Unclassified; Zero and Still Standing

"Corvane!"

Both girls turned.

Seth burst into the clearing. Heidi came right behind him.

The instant Yesu saw Heidi, she froze.

Heidi froze too.

For a brief second, none of them moved.

Seth’s eyes swept across the clearing in one practiced glance.

A flash of red hair. A broad-shouldered girl dragging an injured boy away.

Squad 11-D.

They vanished into the bushes before he could react.

He frowned.

Then his eyes shifted.

Norman.

He lay crumpled beneath the tree, motionless.

Seth’s frown deepened.

A few metres away, Mahirah slowly lifted her head.

Yesu’s kick had split her lip. A thin trail of blood ran down her chin.

She wiped it away with the back of her hand.

Then looked up. Straight at Yesu.

Her expression hardened.

Yesu finally tore her eyes away from Heidi.

Her gaze met Mahirah’s. It was the most intense expression she had ever seen

Cold. Angry. Dangerous.

All in one.

Mahirah pushed herself off the ground and stood to her feet.

Every bit of her attention was fixed on Yesu.

Yesu didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t look away.

Seth stepped between them.

Mahirah’s steely gaze bored into him.

Seth returned it without a hint of hesitation.

"Take a walk."

His voice was calm.

Mahirah glanced toward Norman.

Heidi had knelt beside him. Supporting his shoulders, she carefully helped him into a sitting position.

Norman coughed.

Blood splattered onto the grass.

For some reason, Mahirah felt satisfied at the sight.

"Take a walk." Seth repeated, lower this time. The warning was unmistakable.

Mahirah slowly looked back at Yesu. She held that stare for one long moment.

Then turned and walked away.

Seth watched until she disappeared into the trees. Only then did he let out a deep sigh.

He turned to Yesu.

"Why are you still here?" He asked, more exhausted than confused. "Shouldn’t you be running?"

Yesu blinked, remembering the reason they had all ended up here in the first place.

She instinctively looked toward the boulder she and her squad mates had hidden behind.

It was empty. Carrots and James had already escaped.

She hadn’t even noticed.

Something wrapped around her wrist.

She looked down.

Seth had picked up the vine rope that had fallen from his hands the second he had run in on them.

He calmly looped it around both of her wrists.

Yesu’s first instinct was to run. Fight. Escape.

That familiar impulse stirred inside her. Urgent, almost taking over.

Then her eyes shifted.

And landed on Heidi, who was still beside Norman, patiently helping him stand.

A thought crossed Yesu’s mind.

She relaxed completely, resisting her nature. And simply watched her own kidnapping unfold.

Seth tightened the final knot.

Satisfied, he reached into his jacket and brought out his walkie-talkie.

He pressed the transmit button.

"This is Camden."

His voice echoed through every 11-A radio in the area.

"General announcement. Main target secured. Everyone return to base."

***

What were the odds?

Yesu wondered as she walked between her captors.

Her eyes kept drifting toward Heidi.

Every single time, Heidi somehow found something else to look at.

A tree, the ground, Norman. Anywhere but her.

What were the odds indeed?

The same mysterious girl from the greenhouse...

The one she had chased and completely failed to catch...

Had somehow ended up running straight into her instead.

And now that she had let herself be captured, she would finally be able to confront her.

Yesu looked down at her bound hands. The vine rope was surprisingly comfortable.

Seth walked quietly beside her. Not too close but not too far either.

She noticed he kept stumbling slightly and rubbing his eyes on occasion.

A step behind them, Heidi supported Norman as they walked.

His arm was draped over her shoulders. He still looked terrible.

Yesu was honestly relieved that the scary-looking girl from earlier hadn’t come along with them.

She recognised her from fencing practice.

She had accidentally poked the girl with her foil once.

And she had slashed her without thinking twice. Cutting her cheek and fencing suit in one go.

That definitely wasn’t someone anyone should mess with.

Yesu’s confiscated walkie-talkie suddenly crackled.

Seth reached into his jacket and took it out.

"Soraya here."

The familiar voice came through.

"Does anyone have Yesu in sight?"

Yesu instinctively perked up.

Seth pressed the transmit button.

"This is Camden." He answered calmly. "Kaelitha is currently under Squad 11-A’s custody."

Silence.

A few long seconds passed.

"Will 11-A be open to negotiating a release?" Soraya’s voice was steady.

Seth answered immediately.

"No."

A brief pause.

"However, I can assure you that she’ll be released after seventeen hundred."

He glanced sideways at Yesu.

"Completely unharmed."

Static filled the silence between them.

Finally—

"I’ll take you for your word."

***

They had been walking for well over an hour.

Yesu could tell they were getting close to 11-A’s base.

Small groups of students began appearing more frequently between the trees.

The first group they met immediately took Norman off Heidi’s hands.

Reluctantly.

None of them looked particularly pleased to be helping him.

One boy sighed dramatically before slinging Norman’s arm over his shoulder. Another muttered something under his breath.

Norman stared at them grudgingly.

The next group was escorting three captured members of Squad 11-D.

Their hands were tied just like Yesu’s.

The moment they saw her, their expressions visibly eased. One even let out a relieved breath.

Yesu was a bit puzzled.

They had never spoken to her before. She didn’t even know any of their names.

Not long after, they arrived at 11-A’s base. It looked almost identical to 11-D’s.

The captives were escorted inside.

The place was already bustling with students.

Yesu quietly looked around.

The atmosphere felt different.

Somehow, despite the rough conditions of the Trial, 11-A students still managed to look distinguished.

Almost superior.

The two boys carrying Norman immediately dropped him the moment they entered the base.

Norman hit the floor.

"Ow..."

He grimaced and muttered a curse under his breath.

Neither boy spared a second glance. They simply walked away.

It was already seventeen hundred.

Seth calmly powered on the squad’s attendance device.

There was no hurry.

One after another, students stepped forward, clocked out, and officially called it a day.

Some talked. Some packed equipment. Some simply rested.

In the middle of the process, Apollo walked in.

With both hands casually tucked in his pockets.

Yesu immediately scowled.

If he hadn’t been so difficult, she probably wouldn’t have been captured.

Apollo’s eyes briefly met hers.

For the smallest fraction of a second, something resembling amusement crossed his face.

Then it vanished.

Yesu let out an indignant huff.

Apollo clocked out without a word and sat in a quiet corner by himself.

Seth glanced down at the screen.

Attendance incomplete.

He didn’t bother wondering.

Without looking up, he addressed the boys watching over the captives.

"Bring them over."

"But we’re not done yet."

Kristen’s voice floated across the base. She wore her usual malicious smile.

"Someone’s still missing."

She sounded almost delighted. As she did whenever the opportunity to condemn Mahirah presented itself.

Seth slowly raised his head.

Even through his blurred vision, he found her immediately.

He had been on edge since the day began and this was his last straw.

She had chosen exactly the wrong moment.

The look he gave her made the entire room go quiet.

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