Precision

chapter 2 - Leon

2-Leon

1st August 2015

        “You have ninety seconds to put together and load all five guns as well as shoot the five targets ahead of you on each of the three crosses.” The commander beckoned. I looked at the individual parts of the guns to give me a head start but my brain couldn’t concentrate well enough.

          “When the buzzer goes off, your time starts, when you hear it for a second time, put everything down and wait for further instructions, is that clear?” Commander Lewis asked.

          “Yes, sir” I as well as other cadets replied. There were at least forty of us who all wanted to be the best; to pass the test and get moved onto being an agent.

          Even after my nine months of training, I still felt like the underdog and I knew that there were better cadets than me who were here today and could pass their examination in their sleep, making me look pathetic.

          As soon as the buzzer sounded, I grabbed the different parts and arranged them so that each pile had all the parts needed for that one gun. I then began to attach them together so that I ended up having 5 whole gun lying in front of me. All around me I could hear the noise of gun’s being loaded which was extremely off putting. Then, as I heard the first gun shot go, I knew I was way behind as I was still loasing my third gun. 

          I looked up at the timer and saw that I had sixty second left, so I quickened my pase. As I tried loading the last gun, the safety was jammed and I couldn't manage to turn it off, so I left it and went back to my first gun and began shooting. I attempted shooting the three crosses however, I knew from where I was standing that the three bullets had missed, by far. Altough I felt like being dissapointed, I knew that there was no time for it and so I continued to load and shoot the targets with the remaining guns. Before I knew it, the buzzer had sounded just as I picked up the last gun to try and fix the safety on it.

          I dropped it down in disappointment and looked around at everyone else. Majority of them had finished although some looked as disappointed as me which left me with a little more confidence: knowing that I wasn’t the only one who was most likely going to fail.

          “Now I will send a commander around to analyse how you’ve done and you will immediately be told whether you have failed or passed. If you have failed, you must stay behind and if you have passed, you are free to go back to your rooms.” The commander said.

          I stood there, hopping from one foot to another, not able to stand still because I knew that there was a ninety percent chance I had failed. However, I still wanted to cling onto that ten percent of me passing even though I knew it was almost impossible.

          As soon as commander Lewis came over to me, the first thing he did was collect the targets off the wall which I had shot. He put them down on the table in front of me and looked down at me. He held up the last untouched target sheet which I had failed to shoot along with the gun which I should have used to shoot it. 

          “What happened to this target, did you not see it?” he questioned.

          “No sir, I ran out of time” I replied.

          He dropped the gun back onto the table in front of me and as it fell, it made a harsh sound as it made contact with the metal. He picked up one of the targets I had shot and held it up for me to see. The sheet featured an outline of a human body and I saw clearly where the crosses were and where my shots had hit.

          “What the hell do you call this?” he said. I didn’t respond as I knew that there was no excuse for the pathetic job I had  just done.

          “Did you bother even paying attention when shooting? I mean, one bullet has hit the persons shoulder, the other has hit his lung and the last one you’ve completely missed.” Commander Lewis examined as I had the curtsy to look down in embarrassment. "You were supposed to hit the targets marked X, if you hadn't noticed. The three X's make a traingle shape around the heart and that's where you should have shot, not where you felt like it ."

          “That’s a waste of bullets, and you’ve let this person get away with a bloody punctured lung! This is the worst job I have ever seen someone do, especially for you’re age. How old are you? Fourteen, fifteen?” Commander Lewis asked.

          “Sixteen, sir” I replied.

          “Sixteen and you can’t shoot a god damn bullet where it's marked X? I’ve seen twelve year olds do better than this” Commander Lewis said.

          “I won’t let it happen again, sir” I replied.

          “You’re damn right you won’t, and I’ll make sure of that” Commander Lewis  said and he picked up the gun which I had failed to load. Just like I suspected would happen, the safety easily switched off as the commander loaded the gun. Then commander Lewis raised the gun, pressing it against my shoulder and before I could react, he had repeatedly shot me three times in the shoudler.

          The force of the bullets knocked me over onto the ground and I cried out in agony while putting a hand up to my wounds to see blood soak my fingertips.

          “That’s how it’s done, three bullets in a traingle. You should thank me for not aiming it at your heart - which is what you should have aimed for when shooting your targets- not their bloody shoulders and lungs.” Commander Lewis said while I tried desperately to keep my cries of pain inside.

          “Now get yourself to the medical room and I’ll send someone to meet you there after I’ve finished here.” The commander said and I immediately headed out of the door; one hand holding my wound which felt like it was on fire.

          “Oh and one more thing, Cadet Leon,” Commander Lewis said and I stopped and turned around to look at him.

          “You’ve failed.”

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