readers of my Potter fanfic thought i should be an author too.
The android smiled. "Very good, Trainee-624."
At once, the little holographic ghost operative slung a huge rifle and raised a pistol. There was a brief muzzle flash, no sound, but the lights went out. Wick could hear the marine's grunts of annoyance, followed by "Someone check the damned electrical system." Their helmet-mounted headlights flickered on.
"It seems so real." A girl said.
"Yes, Trainee-592. The military has offered the best simulation technology available. Anyone else have a suggestion?"
"Rappel down into the lower level?" Another boy suggested, with sandy hair and emerald eyes.
"Very good, Trainee-604." Ferula said.
The operative dug in his fanny pack silently and came up with a coil of rope. He clipped one end to the catwalk rail, and gently lowered the other end, making sure there was no slack.
**
After that, the students of Gamma squad succesfully completed the scenario.
Riley was waiting outside.
"Your students are very intelligent, Chief Petty Officer Riley." Ferula said.
"They'll need it in order to graduate." CPO Riley said, gazing at them all. "All right, trainees. Time for the obstacle course. It's a short jog, fall in."
The "short jog" turned into three miles.
By the time they arrived there, every one of the children were puffing. Only CPO Riley seemed unaffected by the exertion.
"Your objective will be to cross the finish line." he told them all.
"What do we win?" Wick asked.
"You win the right to have dinner, Trainee-624. But be aware that the last three trainees past the finish line will go with no supper. All right, everyone behind this line."
The children did so, eyeing each other warily.
"Go!"
Wick shot forward, and dived beneath a tangle of barbed wire. He nimbly scaled a cargo net, and hung upside down from a pole, descending by a pulley. Another rope bridge followed a basket and pulley, and finally, Wick was first past the finish line.
"I was first, Sir." he told CPO Riley. Riley nodded and made a checkmark on a clipboard.
Finally, the last five trainees staggered out. There was a copper-haired girl, a wiry blonde, a brunette with a round face, a unusually short boy with brown hair, and another girl with bloodred braids. All of them were crestfallen to know that they would be missing out on the evening meal.
"All right, let's all go back to the barracks and chow down." Riley said. "Except for Janelle, Martin, Kelly, Sandra, and Kristine."
Dinner was a sumptuous affair that night, but Wick didn't feel too much like eating. There was ice cream, corn on the cob, brownies, loaves of bread, and chicken legs. However, Wick felt pity for the five who had not made it.
They were all awarded their own fanny packs at the door for the day's efforts, and Wick made use of it, stuffing as much food as could fit discreetly into it.
"What're you doing?" A freckled boy with black hair asked. Wick saw the name on his shirt: "JOHN- 617".
"The five that didn't make it in time." Wick said quietly. "It's not really fair that they can't eat." Without a word, he slung the pack.
"Good idea." John said, and calmly started sneaking food in his own pack.