Page 12 of Synnr's Ride

Jori's chest heaved, but he turned back to the screen. "This isn't working."

"Maybe if we actually make an effort to work together..." But he wasn't listening.

This job was going to get them both killed.

"Training parameters altered," said a computerized voice when Jori took a step back.

"What's that? I thought you said we're locked in here until the training is done?" She wanted to elbow him out of the way to see what he'd changed on the screen, but touching him right now, when her awareness was at an all time high, seemed... not smart.

"We can't unlock the doors," he confirmed, "but we can change the training. You want to show me what you've got, now it's your turn. We're going one on one. The lockboxes are being moved, the drones and robots repositioned." A small slot opened under the screen and spat out a handful of papers. Jori held them out to her. "Here are your prep docs. You have ten minutes. Once the warning bell sounds, we begin."

"That's not what..." She trailed off. Jori wasn't going to listen to reason. He wanted to play?

Game on.

* * *

Jori loved training in the obstacle field. His mind snagged on all the twists and turns thrown his way, working the problems until it all transformed into a puzzle that only he could solve.

If Major Ozar read the training report, she would curse him to Braznon's bowels for changing the mission, but she was a busy woman. And if he had to work with the spy for another minute, the training center might descend into bloodshed.

He could do the job, even if he had to do it with her. But not this course. She couldn't come into his favorite place to train and leave her mark on it. He wouldn't allow it.

He'd walked into the second mission ready to crush her. He'd run a dozen variants of this course and knew that other soldiers dreaded fighting him in here. He didn't give up. And mercy? That had no place.

But Hanna didn't know his reputation, and her eyes had lit with anticipation as she scanned over the mission parameters.

He shouldn't have been looking. He had his own prep to do, but whenever she was close, his eyes found her. It was involuntary.

And deadly.

He didn't trust her. He didn't trust any spy, not even the ones working for his side. He couldn't count on her. And getting distracted? It was a death sentence.

Jori pulled his focus back to the mission. They were both on the course now, set up at their starting positions. Their prep documents had each included a crude map with their target circled. Jori didn't have an advantage of knowing the layout, as it shifted with every mission to suit the needs of the trainees.

He might not have known the twists and turns, but he knew the obstacles, the drones, and the bots that patrolled, ready to wreak havoc.

And the other treats.

The final signal rang, their cue to move. Jori jumped into action. He wasn't sure where Hanna was, but he got a hint when he heard a flurry of curses coming from somewhere north of him.

Hesitation at the start never worked. The starting positions were lined with lasers that began shooting within ten seconds if a soldier didn't haul ass.

But the initial curses died down and Jori couldn't further pinpoint Hanna's position. It couldn't matter. If he did this right, he wouldn't have to face her at all. He could get in, get the keys, and call this farce of a training mission off.

As if he'd be that lucky. These missions were designed to pit soldiers against one another, to truly test their skills. Avoiding his opponent would be impossible.

That was, if the course didn't get to him first. Electricity buzzed in front of him, a live wire that was one of the most dangerous obstacles in the room. Not enough to kill a person, but getting hit by it would make him wish he was cursed tobraz.

Jori wanted to run. He wanted to bound up one of the ramps to get a better view of his surroundings, but drones flew overhead and Hanna was somewhere. He had to stay out of sight for as long as he could.

He heard a sharp intake of breath to his left and lashed out with his spark before he had a chance to confirm it was her. Everyone and everything in this challenge was unfriendly.

Hanna grunted and flew back into the wall where the live wire danced overhead. Her wings flashed out, making her an even bigger target. If she was a soldier, he would have reamed her out for the lack of discipline.

But her mistake was his advantage.

Her left wing dipped and he anticipated her next move, dodging away before her kick connected. But he didn't see her spark coming, not until her electricity was racing up his chest and sinking deep into him.

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