4522 {The Number Series}

42

I spent most of my days from that point on learning how to protect myself. It was still nothing complex but it would be enough, hopefully. My teachers alternated between and Archer and Jericho, depending on the needed skill, and I learned as well as I could. There were several times that Jericho tripped me but I began to catch on to her traps. 

At one point, I even tripped her. 

I had considered testing her tricks a few times but hesitated, afraid that she would not fall into it and I would look ridiculous. More ridiculous than I already felt stabbing back and forth with Jericho with plastic knives. I put in more effort into my slashing and stabbing, creating different variations, as I blocked her on coming attacks. If I never tried then I would never know if I could accomplish it. With Jericho distracted, like she had done to me before, I swung my foot out, catching her behind the ankle, and pulled as hard as I could. I watched in surprise as she tumbled down with her brown eyes wide. She hit the mat with a thud. 

Jericho looked stunned on the ground. I immediately felt awful for doing it despite that fact that I knew I should not have been. And then Jericho began to laugh, actually laugh, which first started with a deep chuckled until it became a loud and cheerful noise. Her laughter was contagious and it was only a few seconds before I chimed in with her. Suddenly, Jericho's leg kicked up, hitting me in the back of the knee, causing me to fall forward. I let out an awkward scream as I pitched forward onto the mat with her. Jericho's laughter had become so violent it had become silent as her shoulders dropped up in down. It took several minutes for us both to stop and finally catch out breath. 

"That was amusing," she smiled. "Good job, though. All except for letting me take you down after."

"Thank you," something inside me became excited by the fact that she had given me honest praise and not just comments to make me want to push on with the training. "And thank you for helping me do it."

Jericho nodded, her smile beginning to diminish. I could not help but realize something in that moment not so pleasant must have crossed her mind. I wanted to ask but I felt like it was pushing our small connection we had started to form too soon. Part of me liked to imagine what it would have been like if I had tried harder to get along with the girl at the table in the forest so many years ago. Could we have been friends? I attempted to ponder this thought only to be interrupted. 

"Good afternoon, ladies." Macallister's voice rang out as he entered the area. He took in our sweaty grey clothes and red faces, though he did not know the blushing was from laughter, and smiled. "Looks like you have been working hard today."

I nodded as Jericho spoke, "Always."

"I have great news to go along with a successful training day, then," he continued. "The snow is melting. It is time."

In a building with no windows, for safety purposes, it was hard to tell what it was like beyond the concrete walls. The lights mimicked continuous day light until switched off for the night and a constant temperature kept us all comfortable. It was difficult to judge the outside. 

"Come with me," Macallister held out his hand to us one by one and helped us up. 

*

*

Jericho, Archer, and myself found ourselves on the lowest level of the building in a room none of us had known existed. Inside contained dark uniforms, much like that of the Officer's of the City, but with a number three stitched into the upper sleeve standing for The Third Party. It was enough that when the time came people on our side could recognize us but subtle enough that we could blend in when needed. Others of The Third Party were with us as we were given a run down of our missions for the night.