Family chapter 11

Bell pov

It had only been a month in Molagosto. In a weird way I felt at home. Sure I didn't want to stay on my own free will but I found myself staying.

I was studying with five other students.

Ben was American and a blonde hair blue eyed beauty. He used to be part of the Seals from the moment he got out of high school. He was a weapon specialist. There was not a weapon he didn't know about. To add to that he was tall and had been a child model.

Jermina was Australian and had a twin. She could have passed for a pre-school teacher. The kind that you run too when you get hurt. She was a medical expert. Her hair was a mixture of blondes and browns, she had green eyes and average in height and a tan gained by the Australian sun

Craig was Jermina's other half looked like the male version of her. The only major difference, besides height was the eyes. While hers was a cold green his was a warm brown. An inventor and a degree on the way the mind works by nature gave him original death methods.

Alan was South American and had worked as an artists model. She had the endurance of a machine and had studied various martial arts. Wanting to put that to use she joined Scorpia. With her olive skin and dark hair and eyes. She gave the aura of a type of girl who would cry over her boyfriend. She really had the delicate fragile look about her.

Niko as he wanted to be known as was one of Yassen's finds. A Russian native had given him street smarts after running away from the orphanage that he was put in he turned to gangs. He had joined the Nightingales. For such a beautiful name, they were the most deadly. He was the youngest leader ever to rise and they are the greatest success story so far in any mafia. He looked almost exactly like Yassen except with black hair.

Apparently my brother had taught me well. I was able to fight with even one of my senses cut off. Being the technical expert in our group was nice. To my class I was their little sister and probably if I brought a boyfriend home he would be killed before dinner.

Today we were doing ancient weapons. Everyone had worked with them at least once before. I automatically went towards the bow and a quiver full of arrows. They were the only one besides the daggers that I had worked with before.

A click of heels. All of us stopped what we were doing and turned around. God must have decided to be mean today, because the Queen of Cold Mrs Rothman had arrived. Except she was not in one of her designer suits. All she had on was a skin tight combat outfit with knee high boots, all black.

We all knew that this lesson would be taught by a guest. The last person we expected on the face of the earth was her. She did not look like a weapons specialist. Modern maybe but ancient weapons not. But as the saying goes don't judge a book by it's cover.

" I want you all to select your weapons and get into combat stance where you are." Said Mrs R

All of us got ready quickly. Out of nowhere an apple was thrown into the hair. Not giving a second thought I fired.

I think I felt sorry for the apple. It was mutilated. Craig's boomerang had cut the top off before coming back into his hand. Ben's dagger had cut it in half. Jermina had bruised both halves of the apple with her whip. Niko had chosen a simple slingshot and now a pebble was lodged in one half. Alan had thrown two ninja stars and one had landed on each half. My arrow had speared the other half.

Mrs R's face was a picture of dissatisfaction. " I was not pleased with that. I think I should choose your weapons." She said as she walked to the table.

She handed me a pair of elegant fans. Ben got the whips. Alan the bow and arrows. Jermina found a spear in her hands. Craig got reaping machetes. Niko was the only one to stay the same.

Mrs R separated us according to gender. The girls on the left and the guys on the right. We were led into two separate rooms the girls on the left and the boys on the right.

The rooms were filled with nothing but defaulted pottery. The colours were brick red, white and black. From the speakers Mrs R's voice came through, " This is your last graduation exercise. Choose a colour aim and fire. You teams are pitted against one another. The quickest team gets new combat outfits. You may begin now."

Our eyes locked together for a moment. Almost mentally telling each other what we are aiming for. Jemina took out a long piece of rope that coiled around her waist to make a belt and cut it in half. She handed one half to Alan. By then I had started with the black jars.

The fans are a difficult weapon. They demanded skill and elegance. Unsurprisingly I missed the first few throws. I felt the presence of Alan and Jemina beside me. Their weapons slightly modified.

Now feeling a bit more reassured I tried a different approach. I flicked my wrist, instead of using my whole arm. The fan soared elegantly through the air before it broke a jar. The side of the breaking jar gave me a bit of confidence. What made me smile though was when it glided back into my hand. The first of many broken.

I smiled a small smile on the outside and I was on a roll. Twenty minutes later all our pots were broken and a buzzer went off indicating the exercise was over. We had won and I could already hear Jemina teasing Craig.

Walking out I realized I had officially become part of Scorpia. I was marked the moment I came. As soon as I met Mrs R for the first time she put a necklace around my neck. It was silver and it showed a scorpion hanging. Its tail resting on the chain. It was indestructible and contained a tracker. The beauty of it was that it was the height of fashion. A constant reminder of what I had become.

A/N: This is the longest chapter I have written so far. A big thank you to The Jet for both the ideas I will surely use one. Thanks to all those who read, alerted, favorites and reviewed. I might put another chapter up before Wednesday. We have a five day weekend, but no promises. Bye for now.