100 Challenges
Prompt 037 Eyes
Title: Sniper
Kathleen could feel eyes watching her, but she couldn't tell from exactly where. From the way her team kept looking about, she knew they felt it as well. She knew what this was about, but she tried to ignore it. "All right, we're playing a game of sniper today." The soldiers nodded and moved off. Several set up bases and Peter vanished somewhere.
Kathleen checked over her suit, making sure that it was working properly. They'd found them some time ago, a prototype that had been scrapped but she'd found another used for. Originally it was supposed to be the under layer of the Spartan armor, but there had been a breakthrough and a more flexible under layer had been designed so these had been scrapped. In truth it was uncomfortable, very stiff and tight, making it hard to move. On top of that, it had circuits in it, which they'd found could be used to add resistance to their movements, making it even harder. This had been useful to them. Maria could just plug in and up the resistance, making it easier to continue training without having to get new equipment, allowing them to continue to improve.
"Maria, adjust our suits, about the level that they'd like to see from us." Kathleen flexed her hands and felt the movements become a bit easier. "Thank you." She moved to join her now gathered group. "All right, you all know the rules." The soldiers nodded and Kathleen knew they were ready. If people were going to watch, they'd give them a good show.
Kathleen took off at a run, heading toward the first marker. She could hear the breathing and steps of her soldiers behind her. Kathleen suddenly dropped down, just as a sniper shot cut the air where she'd been. She had to admit that Peter was getting better, but so was she. By far, sniper was really her favorite game that they played. It was an exercise based solely on reaction time and instinct. She glanced back and watched as her soldiers skidded to a halt here and there, expertly dodging Peter's shots. She wasn't the only one getting better.
She heard a curse behind her as Max was hit, and lay down on the ground, cyan paint splattered over his arm. One down, nine more to go. Slowly, one by one, the soldiers fell, though it lasted longer than it usually did. Kathleen purely attributed this to the fact their suits had lightened up on them, allowing them to react faster to the cues their instincts gave them.
Three hours later it was down to only four. Emily, Edward, David, and Kathleen were the only soldiers still running from marker to marker, dodging shots. It wasn't much longer before a shot clipped David's ankle and he lay on the ground, making that he was dying.
Through it all, Kathleen could still feel those eyes on her. She wondered if they would ever leave, or if they were going to stay until the end. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't duck fast enough and a shot splattered against her shoulder, coating her shoulder and upper arm in blue paint. She reluctantly moved over to the side and watched as Emily and Edward continued to run around the practice yard.
Kathleen watched them carefully; more specifically, she watched Edward. He was always particular about which side of Emily he ran on and it hit her. He was moving between Peter and Emily, protecting her. Memories from the past, mainly Fred hovering over her protectively while she set a charge or did some task, flashed through her mind, quickly followed by memories of elbowing or punching the other Spartan to get him to back off. Apparently Emily felt the same way as she realized it and almost too fast for Kathleen to see, elbowed the blond man in the stomach. He doubled over and a second later black paint splattered over his back. Kathleen heard Edward mutter something about cheating before he lay down on the ground, pretending to be dead.
Emily moved to the center of the training ground, grabbing the DMR from where it lay. She ran forward and took aim. Red paint splattered along the side of her head but she got off one shot. Kathleen stood and whistled. The soldiers quickly formed up on her and she looked them over. They all had been hit by paint, a few a couple other times by stray shots from Peter while trying to hit those still in the game.
Peter joined them and glared at Emily. "Lucky shot." He raised his hand up, whipping away some of the yellow paint that coated the front of his helmet
Emily grinned at him. "No, that's victory." She poked him between the eyes and he flinched. "I might have survived a clip to the side of the head, you would be dead." She turned and walked away.
"So Sarge, think we gave them a good show?" Tobias grinned, glancing around.
Kathleen shrugged. She no longer felt the weight of eyes watching them. "I don't know, and I don't care. I hope they weren't watching because that was pitiful." She shook her head and moved toward the showers, her soldiers falling into line behind her.