Chapter 7. Into the fire

He had more than enough chances to make friends. In the month Arriz spent on Ceres, the students slowly became accustomed to him. None of them was hostile anymore, and some were the first to greet him if they met him in the hallways. He could sense their childish curiosity directed at him. If he came up to them, they would've accepted him completely, because they seemed to like him.

But he was avoiding that intentionally. He knew that he was sabotaging his own mission by this, and Iutah was most likely judging him. However, Arriz couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't accept being someone's friend only to kill that person later, it was wrong on so many levels. And he wasn't going to give up on his mission, though his old doubt was returning more and more often with each day on this planet.

Iutah didn't get that. He was free of any regrets, believing it was impossible to betray the Second Breed – since they were lower than humans and thus not worthy of loyalty. The fact he was a hybrid too didn't mean anything to him, in his mind he had always been special. But he started to suspect Arriz – he avoided private talks and wasn't providing any critical information anymore.

Arriz wasn't too worried about that. He still had enough time to figure everything out on his own, and even if he failed, Iutah would have to stop fooling around and tell him everything – because that was the Organization's order.

That's why Arriz preferred to keep his distance, watching them from afar, always being a stranger to them. Unfortunately, that turned out to be harder than he thought…

"You're coming with us today!" Damian announced. "Time to make yourself useful! You'll help us with the training."

That was probably against the safety rules, but Arriz didn't dare to deny. He sensed that the older hybrid was as suspicious about his behavior as Iutah. Damian just couldn't tell what exactly was wrong with the curator, his suspicions were mostly instinctive. So his offer to participate in the training was more of a test than some sort of punishment.

In addition, it was a good chance for Arriz to study the training halls – the ones situated on the surface. Getting there wasn't easy: to reach any of the halls the students needed to ride a special rail platform through a spacious tunnel which reminded Arriz of subway. He had no idea how to control that platform, and joining one of the teams was very important to him.

Before he reached the platform, he could sense familiar presence ahead. Iutah… so it was a training mission for the Red Team. The hybrids were surprised by his arrival, but didn't dare to ask anything with Damian around. They probably thought the curator was going to watch them, as usually.

The training halls were all locked by heavy metal gates. Seeing what was behind them was impossible from the tunnel, the only identification sigh being the number painted on them. This time the platform stopped in front of the hall number three. The gates opened slowly, letting them into a totally different world.

The first thing that impressed Arriz was the size of this place. It was huge – like a couple of football stadiums! A construction that impressive could truly withstand the pressure of the ice above. However, remembering about that ice here was very difficult – or remembering about being on a different planet. The hall looked like Earth! Its walls and ceiling were lined up with the same type of monitors that were used for artificial windows. They imitated clear sky, sun and clouds perfectly. Warm wind was blowing through the hall from time to time, and accepting that it was just a high-tech illusion was rather hard.

In the center of the hall stood a residential building, at tall as seven floors and very realistic. It had little benches by the stairs, toys and bicycles laying on the grass, cars parked next to it. The windows were covered with curtains of different shades and styles, with clothes drying on some of the balconies. Dozens of little details, from flower pots to candy wraps lying on the ground, made this place seem more than a mere model. It was a real house, taken from some small town on Earth.

While Arriz and the hybrids were studying the world they ended up in, Damian stepped aside and returned with a very strange costume – a set of oversized pants and vest. Both articles of clothing were made of thick material and covered in light panels, none of which was working so far.

The older hybrid handed the suit to Arriz.

"Here, put it above your clothes."

"Why?"

"Start doing that and listen to me, I'll explain."

Arriz didn't like that idea, but didn't have any good reasons to reject this. The hybrids were watching him with mild amusement. The telepath could tell they didn't know what was going on either.

Damian corrected that quickly.

"Today you'll try a new role. You are all to help the police in the future. But that doesn't mean you'll be fighting all the time! In many situations you'll be saving people, you'll take full responsibility for their lives. You'll be training how to do that today. This house is a special exercise machine for modeling extreme situations. Today there will be a fire there, and Arriz will pose as a victim stuck on upper floors."

The telepath didn't like it, just as he had expected. That was his proof that Damian didn't like him! But there was no way out of it without a conflict. Even though he wasn't a student here, he was obliged to comply with his superior's orders.

He just allowed himself to comment:

"I'm not sure my acting skills would be enough for such a role."

"Your acting skills can rest on that one," Damian assured him. "The costume will do the job for you. There's no risk here, the fire is artificial this time. The sensors on the costume react to that fire, showing the kind of damage the victim suffers."

As soon as Arriz finished pulling on the costume that made him look like a teddy bear, the displays started glowing in soft green light.

"You see?" the teacher asked, pointing at them. "That means the victim is alive and healthy. If Arriz gets too close to fire, the color will change. Yellow means that the victim feels the heat and it hurts him. But it's not a burn yet, and if he gets away from the flame, the color changes back to green. Orange identifies mild burns that are not life-threatening. It won't change back to green anymore. If the sensors turn red, it means the victim is dead. Right now Arriz will move into the building and hide there, then I'll turn on the fire. Your task is to find him as soon as you can, because the fire will start burning stronger with every minute. And one more thing… It's a mission for your team, but it's not a group one. Only the one who brings Arriz back here gets extra points. The maximum is ten, but that's if the victim returns unharmed. Every mistake or the victim's burn will cost you your points. Is that clear? Arriz, do you have any questions?"

"Only one. Who'd play that part if I wasn't around?"

"A dummy," Damian grinned. "But hey, you're here, and we're grateful. Now get going!"

Arriz wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, so he headed for the house. It would be even fun – to watch the hybrids breaking their heads to get more of their precious points!

He knew everything about their reward system. It wasn't anything like school grades, they were just getting points for different missions and assignments, which were summed up. That was the only way to evaluate a hybrid's talents, giving the students better chances of going to the next level. And for the teachers it was a convenient tool of identifying the best warriors in this generation.

They cared about it, Arriz didn't. He had no intention of helping any of them here, even Iutah. That assignment was nothing but a game to him in which he was forced to participate. He just had to act like a mannequin…

The house was as realistic inside as it was outside. Going up the stairs, Arriz couldn't fight the seduction of looking behind closed doors. He saw various kinds of furniture, some clothes, even family pictures! The Second Breed obviously wasn't saving money on their new generation's education. The telepath wanted to get inside those flats to make sure those objects were real, but he had no time for that: he only had five minutes for finding a proper hiding spot.

He chose an apartment on the sixth floor. He could actually live here: it only had one room, modern furniture and a lot of devices. Arriz sat onto the window sill; he could observe the hybrids from here while they couldn't see him through a light curtain.

A sound signal announced the beginning of the mission. The sound itself didn't scare Arriz – but the fire that flashed behind the window did, it was just too sudden.

The apartment itself wasn't caught in flames yet. His potential rescuers were given some time to get here. But the lower floors were burning pretty bad, same as the outer walls of the building. The Red Team moved forward, all at once, and he could tell they wanted to push the opponents out of the way, but the presence of the older hybrid made them play nice. Damian remained outside, waiting for the future winner.

Arriz moved away from the window and sat on the bed. He wasn't supposed to leave his apartment – he was a helpless victim after all! So he concentrated on his telepathy, trying to sense what was going on downstairs.

The hybrids, even with their usually impressive speed, didn't progress as well as he expected. Some were stuck on the first floor, the majority reached the second and third floors but slowed down for some reason. Could they really be looking through each room, trying to find him? Or was something else in their way?

He suddenly got curious whether artificial fire could actually hurt him or not. He went to the window and opened it, reaching out to the orange flowers of the flame. He didn't feel any heat at all, but the sensors on his hand immediately became yellow, and he had to cut his experiment short. He didn't want to rob his rescuers of their precious points.

Though he was starting to doubt if the victim he was portraying would be able to stay alive long enough to get help. The fire was growing, eating the building like a hungry animal. And the hybrids didn't move even half of the way up! Could it really be that complicated?

Four of them managed to get higher than the rest. Three were moving up the stairs, one used the elevator shaft. Iutah was heading the way, and it was logical to suggest he'd get to Arriz first.

But that didn't happen. Inspired by his initial success, Iutah passed the door that was hiding Arriz from him without even looking at it. He probably thought that the victim would be waiting on the roof. But why should he? Damian didn't give him any particular script for this game, he could very well be unconscious! That was very likely since the original victim was supposed to be a mannequin.

However, someone else was a bit smarter than Iutah. The apartment door broke into pieces suddenly, letting the hybrid who crushed it enter. Arriz had seen him before, naturally, but they had never talked.

He only knew it was one of the strongest members of the Red Team. The hybrid was rather tall and skinny, but as athletic as everyone in the Second Breed were – with all the training! His hair was the color of fresh chestnuts, always shaggy, hanging below his ears, with some locks falling on his face. His features were sharp and reminded of a fox a bit, and his eyes were bright green. He didn't talk a lot, succeeded in practical training, but failed miserably in all the sciences.

But he was the first to find the victim, and Arriz rose to meet him.

"Congrats, you found me," the telepath said, not even trying to sound excited. "How about we get out of here?"

"Not yet," his "savior" replied briefly.

He took a blanket off the bed and went to the bathroom with it. Arriz followed to see him getting the fabric wet with cold water. After that the hybrid threw the blanket and a middle-sized towel to him.

"Cover yourself with that. Towel for head."

"Why? This isn't a real fire!"

"The sensors still react to it," the hybrid explained. "The blanket will block them."

"It's heavy, you know!"

"I can carry you. I'd wrap the dummy in it."

"I can walk! Can I at least drop the towel?"

"You're talking too much for someone who's about to be barbequed. I'll just pretend you've fainted and carry you out of here."

"Keep your hands to yourself," Arriz smirked. "I'm a mobile fire victim and I can get myself out of here!"

After stepping out of the apartment, the telepath understood why he needed that towel and what robbed other hybrids of their speed. The fire was artificial, but still bright enough to be blinding, and it was accompanied by smoke and the smell of burning plastic. Those were the main challenge here, making Arriz squint and cough uncontrollably. That wet towel was a true salvation now, making it much easier to breathe.

It was humiliating to admit that even to himself, but Arriz wouldn't be able to get out of the house without the hybrid's help. He'd find a way sooner or later, but only because the flame wasn't real. In an actual fire, he'd be dead in a matter of minutes.

But things were different now, the hybrid was quite efficient in his aid. He was supporting him, making sure Arriz wouldn't get tangled in the blanket, leading the way. The student was affected by their surroundings too, the smoke was leaving black spots on his skin, blinding, blocking his oxygen, but all of that wasn't enough to stop him.

Arriz couldn't help thinking about what would happen if they ran across another hybrid on the stairs. Would those two start a fight over the victim or would they work together? The fight was a more likely option since they were pretty pathetic in their desire to get more points.

They didn't meet anyone, but had other problems along the way. Beneath the fifth floor the fire was making a solid wall. Approaching it was impossible even in the blanket: the sensors were going yellow in an instant, and they had to retreat. When they were trying to move around it, a metal door collapsed right in front of them. If the hybrid's reaction wasn't quick enough, they'd be hit by it! That wasn't so harmless anymore…

"Gas explosion," the hybrid stated. "Dammit… I think it's part of the test. The stairs can't be used for walking down."

As if to prove him right, new flames were rising towards them. The hybrid didn't hesitate in his decision, he pushed Arriz into the nearest apartment where the fire was still rather weak and closed the metal door behind them, winning them some time.

"I guess that's a wrap," Arriz said matter-of-factly.

"Not yet."

"But we're trapped! The others have probably stopped looking!"

He added "probably" for disguise since otherwise he'd have to mention his telepathic abilities. He actually sensed that seven out of ten students were already outside with Damian. Two more were still searching upstairs, but that wouldn't lead them anywhere. And they were trapped in this apartment.

"Give it up, it's a dead end. There's a burning oven outside," Arriz pointed at the closed door. The smoke was already creeping under it. "You may wait till I "die", or accept it now, I don't care. I'm just tired of walking in that pile of clothes!"

"We can't give up!" the hybrid insisted. "It's wrong!"

"Why wrong? You won't get your ten points, big deal!"

"This isn't about the points!"

"Then what is it about?"

"We are taught to deal with extreme situations in various circumstances. This fire, blocked staircase, dying victim… It can all happen in reality! What am I going to do then? I won't get my ten points here, and I don't really need them, I'm already in the top five! But back on Earth a human may die because of me! Can you understand that or not?!"

If Arriz wasn't a telepath, he'd be sure that the hybrid was lying. Because such devotion couldn't be true, it was too idealistic and not fitting one of the monsters the Organization wanted to destroy so badly! But he could sense that the hybrid was telling the truth. He really wanted to save – not Arriz in particular, but anyone whose life depended on him.

Arriz wasn't ready for that. Thinking that they were soulless creatures who only cared about their rating system was much easier that admitting kindness in them. Not every human would care about a stranger like this hybrid did!

He wasn't supposed to help. He was supposed to act like a mannequin and wait patiently for help. But watching the hybrid run across the apartment in desperate attempts to find a way out made Arriz feel that he couldn't stay out of this anymore.

After all, if he actually was a victim in a situation like that, he'd be interested in escaping that fire too!

"Listen… what's your name?"

"Norman," the hybrid said. "You could've learned it in a month! I know yours."

"Your momma can be proud of you. Now turn off the drama queen, we've got a fire to avoid! Instead of getting crispy here, can we jump out of the window?"

"I've already thought about it… But you as a victim won't survive it, even if you fall on me. And both of us will break a couple of bones for sure, we're on the fourth floor now! Also, we can't be sure that the fire is not burning outside the building."

He was right, they needed to check that first…

As a telepath, Arriz couldn't sense artificial fire, but he could find the location of the machines that were generating smoke and burning smells in the building. The staircase was full of them, while he couldn't find any in the apartment underneath them. So using the stairs was out of question, and the elevator shaft had already turned into a volcano.

There was only one way left.

"Can you break the dividing barrier between the floors?" Arriz asked, looking at his companion attentively.

"What do you mean?" the hybrid frowned.

"The very thing I said: hit the floor hard enough to break through the ceiling of the apartment beneath us."

Norman thought it over and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I can do that… But I'm not sure we're allowed to break the equipment of the base!"

"Hey, aren't you the one who said it's an important training? It should be just like reality, and in reality you wouldn't be afraid of breaking a burning house!"

"No, but… What if we fall straight into the fire from here?"

"So what? Things won't get any worse!" the telepath noted. "We'll get roasted in any case. But if we take that risk, we still have a chance to get out of this!"

"I guess you're right… You'd better step aside!"

Arriz didn't argue here, walking a couple of steps back. He knew that the level two hybrids couldn't control their power completely, and Norman wasn't able to predict which part of the floor would fall down.

The hybrid moved into the center of the room, took a deep breath and pulled his hand pack, preparing to strike. It was easy to tell he was getting ready to put all of his strength into it, which he had never done before, and he was afraid to fail.

But Norman underestimated himself greatly. Wooden floor broke into dust under his fist, and then the concrete layer underneath it and finally the plaster on the ceiling of the third floor. Norman, who wasn't ready for such success, didn't have enough time to react and collapsed together with the pieces of the barrier.

Arriz jumped to the impressive hole in the floor immediately and saw the hybrid rising to his feet, while spitting out construction dust.

"Are you okay?"

"Disappointed in my own agility, but otherwise fine," Norman answered. "Look, there's no fire here! How did you know?"

"I didn't, I just suggested the only option I had!"

Even if the hybrid didn't believe him, he didn't push the topic. They were still inside the building and the time was running out! Norman hurried to pull a king-sized bed under the break, so it would be safer for Arriz to jump down.

"You just met me – and already trying to get me to bed!" the telepath couldn't help mocking.

"We met a month ago, and if that didn't make you remember my name, I just have to turn to other tricks!" Norman laughed. "But seriously, stop being a smartass and concentrate on getting out of here!"

They had to repeat the same move to get to the second floor. This time it went easier: Norman managed to move away before the floor broke under him, and then assisted the telepath in getting down on the now dry blanket.

But they had to stay there, getting to the first floor this way would've been stupid. Norman wanted to try it, but Arriz stopped him.

"No use, we'll end up in coals.���

"How do you know that?"

He knew that because there were more smoke generators there than free space! But Arriz couldn't say that, he had to think up an explanation.

"I'm just analyzing the situation! They had to make the final stage the hardest one."

"Well, we can jump out of the window now… The height is safe for both of us…"

"How about taking a look out of that window first?"

They couldn't see anything through the glass because of the curtain of flame dancing there. It appeared that those who designed that training program made sure to make the task nearly impossible to fulfill.

"If we jump through this fire, your burns won't be lethal," Norman said, but his voice was missing confidence.

"I can break my neck too. Somehow I'm not thrilled about that."

"Got any better ideas?"

The hybrid had completely forgotten that he was facing a silent victim, a mannequin, who had no right of voice in this situation – according to the script. Arriz wasn't going to remind him about it, because he believed some rules were worth breaking.

"We need to find something that will protect us from the strongest fire out there!"

"Sounds smart enough, but easier said than done – there's nothing of this kind here!" the hybrid gestured around them.

"Wrong. I think I've already found something!"

Most of the furniture in this apartment was burning, and they weren't allowed to touch it. But the bathroom was free of flames, even though it had so much smoke that they could barely breathe inside. Arriz felt his eyes tearing up, his throat was burning and he was coughing all the time. This wasn't a game anymore, he needed to get out!

"You have to get this bathtub to the window," Arriz managed to pronounce through the fits of cough. "We'll ride it to break out of this place."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Have you ever gone sledging in your childhood?"

"I did…" Norman answered, caught off-guard by the sudden question.

"Start remembering that!"

"You're weird," Norman announced. "But I think I like that."

The previous challenges didn't exhaust him in the slightest, he was full of energy that he used to pull the massive white bathtub forward, ripping it off the wall and pipes. Then Norman dragged it to a large window in the living room. Watching him made Arriz wonder about the inhuman stamina hybrids possessed.

"Climb in," Norman commanded.

"You're supposed to get out of here too, you know!"

"I'll survive in any case, so hurry up!"

Arriz didn't waste any more time on talking. After he got into the bathtub, the hybrid pushed it until it gained some momentum to fly forward. He managed to jump inside in the last second, covering the telepath from the pieces of broken glass, and they passed the fire unharmed.

After the stuffiness of the burning building, flesh air was intoxicating. It gave Arriz slight vertigo, and he had to wait before rising up. But when he finally did, he saw the shocked gazes of other hybrids locked on him.

That must've been quite a view: two guys flying out of a burning house in a bathtub!

"What's wrong?" Arriz asked in the most casual tone he could manage. Then he pointed at the green sensors on his suit. "I'm out, alive and healthy. Wasn't that the point?"

"Actually, it was," Damian admitted. "But I'm afraid to ask what you did to the house… I've studied here, but never saw anything like that!"

"Saving a human at all costs," Norman added innocently.

"Well, yes, according to the textbook… As your excuse I may say that the victim in this assignment is rarely saved. But this is the first time ever, if I'm not mistaken, when the victim was left unharmed. That makes Norman the first hybrid to receive ten points for that mission."

Norman tried to look all professional about it, but he still winked at Arriz secretly. The telepath could feel that he was happy.

And Arriz suddenly caught himself thinking that not finding friends here would be harder than he thought.