For three hours each day, Noah had to listen to Professor McCarty drone on and on and on. The only benefit was that, as a side effect of his PTSD condition, he had an exceptionally good memory. Almost everything he heard, he could remember at any time he chose. That, at least, saved him from the tedium of having to take notes.
There were other classes he found quite fascinating, however. One of those was the class in chemistry, which was so far beyond the things he had learned in his high school chemistry class that it was like being in another world entirely. While there was some foundation in what he had learned back then, the chemistry he was involved with now revolved around an entirely different kind of chemical reactions. He learned a great deal about how to make explosives, sometimes from common household items, as well as the creation of, uses for and ways to survive an incredible range of poisons.
Then there were the martial arts classes. Some of the things he was learning would have seemed impossible to him not that long before, but the physical training that he was getting was toning and strengthening muscles he hadn’t even known he possessed. If anyone had told him, back when he was a kid in MMA classes, that he would one day be capable of doing a back flip and kicking three separate opponents before landing back on his feet, he would’ve laughed. Suddenly, though, it was a move that he was practicing every day, along with dozens of others he never would have dreamed of.
This training schedule had been rearranged to allow the insertion of his team. Sarah, Neil and Moose were with him in most of his classes, although Neil was excused from the PT class. Being tall, clumsy and skinny, the administrators had decided that his value was in his computer expertise, making them reluctant to risk him suffering any injuries.
Both Moose and Sarah performed well in PT, and Moose managed to stay close to Noah on their daily runs. All three of his teammates were proficient with many weapons, and did well in the weapons class and on the firing ranges, but they simply put in appearances in the chemistry and law classes.
For Noah’s part, he was amazed at the quantity of information that was being crammed into his head. Once again, his almost photographic memory came in handy, because he had to memorize quite a list of poisons and their antidotes, as well as recipes for making them on the fly. He learned tricks and techniques for deploying poisons, including orally, in the air, and through the skin, and was taught which were most effective in various scenarios.
So many things were changing in his life. He had gone to see the cosmetic surgeon, just as he’d been ordered to do, and now the face that looked back at him in the mirror seemed somewhat unfamiliar. Noah was adaptable, though, and within a very short time, he was able to visualize his new face as easily as he had always done with his old one.
Allison had been right. The changes were subtle, but sufficient. If he ran into someone who had known him before, it was highly doubtful that they would recognize him, though they might feel that they saw a resemblance to someone they used to know. Ironically, they probably wouldn’t even be able to remember who it was this stranger reminded them of.
Noah was drilled in his new history. If asked where he was born, he would instantly reply that it had been in Torrance, California, but that he had grown up on a farm outside of Paxton, Iowa. He had been homeschooled, but received a diploma through an accredited online high school, with exceptional grades. He had gone into the Army not long after, planning to use the G.I. Bill to finance his further education after his term of service.
In the Army, however, he had become an expert in security technologies, both physical and digital. Upon his discharge, he had been recruited by a consulting firm out of Washington, DC, and now traveled the world as a security issue troubleshooter.
Everything was documented; everything was backed up in databases all over the country. His school record, military record, birth certificate, even the death certificates of his parents who died in a tragic accident while he was serving his country—all would stand up to any scrutiny.
Besides training time, and at Allison’s urging, he had begun spending personal time with the other members of his team, actually inviting them to his home on a couple of occasions. They showed up when they were supposed to, but it seemed to Noah that the only one he got along with was Neil. The skinny kid seemed to enjoy his company, and Noah began to suspect it was because he could get away with being even more sarcastic than usual, since Noah didn’t always realize what was being said to him.