Someone is missing.

Hugo nodded his head also, then Ryder inquired of him once again,

"So, how is your first day of training?".

"It's cool, I got some little beatings from Captain Wayne, but it's still cool though, it's part of the training. I still have a lot to learn regarding martial arts, but as time passes, I'll improve". Hugo responded.

"I was also meaning to ask you, and since you've mentioned it, I've got to ask...how does it feel training with, Captain Wayne?".

"Nothing much, but you've got to know, he is really skilled, like, what else should I be expecting from a captain? He gave me some beatings, but as I've said earlier, it's part of the training".

"Hmmm".

Hugo inquired also, "What of you, how did your training go today?".

"It went well, I'm getting to learn a lot regarding martial arts and so on, and I'm enjoying what I'm learning. The young man training me does give me some little beatings also, it's normal thing while training. For us to become stronger, they've got to train us hard". Ryder retorted.

"True, that's what Captain Wayne told me".

Ryder had a nice body, he was muscular, and his little dark-skinned color was a perfect match for him. He was wearing armless clothe right now, and Hugo didn't even know when he started caressing his muscles. Ryder glanced at him and inquired,

"What are you doing?".

"Oh! sorry, I was just feeling your muscles". Hugo said.

"It's no problem". Ryder uttered with a smile on his face.

"Did you had to gym to get these muscles and body?".

"No, it's natural. But I do visit the gym though before the apocalypse broke out, but I was already muscular before then. I visited there to maintain the muscles".

"Hmm, and you know a secret...some girls like this type of body". Hugo voiced out, he was from ancient times, but he knew this, it was a fact in the Ivairis kingdom.

Ryder just indicated a type of uninterested facial expression, but Hugo gave no f**k about his face, instead, he said to him once again,

"I'm sure you've noticed many girls stealing glances at you".

"That might be true, but I don't care about that, I aim to become stronger". Ryder said.

"Yeah, that's my aim too".

"Let's forget that and dive into something else".

The moment Ryder made that statement, he showed Hugo the game he was playing on his phone. It was a tournament game, whereby two people with superpowers would fight until a winner emerges. Hugo watched how Ryder was playing it, and he loved the setup of the game. He wasn't just watching, he was learning.

Ryder would most likely give him the phone to play next, and it would be really weird if he tells him that he can't play. He watched how he controlled the phone and the places he was operating, and he was learning. Ryder played the game for minutes until he emerged as winner, he was good at playing the game.

The game was popular, so many students in this room and academy were good at playing it. He glanced at Hugo, handed the phone to him, and said,

"It's time for you to play, definitely, you can play the game".

Hugo held the phone as he glanced at the screen, wow! first time feeling, this feeling of holding a phone in your hand. The next tournament started, and red writing popped up on the screen, 'Fight', and the fight began. Hugo had learned a little watching Ryder play, so he knew what he was doing to a certain level.

But the thing was, he was losing, his opponent was beating the main player, that's the character he was controlling. This was the first time he was playing a game like this, so he was meant to lose. And another thing was, he learned how to play just by watching someone. The game ended, and he lost.

"Wow, man, you lost". Ryder said to him.

"Umm..yeah". Hugo voiced out.

"Aren't you good at playing this game?".

Hugo was still thinking of an answer to give him when they sighted Everett and Evelyn coming towards them. Oh, seems like their group was gonna be complete. The both of them had noticed that Hugo and Ryder were having fun, they sighted them from where they were, so they decided to go meet them. At least, everyone was in groups.

They reached where Ryder and Hugo were sitting and said to them,

"Hi".

Ryder was the only one that retorted, "Sup".

Evelyn then inquired, "Would it be OK to join you guys?".

Hugo was the one that spoke this time, "Yes, why not? Like, we are in the same group, we should flex out more together. And see, everyone is in groups".

The both of them sat on Hugo's bed, then Hugo threw to them the same question Ryder threw to him,

"So, how did you guys find those questions we handled this morning? Those brain testers?".

Everett answered first, "Umm..definitely, they were confusing and a bit tricky, but I still found perfect answers for each of them...I had to crack my brain though".

Evelyn then answered, "Yeah, as Everett had said, the questions were confusing and a bit tricky, but they weren't impossible to answer, so I gave answers to all of them".

"Hmm, what of today's training, how did it go?". Hugo inquired once again.

"It went well, received some beatings, but learned some new things and improved my skills". Everett retorted.

Evelyn's answer was almost the same, then they engaged in other activities. They played games, laughed, and you know what? Though Hugo tried his best to avoid playing those games, they forced him to. He told them that he wasn't the game type of person, but they still forced him to play games. And you know what? His gaming skills were improving, he was learning.

But they were forgetting someone, someone was missing in their group, someone was supposed to be among them...it was, Vera. After minutes passed that Hugo came to realize this. Not only him, Ryder, and Evelyn had also noticed it, but they kept shut.

'Why is the girl I'm falling for behaving like this? Everyone in her group is here spending time together, but she chose to stay alone? I'm sure she's noticed that we are here and spending time together, so why didn't she come over to meet us?'. Hugo questioned himself in his thought.

As known, Vera was an apathetic kind of person, she doesn't care about a lot of things, and she liked staying on her own most of the time...she can be rude sometimes. Hugo had noticed this about her the first day he spoke to her and got to know her name. But he didn't care about that, she was pretty, and he was falling for her little by little.

Maybe there's a reason why she was like that, and Hugo planned on changing her if possible. She wasn't among them, and he didn't plan on keeping his mouth shut about it.

"Guys". He voiced out.

They all glanced at him, then he uttered once again,

"Haven't you guys noticed something?".

"What is it?". They questioned in unison.

"Someone that is supposed to be part of us is missing".

A type of expression appeared on their faces, they already knew what he was talking about, but Ryder was the only one that spoke out,

"Yeah, Vera".

"Is she always like that?". Hugo questioned.

"Maybe she's tired from today's training, so she wants to rest". Everett said.

"I don't think so, we all trained too, right? So". Hugo voiced out once again.

"Let's go get her then, if she isn't asleep, then we'll urge her to come with us". Ryder said glancing at, Hugo.

"OK, let's do that".

The both of them stood up and began strolling to Vera's bed. As known, all the beds in the compartment were bunk beds, and her bed was at the top. They reached her bunk bed, and the person sleeping beneath wasn't even there, she was with her group. Vera was lying on her bed, and from the look of things, she wasn't asleep, her body was moving.

Hugo glanced at her for some seconds before calling out her name,

"Vera".

She glanced at them, and there was a type of expression on her face that screams, 'What are you guys doing here?'. Hugo inquired of her,

"What are you doing there all alone?".

"What do you mean?". She voiced out.

"Aren't you supposed to be with us? Look, everyone is in groups".

"I'm too tired, I just want to sleep".

"You're too tired, and you haven't slept off since? Vera, join us...have fun". Hugo voiced out.