Author's Note: OMG this took forever! I now have a grand total of four assignments due in the first half of next week (according to a 28-3-07 count)!

This is an extra long (...) chappie for you all!

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Chapter Nine

Temperance shivered. Not that she was cold, of course. She was just not looking forward to the obstacle course. She had attached herself to the rope and Alex, Spence, Wolf and Hawk were now tied together. Mr Mills had gone soft and allowed a few changes. Alex and Wolf had one hand each bound in what looked like a very restricting knot. Spence and Hawk were tied similarly, except they looked considerably more comfortable.

Something's buggering Alex, thought Temperance. He looked agitated and distant.

'Is Mills on drugs?' she whispered to Hawk. He smiled at her and was about to answer when Mr Mills himself called for attention.

'Because we all know how nice and warm and fuzzy I am, it will come to no surprise that I've changed the rules.

'The teams will go through this as planned, but then...yes, there is something else, Hawk – then, we will have a singles race.'

'Yeah, betcha he's on drugs!' whispered Hawk. 'And I swear he'd be mixing them!'

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'On your marks...get set...GO!'

Temperance started at a slow jogging pace, it was only ten metres – it wasn't like she wouldn't make it! She stepped over a beam, under it again, over it one last time and repeated it another couple of times. The rest of the team just climbed over with ease.

Then they came to a five metre high wall. The wall had horizontal poles across it in odd patterns. She couldn't even reach the first pole to drag herself up on! She turned around to the others while the other team passed.

'Help, I'm too short,' she pleaded.

'We'll climb it, and then drag you up, one bit at a time,' Hawk said. She nodded.

Alex and Wolf climbed up to the second pole. Temperance was amazed at their synchronization – it was like they had practiced it many times together, and they did it so easily! They rested there while Hawk and Spence ungracefully climbed to the first one.

He never was very graceful, Temperance thought as she stared at Hawk. When they finally got up, Hawk leant down and reached for her hand. Temperance stretched her arm so that he had a good grip. She felt a tug in her arm and she was up. A few minutes later, they were all to the top.

There was a large net suspended from the wall to another similar wall. They could see the other team from here. They were across from them, stuck in the net. Alex and Wolf went ahead very quickly in their synchronized way while Hawk, Spence and Temperance casually climbed after them.

When they got to the opposite wall, the other team was no longer stuck but climbing down it. Temperance wasn't paying attention and she lost her hand hold on the wall. The dropped to the ground and landed commando-style safely.

'Did you see that? That was awesome – I've never done that before!' She yelled excitedly. She was disappointed when no one shared her enthusiasm.

Ahead of them was a maze only one and a half feet high. It was covered with a metal sheet and on the bottom of it was sand. Spence looked wary to go in and his face turned white.

'In there?' he asked.

'It's where Tempy's rope goes, at lest we will find our way through it,' Hawk pointed out.

'I don't like small spaces.'

'Close your eyes!' Spence looked wary.

Temperance went first. She pulled herself through by crawling on her elbows then heaving. It twisted around sharply and Temperance just had time to see the other team reach the maze. Her team crowded around the entrance so they couldn't get through.

At an exceptionally dark spot, Temperance felt a wall ahead of her. How was she supposed to get through? She followed the rope with her fingers and found a small hole where the rope went through. That didn't really help her.

'I can't get through,' she shouted to Hawk and Spence who were directly behind her, struggling with their hands tied together.

'What?' Hawk shouted back.

'I mean, there is a wall in front of me!'

'Push it!' Temperance pushed it. Nothing.

'Here, let me come up there.' Hawk and Spence shuffled up to where she was. It was quite awkward with three people pushed together. Hawk heaved along with Spence and the wall moved.

The light was quite blinding for a while. They saw the rope ahead of them. They didn't see the other team though, which was good.

'Finally,' Spence said.

'C'mon, keep going. Quick!' yelled Temperance, because, at that moment, the other team came through.

They ran forward down a hill then up another, higher one.

'Bugger!'

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Author's Note: Haha! Cliffhanger!

Sorry for the lateness. And the shortness!