So You Wanna Be a Hero, Kid?

[Gifted]

"Exactly! So we should know the people we're trusting that to." Jason said confidently. "I mean I'd do my best to protect any of you guys, but I can't expect them to know that."

[Raven]

"You're very sweet, I don't think anyone here doubts it," Ryan said.

[Gifted]

Jason grinned; it seemed to mean a lot to him. "Thanks, Ryan! You're pretty great too."

[Raven]

"Thanks," Ryan said earnestly. "I'm really glad you think so."

[Gifted]

The next morning, Xander sent everyone to train in their separate rooms and told them that there would be a group training exercise after lunch.

When they entered the large training room after they ate, they found themselves in a massive warehouse with a very low ceiling. Large, unstable shelves stacked with boxes and bucket of who knew what were spaced intermittently throughout, creating wide aisles. They couldn't see the back wall, with shelves being in the way. Xander was leaning against a desk by the door, waiting for them.

[Raven]

Cassie turned to face Xander, Awhina stood by the door and looked around, while Ryan stood back and took everything in, his focus on the team and Xander, while still observing the room. "What are we doing in here?" Awhina asked.

[Gifted]

"This will be the setting for your next drill." Xander said. "There are more variables here, so I programmed the room before you came in."

[Raven]

"This looks like storage space, not a training room," Ryan said, though he didn't seem bothered. He wasn't convinced that their next "training exercise" wasn't going to be sorting files, though.

[Gifted]

Xander sighed. "Do you think you're always going to be fighting on wide open streets?"

[Raven]

"I mean, I wouldn't call today wide or open, but yeah, kinda," Ryan admitted. Cassie shot him a look, though she seemed fairly amused.

[Gifted]

"Then you will continue to be caught off guard when the scene changes." Xander said. "You need to be prepared wherever, whenever."

[Raven]

Ryan nodded. "Alright," he agreed.
"What's our objective?" Awhina asked.

[Gifted]

"This warehouse has six people hiding inside. They are your targets. You need to kill or capture the team holding this facility. There are vests and guns in that box, gear up like you're on a mission."

[Raven]

"Do we have any more information about the exercise?" Cassie asked as Ryan and Awhina went to get their equipment.

[Gifted]

"I want to leave it open because you guys are inexperienced, so the details won't be pertinent yet. None of these people will have powers, but they are armed and have vests, same as you."