Before we could begin, the door opened again and a huge figure stood in front of us.
We all went into attention and Neil stopped breathing.
I didn't know what went wrong, but I was sure I'm not going to like it.
****
"I gave you the task of trying him. Not training him, Captain Neil!"
He was furious to say the least.
I wanted to jump in and take the blame because I was really worried for Neil. All his hard work was about to get flushed down the drain because of me.
But I stood quietly.
Afterall he was General Warren!
"Sir.. I -"
"I'm not going to listen anything, Neil. You tricked me. I see it now."
Shit.
"That's true sir, I accept it. But I did it for our good. The boy has good potential for-"
"He's not even a captain, Neil! He can't be good enough to be a Class-I. It's impossible."
"I used to think the same, sir. Give him a chance. Let him prove us all wrong."
"His chance gets over in fifteen days. Day 50 and I'm going to kick him out."
Commander said fuming.
Neil turned around and glared at everyone who saluted the commander and left the gym in a hurry.
It was just three of us now.
"You can't kick him out till you have something against him. Something big."
"Are you threatening me, Captain Neil? You want me to take the matter in my own hands and make him sign the deal off in two hours?"
Commander was offended.
Great.
"Never my intention, apologies if I sounded so, sir."
Thank god, Neil. Use that tone and talk him out!
"You think this boy is not worthy, right?"
Neil continued carefully.
"Absolutely not"
He replied firmly.
"Then let's test him. Let him show how big of a failure he is. The fifty day trial report will always be subjective and there are high chances that his supporters will point fingers at you. Give them numbers. Let him give them the numbers himself. They won't be able to say anything if he doesn't score well and fails in the tests. Just let him appear for the tests once, Sir."
There. He was doing it again.
Mind fucking.
I could see it.
Unluckily commander saw it too.
"You're trying to brain wash your commander? Again? Captain Neil you have quite some guts."
Neil stood with his lips zipped.
He was caught red handed.
"Sir I -"
"One more word and you'll pay the price."
That was one tough tone.
After standing still for a few moments, Neil spoke up.
"I'm ready to pay any price, sir. I want him to be given a fair chance."
Neil said with head straight.
What is he doing?!!
Commander raised his eyebrows in amusement.
"Well the price is - the truth behind you doing all this. You agenda, your intention."
"I have no agenda, si-"
"Shut up. We talk about it further only if you're ready to tell me what's going on in that sharp brain of yours. No answer, or any smart move - and I'll make you sign his invalidation report. Decide. Or else, the boy leaves in fifteen days."
Commander left before Neil could play with a single more word.
"Damn! He saw through me!"
"He's the commander. What else were you expecting? Now what exactly is your intention?"
I asked him politely.
"To make my own team."
He said still looking down with million thoughts going haywire in his brain.
"And what's wrong in that?"
"The teams for group missions are decided by HQ. If I convince him to allow me and my men to work together always, I will not have to beg HQ everytime they pick up any of us singly and add to a random group. Either we all go to kill, or none of us goes."
He said firmly.
"Isn't that a huge thing? You expected commander to agree to it?"
"I was sure he'll do it."
He said confidently.
"Then why are you scared now? What has changed?"
"You've come."
He said looking up at me.
"And I won't step back till you stand in my pack."
His voice didn't quiver.
For a moment, I felt so strong and proud.
I was nothing yet, literally nothing.
And his team must be too efficient to go for top class missions already.
Instead he is ready to risk it all for me.
"I.. I don't know if I even deserve that, Neil. You've made a strong group, picking each man carefully. You can't risk all that for me."
Each word came from my heart.
"I picked you up applying the same rules, James. I need your qualities in my team. You may be the weakest link right now, but I know how to make you better. And I can't do that in fifteen days. You have to clear the tests and train with me and my men. They need to see you putting efforts and working hard. They need to trust you as much as they trust me."
He said sounding confident.
"All this for what?"
"All this because I said so. I don't want to hear any more word from you."
He said suddenly becoming stern.
Okay man!
I just nodded.
"Guess I need to accept that I went a little careless with our dear Commander."
He took a deep breath and said "It's show time."
And then he left.
He left.
Who does that?
****
Two hours.
Neil was with him for past two hours!
What the hell was going on inside?
What's there to talk so much about?
Neil please don't dump your future.
I don't know what was going on inside his head.
Suddenly the door opened and Neil walked out pissed. He was sweating from head to toe. Saying that he was angry and was barely keeping up doesn't cut it.
He was about to lose his shit.
He looked around and his gaze fixed on me, as if he came out looking just for me.
"Get in."
He turned around and I followed him inside.
As soon as the door closed, he bent down and started doing Pushups.
That's why all the sweat.
Shit.
My eyes hovered over my report book kept on Warren's table.
"Were you a part of his planning?"
Commander asked me sternly.
"What planning.. Sir..?"
I didn't have to put any effort in faking because I wasn't lying. I had no clue what exactly he meant.
"He doesn't know anyth-"
Neil started answering on my behalf.
"I told you to keep your mouth shut!"
Commander said getting up and thumping his hands on the table.
That's not a good sign.
Neil complied and kept pushing quietly.
"It's a yes or a no, officer."
Commander looked back at me.
"No sir."
I said confidently despite the shiver in my body.
"And do you have any of your own agenda, too?"
He accused me with harsh tone. I know that was supposed to sting Neil and I prayed that he behaved, which he did.
"Negative, Sir."
I replied.
"You have one chance, James. Your test after fifteen days will decide whether a team forms and works as one or every member plotting for the plan goes back home without a screech."
Wha - What?
"Neil, tell your men to keep their bags ready. I don't want them to stay for an extra second on my land."
"Sir -"
Neil shut up!
"Am I clear?"
He shouted this time.
Neil stayed shut. Don't offend the commander, jackass!
"Clear sir. I will inform."
I said when I realised Neil is just digging his own grave.
Commander glared at Neil for a few moments then sat back down.
He looked at me and I looked at the glass of water kept on his table.
His eyes followed my gaze and then back at me.
"Please, sir..."
I requested him to calm down.
He took a deep breath and emptied the glass in one go.
Hoping that he has cooled down a bit, I started.
"Thank you for this chance, sir. And I can assure you nobody was going behind your back and plotting anything. It's just that these men wanted to work together to trust each other enough. I agree you should have been informed in advance and your permission duly taken, but there was absolutely no agenda behind it."
I said in one deep breath.
"You look mature, James. I see now why he is so hell bent on keeping you. I'll be glad to see you clearing the tests. But I hope you don't opt to join his team because I'm going to make them grind for keeping it from me, if I let them form one, that is."
He started off slowly but started fuming by the end.
"We are ready."
"The hell, Neil?"
Commander got up again.
Neil why the fuck won't you shut up!
I'm trying to diffuse the bomb here.
"Sir.. sir.. I apologise on his behalf.. Please.."
I said gaining some courage from absolutely no where.
"You go prepare for your tests, trial officer. I need to see if this man is worthy enough to be your leader. With such a mouth, he'll get you all killed."
Commander said.
"I'd rather die first."
Damnit Neil!
Why won't you really keep your mouth shut?!
"That's it. Officer, up. We'll see how much you talk. Get your ass to the Gym right now."
Fuck.
Neil got up, saluted him and left his office.
"Sir.."
"James if you want to join him in the gym, say another word. Or get out right now."
He said boiling to the brim.
I saluted him and left.
God help Neil.
********
It was over an hour.
Me and instructor Charles were waiting outside Gym.
Many CTOs turned back and left when they heard that Commander is practising inside and is angry.
"Why does he have to be such a d*ck!"
Charles said annoyed.
I turned to him not really sure if I heard right.
"Did you just swear?"
I asked.
"I'm not a king. I can swear. Not around that royal d*ck, though. He doesn't stand it."
He scoffed.
"Royal?"
DAMNIT!
I knew I was missing something!
"Neil Fermin of the Royal Fermin family!"
"He's a prince!"
Charles corrected me getting offended on his behalf.
I laughed partly at Charles's reaction and partly at my own realisation.
"Holy Fuck! He's a prince!"
I exclaimed laughing.
"And I bet if someone else comes to know about this because you're shouting so loudly, he'll come out and punch you first."
I slipped a hand on my mouth and turned around to check if anyone heard me.
Confirming that there's no one, I turned to Charles.
"Why is he here? He can go and rule his technologically invincible kingdom of Quebene. Why hear curses, get beaten and live a less than ordinary life on someone else's rules?"
Clearly it didn't make any sense to me.
"I know only three things. First is that he's here because of some treaty between our army and their King. They'll give us place to camo in their kingdom and all of their allies's throughout the world and we'll provide them protection in need."
"Where does Neil joining the army part comes?"
"I don't know. He never answered that to me."
"Okay. Second?"
"He can not go back and become the next king because he disrespected the king."
"What the Fuck again? His own father? How?"
"Again, don't know."
"That's not solving anything, you know? What's the third?"
"He can't marry anyone because he took some oath."
"That's stupid!"
Now this is the shit I hate in royal families and their kingdoms! This stupid oath shit!
"He is stuck here because of his family, can't go back because of his family and can't have his own family because, again, HIS GODDAMN FAMILY?"
What in the real Fuck!
I need to ask him what exactly does he want in his life!
Sucker!
But that's only if he comes out alive today.
Well he asked for it himself. Who, in his sane mind, argues with his Commander for fuck's sake?
"And why the hell was he talking back so much with General Warren? It looked like he wanted to stab Commander with just his words. What's wrong with him?"
I was really annoyed.
"Commander must have touched the wrong nerve."
Charles said sighing tiredly.
"Let me guess. Family?"
I asked sarcastically.
Charles looked at me with utter seriousness and said "Yes. He doesn't take any joke on his family."
"Are you kidding me? REALLY??!"
I lost it.
What's wrong with him?!
Charles looked at me hopelessly - like he wanted those answers too, but knew that he won't get them.
There was silence for next few minutes.
"I'll shove chillies down his throat today."
Charles said coldly as he went ramrod straight and looked forward.
Commander was coming out of the gym, breathing hard. And there was a cut on his lower lip with blood seeping down. He cleared it with the back of his palm. I swear I missed a few heart beats right there.
************************************
ROYAL!
Did that ring a bell????
A huge HUGE loud Screaming bell?
Yes?
Hell yes!
It's him!
************************************
And Commander's got a lip cut. Neil hit him? Damn.
I don't think any plan is going to work now.
You have any hope?
************************************
Vote and COMMENT how should they salvage the situation?