HA3 7.1 - Lock & Load
In one of benches in Manabu Subway Station, Hide casually sat. Next to him, lied his school bag and a sport bag. In his hand, he held his smartphone and using it to study material for today language class.
The station was practically almost empty. Only twenty odds people waited for the train. Even so, Hide still couldn’t get clear view to Naoto, his loyal stalker for the recent days. But it was not a big problem as long as he knew his exact position.
Then, the second train for today schedule arrived. After a quick scan, Hide found Takeo was getting off from first car. He then switched his attention to second car and found Paolo casually got off and went into a corner across Naoto’s position. Now, the two sandwiched his position.
‘If they come to kill me, I will be in a big trouble right now,’ Hide muttered before putting back his attention to Takeo.
As soon as Takeo arrived before him, he opened a conversation, “It seems you don’t skip your exercise.”
“Yeah, and Shizuka is mean trainer, but she deliver clear result,” Takeo happily said. “What about you?”
“I have a good time.”
Hide then recalled yesterday training in Beauty & the Beast. As Coach Kotaro said, Hayashida came despite his complain, and the sparring took place like usual. It’s just that Hide had no chance to put Hayashida into submission or knocked him out without showing other cards he had under his sleeves. However, he saw no necessity to win the sparring for the time being.
So, in the end, Hayashida won by a landslide point. However, he deemed it was not enough because he failed to put Hide down in the mat even after he gave his all. He even started to run out of breath in the third round.
“I also have cleared the 9 miler target,” Takeo proudly added and it woke Hide up from his ponder.
“I see. You clear it faster than my estimation.”
“What is the next target?” Takeo eagerly asked.
“30 miler,” Hide casually replied. “Under eight hours, carrying 20 kg of kits and rifle, and multi terrains.”
“I will try it in the weekend.”
“No,” Hide firmly said. “For now, don’t even think about it.”
“Why?” Takeo curiously asked.
“You will get cardiac arrest if you force yourself to do it with your current level.”
“When I can do it?”
“When you are 90% physically ready.”
“Only 90% physically ready?” Takeo asked as big question mark popped in his forehead. “And not when I’m 100% ready?”
“Yes, you have to make up for the 10% deficit using your willpower, or you won’t clear the intent behind the 30 miler.” After a short pause Hide added, “And believe me, it’s gonna hurt like hell.”
“I see.”
“So, for now,” Hide casually said. “Just be a cute kid and stick with 9 miler as many as you can.”
“Understood,” Takeo obediently replied. Then, he looked around the station before asking, “Do Paolo and Naoto tail us?”
“They sandwich our position.”
“Are you sure its fine to go to workshop with those two in our six?” Takeo curiously asked.
“If I can’t shake them off in the underground tunnel, we will cancel our training in the workshop and go straight to school.”
“I see.”
After turning off his smartphone, Hide then grabbed his bags. “Let’s go.”
Wasting no time Hide and Takeo walked over to the dark tunnel. They were casually passing Naoto’s position while ignoring gaze from some curious people. After entering the tunnel, they went straight entering the walkway for maintenance worker.
As they expected, Naoto and Paolo followed them. However, it took only twenty minutes before Hide managed to shake them off.
“Unless they receive assistance from people who knows the underground tunnel, we will be able to shake them off for another 3-4 times,” Hide casually said to Takeo after ensuring their six was clear. “After that, they will get used to this tunnel and it’s too dangerous to let them tail us.”
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“I see,” Takeo calmly replied.
Hide then took Takeo to continue their journey in light jog.
---
As soon as they arrived in the workshop, Hide asked Takeo to help him making preparation for precision shooting course. It was simple preparation. They only had to put together a few tables, and then took three weapon bags and some ammo from armory, and it was done.
Then, Hide opened the course, “I want you to become shooter for the team, so I will teach you how to make precision shooting.”
“What about my training with handgun?” Takeo curiously asked.
“You will resume it together with Shizuka,” Hide casually explained, “as soon as Paolo stop tailing us.”
Takeo lightly nodded. “Roger.”
Hide then opened one of weapon bags and fully exposed the gun it stored. “Mk.12 Special Purpose Rifle, designed by US Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division, and become US Special Ops designated marksman rifle up to 2017.”
“…”
“This one use 18” heavy match-grade barrel, but overall it’s pretty light and highly precise rifle system,” Hide added. “I don’t know why the previous users run it with Elcan C79 service rifle optical sight, instead of dedicated scope for precision rifle, but looter can’t be picky.
Not to mention, it comes with latest thermal extension scope. So, we will adapt and overcome, and use it gratefully.”
“Okay.”
“But we don’t need the thermal for the basic.” Hide took off the thermal extension before continuing, “Now, watch and learn.”
“Roger,” Takeo firmly replied.
“First procedure on handling any gun, make sure it’s unloaded,” Hide casually said. “Hold the pistol grip using your firing hand. Press mag release button while taking the magazine out, and put it aside.”
“…”
“Pull the charging handle as far as it can go. Normally, it will empty the firing chamber,” Hide said as he pulled the charging handle with his left hand. “But we still need to look inside the firing chamber, and to have good look inside the firing chamber, you need to lock open the bolt.”
“…”
Hide then pointed at a button at the left side of the gun as he continued, “This is bolt catch or bolt release button. Use your left thumb to press its lower section, while pulling the charging handle all the way back using your right hand.
If you do it correctly, the charging handle will loose and won’t return to its place when you let it go, while the bolt is locked open.
Then, you can have a good look on the firing chamber through the ejection port. Once you are sure it’s empty, you can push back the charging handle forward till full stop.
And while the bolt is staying lock open, you can do whatever you want, like receiving a telephone call, clean the gun right away, or maybe you want to make coffee first.
In our case, we need to load the mag. So, make sure the selective-lever is on the safety, and then put the gun on the table, barrel pointed at safe direction with the ejection port facing up.
Got it?”
“Got it,” Takeo firmly replied.
Hide then loaded two dummy rounds to the magazine before continuing his explanation. “Once you have loaded-mag, pick up the gun with your firing hand, make sure the selective-lever is still on safety, insert the magazine to the magwell using your supporting hand until you hear a click, and give it a bit of push and pull to make sure it’s well seated in place.
Then, pressed the upper section of bolt catch. It will put the gun back in close bolt position and put one round in the firing chamber. And there you are, you have a loaded weapon.
Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Now, give it a try,” Hide said as he handed over the Mk.12 to Takeo. “Don’t hesitate to ask if you have something in mind, and repeat the lock and load procedure until you can do it smoothly.”
“Roger.”
At first, Takeo carried out the lock and load procedure slowly and carefully. He also had to stop here and there to ask some confirmation from Hide. It took twenty odds of repetition before he could do it rather smoothly.
After that Hide taught Takeo the other procedures to lock open the bolt, like inserting empty magazine and then pulling the charging handles all the way back. Then, Hide went to the loading procedure from close bolt position.
“In case on the way to target location we have to conceal the gun in a bag,” Hide said. “Make sure the firing chamber is unloaded. But, as precaution for sudden contact, we put a loaded-magazine in the magwell.”
“…”
“To do it, first, you make sure the firing chamber is empty,” Hide said as he put the gun in open bolt position, took a peek on the firing chamber, and then he put back the gun in close bolt position. “After that, make sure the selective lever is on the safety before inserting the loaded magazine.
In some M4 or M16, you will need a bit of brute force to get a fully loaded-magazine well seated in the magwell. This is because the magazine spring tension pushing the bolt carrier group upward hard.
In Mk.12, this issue can give us additional problem. When we want to put first round into firing chamber, it will be a bit hard to pull the charging handle.”
“…”
“The solution, load the magazine 2 rounds less than the full capacity. Let’s develop this habit for our Mk.12 and M4, so we won’t have issue to load firing chamber both from open bolt and close bolt position.”
“Got it,” Takeo firmly replied.
Wasting no time, Hide then asked Takeo to load the Mk.12’s firing chamber from close bolt position, using a magazine fully loaded with dummy round. As Hide said, Takeo had hard time to get the magazine well seated in the magwell and had to use brute force.
When he wanted to put first round into the firing chamber, it was also a bit hard to get a smooth charging handle pull. Hide let Takeo to repeat the procedure for several times before asking him to stop. Then, he explained to Takeo when they had to let Mk.12’s firing chamber loaded or unloaded based on the job context they were going to enter.
After that the course went to the next menu, the firing position.
*****
Author’s note:
First, I never handle firearm, so there is a chance my description has inaccuracy. If you find some, you can write it in the column section. I will compare your input with my source.
Second, I starts to upload the unlock chapters for this work in Royal Road, Scribble Hub, and my blog, and if you read the locked chapters for this work in other place, it means you read a stolen work.
Also, if my work doesn’t receive proper support, I will end it in Book 3 (between 200-300 chapters long in total) before putting it in long hiatus (2-3 years) and start another work to maintain 4-5 active works.
The idea is to give each work a sense of ending, but also a potential for Book 4. That way, if someone copycats my work or impersonates me and continue the work, they have to find their own idea for the Book 4.
And if someday I have the mood to continue to Book 4 or the work receives proper support and I have to continue, my book will be entirely different from the copycat version.
Thank you and Best regards.