Wunderhein Academy: Book 1- Awakening

“Rasputin.”

“Kuznetsov.”

Kitten’s ears perked up as each name was called by the Meds, in voices like mis-matched singers. She had been surprised to find they were students, hardly older than the ones they were calling. One of the Meds she was sure was younger than her.

“Sokolov.” The next round of names began.

Her eyes roamed around the sea of boys, trying to spot the ones being called out. In the end, it was fruitless. As soon as space even appeared on the floor it was magically covered up by someone else. The whole waiting room of the medic center smelt of sweaty boys, making her wrinkle her nose. Their boastful laughter and crude jokes all blended into the air, leaving her with bits and pieces of their stories.

She tilted her head, watching them liven up the otherwise un-welcomingly cold room. The walls were brown, as if dirt had decided to stick to them. The windows high up showing only the sky. From the looks of it, the sun had vanished, changing into treating dark clouds since their arrival.

“This is takin’ forever!” Dmitri yelled out loudly. “Ya stupid meds.”

His words caught her attention briefly. He was standing up, like everyone else in the place unless you had been lucky enough to get a wall to lean on. Dmitri looked bored and had his arms crossed. Next to him, Aleksei looked annoyed. No doubt the captain would rather have spent the time studying than standing here.

Ivan was carefully cracking his knuckles. Kitten swallowed, almost mesmerized watching his giant hands.

“He's not the other boys.” She reminded herself, closing her eyes. “He won’t hurt me.”

“Just a check-up. Just a check-up.” Kitten’s eyes flew open at the words. She looked down to find Boris biting his lip. His whole body quivered in nervous tension. “Just a check-up.”

“Hey,” Kitten lowered her voice. “You ok Boris?”

“I hate check-ups.” Came a soft response back.

“Why?” Kitten began. “What happens in the check…”

“Alpha Pack.” A call rang out. “Captain Cassanoff, Aleksei.”

“I need Alpha Pack Lieutenant Petrov, Dmitri over here.” Another Med called out.

“Alpha Pack Yurovsky, Ivan.”

“Alpha Pack Smirnov, Boris.”

“Alpha Pack Bartok, 11.”

“Huh?” Kitten blinked hearing the names.

“So my morning wasn’t wasted after all, you were added to our team.” Aleksei nodded slightly before nodding towards the front. “Let’s go.”

“Hold on,” Kitten tried to grab her Captain but he had already turned around and begun pushing his way to the front. She gritted her teeth and followed suit.

“Hey.”

“Move it.”

“Get lost.”

She ignored the growls being thrown at her as she tried to keep her eyes on her teammates. She ran past the last medic that had summoned for Alpha Pack, running down the corridor the others had gone into.

“Hey Kitten.” Boris gave her a wave, smiling weakly.

Kitten paused for a moment. This room had the same bad brown color on the walls, but the big hall had been broken up by canvasses hanging from steel frames to create the illusions of privacy. From them, she heard squeals and yelps. She shivered briefly before being pulled to one side.

“Over here kitty.” Dmitri smirked before letting her go. “Ya wait with us here.”

“There’s something wrong.” She looked back down the corridor where she had run through. She tried hard to keep the panic out of her voice. “They didn’t call me.”

“What are you talking about?” Aleksei’s eyes narrowed. “They did call you. They just used your age instead of your name.”

“But that’s not me.” She insisted, grabbing onto the sleeve of his uniform. “You have to believe me.

“Bartok, 11.” A man in a lab coat stepped out of one of the canvassed rooms. He checked his clipboard as he re-adjusted the glasses on his long nose. For a moment, a shiver went down her back seeing him. “Where’s Bartok, 11.”

“Stop wasting time. Go for your checkup.” Aleksei ordered as he tried to pry her fingers loose from his sleeve. “Now.”

“Maybe she’s right.” Dmitri opted for that moment to fling his arms around Aleksei’s neck. “Then we got another girl on the team.”

Aleksei glared at Dmitri, clearly not in the mood for jokes.

“No, I mean it can’t be me.” Kitten hissed. “I’m fourteen, not eleven.”

She felt her whole team’s eyes on her in surprise.

“Fourteen?” Dmitri tilted his head as he studied her, hiding his shock with a sly smile. “That’s a good age.”

“Four…fourteen.” Boris stammered. “But you’re smaller than me? Are all girls small like you when their fourteen?”

“Fourteen?” Aleksei exploded. “How can you be Fourteen? Your documents say you’re eleven?”

“I dunno, because I was born fourteen years ago maybe?” She glared at him, sticking her chin out defiantly as she faced him. “Why do you think I kept trying to shower alone all the time when I first got here? Mama told me never to be alone with a boy if I didn’t have my clothes on.”

“Oh for...” Aleksei began walking away from the group, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Without warning, he spun around. “You are such a pain in my ass. You know that?”

His outburst caught the attention of the handful of students nearby. Even the medics slowed down in their task of collecting people, possibly to see if a fight would break out.

Kitten felt a huge hand grip protectively on her shoulder. She looked up and found Ivan silently staring at Aleksei. Aleksei stared back for a moment before breaking away with a growl to look at her.

“Is there anything else about you I need to know?” He demanded.

“Like what? If I ever kissed a boy?”

“Something relevant. Right now I’m pretty sure you never have.”

“That’s kinda obvious.” Dmitri snickered. “Easy ta fix though.”

She felt her face going red.

“Last call for Alpha Pack.” A med holding a microphone began calling out as he walked past them. “Alpha Pack, it’s your last call.

“Oh no.” Boris squeaked, hopping from foot to foot. “It’s the last call.”

“Come on, let’s get this over with.” Aleksei turned and pointed to Dmitri. “Dmitri, Boris, head on for your check-ups.”

“But…” Boris hesitated before glancing at Kitten.

“Come on Rat.” Dmitri ordered, pulling Boris along by the scruff of his shirt. “You heard the captain.”

Boris squeaked and wrestled to free himself from Dmitri’s grip. In the end, he stared back helplessly at Kitten. The fear in his eyes didn’t make her feel better.

She watched as Dmitri pushed Boris into one of the make-shift rooms before entering the one next to it.

“Ivan, you’re coming with Kitten and me.” Aleksei began following the two.

Kitten felt a gentle nudge from Ivan and gulped before walking after her Captain, peeking into the door-less canvassed rooms.

The students in the different units ignored her walking by. They were all in the middle of various stages of dress and doing random activities ranging from running on the spot to sticking their tongues out. One had a Lab-coat shining a light in his eye.

Kitten paused to watch Boris being examined. He was standing straight having his height measured. He saw her and tried to smile.

She smiled back.

“What are you doing?” Kitten jumped at Aleksie’s question. “We don’t have time to stop. We were already on a final warning.”

“What does the final warning mean?”

“That we missed the check-up.” Aleksei replied grimly. “Punishable by imprisonment,”

“What do you mean imprisonment?” She gasped but her question was ignored. Instead, Aleksei hissed under his breath as they neared the doctor. “Foxsonoff.”

“Bartok, 11.” The doctor repeated, with a hint of impatient.

“Alpha Pack Bartok, 11 as requested sir.” Aleksei announced her, saluting at the doctor.

The doctor looked at her over the rim of his glasses for a moment before nodding slowly. “You’ll do. Inside Bartok, 11 and get ready for inspection.”

Kitten looked towards her captain.

“Well?” He barked, indicating towards the cubicle. “Stop wasting time and go in already.”

She stuck her tongue out at Aleksei before peeking her head inside the canvass room. At first glance, the cubicle was empty save for the chair and table holding a few scary looking objects on it. One she recognized as a needle. Swallowing, she turned around to protest but found Ivan had followed her inside. He was looking at the objects with equal disdain.

Kitten blinked. “What are you doing here?”

Ivan didn’t answer. Instead, he stood watching her, his arms crossed.

“Better get comfortable.” Kitten tried to look around Ivan’s enormous body at her captain. When she didn’t respond, his arm pointed from behind Ivan the chair. “Sit down. That’s an order.”

She opened her mouth to argue but Ivan picked her up and placed her on the seat instead. The movement gave her a better view of Aleksei who was watching the open door of the cubicle.

She was about to stand up but Ivan placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

“Alright Bartock 11, let’s begin.” The doctor halted when he spotted Aleksei and Ivan. “What are you two doing here?”

“I am Captain Cassonov, Bartok 11’s captain.”

“I don’t care who you are.” The doctor's eyes narrowed. “Get out.”

“No. I’m invoking the Olonsoff Code.” Aleksei began. “Rule 6.41. Where two or more teammates may be present during an examination of another team-mate.”

“Don’t make me laugh.” The doctor replied. “That code is just an excuse for your visits to the nurses.”

Kitten frowned and looked up at Ivan. He hadn’t moved from his position. She would have to ask Boris later what they were talking about.

“I am also using our right to request someone else to do this examination.” Aleksei crossed his arms as he continued, watching the doctor.

“I’m the scheduled doctor.”

“We request someone else.” Kitten didn’t miss the way the doctor studied her for a moment until Aleksei stepped between them. “I can start filling in the forms while we wait for the new examiner.”

“You don’t make the rules kid. This is a proper examination room, not some play place.”

“I studied the rules.” Kitten heard a faint growl from Aleksei. “Unless we see someone else you’re not touching any of us.”

“What’s going on here?” Another adult in a lab coat peeked in. “Foxsonoff, Do you have my patient?”

“They won’t let me examine my patient.”

“We request another examiner.” Aleksei repeated stubbornly.

“Dr. Julian.” Kitten jumped up with a smile.

The newcomer’s eyes narrowed for a moment as he looked at all of them. They landed on Kitten and for a moment he hesitated before stepping towards her. “Bartok?”

Ivan stepped in front of him for a moment.

“Ivan.” Aleksei shook his head and Ivan stepped back.

“You look better since your trip to the hospital.” He began, grabbing a light and shinning it in Kittens eyes. She hissed and looked away. “Still light sensitive I see. How’s your arm feeling?”

“Much better.” She managed, flexing her arm. “See?”

Dr. Julian smiled as he pulled a flat stick from his pocket and stuck it in her mouth.

“Hey Julian, that’s my one.” Foxsonoff wined behind them.

“Sorry Foxsonoff,” The doctor by Kitten straightened. “There was a mistake with the files. There are strict instructions that this one is to be handed to me.”

“From who?”

“Dr Bartok himself. I have to handle this subject in all medical matters.” Dr Julian cocked his head towards Aleksei. “Take my one. A captains worth tons of these no name things anyway.”

“You won’t get away with this Julian.” Foxsonoff sneered. “Just because your Dr Bartok’s pet, don’t think you can just keep taking everything you want. That one is my patient.”

“Watch it Foxsonoff, you’re up for a promotion.” Dr Julian looked serious for a moment. “You wouldn’t want it taken away just because you’re wining about some kids.”

At those words, Foxsonoff paled instantly.

“You.” He pointed to Aleksei. “Come on, you stupid animal.”

Kitten looked at Aleksei who seemed unsure for a moment. She grinned at him. Aleksei nodded before turning to follow the fuming doctor that had stormed out of the make-shift hospital unit. “Come on Ivan.”

Ivan grumbled but patted Kitten gently on the head before obeying. Once they had left, Julian moved one of the sliding walls, making it cover the opening like a door.

“Better,” He smiled, turning back to her. “You can take your jersey off now.”

Kitten hesitated but stood up. She saw a flash of pity cross the doctors face before he smiled at her. “Well let’s get you fixed, shall we.”

He began scribbling on her board. It felt like forever until he was done.

“Sit up,” He commanded, scribbling away. “Touch your toes. Press against my hand.”

“Why do I need to do all this?” Kitten asked, touching her nose with her fingertip before touching the tip of his pen.

“Because it’s fun watching pretty girls exercise.” The doctor laughed before adding more notes to his board. “You put on some weight. That’s good.”

“Lexie keeps making me eat.” She grumbled. “The food here sucks.”

“Lexie?”

“My Captain.” She explained. “Captain Aleksei something.”

“Cassonov.” Dr Julian put his board down and grabbed a measuring tape. “I know him.”

“You do?” Kitten halted, her jaw falling. “Is he sick?”

“No. Just famous.” He held out the tape and measured her. “You grew a little since I last saw you.”

“I have?”

“That’s the good news.” He put the tape down and scribbled on the board once more before picking up the needle. “Here’s the bad news. I need you to bend over for this one.”

Kitten looked at the needle and without thinking began screaming.