle and a 9mm handgun that was already fit with a holster. The others got their respective guns and we headed toward the starting point. We were also handed ear communication devices that we could talk to the rest of the team no matter where we were on the field.

Soon the warehouse became a training field. The floor in some places became cliffs, hills or tall structures that looked like buildings. The whole place came to life as floors moved to make the obstacle course.

"Wow," I marveled as I looked around at the newly transformed warehouse, "You really have all the latest technology."

"All of our newest technology, we saved for you guys. We felt that since you are teens who know a lot about techno stuff, that it would be best to leave some for you."

"Cool!" Camino stated. Since he was the techy, anything that had technology in it he loved.

"Your objective is to avoid getting hit by the return fire and make it to a marked spot on the floor that is on the other side of the obstacle course. There will be checkpoints that you have to reach that are marking in green. If you get there within a certain time, then you can get a bonus that can help you during this simulation. There will also be panels intermittent during the course and it will have a picture of one of you guys to do something that will either trigger something good or something bad."

"What do you mean by bad?" Camino asked with a hint of worry also evident.

"Simulation begins in three. . . ." The computer started.

"You will find out," The director answered.

"Two . . . . ."

"Can't you tell us right now?" Ace inquired.

"One. . . ."

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"Your simulation begins now."

Out from on top or below the hills, robots would come up and start firing on us. I ducked behind a pillar that was thin, but not so thin that I could sit behind it. Camino also ducked behind a pillar that was almost parallel to mine.

I pulled out my pistol and began to attempt taking them out.

"Does anyone have a plan?" I asked as I ducked back behind the pillar.

"I plan on taking out as many of the robots as I can," Ace replied over the ear pieces. As soon as he was done talking, the sound of machine gun fire emanated throughout the room.

"I meant as a team Ace," I said a little frustrated. He had already ruined my training once. He wasn't going to do it again.

"I say that if Robin can find a high place and use her sniper rifle to take down the robots that are on top of the buildings, and then Camino starts taking down the ones on the ground, we could advance to the next part of simulation," Jonathan stated, "Ace and I can start advancing down the line so as to get to the first checkpoint."

"I say that it a good plan," Camino agreed.

"I say we blast right through without splitting up," Ace grumbled to himself though through the communication device, everyone heard.

"Ace, Robin and Camino are better at taking long distance shots. It will also eliminate some of the robots to make transition from check point to check point easier," Jonathan stated his point.

"I know that, but if Robin eliminates the competition from above and Camino shoots them from below, that leaves me with nothing," Ace argued, "Since we entered this ware house, I have been anxious to destroy some robots and I haven't been able to do that yet, because some people seem to be taking forever to do anything."

So that is why he knocked me out of the way earlier. I contemplated in my mind.

"The more we argue, the better chance of our enemy to gain the upper hand," Camino chimed in over the audio link.

"Camino is right, The more time you spend arguing the better chance that the enemy can shoot you and kill you. I want to be able to send you back to your homes alive." Director Alexander stated.

"I say let's go with Jonathan's plan," I informed.

"I agree. I think that it would help us out more that Ace realizes." Camino finished.

"It's three out of four. You're outnumbered Ace," Jonathan finished as he arose from his hiding spot and attempted to shoot a robot from far away.

"As long as I get a chance to shoot some," Ace reluctantly agreed.

I quickly climbed one of the hills and to my surprise, I could see for a good distance. I laid down in sniper position and quickly took aim at one of the robots that was closest, paving a way for Camino who was making his way to the first checkpoint. Ace and Jonathan followed close behind. They walked backwards as if expecting an attack from behind. They also covered Camino's back.

We made it successfully to the first check point and there stood a panel with Camino's picture on the hologram like screen. The words, touch to begin appeared in place of the face.

Camino touched the screen and a window appeared replacing the letters with numbers. Instructions also appeared saying that Camino needed to place the number columns in order to where the first and last digits of each number column would go in numerical order.

"Do you think that you can do this?" Jonathan asked.

"Please, this is easy. I do things a lot harder than this for a living," Camino boasted as he continued his

He was able to place the number columns in the correct order quickly. But nothing happened. Until from inside one of the so called buildings, a door opened and out came a contingent of robots that were unlike the others that we just fought.

They had thick armor. Our guns did little damage. When they did, a new robot took the place of the other.

"Where did these guys come from?" Jonathan questioned as he shot at the nearest robot.

I took a high position and took aim with the high powered scope that the creators added for me. The robots fell underneath the power of the plasma bullets that exploded from my gun.

Down below, Ace took pleasure in using his machine gun. I could see excitement in his face as he took the pleasure of plastering the hologram robot parts all over the walls of the simulated buildings around us.

We soon decimated the rest of the squad and with our success, the whole course changed. All of a sudden the buildings sunk into the ground and up came new obstacles. The floor soon created a simulated forest. The columns were thin or thick depending on how big or small the tree was going to be. Then out of the wall to our right, water rushed in and formed a river that drained away into an adjacent drain facing the wall to our left. Underneath the trees soon came brush that obscured our walk toward the next check point.

"You might have to fight inside a dense forest. I thought you could use the practice." The director relayed over the communication link.

After the course was reset, the robot started coming in force and were even harder to shoot down. The tops of these new robots were bulky for the scrawny legs that they walked on. But is seemed as though they walked effortlessly through the underbrush.

The three of them stood back to back making sure that they gave each other cover.

"I count at least thirty coming in from each direction," Camino stated as he shot two down, "I say that we find some cover together and then shoot them."

"What about the trees?" I asked as I glanced up toward branches of one tree that was low enough for us to climb on.

"What about them?" Jonathan asked me.

"You see that tree that is to my right? It has branches that could be low enough for us to climb up on. We could even climb higher if the robots got any closer."

"I prefer solid ground," Ace complained.

"And what happens if it is the only option that is available to us when we actually fight the robots Ace?" Jonathan asked as he shot down a robot that was a few feet away from him.

"You guys could climb the tree, I will stay on the ground and fight them," Ace countered.

"I say we climb the tree and allow Ace to stay on the ground. We will see how long he lasts," Camino stated.

"I agree. If Ace is going to be stubborn, I say give him his way," I said bitterly.

"Agreed," Jonathan replied, "Maybe through some experience, he will learn to work together with us."

I directed Jonathan and Camino to the tree that I explained earlier. The boys were gentlemanly enough to allow me to climb the tree first. I climbed it high enough so that the two boys would have enough room underneath me to be high enough and still have room. We all shot from our different positions. I shot the ones further back since I was the highest in the tree and could see further than the rest of them. Ace shot the ones at the front of the line and Camino shot the ones behind as Ace's was still charging. Jonathan shot the ones behind us as to keep the robots from flanking us.

"They keep coming!" Camino shouted as he shot two more robots to the ground.

"Do not give up! Jonathan encouraged, "We are a team and we can do this!"

"I don't need a team to defeat these guys!" Ace exclaimed as he ran from his position underneath the tree toward a line of robots directly in front of him. He managed to tale down a few robots, but then was shot down by one of the training bullets that came out of their guns.

Once Ace was shot, the robots stopped shooting and moving and the landscape disappeared in the ground as it came.

"Why did you have to do that?" I exclaimed, " we were almost through!"

"I wanted to rush them myself without you guys. It is the thrill of the hunt right?" Ace argued.

"And you thought it through I hope?" I asked exasperated.

"I don't 'think things through, I just act. We were taking way too long to defeat them!"

"And now we won't be able to defeat them at all because of your arrogance!" I countered.

"My arrogance? More like your timidity!" Ace retorted.

"We were not being timid we were being smart! It is an advantage in battles to have higher ground while you are fighting someone or something! The tree was the highest structure in the place and we almost had the robots defeated except you had to rush in," I exclaimed even further.

"I rushed in because we were being to slow on our approach!" Ace stated.

"Guys," Jonathan said as he tried to end the argument.

"I could see the checkpoint from where I sat on the tree. We could have made it there without a problem if it wasn't for your over eagerness to get into battle."

"Guys," Jonathan said calmly again.

"This was just a simulation! I don't take such risks in actual battle!"

"Guys!" Jonathan finally yelled over the argument. Ace and I quickly ended the sentences that were going to say next, "Ace, I know that this is a simulation, but a simulation is supposed to be like the real thing. You can't just take off without telling anyone of us, because it could get you or us killed. We are supposed to be a team, not argue all the time."

"Jonathan is right," the director stated as he made his way toward his students, "Just because it is a simulation does not mean that you don't have to treat it like the real thing. Ace, it was not wise of you to run out into the open like that without consent of your entire team. Your teammates might know something more about combat than you do."

"Well I know when to stand up and fight rather than standing there and letting them surround us and giving them a perfect chance to kill us!" Ace argued further.

"The higher you are compared to your enemy gives you an advantage, because it is easier to go down a tree than up one," I countered with my temper flaring.

"Stop it both of you!" the director commanded Ace and I " I want you to go to your rooms and cool off before dinner. Jonathan and Camino can stay and try other simulations if you want or you can go back to your rooms as well."

"I'll stay," Jonathan agreed.

"Me too! I was having fun!" Camino shouted in agreement.

As I made my way back through the massive headquarters, I raved on about just how selfish I believed Ace to be. He never talked to the team before he went and did something or he went and did his own thing. It just drove me up a wall. Will I ever learn to be on the same team with someone so mean as Ace was?

"If he doesn't change," I thought to myself, "I am going to have to give him a taste of his own medicine."