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The Lieutenant cleared his throat and stepped up to the intercom, adjusting the microphone. "Attention all students," he said, his voice echoing through the speakers. "Due to the nature of the mission, it's been decided that the students who have volunteered as undercover detectives will no longer attend regular classes. Instead, they will receive training, and their mission will be counted as part of their final grade for the semester." The hall fell silent as the students processed the Lieutenant's words. Iriya and the other volunteers exchanged glances, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. They knew that this was their chance to make a difference, but they also knew that the road ahead would be difficult and dangerous. In Zhethea's class room, the Lieutenant made the same announcement, explaining that the students who had volunteered as undercover detectives would no longer attend regular classes. "Instead, you will be receiving training and your mission will count as your final grade this semester." In Shizen's class, the announcement was delivered in the same way. Shizen listened attentively, his expression serious. He knew that this meant he would be leaving his regular classes behind for a while, but he was ready for the challenge. He glanced around the room, noticing that some of his classmates were looking at him, curious about the sudden announcement.
When the day for training came, all the volunteers made their way to the address provided to them by the Lieutenant. They arrived at a large building that appeared to be an old military facility. The entrance was guarded by armed soldiers, and the place seemed imposing. Zhethea and the others exchanged glances, realizing that this was no ordinary training center. Shizen, Iriya, and Zhethea entered the building, taking in their surroundings. The interior was just as imposing as the outside, with tall ceilings, stark lighting, and a mix of military training equipment and computer equipment. They exchanged glances, wondering what kind of training they were in for. Shizen and Iriya were both clearly impressed by the facility, their eyes widening slightly as they took in the sights. Iriya even let out a low whistle, appreciating the high-tech equipment and facilities around them. Zethera, on the other hand, tried to act cool and nonchalant, trying not to show how impressed she was. She had a reputation to uphold, after all. But even she had to admit that the place was pretty damn cool. As they walked through the facility, Shizen and Iriya couldn't help but marvel at the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. They were like kids in a candy store, their eyes darting this way and that. Zhethea, trying to maintain her cool exterior, tried to impress upon them that it wasn't that big a deal. She called them both noobs, trying to make them feel small. Shizen and Iriya just rolled their eyes at Zhethea's attempt to look tough. They knew her well enough by now to know that she was just trying to put on a brave face. They exchanged amused glances, not letting her tough facade affect them.
As they got the training center the sound of gunfire echoed through the air, everyone flinched in surprise. But Shizen, who was used to high-pressure situations, kept his cool. He noticed the people in the center of the room, training with guns, and thought to himself. 'I wonder if we're going to be training like that too?' The others noticed Shizen's expression, curious about what he was thinking. "What's going on in your head, Shizen?" Iriya asked, leaning forward. Iriya's words snapped Shizen out of his thoughts. He looked at her, then at Zhethea, who was standing nearby. He noticed that she seemed to be lost in thought as well, replaying that first night in her mind. "You okay?" he asked her, stepping closer. Zhethea looked up at Shizen, snapping out of her reverie. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly, trying to brush off her distraction. "Just thinking about something." A woman in military uniform approached them, eyeing them up and down. "You the volunteers?" she asked, her voice firm and professional. Shizen, Iriya, and Zhe thea all nodded, standing up straight. "That's us," Shizen said, speaking for all of them. The woman nodded crisply. "Follow me," she said, turning on her heel and walking away. The three teens exchanged glances before following behind the woman.
Behind them, the other four volunteer students were watching Shizen, Iriya, and Zhethea's interactions with the military personnel. One of them, a girl with a buzzcut, nudged the person next to her. "They all look pretty sure of themselves," she said, trying to sound casual. "Guess they're not too afraid of this training." Another one, a boy with glasses, scoffed. "Or maybe they're just hiding their nerves," he said bluntly. "I bet they're bricking it Shizen turned around, his expression irritated. "Shut up!" he snapped, his voice harsh and firm. "You guys don't know anything, so just shut your mouths if you can't say anything useful."
The other volunteers flinched at Shizen's sudden outburst. They hadn't expected him to be so aggressive. Iriya and Zhethea exchanged surprised glances, not knowing that Shizen had such a temper. The buzzing-haired girl looked shocked, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected Shizen to snap like that. "Whoa," she said, taken aback. "Who pissed in his cereal this morning?"
The girl with the buzzcut smiled, holding out a hand. "I'm Yumi," she said brightly, as if she hadn't heard Shizen's outburst.
The boy next to her, who had glasses and a serious expression, extended his hand as well. "I'm Jun," he said, his voice firm and no-nonsense.
The next girl, who had a pretty face but a stern expression, offered her hand next. "I'm Mika," she said, her voice calm and cool.
The last boy, who was tall and muscular, gave a small smile as he shook hands with them. "I'm Hiroyuki," he said, his voice friendly but reserved.
After a while, Hiroyuki turned back to Shizen, Iriya, and Zhethea. "What about you guys?" he asked, trying to strike up a conversation. "Do you have any interesting introductions?"
Shizen and Iriya exchanged a look, then turned back to Hiroyuki and the others. "I'm Shizen," Shizen said, his voice neutral.
The others waited for him to continue, but he didn't speak. Iriya nudged him with her elbow, giving him a look. "And I'm Iriya," she said quickly, giving him a small glare. "This is Zhethea," she added, nodding her head towards Zhethea.
The other volunteers looked at Zhethea, taking in her appearance. She was wearing her hair down, and her face was free of any makeup. She looked both older and younger than her age at the same time, like she had seen more than any of them could imagine. Nonetheless, she didn't meet their eyes, looking straight ahead, trying to appear aloof.
After a moment of silence, Yumi spoke up. "You look pretty tough," she said to Zhethea, eyeing her up and down. "Did you do some training before this?"
Yumi giggled, leaning forward a bit. "What, you a fighter or something?" she asked, still sizing up Zhethea. Jun rolled his eyes at Yumi's teasing tone. "Don't mind her," he said to Zhethea, although he was also studying her closely. "She's always joking around."
The woman who had been leading them suddenly stopped walking, and the others came to a halt as well. They were standing in front of a training area, which looked like a military base. It was a large compound, surrounded by a tall fence and guarded by soldiers. The area was open and empty, with various obstacle courses spread out in front of the recruits. It was a large space, and the air was still. Everything looked quiet and empty.
Shizen and the others looked around, taking in the training area. It was clear that they had arrived at their destination. Iriya and Jun exchanged glances, looking a bit intimidated. Even Yumi seemed a bit daunted by the sight. Zhethea, however, was as impassive as ever, not betraying any emotions on her face as she scanned the area.
The Lieutenant walked up to them, looking them over. "Alright, since you're all here now," he said, his voice firm, "it's time to bring you to your rooms. You'll be staying here for the next three months as you undergo your training. Follow me."
The volunteers followed the Lieutenant through the compound, their eyes wide with excitement at the thought of finally getting to train and work on their case. But when they arrived at the rooms they'd be staying in, their excitement quickly turned to disappointment. The dormitory-style rooms were small, cramped, and messy, with clothes and personal belongings strewn everywhere. It wasn't exactly the environment they had been expecting for their intense training.
Shizen made a face as he looked around the room, his eyes taking in the mess. "Seriously?" he said, his voice dripping with disgust. "This place is a dump." Zhethea wrinkled her nose, leaning against the doorway. "Yeah, this is gonna be fun," she deadpanned, her tone laced with sarcasm.
The Lieutenant gave the volunteers a stern look, unbothered by their complaints. "You'll get used to it," he said firmly, crossing his arms. "Now, put your things away and let's head to the training area. We'll get started with the basics."
The volunteers exchanged glances, still not thrilled with the living conditions. But they knew better than to argue with the Lieutenant. Iriya let out a sigh, starting to unpack her bag. "Better get this over with," she muttered, starting to put her stuff away.
After putting their things away and taking a moment to steel themselves for what was ahead, the seven volunteers took a deep breath. They exchanged determined glances, ready to face whatever the training threw at them.
Tobe continue...