So, I vomited this one out pretty quickly… Despite the fact it's like, four a.m. here, I'm just getting so excited for upcoming scenes that I can't stop writing – not that any of you will be complaining… ;)
Issy grabs a hold of her stomach. Eric's unit had been out searching the city for these kids and as he held her a night, Eric didn't say anything… He had his arm wrapped around her shoulders earlier today as he told her he'll be leading his unit out on a raid tonight but still didn't tell her about it… she inhales, her eyes focusing. "I need a really strong drink."
"Amen sister." Hugo pulled her closer and led her further into the Pit to one of the more family friendly bars as Josh and the small family followed after them.
Hopefully, while Issy knocked back some strong alcohol, they came up with better subjects to talk about and – fingers crossed – whatever alcohol Issy knocked back would hit her later, pulling her into an easy sleep…
Over the next few days, squad 226 put the trainees through the grinder. Billy was disappointed when Emmett didn't quit – in fact, it surprised all of the squad. Even though Emmett was more or less at the bottom of the rankings, he didn't give up and Issy almost praised him for it… Almost. After his non-injury Bulldozer had taken to calling him Drama Queen, even when the trainees' names were all on the chalkboard for fights, it always read Drama Queen instead of Emmett. While Emmett became quieter during training sessions, his comments grew in the few moments Issy was alone with him. Obviously, he had taken BD's threat to heart and made sure than none of the other squaddies or trainees heard what he said each time. Issy took it all with a clenched jaw and sent him off to do laps or drills rather than tell BD or Red. Issy's a grown woman and she definitely doesn't need to run to them every time Emmett makes a comment about her gender, her body or her leadership. They're not in school anymore…
The meeting between the Leaders and the ambassadors came with result as on Friday, affecting some of the more specialised squadrons. These squadrons often had twelve members and with thirty squadrons together, they kept the dangerous sectors in check. Twelve of these squadrons were being pulled from the front lines and assigned to a Faction, one assigned to the school itself. Four were assigned to Amity due to it being the second largest Faction after Dauntless, three to Erudite and Candor each and the final two to Abnegation after long arguments with Marcus Eaton, who though it was selfish to have Dauntless around their homes for protection… Max didn't given Marcus an option, nor did he give a shit about the Abnegation Leader's opinion.
On Saturday, after schooling the trainees on the sectors the normal squadrons patrol and taking a rather long run around the top of the concrete wall of the fence, the whole squad went through the rankings for the first week. Some of the rankings weren't awfully surprising – Tommy and Emmett were having trouble meeting the standard Issy set each day; Soren, Elliot and Milo were constantly outdoing each other for the top spot in friendly competitions. The rankings that did surprise them, had the squad rethinking plans for the second week – Robyn had dropped more than they expected but of the flip side of that concept, Lani had had equally risen more than they expected. Hannah had dropped also, but after being nosy, Issy had sat in on other squadrons training their own trainees and Issy realised that her own program was much more brutal.
Issy was thankful when Sunday came around, but their group seemed smaller than normal. Josh and Hugo weren't around because of something the former had planned with Ed, Lyra and Cas. The ambassadors – Jason, Luke, Tris and Dec – were out to their assigned Factions, laying out the plans for the Dauntless temporarily invading the other Compounds. Max had increased the amount of eyes in the control room to find any sign as to where the missing kid had gone, so Four, Blake and Cody were out on shift, while Zeke was sleeping off the shift he had just had. Max had also pushed for the Weapons Specialist Depo to manufacture more weapons, so Will and Alec were making crate by crate of them. The Rodriguez siblings were spending the day with their parents after finding out the squadron their dad is a part of has had a notice from Harrison about the possibility of new orders soon. All that left Bree, Noah, Flare, Kayden, Lilah, Sam, Uriah and Marlene. Uri made such the day was full of fun to help them forget about what's happening outside of their Faction. he told them all about how much fun he had learning how to drive and Issy was thankful that BD took the keys off him that time because from what Uri was saying, there were more than a few moments when he nearly tipped the truck…
Monday came the awful news of the nephew of Candor's Leader Jack Kang being kidnapped from the courtyard on the Candor compound's doorstep and the news of a child of Dauntless having gone missing around the same time. In response to this, Max called an emergency Leadership meeting with every Faction. The results were that each of the Faction's dependants were on lockdown in their respective compounds, thirteen more of the specialist squadrons would be sent out – four to Amity, three each to Erudite and Candor, two to Abnegation and one more to the school. The dependants of each Faction would all to escorted to and from school as one collective group. For Dauntless' dependants, several of the parents themselves volunteered to be a part for the group that escorted the dependants to and from school. During this, Issy saw less and less of Eric as he was in charge of going to each of the other Factions to brief them on the rules and the expectations of the soldiers and what they should do in the case of someone attempting to kidnap a child while under the watch of the squadrons.
Thankfully, the squadron that Hector's dad was in wasn't one of those thirteen that was sent out, though on the flip side of that, his hours per shift were extended so that the five remaining squadrons on the front lines could cover the patrols that needed to be do each day.
The days leading up to the first cuts of Issy's program had the trainees going through heel and back. Issy increased the pace during the runs in mornings, most of the trainees had gotten used to it by now, so it wasn't a problem to them. Red and Bulldozer pushed each of them to their breaking points during the drills and fighting. On Wednesday, the obstacle course was kept inside Dauntless, so no one wandered off and injured themselves again. Issy made the trainees go through multiple course in the O.R, often against those from 226.
On Friday, Bulldozer got what he wanted and tossed Emmett into the ring with him, though this time the comment wasn't directed to Issy but rather Rainbow. Rainbow had been leading the gun session by getting the trainees to shoot at randomly appearing targets when Hector made a joke and in response, Rainbow mockingly kissed Hec on the check. Slut fell from Emmett's mouth, echoing around the room and everyone's head snapped to him. In the next moment Bulldozer had a fistful of Emmett's top and lifted him from the ground with ease. Issy didn't move to stop Bulldozer as the larger man carried a kicking and swearing Emmett to one of the fighting rings and threw him in. Not once between his swearing did Emmett apologise and so, when Bulldozer's eyes darted to Issy, his chest heaving with anger, Issy nodded once.
What little points Emmett held to his rank were completely gone with that one word.
As Emmett stood up, BD paced at the other side, his fists clenching and his eyes wild.
"Come at me Drama Queen," BD hissed lowly as he crouched down, looking ready to pounce on his prey. "Show me what a real man you are." For the first time in nearly two weeks of firing comments without missing a beat, Emmett hesitated and BD grinned, launching forward. BD's fist smacked into Emmett's cheek, sending him back down to the mat. Issy tried to hide her smirk at the fact that BD had pulled that punch and yet it still sent Emmett down to his knees. "GET UP!" BD roared. Emmett spat out some blood as he shakily got back up. "Oh, little boy," Bulldozer cooed mockingly. "I've been counting each bitchy comment you've said since this program started, including those you've said to Beta when you think no one's listening." Issy's eyebrow rose up at that. Bulldozer heard each comment and had managed to control himself not to react… How BD didn't make Emmett six feet under, Issy doesn't know… "You're gonna wish you never thought out them when I'm done with you."
Emmett's eyes darted to Issy and she shrugged with a what can you do look on her face and a small smirk dancing on her lips. Emmett glared at her and BD kicked his legs in response.
The fight – if you could even call it that – lasted longer than expected. While Bulldozer's pulled hits still hurt like a bitch, Emmett tried to fire attacks back, but each time Bulldozer was too quick. After a couple of hours of Bulldozer just playing with Emmett with a wicked grin on his face, Issy called the fight to an end. Emmett was coughing up blood but had nothing more than bruised that would hurt for months on end. By the look that Bulldozer shot at Issy, bruises weren't enough.
The trainees stood around the mat as Bulldozer jumped out of it and Emmett was still staggering around.
"Alright!" Issy called and eyes jumped from Bulldozer and Emmett to Issy. "There's no training tomorrow but I expect you all to be ready the rankings to be revealed. Dismissed."
xXx
At three the next day, the squad all stood in one of the training rooms with the chalkboard next to them. Issy checked over the final rankings of the first stage with the printed list Geek held.
"Looks correct." Issy eyed both lists before nodding.
Bulldozer grinned as he flipped the board over to face the wall, hiding the ranks. "Honestly can't wait…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
Issy smirk as she pulled out her patrol alarm and typed in the location before setting the rest of them off. Her squaddies turned theirs off within moments and now all they had to do was wait.
After ten minutes, the first of the trainees jogged into the room. Soren and Elliot came in together, looking confident in their rankings but still slightly nervous. Lani came in with her brother Milo – the only time that they acknowledged each other as such – and Milo threw his arm across her shoulders to stop her from constantly bouncing. Robyn looked like she was about to be sick as Vera rubbed her shoulder and Hannah's eyes didn't stray from the floor. Tommy, Leo and Kale came in together and while Kale couldn't stop fidgeting, Tommy and Leo seem oddly calm. One trainee left to turn up and put the rest of them out of their misery.
They waited and waited – and waited some more… Roughly an hour later when Issy was fed up of waiting and about to go find the fucker herself, Emmett strolled into the room.
"Where the fuck were you soldier?!" Issy shouted and Emmett only shrugged. "Answer me!"
Emmett shrugged again, looking awfully confident with a lewd grin on his face. "I was busy. Plus, why should I bother being quick about it when it's not a real attack? Heck, it's not even an attack so why should it matter what time I get here?"
Rainbow snarls. "It's a direct order from your superior!"
Emmett snorts back. "How can it be a direct order when all bitches belong in a kitchen?"
Rainbow's expression turns to a smirk, causing Emmett to blink in confusion. "Pricks like you belong at the bottom."
"I prefer being on top, but if you want to ride me honey, then sure." Emmett winks and Rainbow makes a disgusted noise.
"Gross." Issy mutters, causing a few of them to laugh. "Anyway. These rankings have been calculated over your efforts over the past two weeks. The ranks you get are by your fault only and will not be changed. For those of you that have been cut, you will attend a meeting with Harrison and the other leaders to discuss whether you'll go back to your old jobs or placed somewhere else by mine and my squadrons' suggestions. It has been an honour to train alongside you –"
"Most of you." Bulldozer whisper and some of the lasses giggle.
Issy rolls her eyes. "Here are the rankings." She flipped the board over
1 – Soren
2 – Milo
3 – Elliot
4 – Vera
5 – Lani
6 – Kale
7 – Robyn
–
8 – Hannah
9 – Leo
10 – Tommy
11 – Emmett
There are a few gasps of surprise when the rankings are revealed. Soren and Elliot high five each other, patting Milo on the back. Lani jumps in the air, clapping her hand over her mouth. Those that made the cut have similar expressions.
Hannah goes through the group and congratulates them, hugging each of them. Tommy and Leo nod at Issy and smile sadly, accepting their ranks. Out of everybody, Emmett is the quietest. His eyes are glued to the board, his jaw is clenched so hard she expects the bone to splinter. He slowly turns to Issy and she expects an outburst. Though Emmett simply glares at her hard enough that she might set alight randomly. The look in his eyes is dark and promising, and a small part of Issy wants to hide but Issy raises her chin and smirks. Emmett bares his teeth before leaving the room without a single word.