The weekend passed in a blur, and Aidan couldn't find sleep Sunday night. He regretted not making it to the office party after his trip to Range 18, but his mind was too busy wondering what the next week would hold for his future.
He had spent the weekend writing several letters to his employer to inform them that he was quitting, but he couldn't bring himself to send any of them. After a few missed calls from Linda, he had typed up a similar number of texts but had the same problem. Part of him knew he was being a coward, but the other side justified the silence because he wasn't sure what he would be doing or if he would even like it. Everything felt too good to be true, and if he sent an email or a text acknowledging the situation, it would become all too real.
Sparky had made him feel a renewed sense of purpose in his office, but then Guzman had always been good at that. He always knew exactly what to do to give Adian a kick in the ass. As the day stretched, the former Marine had time to doubt the abrupt change to his life trajectory. The weekend that followed had well and truly cooled his enthusiasm. Aidan didn't know where he would live, what he would be doing, or anything about his future. It was an unusual state of affairs, even for a military man.
When the clock on Aidan's nightstand finally ticked 0300. He was already sitting on the edge of his bed, fully dressed. He rose to his feet with a small sigh, laced up his boots, and then headed out the door.
As Aidan drove up to Range 18, he realized he had no recollection of the drive over. It had passed in the same half-asleep state that had marked his weekend. This time, his car was the only one in the parking lot. Aidan left the car on for a few minutes as he second-guessed whether he had heard Guzman correctly. He was about to turn around and leave when he spotted a familiar face walking into the only light highlighting the range tower.
Aidan turned the key and stepped out of his Jeep. With a gesture, he locked the vehicle and then made his way to the tower. It wasn't Sparky waiting for him as he had expected. Instead, the Fed inclined his head in greeting.
"I'm happy to see that you took my advice."
Aidan shrugged as he asked, "So, you going to tell me what this is about? Or even who you are?"
"My name is Sean Marsh. I'm the System Management Coordinator for the System Fusion Center. I know that doesn't mean much to you now, but it will. If you have any problems, I'll be your primary point of contact."
Aidan knew about fusion centers. They were the primary collaboration tool between federal, state, and local intelligence organizations. They were designed to bring together state and federal government resources. Typically, their mission was counterterrorism. This organization sounded entirely different from the typical fusion center directive, but it was clear that Aidan wouldn't be learning what this new entity was responsible for until later.
The Fed shared an apologetic smile as he continued. "As for your first question, I can't, but it's not because I don't want to. It could affect the outcome if I tell you what's about to happen next."
"The outcome?" Aidan questioned.
"Yeah," Sean turned and gestured for Aidan to follow him as he continued.
"Think of this next part as a test. One where you obtain the best results if you take it without prior knowledge. Anything I can tell you would skew the results and lead to a suboptimal score.
The two men turned toward the small, dimly lit road along the range's edge. Aidan kept his silence until they had almost reached the 500-yard berm.
"What kind of test is it?" He asked quietly.
"We think it's something like a tutorial mixed with a behavioral exam," the coordinator answered as they reached a small shack behind the berm. Aidan knew this shack was usually where Range control would monitor the pits—the concrete and metal area wherein Marines would paper up targets and send them over the ledge for other Marines to shoot.
The Fed stepped inside the shack and gestured for Aidan to enter. Once they were both inside, Sean hit a button on the wall. There was a squealing, and then the entire floor started to lower. Aidan recognized a secret entrance when he saw one. Although, he had never been in a secure location hidden within a private shooting range.
The Fed ignored the lowering platform and spoke in a conversational tone. "We know the Russians, Chinese, and Japanese are briefing their people before they enter the test, and we've noticed worse but more consistent outcomes for their personnel."
Aidan raised an eyebrow. "Other countries are taking this test too?"
"Of course," the coordinator assented with a nod. "There's a reason the world is at peace right now, and it's because of this test."
The Fed paused as if to think. "Well, more because of what this test represents. Regardless, we can't run as many people through the test as our Chinese adversaries, so we're gambling that our people will have better outcomes."
"Quality over quantity," Aidan noted.
"Exactly," the Fed agreed.
Aidan wasn't surprised. That had always been the American strategy. Their weapon systems were always more expensive, but every time there was a conflict, American ingenuity prevailed over the number of enemy forces.
The two men took about fifteen minutes to reach the elevator shaft's bottom. When they arrived, the doors automatically opened to reveal a sterile concrete and steel government facility. Both men exited without saying anything, and Aidan dropped back to follow the coordinator.
Every few feet, Aidan noticed automatic turrets, defensive emplacements, and alcoves where a defending force could find cover. The veteran had been in several secure facilities, including top-secret black sites, but he had never seen so much security for one location.
It wasn't long before they reached the end of the industrial hallway and found themselves at a thick steel door. The Fed walked up and placed his head on a small chin rest while pressing one of his thumbs against an embedded scanner. It only took half a second for the system to recognize his identity and grant him access.
As the heavy door swung open, the Fed glanced back at Aidan. "Don't worry; your biometrics were uploaded to the system already. We already had them on file, so the next time you enter, you'll be able to access it yourself."
Aidan nodded his assent. He wanted to ask more questions but had already realized that the Fed wouldn't answer them. He sensed that the government worker had been as forthcoming as he could.
They found themselves in a large locker room that could've held items for a few thousand people when they passed through the door. The bisected area held sections for both men and women, and he spotted a few people changing out of their civilian or military attire into a form-fitting black skin suit.
The Fed observed his reaction and allowed Aidan to get his bearing before leading them on. "Your locker is G7 on the male side. There are multiple access points to this room. Depending on how the next few days shake out, you might decide that another entrance is more suitable. We ask that you change up which access point you enter every now and then."
Aidan mutely nodded as he followed Sean to his locker. He noticed a few other hallways branching away from the locker room.
"There are more rooms down here," he noted.
"Yeah," the Fed assured. "There are recreational rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, places to sleep, etc. Anything you might need to survive is down here. Most people prefer staying down here instead of returning to the surface."
"That's kind of weird," Aidan noted.
"Nah, not really. The people who work here don't spend much time on this side of things." the Fed disagreed. "You'll see for yourself."
Aidan realized that there was still something he was missing. Evidently, his new mission would take place totally and entirely in the subterranean depths of this secure facility. He wouldn't be flying out to the Middle East or China. He became concerned that this wasn't what he thought it would be. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself as they reached the locker marked G7.
"Alright, change out of your civvies, hand me your car keys, and change over into the skin suit in your locker."
"Hand you my keys?" Aidan questioned.
"Yeah, you didn't notice the empty lot?" The Fed chuckled. "We'll have someone move your car to a secure storage facility nearby. You'll be able to claim it at any time."
Aidan was slowly growing irritated at how cryptic the entire situation was. With a roll of his eyes, he fished his keys from his pocket and tossed them to the coordinator. The man caught the keys smoothly, making Aidan even more annoyed. A part of him wished the Fed would've fumbled the keys. To suppress his growing annoyance, he turned and quickly changed out of his clothes. The Fed had diplomatically turned away, but Aidan didn't care about his modesty.
"Skivvies, too?" He clarified.
"Underwear, too," the Fed agreed.
Aidan got completely nude and then folded his clothes carefully on the bench in front of the locker. He opened his locker and pulled out the matte black suit waiting for him. The former Marine shook it out and noticed it was all one piece. He gingerly sat on the metal bench and placed his feet into the suit. It was somewhat like a wetsuit except far thinner and more pliable.
"The skinsuit is a brand new technology," Sean helpfully informed." It's a carbon nanocomposite bodysuit that serves several vital functions. It won't outright stop a bullet, but it's solid compared to how light the material is. It's fire-resistant, insect-repelling, and pretty much abrasion-proof. It'll help regulate your body temperature even in extreme environments and serve as a communication layer between you and whatever gear you wear in the future. Our engineers have high hopes for its continued development. It's the only item we know of that will follow you into the tutorial."
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"Where did we get it from?" Aidan asked as he got his arms through and the suit over his shoulders. He was surprised at how comfortable the material was. He reached down to look for a zipper and was shocked to discover that the suit crawled across his skin to seal itself. He carefully shifted to ensure the rapidly closing garment wouldn't snag on his boys.
"Well, that was close," he wryly noted.
He heard the Fed chuckle as the man turned toward him. "That's classified for now. Just know that it's one of the most advanced pieces of technology we've ever developed, and we think there are ways to improve it even more."
Sean gave a meaningful glance at the other man. "Also, putting it on for the first time is always a little dicey," he joked.
Aidan picked up his civilian clothes and placed them carefully in the locker. He closed the door and gestured to the Fed. "Ready when you are."
"Cool," the Fed turned and began leading Aidan through the rest of the locker. "One thing you should know about what happens next so that you don't freak out."
Aidan immediately grew wary. His intuition turned out to be right as the Fed continued. "We're going to be putting you in something like suspended animation. There's going to be a slimy sort of liquid that fills your pod. It's some kind of wonder water that keeps you alive. The important thing is not to hold your breath. You're not going to drown, and you're not even conscious by the time it enters your lungs."
Aidan cursed and was about to respond when the two men finally reached the end of the large locker room. They passed through a doorway, and Aidan was shocked to find row after row of human-sized, black metal containers standing upright. He watched as one or two people stepped up to the contraption, opened the door, and entered. The door shut after them with a pneumatic hiss.
"What the fuck are those coffins?" Aidan hissed.
The coordinator shifted his weight. "I'd rather you not call them coffins. It's bad luck. Anyway, they're pods. They're what will protect you—"
"—protect me from what?" Aidan interrupted.
"I'm not at liberty to say. That would compromise the test." Sean sounded genuinely apologetic. "Know that they have an onboard nuclear power source, and the liquid inside can keep you alive for as long as the battery lasts—which is practically forever. The outside is a newly discovered composite that could withstand a direct hit from a tomahawk missile."
The Fed gestured to the room around them with its vast sloping reinforced concrete ceilings. Aidan glanced around and saw even more of the coffins being stored on shelves taking up the length of an entire wall. As he watched, automated machinery placed coffins in concrete receptacles or took them out based on unseen directions. Aidan was stunned by the sheer scale of the facility. There were probably a thousand pods in use, and there looked like there was space for thousands more.
"All of this," the Fed continued, "Is to keep your body safe. It will be scary at first, but I promise you'll feel more comfortable knowing this is here to protect you."
Aiden took a deep breath to center himself. His stomach was churning, and his heart was beating unevenly. After a few more breaths, he felt like he had taken control of his faculties.
"Okay, take me to my pod."
The coordinator nodded without another word, guided him to a nearby pod, and placed his hand on the metal shell.
"I can't open it for you for security reasons. Go ahead and place your palm on the pod like this. It'll open right up."
Sean backed up to give Aidan room as the veteran copied the other man's gesture. Sure enough, the pod door opened up on invisible seams. There wasn't a window or view screen to separate his pod from the others. Only a tiny "G7" in white paint was on the top corner.
Aidan stepped inside without a look back, and the pod door sealed itself behind him. He was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, and it took all of the discipline that Aidan could muster not to feel claustrophobic. There was just enough room for the veteran to turn himself around to face the front of the pod. As if facing the front of the coffin was a cue, he could hear a slight gurgling from the bottom of the container. A relatively cool liquid started filling the bottom of the casket. It was cool at first, but then it warmed until he could barely feel it. If it weren't for the quickly rising fluid eliciting a slight tingling along the surface of the skinsuit, he couldn't be sure that he would feel the liquid at all.
When the water reached his neck, Aidan started to take even breaths in and out. The Fed had told him that he would be unconscious before the water entered his lungs, but he couldn't help wondering if the man had been wrong. What would happen if there was a malfunction in his pod? How would anyone know? If he was the only person who could open the pod, how would they keep him from drowning?
The thoughts were coming unbidden one after the other, and a rising panic was spreading through his chest. Despite the coordinator's assurances, Aidan started holding his breath. The liquid quickly overtook his mouth and covered up his nose. The veteran felt helpless as there wasn't even enough space in the pod to raise his arms to cover his face. The water filled the claustrophobic chamber in a matter of seconds, and Aidan cursed the efficiency of the engineer that designed the system.
The former Marine began to hold his breath for as long as he could, but the quietness and relative peace of the pod slowly calmed his raging mind. Something in the liquid relaxed him, and unbidden, he opened his mouth. That should've worried Aidan, but he had already surrendered to the darkness before the liquid splashed down his mouth and throat.
Aidan opened his eyes after what felt like mere moments. He was lying on the cool ground, staring at a dimly lit ceiling. He could see vapor exiting vents in the metal panel next to painted pipes that led to the edges of the small room. Everything was pulsing red as hazard lights illuminated the room before going dark again.
It took a full minute for Aidan's memory to come crashing back. He was in a pod. He was taking part in a test. He didn't know any details—only that he was competing in a trial and there was such a thing as a high score. At the very least, he needed to get moving. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, and he shot up. As he did, small text appeared in the corner of his vision.
MlSSION: Investigate the UNS Vanguard (AA-1)
REWARD: Variable
Aidan frowned at the text. To his knowledge, all U.S ships were named with the prefix, USS, for United States Ship. He could guess that the unfamiliar prefix in his vision stood for the United Nations, but the name didn't match any naming convention he knew. The name didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but he was trying to orient himself to the tutorial's timeline and purpose.
The Marine took a glance around. He appeared to be inside the storage room of a naval ship. At least, that's what it looked like at first glance. Upon further inspection, metal storage containers were stacked around the room's perimiter and secured using thin cables. The floor, walls, and ceiling all appeared to be an unknown type of dark gray metal composite. The room's infrastructure looked far more modern than he was used to despite the familiar feel of the layout. He concluded that he wasn't inside a naval ship from Earth.
Maybe it's a spaceship? He wondered.
He stood up and turned his attention to the text slowly fading away. It was imprinted on his vision like a Heads-up-Display from video games or in some vehicles. He had heard that some of the newest fighter jets used similar technologies to assist their pilots. He reached up to touch his face and found no goggles, glasses, or other optic equipment.
His only guess was that he was in some form of virtual or augmented reality. The pod from the real world must have allowed him to interface with this new reality. It was either that, or Marsh had drugged him, and he was living out his fantasies in a science-fiction fever dream. If the Fed hadn't lied and he was the only person who could open the pod, then that favored the virtual reality explanation over the drugged one.
Knowing that it was a kind of advanced training exercise, Aidan was determined to do well. The former Marine immediately assessed his surroundings. He wore the same body suit issued to him before entering the pod. The matte black protective garment covered his feet and hands in a comfortable, breathable material. Beyond that, he had no weapons or equipment. It was an uncomfortable situation he wanted to rectify soon. He looked around the room and only found a couple of crates that looked accessible. The other containers were so firmly secured that he doubted his ability to raid their contents without specialized equipment.
Aidan approached the closest containers and noted their similar appearance to the metal coffin that transported him here. That was a subtle hint that searching them was part of the exercise. Unfortunately, there was no straightforward method by which to open them. He pressed his palm against the metal on a whim, and it smoothly opened with a click. Aidan peered inside and found a weapon that was both familiar and alien to him. Text appeared in his vision to confirm what he recognized.
SM3/C Special Combat Assault Rifle
Again, the item's nomenclature was strange to him. Usually, it was called an FN SCAR after the manufacturer FN Herstal. This one just indicated that it was a military standard SCAR. To his knowledge, the U.S. military didn't typically manufacture weaponry and usually farmed out contracts to civilian organizations like his current employer. When the equipment was introduced to the military classification system, it typically retained something of the original manufacturer's terminology.
The suffix was also irregular. A SCAR's suffix told the user whether it was a light or heavy variant, which determined the type of round it fired. 'C' was an unknown marking, but a cursory glance at the magazines told him that it probably stood for directed energy. The magazines were almost the same as the ones he had demoed for Guzman's unit a couple of days before.
He wished he could see more information about the weapon, and something in his thoughts made the strange floating text respond.
Access Denied. This functionality is locked until you exit the tutorial.
Aidan felt he had revealed an essential part of this virtual world despite being denied. Suppose it was like any other video game he had played over the years. In that case, he should be able to see more information like his character sheet, abilities, minimap, and other helpful information.
He spent a few minutes trying various mental commands to access those types of information, and each time he was greeted with the same' access denied' message.
The former Marine wasn't discouraged. On the contrary, the mere presence of a message confirmed his suspicions about the tutorial's game-like qualities. He decided to move on to more practical concerns.
Smiling, Aidan picked up the rifle and adjusted the stock to fit him perfectly. He slammed one of the magazines home and disengaged the safety on the side. A few more magazines were nestled in the fitted container, but Aidan didn't pick them up yet. He had nothing to store them, and it would be awkward to try and carry three magazines in his hand. There wasn't a recoil from DEWs, but that didn't mean trying to chicken wing the rifle and fire without aiming would be more effective than having less ammunition but having more accuracy.
With a sigh, he engaged the safety and placed the rifle back into its container. He would pick it back up if there were nothing else he could find in the room. He turned to the only other loose container in the room and opened it with a palm. Again, another familiar piece of equipment greeted him.
SM2/BBA Medium Plate Carrier
The gray plate carrier had three magazine pouches attached to the front and was already filled with protective plates. A glance inside the carrier revealed white, glossy plates that looked like a cross between ceramic and steel. It wasn't a material that Aidan was familiar with but focusing on the plates only rewarded him with another denial message. Shrugging, Aidan donned the carrier and adjusted the size until it fit him perfectly. While sizing it, he noticed another white ceramisteel interface on the back. There were electronic receptacles that looked like they could be used to equip other gear. Seeing nothing that could fit from inside the container, Aidan ignored it for a moment.
The only things left in the box were a thigh holster, a pistol, and a few pistol magazines. Aidan strapped on the thigh holster and then checked the description of the gun.
SM2/C Modular Pistol
Again, the weapon had the strange prefix, but otherwise, it looked like a DEW version of the Glock 19, which Aidan was very familiar with. He didn't bother investigating further. The former Marine placed a magazine into the pistol and slipped it into the holster. He didn't take the extra batteries because the holster didn't have a dedicated place to store them.
Instead, he slipped back to the first container and stored his magazine pouches with batteries. The pockets were nylon without the fancy elastic retainers, but that wasn't a problem for Aidan. As he slipped the tops of the pouches behind the magazines, he realized they weren't precisely nylon. The fabric was smooth and had a slight shimmering quality that he wasn't used to. It was a fascinating material, and he wished the tutorial would let him inspect the properties of his gear. He was only somewhat comfortable going into an unknown situation with unknown equipment.
"Shit happens," he philosophically noted to himself.
Magazines stowed, he picked up his rifle once again. He spared a last look around the room to see if he was missing anything. When he was sure he wouldn't be able to salvage anything else, he headed for the door.
Aidan opened the door by placing a hand on the waiting access pad and stared down his sights at the scene beyond. Carnage awaited him.