* * * * *

“Amy we’re leaving! Now!” Her mother called from the main room, “If you don’t come now then you’re going to hell when you die!”
Amy stumbled out of her room into the light of the day. She took one look at her parents and groaned. They wore the same uniform gray body suits everyone wore. The suits were bulky and non-form fitting, Amy always hated to wear them and tried to make them more well . . . girly.
“Why aren’t you wearing your suit?” her father whispered. Ever since Servio had become the dictator of the land Amy’s dad had become a quiet and unnoticeable man, He hardly spoke in more than a whisper and didn’t smile anymore.
“I am Daddy!” She motioned to the long tunic she wore with a rope belt tied tightly around her slender waist
“That’s not a suit.” Her mother glared, “Change or be left behind!”
“It’s gray and boring.” She tugged at her left sleeve with Servio’s insignia, “It fits all of the guidelines. And it’s not boring like you outfits.”
“If you don’t take off that ridiculous excuse for a tunic now, then you’re going to Hell.” Her mother scolded
Her father sighed quietly and carefully pulled her belt, the tunic fell and hung limply around her shoulders.
“Daddy! . . . “ She began to protest
“Come Amy.” Her mother commanded and She followed like a shunned dog.
Confession lasted 2 hours in a small stuffy building filled with hundreds of people all asking Servio for forgiveness. No one spoke or complained, not even babies cried, they just stared wide-eyed in their mothers arms, waiting for their turn to leave. Just after confession Amy and her friends had 8 hours of battle school where they trained and practiced leading small armies.
“Move out!” Her leader Jacob called to his army, “Ams, Tay, back and front leaders.”
Amy nodded and maneuvered her troops, destroying their enemy. They had already battled and defeated this army and now their enemy was taking ideas from their last battle.
“Rapid fire incoming!” Taylor called out to her troops, they pulled back and faked a retreat.
The enemy fell into their trap again and was forced to surrender before all of their troops were killed. Jacob nodded to Amy and Taylor in a sign of good work. The three of them set about inspecting their troops.
“All good sir.” Taylor called from the front lines
Jacob raised an eyebrow, “No one was lost?”
She shook her head
“Any hurt?”
Taylor hesitated, “N. . No Sir.”
He glanced around, “Where’s Amy?”
She paled, “Uh. . . She’s around here somewhere. . .”
Jacob glared at her like a disapproving father who just found out that his child had failed all of her classes.
She shuffled around from troop to troop trying to be slow and give Amy some time to get one of her troops to the infirmary and back.
“Go get her.” She whispered to her friend
“Sorry I was gone Sir.” Amy apologized, “One of my new troops got shot in the leg and he was loosing blood.”
Jacob nodded slowly, “So you left against my orders?”
“I’m sorry sir but if I had waited for your ok, then my troop would be dead.”
“Fine . . . “ Jacob sighed in defeat, “You’re excused for disobeying.”
“Thank you sir.” Amy bowed and continued to examine her troops

* * * * *

“School’s almost over master.” The man in black reported to Servio
“Thank you Johnson.” Servio turned to his Side Kick, “Do we attack now or wait a while longer?”
She shrugged “I don’t really know.”
Servio turned to Johnson, “What do you think?’
“About what Sir?” he asked, confusion spreading across his face
“Did I not tell you my plan?” Servio asked sweetly
“N. . . No S. . . Sir” he managed
“Well then…” Servio chuckled, “I suppose you’re not of much use to me after all”
He turned to his partner, “Dispose of him.” He whispered
She nodded and pulled out her knife, “It’s been nice working with you!” She lunged toward Johnson, within moments he was dead. “What should we tell his family?” She asked pulling a family portrait out of his pocket, three little girls and two boys smiled brightly back at her.
“Be creative. I don’t really care.” Servio waved his hand in the air, “Say whatever you want, as long as I don’t have to say anything to the public and you don’t have to kill too many of my other employees.”
“And, what do you want to do about the ‘Girl’” She motioned to a monitor and Amy’s photo filled the screen.
“Tomorrow, we act.”
Servio left the room and returned to his bed.* * * * *

“And that’s why we never attack with only half of our troops.” The Teacher concluded and all of the students closed their laptops.
“I didn’t get the whole lecture!” Taylor scrolled through her notes, “I didn’t even get a fraction!” The hysteria rose in her voice
“I’ll email you what you don’t have.” Amy offered, “I think I got every thing, well everything important.”
Taylor’s eyes widened, “How did you get the whole lecture?”
“I can type quickly and Mr. Tusdane wasn’t talking that fast.” Amy blushed slightly
“You really are the smartest and most talented kid in the whole school.”
The two girls turned to face Matt, one of their friends on another army.
“Hey Matt!” Taylor smiled and Amy blushed a little more
Matt smiled and brushed his long dark blue bangs out of his eyes. He towered almost a foot and a half over Amy but she could still kick his butt.
“Who said that about Amy?” She wondered
“Our wonderful overlord who allows us to continue our learning in the schools he has built.” Matt said sarcastically
“Oh you mean your uncle?” Taylor teased
“Yeah . . . My wonderful, loving uncle who ‘allows’ me go to battle school.” He muttered
“He’s the most wonderful leader ever.” Amy declared
“I thought you ha-“ Taylor started
Matt covered her mouth, “Shhhh”
She nodded and Amy pulled her by the arm into their room where the cameras wouldn’t hear them.
“If uncle Serv finds out that his best student hates him, then he’ll have Amy put in jail.” Matt scolded Taylor
“So is that why you all have to say nice things about him out there?” She wondered
“Servio listens to everything we say, whether we know it or not.” Amy told her, “If he hears something he doesn’t want to he could have us all killed. Other wise we would never put up with him and everyone would criticize his every move.”
“And the one thing that uncle Serv fears more then anything is anyone thinking that he’s an incompetent ruler and that’s why were not allowed to say anything bad . . . ever.”
“Got it.” Taylor nodded, she opened the door and tip toed away
“You do realize that she’s gonna be paranoid now” Amy giggled
“Oh well.” Matt pulled Amy into his chest, “Other then my insane uncle threatening our lives on a daily basis, how has your day been?”
“Fine. . .” she blushed brightly in the dark room
“Just fine?” He questioned
“No. I meant. . . Well it was. . .” She stuttered
The final bell blared over the intercom.
Amy gasped, “I gotta back to class! Bye Matt!”
She gave his a quick hug and bolted out the door.
“Bye?” Matt called from the dark room
Amy slid into her seat just as Mr. Tusdane turned around.
“Glad to see you made it in time for my lecture Amy.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world sir.” She smiled innocently
“Oh really?”
“Yes sir.” Her smile turned to a frown, “Why don’t you trust that I pay attention to all your lecture?”
“Fine then what did my last lecture begin with?” He quizzed
“You said that we would need to take out our computers to remember everything because this was an important lecture.” Amy smiled and the class giggled.
Mr. Tusdane held up his hand for silence, and continued to ask questions about his previous classes. Surprisingly She answered every question correctly and without hesitation. With every correct answer the class cheered even louder and Mr. Tusdane struggled to regain control of his class.
After her final correct answer, Mr. Tusdane gave up.
“You are one of my best students,” He shook his head, “Class, due to this interruption, we are unable to continue with today’s lecture and I will have to email you the notes and trust you to read them tonight. Also, there will be no homework tonight”
Everyone cheered and Amy smiled at Taylor and Jacob who gave her a thumbs-up.
“Calm down soldiers.” Mr. Tusdane ordered, “We still have 5 minutes left of class. Lets get some work done.”

* * * * *
“Is everything set for tomorrow?” Servio’s sidekick questioned
“It better be” He muttered, “we have everyone in position to take her once she gets home.”
“You sure this will work?” She asked
“I’ve had her battles cleared except for one and she’s been promoted to commander for too long to be put back on the field.”
“You’re positive?” She questioned
“Will you stop doubting me?!” He glared, “I’ve been planning this since she was born, IT will work.”
“All right sir”