Chapter 383 - Number 1 (Checks and Christina BG, can skip)

It was another few years in the 'teens' section of the program. In that level, they were taught the basic subjects that you would encounter in school. Nothing of the sort with the useless math equations. 

After graduating in the kiddie section with a final sparring, they were being taught how to fight with a weapon in their hands. They were also taking basic gun lessons. Their mornings were filled with school stuff. Mainly, it was about hacking into systems.

Their afternoons were spent with Jaws who was monitoring every progress they made with their combat skills. Checks and Christina had not grown out of their habit of taking additional lessons with each other after dinner. They still keep on tossing each other on the grass, willing each other to yield.

"This is getting unfair sometimes," she said on their last year in the second level of training. She was sprawled on the grass, her chest rising up and down rapidly. "You're growing day by day and it seems like I'm stuck with this body forever. I don't get taller anymore."

"Oh come on," said Checks, equally tired. "You're light. It'd be easy for you to move and sneak around."

"I just want to get over all this schooling and finally out of here. I want to earn money. I want to see the world."

Sunday was the day that was given to them for rest. They were able to do everything during their free time. They could even choose to spend their days outside the property and feel like they were normal kids once in a while.

Checks hardly went out of the gated property. All he needed was right within these walls. Unlike Christina, who had always been vocal of her desire of wanting to visit other countries, Checks wanted to stay local.

He knew that it was not something that he could wish. He would be assigned international missions, that was for sure. He would have to leave when the time comes. 

"We should head back inside," he told her and pushed himself off the ground. "I still have to beat you in archery tomorrow."

"Ha!" Christina exclaimed, following after him. "You wish."

Christina turned out to be the best marksman of their batch. Checks who had gotten taller and bigger for the past years was one of the leading students in combat. They were both aiming for the top spot in their year.

"How do you think you would do in the final evaluation?" he asked her as they stepped inside the house. It was much like the other house they had been in. Airy spaces for the simple functions of life such as sleeping, eating, and bathing.

"I'll be the one on the top of course."

Checks snorted. "We both know I overpower you now."

"We never know," she said in a sing-song voice. "I might have an ace up my sleeve."

One of his eyebrows quirked upwards. "I would've seen that by now."

She shook her head, taking in the challenge. "We'll see."

They separated ways at the top of the stairs. The only thing that changed in this house was that they no longer slept in the same room. As they were going through puberty, it was important they found spaces for themselves. The boys had their own rooms and the girls had theirs.

After a few months, the final evaluation day arrived. Checks was excited. He had been looking forward to this because he could not wait to get into the next program. He heard that it would be far rigorous and tiring and it would take all he had got to complete it, but at the end of the day, he would be at the final stage and the finish line would be already within his sight.

"How are you feeling?" Christina asked over breakfast.

"Confident," he smirked at her.

"Don't go easy on me when we meet at the ring."

"Trust me, that's the last thing on my mind."

The final evaluation was cruel. Only the strong must survive. They had to make their opponent yield. The catch is, they would have to choose a stick and each stick has a number. If you were number 1, you better start praying. If you would be so good, you would have to be everybody's enemy for that day.

Checks was frustrated. He had wanted to get a single digit number. He wanted to be one of the firsts in the ring, that way he could already eliminate his enemies and prove his skills by taking them all out one by one until he was the only person remaining standing.

The world did not cooperate with him as he got the last number. There was no victory if he was going to defeat a tired and fatigued comrade. No. That was not it.

"What did you get?" he asked Christina.

He saw that she was gnawing on her lips. He snatched her stick from him and saw that she got the number that he wanted. Number 1.

"Take mine," he said.

"No!" Christina snatched back her stick. "I can do this."

"If you don't make it in the top ten you would have to go into the summer camp."

"I don't care! I can do this," she told him. "Don't you trust me?"

It was not like Checks doubted her ability. But one of Christina's weaknesses was her stamina. No doubt she would last the first ten opponents, maybe the first dozen. But making twenty people yield? That sounded impossible.

"Fine," said Checks. "Your funeral."

Christina jutted her chin and rolled her shoulders. She knew that she was getting into that metal ring with someone. She was one of the greatest students here, surely she would find a way to make them all go down.

But then, the buzzer rang then Checks elbowed her out of the way, something clatter to the ground and he went inside the ring with her number.