Red Handed by Gena Showalter Page A

memorize the cities you enter and the prey you stalk on your own.” She didn’t wait for our response, but strode into my new room.
    Curious about the place I would now call home, I followed quickly. It was small but clean, with two stiff-looking beds, two plain, silver dressers, two silver desks, and a bathroom with a toilet, mirror, and dry-enzyme shower stall.
    â€œThere are clothes for each of you in the dresser. Standard uniform of white pants and top.”
    â€œYipp-eeee,” Kitten muttered. “Uniforms.”
    â€œYou may write your family, but be advised that all correspondence will be monitored.” She spread her arms wide. “If you have any questions, there is a manual inside the top left drawer of your desk. I suggest you read it. Memorize it.”
    â€œSure thing,” I said.
    She turned to Kitten. “You’re going to spend the next two minutes sprinting in the hall.”
    â€œWait. What? I—”
    â€œGo!” Mia snapped.
    Kitten leapt into action, running into the hallway.
    Now Mia looked to me. “I suggest you fill the cup. I’ve bought you two minutes. Whether you’re done or not—”
    I didn’t hear the rest. I was racing into the bathroom. As quickly as I could, I filled and capped the cup, righted my clothing, and strode back into the room. Mia was wearing gloves, I noticed. She took the cup, her gaze locked on mine.
    â€œYou’d better not let me down.”
    â€œI won’t.” I hoped.
    Panting, Kitten raced back into the room. “All…done.” She hunched over, anchoring her elbows on her knees. “What was that for?”
    â€œQuestion me again and you’ll run for an hour straight. See you around, girls.” Mia strode from the room, the door shutting behind her.
    â€œWhat have we gotten ourselves into?” I breathed.
    â€œI’m not sure yet.” Kitten fell onto one of the beds. “If I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

7
    Page one of the A.I.R. Trainee manual
    Dear A.I.R. trainee,
    Half of you will be sent home before the end of the first month, your memories wiped. Another half will be sent home the second month. For now, you’re here. Forget everything you’ve heard about A.I.R. Forget every “self-defense” move you’ve learned. Basically, forget everything the outside world has taught you. It means nothing here. Less than nothing, actually, because what you think you know will get you killed in this new world.
    The real world.
    Does that scare you? If not, you’re stupid. You don’t yet have the necessary skills to protect yourself from the elusive enemy that walks—and hunts—among us. Hopefully by the end of this year-long training program you will. Here you will fight with your hands, with your mind, with every weapon imaginable, and even some that aren’t.
    You will become a deadly weapon.
    Will you be allowed to kill and strike indiscriminately? No. An A.I.R. agent’s job is to find and stop the aliens who are predatory, destructive. But only those. The rest you will leave alone.
    A.I.R. was formed to protect humans. That, more than anything, is our job.
    You were chosen for this program because you have demonstrated potential, bravery, and the right temperament. Which means the rest of the world already finds you too wild, too undisciplined, and too violent.
    Even though we admire those qualities, do not make the mistake of thinking you will be unfettered here. You’ll endure more rules and regulations than ever before—and you will obey them, probably for the first time in your life. If not, you will be punished severely.
    Pray you never find out what I mean by that.
    Let us begin with a few of the abovementioned rules.
    1. Do not attempt to leave the building without permission.
    2. Girls do not enter the boys’ barracks and boys do not enter the girls’. No exceptions.
    3. Relationships between