ike I promised, I'm back for chapter 10! Last chapter was a bit sad and depressing and I don't particularly like making depressing chapters, but they have to be done xD.

I'll answer some reviews first, by the way, I got your guys reviews in my email and not on fanfiction for some reason. It's a general problem right now for a lot of people and I hope they can get this fixed fast. Anyway, EricaHale, Emmy's story is sad and yes I do plan to at least try to keep my promise xD. A.M., I wouldn't worry, I've got some serious action coming up in 1-2 chapters, and on your second question, I don't want to spoil it, but you'll see Chip, Warren, Zoe, Mike, Cyrus, Alexander, and Erica. Plus, a couple of new characters later in the story. I've got this story all planned out, and it's REALLY exciting if I say so myself.

On to the story! Please review!

Chapter 10

Timeskip

Today was my last training day, tomorrow they would finally brief me on what the mission was. I had been working endlessly for the past two weeks, and it all comes together today. Grandpa has been pushing me hard in hacking, codes, and cryptography. We weren't even talking about math anymore, all code for the last two days. Nonstop staring at code, my eyes burned after we finished. Somehow, this was by far the easiest part of training and I'm not worried much about it.

Uncle Sam's training took it a step further, the first day of Aikido training was a piece of cake compared to the last three days. I had so many bruises, cuts, and scraps. Apparently, Krav Maga hurts a lot. Who knew? Mastering defense hurt, but in the end I gained a bit of muscle and could at least defend myself adequately. Mostly what I thought about during the burning pain was finally being able to go toe to toe with Erica. And if you thought Uncle Sam's training was hard, Emmy's took the cake.

Even after our talk, Emmy still pushed me hard, maybe he even harder. On days, I didn't train with her or after training with her, we would have movie nights and joke around. But on training days, Emmy was a completely different person. It didn't help that I sucked at shooting, Emmy wanted the best from me and took no excuses. The punishment when I messed something up i Uncle Sam's training was a bruise, but in Emmy's class, if I messed something up, she would make me run laps, and run more laps. Did I mention the push ups? If anything, the only thing I gained from that training class was better conditioning and whole lot of aching muscles. I was in no better shape at shooting then the first day I started training with Emmy. Shooting was still my Achilles heel, the progress I did make was being able to consistently hit the target. Of course, no kills shots so running was administered…

Anyway, today would be all three of my relatives training me. Grandpa first, then Uncle Sam, then Emmy. A exam or final to prove that I was ready for the mission was the last part of the training. I knew I could pass with flying colors in cryptography class, pass at fighting, but shooting was a definite fail.

I lay in bed thinking about all this, I wondered how all my friends in spy school and Mike were doing. I guess I could classify Mike as friend from spy school now though. Anyway, I had other things to think about. Like how to pass shooting.

Getting up from my bed, I yawned and headed for the usual breakfast. Training with Grandpa was going to happen in exactly thirty minutes and fifty-four seconds so I had time. I expected to find Emmy eating, or maybe Uncle Sam reading his newspaper. To my surprise, I found no one sitting at the table.

Realizing that they were probably preparing to train me, I grabbed some eggs and decided to make some scrambled eggs, I got a glass of milk as well. After finishing my breakfast, I stood up and wondered what to do now. Before I could do anything, a message pinged on my phone.

It was from Grandpa, it was in code of course. It read that training with him was going to start early today and to meet him in the attic.

Attic?!

I had cased this place several times, and I never found an attic. I decided to go upstairs and see what I could I find. After casing the whole upstairs, I still couldn't find anything. Before I could think of something, my phone pinged with another message.

It was from once again, Grandpa. This time in code it read for me to step five times frontwards, step two times to my left side and look up. Puzzled, I did so. I ended up looking at faded wood, standing on my toes, I brushed my hand against the wood and found a button.

Pushing it seemed like a good idea so I did, doing so a staircase crept out of a hole that formed after I pushed the button. I climbed it.

Sticking my head out, I saw Grandpa sitting on a chair.

" There you are Ben! I was starting to get worried! "

I climbed up and surveyed the room, like the room I usually train with Grandad, this one was filled with computers and gadgets. The difference however was what type of computers, back down at the normal training place, the computers were normal computers. These were high tech computers built for hacking. There was a lot less of them as well.

Grandpa noticed me looking at the computers.

" This is command central Ben, I come up here everyday to work. And today, you and me are both going to be working. "

He walked to me.

" In the few hours I have you before you work with Sam, we are going to be going everything you have learned as well as you could say a " review " for your final exam on cryptography. "

This was my niche, I was determined to impress Grandad. He was a prodigy at math and hacking, everything I did, he could do two times faster. Even after all the training, I was still slow. Compared to Grandad, I was a basket case. Even though I was certain I could ace the exam, I wanted to prove to Grandpa that I could carry the Ripley name.

So we hit the books, I went over every single code we went over as well as some Grandpa had not shown me yet. Casing books filled with numbers was easy to remember, the books that had some words in them were a bit harder to study and memorize. Every code that I went over, I applied and used, Grandpa told me if I was doing it correctly. Everything from Stenography to Vigenere, I studied. Grandpa taught me some tricks to solve even some of the hardest of codes, he told me that no code was impossible to crack if you put your mind to it.

After a couple of hours of studying, reviewing, and learning even more tips and tricks I decided to ask Grandad how he was so fast at cracking codes, I've seen him take down servers in a matter of minutes.

" Grandpa, how do you crack these codes so fast? You do it two times faster than me and you're just as accurate. On a mission, when I need these codes skills, what if I am not fast enough? I could never forgive myself for messing up a mission because I was slow at hacking. "

Grandpa looked at me like he was surprised I said that.

" You think you are slow Ben? "

" Well yeah, compared to you. "

" Ben, I am fast because I have been doing this much longer than you have been alive. You have natural aptitude for math, cryptography is different. Actual practice is needed. There is no trick, when you get to my age you will be able to do it just as fast, if not faster. "

" The trick is simply to practice, and practice. "

" I was hoping for a trick, but that works as good Grandpa. " I said while smiling.

" We all wish there was a trick to something Ben. "

We worked for maybe an hour before Grandpa gave me a review to study. Grandpa sent me on my way saying that the training gets harder starting with Uncle Sam.

I believed that, time to brace myself for some bruising and aching. This was going to hurt, I shouldered the review and went to my room to leave it.

Like before, I had thirty minutes before my training with Uncle Sam started and I took this opportunity to kill myself in the workout room before Uncle Sam got to me.

After twenty-eight minutes of punishment, I stalked off and prepared for Uncle Sam to call on me. And as soon as I thought that, a megahorn blasted off my ears.

" PAGING BEN RIPLEY! THIS IS UNCLE SAM! IT IS TIME FOR TRAINING! "

So, I already ruptured my eardrums before the training even started. This was starting of great. I walked out to the backyard for training. As I suspected, Uncle Sam was standing there, grinning with his megahorn by his side.

I warily approached him, you never knew with Uncle Sam. One day he would be greeting you with other ice cream, other days he greeted by making me scream, in pain of course.

" Come on Ben! I promise I won't bite! "

" The last time you said that, you rushed me without telling me and flipped me over! "

He winced with that.

" Yeah, sorry about that. I thought you knew I was going to attack you. "

" Anyway, it's time for the review for your final exam! "

" Unlike Dad and soon to be Emmy, I am going to tell you what you are going to do for your exam! "

" Really? " That was a surprise.

" Yup, you are going to be sparring against me. "

I immediately stopped breathing, I was going to be sparring Uncle Sam? He was an animal! I think I could hold him off, but actually take him down? No can do.

" Calm down Ben, to pass you are either going to have to knock me out OR survive against me for five minutes. "

That was more manageable thankfully.

" Okay, time to go over uki and tori as well as your Krav Maga stances as well. Chop chop Benny boy! If you want to beat me you are going to need to practice. "

I sighed, time for some hurt.

" Alright Uncle Sam. "

We began immediately working. Uncle Sam had me go over every uki and tori style he has taught me over the four day course I have been training with him. And of course, this called for more sparring, which of course hurt. But, I was meeting every strike and defending surprisingly well. I could tell that Uncle Sam was surprised as well, because he pushed me even further. He striked and I blocked, the fight was getting more intense and intense by the minute. I threw in my Krav Maga and counterattacked, even pushing him back. Mixing it up, I sent a couple of strikes toward him and pressed him, not giving him any time to recover. I guarded any counterattacks with Aikido and attacked with Krav Maga.

I got greedy and went for a knockout blow, which totally exposed me. Uncle Sam quickly took the opportunity and sent three rapid kicks. I tried to defend, but I was too slow. I ended up landing on my butt with aching ribs. Uncle Sam dusted himself off and helped me up.

" Tell me how bad I did, I can handle it. "

" Quite the opposite actually Ben. "

" What? "

" You were able to defend against me and actually counterattack with the few attack techniques I gave you. The only thing you did wrong was that last move. "

" Ben, I think all I need to review with you is when to attack. "

" Really? "

" Yup. "

Uncle Sam taught me when to attack. He said the key points of attacking were of course when they were off balance and unprepared, and after they make a mistake.

We went over all of this and I asked Uncle Sam to still go over all the techniques which he did so.

" Ben, you are getting very good. You seem to be much better in defending, your attacking skills though, still need loads of work. "

" However, you'll pass the test easily. "

I left the backyard with a good mood until I remembered I had training with Emmy, and as soon as I got into the house, Emmy grabbed me and pulled me towards the shooting range.

" I already know I'm going to fail the test! Why are you training me? "

" You are not going to fail Ben, and I am not exactly training you. "

" Yes, I am going to fail what? "

" Yep this will be the shortest of all your training today. "

" What?! Normally, your's is the longest. "

" I know, but I thought about it, and I think I can solve your gun problem. "

" You're going to make it so I get bulls-eyes? "

" I'm your cousin Ben, not a miracle worker. "

Ouch.

" That hurt! "

" Yeah well, the truth hurts. "

We arrived at the shooting range.

" To work on your accuracy Ben, we are going to be shooting close range today. "

" Close range? "

" Correct. "

I took out my gun, Emmy led me to where she prepared the close range targets. We worked on those, and I actually managed to hit close to the center. After an hour or so, Emmy told me that we would transition on to the long range targets now.

" This is where it all comes down Ben. "

" Thanks for the pressure. "

" No problem. " She bumped my shoulder. I almost dropped my gun.

I aimed and tried to remember the feeling of hitting close range, I fired multiple times. After the smoke cleared, I strained to see where they had hit.

I looked towards Emmy and she looked stunned.

" What happened? "

She handed me the scope, I looked through and what I saw blew my mind. I had hit in the two inner circles for the most part! I may have not hit the center, but this was good!

Emmy smiled at me.

" I think you are ready for your test Ben. "

" Hopefully, I am Ems. " I said as I followed Emmy towards where I would be tested. My first test would be my cryptography test. Emmy pointed to one of the empty rooms I had discovered.

Inside, I found one of Grandad's computers, the high-tech ones. That was all there was including a table for the computer to rest on and a chair.

I sat down.

Suddenly, I heard Grandpa's voice.

" Ben, this is your test. Turn the computer on. "

I did so and what I saw was a server and an encryption sign.

" You have to crack this server, you have five minutes. Good luck on Ben. "

Oh god, I immediately got started on the server. Writing code after code, trying to get past the firewalls, my head was beaded with sweat. After a couple of broken firewalls, I got to a sixteen-bit daisy-chain.

I racked my head, trying to remember from when I first started spy school.

Circumvent! I had to get around it, not crack it! I made a path in code with some applications, it took me a tense minute, but…

A sign came on the screen saying I had decrypted it! I had cracked it!

" Well done Ben, that was a KGB server and you cracked it. You have passed. "

Yes!

" Next you have Sam with your next test. "

My mood dampened a little, but I cheered up. I could handle this.

Uncle Sam opened the door and led me to a similar room, but it was bigger, with a mat on the floor. To my horror, I saw Emmy and Grandpa watching me behind a mirror.

Emmy mouthed good luck, I was going to need some luck.

Uncle Sam and I bowed to each other and it was all go.

Uncle Sam immediately attacked, and dang did he not hold back. I was pushed back so far already. I took a risk and attacked before Uncle Sam could continue attacking. I fought aggressively, taking every attacking move I learned and pushed Uncle Sam slowly, but surely back to the middle. I thought I had him, before he let loose a stream of kicks and punches that landed.

Blood spurted from my nose and I was seeing red.

Focus Ben! I saw a kick coming and used taisabaki to dodge. With a burst of energy, I pushed back.

Uncle Sam went back to attacking and I went back to defending. And then, Uncle Sam made a mistake. I dodged a punch that left him exposed, I took it. Using tori, I flung him him back. I was on top of him, before Grandad yelled time!

" I had him! "

I helped Uncle Sam up.

" Well done Ben, I'll get you a tissue for that nose. "

I blushed.

Emmy approached me, " How was that Ems? " I boasted.

" Alright. Dad is good, even though he would have kicked your butt when he got back up. "

" You're defending him now?! "

" You have shooting next Ben. "

Crap. Alright, no more celebrating.

Emmy led me to the shooting range.

" You have to hit it in the innermost circle, the one right outside the center. "

" One shot Ben. C'mon Ben. "

I took out my gun and closed my eyes, everything was on the line now. Opening my eyes, I aimed and thought about the past two weeks and how much I have learned and the people I met.

That was not going away because I couldn't make a shot.

I fired.

I closed my eyes for the second time.

" How much did I fail by? I'm sorry for being a failure Emmy. "

" Look at the scope you idiot! "

" Why? "

I looked through the scope and there it was, I had it in the innermost circle.

I turned around to see Emmy looking at me with pride.

" You are ready Ben. "

I think I deserve a cookie. Second longest chapter written for me. Hope you guys enjoy it, normally I would talk more, but I am tired. Please leave reviews!