Part 3 in the series of Cliffhangers.
Enjoy -

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KYRA's POV:

Major Wills escorted me to Med care.
He didn't utter a word to me throughout the whole walk.

After a few steps he took his phone out and called someone.
"Good evening sir. Time for you to show up."

They are having another guest?

"Let's just say I'm more, you are less, but both of us are."
Are what? Screwed?

"Captain Renee will be doing pre-schedule medical. You have another competitor, by the way."
Wills looked at me for a brief second.

"See it for yourself. A Cadet coming to earn Colonel's approval. I bet the preparations are at its best."
Did he just taunt? Or did he compliment me?

"Right sir. I've told her. Please report to med care directly. Don't worry about the dinner. You shall be stuffed here before we proceed."
He said still formal, but with a smile.

"Yes sir."

He cut the call and placed the phone back in his pocket.

I know that he is Dad's junior from Academy. And if I was a Cadet at this place, I wouldn't be getting escorted by him, rather be crawling behind him.

"Ren!"
He called out in his heavy voice.

"What now?!"
I heard a female voice from inside.

"More estrogen for you."
He said with a tinge of laughter.

One head popped out of an inner room.
"Who's she?"
She asked bewildered.

"Super Boss's daughter."
He said. And that was the weirdest introduction I've ever witnessed.

"And what on Gingerland is she doing here?"
Ren asked and looked at Major Wills who looked back at her like he couldn't believe that she's even asking that question.

It took a few moments for Ren to realise what Wills thought she'll understand instantly.

"Oh! It's not me! It's her! Oh thank god!" she said clutching her chest tightly, as if someone just said that it wasn't her who was going to be murdered, but me.
Me.
It's not her, it's me. What?

The weight that got off her chest was now on mine.

Ren realised that she has got me freaked out.
"I.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.."
She apologised.

"Your brain is not working well these days. Looks like someone has not visited Gym since long."
Wills said.

"I'll go okay. I've been busy. Anyways, hi..."
Oh finally they realise that I am here too?

"Hello. I'm Kyra, ma'am."
"Ah! Call me Ren."

She said sweetly.

"I'm a Cadet."
"She's a Cadet."
Me and Major Wills both spoke at the same moment.
I guess I'm right then.

"Alright Kyra."
"Evaluate her for the schedule. Philip Sir is on his way."

"Things you do for love."
Ren said this to herself.
I had no clue what she was talking about.

"Women are trouble. It's best to stay away from them."
Wills said and Ren made a face.

"Says one who died for three days for one."
Ren said with a winning smile on her face.

"Almost. I almost died. But here I am. Escaped just in time. Not every man is lucky to get rid of trouble."
He said with his arms over his chest.

"You're saying this to two women!"
She said what I wanted to scream at him. The heck did he mean?

"Just one woman. Her."
He pointed at me and my smile started to appear.

"You being a woman- I doubt that."
He said pointing back towards Ren and she sprinted to punch him. He ran away just in time.

"Pig."
Ren muttered to herself.

The check up was done quick in minutes but the wait seemed like years had passed from my nervousness.

I heard a knock on the door and Ren stood straight.

"Good evening, sir."
She said with a smile.

"Good evening, cap. Now quickly make me fit. I can't wait to get myself screwed and then meet Jane."
He said rushing towards her.

Ren was right. Things you do for love - just listen to this man. He is madly in love with Jane.

I remember her. She had visited us with Colonel last time.

Not bad, girl. This one looks smart. 9/10 for looks. Brain and power yet to be judged.
But why the hell am I doing this?

"You want to meet her? I can call her here."
"Are you crazy? I'm not supposed to see her till Colonel says so. Don't even think of calling her. If he finds out that I broke another rule of his, I'll be spending my whole life in some desert all alone."

"Broke another Rule?"
It just slipped out of my tongue.
Usually people are not so casual when they talk about breaking rules, specially of such dangerous people.

"Yep. Four. During our first date."
He said and then started laughing. Ren joined him with a smile of her own.

Four?
That's a lot.
The guy is daring. Nice.

"Hi. I'm Major Philip Martins. I'm an Orthopaedic at the All Forces Hospital."
He said offering me a hand.

I stood straight, looked at his hand and nodded.
Come on, I'm not even an officer yet. He's a Major!

"She's a Cadet."
Ren explained.

"Alright. Since when KMA started recruiting female cadets?"
He said motioning me to sit down while Ren attached a BP cuff to his arm.

Mmm Doctor. High brains.
And look at those arms. Muscles are just fine.
He qualifies, if Jane asks me.

"She is not from this academy, Sir."
Ren's words started creating Panic in me. I don't even know this man, and she is about to tell things about me that I went through hell to keep hidden.

"Then which academy?"
He asked intrigued.

I opened my mouth to shut him, but Ren cut in.

"Sir. Her details are Confidential. I can only tell you that she is here to get herself evaluated by Colonel. She will be joining you in the Schedule."
Thank god, woman!

I had a mini heart attack on its way.

"What?! She is the one? Wills told me we'll have another person coming. He never told me it's a girl!"

He looked at me and realised that I heard him.

"I'm sorry, no offence. We are not used to seeing female cadets here. Pardon me for my behaviour."
He apologised without wasting a moment.

"Your medicals are done, too. Both of you are fit from my side."
Ren said signing on some paper and clapping her palms off.

I heard some quick footsteps approaching us.
It was Wills.

He looked inside to ensure he sees everyone he wants to see.

"Colonel has asked us to the mess. You too, Captain Ren. Bring Jane too." said Major in a breathless voice as if he had been running around gathering people.

Without waiting for an answer, he left.
Guess the love birds will see each other now.

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That's one fine dining mess, I must compliment.

Colonel is sitting on the main chair and Dad on one side.

I tried to slip in somewhere I won't be visible to my examiner.
God I never expected myself to be so scared of someone other than Dad and Chief. I've barely met this guy a few hours ago and he gives my heart 2kgs extra with each look.

He poked on the table loudly with his index finger. I looked there in reflex only to find him looking back at me.

"Here"
He ordered and I moved my ass on the chair right next to him and in front of Dad.
If it was any other time, I would have felt better with Dad sitting in front of me.
But today, I know even he won't help me.

"Permission to serve, Sir."
Wills stood straight.

"If you are ready to survive on one-fourth diet, Officer."
He said without a heart.

Wills took a few moments to think, then saluted and walked into the kitchen.
Poor man knows he'll be at loss, no matter how hard he has tried.

He moved out and silently placed three dishes before me, Dad and Colonel and stood aside. Is he not going to eat? Why are others waiting?

Colonel, however, said nothing and digged in pointing at us to do the same. Well, who am I to say no to Chinese.

After a few bites, Colonel asked Dad, "Did you like the food, Kadner? I think it is a little salty and not enough spicy."

"Umm- I-I think it is perfect sir" Dad said, unlike his confident self. Why is this important? He will kill you for lying.

"Kadner."

Dad looks down but says nothing.

"I'll come back to you later. Cadet, did you like it or do you want some alterations? It can be remade."
Oh boy! He is definitely right. It is not that good a taste but I somehow think Dad's answer is where I should go. Oh fuck! I'm about to disagree with my examiner. Good start Kyra!

"I like it, sir. It is fine the way it is, sir." I say trying not to show how I'm clearly lying to him.

"Interesting. Wills, since your dish is approved by majority, for now, you are back to full diet. Sit down. Flynn, serve them all. Try and make it as right as you can, and teach him how to improve it. I want to see him cooking Chinese independently."

Once Flynn left, the mess felt like a ticking time bomb.

"Kadner, I had told Wills he will get a chance to prove himself for his last fumes. What do you think?" You are gone Dad!

"As you see fit, sir" Like you can say anything else.

"I think you have repaid him for his check. As for proving his worth, right now, it is about your kids and I want you well for your work. But maybe next time."

Dad said nothing and luckily, Flynn was out with food for us. Modified Chinese.

Everybody ate in silence and once we were done, Colonel said, "Kadner go check your room. Roshesh will share with you. Go, get fresh and meet me in the bar in half hour. Till then I want to talk to your son, alone. Wills, complete your duties and get the place ready. Kyra and Major Philips, you may go with Instructor Kelly. He will show you around and where to meet for the schedule when it is time"

Choruses of yes sir were heard and everybody left.

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ROSHESH'S POV:

I now understand what Dad must have gone through when he was here. Just 1 serving of food while others kept filing their stomachs. Man, I burnt more fuel than that in just the session in his office. And I don't think he is done with me even after making me go through 20 freaking types of Pushups. I didn't even know so many variations exist. Looks like he had a hundred more in his mind. I thought Pushups were the easiest to choose when you have to decide your own hell. But with this man, never again I'm uttering that word!

"15 shots. 5 mugs" Colonel ordered at the bar and my eyes bulged. This man ate a truckload and now he can drink this much. How is he living like this?

Once the bartender put the drinks, he left us alone.

"Start drinking." he ordered me.
Huh?

"Sir, I can't. I vowed not to."
I fumbled to find correct words to get off this trouble which seemed next to impossible to me.

"Before whom did you take this vow?"

"I told father I would not touch alcohol sir. Please."
For God's sake, please! I can't! The last time my lips touched this thing, it brought havoc.

"And did he agree to this?"
What? He didn't say a word. He just listened and then left.
But if I tell him this, I'll be stabbing myself. And if I say yes, he only has to dial Father's number and ask him. Dad will obviously tell him he didn't make me take any such oath and that would be it. Knowing this man a little bit, I'm sure he'll add more shots on the platform as a payment for my lie.
Dad! Why did you bring me here?

"Uh- no, sir."
I say honestly, already thinking ways to explain Dad why I did what I'm about to do now.

"You need to win his trust back. And for that, he needs to boil you in his volcanic rage. He would hate to see you drunk. But if you make him proud even then, you will win his trust."
Good point. But to win his trust, I have to stay alive.

"Sir, he would kill me first. A bullet right in between. One drunk episode is enough disappointment for him. I can't give him more. I'm sorry, sir."
I used all the unauthorised terms a trainer would shed my skin for.

"Normally, words like can't and sorry would require huge payment. But right now, you are drinking. He told you to do as you are told. Do I need to teach him how to train people to follow orders? I'll have him run in bare minimum in front of cadets just as warm up"
That's a nice threat. The old man has all cards in his hand!

"N-No, sir. He-I.."
The hell Rosh! You're completely sane right now, think of something!

"The oath you took is to yourself and won't count right now. He will know that. Start Drinking before I get him working."
Damn my brain! I have to do this now.

"Please don't sir. I'll do every thing you say."

"That's what I thought. Don't stop till you complete them."

I take the first shot and down it in one go. Man, this is going to burn like hell. And no way, I'm going to complete all these.

I gulp the first one down and reach for the lemon. He slid away the bowl with the back of his hand and looked straight into my eyes.
"Men like you don't need to mask the taste. Five shots before you even look at the lemons."

I gulp down the burn that was rising in my throat. The fear of this man and my near future state was settling in front of my eyes.

He looked at the platform and I followed his vision to the second shot waiting for me.

I looked back at him only to find him staring me.
"If you're going to take this much time to finish one shot, God knows how many weeks you'll take to finish a mug. Let me tell you, I don't like waiting after I've passed my orders."
He said with straight face.

My heart sunk a few inches below to make space for next four shots that I gulped like a machine gun.

It burnt like hell and I promised myself - no matter how much I'm pissed off, I'm never touching this thing ever again. After today, Ofcourse.

I looked at him with puppy eyes and he slid the bowl of lemon slices to me. I took two pieces and coated my tongue with the sour juice. That didn't help much but atleast the possibility of puking the whole thing out and getting burnt all over again, reduced.

My head was starting to feel light and I knew that the drinks are acting.

He must have chosen the fine bottles. It would take a teenage boy to get giddy with just 5 shots.
Sid will kick my ass if he comes to know I performed worse than a teenager.

I gathered some courage to go for another shot. But before I could, he kept a mug of beer in front of me with a Bam!

Are you crazy? Mixing up drinks is never a good idea.
I asked him with my eyes.

"If you want to stop assaulting your throat and stomach, all you have to do is tell me what happened that day."

Oh! So that's the game.
He's fucking with my mind. Dad had mentioned his brain-fucking-tactics a few times but this is my own first-hand experience.
Great I'll have a story to tell my kids, too.

Only if I live today.

The entire bar set up for me on the platform is enough to kill me. And knowing him, he's not letting me off the hook till I finish the last drop.

And I'm pretty sure that if I vomit, he'll make me drink it back.

I need to live to tell Dad that he is awesome. That he's a hero to have survived under him.

"I'm waiting for an answer."
"I don't know sir."

"This beer will help you remember it. Go ahead."
Gah! no mercy.

I picked up the heavy mug and looked at his own in his hand. It was 1/4 th left. Bitch enjoyed his beer like a real man- in gulps and not chugs.

"Now that you're jealous of me, I'd like to see you finish before mine gets over."
Fucking Mind reader!

I got on the job and took huge gulps and finished just in time with him.

My head was spinning now.
I was surprised I was not feeling nauseated yet. A normal human, with this speed of chugging, would have emptied his guts twice by now.

"Back to shots."
"Permission to go to Loo, sir."

"So that you vomit my costly drinks? No."
Cruel cruel man.
God bless his sons.

"Drink."
He reminded me with a sharp voice.

I nodded and got ready for another set of shots.
Lemon to lemon is my goal right now.
And since he's not going to let me pee soon, I'll have to do it fast before he offers another half a litre of beer and ensures that I pee inside my pants.

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KADNER'S POV:

I whistle my way to the bar hoping he is in a better mood and for a nice chill Beer at the bar and not to screw me over.

But I'm surprised to see Roshesh sitting at the bar with empty shot glasses and beer mugs lying around. What the fuck?

"You stupid ass. Didn't you learn your lesson? I thought you would have given up on this forever." I say to Roshesh who tries to turn his stool around but miserably fails and ends up crouching on the floor.

"You are very drunk, idiot. I so want to punch it all out of you" I continue seeing red at the sight before me.

"Well, atleast I have't heard nearly enough curse words from you." Colonel says and only now I see him sitting a little further way with a beer mug of his own. Did they share these drinks? Or am I dreaming?

"He didn't do this for fun. I forced him to drink. He tried to refuse but a threat to you was enough to get him going. And now, I have given him a challenge." Colonel continued, sounding completely like himself.

"How much did he drink? And what challenge, sir?"

"Just 15 shots, 4 mugs of beer and few other things. Not much, don't worry. And he will join the team for the schedule"

My eyes bulge out at the amount. He asked for my counts for this. Damn him and his mind games! Ignoring that for now, I try to reason with the stubborn trainer, " He's very drunk, sir. He won't last. Pl-"

"See. This is the confidence he has in you." Colonel says to a straightened up Roshesh. No, don't encourage the liquid in him, sir.

Roshesh looks at me like I kicked his puppy. Oh man, now I have hurt him again. Thank you for this Colonel!

"Now, he will prove that he is your student. Even if you don't think he is!" Colonel says with such conviction that I'm sure my pleadings are going to be useless. I did hand him over! Shit! Fuck!

"Do I have an option to keep him out? I don't doubt his capabilities, sir." I say trying to manage Roshesh as well, "I just don't want him to suffer unnecessarily. And he has a lot of alcohol in his system."

Colonel ignored me and looked Roshesh dead in the eye and asks, "What do you want to do, officer? Give up?" I'm surprised Roshesh has managed to stand straight at the same place till now. Fucker does handle alcohol better than me.

"I'll stop when I can't go any more because father said not to suffer." He said hiccuping his way through the words, "But I'l do my best. I hate my trainer but I'll do the best I.... I'll prove to him that I'm still his best student."

Damn it! There is no way I can talk sense into a drunk Roshesh or a determined Colonel! I don't know whether to be ashamed or proud. Should have just ignored my grudge at KMA and saved all of us quite a lot of trouble. Or better yet, taken Chief's advice then and there and understood how right he was in what he said. I was wrong to be angry at him in the first place! The fucker may be drunk but he has a pure heart!

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SURPRISE! No Cliffhanger here! 😂

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Who else is sending prayers for dear Rosh? I am, for sure.
And what do you think? Should the angry stubborn father forgive him now?

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So here we are. After almost 7000 words, me and topper93 have reached the point that we first thought we'll write the crossover as. Takes tons of efforts and hours of discussion.
Not whining, but damn it is much more tedious than what we thought.

I hope you guys are enjoying reading as much as we are enjoying writing. If you do, please vote and let us know. And please vote for both the books because that will boost each of us to do better.