[Training Room 8, The Arc] Arsenal & The Champions, Day 1

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In the depths of the Arc compound is a hallway. No markings signify it is any different than the other many door-lined hallways and it is not particularly long either. There is a single metal door at the end with a little plaque humbling declaring it as Training Room 8. This is the place mentioned in the text alert that went out to all the Champions earlier this morning. The training, the message states, is not mandatory and will be led by Arsenal. The only instruction beyond the location of the training room is a note to wear something comfortable.

Training Room 8’s door would open even under the most gentle of touches and birdsong would be the first thing to slip through. A well-worn desire path trails from the open doorway, twisting around thick trucks of Beech and smaller Hickory trees. Sunlight trickles through the canopy far above as the forest gives way to a cliff bordered by a wooden fence. A man is perched on the upper railing of the fence, whittling a piece of wood with a pocket knife that was likely older than half the class. Blue eyes glance up from behind aviators at the group gathered on and around two picnic tables before checking the silver watch on his wrist.



“Alright, Champions,” the man starts with an oddly placed southern twang to his words. “Code name is ‘Arsenal’, but you lucky lot can just call me ‘Roy.’ Today, we’re going to be running through training scenarios and the subject of the day is-”

He pauses to point the tip of his knife at the sky and trees across the ravine from the group. A section of the scenery breaks as a white rectangle forms along the top of the trees. Bold black letters are printed across the board by an unseen hand, declaring ‘HOSTAGE SCENARIO #41.’

“Not everything is all about fighting supervillains in the act or brawling with hostile aliens. Another part of the life is how you handle the more mundane situations. Collectively, our goal is always to help as many people as we can and we are going to go over the best way to handle hostage situations today.” Another flake of wood drifts from his carving to the floor, calloused hands turning it over as Roy looks back up at the Champions.

“Since this is our first meeting, we’ll be going at a steady pace. The information for the simulation is already programmed into the system. You lot will ask questions to gather information. Once that is done, we will go over the best course of action and then run the plan.” Roy says all of this in a calm and steady tone, keeping the group in his eyesight and not giving much away as to his thoughts on it all.

“The information you start with is this: Kit is the name of our hostage. They're the child of a wealthy and prestigious family. The kidnappers are demanding money and a getaway vehicle. They are held up in a 2 story, abandoned office building. First objective is to rescue Kit. Second objective is to apprehend the kidnappers."

It is a simple enough scenario and is more meant to judge where the Champions are in their ability to analyze and plan. Roy's hands never stop as he talks, twisting his knife as needed. As if he's done this a hundred times before.

"Assume that this is a best-case scenario and that you have everything to get the answers to your questions. Ask as the questions come to you. No turn order." He won't tell them there are no wrong answers because there are always going to be wrong answers and bad questions. Roy isn't here to judge, thankfully.

He's here to help.

"What are you looking into first?”