Longest chapter in the book
(Wow I crossed 4k words this time!)

************************************
"I don't know what they have planned, but I'm sure they won't let me stay alive till the day of these trials!" Ethan's panic is growing bigger with each passing moment.
"Why is that so, Eth?"

"This is my fifth term at KMA. They didn't bother me from 3rd term to this term. But since Colonel bet on my performance keeping his sons' as*es at stakes, suddenly I'm the batch SC that should be punished for every freaking thing!"

"Isn't that how it usually works? I mean SC being responsible for everything?"
"Not even if someone's shoe lace gets loose in the middle of a run! How am I responsible if such a thing happens? They are purposefully targeting me for every goof up anyone does, which was being ignored till now!" he said rubbing his shoulders.

"Why would they do that? Oh wait, well I know why" I say covering my face with both palms, hiding a smile.
These devils! Breaking this poor boy so that he doesn't win.
And I'm damn sure Uncle has given them the permission to break him, too.

Oh boy, if Ethan loses.
And double oh boy, if Ethan wins, even after all this killing. Whoever wins, somebody is gonna get screwed real bad.

"What are you thinking? Help me here!" he begs me.
"Help you? How? By talking to your Coach Carter? He'll laugh and wave off anything I say. Or by talking to your Fletcher, who'll kill me as soon as he knows that I'm pointing a finger at his training?"

"Yeah. You can't help me. Nobody can." he said sighing.
"It's okay Ethan. You've faced them for two and a half year! It's just ten days. You'll make it."

"Just ten? No it's not just. It's TEN DAYS!"
"Ethan...?"

He took a deep breath and continued "You are right. I can survive. I've done it for five terms. Afterall how bad can it go? I'll not die."

"Yea man. Look at it that way - Colonel James picked you, against his own sons. That's a big thing in itself, don't you think?"
"Yes, it's big. That's why I'm scared. What if I'm not able to perform upto his mark? Bet and everything is secondary, I don't want to disappoint him. This is the second time he took my name, first when he announced me as the SC. I feel so pressurised!"

"Don't think too much. Just face everything one at a time. Don't make it look unending. Trust yourself. That's it."
"yep. One at a time. Thanks Jane. I needed this."

"Anytime bud. Hey it's almost time. Go, or else you'll pay for getting late too!"
"Oh damn! Yea! Thanks! See you at dinner! Oh I forgot, the football team wants to have a dinner with you, so most probably you'll be going back empty stomach tonight! Bye!"

Oh no! They'll gulp down all my food! I need to get some extra meals hidden.
"Flynnn..."

*
Killer was behaving like a two year child, barely running on two feet, over confident about his balance, poking his nose everywhere.

He was back to training the boys, a day after his leg got free. Nick took a step back, letting him have his way with them.
Today is just second day, and he has already sent seven boys to med care.
Bloody Killer, he himself can't walk straight normally. I expected him to start running like a horse right after he came out of Mr. Martins' room, but I think his leg is still not fine. He still limps a little while walking.

I had hoped, that in all this, he'll spend less time on me, thereby making my days easier, but it went all opposite.
My timings were pushed to extreme.
Now I was reporting at 05 in the morning and again at 10 in night, and whenever he felt he was free. The evening game times were given to Nick to 'look after' the boys, while Killer would work on himself, and give me a list of workouts to be completed before the night practice.

I swear that piece of paper would become so crumpled, I could see his face in it!

*
"So, Oliver, you're back to business?"
I said as the boys surrounded me on dinner table.
"Yeah! Coach Carter found out the brand of butter which was giving my guts the allergy butterflies. He warned Flynn to not get it till I am here. Also, he gave me a laminated cover of that butter pack, to show to every med care centre I get posted to. Man, that crazy guy can go heights!"
What? A brand of butter?
Damn Nick, you found it!

"So, how are the preps going? What are your plans for holidays?"
"Sleep for a century!" Ethan said and we all laughed.

"If you don't top the TETs, you'll be sleeping for eternity, boy."
That's true.

We chatted about anything and everything. As expected, my food was over before I could even know what was in the menu.

After cursing Killer with good sweet words, the boys left to have the late night session with their dear Coach Carter.

I stayed back, knowing that Nick and Ren will be here soon.

In next ten minutes, only four of us were there in mess, including Flynn, having proper dinner.
"Where's Willy?" she asked.
"In the gym, becoming Hulk." Nick scoffed, almost spitting his food.

"He is not doing proper physiotherapy. Colonel will have my neck if he comes to know this."
"Is it your fault that he's not reporting?" I asked her the obvious question.

"You remember that day? Who did he order?"
"You"
"Exactly. Now that pumpkin knows that I'll be answerable. So he doesn't turn up when I'm free. On top of it, he keeps sending more and more cadets here, making me busy. Bloody! Has the guts to say - when I come for my physio, you're busy."

Oops.
He has a special hate for medics, I assume. He rebels against all their advices and treatments.

"Uncle said he will start training him. But I haven't seen him -"
Nick answered me "He has been given ten days after Trials. After that, they'll have a full time one-on-one training schedule. That's the reason why Wills is working his as* off, to reach Dad's bare minimum standards. I don't know why, but he looks more terrified of him now, than he was, during our training days. Like Dad is going to kill him, or something."

I knew they are all sh*t scared of Uncle. But the level of fear is higher than usual? What could be the reason?
May be he is afraid that 5 months of zero movements has severely brought down his physical standards, and that Uncle might not like it. But that dumb brain has to understand that he will know the reason behind him being so weak.

"What are you guys planning for the trials?" Ren asked, concerned.
"The valley" Nick answered.

"Holy God, no way! Have some mercy for the boys you two!" Ren shouted.
"What valley?" I asked clueless.

"Nothing great, the boys do it daily, Ren is just hyping it. "
"Oh really? Well YOU can afford to say that, because that Valley has seen you breaking records! And not just you, but the whole of KMA153!" Ren was getting angrier and he held her shoulders and massaged her till she was just a loudly breathing mess.

"Shush now. I know it's cruel. But that is Ethan's strong point. The boy is confident in each obstacle, I've seen it myself."
"Strong? I thought you are trying to make him lose, because of that bet?" I asked him.

"Lose? Heck no! Dad wants to see the performance of the guy we chose. If he just does a satisfactory job, we'll be facing the biggest question - so this was the guy you claimed your best cadet? And 2.5 years of our hardwork, and of that guy, will go down the drain. He has to win, nothing else can happen. We only have to show that we're trying to bring him down, by making him sweat extra. This way, our screwing will be a little less."

Oh god.
These guys are so unpredictable!

"Whatever it is, please tell your dear brother to go little easy. Let them go home without a fracture, or a muscle tear." Ren said annoyed.
"Less likely. He just got back his freedom. You can't just take a bratty child's toy from his hand, can you?" he laughed at the last statement, and I joined him.
Our sense of humour is so similar.

*
It's almost midnight and my arms are crying from pulling down the bars in gym.
And right in front of me, at a distance, Killer is doing crunches. He did two sets of 35 with a 60 second break. His timing is almost same as Ren's. But if that's his timing now, I wonder what he normally does.
He has started with third set, and I've stopped four times till now, with a total of fifteen pulls.
God how can people like gym? It kills!

"Can you get any slower?" he asks sarcastically.
Can you get any quieter? I ask him back silently, but say nothing.

"Get off" he said, while getting up after finishing his third set.
I thank my stars.
After making me do two sets of crunches, and pulling the damn bar almost fifty times, non stop, he decides that we are done for the day.

Doing 75 Pushups today doesn't scare me. But the thought of doing them tomorrow shakes me to the core. My arms will be jelly by this time tomorrow.

While I am on my last Pushup, Ren storms in.
"You didn't report today, again!"
Boy, she's angry.

"I came, you were busy." Killer says shrugging his shoulders casually.
"Stop using that 'busy' card, Willy. I've had enough."

"I haven't. I'm enjoying it."
"Oh you will see what I do now." her tone was threatening "You have had enough fun. Time to pay for it."

"I don't think I'm paying for anything, any time soon." Killer said casually.

"Get up. Start sit ups." Ren was serious now.
"I beg your pardon?" he can really get on anybody's nerves in that fake accent.

"Now. Or have you forgotten what sit ups are? Honey.." she looked at me and continued "... Will you please show your trainer how to do it? He seems to have -"
"I know them alright!" he gives in and starts the sit ups.

It looks like a fluent dance, till Ren intervenes.
"Left ." and he brings out his right leg in front, doing the situps only on his left leg, till Ren counts 10.
"Change" and he changed the legs.

He was grunting loudly by the time he reached 5.
"Change" back to left leg, smooth and fast, 10 again.
"Change". He hardly did three with his right leg, his whole body started shaking and he fell while getting up for the fourth.

"Sh*t!" he swore looking at the ground.
"You are angry, aren't you?" Ren mocks at him, bending down to look directly into his eyes.

"My muscles... Are not.." he told himself, ashamed.
"They are not strong you spoiled jelly! They are not used to this strain, for months. You know that clearly. You know what can help them build up. And you very well know who's the only person that can help you. Now, stop embarrassing both of us and start your physio soon, For God's sake!"
She was really shouting at him now.

"Fine! I'll do it!" aha! So Killer gave up!

"Took you one stupid hit on your ego, to understand something so simple! I'll tell you about your physio tomorrow, during breakfast. Bye honey" she waved at me and left.

After she walked away, we proceeded to training ground, where Nick has all the boys covered in dirt, from head to toe. It's obvious on their faces that they just had a nice session.

"TETs are a reminder of who owns your ass. Any doubt?"
"No sir!"
Well that was a scary and straightforward explanation of Term End Trials, Nick.

"After going over all your performances in this term, jolting down all your weaknesses, me and Major Wills here, have finally decided how your Trials will occur."
You could see all the boys having that lost look on their face.

"All of you have done extremely horrible in the Horrible Valley, thinking it is the last task of the day. Since it's a very important area to be strong at, and you don't give it much importance, we have decided to take your TETs in the valley." Killer spoke.
Sixty eyes went wide.

"The basic rule remains same. You finish one walk in single go. You stop or fail, you restart. But..."
There it is! Kill the suspense already, Nick!

"But it will be counted in your timing. You will be crossing the valley for a total of five times. So minimum of three hundred rounds. It will take more than a day, so we will start the trials not on the last day, but three days before. Its upto you, if you keep it three hundred, you'll get time to sleep, before you go home. If you take multiple attempts to compete a single walk, everyone stays up. Nobody sleeps till the whole Trial is over."
Shit!

"Your timing for each attempt will be noted, along with your perfection and mistakes in each obstacle. Your final round timing HAS TO BE better than your first, even if you do it in your sleep. Remember boys, these five walks are your last attempt at improvement. In your last and final term, I'm going to burn your soles if you hesitate or stop anywhere in this valley."
Nick is a scary instructor!

Killer adds the spice he loves "You will carry 10 kgs in the first walk, 8 in second, 6 in third, 4 in fourth and 2 in last. The ropes will be wet, the bars will be oiled and there will be surprise fires. There will also be five balls in each round, different colour for different rounds. The balls will be hidden in or around your obstacles. Your round will not be counted complete if you don't have all five balls with you in the end."
Damn, Ethan is never going to find them!

"Every gunshot will leave a spot on your uniform. Every such spot will add five extra seconds to your timings, no matter how fast you complete it. Don't worry, you will be warned right before the shots start, so keep your eyes and ears open. There will be a twenty minute break after completion of one round, for meals. Other than that, no water or food will be provided. Your water canteen will be your only life saver."

This is getting more and more difficult. I could see Ethan's face reflect the panic going on inside his head.

Ren was shocked on just hearing the word Valley. I'm sure it's too much in itself. Now these added conditions will make it worse.

Nick continues "There will be three best performers, and three worst. It will be better if you don't let your name get highlighted on either list. Worst ones will have our attention, and best ones will have Colonel's."
They all gulped at that statement.

Killer added "To come in the best category, you have to keep improving your timings in each round. Also, your timing for each round should be within top five out of sixty."

As if that was needed, Nick said "And to come in last three, you know what to do." with a devil smile.

"Any doubts?"
"No sir!"

"Then break off. We'll start the Trials after four days. Have a good night. See you all at 0800."
Yea sure, they're gonna have nightmares tonight!

Poor Ethan. He was just looking at the ground all the way back to hostel.
He was preparing himself to face one problem at a time, never did I know he'll get a bouquet of them.

"You guys have nothing called Pity in you, right?" Ren enters after all the boys leave.

"We have. That's why we have ensured that they go back home alive." Killer spoke.
"Wow!" Ren can be sarcastic at times.

Nick slides one arm on her shoulder "Darling, you want us to kill them, or your dear Colonel?"
She thought for a moment and said "Fine. I give in. You guys."

"Smart girl" he pulls her in a headlock and Ren easily slides out and pulls him in one instead.

"Someone has got a better trainer." Killer commented, earning a glare from her.
He looks at the sky, whistling, trying to avoid her.

Ren gives him one last 'I'll kill you one day' look and pulls Nick ahead with her.

***
"Flynn! I want it now!"
"I haven't got the orders yet." Flynn replied coldly.

"Don't you remember Sir's order? The day I'm back to my schedule, I'll restart my stat diet." he said with open arms.

"You are not back to your schedule. She will tell me when you are. That's when you'll restart your diet." Flynn pointed towards Ren, who sat with a queen-like posture, waiting for this moment. Nick was smiling till now, when he let out a chuckle.

Killer turned to look at her with red eyes.
"Who gave you this authority?" he asked angrily.

"You know who. And you can make this go on by sending cadets to me, one after the other, and keep me occupied. I'll not be able to make a schedule for you and talk about your diet. So yeah, go ahead."
"Damn! You all have conspired against me!" Killer was really angry right now.

"Atleast you are still breathing, thank god for it."
"Not god, someone else. But that's not the point. Point is -" Shit! He talked about Kadner! Nick was looking down at his dinner, chopping his food with a fork, the brothers having a silent tense conversation going on.

"That you'll behave and follow my schedule. You report to me daily, at time given to you, for your physiotherapy. Also, you will not do certain exercises on your own, which I'll mention in your schedule."

"Not do? Then do what? Wait for your Stone-Age, incompetent, time-wasting techniques to start working? Miss, I need to build up my lost mass. And I will do it my way."

"Three people will not be very happy to hear what you just said - Me, Maj Philip, and of course Colonel. While I make you realise how wrong you are, I expect you to apologise your teacher and trainer, two men who waited patiently for your recovery. Also, you will report at Med Care at 1500 hours today, for the schedule you are going to follow till Colonel gets his hands back on you."

"Bull sh*t" he said and stormed out of mess.

"He has no option but to come to you, Ren. Don't go easy on him. This is the the best shot you've got to torture the devil inside him." Nick winked at us and left.

****
1500 hours. Med care. Me, Ren and Killer. His schedule in my hand.

I'm sweating and shivering while reading that out for him.

"You are allowed to do all upper body exercises, which involve muscles of your waist and above. Any self workout involving hip muscles and below are not allowed."
He looks at Ren "You called me to humiliate or what?"

"I called you to shut up and listen to every damn thing she's going to read out!" Ren says in a furious tone which makes him shut his mouth and nod at me to continue.
Ren shuffles through her files, which is the reason why I'm reading out these damned instructions, and not her.

"Following is a list of exercises involving whole body" before I could start, Ren stops me. "I'll tell which ones allowed and which one is not."

"1) Pushups" "Nope"
"Is this a joke to you?"
"Absolutely not. And you'll sit quietly till she's done."

"2) Cardio exercises, involving skipping" "Nope"
"Ren you cant-"
"Shush!"

"3) Mountain climbers"
"Nope"
Loud sigh

"4) half of the gym instruments involving any lower limb."
"Nope"

"5) Crunches"
"I'm still thinking about-"
"Ren! It's a workout only for freaking ABS! Your dear Fibula comes nowhere!!"
"Is not only for abs. But ok. Granted."

"6) Pull ups"
Killer started laughing loudly at this. Ren waited for him to stop over reacting.
"Oh you were serious? It didn't sound like that." Killer barks at her.
"You'll wait for my turn to laugh, after we're done."
"Oh come on Ren! PULL UP. There's a reason they are called Pull ups and not Push downs!" he tried to argue.
"If only you promise that you'll land safely on both feet, properly balancing your weight."
"Oh dear, I won't let anything happen to the poor floor, ever, I promise!" he said sarcastically.
"Fine, agreed."

The list continued for another ten minutes, with Killer stopping me after every point, and Ren shutting him up with answers.

"The only running you will do will be under observation. You shall not run on the treadmill in gym, or in the open, without monitoring."

"You've got to be kidding me!"
"We can always ask Major Philips or Colonel about it" She said with an eyebrow raised, and a glare fixed on him.

"You B-"

"Watch those words, honey."

He punched the table with a bang.
"Ren you don't understand! You have striked off practically everything I need to do right now!" Wills said, pleading to her.
"I just don't understand why are you in such a hurry?"

"I need to get back to myself before these two weeks are up! I have to be ready for father's reven-"
And he stopped himself from completing the weird. But I think it was too late.

What?!
"What?!" Ren and I share a common brain, it seems.
"Ah, nothing! Ren, for God's sake-"
"No you gotta tell me what freaking revenge you were telling about!"

"You know it, okay? Don't try to rub it in my face!"
"What? I don't know anyth- oh wait! You went for the mission, against his wish, its that?"
Oh! That's the fear Nick was talking about?

Suddenly he looks at me, realising I was not supposed to be listening to this conversation.
"I didn't hear a word!" I said with my hands up, before Killer kills this witness.

Ren saved my life. "She won't puke around, Willy. Now tell me, is it because -?"

"Yes! And everytime he looks at me while talking about restarting my training, it's obvious in his eyes that he'll teach me a good lesson for it! That's why, I need to get back to perfect shape!"
"It's a pity there's nothing Flynn can get which increases the power to think sensibly. You will remain the brainless fish you are!"

"Ren.." his voice was getting dangerous, but Ren was nowhere close to back down.
"Don't 'Ren' me Willy. You agree to this right now and sign, or you march up to him and tell him that you will do your physio yourself. I'm not going to face him because of your childish attitude! Hurry up."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Ren stuffed a pen there.
"Let your ink do the talking. SIGN! NOW!"

"I hate you for this. And for everything else." he said while he ticked 'agreed' and signed on that paper, knowing that next few days of his life are going to be full of annoyance and some serious a** kicking!

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

Sorry for such long wait.
But hey! I just have you the biggest chapter of this book!
Thanks for reading.
Also, keep your anger aside and vote generously. 😉
Curses and swears for DM please.