"Reese, I'm giving your boy one chance." General Warren spoke loudly looking at me.

I was hiding my excitement by thin hair.

Beta was on loud speaker. "Really?!" He exclaimed and I giggled at his response.

"You doubted your officer or me?" Commander asked.

"I doubted myself, Sir. I had hoped that he'll earn it, but I wasn't sure that you'll give it to him. Still I pushed all of you. I didn't know if I was doing the right thing but hell yes! James did it!" His words sounded like a music to my ears. I enjoyed the little moment of victory.

"He didn't do it all alone, Reese. He made friends here who helped him." Commander said peeking through his eyes and my gaze fell on the floor like a thief caught red handed.

"Friends?" Beta asked.

"Yes. A group of youngster who want to make a separate team of their own because they don't want to work with the oldies." Commander said and Beta laughed loudly.

"You made me prouder if that was even possible, James." "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I sent him to break the clichés. He went one step further. I wanted young people to get into CCTC. He's going to be a part of young team. Brilliant!" Beta continued to laugh.

"Are you are calling me and my men old, Reese?" Commander warned and I stopped breathing.

"You want to hear a lie, sir?" Beta stopped laughing but his tone was still amused.

"I'll see you the next time we meet. We'll find out who is old and who's young." Commander had a little smile on his face though he sounded angry.

"I'm prepared. Shall I send some supplements for you, though?" Beta you're beating it! Don't forget my ass still rests on his land!

"No. You need it more than me." On his face! Commander chuckled knowing his move just left Beta with a closed mouth. There was no word spoken for next few moments.

"Okay Reese. James has been performing as a good cadet till now. I am yet to test him whether he deserves to stay here or leave. And no, you are not allowed to attend his tests." "Sir please! He is my-"

"Exactly why you're not allowed. He's your lad. You forced me to keep him. Now you pay for it too. I'll only allow you to attend his results." "Good reminder why a part of me hates you, sir. As you command. I won't attend his tests."

Both of them chuckle at those words.

Beta wished me luck before Warren cuts the call and I smiled happily. He is happy and proud. The endless tunnel finally showed some light.

"Don't take it for a single moment that you're in." General Warren's harsh tone kicked me down.

"I'm giving you a chance because Neil and Instructor Charles have given me the best results in field. The members he picked up are beyond great and I personally want to see them working as a team. But you -" He pointed at me before continuing. "My thoughts about you haven't changed a bit and I still want you out at the earliest."

I bent my neck down. "Yes sir."

"Neil has succeeded in turning the wheels in my brain twice but this time I know what I'm doing. I'm giving you just one chance to prove yourself, and that's it. You score less, you're out. I won't give it a second thought. Am I absolutely clear?" He didn't falter and I knew he's more serious than ever.

"Yes sir." I replied.

"I've got hundreds of calls from the HQ asking me why the fuck am I doing this. So don't think they're on your or Reese's side. You guys are alone - all on your own. Nobody expects or wants you to succeed. They are waiting for the day I announce termination of your trial period with a big 'No' on your report and they all can go back without any paperwork. They have no heart. So do I. You have one chance, James." "I'll try my level best, sir. And I understand that I should not expect any help or favour from anyone."

"You've always impressed me with your talent of reading between the lines. Give your best. Let's see if you can make history." He said calming down.

"Yes sir." I saluted him, turned around and left.

*********

A five mile run would mean nothing to me if I was running alone. But I never had imagined that a five mile run after having a sparring session with Blundell and a defeat payment from Charles could make me so miserable.

All the team members had decided to go all hulk on me - teaching me everything that I am supposed to know, to clear the tests. I won't call it cheating because it was next to impossible to keep up with it.

"So?" Neil asked panting.

"He told Beta about the test." I groaned.

"And...?" "And Beta was happy. But then General told me not to consider it my entry ticket ."

"That means he's still in the 'kick him out' mode. Damn these Commanders are so hard to please!" Marks remarked barely breathing.

After the run in nearly dead state, we reached CCTC. Poor Marks - he was hoping for some rest but was called by commander for dressing of his lip cut again.

He glared Neil one last time and left.

"What's that?" I ask Kelly guy who had a jar in his hand.

I was tired, hungry and in dire need of any form of H2O.

"Vanilla shake. Want a sip, sir?" He replied politely.

"Would love to!" I took the jar from his hand and took few huge gulps. The liquid reached my stomach before my taste buds could act. But once that happened, I gagged!

"What is this shit?!" I yell at Kelly running away to spit the shit in my mouth, most of it was going to throw itself up and out of my stomach too.

While Kelly and Neil laugh holding their tummies. I rinse my mouth and come back only to find them still laughing.

"What on earth was that crap, Kelly?!" "It's raw egg in milk. A sweet torture." Kelly replied like a sadist.

"And how dare you insult Vanilla!" I rushed to pounce him. No jokes with the Vanilla!

"Hey hey." Neil stepped in between and looked at me a little seriously. Though fucker still had the smile on his lips.

I waved the hellish flavour off my tongue earning another giggle from Kelly.

"Why would you punish yourself like that?" I asked him seriously.

"It's more like a treat to yourself." Kelly defended.

"Yeah right." Neil said sarcastically and I sniggered.

"What the big deal with it? You have an option to not drink it? Or Charles?" I asked him.

"Ofcourse it's instructor Charles. Who would drink that poison voluntarily?" Neil said gagging.

"You've tried it too?" "Yes. This smarty made me a fool too. Called it buttermilk." Neil complained and Kelly hid his smile behind his glass.

Now that's a good payback for Neil's torture, isn't it?

"It was compulsory. Now it's voluntary." Kelly said taking the last sip.

"What?!" Me and Neil exclaim together.

"That thing?" "You drink that shit at your own will?"

"It tastes horrible. But it's all you need. The perfect amount of proteins and fats. One jar in the morning and you're good to go till evening. No breakfast or lunch needed. Plus it takes hardly ten seconds to make it and gulp it down. Kind of helps when you have such a sweet trainer who gives you enough time to sit and eat." He whispered the last part and I laugh. Neil was still looking at him in disbelief.

"First the MREs. Now this muck. Your army is so short of proper food, I tell you!" Neil exasperated.

So he hates MREs too. Sad life. Great he didn't do his training at KMA. He would have died.

"So you mean you don't like the taste but you still drink it just because of all those reasons?" I asked him because I found all of it interesting.

"Yes sir. Every single morning. Sometimes in the evening too when I know I won't get time for dinner but I need fuel for the night. Works perfectly." He said proudly.

Damn. This man is deep dyed! His level of commitment and dedication is commendable! I'll never stop being inspired by him.

"How many days it took you to accept it yourself?" The horses in my brain were running and I was not going to stop them.

"Almost a week. Instructor Charles would supervise himself or ask me later if I had it or not. Ten days into it and I could feel it's effects myself. There onwards he never had to check."

"Wow. Ten days for him. That means almost a month for me." I said to myself. Well he is the epitome of sincerity. I'm not even half there.

And what's the harm in learning good habits from people that you know are genuinely working hard?

"You're not planning to add it to your routine, are you?" Neil asked me surprised.

"Why not?" "It tastes like puke!"

"Our workouts hurt like hell. Our trainers treat us like shit. Do we say no to all of them and leave it? There are so many things we do that we don't like but do it anyways because we know it's good for us. So what if it brings some discomfort?" "You never fail to amaze me, sir." Kelly spoke while Neil sat with his mouth open.

"It's you who never stops blowing my mind, Kelly." I reply.

"I'm honoured. But.. I'm pretty sure you'll want to give up the second day." He said winking.

"Aren't you going to be on my ass if I do that?" I laughed making him chuckle.

"Well then let's call today the lucky day. Come here." Kelly ordered me to make the muck myself and gulp it down in one go. It tried to make a comeback but his warning of you'll have to drink it back down if you let it come out was enough for me to control my gag reflex.

It's going to be difficult. Kelly was right.

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Hey! We met what, last year? 😉😉 You liked the surprise?

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Also, nostalgia hitting? Who remembers all those moments in 50PM? 😁😁

Comment HERE all the moments you remember!