Resurrection (Red vs Blue)

31: Rework it

31: Rework It

Many Years Ago: The Mother of Invention (Primary freelancer facility/aircraft)

Carolina stepped onto the training room floor and looked around. The room was empty; all other agents were asleep at the moment. She loved having the training room to herself. There was something about being alone in the huge room was relaxing to her. Not to mention training late at night helped her tire herself out. She found it was much easier to fall asleep most nights after she'd exhausted herself. Since missions had started a few weeks ago, she'd found it was getting increasingly more difficult to fall asleep at night.

"Good evening, Agent Carolina," F.I.L.S.S. greeted. "It's a bit late for training, don't you think?"

"It's never too late for training," Carolina told the ship's A.I. "Besides, I have to fall asleep somehow."

"If you're having troubles sleeping, perhaps you should consult a member of the medical staff," the A.I. suggested.

"Pass. Now can you please bring up the holo-targets?" Carolina asked, starting to get slightly impatient.

"Of course, Agent Carolina," F.I.L.S.S. replied. "Holo-target session has been initiated. Please, step into the middle of the training room floor to begin."

Carolina strode over to the circle in the center of the floor and positioned herself inside it. Once she was set, a randomized pattern of holographic targets began swirling around her. After taking a deep breath to center herself, she began.

Round after round passed by, with F.I.L.S.S. calling out the speed increase or decrease after each time. Carolina persisted, dissatisfied every time her efficiency went down. And it was those rounds that drove her to keep doing more. She carried on in that fashion until finally her muscles couldn't take it any longer. She had to stop.

"Holo-target session complete," F.I.L.S.S. announced. "Your average time has increased by one-point-six percent."

"I guess that'll have to be good enough," Carolina commented breathlessly. She hunched over, her hands braced against her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "Gives me a goal to beat tomorrow night."

"May I suggest taking a break? This is the fourth night in a row this week you've been training," F.I.L.S.S. stated.

"I don't need to take a break," Carolina said as she righted herself. When she stood up, a shadowed figure in the window of the observation deck caught her attention. As soon as the figure realized it'd been spotted, it disappeared. "F.I.LS.S., who's in the observation deck?"

The A.I. was quiet for a moment before it finally answered. "Interesting. It appears another agent was just in the observation deck. However, they were just leaving as I went to check."

Carolina made a face. "Can you go back through the camera footage and tell me who it was?"

"I am sorry, but you don't have the proper authorization for me to do that," the A.I. replied.

"Of course I don't," she muttered. "Goodnight, F.I.L.S.S."

"Goodnight, Agent Carolina," the A.I. said as Carolina left the room.

As soon as she was free of the training room, Carolina was quick to make her way to the locker room to ditch her armor. And, since no one else was around — presumably — she also took the opportunity to get in the shower. She let the water run on her, attempting to let it relax her sore muscles. While she stood there, she let her mind wander a bit. The shadowed figure in the observation deck was still bothering her. There was never anyone else up this late; if there was, Carolina would've noticed the person a lot sooner. But she was always alone at this time of night. So who was awake to be watching her now?