Explorer X Alpha by LM. Preston Page B

said with one last loud slap to Carter’s face.
    â€œHey now, son! Not so hard. Carter’s awake already,” Mr. Faulkner said to Dakota. Dakota grabbed Carter off the floor of the simulation area and dragged him out of the way of the other Cadets. Carter continued to lay there like dead weight and moved his head from side to side like he had difficulty waking up.
    â€œLook, you can lay there all you want, but when we get back to the rooms, I am still gonna kick your butt. I promise,” Dakota whispered in Carter’s ear. He shoved Carter on the head, got up, and then walked over to watch the others.
    Carter opened one eye to make sure that Dakota was across the room and then sat up. He turned his gaze toward the viewing monitor and frowned in thought.
    â€œWell, maybe he is just like that for the game. I don’t know, but Tacitus just seemed out of whack. I think I am going crazy. Man, that kid’s not tired yet? I feel sorry for them, ‘cause they are in for a surprise,” Carter mumbled while watching in awe as Tacitus’s methodically perfect run took him fast over the dessert-like terrain toward Scott and Raiko.

 
Chapter 20
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    Damien spied his service pack just a bit up ahead. It was buried in a boulder with a metal stake sticking out and a flag at the top. He got closer, punched in the sequence on the side of his helmet for cutting through rock, and precisely cut around the flag. He reached over and pulled out the stake with a grunt from exertion. Damien wasted no time as he reached his fingers into the opening that was made on either side of the hole that the stake left. He grunted as he pulled the outer circular cut of the rock out. Then, he reached in and pulled out a gray sack that had straps for his back. Quickly, he grabbed it and put it on. He glanced down at his locator device and ran at top speed toward Raiko and Scott, who where less than a quarter mile from him.
    Raiko and Scott were on their way to the supply pack near the Communication Center and figured that the others would pick up the packs closest to their locations first. They moved at a slow jog to save up some energy for a fight they were sure was to come.
    â€œAre you ready for a fight? You know it will come to that with Damien’s team and Aadi’s.” Scott said.
    â€œOh, I am ready, and I see on the locator that Carter and Dakota are out. So we just have the two most difficult teams to deal with. Oh, great! You see that! Is that Damien?” asked Raiko while she spied Damien as he ran toward them.
    â€œYeah, that’s him. Where is Tacitus? Um, I don’t like this setup. I’ll take him and his pack. You look out for Tacitus and back me up if I need it. Damien can be a dirty fighter, especially when we simulate, because he knows he can’t get in trouble for his tactics. Don’t come help me unless you see him about to land a fatal blow, because if he gets to you and that pack, the simulation is as good as over for us,” Scott said out loud as he wondered.
    Scott determinedly ran to meet Damien. Damien would have to go through him to get to Raiko and the supply pack that she had on her back. He figured now was his time to fight to the death, because he didn’t want out of the simulation yet. Damien stopped a few yards from Scott and crouched down in fighting position. He gritted his teeth, as he knew getting rid of Scott would put him one step closer to getting rid of Aadi and Eirena. He was so ready to have a good reason to kick someone’s butt that he could taste it. While assessing Scott, he knew that Scott would prove to be a worthy opponent that he could sink his teeth into.
    â€œI can’t wait to kick your butt, because that Raiko is not going to give me a good fight. She’ll probably take off running and leave your sorry butt!” Damien called out to Scott.
    Scott spent a lot less time chitchatting about what he was going to do than just