I was trying my best to hold my breath and my bleeding knuckles did nothing to help it.

And these damned bricks! They won't break with just one punch! Why would they? They're kept underwater for the sole reason to make it miserable for me!

I have held my breath for past 100 seconds and despite my best efforts, have broken only two bricks. Either I'm going to die with water in my lungs or I'm going to die screwed over for not completing the task. Either way, I'm dead.

I broke the third brick and sighed in relief. Fuck! James, you're still underwater you thick head!

I used all my energy and picked up the two pieces and pushed myself up to the surface.

I just lifted my hands out of the water and presented the two halves to the holy lord of air who took his sweet time to accept my offering.
As soon as I felt the bricks taken off my hand, I turned back and rushed to the bottom of the pool to punch and break the last brick.

Hold on for a few more seconds, James. You're almost done.
I knew that if I put the same energy in my punch as previous seven times, it won't break in one go. So I waited for one second extra, set it an an angle and smacked my knuckles hard over the last brick.

It broke the brick but also my knuckles. The sting was too much!
I could see blood oozing out and disappearing into the water.
As ordered, I picked the last two pieces and surfaced up.

Again I only moved my hands out offering Neil the brick pieces. I was dying to come out and take the breath I was holding for over two minutes all the while giving pain to my knuckles myself.

But that bitch!
He inspected my knuckles and ensured that there's enough blood covering my hands.
'I want to see red hands before your white face.'

He spent good ten seconds in torturing me, but finally took the pieces off.
I would have come out earlier if he didn't give a clear order of 'Don't dare show anything other than your hands till I've taken the last broken brick from you.'

I've never felt this miserable in my life for air. I was hardly a few centimetres from oxygen and I didn't have the permission to just cross that distance and breathe.
Pathetic.

Finally as soon as I felt the bricks off, I swam up and got my face out of the water.
I took huge breaths. It felt like I came back from dead.

I was still in water, breathing, when Neil bent down and sat on his toes.

"How many for each?"
He asked without giving me any time to get back to normal.

"Three punches for first, two for second, two for third and one for fourth, sir."
I said looking down.
He had told me to try my best to break with just one punch and not to be afraid of the pain.

I'm usually not scared of pain, Beta made me go through everything extra.
But this was new - holding my breath and putting in strength. I didn't know how to do it.
I've been taught to control my breaths as per the workout or fight. Never have I held my breath.

"So four extra attempts. I was serious when I said I wanted you to do it in one go. We'll go for it again with eight bricks this time."
Eight!
Is he fucking kidding me!
I barely managed to stay alive this time!

I didn't say anything because there was no point arguing with him once he has passed an order.
"Yes, sir."

"Now get out and start knuckle pushups. I want to see if you are really bleeding."
I sometimes wonder whether he fakes that he's a nice person, or this cruel one. Because he fits in both the roles perfectly.

I pull myself out and without a delay, start pushing right at the edge of the pool. With every move, a few drops of blood would ooze out and flow into the pool.
I was on 96 and cursing him head to toe in my mind when he said 'up'.

I hissed with the pain and stood straight.
He pointed at my hands and spoke in a straight tone "We're going to do that everyday till there's no blood left there to come out."
I had no clue what he meant by that but it sounded sinister.

He entered the time and signed on my schedule and said "Go report to your I/C."
My eyes went wide.
It's 2 in the night. Norman was sleeping. If I wake him up for reporting, he's going to tear me apart.

I begged him with my eyes.
"What?"
He asked.

"Sir please give me some task if not the permission to sleep. I can't afford to wake him up right now."
I pleaded.
He's been on my ass throughout the day. And he hates every moment of it.
I don't want to ruin his night and in turn, mine.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back?"
He said amusingly.
God! He and his mind fucks!

"Yes.. Yes sir."
"Fine. Go bring eight bricks."

What?!!!
Now?!
"Yes sir."
I hung my head down and dragged my feet while he stroke off his last entry in my schedule, assuring that this time is counted and I'm not fucked for unaccounted hours.

I didn't know whether to thank him or curse him.
Truly a mind fucker.

This time I put my strength in each punch and got the result he demanded.
I didn't trust his mood after failing him again.

Letting my head out to breathe I expected him to be on my ass without a break.

Instead he said 'That's better.'
It means he could see my number of attempts from the ground. Fucker made me say it out last time.
He really works on guilt theory.

"Come out. Your knuckles need some attention."
I just did 96! Isn't that enough attention?

I did another 78 knuckle Pushups while he just sat on of the chairs working on his own documents.
Who does that at 2.30 in the night?!

"Up."
After eternity!

I got up and showed him my knuckles like last time. There was fresh blood over all the joints.
He examined them and hummed.

I wanted to give him a taste of that blood but controlled my nerves.
It would be the last thing I'd ever do.

"So what do you do now?"
He asked closing his file.

"As you say, sir."
I said tired of his mind games.
If you want me to stay up all night, just fucking say it!

"Neil."
He said his own name and I looked at him confused.

"As you say, Neil."
He replaced the 'sir' in my sentence with his name and repeated it.
What exactly is he asking me to do?

I didn't say anything for next few moments and he answered.
"Call me by my name and not sir."
He said politely.

"But sir.. You are my senior.."
Suddenly flashes of inhuman torture inside KMA hostel smacked on my face. So much payment just for names. And here he is telling me to not call him sir. Is he insane?

"And you're supposed to follow my orders, don't you? What will you call me?"
"Neil, sir."
Damn I can't do that! This word is ingrained in our brains and stitched to our tongues. I can't omit it!

"Let's try again. What did I tell you to call me?"
"Neil, ssss... Just Neil...?"

"Yes. Just Neil. When there's nobody else. In case any old man is accompanying, we go by the law of the land. Okay?"
"Right ss- Right Neil."
Fuck my brain! I can't do this!

"You'll get used to it. And dare not ask me why. I'll answer that when I'll feel you should know."
I said nothing this time.
I didn't know what to say.

I was really skeptical of this guy right now.
He has been a nice asshole to me all these days. Still I don't know if I should trust him. What if he's one of those 'I'm sweet with you, but I'll destroy you' guys?

And this?
Making me call his name - it's just a friendly gesture, I suppose.
Why would he do that?

Never in my life I've seen any army officer who can live a second after his junior calling him by his name and not giving him respect. As dogs, even we call those assholes Boss. Why not him?

Why does he look like he is against the system? There are so many dots that don't connect him with other CTOs here - the way he talked with Norman, not participating in my group screwing, knowing about me before we even met, knowing that others don't want him here, wanting to see me become an agent, giving me random tasks that I feel are important for Class-I Training.... there's something more to his 'against the age rule' story.

I can see in his eyes that he expects a lot from me. I can feel positive vibes when he's around.
But why?

Only time will tell what's going on in that cryptic brain of his. All I can do is stay careful just like I'm being with everyone else.

I don't want to lose my once in a lifetime chance because of stupidly trusting someone instead of using my own brain.

************************************

Alright team Neil!
You got any answer to that?
😅

No wonder all the Dwights prefer workouts over mind fuck!
Look at James going all crazy.

************************************

All you readers messaging me your theories - I really love you guys!
You make my day! Keep doing that. 😊😊

Rest of you guys - vote and comment. 😉