Qualify by Vera Nazarian Page B

on to the Finals which will take place in another four weeks after, at which point you will either Qualify for Atlantis, or you will return home.”
    “What kind of tests?” a boy exclaims. “How many more crazy things do they need from us?”
    Mark turns in the direction of the speaker. “Questions will be answered at the end, please do not interrupt me again.” His voice is hard and commanding so that the teen almost flinches.
    “However, I will answer this one,” Gina Curtis speaks up. “Because it is relevant. I’ll be honest—the tests are grueling. They are physical and psychological, and they will challenge your mind and body equally. They are specifically designed to weed most of you out, I am sorry to say. More will be said later, as you get to train and learn. Now, back to you, Mark.”
    Mark Foster nods and picks up. “The Semi-Finals will take place in four weeks. Incidentally, it will be televised. It will be shown on national television and live-streamed on all media. Yes, your parents will be watching you, and people all around the world will be watching—”
    Excited whispers pass the room like a fretful breeze.
    “—Each day leading up to it, you will spend in class. Classes will consist of four categories of training—Agility Training, Combat Training, Atlantis Tech, and Atlantis Culture. Each of these is equally important. Your daily progress and performance will not only determine your performance on the Semi-Finals, but it will also be closely monitored by your Instructors all throughout the process. In fact, their final recommendations will be added to your Semi-Final score. So, don’t think you can slide by in any of these types of classes.”
    Mark grows silent, and now John Nicolard speaks. “All right. The following is your schedule. Your day will be divided thusly. Rise at 7:00 AM and breakfast. Starting at 8:00 AM will be your first two classes, then lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM, followed by two more classes, then dinner at 6:00 PM, followed by rest hour at 7:00 PM. Finally, from 8:00 PM you do homework or practice, and lights out at 10:00 PM. You get limited allowance for going outside after 8:00 PM homework hour, and absolutely no going outside your Dorm after 10:00 PM, that’s the curfew. I realize this is highly structured, and leaves you little time for anything personal. But all of you here understand that this is not fun and games, this is deadly serious. It bears repeating that you are all fighting for your lives here. Your actions and personal achievements will determine your fate.”
    “And speaking of personal,” Gina Curtis interrupts. “Your presence here in this compound is contingent on your good behavior. Basic rules of courtesy and cooperation will be observed, and anyone found fighting, stealing or vandalizing property, or trespassing or engaging in other unacceptable behavior—such as hooking up, for example, yeah, sorry, no dating or intimate ‘socializing’ beyond normal public conversation—anyone found doing this will be immediately dismissed and sent home. Besides, there are surveillance cameras all over, so you cannot hide your behavior. No girls on the boys’ floor after lights out, and vice versa. Why, you might ask? Because there’s just no time for this kind of distraction and nonsense in your intense schedule. Anything that distracts you from your training will not be tolerated.”
    The room is filling with waves of anxious whispers and a few stifled giggles.
    “You think this is funny?” Mark Foster says in his powerful ringing voice. “Let me reassure you that after your first full day of classes you will be glad to fall into bed at 10:00 PM, and you will have no thought of anything else. How do I know this? Because as a Dorm Leader I went through a two-week crash course of precisely the same kind of training that you will be going through. We all did. Dorm Leaders were pre-selected on our merits, maturity, and leadership skills,