The day was bright and fruitful or so Cali thought as she is unable to see the outside world. Cali felt energetic today, getting her uniform on she got out before the alarm rang. She stood before the grand hall where the vehicles stood. Everyone started leaving their dorms but Boss and Mother stood at the edge of the hall on the left.

Boss: "Chop chop everyone!"

Cali catches up with them: "Hey Boss, Mother, what are we doing today."

Boss: "Nice to see you in spirits."

Mother: "There she is."

Boss: "We are training in firearms today also our tech and how to use it."

Mother smiles as if her question is innocent: "Have you ever used a gun and or killed someone with it."

Boss answers for Cali: "No she hasn't, and I don't think we need to talk about killing right now, just on how to use a firearm."

Mother: "Oh, right."

Mother shoots another smile as both Boss and Mother turn around.

Boss: "Follow me, everyone!"

Cali sticks close to them, walking on The Boss's left side. Boss smirks, Cali's determination surprises Boss in a good way. The crew pass by the cafeteria heading right, they make it past all the training equipment and work out areas to the shooting range filled with a variety of guns and lengths of ranges. Everyone lines up in an orderly fashion with Salem and a new face are quartermaster. A gun nut came into mind at first glance, his hair is wild like a mad scientist.

Boss: "Meet Kicks, our tinker and nutty professor."

Kicks has a small shake either from testing explosive or being born with it but it adds to his explosive energy.

Kicks talking quickly: "Hi! It is nice to finally meet you in person! I already knew you but from afar, don't you know what I mean!"

Kicks shook her hand rapidly over the counter, knocking over a few guns.

Cali: "Nice to meet you too."

Boss intervenes: "That is enough you quack."

She shoves him back to his post with a thud as he lands on his ass.

Kicks: "Sorry Boss!"

Boss: "Don't worry about just, get to work."

She directs her attention to Salem who caught the falling weapons with his biceps, He walks over to hang the guns on a rack for each category of weapon.

Salem: "You are lucky I made sure the magazines aren't in."

He walks over to Rex who was next in line, handing him a Barrett REC7 (Assult rifle) and two magazines.

Salem: "What can I do for ya Boss."

Boss: "I need to train the rookie here."

Salem: "Gotcha."

He turns to the rack behind him, with a press of a button the rack rotates to the handguns section. He takes a second hovering his hand over a few options before choosing, he walks back over laying down the handgun on the counter with two magazines beside it and a pair of headphones and glasses.

Salem: "Viola, a Ruger Sr22."

Boss picks up the headphones, glasses, and gun, strolling to an open range with Cali in tow.

Ash and Ashly write their names down on a clipboard "Ash and Ashley: Barrett .416 model 99 (Sniper rifle)."

He picks the clipboard and does a "hmm" noise as he picks two rifles from a rack behind him and places them gently on the counter.

Salem: "Ah, trying again I see. I hope you can handle it this time, at least be careful you two."

Ash and Ashley: "We will."

They pull their massive snipers from the counter and walk to a lane that can withstand the caliber of that weapon. They walk past the twins and Mother who is holding an RPG on her shoulders showing no strain on her as she lets it rip into a target. She makes it look easy, standing straight up without even preparing herself for the blowback, it hits her mark blowing it up to smithereens. The two take an empty lane on the far right, away from everyone. Cali stands by as The Boss shows her the works of the weapon.

The Boss: "Before you do anything, you want to know where your fingers are. Rule number one, always keep your finger off the trigger, rule number two, do, not, point any gun at anyone loaded or not. This is not a toy, this can take someone's life, now with that done. I have to show you the parts of this gun."

She slips a mag into the Ruger then brings Cali close: "See this button, it is to eject the mag."

She presses it ejecting it then putting the mag back in.

Boss: "The button is ambidextrous. The next is the safety."

She puts her trigger finger away from the trigger as she shows Cali, Boss flicks the safety off then on.

Boss: "When you see the red that means safety is off and ready to fire, *click when you don't see the red dot then safety is on but still don't point any gun at anyone."

Cali listens like she is being shown the way of life and the answer to life itself. Cali felt a warm feeling when The Boss taught her things, it felt like bonding time for Cali. IN Cali's eyes, The Boss looked like she was in her element when it came to guns and how to handle them. The Boss points at slide stop as she pops the magazine out having the slide go back.

Boss: "This stops the slide from going back usually meaning your gun is out of ammo. Okay, now that I taught you the feature of the gun, it is time for your stance."

Boss stands with her legs firmly put and her arms are extended with the pistol held with both hands near the centerline of her body.

Boss: "This is the Isosceles stance, a classic stance but outdated, you are going to be using this stance, for now, just to get the feel of the weapon and its recoil which this gun barely has. This stance won't really be useful in a firefight but it is a nice starter stance."

Cali: "What stance do you use."

Boss: "The weaver stance or if I am feeling a bit showy, just shooting with one hand pointed outwards."

Boss loads the magazine: "Okay, get ready."

Cali prepares herself for the bang, Boss shoots the target's body hitting the bullseye eight out of ten times, she doesn't flinch as she fires, not even a blink. In the ninth shot, the bullet got jammed in the gun. She pulls back the slide and takes out the bullet, showing her.

Boss: "Sometimes the gun jams and so you slide it back and take the bullet out."

Cali nods as Boss shoots one last time before the pistol slides back.

Boss: "Now it is your turn, for starters I want you to eject the mag."

Boss flicks the safety on, handing the gun to her as Cali slowly picks up the light pistol with her finger off the trigger already putting a smile on the Boss's face. She clicks the button next to the trigger ejecting the mag.

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Cali, looking for confirmation: "Did I do it right?"

Boss: "Yes, you are doing well so far, what is next."

Cali grabs the other mag, sliding it in as it clicks in place.

Boss: "Good, next."

Cali pulls back the slide then gets into her stance, Boss corrects her arms making sure she is ready to fire.

Boss: "Next."

Cali flicks the safety off, now with a loaded gun, she points it at the body of the newly replaced target.

Boss: "Now take a deep breath and aim down your sights, fire when ready."

Cali breathes in then out firing her first shot closing her eyes as she fired. The bullet nicks the outer ring of the target as the ear-piercing sound goes off.

Cali: "Did I do good?"

Boss: "Yes, you just need to work on it and you will be fine."

Cali prepares herself for another, she aims down sight squeezing the trigger, firing another one as the bullet casing flies out the top and the bullet flies toward the target nailing the inner rim.

Boss: "Good job."

Cali couldn't help but feel good so she continued firing, hitting the target closer and closer to the bullseye each time. *Click, the slide goes back telling her she's out of ammo.

Cali: "That felt amazing!"

Boss: "Glad to hear it now let's work on getting you a weapon with more kick."

The two walk out of the gun range as Cali fangirls over The Boss: "How can you hold that and not struggle to keep it on your shoulders."

Boss: "Because I been doing this for seven years now and probably used every gun in this facility."

Boss and Cali walked across the enormous training facility that made the grand hall look like a theater room. They make it the entrance and next to it is a building labeled "Armory" sitting in its own area. Boss enters with her overwhelming aura getting the attention of the lady sitting with her legs kicked up on the counter. She falls over and immediately jumps up with a posture as straight as a nail.

Lady with a retro hairstyle: "Sorry Boss! I didn't know you were coming today."

Her hairstyle is a dark brown beehive with a black hairband, and glasses with bite marks on the tips; she has a nose piercing and a butterfly tattoo on her neck.

Boss: "Relax Sam, I am just showing around the newbie."

Sam's posture relaxes as she lends on the counter: "Oh, so this is the newbie I heard so much about. How are you doing."

Cali: "I am doing great! We just got back from the shooting range."

Sam: "Really? You are one lucky gal to have Boss train you."

Cali: "Why is that?"

Sam: "She never trains one on one, you were lucky Rex wasn't training you, or else you might have shot someone."

Cali stares at Boss like a goddess as the Boss talks to Sam about new tech.

Cali in her head: "Why is she giving me special treatment, I need to figure out what is going on but thank you, Boss."

Boss: "Cali, Come check this new gadget."

Cali hops to it admiring the clothes-changing tool that makes it look like you are wearing everyday clothing but you are actually in their military armor.

Boss: "This will make missions so much easier just in case we need to go loud."

Cail walks around aimlessly, admiring all the expansive gadgets like art in a museum, one tiny gadget catches her eye. She pushes the other gadgets aside and reaches far into the back of the self, grabbing ahold of it, and tugging on it. It is snagged on night vision headgear, with one hard pull, it comes loose as does an assortment of gadgets too landing on her. Cali gets buried in the background as Boss and Sam are still chatting it up. She shoves the gadgets aside with one hand, holding onto the item with the other. The noisy eighteen-year-old opens her hand, inside her hand sat a watch with etchings of 'Number two, The Viper' lasered into the silver frame. The mess catches the Boss's eye as well, she walks to her with an almost disappointed look.

Boss: "I can't leave you for five seconds and you already trashed the place."

Cali slips the watch in her pocket as she stands up.

Cali: "Sorry Boss."

She starts picking up her mess but Sam stops her.

Sam: "Leave it there."

Cali: "No I got it."

Sam: "Don't worry about it, I need to sort out the old tech anyway."

Cali: "Okay, sorry anyways."

Sam: "It is fine, plus I think the Boss wants to show you around a little more."

She points at the door to where the Boss has already left, Cali hops to it, catching up to the Boss. She waits with her back facing Cali ready to start walking as soon as she catches up. The two start to walk to the cafeteria while having a one-sided conversation.

Cali: "Sooo, when did you get taken in."

Boss: "That's classified."

Cali: "Okay what about~, oh yeah! What work did you do before joining!"

Boss: "Classified."

Cali: "Oh come on, you got to tell me something, you probably know everything about me."

Boss ignores her walking into the cafeteria for lunch, Boss skips the line that Hannah, Jane, and Anthony have been waiting in. They made no comment as she ordered her food and went for a table, Cali on the other hand, waited patiently in the line, getting a hamburger from Rex who looks irritated with the job.

Rex: "Enjoy."

Cali: "Thanks!"

She walks off to join Boss who is chatting with Mother and Salem, Cali squeezes in between them trying to join the fun.

Cali: "What is going on."

Salem: "You got guts."

Cali: "why do you say that?"

Salem: "You don't bother Boss when she is eating unless you want to pay with pain."

Boss: "Ah leave her, she is just a newbie."

Salem: "Whatever you say, Boss."

Cali bombards them with questions: "What are you doing Mother."

Mother covering her mouth when speaking: "Eating dear."

Cali: "Oh, right. What about you Salem."

Salem: "Also eating."

Cali was going to ask Boss but her glare at her stops her in her tracks, she moves on from the question of what they are doing now to later.

Cali: "What's planned for tomorrow."

Boss speaks casually putting the others in a skeptical way as she talks to the noob nonchalantly.

Boss: "We are going on a mission tomorrow."

Cali: "What kind of mission?"

Boss: "A super deadly mission where the chance of one of us dying is above sixty percent."

Cali: "Wow! So what is the mission, kill a prime minister or take out a president."

Boss: "Nope."

Cali: "Well, what are you doing."

Boss turns her head to her, her eyes are droopy and bags under eyes, she stares at Cali for a moment, seeing the joyful look all newbies had coming here only to realize it is not sun and rainbows. Her stare makes Cali uneasy, she looks away.

Boss: "Nothing kid, go talk to Anthony, I need to have a little chat with Mother and Salem."

Cali gets up, a little shaken but okay, she sits across from Anthony who is enjoying a meatloaf with bottled water.

Anthony: "Hey Cali."

Cali gloomy: "Hey."

Anthony: "What's wrong, did Boss chew you out."

Cali: "No, I feel like Boss is holding something that is tearing her apart, and, I feel it has to do with me."

Being the doctor of the group, Anthony grew sagacious in his years of watching from the sidelines.

Anthony: "The Boss has gone through a lot of things, stressful gunfights where one of us was bleeding out and she had to make a choice. Others about what direction she wants to move the organization, while she is carrying us on her shoulders. I think all we can do to help her is be good subordinates and follow her command."

Cali: "Thanks Anthony."

Anthony: "Anytime, just be careful of what you say about the Boss, not everyone here likes The Boss's judgment."

He eyes Rex from the corner of his eye before refocusing back on Cali.

Cali: "Got it, thanks again for the tips."

Anthony: "Don't worry about it."

As they finish James and Veronica swoop in, James slides to Anthony's side while Veronica to Cali's side.

James: "What are you two derps doing."

He has his arm resting on Anthony's head. Anthony retaliates by hitting a pressure point in the arm, turning it into a noodle. James freaks out trying to shake it awake but failing.

James: "I was just trying to start a conversation you ass!"

Anthony: "Well sucks for you."

James is occupied with his arm while Veronica asks questions.

Veronica: "How is it going newbie, having trouble fitting in."

Her silvery voice never fails to calm the senses, Cali lets the words flow out.

Cali: "I am fitting in great! I love it here! It feels like I can never get bored here."

Veronica: "I wish I had your optimistic attitude towards things, but I would like to get out once in a while and not on missions. Actually, I saw you buddy-buddy with the Boss, maybe you can ask to let us out and have fun once in a while."

Cali: "I will ask, just don't get your hopes up."

Veronica: "I always knew you will be my favorite."

Anthony: "Didn't you say that she would last a day here."

Veronica stares daggers at Anthony, shutting him up quickly. Cali stretches her arms, still feeling the vibrations from the gun.

Cali: "I think I am going to call it a day."

She stands up slowly, from across the room The Boss swipes the tray off the table and stomps off. It put the four on edge.

James: "That doesn't look good."

Veronica: "She only does that when she is furious."

Cali: "Where is she going?"

Anthony also gets up: "To go train some more, she usually goes through three punching bags when she is this mad."

He picks up the tray and the food and drink that lays scattered on the floor. He walks over to throw away the food and comes back to the table. Ash and Ashley walk to the table.

Both: "May we join you."

Cali: "It is all yours."

They sat in her spot as she waved to them as she left for the training facility. It was a ghost town, the eerily quietness was broken by grunts echoing through the facility. Cali finds Boss at the weights and punching bag where Salem usually resides at. The bag she is hammering at is old and beat with a few tears, she glances at Cali then immediately punches with full force, puncturing the poor bag and ripping her hand out of it as its insides flow out onto the floor. She unhooks the defeated bag and tosses it aside and picks up a new one that was laying with the other soon-to-be used punching bags. She hooks it on the beam rolling mound and gets to kicking.

Boss breathing hard: "What do you want!"

Cali: "Just came to check on you."

Boss: "I don't need a mother!"

Boss switches to kicks that are just as brutal as the punches, with one well-placed roundhouse kick, the bag slide down the rolling mound making it to the very end before violently yanking back. She walks over to the other side, her face all red. Her hands are wrapped with bandages with blood seeping through, she clearly was furious about the decision but Cali didn't want to push her.

Cali: "I just wanted to check on you, and say, thanks for taking me in."

Cali turns away walking away.

Boss: "You won't be thanking me tomorrow."

Cali was out of earshot as the punching bag hid her words.

#

Cali sluggishly opens her door closing it softly behind her, plopping down on the bed, finally getting alone time. She reaches into her pocket pulling the watch out, the design felt more captured to a woman and the 'Viper' etching mostly likely means it was a woman.

Cali rubbing the watch: "So number two must be a woman with the nickname viper."

It felt somewhat familiar to her but she had no clue what. Cali got changed and got a new set of clothes for tomorrow.

Cali: "I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a doozy."

She closes her eyes, mentally preparing herself for what is to come.