All four of them sat in silence as they drove off of site black valley. The rumbling of the engine filled the noise of the vehicle. Hakan and Makya both sat in distraught on what they had just saw. Hakan had it the worst. He stared off into space with his thousand yard stare. Every time Nakoma looked to her side, not once did she see him blink. Makya's eyes were lost as if they were scanning back and forth as he was thinking to himself. He was fiddling with his small bone knife, feeling the tip of the blade with his thumb. Nakoma looks at Maxson, his gaze fixated on the road. He clenches onto the steering wheel tightly as if it was about to come flying off if he didn't.

"Did you... did you know that person...?"

He says nothing.

"I'm sorry for asking-"

"I did know him. Isaiah was just an innocent kid. He was the driver when they first picked you up, he wasn't a gunman or anything. Hell, he couldn't even hold a pistol to save his life. That boy was pure hearted and kind, and yet, still denied that he was even involved with us. To the very end. That takes a lot of courage."

"I'm sorry... I didn't..."

"It's okay, that's why we fight. Thats the reason why we're doing all this. You saw with your own two eyes. With that awful spectacle and now this document. You still think Jackson is a good person?"

Nakoma looks down and holds her hands together. Felling all the weight of reality setting in on what Jackson has been doing behind the scenes.

"How do we help then?" As Makya broke the silence. Nakoma quickly looked at him with a complete shocked expression.

"I know I said this was it and we go back home where we came from, but the more I think about it, what if we don't have a home to go back to if Jackson has his weapon?"

Hakan Looks to Nakoma with a determined and angry expression,

"We have to stop whatever he's planning. He may have treated us as guests, but that won't stop him from turning against us."

Nakoma looks in complete disbelief of their new behavior of wanting to save this city. She tries to say something but stops herself and smiles at them. They arrived at the base soon and it was very, VERY guarded. The front gate was fortified with barriers and barbed wire fencing. Watch towers stood high as they stood behind the fence line. A stone sign with tiles on it had the writing "Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos California" written on it. It was old and stained but still readable even from afar. They reached up to the gate as Maxson pulled out an Id for them to see.

They studied his photo and looked at the other three. Another guard used a uvsm or under vehicle search mirror. He swept under the vehicle as following his protocol whenever vehicles enter the base. They were in the clear and were allowed passaged. The base had a long airfield. Groups of soldiers running in formation as they were singing some kind of song. Nakoma and her friends were all looking in awe on what the soldiers were doing. Maxson stopped at the entrance of a building.

"I have to go do my other duties, in the meantime, go and check in the office. They should handle everything. Stay safe, okay?"

"We will and thank you again."

Maxson drove off and the three enter the building. It was a lobby area with a front desk. It had ugly yellow lighting, and the paint on the walls was already coming off. Sitting on the front desk was a woman who was chewing on something. The clicking of a typewriter can be heard as she was typing something off from another document.

"Ummm... excuse me?"

The lady only turned her eyes and quickly back at the paper.

"How can I help you?" She sounded so aggravated and annoyed.

"We all just transfer to here and we-"

She pulls out a small map of the buildings with one circle.

"Please head to building C-03 for new arrivals."

"Oh but I-"

"Move along please, thank you."

What a bitch. Nakoma thought to herself. She did what the lady at the desk instructed and followed the map looking at the building numbers. After going one by one they found the building they were looking for. They entered and were greeted by the sound of laughter of people horseplaying or relaxing. Beds in rows while wall lockers stood behind them. The three were confused on were exactly they were. Then one person spots them just standing there.

"How's it going? You three look so lost. You all nervous?"

They looked at each other with great confusion.

"...Nervous? I don't think I follow."

"THEY'RE NEWBIES! LET THEM FIND OUT THEMSELVES!" As one person screams from the distance on their bunk.

"Ah that explains a lot more. So what's your story? Got drafted? Volunteered for the "good fight" or just want extra food and pay?"

"I think there's a misunderstanding, we are not supposed to be here." As Hakan tried to explain himself.

"Ahhh denial. We all go through that. It's okay, no shame in it."

"No you don't understand we actually here because-"

"TEN-HUT!"

Soon everyone who was playing around all snapped at attention and fell silent. The three of them looked around in confusion and saw a man in a military dress uniform. His pants were perfectly iron and fitted. His shirt tucked in with ribbons on his chest. He wore a campaign hat that was slightly forward over his head. He stood with a sour look on his face. He mad dogged the three of them as if he was disgusted by their mere presence.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"And just who in the sam hell are you three doing here?"

"Um sir we just got transferred here from the tower and-"

"I couldn't give two FUCKS WHERE YOU CAME FROM! YOU'RE HERE NOW IN MY DOMAIN! AND IF YOU THREE ARE HERE THAT MEANS YOU'RE HERE FOR ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY! TRAINING!"

"Training..."

"Training??"

"Training!?!?"

"THAT'S RIGHT YOU LITTLE NATS! I'M YOUR SENIOR DRILL INSTRUCTOR! YOU THREE BETTER CATCH UP WITH TRAINING! NO ONE GETS SPECIAL TREATMENT!"

They tried to explain that they were not there for training but only for living quarters. Their voices fell on deaf ears however. They received new clothes that matched everyone in uniformity. By the end of the day all were in their new sleeping beds with several others. All three of them agreed to play along and not draw attention to themselves and pray Maxson will come soon. They drift to sleep the best they can in this sudden change of environment.

Early morning was here. the sun hasn't even rose yet and a loud burst of music stared blasting through speakers playing reveille. Nakoma, Hakan and Makya all suddenly jumped out of their beds onto the floor. Makya fell from the top bunk as he face planted to the floor. All the others got out of bed quickly and started to put their uniforms on with great efficiency. They tried their best to follow their speed, but they were just too fast.

"GOOOOOODMORNING YOU SCROUNDED FUCKS!"

"GOODMORNING SIR!"

They all yelled in unison.

"TODAY, WE ARE TRAINING YOU IN LIVE FIRE EXCERSIZE DRILLS. YOU WILL BE FACING WITH LIVE AMMO. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY MORONS DYING OUT THERE! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!"

"YES SIR!"

"FORM UP LET'S GO LET'S GO! YOU THREE BETTER HURY UP! HURRY UP, HURRY UP! MOVE YOUR FAT ASSES NOOOOW! MY GOD MY AMPUTEE DOG CAN RUN FASTER THAN YOU THREE! YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE GROUP! LET'S GOOOOO!"

They quickly got into formation sweating. They have no idea what is going on or how they even got into this situation in the first place. But no one seemed to care.

"DOUBLE-TIME...MARCH!"

The group all jogged in unison on their way to the mess hall as well as other groups did as well in the dark hour of the morning. They entered into the cafeteria area as the groups got into the chow line one by one. It was Nakoma's groups turn. They entered the line and extended their arms for the lunch person to put food on their plate. It was a mess, a weird mushy goo that was apparently mashed potatoes. Very dried powdered eggs that were scrambled, and two sad looking pieces of bacon. They ate it without complaint but were wincing from the god awful taste. However, the other recruits were eating fast and happily.

They made their way into the training yard where sprinklers were showering them over head creating simulated rain fall. In front of them were several rows of barbed wire with just enough space for them to crawl under. It was super muddy from the sprinklers going on nonstop.

"YOU ALL NEED TO CRAWL THROUGH THIS TRAINING COURSE AND OBSTACLES AROUND THE BLOCK! ALL OF YOU NEED TO CRAWL THE ENTIRE TIME I DONT WANT TO SEE YOUR BODY LIFT UP! YOU ALL BETTTER BE KISSING THE GROUND DO YOU GET ME!"

"YES SIR!"

The first wave went first and instantly crawled like mad men. They dragged themselves under the barbwire and moved through the thick mud. One by one they went until it was Nakoma and her friend's turn.

"READY!... GO!"

The three of them dived into the mud as they crawled. Hakan spiting the mud out of his mouth repeatedly. Makya determined as Nakoma followed. After several minutes of crawling, the barbed wire was gone but was replaced with rubble and debris everywhere. Dummy bodies were spread everywhere simulating fallen soldiers. Nakoma pushed through as the mud kept getting thicker. BOOM!!!

Nakoma halted and screamed as an explosion went right off spuing mud high into the air. Several explosions of mud flew into the air very close by them.

"HURRY UP, HURRY UP, DON'T SLOW DOWN MY LINE YOU PATHETIC PIECES OF SHIT! MOVE YOUR ASSES THROUGH THAT MORTAR FIELD, MOOOVE IT!!!!!"

The instructor is a demon. His voice forces them to push on through, even if they were scared. One by one, explosion after explosion they made it through to the next phase. Barb wire was now everywhere. Sticking out of the ground, tangled in debris. Dummy bodies lumped over the barbed wire as if they got shot. Then her ears began to ring loud. A gunner with a dshk machine gun was sitting in a pit shooting off rounds above and around Nakoma.

"KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN BITCH! I DONT WANT YOU BRAIN MATTER ALL OVER MY FUCKING TRAINING YARD! KISS THE FUCKING FLOOR NOW!"

His yell was somehow louder than the actual gun fire which intimidated her a little. Makya was pushing hard, almost passing Nakoma several times but was block by large debris of barbed wire. Hakan was frozen in fear and couldn't move with all the gunfire flying over him.

"MOVE YOU GINGER FUCK! YOU'RE GONNA HOLD MY LINE UP!"

"I... I can't- I-I-"

"I-I-I-I-I, SPEAK ENGLISH YOU SKINNY TWAT! MOVE OR I SHOOT YOU WHERE YOU FUCKING STAND!"

Nakoma looks back and forth until she turns around and crawls back towards him. Makya stops and sees what she's doing. She waves Makya to keep going and he agrees. Nakoma reaches Hakan as bullets and bombs go off all around them. She grabs him by his shirt and pulls him forward. He snaps out of his fear and looks at who was pulling him.

"Just hold onto my shirt and follow my lead okay!"

He stares at her as he wipes the mud away from his face.

"Okay! I trust you!"

She then proceeds to crawl again as Hakan holds on tightly to her shirt. The instructor sees this and is curious as he lets this play out. Slowly but surely, they crawl through the war torn training field barely missing a few close calls, or what seemed to look like to them. They finally reach up to Makya as they both crawl together. The area becomes bigger as the majority of the training group has all come to a halt. The area was a lot massive, but the others seemed to have stopped. "What's going on?! Why did everyone stop?!" As Nakoma shouted.

"Land mines!"

"What?!"

"This area is filled with land mines! Not real ones mind you! Just very high pressurized gas that flings us into the air! We have to start all over if we get sent flying!"

She was confused but looked on ahead. Everyone was scared and didn't know what to do.

"Fuck this! I ain't waiting any longer!" As one recruit goes crawling fast but soon was shot up straight into the air and off the course. Nakoma was startled but looked around. She scanned the area trying to find a clue, but the rain and mud was making it extremely difficult. Until finally she spots a clue. In the mud, a slow but noticeable bubble appeared. She waited, looking in that same spot. Another bubble appeared after five seconds. She turned towards her friends, "Stay close and follow me! Go when I go, stop when I stop!"

"Okay..."

"Right!"

She waited and saw the bubble beginning to form. She quickly crawled around the bubbles, snaking around them until... POP. She stopped and waited for the five seconds. The bubbles began again. One after another she guided her friends through the treacherous minefield. The other recruits saw this and were baffled and in disbelief. They saw her crawling effortlessly that it inspired them all to push forward. Some got lucky, some were blown off course and had to start again. But Nakoma and her friends were in the lead. One last push and they finally reached to the end of the training course. Sore, exhausted, wounded and even filthy, they took a moment to catch their breath as they sat on the dead patch of grass.

One by one the other recruits made it as they were panting heavily.

"I got to say runts, I am impressed. And I am not easy to impress believe me."

The senior drill instructor casually walks up to the three exhausted warriors. He folds his arms as he studies them up and down again. The fact that you went back to help your teammate and also lead them from being last to the head of the group, is the definition of bravery and leadership. You did well today, all three of you did well.

".... uhm... thank you.... ughhh... sir..."

Nakoma said as she pants very heavily. The instructor scoffs finding it amusing.

"ALRIGHT YOU MAGGOTS! HEAD ONTO THE SHOWERS AND CLEAN YOURSELVES UP! YOU ALL LOOK LIKE PIGS AFTER CRAWLING IN THE MUD. MORE P.T AFTER THIS! OOHRA!