Operation: sound resolution

Maestro will make a man out of you

Derek's pov
I stared at my laptop screen watching these two Indian men digging an underground pool, "I could do that" I said to myself fully knowing I could not. I heard Aria "why are you still awake? it's 3 in the morning" I looked over at her silhouette "I could ask you the same thing" she sighed "I woke up because someone was laughing loud as hell" I snorted "I was not, I barely chuckled" she sat up "But seriously, why are you awake?" I went back to watching the video "Couldn't sleep" she spoke again "have you even tried?" I shook my head no as I clicked on another video and she spoke again "what have you been doing all night then?" I looked over as she turned on her lamp seeing my handiwork "oh nothing, just drinking coffee and watching YouTube" I replied trying not to laugh. She stood and headed towards the bathroom "turn off your laptop and try to sleep, you're gonna need it" I closed the computer and stared at the door to the bathroom waiting, just waiting until I heard a yell "Derek! What did you do?!" I smirked as she burst out of the bathroom glaring at me "I drew on your face, what do you think I did?" She narrowed her eyes even further as she growled out "I oughta kill you" I nodded "do it, you'll only be doing me a favor" as I laid back and she groaned "why'd you even draw on me?" I looked at her "because I was bored and you looked peaceful" she didn't reply as she disappeared into the bathroom and I got comfortable. It took 45 minutes before I managed to fall asleep waking up an hour later to my alarm as I went to get ready to go train with Adriano, I threw on some shorts and a white shirt before walking down to the cafeteria getting some bacon, eggs and waffles as well as Coffee. I sat down eating and drinking my coffee slowly, looking like a zombie, moving slowly and not talking. Ryad(jackal) sat down across from me "morning" I lifted my coffee to him as he asked "not a morning person?" I replied "I didn't sleep much last night, just running off hate and coffee" he nodded "me either, I only got an hour and a half, maybe two" I spoke "same, Aria was mad at me so I got sent to sleep" he looked surprised "why was she mad?" I chuckled as I replied "I was bored and she was asleep so I drew on her face" he chuckled "so she sent you to bed?" I nodded "she's been acting like my mother since her and Alice caught me drinking half a bottle of bourbon" he shook his head "that's unusual, she typically doesn't let her feelings show through" I shrugged saying the latter half of the sentence as a joke "I don't know, maybe we just have a connection" he chuckled "maybe, maybe you're just lucky" I shook my head "I doubt that, I mean I did almost die yesterday" he spoke "Yeah, but you didn't, In some parallel universe your story ended right there and then" I relied "maybe you're right, but what if there's some higher power that wouldn't have let me die because my story wasn't supposed to end there and so I got the unlucky straw?" He spoke "then you've got someone in your corner" I nodded "are you religious?" He shook his head no "I think the world is a bit too chaotic to have somebody pulling the strings, then again there's never an atheist in an artillery barrage. What about you?" I shrugged "I don't know, I believe there's someone or something pulling the strings but I don't believe in any certain religion" he nodded "have you ever thought about joining a religion?" I shook my head no "I don't like group think, I tend to stay away from organizations but as you can see my job is at an organization so" he chuckled before he spoke "I get that" we fell into a comfortable silence until ryad suddenly asked "you have insomnia right?" I nodded "Yeah, why?" He spoke "so do I, Harry says it's guilt driven, do you have any idea why you have it?" I looked at the table memorizing the pattern before I spoke "my therapist at headquarters says it's something to do with self-hatred and regret, I couldn't tell you if she's right" he looked intrigued as Adriano walked in "Ah Derek here you are, you're late." I looked at the clock "6:17, shit sorry Adriano, Ryad and I were talking and I lost track of time" he nodded "that's fine, come on" as he said good morning to Ryad before we walked out heading to the gym. I was thinking until I faintly heard someone talking, I looked over and saw Adriano looking at me slightly worried "hey you good?" I nodded "Yeah sorry I was just thinking" he asked "what were you thinking about?" I felt a small smile grow on my face "Aria, I drew on her face while she slept" he chuckled "was she mad when she got up?" I nodded "yeah, I got sent to bed" he asked "sent to bed? What is she your mother now?" I shrugged "I couldn't tell you, she's been acting like it since yesterday" he nodded as we arrived at the gym and stopped in the doorway after entering. I looked around seeing it empty "huh, no ones up, that's unusual" he nodded "most of the operators wake up around 7 unless there's something important happening" I looked at him "so what are we doing?" He replied "we're finding your limits today, and then from here I'm gonna train you in GIS techniques and boxing" I punched my knuckles together "let's get to work then" he brought me over to the bench press "put on the usual amount of weight you do and we'll see how many reps you can do" I nodded and slid on the weights before laying down and gripping the bar. I heard Adriano "weight?" I replied "275lbs" he nodded "begin" I lifted the bar and started doing my reps, by the time I finished my arms were screaming in pain as I sat up. I rotated my arm groaning in relief as my shoulder cracked "what's next?" He smiled evilly "we're heading to the track" I sighed as I stood and followed him outside. I shivered at the nipping cold as I swore "verdammt noch mal Großbritannien mit seinem verdammten Scheißwetter, weil es nie einen schönen verdammten Tag haben kann!(fucking Britain with its fucking shit weather because it can't ever have a nice fucking day!)" Adriano looked back at me "why are you screaming and what did you say?" I sighed "don't worry about it, it's nothing" he nodded slowly "okay then" as we resumed the walk to the track "so what are we doing out here?" He looked back "endurance, you're going to do as many laps as you can without collapsing which means you're going to run until you collapse" I chuckled speaking to myself "genau wie die verdammten DIs(just like the fucking DIs" as I got on the track and bounced from foot to foot before Adriano nodded and clicked the stopwatch and I took off. I ran as fast as I could as I made my laps around the quarter mile track, it was fairly easy until the 7th lap where the icy air stung my lungs and my legs felt like they were on fire but I pressed on, I have to make the KSK proud, I have to. I kept going despite my legs screaming for me to stop, by the 12th my mouth was dry and my lungs stung, my legs felt like concrete as I kept moving as fast as I could as I came around the final corner to the line that marked a lap before I collapsed. I groaned despite myself as I reached out with my arms and dragged myself forwards, clawing the entire way as I dragged my 175lbs frame towards the line. I heard Adriano to my left "come on Richter! Move it! Let's go! Do you want to let your team down?! There's a wounded man infront of you, are you going to let him die?! Let's go, move it!" I yelled in pain as I slowly pushed myself to my feet and started drunkenly jogging to the line before I collapsed again, I had tears running down my face as I dragged my numb corpse across the tarmac towards the line. I yelled as I clawed across the line before I rolled over and took in deep breaths, feeling the icy needle pricks in the back of my throat as the freezing air was ripped into my lungs. I wheezed out "did I make it?" He smiled "yeah kid, yeah you made it" I sat up "what's next?" He chuckled "can you even walk?" I nodded "what's next?" He replied "prove it right now, stand up and walk to the fence" i tried to stand gritting my teeth as I got to my feet, my legs shaking wildly before I tried taking a step and my legs gave out. He spoke "Derek, you did good. Relax, you don't have to push yourself" I looked up "I do, I need to be better" he asked "better than who? Who are you trying to beat?" I looked up as the pain set in and tears formed in my eyes "myself, Scorpion, anyone who threatens Alice" he mused "you're awfully protective of her" I nodded breathing heavily as I wiped the sweat from my brow "she's like a kid sister to me, she's been under my wing since she joined KSK, even when we were captured I'd say something to get them to focus on me" he replied "that mentality can get you killed" I nodded "I know, but I'd rather die than live and know I could've done something to protect them" he smiled "you've got a good streak in you, but you've got to remember sometimes we can't save everyone and sometimes you have to value yourself over someone else" I nodded as I asked "got any water I can have?" He pulled out a canteen "here" I took it as I raised it in thanks before I downed the contents sighing as I felt the cottonmouth disappear and the pain start to fade "come on, let's get inside. You've done enough for today" I replied "I can keep going, I promise" he nodded "I know, but you'll kill yourself before you say you can't" I sighed as he helped me up and we headed towards the door back into the base. He had my arm across his shoulders as I limped, trying to support my own weight and not feel like a burden. I heard James(smoke) to my right "Alright, what the bloody hell is all of this then?" As Adriano and I looked over and Adriano replied "we started training today, he's pushed himself so hard he was clawing his way across the line" James seemed shocked "this wanker? The one you're carrying? Christ I thought that the legends about KSK were bullshite but apparently they really do go to the death before they fail" I glared lazily "if I wasn't all fucked up id kick your ass for that, Du verdammte Ratte(you fuckin' rat)" he recoiled at the venom before he spoke "a months time, let's have a fight. You and me hand to hand any style" I nodded with a glare as he walked off and Adriano and I started towards the mess hall again "you shouldn't have done that" I looked over "don't tell me I should've let him shit talk KSK" he shook his head no "I didn't say that, but James is the best Boxer on base. I don't know how KSK training is but GIS doesn't really focus on hand to hand" I nodded "I'm a black belt in judo, I've learned marine corps mcmap as well as training with the Delta force. I think I've got a chance" he nodded "maybe but you still have to focus on that fight, if you don't you're going to get destroyed" I replied "I will" as we entered the mess hall and I saw Alice, Monika, Marius, Aria and Mark(mute) sitting at our table as Adriano helped me over and placed me next to Aria as I laid my head on the table breathing heavily causing Alice to ask "boss, what's got you all worked up? You're work outs never get you this tired" I looked up as Adriano started explaining everything he put me through.