Chapter 33

Standing here in Cainta's Municipal Building, looking up at a huge cork board alongside a lot of people. They posted the names of the Rank-S and SS  Expanders. To my surprise, my name is not written there. However, for those that have their names written has a mixture of reactions. Some are pleased, some were terrified, some seemed frozen. There were about 25 names listed. How peculiar though, the BBF weren't written either...My heart skipped a beat. It just dawned on me, the BBF is coming along. It's no ordinary thing. Could it be...I was...

Immediately I went straight to dad's office. But before I could get there, I found him being surrounded by an angry mob. People must be displeased with what they saw on a piece of paper. I guess, it can't be helped. I decided to just wait for dad in his office. I waited in there for who knows how long. Eventually, dad stepped in his office. He looked really agitated. Then when he looked at me, his brows furrowed deeper wrinkling his forehead more.

"Why are you here? You're supposed to be preparing! You barely have time to dilly dally!"

"Wha?"

"What you mean 'wha?' Go and prepare!"

"But...I don't know what to prepare..."

Dad impatiently rubbed his hands on his face.

"Prepare your necessities, pack your clothes! You'll be in a foreign country for a decade!"

"W-what about gear? I don't have the same gear as Expanders."

"Go to your Aunt! Vol, think! Now go!"

I quickly got out of his office. I left the municipal building and head to my bike. I took out my phone and dialled aunt's number. It rung 4 times before she picked up.

"Oh hey."

"Aunt Pheene!"

"Yeah?"

"Dad told me to prepare."

"Ah yes, have he told you yet?"

"No?"

"You're the newest member of BBF."

"Oh...HUH?!"

"Yeah, your dad told me you wanted to come to Taiwan. He asked me a favour to do something so I pulled strings. Now you're part of my team."

So I was right...

"Well...about gear..."

"Yeah you'll need new armor and uniform. Go to Engineering Dep. and tell them you're the newest member of BBF ask for them to manufacture you a new armor. And as for your uniform, just go to your local tailoring house. Don't worry about your weapons, use what your comfortable with. You can cover all Expenses??"

"Uhh, I think? How much is it gonna be?"

"BBF gear is 300credits while the uniform depends on the tailoring house. That should be about 5credits more or less."

300credits?! That's my entire salary in a week!

"Ok, thanks Auntie!"

"Aight, bye."

"Bye."

I put my phone away and got on my bike. The local tailoring house is not very far, just a 3min drive away. I was giddy about the fact that I'm not just coming to Taiwan, I'm coming there as a BBF member too! This is the biggest opportunity I could ever ask for and I'm not throwing it away!

Later today, I got back home by 2pm. My new uniform will be built in just two days because BBF members are always prioritized. My gear however might take a full on 4 days. They said it'll be the quickest they'll make it as Expander gear is simply different from all other soldiers. Expander gear is very durable yet light. They'll work on my gear the quickest they can and have it brought straight to the ship as there's barely any time for me to pick it up. Before the final day of the week, all that are boarding has to be there a day early. On the exact last day of the week is when the ships will sail.

I decided to go up to my room and start packing when my phone started ringing. I checked my phone to see who the caller is and saw Nigel's name and face. I answered his call.

"Sup Nigel."

"Vol, do you know where Parkour Gym is in QC?"

"Uhm, no..."

"Use GPS, I need you to come over here now. Wear something comfortable." And Nigel ended the call.

I wondered why he needed me to come to the Parkour Gym all of a sudden. I have so much packing to do, so I decided to do that first over going there. I went up to my room and open up my drawers. I brought up my J-cube and began storing all of my clothes. After storing all of my clothes I went down to our house's armory. I brought my second J-cube that stores all of my weapons. And last but not the least which I almost forgot were my shoes which I stored in my J-cube for my personal garments. After packing up all of my necessities I sat down at the living room to take a break. Then my phone rings, I checked my phone and saw it was Nigel calling me again. I answered the call.

"Vol, where are you now?"

"Home."

"Why aren't you on your way here? I been waiting here for 20mins!"

"Why? I was preparing my stuff..."

"Vol! I'm doing you a favor by training you! Get your ass here or your dead on your first day in Taiwan, LITERALLY!"

"What in the, you should have told me sooner!"

"Use your common sense you idiot! Now hurry up and get your ass here!"

Nigel ended the call.

I was speechless, it took me a while before I got back to my senses. I went up to my room. I took my J-cube and took out three things: my rider suit, gym attire, and a hand towel. I wore my gym attire under my rider suit. I then ran downstairs and grabbed my tumbler bottle and filled it with ice cold water. Before I leave the house, I locked the door and the gate since nobody's home. I set up my GPS and I drove to the Parkour Gym. On my way to the said training center, there was no traffic so my ride was smooth. In 30mins, I arrived at my destination. I parked my motorcycle and walked to the entrance. Upon entering the glass doors, I found some buff guys minding their own business. I have no idea where Nigel is right now as it's my first time coming in here. I approached the nearest person to me and asked for directions. The man gave me directions to the parkour area and I thanked him. But before I head up to Nigel, I went to the comfort room and stored my helmet and rider suit in my J-cube that's hanging on my bracelet. And then I walk up to the parkour area. Upon entering the training area, I found Nigel just chilling on a bench.

"Nigel!" I called him over.

Nigel looked at me with an annoyed look. Ok, that's my fault and I deserve it...

Nigel then stood up from the bench and he walked towards me.

"Mom ordered me to train you before we arrive in Taiwan."

"But why though? I mean...I'm already strong and fast...and...parkour??"

"Look, all OW's are required to be able to do parkour especially Expanders. OW's are not just lethal on the field, all OW's are expert when it comes to escaping."

"Escaping? Why? Aren't Expanders strong enough that they have to escape??"

"Quite the opposite, Expanders are trained to be the best survivors. You're useless when you're dead than returning alive from a failed mission." Nigel said sternly. "Now come, you gotta learn the art of escaping every way possible in 3 days."

At the very beginning, before Nigel teach me he run in a full obstacle course. He made one hell of a demonstration. He run very fast for his size. He jumped, slide, grabbed, and swing as if he was light as a feather. He ran through the entire obstacle course for 10sec flat. OH MY GOD...

After running through the obstacle course like it was nothing, he approached me panting. I thought he will make me run through the course as well. To my surprise, he motioned me somewhere else. for the first 30mins he made me jump from plat form to platform higher and farther in each jump. Not gonna lie, this is exhausting. I've done endurance training but this one is a different story. I'm not just trying to prolong my movement, I'm also fighting the pull of gravity at every jump. Only after 30mins, he let me take a 1min break which is just a water break. After taking a break he then made me swing on bars for 10mins non-stop. He didn't force me to do it quickly, just made me swing from one bar to the other like playing monkey bars. Watching my cousin do it makes it look so easy, this just shows me how strong he is. This made me realize I'm no where near the level of a Rank-S Expander, let alone Rank-SS which is the rank of Nigel. I'm starting to regret underestimating Expanders but this doesn't mean I'm quitting, this shit is just fucking hard. Nigel made me do monkey bar exercise three times, letting me take a break every 10 mins. After the cursed exercise, my arms were beat. They feel a lot like pasta after it get's cooked. While taking a break, even trying to just lift my tumbler felt like I'm trying to lift a 100lbs dumbbell. Just...just awful.

After taking a break, Nigel taught me all sorts of jumps and rolls. He made me go through a short obstacle course for a beginner. It looked easy but because I'm already so exhausted, everything was 10 times harder. But I'm not backing down, nah-uh, am doing this! After taking on all the smaller obstacle course, Nigel finally made me run through the final obstacle course which was the one he went through earlier as a demonstration. I stood up on the starting line, as soon as I heard "go" I forced my body one more time. I did my best; I tried to finish the course as fast as I can but it wasn't easy. I fell several times and had to start over more than once. But after succeeding through the course, Nigel nodded at me. His simple act of acknowledgement made me smile. After succeeding through the last obstacle course, he finally dismissed me.