The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 33 : Field Training

Few more weeks had passed. Dusk was exceedingly busy. Somehow her Military Training had become tougher than before. While her team-mates were helpful, the trainers seem to be targeting her and pushing her beyond what even Piggon considered normal for a civilian. On a particular 4th Day, she was made to wake up 2 hours early and when she reached the grounds, she found that enter group was being sent on a cross-country obstacle course.

The route taken was almost along the parameter. Dusk was already apprehensive because she remembered the trip with Luke on the Duo-Pax. The road was not a straight or flat one... When they were underway, she found that the trainers had used all the natural features of the land against them. Further, they were to climb over the bridges too. No, not that they would run over the road going on the bridge. But they would have to climb the side of the bridge to get to the top, cross the road and climb down or jump down to continue. It was sheet torture.

Then where natural obstacles were not there, they had created new ones. At one place, 10 Battle Tanks and Armoured Carriers suddenly blocked the road forcing them to climb over them. But they found a team of marksmen on the other side shooting at them. When 3 of her teammates fell dead, Dusk jumped behind one of the armoured carriers in terror. Piggon followed her, leaping into the cover provided by the carriers. As they looked on, more of their teammates were hit. They managed to pull one of the 'Dead' to safety with them and Piggon examined him.

"Oh Heavens! I was worried for a while. I thought whether there was a real attack!"

"It is not?" Dusk croaked.

"No. Those are just noise. They must be using some special speakers that makes us feel the noise of the explosions and bullets is right next to us. Even the sound of the bullets hitting the stupid carriers!"

Dusk looked at her uncertain and said, "But... He is not waking up. What happened to him then? Are you sure he is not dead?"

"Check his pulse." Piggon replied, as she stretched out and picked up one of the 'bullets' lying near them.

"I don't know how to do that. I am trying but I can't get a pulse."

"Oh heaven, Dusk, you are so stupid! You can check the pulse if you hold like this ... if you hold the bones, you will not get a pulse. See, he is very much alive. Look at the bullets..."

Dusk picked it up with her fingers and yelped. Her fingers went numb as a current of electric charge went through her hands. She looked at Piggon questioningly, "So what is this shit?"

"Taser Charges. They pass a strong surge of electric power through your body, causing the nerves to seal themselves or something and you since the brain does not know what is happening and your nervous system goes dead, you fall down like this. He will be up in, say 45 minutes."

"Oh! I didn't know about this."

"Yeah! Generally, we have a warning on such things. This time is unannounced. Come on, we need to fight back."

"With what? BTW, if I get shot, I don't have to run any more, right?"

"Don't be stupid, this is more painful than running. And Sargent Bear does not like his people getting hit and the 'dead' get extra punishment the next day."

"So now?"

"These armoured carriers will have guns for us. Let's get them. I have done this before."

They opened the door on the side of the carrier and poked in. There were guns and rounded bullets (further convincing Piggon that this was an exercise only). They both picked up their guns and lots of 'bullets'. Piggon started passing out guns to the other team members who were hiding behind other barriers. Some others also figured out where the weapons were. One of them got 'grenades' and passed some to Piggon.