"See you in twenty days." and the call was cut.

Killer was spot jogging, and had started to become breathless.
Without giving him a break, uncle asked "I assume you have an explanation ready, as to why you did, what you did?"

Question was crystal clear.
Answer must be clear too, but consequences were not.
A 'no' will get him nothing less than hell.
But a 'yes' might give him an opportunity to survive, or be an offence bigger than the crime itself. Hell would look like a better option, in that case.

"Yes sir." he replied crisply.
"Good. I'll give you twenty minutes to think over it again. Is that enough? Or you want more time?"
Boy! Uncle is giving him time to prepare an explanation. Damn.

He hurriedly replies "Twenty minutes are enough sir."
"Good. Miss Jane-" This shook me.
I wasn't expecting my name anywhere in this conversation.

"Yes, yes?"
"You mind watching my boy for twenty minutes? I have a small task at hand." he asked me politely.

"Okay uncle...?"
"All you have to do is count the number of jogs randomly in one minute. You can write it if you want."
That was all he said and Killer almost doubled his speed of jogging.

"Okay Uncle." I said again.
He looked at his boy one last time, top to bottom, and then left.
You could see Killer hold his breath for that one moment.

I wrote down a few timings.
I didn't know how good or bad they were. But one thing was sure, Killer was doing his level best to keep his speed constant, even though he was barely breathing.

Uncle came back.
Without saying a word he took the paper from my hand, looked at it, folded it, and kept in his pocket.

"So, I was saying.." he said, turning towards Killer, causing him to shiver head to toe, "Your explanation is ready?"
"Ye- yes sir." he said while jogging.

"You're sure it will get you out of the doom?"
Killer hesitated once "No sir."
Wow! So, no matter what he speaks, nothing can help him, and he knows that.

"Thought so. Back to Burpees. Move now!" he shouted, and clearly dismissed the explanation, without even listening a word of it.
Killer dropped in a moment, and continued from where he was paused, because of that one call.

Spot jog was his third workout since the beginning, first being the morning run and second being half of the burpees, and what a sight it was.
He was sweaty, panting and looked terrible.

Finally when he was done with 'Z', he stood straight breathless.
Uncle went very close to him and said calmly "We have just started, and you look pathetic. How are you going to pay if this is your state?"

Killer said nothing but looked down.

"Ten rounds for warm up. Count time for each. Go."
Killer left for a 'warm up' workout of ten bloody rounds. Not just his legs, but his brain will also be paining by the time he's done.

I used this chance to save Nick's ass.
"Uncle.."
But before I could say anything, Louis entered the scene. He had gone for his medicals and documentations the day TETs started, and came back from HQ last night.
This time he's not the officiating Commander, but just a staff member to fill Nick's space.

"You are..." uncle started without looking at him "... Twelve minutes late."
shit! This is his first meeting after coming back, and he is already in trouble.

"It won't happen again, sir!" he said, trying to convince him.
"You let him check my confidentials." Uncle said, as if reading news. It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Damn Nick, you're gone!

My heart beats were on a rise. I wonder in what state Louis would be right now.
"Sir.. I.. I wasn't in the office when Nick-"
Suddenly Uncle turned and that glare shut him up. "I dare you to repeat that explanation, officer." he said angrily.

Nope. He will not utter a word. He better not.
"I was gone for hardly a week, and you three behaved like teenagers unable to control your stupid little stunts. I really can't think of anything to straighten you boys back!"
Okay. I think he has never been so pissed, of lately.

"Sir.. I.. We.."
"Shut up!"
That sounds scary.

"Go, join your pet."
"Yes Sir!"
Wow! He knows that!
Well obviously he does. He was a cadet here, too.

While both Killer and Louis pull each other forward, uncle spoke to me "You were saying?"
Shit!
"Um.. Uncle.. Nick was.."
"Stupid enough to do that. Both my sons need a lesson in discipline. And I'll make sure this is the last time they need it."
That was the last hope, which just got crushed under his foot.

We waited till the boys completed their rounds and came back.
"Timings, officer." Nope, you don't get to take a breath, Killer.
"O1-38, O1-43, O1-56, O2- O1, O2-13, O2-11, O2-25, O2-38, O2-37, O2-48, Sir!"

Wow! One minute and thirty eight seconds! That's damn good!
"How many more rounds you'll run?"
"Four, sir!"

So anything more than two minutes twenty seconds, is not even counted?
Shit. I need to know my timings.
Killer has never told me. And I never dared to count it in my mind while running, because otherwise I'll definitely get slower.

"You are waiting for an invitation?"
Ouch.
I cringe at uncle's words.
"Negative, sir." Killer takes off to complete the remaining rounds. I hope this time he does it within the permitted time.

"Major Louis, I want all your documents and completed medicals, counter checked by Captain Renee, on my table by 1800 hours. You may leave."
"Yes, sir!"
He saluted uncle and ran for his life.

"Miss Jane, I think you should carry on with your jobs. Watching your trainer become a battered baby, is not a good sight."
No uncle, it is! It's a beautiful sight!

But alas, I had no option but to say "Okay.. I'll leave uncle."
But that won't stop me from keeping an eye on them.

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

It's 2200 hours.
I now have an idea of what it means to train under Colonel James.

Killer has been on his toes since morning, which must have started hours before I even got up.

He has ran miles, done hundreds of PT routines, swam centuries of laps in that chilled pool, and what not.
This is just day 1, which was supposed to be an easy starter according to uncle.

If I had an idea about the level of training that goes on here, I would have never asked anyone to teach me anything.

Me and Ren were in mess, when Killer came in, crawled rather.
He tried to keep his face expressionless, but tiredness was obvious.

He came and sat next to Ren.
"God, you stink!" she said, pinching her nose with one hand and passing him a jug filled half with water, while slipping away from him.
Killer wasted no time in emptying it.

His face was flushed red, and he was breathing so fast, I thought he'll pass out.
"You look bad, Willy. He said he'll gradually increase the pace. But you seem-" Ren was cut off.
"He was pissed." he said, massaging his shoulders  "He knew everything before he started with me. And Kadner Sir's call did nothing but worsen it."

"How did he come to know?" I asked in a reflex, but immediately regretted it, based on the look on Killer's face.
"This is his academy. He has informers everywhere, acting as his eyes and ears."

"Still you tried to hide your own interrogation from him. You should have known that he can see through you." Ren said.
He nodded. "I realise now, how stupid I was. That sums up to two grave mistakes. These twenty days are not going to be good." he sighed.

I felt bad for him now.
No matter how big of an asshole he is, he's getting screwed more than I expected.

"You've got phone?"
He asked me. I nodded and handed him my cell phone.
He dialled a number and before pressing the call button, looking at the screen with red eyes, said "Fucker! Not even picking up my calls!"
Nick.

I never knew that the speaker of my phone is loud enough for others to listen, till today.
I could hear every word Nick said, though not clearly.

"Hi Jane. What's up?"
"Nick-"

"How dare you! Don't you understand I don't want to hear a word from you? Give the phone back to Jane, else I'll hang up."
"Father ordered me to call you."

"What? What- what happened? You started training today right?"
"I'm sorry. I don't have the strength to drop and apologise, just accept this."
Sorry? Did he just say that word?

"Wills. Why did he order you to call me? Why are you apologising like this? What's going on?"
"Kadner Sir called father. He's the guy who-"

"WHAT! He can't do that! He said he won't! Bloody -"
"He said? Did you talk to him? How did you reach him?"

"I.. I got his number from cadets file, when Dad was at HQ."
"I'm praying that you did it with his permission."
Damn it, don't break my phone!

"No. He doesn't know that -"
"ARE YOU CRAZY NICK! He will kill you! He knows everything now!"
Killer was shouting at the top of his voice.

"Shit. I'm dead." I could hear my poor buddy sighing on the other side.
"No. Thanks to you, I'll die before your turn comes! How could you do that! You knew that his confidentials are strictly out of bonds! God, Nick what have you done!"

"What else could I do? None of you were ready to talk to me! Nobody cared to answer my questions! How am I supposed to find out, if not dig around?"
"Well congratulations, you just dug a grave for yourself. And for me as well!"

"I'm sorry. I'll rejoin and make up for-"
"What sorry? I thought Kadner Sir's meeting will just be an official one. Now I can only see endless humiliation and paybacks. Don't join now. Prepare yourself for a grand welcome, twenty days from now."

"What is going to happen after twenty days?"
"We are going to meet Kadner Sir after twenty days. And I have no hopes of coming back healthy and hearty."

"Jesus! He must be really pissed off."
"You doubt that? Heck he is. I'll tell you the location after Kadner sir tells us. God, Nick stop screwing up things."

"Only if you stop keeping secrets from me."
"I had no other option."

"So you are telling me, that you had the option to go and die, but not tell me about it?"
Killer opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't.

Not waiting for his reply, Nick started speaking again. "See? You have no answer. The man you went to kill, he's not just your enemy."

"I'm really sorry Nick. I was too occupied with the thought of finishing him, that I didn't think of anything else. You, father, no one. I know I did wrong."
"I hate you for doing this to us, Wills."

"As long as its just me you hate, I'm ready to face it." Killer said looking at the table.
"I'm glad I called Kadner sir, saved myself from a big guilt trip. Dad was unwillingly forced because you, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It all happened because of me."
"Next time you think of doing something crazy without me, I will-"

"There won't be anything as crazy as this. So chill out now."
"Fine. We'll talk about it later." Nick said giving in.

With a mutual 'hmm' from both sides, Killer cut the call and gave my phone back.

"He fiddled with fire. He'll burn alive." Ren said, trying to come out of the shock she just got.
"Time will tell." Killer said.

After thinking for a minute, he spoke "I had a deal regarding your training." looking at me.
I wasn't expecting this right now.

"That we'll practice every third night."
"Okay.. Sir."
I hesitated, but agreed.

"And other nights?" Ren asked curiously.
He turned towards her with drooping eyes "What do you think?"

"You are not pulling off all-nighters, are you?"
"Do I have any other option?"
Damn, Killer is going to be dead soon, if this will be his routine.

Flynn served us much needed hot food, while I felt pity for Killer.
"So what should I be prepared for? Food deprivation? Or sleep deprivation? What is going to be your schedule?" Ren asked.

"For now, one night rest, next night on ground with him, third night practice with her, till I stay alive. Then repeat."
Killer almost whispered, right before he drowned his face in food.

I need to work on myself, because Killer won't be having good practice sessions, in that state.

We were having a nice scoop of sweet dish, when Killer got up and started leaving.
He stopped in his way, turned around and said with clenched jaw.
"I'll report every third day at Med Care for documentation of my weight reduction, in your presence. You'll report him once I get back to my required numbers. Now please excuse me, I have a post dinner session to attend." He turned and left, leaving me and Ren looking at each other, and burst in a laughter.

*******

Day 2

I woke up and reached ground at 0545 hours. Thanks to Killer, my body clock has changed completely.
Now I can't sleep after 0530.

When I reach ground, I found no one.
Before I finish my third round, I see Uncle running towards the ground, followed by a panting Killer.

I was focused more on Killer, when suddenly I realised uncle was standing next to me, looking at the same person.

"I.. I am done, the ground is all yours."
I said, gesturing towards the ground.
He laughed loudly at my joke and I joined him.
"I'm impressed with you, Miss Jane. I haven't seen many people workout in the absence of their trainer. Wills has done a good job there."

I didn't know how to react so I just nodded. He is praising someone he is killing day and night. How ironic.

I moved a few steps behind, before Killer could reach and hear the good words.
He was trying to catch breath when he was ordered to do three to-and-fro crawls of the ground. Poor man's skin will be scraped off by the time he is done.

I was about to leave when Uncle's question made me dumbstruck.
"What does Nick know about Kadner, other than his batch?"
I looked at him with wide eyes, while he continued to look peacefully at the crawling Killer.

"I.. I.."  I was trying to make a sentence that answers him, without pushing Nick towards more trouble.
"You know a lot of things, Jane. I know that. I want to know what all Nick told you about Kadner."

Thinking about it for a second, and realising that hiding anything from this man only makes him angry which is not a good sign, I told him everything Nick told me, except the part that he wanted to question his father's deeds again.

"You are a good human, Jane. And also, Nick considers you a good friend. I want you to be present when I disclose everything to him. You might be able to control his anger. He must be holding his urge to interrogate me." The last part came with a chuckle.
See? Nothing goes past this man.

Finally the crawls were over and Killer was covered in mud from head to toe with a few bleeding spots. He came and stood with his hands behind, ready to face whatever comes next.

"Now, about your unnecessary valor, it took me quite some time to decide a suitable punishment." Uncle began, circling around Killer.
Luckily, when he made a cringed face, Uncle wasn't looking at him.

"Everyday, you will be given a sentence and a workout. Make a notepad for this record. After your day's training is over, you'll go to any person in this Academy with the notepad, ask him to write "For dear Colonel" followed by his name.
Then, in his presence, you'll do fifty counts of the workout given to you, writing the statement on the pad after each count. When you are done, you'll request him to sign and write the time. While you get to enjoy the humiliation, your witness will enjoy an interview with me. I'll ensure that anyone who has signed once for you, will not do it again, without you begging him." Uncle said looking into Killer's eyes who had stopped blinking.

The ordeal sounds like a fun activity, if you exclude a few things - like Killer's near-dead state after training, finding someone at night and asking him to do this favour, hiding your face in embarrassment because his sentences are not going to be very good, keeping the handwriting neat and same despite the struggle, getting someone ready to hear anything after 'dear Colonel' so on and so forth.

But I'm more interested in uncle's interview. What is he going to do with the people helping Killer?
That's one heck of a devil mind.

He was next ordered to go change into UCPs. He didn't look quite happy while leaving.
Meanwhile, we reached the valley.
So that's why he wasn't excited.

Based on the events that occurred recently at this place, I have started to dislike the Valley.

"How would he know that he is supposed to come here?" I asked confused.
"He knows where to report for sweating in the camouflage uniform." he said with a straight face, and he wasn't wrong.
Killer was here the very next moment.

"Water after every five rounds. No timings." uncle said pointing towards the long sequence of hurdles.

'after every five rounds' meant this will go on till either he is stopped or till he gives up.

Killer started off with the endless loops, trying to maintain a steady pace.
"That boy Ethan was better than you." Uncle taunted when Killer came for his first water break.
"I'll improve sir."

"You've done worse things here, than just finishing rounds, remember?"
"Yes sir."

"If you want, I can get Louis in Nick's absence, for the easier task."
"I'll improve, Sir!" this was louder.
There is something that I'm missing here, something that made Killer gulp down his dry throat and beg uncle to not do what he just said.

The hurdles are designed such that after every few seconds, a different part of your body is under strain.
While rope climbing involves your arms, crawling face up breaks your back, walking on thin bars needs balance on toes, and walk through tyres stresses your thighs.
No wonder the boys hate it, specially at the end of the day.

It looked like Killer had just started, because his speed gradually built up.
Or may be it was Uncle's threat that pushed him. Either way, he was performing better.

It was his fifth water break when I noticed that his uniform was fully drenched in sweat. It's not even evening, and he seems pretty worked up. Oh, and tonight he gets to stay awake. Poor.

He was given two more water breaks and stopped after a total of forty walks through the Valley.
"Five minutes break, then five rounds of the ground. Wash this uniform, change into regular training uniform. Meet me at gym, before I finish my own workout. You know I hate to wait."

Gym. Another place I don't have very good memories of.

Uncle walked towards gym, leaving me and Killer alone.
While I looked for ways to sneak away, he focused to catch a few breaths.
"You -"
He said and I closed my eyes, losing hope.

"You work... on yourself. He... he might come... to check.."
I didn't know whether to be happy or scared about it.

I nodded and left, leaving him to his state.

I proceeded to med care room.
Ren is teaching me basics of few medicines and procedures like dressing and bandaging. She is not very busy, now that Killer is not sending her patients. Nor is he reporting sick, himself.

"Ren, what is the story behind Killer, Nick and the Valley?"
Ren stopped in her track, turned to look me into my eyes.
I thought I asked a wrong question, but suddenly, she started laughing.

After calming down she told me the story where Nick's sleep caused whole of their batch quite a discomfort.
Now I know why Nick is always telling me to set alarms.

It was almost sunset when Ren got a call from uncle.
"Gym" is all he said to get Ren in super-urgent Ninja mode.
She ran away without telling me anything else.

I was a few steps behind her, thinking what would have happened to Killer. Another fracture? Exhaustion? Any injury?

As soon as I entered, I saw Ren standing in one corner.
And there they were- Killer and Uncle, in the middle of the hall, on mat, ready to fight.

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

Sorry for the late update.
Thanks in advance for voting and for your precious comments!