The trio joined the other recruits in the foyer and didn't have to wait long for Romario to appear on the stairs with twelve men at his heels.
"Good morning." He called out, a murmur of good mornings rising from the recruits as he moved down to stop on the landing, "We'll be following the same procedures as yesterday. I call your name, you step forward and meet your mentor. From now on, you will be in their care. Remember that it's their say in the end that decides if you join or not." He paused for emphasis then lifted a sheet of paper, adjusting his glasses.
"Caputo." They watched as the first recruit stepped forward. Jack leaned over to Berni.
"They don't stick us with a mentor randomly, do they?" She whispered.
"No. You're supposed to end up with whoever has the best chance of bringing out your potential."
"And if none of them have good chances?"
"You're out of luck." They watched as another recruit was paired off and Jack felt her stomach twist as her name was called.
"Good luck." Monty whispered as she stepped past and up to the first stair. Romario looked at her, his mustache twitching.
"Scott Ropoza." Her eyes tore from his face when one of the men stepped forward, a smirk on his lips when his dark blue eyes settled on her. Jack looked back at Romario to see him fighting a smile as the blond guy swaggered down the crimson carpet to stop in front of her, his feet planted as his head tilted to the side.
"A chick." He reached out to shove her shoulder with two fingers making her take a step back. Heat rushed into her cheeks while she lowered her eyes, "What? No response?" Scott stepped down and pushed her again. Jack's throat tightened when she took another step back then another when he kept coming.
"Stop." She croaked, her eyes lifting then flitting from his face. He pushed again, making her break through the line of recruits.
"What? Didn't hear that." He said loudly, pushing again.
"Stop!" She snapped finally.
"Make me." He shoved her with an open palm but she smacked it aside only for him to use his other one.
"I said stop!" Jack snarled then moved to shove at his chest with both hands. The world suddenly spun and the air was forced out of her lungs before she was flipped over then smashed to the granite floor with a smack, pain and shock warring on her face. Scott stepped next to her head to look down at her with a smug smile.
"Let's cut the shy crap. Get off your ass, Dipshit. We've got work to do." He turned on a polished heel heading for the front doors while she struggled to her feet. Jack glared at Romario before stomping after her mentor.
Jack trailed behind Scott and tried to ignore how each step made her tailbone throb. It wasn't until they'd walked halfway around the estate that he finally spoke to her again.
"Why are you here?" He didn't even look back, just kept walking along the narrow dirt path trod into the lush grass by thousands of other feet. She cast his back a dark look.
"I'm sure you've already been told." Jack said icily. He flashed a blue eye at her.
"Answer the question." She fought off the glare she wanted to throw in his face.
"Revenge. Family. Future." Scott stopped so fast that Jack almost plowed right into him but she swerved to the side, her arm scraping against the brick wall they were following.
"Listen, Dipshit," His hands slapped down on either side of her head and she cringed against the wall, "If you're only doing this so you can kill that pile of shit, get the fuck out now. You're wasting my time and taking up space a more worthwhile human being could be using." Jack gritted her teeth.
"I want more than that," She spat, "How the hell am I supposed to prove it to you people?" Scott dropped a hand to pull back the side of his suit jacket, revealing the butt of a gun.
"Take it." He demanded and she hesitated for a second before reaching for it, the metal warm from his body. It was heavy in her hand as she held it awkwardly, examining the silver flames etched into the black barrel, "Twelve shots per clip." He said pulling it roughly from her hand to flick the full clip out then shove it back in. It stung her palm when he slapped the gun back into it, "Tomorrow at O nine hundred, we will meet at the gun range and if eight of those twelve are kill shots, I'll train you. If not..." Scott lifted his broad shoulders in a shrug. Jack stared at him with wide eyes. She'd never held let alone shot a gun so how did he expect her to accomplish that? Her mouth popped open but he cut her off, "Dismissed." Scott's eyes were glacial as they stared down into hers before Jack dropped his gaze then walked back to the front doors of the mansion.
Numbness made her hand clumsy when she tried to slip the last few bullets into the empty clip, one falling from her trembling fingers and Jack closed her eyes as the dull throb of pain reached up her arm. Cradling her right hand against her chest, she tried to fight back the hot tears but several escaped to splash onto her legs. It hasn't hurt this bad since he broke them. Her head whipped up when one of the doors was punched open and Monty stepped into the long, low room, his head swiveling back and forth until he spotted her by the ammo lockers. Blood rushed into her cheeks when her eyes took in his bare chest and low riding sweats.
"Are you alright?" His brow creased when he hurried over, his bare feet slapping the concrete.
"It's an old injury. Nothing to worry about." Jack gave him a watery smile which he didn't buy. Monty knelt, his fingers scooping up the escaped bullet before plucking the clip from between her knees. He slipped the bullet in with the others then pressed the clip home, a soft click reaching their ears and he held the gun easily in his palm.
"How long have you been practicing? I didn't see you at lunch or dinner." Jack let her eyes skip away from his.
"Since we got our mentors this morning."
"Why?" She looked back at him, another tear slipping free. It took her a few tries but finally she was able to explain what had happened by the wall that morning. Monty's gaze slid over to the thick stack of used targets by the last station.
"How many have you been able to average?"
"Three." His lips thinned when his eyes returned to her face.
"Good luck, Jack."