Ghosts of War | CoD - MW

Chapter 18.

Monday, 22nd of November 2021.

Kimberly grabbed her backpack, hoisting it over her shoulders. Her backpack weighted at least 70 lbs, the sniper rifle weighing 30 lbs. She grabbed the rifle, hoisting it over her head, letting it hang on her right side.

Kimberly let out a sigh, making sure she had everything she needed. She threw a glance at Simon, who just sat in his bed.
-"You have everything you need packed. You've checked three times already. You don't want to be late," Simon said, staring at the girl. He could see that the backpack was heavy on her, but he didn't doubt that she could make it.

-"Yeah, okay. I'll see you later then," Kimberly said, making her way towards the door.
-"Don't do anything reckless and give it all you've got. I believe in you."
She gave Simon a determined nod, opening the door. She left the room, hurrying downstairs to the main area. She exited the building, making her way past trainees and instructors, heading for the runway. There was one helicopter on the ground, and she figured it was her ride. The Black Hawk was turned off and she couldn't spot anyone.

Kimberly made her way over to it, and she jumped into it, looking. She laid eyes on a man with a mask in the cockpit, who seemingly was awaiting her arrival. The man rose from the seat, and the girl couldn't help but stare.

König stood up, hovering above her. Kimberly looked up, slightly surprised by the height on this guy. His sniper hood was loose and he looked like he had come from a military hostage camp.
-"Sergeant Phoenix?"

Kimberly bit down on her tongue to not let out a laugh. His voice didn't fit with his psyche, his voice sounding sweet. She had expected a deep and commanding voice, but it didn't matter.
-"That's me. I'm looking forward to learn from you this week, Sir," Kimberly said, holding her hand out. He stared at it, leaving her hanging. She cleared her throat, letting her arm fall flat against her side.

-"And I look forward to teaching you. Call me König, please. Settle down. I'll go through a few things with you," König said, his german accent easy to understand. Kimberly did as he said. She took the sniper rifle off, letting it and the backpack down on the ground beside her seat. She settled down, König settling down in front of her.

-"As you might already know, I work as a KSK Soldier in the 1st Platoon. My goal is to teach you the basics of the 5th Platoon. I'll teach you ten attributes that you'll need to memorise. I'll go through them only once. Are you ready?" König asked, looking at the girl in front of him. She stared back, but his eyes were so emotionless. She didn't know how to feel.
-"Yes."

-"The first is inner calmness. You'll need to remain calm in the toughest of situations to be able to act accordingly and not make rash decisions. The second is silent professional. Your job is to stay silent in the back, but also not let people in on your location or yourself. The third is team minded. You'll be a part of a team, and communication is key. You'll need to lay a plan, as of your team might depend on you for sudden help. The fourth is intellectual flexibility, and the fifth is physically robust," König said. He could see that the girl seemed interested and was remembering his words in her head.

-"The sixth is patience. You might not be needed at all times, but you must stay ready. Seventh is matureness. You are not a child, and the responsibility is big. Eight - stress resistant. You're not allowed to stress in tough situations, no matter what. Lives depend on it. The ninth is responsible. Tenth and last is an eagerness to learn. Any questions?"

-"No, I think I got it all, and it makes sense," Kimberly said, giving the man a nod. "Why do they call you king, Sir?"
-"Do you speak German? They gave me the nickname for my work. As you have been informed, you'll be performing a trail in the woods. This trip will take everything you have to give, and you might very well still fail," König informed, keeping his eyes on the girl. She didn't seem like she would have the physique to make this trail, but he knew not to judge before seeing it with his own eyes. She could very well surprise him.