There were five whites and five blacks tiles litted. Both equal. If only he had gotten one more correctly. Rick smirked seeing his ordeal and crossed his arms.
"Guess you aren't tough after all," he mocked but Reggie said nothing to him as he fixed his eyes on the blacks.
"Rick Donatus, please proceed to the door before you for the next challenge."
He glanced at Reggie one last time before he left.
"Reggie, you have being given a pardon to go on for the next round but be clear, if you fail the next round by sixty percent, you will be sent out."
Reggie breathed out in relief and went through the door to which surprisingly led him to the forest with other applicants waiting.
"You? You made it? Wonder what you must have given the one conducting this exam. You clearly failed the brain test." Rick teased causing the others around to laugh.
Reggie rolled his fist into a ball but decided to let go of whatever Rick would say. He was standing on a thin line and whatever he does would mean him missing an opportunity to become a security agent.
"Just give up already. You don't have the ability to become an agent. I can't even perceive an energy from you."
The others began to murmur but Reggie still ignored them all.
"Welcome to our next test. The test of wisdom," a voice said through the speakers, bringing back their attention to what they were doing.
She went on, "A very important artifact piece from the GoldenBoot library has being stolen and looked somewhere in this forest. As an agent, you all are required to go into the forest and find it."
Some Rangers came out of the closed doors behind them, each pushing a troller. They all wore the PSA uniforms. Black khaki with black t-shirt and a grey robe draped around the shoulders. A black nose mask to compliment their looks.
A beautiful uniform many admire but not Reggie. Besides, he was only there for a mission.
On the trollers where different gadgets. Many which he haven't seen before but he could tell they were part of the weapons Kate told him about that the military possessed.
"For each gadget, there are four same types all scattered in the troller. Each of you will pick one and for the four people that pick the same gadget, you all would be in one group."
The applicants all proceeded to pick up the gadgets. Reggie picked a red bracelet that had a button in the middle. At least, it looked like the willow-loo he had so he figured they might have same function and that would make it easy to use.
He stepped back as others picked their preferred gadgets too. After they were done with the selection, the lady spoke through the speakers again.
"Since you are all done picking your gadgets, you have five minutes to find your partners."
There were over a hundred applicants so finding one wouldn't be easy. So Reggie thought until he felt a tap on his shoulder.
He turned back to meet a young girl with a cinnamon shoulder length straight hair, grinning broadly at him. "Guess we are teammates." Her melodic voice gave him the impression of how innocent she is. She doesn't have enough energy yet and from what he could make out, she was a Delta.
"I am Georgia. It is nice to meet you." She introduced, extending her hand for a handshake.
Reggie glanced at her hand and back to her face. She seemed like a timid person. Would she be able to assist their group find the artifact? Well, he wasn't one to judge base on the first meeting with anyone. She might be smarter than she look.
"Let's find the others and get to business." He deadpanned and went ahead.
Georgia drew back her hand still with a smile on her face and went after him. To find the others, he ignored any group that where four or those who had their gadgets in their hands, visible to everyone.
He found a tall, bulgy young man, who must have made the gym his home, roaming about and asking for those who had the same gadget with him. Reggie looked at his hand and raised a corner of his lips.
"Found another member." He told the girl behind him who began to search around for the other member until Reggie went to him.
"I guess you are part of the red bracelet group." He showed him his bracelet to which he breathed in relief.
The big man examined him from head to toe and scrunched up his nose. "You don't look reliable. Why did I pick this stupid bracelet?"
Reggie tsked and shook his head. "You judge too quick. This is a test of wisdom and shouldn't you be worried about that instead? Do we have to have bulgy shoulders and chest to qualify for been fit for this test?"
The big man growled and tightened his fist into a ball. "You don't seem like good news. I hate you already and if I fail because of you, I will make sure to cut off your head from your neck and feed it to the dogs." He threatened and made to leave but Reggie next words stopped him.
"I think you should be worried about you failing your self and not me."
He sneered and faced Reggie again ready to attack, but seeing him pointing at another young, nerd guy, he drew his brows together.
"That is the last member of the group. He has being close to you all this while but you were only searching for people who are as intimidating as you and that's why you missed him." He snarled and walked up to the young man looking so confused about which way to go or who to meet as everyone kept shoving him away.
"Guess you are the last member of our group. We are complete now."
The young man breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "I thought no one wants me and I almost gave up."
"That is all for the first test of wisdom." The lady spoke through the speaker again. "The first test of wisdom was to show how quick and smart you all are in picking out your partners from the crowd..."
Gasps filled the air as they realized it was all a test from the beginning.