Secret Academy - Deuteronomy

IX: Walls

“I can’t see how you messed this up. That was relatively easy”

Gail was shaking his head in disbelief. It’s been two weeks and Jasper had tried two Ability classes so far with no success.

He was joining Gail in the Technical and Engineering department this week and he wished Jasper had stayed in the Weapons section with Coco and Barbara.

“If you let at least one screw loose at this end that would make the entire thing collapse. Didn’t you ever have some sort of workshop in your highschool?”

Gail disappeared below the prototype car they were working on as he fixed the problem.

Jasper rubbed his forehead and tried not to be embarrassed.

“I like cars. I’m just not good at them” he admitted.

Gail didn’t respond but Jasper heard bolts being turned and tightened. They were silent until he reappeared again with a smile and stood next to Jasper.

“That should hold it!” he gave him a friendly smack.

“Look man…I’m really sorry…”

“I know it’s still too early, but I think we should ask Kat to let you join them in the Science department tomorrow” Gail smiled as warmly as he could, but Jasper looked more depressed.

“I-I don’t want to cause anymore trouble…”

“Erm…you should at least try. You’re given only a month, bro. Besides, they also do research there, so I don’t think it could be too hard”

Jasper sighed heavily and walked to the end of the huge underground workshop, where the Technical Ability class was held. It felt like one gigantic secret hangar, with the smell of rust and the buzzing of electricity in the air. He sat down on one of the benches and watched as the students continued to work on their prototype cars.

He recalled how his last week had been, with Coco and Barbara. They and the other students from the Middle School and Upper Class divisions entered a small, worn building with some of its plaster peeling off. It was located a long way off the campus field, and was secluded by trees. At first he thought it was a huge warehouse, but there was nothing inside. He noticed the students dispersing, each group going to a different part of the wall with a scanner. He didn’t have time to observe as Barbara dragged him to another section with the same scanner he saw earlier. Coco, Barbara, him, and about eighty or so other students stood facing the wall. Coco approached the scanner first and a beam of red light scanned his right eye. An automated voice confirmed a match and the wall slid back, revealing a glass elevator. Six students went in first, followed by Jasper and the others. Barbara stayed by his side the entire time as Coco shouted instructions to their juniors.

When the glass elevators opened again, Jasper saw a huge and spacious hall, with shelves upon shelves of firearms. At the center of the room was a large glass platform, carefully balanced on some sort of enormous steel ball. There was a metal door at one end of the room, where shots could be heard. Coco winked at him and he understood that it was the underground firing range. It was a messy and disorganized hall: with exercise equipment scattered at every corner, and thick ropes dangling from the rusty ceiling. Barbara held on to his arm as she gave him a quick tour, before they dressed up in full black shirts and pants for training. Jasper studied them as some students went into the shooting range carrying rifles and hand guns, while several others began warm-up exercises on the blue mats.

He felt his shirt tightening around his body, but Barbara was soon beside him again.

“Not what you expected?” she grinned at him.