'So we're not meant to hide completely…'
That thought didn't sit well with him. Before he could think on it more, the drill sergeant stepped forward. The shift in attention was immediate.
Even now, after weeks of this, the man didn't need to raise his voice to command focus. He just stood there, looking over them, and that was enough.
"You're probably wondering why you're standing in front of this place," he said, gesturing back toward the town. There was a slight edge of sarcasm in his tone, but it didn't take away from the weight behind it. A few recruits shifted slightly, but no one spoke.
"This is your next exercise."
He let that settle for a second before continuing.
"You'll be moving through this town in small units. Treat it like a real operation, because that's exactly what it's meant to simulate."
Mercer felt his grip tighten just slightly.
'So this isn't just another endurance test…'
The drill sergeant turned and pointed toward the far end of the town. Even in the low light, the building stood out. It was larger than the others, its structure still mostly intact. On top of it, several blue flags hung, barely visible as they moved in the night air.
"That's your objective," the sergeant said. "Your job is to reach it and secure it."
He turned back to face them.
"You'll be doing this in teams of four. I'll be assigning those teams myself."
A quiet tension moved through the group. People weren't just thinking about the objective anymore, they were thinking about who they'd be paired with.
Mercer felt that thought settle in his own mind.
'Teams of four…'
His eyes shifted slightly, almost unconsciously. Elliot, Asher. He didn't say anything, but the hope was there. The drill sergeant stepped closer, his voice lowering just enough to force them to listen more carefully.
"There will be hostiles inside the town," he said. "Your job is to identify and eliminate them as you move toward the objective."
A few recruits straightened slightly at that.
Then the sergeant's expression hardened.
"But listen carefully."
Something in his tone made the air feel tighter.
"There will also be civilians mixed in."
That got a reaction. Not loud, but noticeable. A few heads shifted, a couple of recruits exchanged quick glances. Mercer felt it too. A different kind of pressure.
'So it's not just about hitting targets… it's about knowing when not to.'
"You are not to fire on civilians," the drill sergeant continued, his voice sharp now. "Not by mistake. Not under pressure. Not because you weren't paying attention."
He let that sit for a moment before finishing.
"If you so much as graze one, you fail. And trust me, you won't like what comes after that."
No one responded right away. Then, almost on instinct
"Yes, Drill Sergeant!"
The response came out strong, but there was something under it now. Not fear exactly, but awareness. This wasn't simple. The drill sergeant scanned them one more time, then gave a short nod.
"Good."
He took a step back.
"Check your gear. Stay sharp. I'll be calling out your teams."
The formation loosened slightly as recruits began adjusting straps, checking weapons, and exchanging quiet words with the people near them.
Mercer didn't move much. He just stood there for a second, looking out at the town again. The silence coming from it felt… wrong.
'This is going to be different,' he thought. 'Not just physically. One wrong decision in there, and it's over.' He exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the rifle.
Then he glanced to the side, looking for familiar faces as the names were about to be called.
The drill sergeant moved down the line, calling out names with sharp precision as he split the recruits into groups of four. There was no discussion, no room to argue. You went where you were told.
When Mercer heard his name called alongside Asher and Elliot, a small part of him relaxed. That feeling didn't last. The fourth name followed immediately after caused his gut to wrench. Silas.
Mercer didn't react outwardly, but his shoulders tightened just slightly. Of everyone in training, Silas was the one person he had kept his distance from. It wasn't anything obvious or easy to point to. The man barely spoke, never caused problems, never stood out in a loud way.
But there was something off about him. It was in his eyes.
Cold, sharp, and always watching. Not in the same way the drill sergeant watched for mistakes, but in a way that felt… personal. Like he was measuring people, picking them apart without ever saying a word.
And now he was part of their team. The four of them were moved to the side, away from the others, waiting near the entrance to the town. The silence between them didn't feel normal. It wasn't just quiet—it felt tense, like something unspoken was sitting right in the middle of the group.
Mercer shifted his grip on the rifle, glancing once at Silas before looking back toward the dark streets ahead.
'Yea… this is going to get complicated.'