Becoming Agent Rider

Fitness and Skills Testing

Wolf groaned at the sound of a creaking bed as someone tossed and turned repeatedly in their sleep. As unit leader, he had learned to be a light sleeper so that he could look out for his team. He listened to the sounds, trying to guess who it was. It didn't sound like Eagle. His weapons expert was still snoring loudly. That guy could sleep through a hurricane. It didn't sound like Snake. His medic wasn't in the direction that the sound was coming from. It didn't sound like Badger either. His communications expert had just sighed in his sleep. That was everyone in his unit, wasn't it? A moment later, Wolf mentally slapped himself on the forehead as he realized that he had forgotten Cub. His eyes snapped open and he turned towards his youngest unit member, wondering what was wrong. The sight made him freeze. Cub's tense body was drenched in sweat, as if struggling against ropes that were binding him, and his mouth was open in a silent scream with tears running down his face. Wolf got out of bed and padded towards the boy. The second his hand touched the teen's shoulder to wake him, Cub's eyes flew open as he rose halfway into a sitting position, fists out in preparation for a fight. They both froze.

"Wolf?" Cub whispered, breathing hard, but relaxing slightly as recognition slowly flooded his eyes.

"Yeah," Wolf whispered back, not sure what to do now that Cub was awake.

The boy scanned Wolf's chest, shoulder, and arm. And then, he scanned the rest of the room. Although Wolf was confused about this, it seemed to satisfy the boy because he relaxed further and whispered, "What were you doing?"

"Waking you from your nightmare," Wolf answered.

Cub was silent. Then, "Sorry."

"It's fine." Making a move to go back to sleep, he stopped and sat on the edge of the boy's bed instead. He might regret this later. "Do you want to talk about it?" Wolf asked awkwardly. Definitely going to regret this later. He blamed his sleep addled brain.

The boy looked up at him amusedly. "Didn't take you for the talking type."

"Shut up," Wolf grunted. Another pause. He should probably try to make up for his unfair treatment of the boy while no one else was watching. "But seriously, all things considered, you're a good kid. One that's in way over their head... If you ever need anything, just ask." Cub nodded mutely with an unreadable expression. Thinking over his offer to the boy, he decided it was too open ended. "And when I say anything, I mean anything important. Don't call me up for alcohol or something just as trivial," Wolf added threateningly. All he got was an amused nod at that.

Thinking of something else in the silence that followed, he said quietly, "And you don't owe me anything. You saved my career. Even if it was by kicking me out of a plane." He got a sombre nod for this. If it wasn't for previous encounters, Wolf thought, he would be wondering if the kid could speak at all. Deciding this was as much time as he could stand to be alone with Cub, he finished up by warning, "Don't tell anyone about this conversation. Or I'll string you up by your wrists and leave you hanging in the middle of the assault course."