Sideways

Chapter 49 SEALS

Wes ii

SEALS

October 2005–BUDS

PHASE ONE

Phase One was brutal and was designed to push volunteers beyond their limits, both physically and mentally.

Wes lost count of how many times they heard the metal clang of that brass bell as it was rung during their first week. But he could and would do this. He had no desire to quit, zero whatsoever, and in those few grueling weeks, he only ever once thought about ringing that fucking bell.

Today was the day that things were going to be taken up a notch. It was time for them to face off with the dreaded obstacle course. A lot of people look at videos of the course online and think, "Oh, that's easy." But in reality, they have no clue what they are talking about.

Wes stood there with Cole at his side, watching as the obstacle course was demonstrated for them and others in their SEAL class. In order to pass, they would need to run the full course in under 12 minutes. All in, it is a sequence of fifteen challenges.

It sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, it's fucking not. They both stood by and watched as countless others from their class tried and failed. Some did half a decent job, and others fell on their face immediately. It was always the overly confident ones who face planted.

When it was finally Cole's turn, Wes watched with a sense of both nervousness and anticipation. If anyone could do this, it was his... Well, it was Cole, his Cole.

No, Cole was not his, and he needed to stop thinking that way. But could he? Cole had followed him and joined the SEALs with him; that must mean something, right? But Wes can't go down this road again; the last time he thought Cole might have feelings for him; his friend started dating Jessica. He would have to find a way to make peace with the fact that Cole was his, but just not in the way Wes wanted him to be.

As soon as the whistle blew, Cole sprang into action. He surged forward, his booted feet pounding the sandy ground as he quickly navigated through the start of the course without a hitch.

Cole was a man on a mission. They worked hard to prepare for this. The first few challenges were a blur as the larger man easily conquered them with practiced movements. Wes watched as Cole's speed and efficiency began to gain the attention of their instructors. That was good, as they were out to make a name for themselves, both as a team and individually.

It wasn't until Cole reached the fourth obstacle that he ran into his first delay. He dropped to the ground, his large body hugging the sandy surface, and started crawling. The grains of sand clung to his skin, and his breath came in steady bursts as he maneuvered beneath the crisscrossed barbed metal wiring of the Low Crawl.

This was one of the few obstacles where Cole's muscular size and frame were a deterrent. As he approached the end, the belt of his uniform snagged on the unforgiving metal, slowing his progress and forcing him to reach behind himself to ensure the metal wire was no longer hooked onto the belt.

Cole picked up speed again after that, his thick legs pumping with renewed life as he effortlessly navigated the twisty structure of the Cargo net. His feet found their way with ease, and he almost seemed to dance over the shifting ropes with a practiced precision that Wes didn't think his big body had.

Next up was the balance beams, and Cole maintained a perfect balance along the narrow beams, his body moving fluidly. It really showed Wes how much attention Cole had paid to the training they had done together, and how intently Cole took the body movement, kata's, and other training exercises that Wes had made him drill to prepare for the course. Finally, with a powerful leap, Cole vaulted over the up-and-over logs.