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It's been two years. Two long years of training. It's hard to believe I'm twenty now. Twenty years old, in my prime, and one of the five most effective killers in the world. Dr. Hall's program has taken us from a squad of five freshmen, scared shitless of senior cadets, to a stealth, coordinated, flawless military task force who could look death in the eyes and slip between its legs.

For the past two years, our days were filled with exercise, classroom training, and challenges. Everything from our diets, to our sleep habits was closely monitored and controlled. Each day brought a new lesson, a new skill, and a harder challenge.

The training had paid off though. I could now find infinite ways to kill or incapacitate an enemy. I could take out a twenty man team without even trying. I could hit a moving target at over a mile. That's only working alone. Most of the time, we worked as a squad. With them, I could do anything the government needed.

I had left for the Academy two years ago with dreams of becoming an officer. Now I had no rank, and a life that I could never have imagined was possible. The only thing I didn't like about my new life was the seclusion. The past two years had been spent exclusively at Training Center Seventeen. I had a new family now. They were my squad mates, my trainers, and Dr. Hall. But sometimes I missed my old family and more often Traci. I know, get over her already man, but somehow she always came back to my thoughts.

It's not like I hadn't seen her, figuratively speaking. I watched as she won three gold medals as the Summer World Games. I was surprised one morning to see her staring at me from my serial box. Teague once made a joke when she appeared in the swimsuit issue of Sports Magazine. He learned his lesson for that, and I was reprimanded for breaking a squad member's collar bone.

We each had a room which radiated from the small lounge we were provided for personal time. I was lying on the couch reading my favorite war story for the hundredth time. Jessica and Tank were at the gym sparring. Trestan was flying with the Pilot. Teague walked in from the main corridor.

"Reading that again?"

"It's a good book."

"Don't you have it memorized by now?"

"Mostly."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Anyway, Dr. Hall wants to see us. Something about new equipment."

I slipped a mark into the pages of the book. Sitting up and stretching I reached for the small earpiece that connected me to the rest of the squad. I keyed the squad com.

"Hey guys, head to the classroom. Dr. Hall wants us."

Tank's voice came over the line "Hey, I was trying to listen to Kirian!"

"You can't let anything distract you in battle." This from Jessica.

"Do you guy copy?"

"Ya, we'll be there."

"I'll be on the ground in five seconds."

I switched back to the primary channel and walked with Teague to the classroom. The classroom was an expansive space. It had a large holo table in the center which could project 3D images. Around it, we had studied countless battles of the past and learned strategies, movements, and tactics. When we entered today however, the table had been retracted into the floor. Instead, several large crates surrounded the room. The mink, Dr. Hall was waiting for us in the center.

"Good morning Kirian, Teague. I hope I haven't interrupted your day off?"

"Not at all ma'am."

"Where is the rest of the squad?"

"They're coming."

Just then Jessica and Tank walked in, arguing, as usual, about the outcome of their sparring match. Dr. Hall greeted them. Trestan followed them looking particularly windswept.

"I'm telling you doc, one of these days I'm going to break the sound barrier."

"If you say so William."

He rolled his eyes. Trestan hated anyone using his first name. Dr. Hall was one of the few he allowed.

"So, since you're all wondering, let me explain why I called you in. Your training is nearly complete. Soon you will be in the field on real missions using real weapons. Since you are a special team, we have had a group of developers studying you and designing a series of special weapons and equipment. Some of this is general purpose that all of you will receive, but some is special tailored for each of you. I'll let our lead developer explain everything to you. He'll be here shortly."

As we waited, I talked softly to Jessica about what we would be getting. We were soon interrupted by the entrance of the newcomer. I looked up to see a male... human? We had studied humans in history but I had never thought I would actually come face to face with one. From what we had learned the humans had driven themselves to extinction during the Great War. They had some religious prejudice against our race and in the end, the war left their home world broken and inhospitable. I stared at him as he walked across the room.

"This is Doctor Easterling. He is the mastermind behind most of what you are about to see today."

"Thank you ma'am. I think you may be giving me a little too much credit." He chuckled.

He pulled out a data pad and tapped a few things on the screen and then walked over to one of the crates. He opened the latch and pulled out an assault rifle. It looked similar to the ones we had trained with, but it appeared to have more places for attachments and upgrades.

"This is a variation of the standard 227A. You'll notice that it can handle a greater number, as well as a wider variety of attachable equipment and sights."

A section of the table rose out of the floor at his command. He set the rifle on it. It was soon joined by a sidearm, an assortment of knives, and a few other various oddments. He walked over to a third box and opened it. I watched as he pulled a bundle of black cloth.

"These will be you're new uniforms. Kirian, would you mind modeling for me?"

I took the cloths from him. The cloth felt strange beneath my fingers. It was thicker than it looked and seemed to slide across itself in almost a liquid way. I pulled of my fatigues and put on the new garments. They were surprisingly comfortable. They fit loosely but tight enough to not get in the way while running or fighting.

"The material is actually a series of sandwiched gel layers. It will help absorb impact and has limited projectile deflection. It won't stop a direct hit, but it should protect against ricochets and shrapnel. The fabric will slide across itself without sound. Also, if you require a tight fit, or using body armor over them," he pressed a tab on my sleeve and I felt the outfit retract until it was fur tight, "it can be made to fit your form perfectly."

He pressed the tab again and the uniform returned to its original state. He walked to the other side of the room where there were more boxes, these one labeled with our names. He opened crates and hand out their contents in a strange parody of the Mother of the World at the Phoenix Celebration, except, instead of toys, he was giving us killing tools.

I watched as the members of my squad were given special weapons and equipment. Teague was given a pack of supplies for breaking into buildings and setting booby traps. Jessica got a strange roll of semi transparent film which turned out to be a data pad which she could use for hacking and analyzing electronics. She also got a pair of machine pistols which fit her fighting stile better than a cumbersome rifle. Tank received a set of large caliber rifles and hand guns. Trestan was handed a pair of what appeared to be stylish sunglasses. It turned out that they were equipped with a series of vision enhancement functions for reconnaissance and over watch.

He finally walked to the last crate. It was long and narrow. I could guess what was inside it but I had to be sure. He picked up the case and laid it on the table.

"Kirian, we all know where you excel. I'm sure you already know what's in here, but allow me to do the honors."

I watched, holding my breath as he flipped open the clasps and lifted the lid to reveal the rifle inside. It wasn't so much a weapon as a piece of art. I lifted the stock out of the case and ran my hands over the metal and composite surface. I worked the bolt feeling the smooth action. I set it down carefully to see what else was in the box. There was a set of barrels, suppressors, bolts, buts, scopes, sights, chambers, clips, triggers, and several other accessories that I couldn't place.

"This is your sniper rifle. It is completely interchangeable. It can be made semi auto or bolt action. It can handle most caliber rounds so can be set up for anything from a heavy .50 cal, to a collapsible 22."

He continued talking about the rifle's specks but I could figure it out pretty well just by looking at it. We were allowed to go learn our new equipment. I packed the rifle back in the box and walked it to the range. I pulled it out and began trying different setups. I finally settled on .338 caliber, bolt action, 12x scope with digital enhancement, and a five round clip. I loaded the 8.6x70mm 250 grain FMJ Spitz. rounds and slid the magazine home.

I got into firing position. I could hear multiple reports from elsewhere on the range where Tank was practicing with a new rifle. I looked over to see him unloading a stream of bullets with enough recoil to shatter the bones of most soldiers. Tank wasn't most soldiers and he laughed with pleasure as the target in front of him disintegrated beneath the barrage.

I called in a target at 1,200 yards. The panel appeared downrange. I aimed through the sight and waited a moment for the digital enhancement to kick on. The target came into sharp relief. I adjusted my trajectory for bullet drop and unloaded a shot on the thin cardboard target. I marveled at the recoil dampening in the rifle as the sights barely twitched upward. Just short of a second later, the round tore though the target.

When I felt comfortable that I could accurately use the rifle in the field, I packed it up and returned to the classroom where the rest of the squad was. Dr. Easterling had left two smaller cases for the rifle once it was set up, as well a briefcase if I was using as a collapsible. I removed the bolt and scope, folded the stock, and stored my rifle in one of them. I had just snapped close the final clasp when Dr. Hall came into the room.

"I hate to interrupt your fun here, but something's come up. We need you in the briefing room."

I lead the squad out of the room and down the hall. This day was just full of surprises. What could possibly be next? I walked into the briefing room to find the General who had asked us to join the task force waiting for us.

"Welcome, take a seat quickly please."

We sat in the middle five chairs and looked on curiously.

"You're initial training here has come to an end. It's time to get you into the field. A situation has come up which requires your expertise."

A 3D image of the planet appeared in the center of the room. It rotated and zoomed into a country in the far south.

"This, as you know, is Croania. Its government has been unstable ever since the war and the return of power to each nation. Recently a rebel faction has cropped up in the heart of the country and is gaining strength. They call themselves The New World Order. Two hours ago, there was a report that they have taken several Jardinian civilians as hostages. We need you to go in there and get them out. This is not a drill."

He continued to explain the situation and mission to us. We were to insert just outside of the town the hostages were being held in. We would then proceed on foot to the building which housed the small group of rebels stationed there. Our objective was to infiltrate the structure and retrieve the captives while inflicting minimal casualties. We would then escape with the civilians and be picked up for extraction.

"One last thing, we don't want to raise alarm amongst the rebels or provoke an attack therefore, you will be wearing civilian outerwear. Again, I cannot stress enough the importance of not killing unless no other option is available. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, when can we leave?"

He grinned at me. "You will arm yourselves here, and then fly out immediately. Any other questions? Alright, get to it!"

I rose and so did the rest of the squad. We left the room in silence, but when we hit the hall, Teague let out a loud whop of excitement.

"Yes! We're finally doing it guys. Two years in this hole and now we're off to fight some foreign losers."

I smiled to myself, the excitement would help, but he'd have to keep it in check. We arrived at the armory to find that most of the training weapons had been removed and replaced by the new ones. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the operation, I would not be taking my sniper rifle. Instead I strapped one knife on the inside of my leg, and a second to my left wrist. I also slung a holster for a sidearm incase worse came to worse.

"Silenced weapons only guys, and keep them minimal and small."

The others agreed and I turned to a weapons locker. I pulled out a short barreled handgun. I inspected the weapon. Semiautomatic, twelve round clip, it would work fine. I screwed a suppressor over the muzzle and slid it into the holster. Finally, I pulled on a pair of jeans and a loose jacket and left with the rest of the squad.

We were lead out to the hanger. The pilot, now Captain Tala, greeted us. We walked out to the transport jet and strapped in. I felt the plane begin to rumble as the twin engines were ignited. The great doors opened, momentarily blinding me. Then, with the now familiar jump forward, we were off. Off on our first real mission.