14th January 2030
08:50
Training Ground-04, New Eden
The four of them follow Major Lopez on the ground. They find themselves in a gray room. There were weapons all over the walls and their ammo was kept on tables under them.
Major Lopez looks at them and says, "Before I can improve you, I need to see your skills first. Pick up any weapons you would like to use. You're going to have a free-for-all fight. Don't worry about shooting each other. All of these weapons are loaded with non-lethal rounds and the melees are made of rubber. I'll be watching over you. Annabelle, if I'm correct you're a non-combatant. You'll be with me."
The three of them get to the walls and start looking. Jacob picks up a 100-round FN Minimi LMG, Sohel takes a 10-round SIG Sauer P320 and Naomi takes a Ka-Bar combat knife. Jacob moves to the table to take a spare magazine but Maj. Lopez stops him, "Nah-ah, Make your bullets count."
He looks at everybody and says, "Now, go through the door and you'll find your battleground."
Maj. Lopez and Annabelle go through another and up a staircase. There was what looked like an observation room with a wall on the side of the field made with glass and a microphone kept on a table in front of it. The other three went through the first door and found themselves on the battlefield. The battlefield was a huge round area with containers kept on the sides and a huge open space in the middle. Maj. Lopez says through the Mic, "Jacob, You stay there. That's point A. Sohel and Naomi, both of you walk along the left and right sides of the field. You'll find Points B and C. Your position is there. On my bell, you'll start."
All three of them take their position. Just as the sound of the bell is heard, Jacob runs and climbs on top of a container. He locates Naomi venturing through the container straight in front of him and starts firing. That informs Naomi about Jacob's location and she runs straight towards him while dodging the bullets. As Naomi gets closer Jacob gets nervous. Jacobs bullets and by the time Naomi reaches his container. As Naomi gets on top of the container Jacob throws the LMG and decides to fight her bare-handed. Jacob throws a right hook but Naomi dodges it. He gets ready again and tries to punch her straight in the face. But Naomi gets down and swiftly gets behind his back. She puts Jacob in a chokehold and puts the knife in front of Jacob's neck. Maj. Lopez says through the mic, "Jacob Williams, disqualifies."
As Naomi loosens his choke hold on Jacob, she feels someone watching from her right. She quickly drags Jacob and guards her right side with his body. The moment she does that a gunshot is heard and a bullet hits Jacob straight in the middle of his forehead. Naomi lets go of Jacob and jumps from the container. Jacob falls while groaning from the pain of the bullet. Sohel clicks his tongue as his plan to take down Naomi while she's distracted fails. He repositions himself and starts looking for Naomi again. Time and then he gets a glimpse of her and tries shooting but stops before he shoots as he knows he'd miss. After thinking a little, Sohel suddenly starts running. He runs and stands in the middle of the open area and looks around. A while later Naomi shows up. Sohel aims at her while she slowly walks towards him. Sohel shoots the moment she starts running. Naomi dodges the bullet by swiftly fainting her body to the side. Sohel shoots another 5 bullets while Naomi runs towards him. Naomi dodges all the bullets. Sohel changes his aim to her legs and shoots 2 bullets. Naomi tries to dodge them but one bullet hits exactly in her right knee. Naomi reaches close to Sohel and tries to jab him in the neck. Sohel faints left and aims at her head but Naomi pushes his hand away with her left hand. She gets up and tries slashing him. Sohel moves two steps back. Sohel fake faints to the left and moves to the right. Naomi crouches down while Sohel aims the gun at her head. After a few more seconds of squabbling like this Maj. Lopez commands through the mic, "That's enough."
Both of them stopped as Naomi was crouching in front of Sohel with the tip of her knife held against his neck, at the same point the barrel of Sohel's gun was pointed at the middle of Naomi's forehead at point-blank range.
They get up as Maj. Lopez and Annabelle come to them.
"You two did pretty good. I think I'll have to announce today's battle between you as a draw."
Annabelle congratulates them and says, "If it was a real fight it would result in both of your deaths."
Maj. Lopez disagrees, "If it was a real fight Naomi wouldn't be able to even reach Sohel. Remember she got shot right in her right knee. If Sohel's gun had been loaded, with real bullets she would fall right there. But it was impressive, Naomi. Not only the pain from the bullet couldn't make you stop, you didn't even slow down.
I can't help but ask, "Why didn't you pick up a ranged weapon?"
Naomi replies, "I'm afraid my marksmanship isn't that great. A ranged weapon would only have negative effects on my performance."
Maj. Lopez nods. Annabelle asks with excitement, "Hey, hey, how did you dodge all those bullets?"
Naomi replied, "It's easy if you focus on the shooter's hand movements."
He then looked at Jacob as he was slowly walking towards them while holding his forehead. He reprimands him, "You, on the other hand. Are you dumb on purpose? Who shoots an LMG like that? And no situational awareness too. How are you even a specialist?"
Jacob lowers his head. Suddenly Naomi starts falling like she lost strength in her legs but Sohel catches her. Maj. Lopez says, "I guess the pain started to take effect as the adrenaline from the battle wore off. Sohel, get your comrades treated. I'll need them fully recovered by tomorrow. From tomorrow we're starting a two-month training schedule for you all."