Nathan stopped and looked around him. When he’d pictured the location of the exam, this certainly wasn’t what he’d imagined. In front of him stood a large facility that reminded him of a military base—surrounded by fences lined with barbed wire and guards. If Rafael hadn’t given him such careful directions, he might have thought he’d taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at the local prison.

The exam started at 11:00 a.m., which left him over an hour to find his room and drop off his things. Every candidate had been assigned a temporary room to use during the transition phase between the first and second parts of the exam. The administrators apparently didn’t want people leaving during the test.

As Nathan approached the entrance gate, he showed the slip Rafael had given him to the guard, who scrutinized it thoroughly. Eventually, a green light flashed. A siren sounded, and the gate opened just enough for Nathan to get through.

"It's showtime," he whispered, entering the cavernous building in front of him.

***

Maya sat in the corner of a large room that resembled a school gym. The walls were lined with windows that let through the winter sun and illuminated the white walls and floor.

To her right were Simon and Manny, her friends, while Ann, a shy new acquaintance, stood to her left. They had befriended the newcomer when they first entered, as she’d looked anxious and lonely. Maya hadn’t understood at first what the girl was so scared of, but as time went on and the four of them kept standing there idly, anxiety grasped her firmly as well.

It had been some time now since anyone had entered the room, and it was almost 11:00. Everyone’s head snapped around when the door suddenly flew open. Several intimidating contestants had walked through the door in the last hour, but this time Maya—and everyone else, apparently—couldn’t help but wonder if the new kid wasn’t lost.

Maya watched him enter the room with his hands in his pockets. He looked as if he were taking a walk through the neighbourhood—completely ignoring all the eyes piercing him. People looked away one after another. Just as Maya had followed suit, a strident voice piped up from somewhere in the room.

“Who are you glaring at, eh?” Maya turned to see a tall, muscular man, part of a gang of five, shouting at the new kid. There was no response.

“I’m asking you a question, you bastard! I saw you laughing at me!”

“You talking to me?” the kid asked, finally stopping and looking around.

"You're the only pipsqueak I see here, so yes. I'm talking to you, you idiot," the man retorted. Three of the men around him laughed, but the last one didn't even bother looking at what was happening. Maya wasn’t sure but she thought she saw him rolling his eyes.

"That's an awful lot of pejoratives in one sentence. Do you have no shame? Making fun of a kid?" the blond-haired kid responded calmly. Maya had expected him to panic or apologise, but he didn't seem to care that he was being targeted by the strongest looking guy in the room. "And I don't remember glaring at you. Are you perhaps taking drugs or intoxicated in some other way? I might have to report that to someone." The kid looked around him, as if searching for an authority.

"I'll fucking kill you! You think this is funny?" The man started forward, his eye twitching. All but one of his friends followed. The last one remained where he was, watching the spectacle blankly as before.

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Maya didn't want to see the kid get pummeled. She ran towards the conflict, intending to stand in between the two parties. She wasn't confident in fighting off the four bulls, but she thought she might be able to buy some time before the supervisor interfered. With a few brisk steps, she landed in between them, pressing her knife to the large man’s neck.

"SO NOW YOU HAVE A WOMAN DEFENDING YOU?! WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU BUTTING IN?!" the man howled.

Maya already regretted her impulsive decision. But she couldn't let a kid get hurt. For some reason, he felt familiar. Maybe he reminded her of her brother? But she had no more time to think. The man she’d threatened just a second ago was grinning like a madman, licking his nasty yellow teeth.

"You think you can just hold a knife to my neck and walk out of this place alive, eh? You. Think. You. Can. Threaten. ME?!" The man spoke slowly, accentuating every word with a dramatic pause. His eyes were wide open, and he hadn't blinked once since Maya had pressed her knife against him.

She had to retreat. She was way over her head. But what about the. . . Maya's jaw dropped. The kid she was protecting hadn't even taken his hands out of his pockets. He stood there, motionless and calm, as if he were watching a boring movie. But she had no time to think about this weirdo right now. She had to focus. . .

A fist flew for her head the moment she turned back towards the bullish man. Maya could only close her eyes and brace for impact. Seconds passed. Was she dead? No, she could still hear whispers. When she opened her eyes, there was a hand in front of her face, no further than a centimetre from her nose. Inside the hand was a fist, and the owner of the first was frozen in place, his face morphed into an inexplicable expression.

"We're even now," said a calm voice to Maya’s right. It was the kid she’d tried to save just seconds ago. "In the future, don't meddle in my business or I'll kill you myself."

That voice. Despite the threats, she couldn’t help but think about where she recognised it from. Did she know this kid?

"What do you think you're doing, you idiots?" Before she realised what was happening, her knees failed and she fell to the ground. A fraction of a second later, the brute in front of her dropped, too. As she looked around the room, she noticed that everyone else in the room was now on the ground. Everyone, that is, but the kid and the tall black man approaching—the supervisor.

"Interesting. Looks like someone capable has joined us this time. What's your name, runt?" the man asked, a threat lurking in his voice.

"Nathan. Nathan Umbris," the boy replied evenly.

"Umbris? So you're Blithe's kid." The man's stiff expression relaxed into a smile as he approached the boy. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Rafael.”

As the tension evaporated, people began to stand up.

"Then I presume you must be Pyke," Nathan said, walking towards the man with an outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you!"

"Ballsy and witty. It must be the blood." The man chuckled and met Nathan’s hand. "I am, indeed. Nice to meet you, Nathan." He retracted his hand suddenly, scowling as he shoved it into his pocket.

"Thank you," Nathan said smoothly. "I'm really happy you think so highly of me and my father."

Pyke removed his hand from his pocket with a smile. “I’d be stupid not to think highly of him. But we can chat later. For now, it's time we start with the first exam."

Pyke walked around Nathan towards the middle of the room. Out of nowhere, the ground opened and a platform that resembled an over-sized boxing ring rose from underneath.

Pyke jumped up onto the raised center of the platform in the center of the ring and clapped his hands. "Could I have everyone's attention?!" he shouted. "Come closer. I won't be shouting the whole time."

Everyone moved towards the platform. The huge man Maya and Nathan had fought snarled as he walked past them. "Don't think this is over," he muttered.

Nathan didn't seem perturbed, but Maya had a bad feeling. She stole another glance at Nathan, who approached Pyke. Not a word to her. Nothing. Just who was he?

"What the hell were you thinking?” Simon demanded, shaking her out of her daydream. “You could've gotten killed! And that kid didn't even need your help. Did you see what he did?"

"N—no. I closed my eyes. I only saw him clutching the fist."

"He jumped in from behind you and caught the man's fist, like you said. But he didn't even budge. It was like he was catching a fly."

"I heard him and the supervisor talking. The supervisor knows his father," Maya said, eyeing Nathan’s back. "Do you think he's some hotshot?"

"I have no idea, but he isn't normal. I think we should stay away from him."

"I think. . . I know him from somewhere."

"What?" asked Manny, who had joined Simon beside Maya. The four of them were the last to gather around the ring.

"Leave it be,” Simon advised. “We should probably go."