The main hall had emptied since the screening of the yellow mission. Yet, in the metallic corridors, the air still vibrated with hushed murmurs. The recruits hadn't slept well. Some were replaying the scene of the "inhabitant" of the pit, others were already dreaming of the TransEmotionals lurking in the shadows, especially me.
Asmara, she came out, head held high, followed by the squad, they headed back to the simulation room. She showed nothing. Her eyes, however, shone with a colder glow than usual.
I followed her, a step behind. There was a dull tension in the air, that of an invisible countdown.
The training arena
Once again in this transparent room which had seen all the sides of my weakness and especially my humiliation, the loudspeakers squeaked and the white masks were activated.
This time, the room's compartment resembled an amphitheater of metal and glass. Modular walls, lined with automatic trapdoors, could spit out targets, drones, or combat robots. Projectors filtered a harsh, almost surgical light.
Asmara entered first. Her recruits followed, nervous. Their hands could be seen trembling on the straps of their weapons.
I was at the back followed by the 4 new recruits.
An instructor, a massive, gray-haired figure, stepped forward. His cold gaze swept over the group. And he addressed Asmara.
- Today you're going to bleed a little. I put the test on full blast as you requested.
He snapped his fingers. Trapdoors in the ground opened. Four spidery drones were already emerging, their glowing eyes fixed on us.
-good luck
First exercise: reaction to shooting
"Omega Squad, defensive formation!" Asmara yelled.
The recruits complied,
But too slowly.
The first shot grazed my cheek, a millimeter more and I was on the ground.
I was shocked, panicked, even confused, my reflexes were confused
Asmara seizes me by the collar and shakes me violently
-Do you think we'll have time to recover you once we're on a mission? Stand up straight or I'll crush you myself.
I become calmer and take over.
-Sorry,..... Cover the corners. You two on the left. You on the right. Controlled fire, don't panic.
Silence
- Move! I shouted.
The recruits rushed in order, took their places and were ready to take charge.
Asmara drew her weapon and fired twice. Sparks flew, metal shattered. The drone collapsed.
She breathed, icy:
- all this time wasted giving orders and even to respect them you have to shout, you are useless
-you can….. You can at least stop putting me down
Silence
The recruits and the squad turned to stare at us.
-There can't be two leaders for the same team, you'll have to choose, either you follow us or you manage, Asmara yelled
-You have no authority to make this decision, it's not up to you to decide, I'm officially the boss, I murmured, a lump in my throat
-Yes, it's not up to me to decide, so go ahead, lead your team, Mr. Chief, she spat, glaring at me.
The instructor signaled. The projection was interrupted.
-calm down, settle your differences outside.
Asmara raises the point.
-Omega, forward. Let the "leader" lead his troops.
She turned around. Every step echoed. The squad covered themselves awkwardly, avoiding taking a real stand.
-We're not going, Asmara yelled.
Joy, who had been watching from the beginning, chuckled lowly.
-They are hard on you.
I gritted my teeth.
- Leave them alone, I know I'm not up to leading them anyway.
She slowly turned her gaze towards me, a thin smile on her lips.
- That's exactly why you have to take back your title, it's yours, you're the boss
In the hallway, panic was rising, Asmara was red with anger. The squad was dispersing, leaving space.
Asmara rugit :
-shit, shit, shit
Sadness tried to calm her down:
-Forget it, there's still the boss after all
-go join him then
Definitively breaking up the group which dispersed leaving her alone to her rage
Asmara found himself alone in the locker room, sweat sticking to his faces.
Asmara steps forward, arms crossed.
-You're all losers.
Roum, in spite of myself, I was looking for her:
-we must find her
A heavy silence followed his words.
Then, joy stared at me
-Are you serious, she does everything to put you down because she knows you're better than her, she's jealous and wants your place, and you want to look for her to apologize?, after what she did, no
A chill pierces the air.
-but the test, The Forest of Shadows... they say that no squad returns whole..., I can't do it alone
Joy glared at me.
- Then we will do it, Period.
She didn't leave and left with the rest of the recruits