ADDICTION AND DEATH
BOOK TWO: TRIALS

CHAPTER 1: INITIATION

The feeling of the propellers slowing and the thrusters making less noise told everyone this was their stop, the mantel signed electronic doors slid open on both sides allowing the passengers to see the propellers and thrusters on both sides amongst the vision of the base…

“Welcome to Mantel Recruitment and Training Centre 2345” one of the troopers spoke after high-fiving one of his buddies telling them he had to go show the freaking new guys around. He hoisted his assault rifle over his shoulder as the landing gear extended, he pointed at Shade, Gavin, and two of the three unknown recruits before telling them “move up, you’re under my watch and command for the duration. I’m Sergeant Major Durand McGregor of the 657 Absolution.” Durand responded to the confused looks quickly going away as he shook each of the recruits he told to fallow him on the hand.

The Mrs. Mantel finally landed as the recruits were split up, Shade, Gavin, and the two others fallowed Durand as he took off his mantel assault helmet holding it in one arm while his other hoisted his gun over his shoulder. While Whitney lead the other recruits and the remaining two mantel troopers to another part of the large secured base. “Sir, Sergeant Major Durand sir.” Shade said fallowing Durand as his odd yellow eyes blinked at the commander confused as to why he didn’t freak out at Shade’s appearance “Why does my appearance no-”

“Disturb us? It’s not like we haven’t seen people with a weird spliced fetish. I wouldn’t be freaked out if you were a full fledged furry, it’s uncommon but accepted.” Durand replied in a laughing tone as the people behind him snickered at his ‘forgetfulness’. “Come on, training begins ASAP we have plenty of time to burn before you get your last hot then hit the cot for the day.”

“Yes, sir…” Shade responded reluctantly gazing around himself at the base, regulars on patrol, assault troopers guarding the only electronic high-gates in, and scouts with snipers on the tall towers. This was like a secured prison-but it felt big enough to be a base or training area as it was only part of a much larger area under Mantel Global Industries control “What’s our first course going to be if I may ask?”

Durand looked back at the medium height/short trainee with yellow cat eyes before coughing once as he spoke in a serious tone “First test is the endurance test, amongst a couple dozen meter laps around the whole area. Survival tests begin at the end of your training regiment three months from now.” Durand placed his helmet onto one of the recruits duffle bags as he brought his fully covered gloved hand to the mantel palm scanner, a yellow screen with a single thin bright yellow line going down and a mantel logo in the centre with a set of numbers and letters in yellow buttons below it. Durand pressed his hand against the scanner feeling the machine scan his fingerprints beneath the glove before making a loud screeching noise

‘Welcome Sergeant Major [Durand Franklin McGregor] please enter your identification code.’ the computer said in a pre-programmed female voice, the yellow keys lit up in a solid but dim yellow coloration awaiting for Durand to press the buttons.

“Blast...what was my code?” The Scottish man scratched his head at his absent mindedness, he grinned “Watch and learn boys and girls, this is when Nectar - Mantel’s greatest gift to the world will help you.” the man said with a grin as he felt the yellow liquid being injected into his bloodstream, all the nectar yellow areas on his mantel regular suit lit up a brighter yellow as the computerized female voice in his helmet said ‘administering’ whilst the yellow visor lit up just as much as the rest of the yellow areas where it was originally not glowing at all.

With a quick set of taps and beeps against the keyboard, and his eyes turning a strong tint of yellow the door slid open with a simple ‘Enjoy your stay Sergeant Major.’ before he placed his helmet on as the glow faded to a dimmer shade on his armor, while his visor turned back to it’s normal non-glowing yellow and the built in regulation system’s computer said ‘Regulating.’

“Come on ladies and gents, the fun part is you have to choose which type of mantel military employee you are going to be.” He said with a laugh from beneath his head covering helmet “Shade, you take them to the main office to fill out the forms, I’m going to the armory to put my gear up.” with that said, the Scottish man walked down the long lit up hallway past one of the many doors with the mantel insignia on it.

“Uhh…but where is the main office?” Shade asked confused looking around for some sort of map as he saw some location arrows near the sides and an electronic interactive map near the four way intersection. He walked up to it hitting the button in the center which was again the mantel logo as the whole base appeared on it “show me the main office.” the map designed a route from there to the office of recruitment and affairs which was only a two floors away in the middle honey comb shaped room.

Gavin pointed at the door at the end of the hallway “There’s an elevator there, it’s gonna be faster than walking.” Shade simply nodded and took the lead, everyone fallowed but Gavin kept at the exact pace as his friend “I can’t believe we’re joining Ma-”

“Shut up, there is no point in whining now.” Shade replied in an annoyed tone as the door to the elevator slid open closing as the people made it inside. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as the computer told them the floor they were going to before moving ’I will find you and I swear...even if I die…you will pay…’ he thought to himself clenching his hands hard enough that his fingers dug into his skin through his clothing. His mind went back to the creature-the person-the monster that had once invaded his mind, the monster in a woman’s form that made him drive his people to extinction when he was whole…even if he died...he would make her pay. This alerted everyone, however they didn’t understand his frustration Gavin just shook his head with a sigh as the elevator came to a halt.

The small group made their way to the office, going inside they found a computerized camera, several people working, a couple TV’s and a waiting area. They all sat down some of them talking between each other, Gavin tried to talk to Shade but he remained quiet and even told Gavin to ‘stop talking.’ at one point or another which he did momentarily, when they were finally called up Shade was the second to have his ID filled out behind one of the generic Caucasian males, Gavin and Shade were told to go to the firing range for briefing on where they would be staying if they graduated.

It wasn’t hard to get there, one simple elevator trip and a couple miles of walking brought them to the armory/firing range. The mantel marked doors quickly slid open at the presence of life, revealing many recruits in the standard trainee jumpsuits testing out different types of weapons-the most common being the  ‘BlackSaw’ BSW-72 assault rifle.

“Well, it’s about time you two got here.” a familiar female voice said, she had changed out of her secretary-ish outfit into a formal black, white, and yellow high-ranking officer’s outfit, including a peaked cap. She took the duffle bags from the two men, placing the bags onto a table as she took out the weapons inside. Whitney had chosen  what weapons to be distributed to whom and she decided on what from experience with the two “Step up to the firing range.”

Shade quickly took his assault rifle in his hands, holding it as if he had done this before. He took a step up to the holographic firing range raising the iron sights up the computer sparked to life saying in its normal fem voice ‘ADVANCED TRAINING INITIATED-REGULAR TEST.’ the pale skin yellow eyed boy took a deep breath and exhaled closing his eyes before his cat shaped pupil’s locked onto the targets appearing inside the range, most of them were recreations of the promise hand rebels from the South American Boa region. One of the few missions Mantel failed.

“Open fire.” he whispered, the bullets rang out having a small bee sound mixed with the regular sound of the gun firing, the blanks fired from his gun, one in the chest, four in the head, three with four shots to the torso, and the last rounds were used on an attacking lightly armored vehicle’s crew and passengers.

Training was going to be going smoothly…but soon they would have to put it to the real test…as one would say…simulators never prepare you for the real thing…