IMPORTANT:

Some people are saying they like one story over the other so I've created a poll on my account for you all. It will decide which story is updated on Fridays and which is updated less often. So if you care about that, it's on my account page at the top of the screen.

-A-R-Y-A-

Eragon waited expectantly, his face showing he still didn't believe any of this. It was frustrating that his pride and ignorance could be so strong. Ajihad went into his explanation, starting from the beginning.

"About twenty-two years ago a top agent from the Department of Defense went AWOL. He'd been acting agitated and frustrated but they'd ignored it because he'd just lost his best friend in the division. They figured it was just the result of his loss. But, a few days after they'd realized this, he disappeared. Several weeks later, there was a major security breach as a weapons hangar was broken into, well exploded into morel like it. Somebody killed four guards and used tear gas to get in and get out with three crates of C4. A few months later, one of the DOD's best hackers disappeared as well. At this point, everything went quiet. There was no more chatter or spottings of the agent or the hacker."

Eragon interrupted.

"Who were these men?"

Ajihad waved off Eragon's questions.

"All in good time. So, they went dark, not making any actions that would put them back in the CIA's sights. Then, seven years ago, a discovery was made by a Russian archeologist when he was digging around in Moscow. He'd hit a solid cement wall where nothing was supposed to be. Drilling through, they found a lab that had been built during the Cold War to make Nuclear weapons. Of course this sent people into a rage, especially here in America, because all the atomic weapons were supposed to have been disabled. Problem was, the Russians were just as stumped."

Eragon snorted.

"Sure they were. There is no way they couldn't have known about that."

"Eragon, the Cold War was a time of espionage and threats. Very creative people came up with drastic ways in which to slip past certain boundaries and laws. It's not too hard to believe that a rogue group could do this. Now, to appease the American's and the other worried countries, Russia asked for their help in studying the lab. What they found shocked everyone. During the Cold War, a rogue organization had been started behind everyone's back. Their extremist leader's goal was to wipe out every other nation. Of course getting materials under the government's nose without them knowing was close to impossible, and so this organization failed. But before they gave up, they'd created three of the most unstable nuclear bombs in the world's history."

Eragon was sitting straighter now but he still looked less than convinced.

"So what exactly does all this have to do with you and everyone else here?"

"Well, those atomic bombs were locked away in a vault by that organization and we can't find it."

Eragon laughed.

"Seriously? Every nation on earth looking for these weapons and no one can find it? That's rather pathetic, isn't it?"

Ajihad sighed.

"You would think. But unknown to the public is that during the cold war, every country had DRAGONs." Eragon rolled his eyes but Ajihad continued. "Digital Reapers Attaining Goods of Other Nations."

"That explanation just made it seem even more stupid. Who on earth came up with that acronym?"

Ajihad shrugged.

"No idea. It's just what they were called. Now, these DRAGONs were some of the most brilliant minds on the planet. Hackers basically. Their goal was to deplete enemy supplies and weaponry by finding their locations and attaining them in some way or another. The organization that created these nuclear weapons had one DRAGON that was above and beyond most others. He used technology way ahead of his time to conceal the vault. We are guessing that if we ever do find the vault, it will be protected in the same way. That is the reason that we, the Varden, the Beor, and DuWeld were created."

"I'm still not seeing the connection."

Arya had had enough.

"Then shut up and listen!"

Eragon looked at her annoyed and slumped in his seat. Ajihad smirked and continued.

"Eragon, the agent who disappeared, along with the hacker, are trying to find it this very moment. We are trying to stop them."

Eragon looked sideways at Arya before talking.

"I have a question if I'm not going to get yelled at."

"Go ahead."

"Why does it matter that he's trying to find them? I mean, who is he? It would be bad for anyone to get their hands on these bombs. Why does one man matter?"

"Because he has made it clear what his purpose is with the weapons. He wants to finish what the organization started. The hacker broke into the system at DOD and then the agent spoke to the director, telling him exactly that."

"What was his purpose for doing so?"

"Fear."

"But it allows us to know his plan and to stop him."

"The problem is, his hacker is one of the best in the world. So far we've been as successful in finding him as we were in finding the vault."

"What's his name?"

"Galbatorix."

"And the hacker's?" Ajihad frowned.

"We don't exactly know. He was top secret and highly classified. I don't think anyone actually knew his real name. We just know his hacker name which was Shruikan."

"Shruikan? interesting name. Does it mean anything?"

"Not to us."

Eragon nodded.

"So now that you've told me this, am I all the sudden supposed to believe it's true? Just like that?"

Before anyone could answer, Angela bustled forward.

"Enough of this for now. Let the boy rest."

Ajihad shook his head.

"The story is not over."

Planting her hands on her hips, Angela stared at Ajihad.

"It is for now."

At that there was a little stare down contest in which Angela won. Ajihad threw up his hands in surrender.

"Fine, fine. I need to speak with Arya and Saphira. Will you show him to his room Angela. I assume you somehow know where it is?"

Angela beamed and turned, her brown curls bobbing.

"Of course! Come Eragon. Follow me."

When they had gone, Arya took the chair Eragon had just vacated. Ajihad's usually calm expression was replaced by exhaustion as he leaned back in his chair.

"So the Raz'ac. . . ."

Arya nodded.

"I think they were sent to get Eragon."

"Kill him?"

Arya shook her head.

"No. Durza mentioned that Eragon would be a good asset to their cause. I think they wanted to break him and force him to work for them."

"It's good you got there when you did then."

"Yes."

Saphira interrupted.

"So now what? We're still no closer to finding Galbatorix and our last lead ran cold."

Ajihad grinned.

"Not exactly. See, we have now found a new lead. With Durza in the picture we can trace him. He might be covering his tracks but I bet his men aren't smart enough to do the same. Saphira, see if you can find anything on where they're located at this moment. We find Durza and we'll be that much closer to finding Galbatorix."

Saphira nodded and pushed herself up, moving towards the door.

"On it."

When she had gone, he turned to Arya.

"And I need you to go find Eragon."

Grimacing, she questioned him.

"Why? He's with Angela right now. As calm as she seems, I think she could defeat Bigfoot in hand to hand combat." Ajihad laughed and turned to his computer.

"Yes, but I need you to train him. You are his handler until he is qualified to be on his own and has accepted what he is."

"What? No way. You're going to have to get somebody else."

"Arya, I know I can't make you do this but you must know you are the only one that is capable. Nobody else is at his skill level."

She sighed and stood as Saphira had.

"Fine. But if he pisses me off I'm dropping him back in your lap to deal with."

"Fair enough. His room is right across the hall from yours."

She had been about to leave but at this she turned around, annoyed.

"Move him."

"Arya-"

"Do it or I'm not training him."

"Arya, be reasonable. The only other place I could put him is four floors from yours. That would be significantly inconvenient when you had to go get him to take him places, seeing how he cannot go anywhere without clearance. Of which he has none."

"How come the room across mine happened to just conveniently free at this time?"

Ajihad grinned.

"Because the agent who lived across from you jumped at the chance to move. It seems that you frighten people."

Rolling her eyes, she shoved out the door and stalked towards the elevator, determined to make the next weeks of Eragon's life a living hell.

She was laying on her bed, about to open her computer, when somebody knocked on her door. Groaning, she pushed herself up and opened it. Before her was Angela, grinning.

"Arya! How are you feeling?"

She breezed past her into her room without waiting for a response. Sighing, Arya closed the door and went to sit down.

"Wonderful Angela. What do you need?"

"Need? Oh I don't need anything."

Arya's eyebrows pinched together.

"Then why are you here?"

Angela propped her feet up on the coffee table, shrugging.

"Oh you know. . . ."

So obviously she wasn't going to get anywhere on this topic. Instead she asked about Eragon.

"How is he adjusting?"

"Oh, well, as best as someone can be that has just lost so much."

"Why is he so against believing in all of this?"

Angela crossed her arms and looked at her pointedly.

"When your entire reality has been upturned, the automatic human reaction is to push back and ignore it. He'll be better soon. For now, let him wallow in his past. With his personality, I think you can expect him to get over it soon, though."

Arya nodded and waited for Angela to continue. When she didn't, Arya pulled her knees up and rested her head on them, preparing for the coming conversation. Angela was intuitive and had a knack for bringing up topics that nobody wanted to talk about.

"Are you going to tell me why you're here or no? I was about to relax a bit and watch some television."

Angela chuckled.

"Relax? Arya? No. You never relax and just take a break. You were about to go over all the information from this case and see if you missed anything."

"Your limitless knowledge is obnoxious."

Angela dropped her feet to the ground and stood with a smile.

"When you begin his training tomorrow, don't give him too much trouble."

Arya frowned.

"How do you know . . . never mind, it would be weirder if you didn't."

With a quick laugh Angela waved and left the room. The moment the door closed Arya had her computer open. To her surprise, the moment she opened the first document a white screen covered everything. What the hell. . . . A moment later two words appeared along with a winky face.

'NICE TRY.'

A text space appeared below and Arya typed back.

'SAPHIRA, UNLOCK MY COMPUTER.'

'NOPE'

'SAPHIRA!'

'HAHAHAHA. ANGELA DID SUCH A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING YOU OFF OF IT FOR A COUPLE MOMENTS. ALLOWING ME TO BASICALLY OVERRIDE EVERY FIREWALL AND COUNTER VIRUSES PUT IN PLACE. VERY HELPFUL.'

So that was the reason for Angela's "random" visit.

'I HAVE WORK TO DO SAPHIRA. FIX MY COMPUTER.'

'NOPE. GO TO SLEEP.'

'IT'S ONLY SEVEN.'

'YEPP. NIGHT'

With that, the screen went blank and no matter what Arya did she couldn't get it back on.

"Dammit!"

She shoved the lap top away from her and dropped back on the bed, knowing that even if she tried, sleep would not come to her. Instead, she rested there and stared at the ceiling, trying to think of nothing at all.

-E-R-A-G-O-N-

He woke the next morning disoriented, not knowing where he was, with a loud pounding noise coming from outside a door. Moving too quickly, he almost wiped out on his face as he stumbled from the bed. Righting himself, he hurried to the door and opened it to the stunning face of a beautiful woman in a t-shirt and shorts. It took everything in him to keep his eyes on her own. And then it all clicked into place. The hospital, the fight, the explosion, the explanation. And the annoyance and anger. Immediately he scowled at her.

"What do you want?"

Arya turned.

"Follow me." He snorted and started to close the door but she was quicker. Her hand slammed into the polished wood and pushed it back open. Her eyes were deadly. "Now, Eragon."

"I don't have to listen to you."

She turned and faced him.

"No, but if you ever want to get out of this room you will. You don't even have a clearance level yet so technically, you shouldn't even be allowed in this building. You want some fresh air, you will come with me without question. Understand?"

He glared at her for a moment and then rolled his eyes, slipping his shoes on and stepping into the hallway in the clothes he'd worn the day before.

"Fine, whatever."

He followed her through a dizzying amount of turns before she stopped at a steel door. Pressing her hand to a pad on the wall, it scanned it and flashed a green, ACCESS GRANTED. Eragon stepped into the room behind her and found he was in a large storage area. Arya led him through rows of metal shelves stacked to the ceiling in boxes and crates until she stopped at a section near the back. Opening a box, she pulled out several t-shirts of random colors and thrust them his direction. He caught them and then watched as she opened another and pulled out a few pairs of shorts. She turned and looked at him.

"You will have the opportunity to go and buy your own clothes but for now, you'll have to deal with these."

"Why is there so much in here?"

"This warehouse section is filled with clothes, equipment, and electronics that we use on undercover stings."

"All of these containers?"

"Yes. Now hurry up and change." She pulled out two more boxes. And pointed at the first. "Undergarments." Then at the second. "Sneakers. I'll be outside the door. Once you're changed, just throw what you're wearing in the bin by the door and come out. It will be dealt with." She reached in another crate and pulled out a gym bag. Keep the extras with you because they're all you'll have until you go for more. You can carry them in here."

He nodded.

"Ok but I would like my clothes returned to me. It's all I have left of my old life."

Arya's eyes grew cold.

"Your old life is gone. According to the world, Eragon Shay is dead. The sooner you realize that and move on, the better you'll be."

At that she walked away and left him standing alone. Shaking his head, he turned back to the boxes and started pulling off his shirt, then his jeans. Even though he was by himself, it was still awkward standing naked in the middle of a huge warehouse. Quickly as possible, he pulled up the new boxers and then a pair of red Adidas shorts. Sliding on a black t-shirt that hugged tightly to his body, he tossed the extras into the bag. He pulled ten pairs of socks from the box and slid one on, tucking the others into the corner of the bag. Lastly, he opened the last crate and grinned.

Inside was near a hundred pairs of sneakers ranging from everyday running shoes to the top of the line running shoes. From experience he knew that Mizuno Wave Prophecy shoes were top notch and held up well. Pulling out a pair with dark red and orange coloring he slid them on and zipped up the bag. He picked up the pile of his old clothing but when he reached the bin, he hesitated. He truly didn't want to let go of the only thing that connected him to his past. He almost stashed them inside the bag but then realized that it would seem weak and petty.

So, with great effort, he dropped the bundle into the bin and pushed out into the hall. Arya was waiting for him and the moment she saw him, she started down the hall.

"Let's go."

This time they had barely walked anywhere before she stopped at the doors to the elevator. Once it cleared her, they stepped inside and the doors closed behind them. He was already annoyed, nervous, and just outright confused, and Arya's silence wasn't helping. After several seconds of an awkward silence, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Before them was a young man. Eragon guessed at least 17. Arya took the bag from Eragon's hand and gave it to the teen.

"Take this to his room and leave it on his bed."

The boy nodded, obviously excited to get an assignment. Especially from someone so beautiful.

"Will do."

"Thank you, Ryan."

As they exited, the boy hopped on, pressing the button to their floor. Arya carried on, heading down one hall and then another before stopping at a heavy metal door. On the wall next to it was three different security panels. She pressed her hand to the pad and it cleared. Next she typed in a twelve-digit password. The last one was another pass-code but the labels on the buttons were a language he didn't know. When she'd cleared all three, the foot thick door before them groaned open. Eragon watched in surprise as the last code panel's keys changed into a different order. He frowned.

"What just happened to it?"

Arya continued on without looking back.

"The letters change places every time it's used so as to avoid anyone remembering the placement of the password. That way only those that actually know the code and can use it."

"What language is it?"

This question she didn't answer and so he followed her into the passageway. The moment he was through the door slammed into place behind him and a loud click sounded through the tunnel. It wasn't until now that Eragon realized where he was. The intricate designs and detailed picturing of the walls in the building were not to be found here. He was standing in a narrow tunnel with walls of rock. Bulbs splashed the walls with light and showed them where they were going.

Arya led them around a slight curve and they arrived at another door. This one was rusted and looked like it had been through an avalanche. There was a single four digit code here which Arya typed in quickly. She pushed the door open and started forward but Eragon didn't follow. The space beyond was pitch back and suddenly he was very aware that he was now alone in a place he didn't know with someone who obviously hated him. Slowly, he shifted so he'd be able to react quickly. Without looking, Arya stopped walking and spoke.

"Eragon, come on."

"No."

Sighing, the woman before him turned. Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms when she saw that he was in a defensive stance.

"What are you doing?"

He smirked and backed up slightly.

"I'm not stupid, lady. What did you bring me down here for?"

Arya rolled her eyes and turned away again, starting down the tunnel in the dark.

"No, you're not stupid. But apparently you're delusional. Stop creating enemies out of the people who are trying to help you."

"They might be trying to help me but I know that you don't like me."

"Obviously." She had stopped moving again but Eragon couldn't see her in the dark. "But if I wanted to hurt you or kill you, I would've just let the Raz'ac do it."

Eragon peered into the tunnel, waiting.

"Saphira was there. You wouldn't want to have any witnesses."

When she spoke next she sounded exasperated and angry.

"Fine. Stay in the tunnel by yourself with no way to get out. I don't really care what you do. I was tasked with this job, I didn't choose it."

"What job?"

"Training you."

Eragon laughed.

"Training me? I've mastered both Karate and Judo. Along with Krav Maga. I think I've been trained adequately."

"You might have been trained in them and your technique might even be perfect. But you don't have the speed to go along with that skill. Now, are you going to come with me or not?"

Eragon debated for a moment before making up his mind. It didn't matter what happened to him anyway.

"I can't see where I'm going."

Arya reappeared and grabbed his forearm, pulling him behind her. He had the desire to resist and pull away, but if he did, he'd lose his bearings. And as long as he was aware of her position, she couldn't pull anything on him. At least he hoped she couldn't. They walked through the dark for almost twenty minutes.

"How can you see anything down here?"

"I've memorized every curve and turn of the tunnels surrounding the building. That and I have very good eyesight."

They remained quiet after that and Eragon was beginning to wonder if they'd ever reach their destination when he saw a ray of light ahead. He quickened his pace and pulled his arm from Arya's. They turned around a sharp bend and before them was another, heavily rusted iron gate. This one Arya just pushed flipped a concealed bar up and opened it. The sunlight had blinded him momentarily but his eyes adjusted. What he saw surprised him. They were surrounded by tall trees and thick foliage. Since it was the very beginning of autumn, the trees still held most of their leaves although some were starting to change color. Eragon looked around in wonder.

"Where are we?"

Arya shook her head and changed the subject.

"We are going to first train your mind and body to obey your will."

"How are we supposed to do that?

She grinned.

"By running until I say stop."

He groaned.

"But I'm sore. Can't this just wait till tomorrow or something. I just want to walk around and explore or something. This place is cool."

"No. The way you improve is by pushing yourself when there is nothing left. Going further than the limit your body imposes on you."

He countered.

"If you go further than what you're capable of, it can become dangerous."

Arya nodded.

"But we aren't going to do that. What you think are your limits is not correct. The body is much stronger than your mind allows you to believe. Because of the world we grow up in, our minds are taught to hold back. To do the bare minimum and stop there. Humans today are lazy. Since your brain has been brought up to stay safe in your limits, you are weaker and afraid. You basically need to reprogram yourself. Your mind must become your strength, not feed into your weaknesses. It must strive for you to push your boundaries. You will reach that point over time, depending on your willingness, but until you do, this is going to be the most agonizing work out you've ever done."

Eragon groaned loudly and ran his hand through his hair.

"Awesome."

Arya nodded.

"It is, actually. Once you break your own mind to comply to your will, everything else will become easier. You will know the actual limits of your body, and with that knowledge, you will attain much more."

Eragon shook his head, forcing away the air of gloom hanging around him.

"Alright, let's do this."

Arya nodded.

"Stretch out, you need to be completely loose when we start. And drink that whole bottle of water. There will be more at every two miles as we go."

Mahavia: Lmao, well it happened in the book so I'm just going along with that. And it's fun to write in different ways each time :) As for E/A fluffiness, there will always be a little bit but it will be more often as I go on. It has to be a build up so there wont be much at first.

Dracones: I probably wont do gadgets and stuff lol. And there was no reason for them to have erased it. The only person who cared enough to check up on her again was Eragon. The FBI were done with the case so there was no point int trying to conceal them. And even if they did run Orik's face or something, it's not like it would be traceable. I guess I could've made it so they erased it but I needed it to happen that way to work with the story and I didn't think it was that big of deal so. . yeah, lol.

My Generation: No I've never played Shadowrun haha but I'm not planning on having magic in this. And why no bad ass Saphira? In the series she was a dragon and so I feel like she shouldn't just be a nerd girl. IDK, you all can just tell me what you think in the reviews and if enough people don't like it, I'll just have Saphira be a hacker