Project Rescue - A Shifter Novel (NaNoWriMo19)
Chapter 35 - Proficient

“When do we go after the monster?”

“I think the sooner the better,” Madrid stated.

“I’m ready,” Matheus added.

All the guys nodded their heads. They were ready to get this over with and get back home. I could tell the guys loved the rainforest but it wasn’t home.

“Are we going to use the tunnels?” I asked, getting a nod. “The sentries will be on top of the entrances. If we go as soon as their shift changes we can take them out and be in the tunnels long before the next shift finds them.”

“Matheus, do you have a place set up for target practice in here?” Madrid asked.

“I thought you would never ask,” Matheus laughed out. He was chuckling as he walked to another wall and hit the hidden fingerprint activated switch. The wall opened and we walked quickly over to the room. “Does this work for you?”

I walked into the room and looked around. It was an actual firing range. There were gliding targets. The targets would glide to the end of the range, affixing themselves to the wall. I was in awe. There were stations set up with every type of weapon imaginable. More stations set up with padded floors for practicing martial arts and another station set up for blades.

The area set up for blades caught my eye. The area was huge. There was a hanging trapeze to practice throwing hanging at different angles. You could run around the room and throw, having plenty of room to do so. It was one I would love to have in my own home - not that I had one, and never had, that I could remember..

He thought of everything.

Madrid chuckled. “I thought I might find something you didn’t do, but I guess not. I wanted to see how proficient Selina was with her blades.” He turned towards me, finding me looking over the weapons. “Selina, you up for a challenge?”

“It’s not a challenge...unless you want to put a wager on it,” I quipped back, smirking.

“I’ll go against her,” Claw offered.

“A wager it is,” Madrid announced.

Half of the men picked their General and the other half me, Matheus being one of the men. The men wanted to see if I was good. I hadn’t really said anything about it - not that shadows had heard.

“Got any air flow, one that feels like a breeze?” I asked and looked over at a smiling Matheus.

“Sure thing,” he told me as he turned the air on. Claw was going down.

I faced the target and pulled my blade, holding it as if I was going to throw it. I wanted to get an idea of how much wind speed there was against the blade. When I figured out what I needed with the air speed, I turned around with my back to the target. I didn’t give anyone time to make a comment. I threw my blade and heard it hit the target. I watched the men’s jaws drop as I turned around and saw my blade in the middle of the bullseye. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped back for Claw.

Claw stepped up to the target. I could tell he wasn’t as confident as he was before. I watched him line up to the target as he tested the wind speed. He turned his back the same way I did and threw his blade.

No one made a sound. Claw had missed the target and he never missed. They finally clapped Claw on the shoulder and smiled at me.

I walked over to the trapeze and pulled it down to me. I saw Matheus coming over to the rope. He held it still as I strapped in. I felt as if I was bungee jumping but without the drop. He walked back over to a switch and changed the air, setting the trapeze up on a program. I could move anyway I wanted. The program mimicked my movements completely. I started at the end of the room. I ran to the back wall, twisting myself upside down and throwing my blade. Again, it hit the bullseye.

All the men’s jaws were dropped, including Claws. They couldn’t believe how good I was. If they asked how I learned I would tell them. But, I don't think they would have wanted to learn the way I had.

“How?” Claw cleared his throat. “How are you that damn good?”

I shook my head. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want to hear the answer to,” I quietly said, looking him in the eye. I didn’t want to tell him how my training went. It was a gruesome reminder of the times I had blades thrown at me - on purpose. I couldn’t wield a blade until I could dodge them. I thought it took me too long to learn and I had the scars to prove it.

Claw shook his head and headed over to the trapeze. Matheus helped him into the harness. Once Claw was seated in right, he looked at Matheus and nodded. The trapeze mimicked my moves completely. Claw threw his blade too early and missed.

Once Claw was out of the trapeze he stated, “She won. I don’t know how she can throw like she does but she would have won every round. She’s just that good.”

Madrid’s jaw dropped. “What the hell? You never give up. You-”

“-I do when she’s clearly the winner. I’m telling you, she’s got more moves than a Shadow Cat.”

Everyone laughed as I walked over to Claw and whispered in his ear. “I learned by dodging blades thrown at me. And, they weren’t particularly aiming for my legs.”

I saw Claw walk off as Warrior asked if he was okay. I knew what I said to him about my training would be in his mind. It stayed in my mind and I was the one who went through the pain. I could see he was the kind of man that would have wanted to protect me but it was good he couldn't. I never want to see another human being hurt because of me. I had seen too much death.

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