Perfect School

I remained on my hands and knees, body trembling as I panted. Slowly I picked myself up off the floor and move over to stand beside Jonah. I hurt, but nothing felt broken or sprained. Just bruised up real nice. I knew I would hurt more later, but I'd also more than likely get medicine to help me mend just a little bit faster.

Jonah:

“Well done.” Said Marie. She leaned forward and scrutinized me. “No one had defeated Kira like that, not in the last couple of years. Impressive that a boy with less than half her training can do it.” He tone was cool, unfeeling. “I hear you have a problem with arrogance, Jonah. No one had knocked you from your tower. You feel invincible, don't you? You think you can accomplish whatever is asked of you.” Her green eyes raked me.

“That will change. You need to know your limits. Kira does, she knows them well. She has never had delusions of what she can and cannot do. Over this next week you will learn the boundaries of your capabilities. This is not something you can win. You will fail, that is the point.” Her words stung at me. I knew arrogance was one of my flaw, but I had not expected to be forced to rid myself of it while I was here.

“Now, I want you to jog around the gym twenty times. Go.” She said and I didn't pause before doing as she commanded. “Now Kira, Come sit with me.” I heard her say from behind me as I jogged away.

I had been focusing on catching my breath as Marie spoke, my breathing only slightly deeper than a resting rate after I was asked to sit down. Jonah's arrogance would get him in trouble, it would be good to break him. What mattered was if he would let himself be broken correctly and if he would let them heal him after. Sinking into the chair beside Marie I began undoing the pads from my elbows and knees, leaving the gloves on for now.

Marie watched the boy until he reached the corner then turned her eyes on Kira. “After a medic has seen you, You will go with Sinclair. We have someone for you to take care of.” She told the girl. She wouldn't have Jonah having more experience in those matters. She wanted to keep them equal. Do do that with Kira was simple. To do that with Jonah took mental conditioning. Kira was by far the easier of the two conflicts to resolve.

"Yes Ma'am." I intoned softly. A brow was shifted upwards, curiosity tugging at her for a brief moment before it was replaced by just expectant waiting. The gloves were finally tugged off her hands and set down in the chair along with the rest of her padding as she stood. "Shall I go to the medics now?"

Marie nodded. “Yes, go now.” She told her. Jonah was across the gym now. His eyes trailed Kira as she left. That was another thing that needed resolving.
~~~

That evening Marie watched on the camera as Kira was let into a large room. The only furnishing was a table with an array of different weapons. The girl was given a few minutes before at the opposite side, a man was forced through the door unbound.

I ran my fingers over the array of weapons. Knives, guns, garrotes, and more. I was to kill for the first time. It was almost amusing how many choices I had. I didn't even need any of these. I could manage the task with my bare hands. But if tools would be provided it only made sense to use them. Gripping a knife in my hand I willed myself to relax as the door was opened and a man was shoved through. I brought the knife with me slowly, as he began pounding at the door. It was only after I had crossed half the room that he turned and went pale. "No, no, no, no."

"I will make it quick." I informed him as he scrambled backwards, pressing to the door.

"No!" He wailed before running at me. I didn't know if he wanted to knock me down, get past me, or any other various things. But I grabbed him and with a twist hurled him into the ground. I followed the motion with him, letting my weight along with the impact into the floor drive my knife between his ribs and into his heart.

He thrashed a moment and as I watched his eyes glazed over and he gave a burping little sigh. Slowly I pulled the knife from his body as I stood. Blood coated my hands, coated the knife. It made me freeze up, gazing down at the body with a hungry expression. I wanted to stab again, and again and again. But with a sickening lurch in my stomach I moved back to the table. I laid the knife down in its spot and heedless of the blood that dried and cooled on my hands I slowly started my way to the door.

Jonah:

I was in constant motion. Marie had given me a number of tasks to do, none of them difficult, but all of them physical. During the day Marie had left a few times but she always came back to her seat. Her lunch smelled heavenly but I was brought nothing, and I did not ask. It must have been eight hours of physical activity by the time Kira returned. My eyes followed her without thinking about it, Marie again motioned for her to take a seat beside her.

I had washed up, slowly at first but ended up being a bit more urgent about getting the blood off my hands before I managed to bring myself under control again. I had gotten the chance to have a bit of food before I joined Marie, sitting down beside her while my eyes followed Jonah as he did the latest thing. "It is done."

“Yes, I saw. How do you feel?” She wasn't asking to be sympathetic. She needed to make sure Kira wouldn't be psychologically effected by it. If she was, then she needed to go through further conditioning immediately.

I took a long time to respond, gaze no longer focused on Jonah but further past him. "I wanted to stab him again. Repeatedly. But I was not bothered by any of it. Humans are easy to kill, we die so easily and the light will fade from our eyes eventually. I am alright Marie."

Marie's only response was a nod.  After a few silent minutes of watching Jonah she turned to Kira.  “Tell me what you think about this boy.”  She commanded.  Kira had spoken about him before, but it was merely facts, and usually it had been over the phone and had not been filmed.  Marie could clearly see her face now, and they had cameras on them.

"Jonah is capable, he is good at reading an opponent and exploiting what he knows. He values loyalty over skill and is filled with ambition and arrogance. I think he is a skilled Assassin and will only grow better as time goes on but in his own way will both excel and be hindered by his views and wishes." Kira stated the words without a single shift of her features.

Jonah had all of the skills to be a perfect assassin but his ambition and that which went along with it were dangerous to Marie. He would be a challenge for as long as she kept him. Constant diligence in watching him would be a necessity in order to keep him in line.

“Is he loyal to you?” She asked. Marie knew she did not have his loyalty, if her gifts dried up, he would go looking for a better situation. But The way he looked at Kira suggested there was something else there.

"Perhaps. Before me he was the top of the class. No one could compare with him. I took his world and shattered all of his expectations in a single moment. Loyal? I would call him loyal. But I would also be prepared for when he devours me should it ever come to that." I said carefully after a long moment and a slight frown.

“But you are not loyal to him.” Mare stated but watched her carefully. She did not think Kira was that easily swayed. But Jonah was quite compelling from what she had seen. And they were adolescents.

There was the slightest hesitation before she spoke, "I am loyal to you as ever, I am loyal to my team because it is what I was commanded to be. He is our team leader and so as long as my orders stand he has loyalty in that regard."

Marie laughed at the answer inwardly. Well put, she thought. “In that regard alone.” Mare amended. “Kira, are you attracted to him?” She asked bluntly.

"I have met people more physically attractive than him. But Jonah does have a charm about him. He speaks with honeyed words that could melt through barriers. I am trained better than that but....I could see myself becoming attached if I was not careful..." I shrugged my shoulders a bit, "He truly does have a charm to him."

It had confirmed what Marie’s suspicions were, but she was less than pleased. Kira had spoken the truth to her, like she had been conditioned to. She did not doubt the girl. “I see that.” She glanced to where Jonah was going through another set of exercises then returned her attention back to her protegee.

“Kira, you are not to interact with him in a remotely sexual way, do you understand? I don't care what urges you may have, do not express them with him. If you find yourself compelled to do so, you will inform me and we will find a suitable substitute.” She said matter of factly

There were some emotions not even someone like Kira could be immune to. It was a simple matter f finding an outlet that would not cause harm to what Marie had created in Kira. Jonah could not be trusted in that matter.

"Yes ma'am."  I said carefully.  A suitable substitute?  That would be an odd choice unto itself, but she knew better than to question the woman's orders. It was surprising if nothing else. Never before had this been discussed between them. Part of her training had been the art of seduction and yet still nothing like this.

She could be frank with Kira and know that she would follow orders. She could not have the same conversation with Jonah, he would take it as a challenge and there was no need to add incentive. She would have to find another way to make her wishes known to him.

Marie dismissed Kira with orders to rest up that night and be fresh in the morning.

Standing up Kira bowed to Marie then made her way out of the room. She made her way back to her pent house where she sat at her table and pondered just what Marie meant with all her questioning. She lingered up for a few hours thinking it over before with a shake of her head and a shrug she made her way to bed.

Jonah:

I had been made to spend the night walking laps around the gym, never stopping. When Marie had left in the evening, loud music was put on through the speakers. The artificial light made my eyes hurt and the obnoxious music drowned out most trains of thought. After an hour that saw no one enter the gym, I closed my eyes and relaxed what muscles I could while walking. I had bee given a protein shake around supper time, but it had barely anything to it beyond essential nutrients. It was not enough to sustain me through a sleepless night.

By morning I was tired and starving. Marie returned and asked me a few questions before sending me into a new routine. Kira showed up soon after and we again fought with everything we had. Kira had a bit more than I did this time. Though I made sure that it was not an easy fight for her. Then I went back to walking interspersed with exercise.

That evening we fought once more and she trounced me. The second sleepless night I did the same thing, trying my best to rest my body and mind while walking. In the morning Kira was replaced by someone new. I won the first match but lost the second. That evening I fought another person yet again winning the first match and losing the second two hours later.

The third day I won only once against a newcomer, and lost the next three matches. I was exhausted, starving, and dehydrated. My emotionless wall was crumbling, and my mood was dark. What will and strength remained, rallied every time I spoke with Marie in my desire to show as little weakness as possible. The fourth day I lost three out of three.

The past few days had been interesting to say the least. Marie had been putting me through my paces and I now had three kills to my name. After the first one I had poisoned someone and then killed another through the scope of my rifle. I hadn't gone to see Jonah except for the day I had fought him but with my evening empty I made my way to the gym, sitting down in my chair and drawing a knee up to my chest as I watched him.