My hands were encased in black gloves with thick white metal armor on the back and white metal armor was on my thighs. I was wearing thick black boots with white metal shin guards and I grabbed my white gun belt. I put it on before giving myself a once over and heading out of the locker room. I quickly ran to my room and slammed into Gypsy, yelping as I stumbled back. She quickly grabbed the front of my armor and looked down at me frantically before calming. I frowned in confusion and she gave me a weak smile before releasing me and looking away.
“Sorry,” she said before rubbing her head, her ears twitching violently on her head for a moment.
“Are you alright?” I asked. She let out a whine like grunt before shrugging and tugging on the collar of her identical uniform.
“I’m just worried about the War Game and Lollipop’s bet,” she said before shaking her head and looking down at me. “Did she tell you about it?” she asked. I shook my head and she growled in anger before huffing. I raised an eyebrow, but she shook her head before rubbing her eyes. “I’m just being a worrywart. I’m sorry,” she said before looking down. I shook my head before hugging her tightly and sighing softly.
“Don’t apologize. I know you’re just concerned for us. We’re kind of like your pack yeah?” I asked, pulling away and looking up at her. She nodded and I gave her a grin before moving away. Her eyes darted away and she rubbed her neck before shrugging helplessly. I opened my mouth to say something, but Leatre burst into the room and almost tackled me.
“Don’t make me do this!” she wailed, grabbing me and shaking me violently. I yelped and grabbed my VISOR to keep it from flying off of my face while Gypsy growled loudly. Leatre instantly dropped me while Gypsy shifted and I quickly spun around, placing a hand to her chest.
“Calm down!” I snapped. Gypsy moved back, her ears flicking back and I sighed before gently patting her chest. “I’m sorry, just calm down,” I soothed before glaring at Leatre. “You too! We all need to keep calm!” I snapped before groaning when the door opened and Silver rushed in, grinning at all of us brightly.
“We have this!” she said excitedly. I shook my head before moving away from Gypsy and watching as Lollipop and Eagalia marched in. We were all dressed identically, but each of us had a different icon burned into the shoulder of our shoulder armor. Lollipop was fiddling with a large medical pack and looked up after a moment, winking when our eyes met. I rolled my eyes before examining the others and sighing softly. We were as ready as we could be. All that was left was actually doing it.
“Let’s go get our weapons,” I said.
We stood awkwardly as Madam Matron passed each of us a gun and a baton. Gypsy was given a sniper rifle and Leatre a set of fancy looking brass knuckles before she shooed us off. “Good luck Navigator Jones,” Madam Matron called before turning forward. We were ushered to some kind of stage and Headmaster Rockefeller moved in front of us. He grinned at us and straightened out before saluting us and winking.
“I wish you the best Rosie. Please keep in mind our lessons,” he said before nodding his head to me. I nodded back and everything went white for a moment before we found ourselves in some kind of room. I reluctantly moved off of the stage and looked around before waving to the others. My VISOR was telling me we were in some kind of office building and our team was considered the “cops”. I hummed lightly before looking to Silver and the others.
“Silver. I need you to see if you can find Shasha’s VISOR signal. Let’s do a full sweep of the building from bottom to top, stairwells and all together,” I said, snapping into action. They nodded and Silver’s eyes began to flash while the others moved to my side. Silver was led over by Leatre and it only took a moment for her to frown before shaking her head.
“I got nothing. Should I scan for abnormal signals?” she asked. I nodded before pulling out my pistol.
“Let’s try not to use too many shots guys. Keep a cool head,” I said, shooting Leatre and Gypsy a look. They nodded and I looked to Eagalia and Lollipop, who nodded to me. Silver suddenly shivered before looking to me with wide eyes and nodding.
“I found three abnormal signals and they’re from the top to the bottom of the building. One is at the end of the hall,” she said warily. I frowned before looking to Leatre and Gypsy.
“You two take the front, but keep safe,” I said before moving behind them. I felt a little bad when the others closed around me, but this was how the headmaster taught me. The Navigator always had to stay safe. I sighed and we slowly bled out of the room before walking down the hall slowly. We kept silent, moving slowly down the hall before stopping when we came to a blank wall. “False alarm,” I said lowly before activating my VISOR and marking off the abnormal mark on my map. “Let’s head down,” I said. We all moved to the staircase and Eagalia moved in first, looking up then down before nodding to me.
“Clear,” she said before lifting the barrel of her pistol into the air and nodding to the stairwell. We all moved in and I pointed down with a frown on my face.
“Down first and we clear out each floor. We can’t be too careful,” I said. They nodded and we trekked down before heading into the ground floor. The only good thing about this was that there were only four floors so it wouldn’t take too long. We headed through the dimly lit ground level, checking each room until I deemed it clear. “Back to the stairs!” I said, marking off the level on my VISOR before leading them back to the stairs. Eagalia checked the area before nodding to me and we headed up to the second level. The next level was quiet as well and we checked it over before I marked it off and I led them back to the stairs. I was about to open the door, but stopped and frowned deeply. I heard something.
I slowly opened the door and slipped my hand out, waiting for a beat before pulling my hand back when a red dot appeared on it. “Sniper in the hall,” I mumbled before frowning and looking at the others. They looked nervous and I gave them an encouraging smile before nodding to Silver. “You’re okay against “bullets” so you go and take out the sniper,” I ordered.
She nodded, determination appearing on her features and she moved past me. She quickly slipped into the hallway and I heard several shots ring out before a yell of anger and a grunt of pain. I winced and we waited for a moment before we heard the sounds fade. We all stood around for a moment before the door opened and Silver popped her head in.
“Hallway is cleared and I have detained one of Shasha’s teammates. He refuses to tell me where she and the others are,” she reported. I frowned and marched past her, walking through the door and up to where an alien boy sat. He growled at me and I scowled down at him before kneeling, keeping just out of his range. His arms were restrained behind him and I cocked my head to the side slightly.
“Did you read him his Miranda rights?” I asked when Silver came to my side.
“Yes ma’am,” she reported and I nodded slightly before pulling out my pistol and beginning to play with it. I noticed his eyes widening and I decided to show him the trick that Eagalia had helped me pull off. I spun it along the trigger before twisting it and aiming at his head with a scowl on my face.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll leave you alone if you tell me where she is,” I said, humming when he moved back then shifted to the side nervously.
“She’s probably moved. I don’t know where she is,” the alien hissed out before sneering at me. I narrowed my eyes and shoved the pistol closer to his face, watching as he leaned back nervously.
“I don’t care if she did. Where was she last?” I asked resting the barrel against what I assumed was his chin. The appendage trembled and his three eyes darted around before they focused on me and he scowled.
“She was heading for the roof I think,” he growled out before falling silent. I nodded and moved back, standing and looking to the others.
“We need to weed out her teammates one by one. Level three will be our base. Silver and I will keep an eye on the prisoners,” I said, wincing when my head began to pound. I placed a hand to my
forehead before blinking to clear my suddenly watery vision. Ideas were floating around in my head, all fighting for attention. Part of me wanted to listen to the headmaster and stay out of the conflict, but a bigger part wanted me to keep the others safe. It was my lessons versus my instincts and my instincts were beginning to win. I frowned before shaking my head and looking to my team, who looked concerned.
“Rosie. Your nose is bleeding,” Lollipop said in worry. I blinked a few times in surprise before bringing my arm up and rubbing at the bottom of my nose with the back of my hand. I pulled it away and frowned at the blood that was smeared on the metal of my glove.
“I’m alright. I was having an argument with myself. New plan. I’m going to go with Gypsy, Lollipop and Leatre to seek out Shasha. Eagalia and Silver are going to stay with the prisoners,” I ordered. They all looked to one another before Lollipop smirked, moving forward and waving to me.
“I thought Navigators weren’t supposed to get into the fight?” she said slyly. I grinned back before shrugging and nodding to the stairs.
“Well it’s not a rule so I think it’s alright. Gypsy, grab the prisoner and wait here while we clear the level. When it’s clear, keep the door heavily guarded Eagalia and Silver. No one leaves the room,” I said in a deadly calm voice. They nodded at me while Gypsy grabbed the alien, who yelled out in anger and lifted him onto her shoulder. The rest of us headed into the level and slowly moved through it, encountering nothing until the end.
Leatre was about to open a door, but it was kicked out and she stumbled back in surprise. “Leatre fall back and roll! Eagalia take out the shooter!” I snapped as I moved behind cover with Lollipop and Silver. I heard two shots ring out and peered around the wall I was hiding behind. Leatre was safely behind a large desk and Eagalia was leaning over an over turned cabinet with her gun out. Someone lay on the ground groaning and I looked to Leatre. “Leatre! Go and restrain him, Lollipop check to see if he’s alright, Eagalia give Leatre some cover. Silver and I are going to go get Gypsy,” I yelled before pulling Silver after me as we ran to the stairwell and looked out. Gypsy was pointing her gun at us and relaxed when we appeared, lowering the weapon before jostling the struggling alien to calm him down.
“I heard gun shots. Is everything alright?” she asked. I nodded and waved her in, a look of relief appearing on her face as she rushed in. I quickly moved back and shut the door before shaking my head and looking to Silver.
“Guard the door until I return with the others,” I ordered. She nodded and I followed Gypsy to the back of the room where an alien girl was leaned against a wall. Her head was tightly bound and she was unconscious. Lollipop was just finishing up with her bandages and I walked over slowly. “Is she alright?” I asked. Lollipop nodded before standing and stretching while a smile spread across her face.
“Eagalia got her with a shot to the shoulder and she knocked her head against the wall. She’ll be fine,” she said with a shrug. I nodded before looking to them and jerking my head to the front of the room.
“When she wakes up read her the Miranda Rights Eagalia, the rest of you follow me. We’re going to lead them down here,” I said. They nodded and I led the rest of the team to the door, where Silver as sitting by. “We’re heading out, keep an ear out for Eagalia,” I said. Silver nodded and I led the rest of them out of the room. I gently grabbed part of Gypsy’s chest armor and led her to the stairs that led to the second level. “Follow me down here,” I said, leading them half way down the stairs and forcing Gypsy to kneel. “Keep the stairwell in your scopes sight,” I ordered before looking to Lollipop. “Cover Gypsy’s wolf ears,” I said. Lollipop looked confused, but did as I told and I looked to Leatre. “Cover your ears and Lollipop’s,” I said before putting the earbuds from my VISOR into my ears. When the other three were protected, I pulled out my gun before flipping off the safety and firing once into the sky.
Even with my ears protected, the shot echoed and I lowered my weapon before yelling out, “I got one of them! Gypsy quick!” I quickly pulled out my ear buds and stopped, grinning when I heard footfall. I yanked Lollipop’s hands off of Gypsy’s ears and they perked up before she took aim. “None lethal shots,” I said lowly as a large alien boy rushed out into the open.
Gypsy fired and the boy was knocked off center, his feet flying out from under him as he was tossed back. “Leatre restrain!” I said. Leatre rushed past me and over to the alien, crouching low and pulling the boy towards her as her lower arms bound his legs together. Her upper hands briefly fought with his hands before she restrained him and opened the third level door. She shoved him in and quickly ran back to me before covering her and Lollipop’s ears.
I smirked and did a mental count before putting my ear buds in my ears and lifting my pistol. I did a quick count to three before firing again and pulling my ear buds out of my ears. I heard a door open and shut slowly before light footfall touched down. “Aim high,” I mumbled. Gypsy’s gun barrel went up a bit and a hand moved out from behind the wall. I placed my hand on the barrel of the gun before pushing it down a bit and watching as the person pulled their arm back slowly.
The person slowly moved into the open and Gypsy took the shot, the “bullet” hitting the person and causing them to shriek in pain. I heard the door open again and groaned before looking to Leatre and Gypsy. “Gypsy! You’re fighting the newcomer, Leatre restrain the injured one,” I ordered. Gypsy shoved her gun into my hands before running up the stairs with Leatre close behind her and I grimaced as Leatre tackled the alien into the third level door. They fell through it and Gypsy crashed into a large and muscular alien that roared in rage. They began to grapple and Gypsy shifted into her wolf form while I looked to Leate and found her wrestling the other alien into submission.
“Lollipop, were going to go stop Shasha,” I said. I heard her giggle in glee and grinned slightly before shaking my head and leading her up the stairs. Leatre had barely restrained the other alien before she moved over to help Gypsy and I paused. “Miranda rights!” I called out before heading up higher.
“Are you sure we should go alone boss?” she asked.
“Yes. Gypsy and the others have their hands filled. Shasha is cornered and like you said, Navigators are usually concerned about protecting their own asses. She has no protection and she’s going to panic when she realizes her team is no longer going to keep her safe,” I said.
Lollipop chuckled and I grinned before putting my gun away and pulling out my baton. I held out my arm to stop Lollipop when we got to the fourth level and tapped the door, wincing when a “bullet” hit the door. “How many bullets do our pistols hold?” I asked. Lollipop frowned before grinning brightly.
“Five!” she said excitedly before pulling out her baton and poking the door herself. Two bullets hit the door and I hummed before hitting the door hard. I heard the last two bullet hit before I kicked open the door and marched in. Shasha had her gun pointed at the door and was pulling the trigger, the gun clicking once then twice.
“You are under arrest Shasha. We don’t have to fight,” I said. She laughed then tossed her gun to the side before pulling out her baton and pressing a green button on the side. Electricity cackled around the side of the baton and I scowled before doing the same to my own weapon. “Don’t resist arrest,” I warned.
“I’m not losing to you! I’m the top student!” she snarled. She ran right for me and I shoved Lollipop to the side before moving and dodging the strike. I brought my arm back and tried to swing at her, but she ducked under it and moved away. I moved back as well and Lollipop pulled out her baton, activating it before running for Shasha’s back.
Shasha turned and blocked the attack before reaching for Lollipop’s gun, but I pulled out mine and fired into her leg. She cried out in pain and fell to her knees while Lollipop backpedaled. I put my gun and baton into its holder and quickly pulled Shasha’s hands behind her back before grabbing my cuffs and locking her arms in place. I heard the door open and Gypsy ran in with Leat
re, both of them sighing softly in relief.
“Read her the Miranda rights,” I said to Leatre before letting Shasha fall forward. I heard Shasha curse, but ignored her and moved over to the frozen Lollipop. “Are you okay?” I asked. Lollipop swallowed before rubbing her face and shaking her head.
“If this was a real situation I came really close to dying,” she said with a weak laugh. I placed a hand on her shoulder before squeezing and looking to Leatre, who had just finished her speech. I heard a buzzer go off and winced before looking up as a voice appeared on an intercom.
“Congratulations on winning your first War Games Neutral Navigator Jones! Please escort all prisoners to the warp stage,” the voice said. I nodded to Shasha and Gypsy scooped her up while I looked to Lollipop and Leatre.
“Lollipop and I will guard the others and Gypsy will take them down with Leatre,” I said. They nodded and headed off with the struggling Shasha while I walked Lollipop back to the third level. We sat around with Eagalia and Silver while Leatre and Gypsy escorted the others to the warp stage. We followed them when they grabbed the last person and after putting him on the warp stage we heard the voice again.
“Please step onto the warp stage!” it said. I gave the others a grin before following them onto the stage and everything went white.
Chapter 12
True Navigators
When the white cleared, I was scooped up and squealed in shock and terror while Gypsy laughed and spun around. “We won! We won!” she cried. I began to laugh while Silver and Leatre danced around in circles and Eagalia pulled Lollipop into a tight hug. I laughed for a while longer before Gypsy set me down and hugged Silver tightly. Silver squealed happily while Leatre bounced from foot to foot. I snickered and held open my arms, Leatre surging forward and hugging me before moving back and beaming.
“Congratulations,” I heard. I spun around and grinned at Madam Matron and Headmaster Rockefeller, both of them returning my smile with ones of their own. Madam Matron looked proud, but Headmaster Rockefeller seemed off with his smile, almost like he was angry for some reason. I frowned lightly before laughing again when Gypsy hugged me again. I grinned lightly, blushing when she squeezed me, before shaking my head and looking up when I heard a throat clear.
Starstream Academy (The Navigators Book 1) Page 9
