Chapter 25

• The first six months were hell on Earth for Rachel. She knew it would be challenging, but she didn't know how difficult it would be. There were no pictures of her loved ones, only the memory of each of them, especially of her daughter. She prayed silently that her daughter wouldn't forget her, being that she left there and hadn't been in contact with anyone. It was now into the tenth month that she had been gone; if she wanted to eat, she had to hunt or dig for it. Every morning since the second day she was here, she hadn't gotten a full night's rest, and every morning, she heard screams and the sounds of someone being dehumanized, and then, finally, the victim had met their end. Everything was done to break her and then build back to be as ruthless as the ones who had been her monsters. They were never caught, and she had learned some of them managed to get lesser charges for giving up information to more serious crimes. Each of their faces was placed on the walls for her to always look at. Every morning, she woke up, and Rachel would see their faces every night she went to sleep. This was for her never to forget why she was here and going through this hell. Four months ago, she was being trained in martial arts by those who had one mission and one mission in life to teach those like Rachel to do what needed to be done and not get caught. During the first few weeks of training, she coughed up blood from getting hit too hard, but soon, she was learning as if she had been studying her whole life. She had dealt with what happened to her and knew that what happened was for a reason. Those who died before she was born and those after were because of her father's dealing with the devil. They didn't give her guns because ammo would run out and leave imprints. She was taught to use a crossbow and knives, mainly because she could never stop attacking until she saw the life leave the eyes. Her bible was written in blood with the information of her targets. Soon, she would be set free before going home and living in peace. She first had to become the monster she feared and not shed a tear once her life was taken. She learned so much, but there was more to learn, and of course, once she left here, she would be on her own. She was grateful she had been an actress; she would utilize the knowledge to her advantage. The water was cold as she shivered through the maze set for her. The salt in the water burned her cuts, but it didn't slow her down. She leaped onto the ledge and used her upper body strength to get up and over her first target.
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• Once she was in the room, Rachel moved much like a ghost, silent and blending in with her environment. The target moved closer to her though she was hidden; one false move and the test would be over, and she would be tortured for being caught. She wouldn't fail; one too many times, she had been pushed into a deep, dark hole, and every day, she had been beaten for making mistakes. This was the day she would advance to the next step, and soon she would be released. Quietly, she moved as soon as her target had turned around; Rachel quickly stabbed the target in the marked places, then promptly moved the body out of the way. As the assimilated test continued, she heard other voices and a few more footsteps. She reached into her bag, which was connected to her utility belt. She set up the explosives as she had been trained and knew that every second after the explosion, she had seconds to get rid of any witnesses and get out. She had to calculate how much for each device and be on the mark. Once the devices were set up, she moved to safety from the blast. Adrenaline was pumping through her, but she wasn't shaking. However, she was focused, and her only thought was not to get killed or caught. She waited for the footsteps to reach the mark before setting off the explosives. Even though it was a mock situation, she took everything as though this was it. Her timer on her watch was running, and she moved through the fire to ensure nothing was left alive. Of course, she would have resistance in case someone didn't get injured by the explosive. She had to use whatever was in her environment as a weapon, and of course, there was a live one that didn't get injured as two more got up. She didn't see them as her teachers, and she was in the mindset that they would harm and kill her or, worse, go after her family; that wasn't an option. Rachel felt nothing as she fought through the three survivors even though they were wearing specialized gear so that any wound they would have gotten wouldn't inflict them in reality. She had to be in the mindset of a killer to accomplish her goals. Each moment they were standing was a deduction, but this time around, she had gotten through, and they were on the ground, unable to get up. Each stage of the test was designed for something she might see, come across, and have possibilities. Every situation that could be imagined was in place for her to prepare for. Though she wasn't thinking of the finish line, her mind was set on each stage and her timer.