I push my sight to pierce the fog and spot Addy`s blonde hair disappear beneath some overgrown fronds. I keep low where the fog is thickest and add a little speed to get to her side.

　　"I was wondering how much longer I had to wait for you." Addy whispers without turning to look at me.

　　I scan the heavy canopy of trees we`re under and just like that she`s gone from my side again. I strain to hear her movements. I register the Blaze herd across the arena and the flapping of the Flyers circling the entrance. A whiff of floral floats by and I bolt in that direction. The glow of Addy`s goggles radiates between two boulders.

　　I slide in behind her and blend into the vines hanging from the rafters. Addy checks her surroundings before grabbing a cluster of vines. She gives them a few hard tugs with her gloved hands, and jumps up high wrapping her body around them.

　　She climbs hand over hand as high as they go without making a sound. Then releases her grip and uses her legs to keep suspended upright. She presses the button on the side of her goggles capturing images in every direction. Once she`s finished, she grabs hold of the vines again and works her way down to land quietly in front of me.

　　"Three Flyers at the arena entrance and three Blaze at the south exit wall. FOB northwest grid. Over."

　　There are six demons in the arena for capture today. I made them out when I was looking for Addy. She made them out without any powers, only minutes after I did. And she found an area for the squad to set up.

　　She`s on the move again. I`m having a hard time keeping up. She moves with the terrain, choosing the path of most resistance. It`s harder for a demon to pick up a trail or swoop in from above. I`m determined to keep up but falling further behind. She contorts her flexible body with ease and vaults off nearby objects to propel her faster.

　　I get to a tunnel of overgrown tree roots, too narrow for my shoulders to pass through. I don`t want her to have to back track so I summon one of my blades and widen the path. By the time I`m through, she`s out of my sight.

　　The Flyers are on approach scouring the ground for prey. Their heavy wings disturb the air too much for me to sense her presence. I get up close to the tree in front of me and let my power loose. The bark lights up with the bright flash from my eyes and I turn around when it steadies out.

　　I track Iva setting up traps ahead and the Blaze herd is being led his way. The squad is already set up to capture and I`m still yards out. I`ve lost Addy, so I may as well get to the FOB however I can. I climb up the tree and grab onto the first sturdy branch I come to. I`ll be faster above the dense terrain. I swing from branch to branch to get me closer without drawing the Flyer`s attention. I`m a few feet away from the squad when I hear Fletcher laugh across the comm.

　　"Incoming. Nine o`clock. White haired, scrawny, Elite trainee swinging in. Over."Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

　　I drop to the ground and still. The air shifts from an incoming Flyer. I reach for my emerging blades but hesitate remembering the captain`s orders to observe only.

　　"Oren, down!" Fletcher calls and I drop face first in the damp earth as the whistle of an arrow flies over.

　　I flop over onto my back ready to spring into action. A trapped Flyer falls from high above me. The electric currents spark from the metallic netting surrounding it, leaving a bright neon green trail through the trees. It lands with a hard thump, rattling my teeth. I sit up and turn to see Fletcher give me a nod from his perch.

　　I can`t believe I had to be saved. If the captain hadn`t leashed me, I could`ve taken care of it myself. But the Flyer would be dead and I`d have to answer for breaking command and destroying a valuable specimen.

　　I sigh and move to take my position as Addy`s shadow again. She`s standing high on a rocky incline just outside of Iva`s traps. I follow her gaze to Kane and Luce leading the Blaze herd through the trees. Luce is brandishing her mace with precision. It whips through the air as fluidly as her wild flaming hair.

　　Everyone is accounted for except the captain. The last two Flyers close in on the clearing, they circle in tighter and tighter. The thwack, thwack of the wings above are almost deafening. There`s a clicking and whirring from Iva`s traps as they come online around our perimeter.

　　I focus harder and hear a thump-thump, soothing beat break through the noise. I lock on to the captain`s heart and mine falls in line with her steady beat. The ache in my chest is less insistent now with a singular focus. Her steps are falling harder. Pounding the pathway and picking up speed. She`s out of the trees, right underneath the Flyers.

　　The captain whips her weapon around, practically waving at the demons. She`s the bait, but with the Flyers trajectory and her pace, she`s too far away to make it to the traps before they intercept. My heart rate increases and my warrior marks ignite bright. Addy`s cold, small hand wraps around my wrist.

　　"Don`t." She whispers. "Trust your team. We`re your weapon today."

　　A shriek from the closest Flyer pierces the air and my limbs shake with the need to act. I shake off Addy`s hold. The thunder of the Blaze herd approaches from the opposite side of the clearing. I cross my arms, my hands resting over my warrior marks, ready.

　　I take a step toward the captain as she runs for us. The snap and sizzle of the Blaze herd triggering the traps echo loud behind me. Their howls fill the air causing the Flyers to rear up from their attack dive. Fwoop, fwoop, comes from above as Fletcher lets loose two trap arrows. His aim is dead on. Both targets are hit and electric sparks trail their descent to the ground.

　　I look back at Addy. She smiles and gives me a cocky wink that reminds me of her twin. The captain frowns at my fading warrior marks as she walks past to the rest of the squad. I can`t believe our CO let herself be bait.

　　"What the hell." Iva says.

　　He stands in front of the trapped Blaze herd, the very quiet, very focused herd. Three sets of milky, dead eyes are focused on me. A cold shiver runs up my spine.

　　"Captain, we need the space cleared." The wild haired doctor pushes through to stand in front of the Blaze demons waving his clip board for us to move.

　　I`m the first to the exit. I want to get out of the demon`s line of sight. What the hell was that? I start unloading gear but keep my senses alert and sift through the squad talking about lunch, they`re always hungry, and lock on to the doctor and the captain.

　　"So, you have determined it`s the new arrival?" The captain says.

　　"Yes, it`s him. The demons are all out of sorts. I`ve never seen anything like it."

　　"Hey, Oren. Let`s go." Fletcher throws a hand to my back and pushes me down the hall.

　　I look back at the Blaze demons following my movements. This can`t be good.