“No one has prepared for this simulation,” Callaway said. “The partner teams never prepare specifically for simulations. This is the difference in our training from the normal Academy. At the Academy you are given weeks and months of study of a particular historical event before being sent into a simulation. Here we do a general study on all of history, and you will never know which one you are being tested on. That is the magic and the importance of this specialized program. We foresee you as the Glitchers who will be sent in, in case of an emergency, to salvage a Glitch gone wrong, or to save a historical event from an unforeseen sabotage by Mayhem. Sam and Serina have excelled at this far beyond our expectations. Our hope is that you will develop the skills to think on your feet.”

My face must have shown my utter shock at this pronouncement because Callaway chuckled. “Don’t look so alarmed.”

“So, it’s kind of like a level test?” Regan said.

“Exactly,” Callaway said. “You’ll get the hang of it soon enough. Ready, everyone?” he called. The other two partner groups held up simultaneous thumbs-up. Regan was faster than me on the draw and her elbow cracked me in the head on the way up.

“This is so cool,” she whispered as Callaway turned his back to us to work on the huge bank of simulation equipment. “We don’t have to study!”

“He didn’t say that. He just said we wouldn’t have time before the simulation to do it,” I whispered back, noting that the other partner groups were murmuring hurriedly to their partners as well. I strained my ears to see what they were talking about, but the low hum of the surrounding equipment drowned it all out. I glanced back at Regan to discover her grinning like an idiot. “And this is not exciting,” I said. “This is terrifying.”

Regan rolled her eyes. “The king of preparation can’t prepare. I bet that is terrifying for you. Loosen up.”

I gritted my teeth and looked straight ahead at the ominously black recap screen that would show us what an absolute disaster this was going to be in a few short minutes, because there was no way this was going to go well. Regan and I were not cut out to be a team. I was really picking up steam in this freak-out, imagining all the things that could go wrong if I didn’t know every detail about the historical event, when Callaway held up his hand to begin the countdown.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Everything went black and our first official partner mission had begun.

Chapter Eighteen

Regan