2008

Canada, Appalachian Mountains

HYDRA Preparatory Academy

Next day

Throwing the empty can of spray paint in the trash, I packed away my gear into my school gym bag. I patted Max, the brown labrador retriever that the school gave me, on the head and made my way out of the dorms to the training field where the test would be held.

"Brock!!" As I entered the grassy field a familiar voice called out to me and I was stopped by Jack who I haven't seen since leaving the Grunts.

"Hey, It's nice to see a familiar face again." He said smiling down at me like an idiot.

"I'm guessing you're here for the test?" I asked and he nodded.

"This is the first test with both Grunts and Leadership students. What do you think there going to have us do?" Jack asked.

I debated whether or not to tell the older boy what Ruby told me, but decided against it. It would just freak him out anyway.

"Attennn-tttion!!" John Garrett's voice carried out across the field and every student present scrambled to stand at attention in front of him. Leadership standing in the front while grunts were in rows behind.

John scrutinized our formation for a moment before explaining to us the day's activities.

"Today we're going to play a little game I came up with called Kill the Captive. Bring them in." At his order, six large men in rags and chains were led into the field behind him.

"Leadership, your mission will be to lead a unit of four grunts to kill at least one of these captives. If you don't get a kill, you fail. If you attack another cadet, you fail. Any questions?"

Every student had a different expression on their face. Some were trepidatious, others were excited.

"Sir, are we allowed to kill more than one captive?" Werner von Strucker asked.

"Yes," John stated simply.

Most students' faces paled at those words. That meant that if another cadet killed all the captives, everyone but that cadet's team would fail.

"Sir, are we doing this test here? It's a little open." A grunt student asked gesturing towards the grassy field we were in.

"No, once we get the teams settled and geared up, you all will be transported to different spots in the Blackwoods."

********

The Blackwoods were the surrounding forest around the campus. Countless booby traps and cameras were hidden throughout the forest to monitor and deter any intruders trying to find their way to the school.

"I heard these guys were mercs before they were captured. Do you think we can take them?" Candice, a grunt who was assigned to my team, asked as we trudged our way through the forest.

"I heard some of them used to be criminals." Kaminsky, another grunt, stated.

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I glared back at the two having a conversation during the mission.

"Keep fucking quiet, the enemy still has ears," I ordered coldly.

They reluctantly closed their mouths as we continued through the forest.

My team consisted of three guys and a girl. Each was decked out in black tactical gear with a combat knife strapped to their leg and holding a silenced HK45 tactical pistol.

I was wearing the exact same gear with the added addition of a metal black tactical mask with a white skull spray painted on the face.

We searched the forest for any sign of our prey and lucked out when we found a set of footprints. I raised my fist and my team seeing my signal slowed their steps and walked with caution, eyes scanning the terrain in front of us.

I heard the rustling of branches and raised my hand palm flat, as my team stopped in their tracks. I moved forward a bit to scout the enemy and saw one of the captives pulling a branch of a tree and trying to fashion a weapon out of it.

I looked back and gestured for my squad to spread out and surround the enemy. As they complied, I dared to get closer and trained my pistol on the target. The guy seemed oblivious to his impending death as he was focused on finishing his makeshift club. I took the shot.

*Pfft*

The bullet traveled through the guy's skull without him even knowing what happened. His body falling limply to the ground.

My squad came out of hiding and we cautiously approached the guy before confirming he was indeed dead.

"Well, that was easy," Kaminsky stated, "Guess these guys weren't as tough as we heard." He gave a cocksure smile as he kicked the dead body.

"Don't get cocky. We caught this one off guard, the others might not be so easy." I warned, but I don't think he listened cause the boy didn't lose that irritating smile.

"Let's keep moving. I want as many points as I can get before this test is over." I ordered and we continued through the forest.

***********

Two hours into searching the forest and we found evidence of our next targets. There were two sets of footprints this time and one of them seemed to be hurt because there was blood following behind the trail.

We followed the footprints to a small clearing in the forest. Two men could be seen having a heated exchange. One was sitting against a tree, his right leg bleeding, while the other was standing over him.

I turned to my squad and started to tell them my plan when Kaminsky snorted at seeing the two men and just strolled into the clearing.

My eyes widen at the boy's blatant stupidity, but before I could stop him he closed the distance between the two captives and pointed his pistol at the back of the head of the one that was standing.

"Looks like you fellas slipped up." He said, trying to sound cool.

Kaminsky turned his head back to me to give that fucking irritating smile when the guy he was holding up suddenly moved faster than the boy could react.

The captive twisted the gun out of Kaminsky's hands and pulled the boy to his chest, the gun now aimed at Kaminsky's head.

The captive looked at me and my remaining squad and barked out an order, "Drop your weapons! Or I kill your little friend here."

The man gave a homicidal smile when he saw Kaminsky's face pale and tears threatening the boy's eyes.

Candice and the other grunt looked worried, they knew Kaminsky personally. He may have been cocky but the boy was still their friend and they didn't want to see him die.

Both of them dropped their weapons on the ground and raised their hands in surrender.

The captive let out a sadistic chuckle at the two grunts' actions and looked over at me.

"Drop your weapons kid. Last warning."

I tuned the man out as I judged whether I could shoot him without hitting Kaminsky. I couldn't. The guy was using Kaminsky as an excellent meat shield. I wonder who he was before being captured?

"I'm not playing kid!! If your gun isn't on the ground by count three, I'll blow this kid's brains out." The captive yells brought me out of my thoughts and back to the present situation.

"On-"

Before he could start the count I raised my pistol and shot him through Kaminsky's chest. Both fell to the ground, Kaminsky dying instantly, but the captive was still breathing.

I walked over and put another bullet in his head before turning and looking at the other injured captive against the tree.

The guy stared at me, trembling. My ruthless actions paired with my haunting skull mask left the impression of certain death on the man.

"Please! Just let me go! I'm not a threat to you in this state anyway!!"

The man pleaded for his life as I slowly walked toward him.

"Please!!! I have a family!!!"

I raised the gun and shot the man in the head.

"Everyone does dumbass."

As I holstered my weapon a loud chime sounded through the forest, signaling the end of the test.

*********

A/N: Another chapter done. Let me know what you think of the story and what I can improve on.