Chapter 77
Elara's POV
The bus slowed. I pressed my forehead against the cool window and watched the trees thin out.
A chain-link fence appeared. Then concrete buildings. Low and gray. No windows on the ground floor.
"Pine Valley Training Facility," Warren called from the front. "Everyone off in two minutes."
I grabbed my bag. My fingers felt stiff.
Victoria's voice still echoed in my head. He's mimicking. He's calculating. You're part of a strategy.
I shoved the thought down. Hard.
Not now. I needed to focus.
The bus stopped. The door hissed open.
I filed off with the others. The air smelled like pine and something metallic. Rust maybe. Or old blood.
The facility sprawled in front of us. Obstacle courses to the left. A shooting range to the right. Beyond that, dense forest stretched into the mountains.
Warren stood by the entrance. Victoria was beside him. And another man I didn't recognize. Older. Buzz cut. Scar running down his left cheek.
"Line up," Warren said.
We formed a rough line. I counted ten of us. All from St. George. But I didn't know most of their names.
Tyler was here. The loud one from the bus. A few girls I'd seen in the halls. And Alice. Standing alone at the back of the group. Her face blank.
Warren walked down the line. His boots crunched on gravel.
"I'm Coach Warren. This is Ms. Harrington and Coach Hayes." He gestured to Victoria and the scarred man. "You're here for tactical combat assessment. Forest warfare scenario."
He stopped in front of Tyler. "Rules are simple. No shifting. You stay human. You use these." He held up a modified training rifle. "Simulated rounds. Hit to the torso or head means you're out. You exit the field immediately."
Tyler nodded. Tried to look confident.
Warren kept walking. "This isn't target practice. We're evaluating tactical awareness. Physical conditioning. Response time under pressure." His eyes swept over all of us. "Everything gets recorded."
I felt Victoria's gaze on me. I didn't look at her.
Warren stopped at the center. "Introductions. Name and Pack affiliation. Keep it short."
He pointed at the tall blond guy on the end.
"Dylan. Silvermoon Pack." The guy's voice was smooth. Arrogant. It was the same guy who'd been bragging on the bus.
A few others went. Names I didn't bother remembering. Small Packs. Border territories.
Then Alice.
"Alice."
That was it. Just her name.
Warren's eyebrow lifted. But he moved on.
My turn.
"Elara Grey."
I didn't mention Pack. Didn't elaborate.
Someone snickered behind me. I ignored it.
Warren's eyes lingered on me for half a second. Then he nodded and kept going.
---
The equipment room smelled like gun oil and sweat.
We filed in. Grabbed gear from the tables. Training rifles. Ammo packs. Protective goggles.
I picked up a rifle. Checked the weight. Light. Balanced. The recoil spring had been adjusted. Good for sustained fire.
I slung it over my shoulder. Clipped the ammo pack to my belt.
"Easy points if you know what you're doing," Dylan said behind me. He was grinning at one of his buddies. "I've done this kind of drill before. Just control the tempo. Stay mobile. You'll place top five no problem."
His friend laughed. "What if you run into Alice?"
Dylan's grin faltered. Just for a second.
I turned away. Focused on adjusting my goggles.
---
Warren led us outside. Past the obstacle course. Past the shooting range.
We stopped at the edge of the forest.
The trees were thick. Old pines. The ground covered in needles and underbrush. I could see trails disappearing into shadow.
"Your battlefield is three kilometers in any direction," Warren said. He pointed into the trees. "You'll enter from different points in ten minutes. Objective: survive one hour. Top three survivors or highest elimination count advance."
He paused. Let that sink in.
"This isn't a team exercise. You can form alliances if you want. But only three of you are moving forward."
I scanned the group.
Dylan was already whispering to two other guys. Planning something.
Alice stood alone. Her eyes fixed on the forest. Like she was memorizing the terrain.
The others looked nervous. Excited. A mix of both.
I stayed quiet. Calculated.
The smart move was to avoid the initial chaos. Let the aggressive ones take each other out. Observe who had real skill and who was just loud.
Warren checked his watch. "Ten minutes. Use them wisely."
---
I walked to the eastern entry point. The one farthest from everyone else.
The forest was darker here. Quieter.
I stepped inside. Didn't go far. Maybe twenty meters.
Then I stopped. Looked up.
There. A pine tree with low branches. Thick enough to hide me. High enough for a clear view.
I slung my rifle across my back. Grabbed the lowest branch. Pulled myself up.
My arms didn't shake. My breathing stayed even.
Helena's treatment really did work.
I climbed higher. Found a spot where three branches met. Wedged myself in. The bark pressed into my back but I didn't move.
I could see the forest floor below. The trails. The shadows.
I pulled the rifle into position. Checked the safety. Adjusted my grip.
Then I waited.
Somewhere in the distance, a whistle blew.
Footsteps. Crashing through underbrush. Voices shouting.
A gunshot cracked through the trees.
Then another.
Chaos. Just like I expected.
I pressed my back against the trunk. Slowed my breathing. Watched the forest below.
The fight had started.
But I wasn't in it yet.