As always here's another chapter, be sure to read and write a review if you can or believe you can. Also I forgot to put a Disclaimer out about how Gi Joe is property of Hasbro, and that I don't own it only the made up characters on this fiction.

Chapter 4

Once again I wake up to the smell of waffles, but before I dig in I let Lifeline do his checks. He did say that I am in much better spirits then yesterday. I did over hear Strike tell him to add extra helpings of food for me.

I'm like man for a tough army chick like herself, she sure was nice. When Lifeline would come in for his medical checks, I did ask him a lot questions about myself. Mostly on health issues.

I did find it rather disturbing that he told me that I was suffering from a mild to severe case of maul nutrition. To reassure that the doctor was right I took a quick glance underneath my shirt. Holy shit was the only expression that I could make. I could literally see how skinny I was.

Especially when I was breathing, I could see my rib cage. I guess that's why they have me here, while they were sorting out my case. They can't release me until I'm back to normal especially weight wise. According to Lifeline when I arrived here a couple days ago, I weighed like barley 100 pounds.

He said that for a six foot seventeen year old boy like myself, that I should be weighing at least 150 pounds. So to make the weight back to normal they would feed me some extra food. He did say the positive thing was that I did gain a couple of pounds in my past few days.

So it shouldn't take long for me to make weight. For the most part of the day I would just watch TV. As lunch rolled on thru, I didn't see Strike all that much since yesterday. I guess they have her busy doing whatever she does to pass the time here. So I was laying here watching some TV, till I hear a knock coming from the door.

At first I thought it would be Lifeline checking up on me as he often does. In fact it actually was Strike.

"Hey kid how are you feeling today?"" I feel ok Strike."" Hey Strike what do you do all day?"" Well I got duties I got to perform every day, but I can't really explain them to you."" All yeah I forgot about the classified stuff."

"Hey kid you remember Low-Light right?"" Uh who was he again?"" You know where you fired off that rifle."" All yeah that guy in all black."" Yeah that's him; anyways he wants to see you again."" Maybe he'll even let you fire off another set of rounds, what do you say kid."" Uh I don't know, I mean I don't want to get you guys in trouble."" Don't worry kid you won't get us in trouble."

"Well then why does he want me to come back?"" Well that I can't answer for you?"" Why?"" He really didn't say why he wanted you to come back, but I guess he just enjoys your company."

"He enjoys my company," I said sarcastically. "Well hey kid don't say like that, I mean I enjoy your company all the time."" You do?"" Yeah I do, it's not very often that we get guest like you here."

"Ok well, let's not keep him waiting then."

In about fifteen minutes me and Strike where at Mr. Low-Light's firing range. He actually came out to greet me and I guess Strike. As we made our way inside the range, he did say that he had his vintage rifle ready for me. Only this time it had a fully loaded clip, which was about eight rounds.

The other thing he told me was that the target was now 300 yards away instead of 200. Of course he gave me much explicated instructions not to start until he said I should.

Low-Light in the mean time took Strike with him to an observation deck which was about ten feet behind the kid. Now Strike had questions of her own for Light-Light about the matter at hand.

"You mind tell me what this about," Strike asked with her arms crossed." I just want to make sure this kid in not pulling any punches on me."" Punches, what do you mean by punches?"

"Here Strike take a look at this." Low-Light then hands me a standard bull's eye target to me, with four shots made into the black. "Ok so what's this then? ""That's the kids target from yesterday."

"What no way this is the kids target," as Strike looked at the target with a skeptical look on her face. "Well I checked all the security cams and no one except for Tunnel Rat who actually went out to retrieve it."" So how do you know that Tunnel Rat didn't decide to pull a fast on you, by punching in the holes himself?"

"Well Strike where're going to find out now aren't we."" Now I set up several cameras covering the target up close, to behind the kid, and next to the kid."" I also set up your spy glass to line up to the kids target as well as sensors on the target to confirm if hits made."

"Don't you think this is a bit much, I mean this is a novice kid were talking about here."" You know me Strike you can never be too prepared. ""Also this will prove if in fact it was a fluke that this kid who never held or fire a rifle in a day of his life, could possibly shoot like a pro."" Ok well let get it on, because I think the kid there is starting to get nervous.

Low-Light slides the latch to open a window. "Ok kid you can get started and fire when you're ready."

"Ok Mr. Low-Light." I slowly started to grab the rifle and as soon as I did my mind took over. The feeling was more like this like my conscious stood back, while I watch from behind as a silhouette of my mind and body took over.

It notices that when I pick up the rifle that the clip is not all the way in, so it completes that task first. Then it pulls back the latch and prepares me to aim and fire. But not before I release the safety switch first.

Unlike the last time when I just took the shots in a quick manor, my mind tells my body to slow the heart down. So without really thinking about it, I started to take deep breaths of air in while releasing it slowly.

Mean while, while Low-Light and Strike were observing the kid, Low-Light quips in, "you see Strike I didn't put the clip in all the way yet the kid noticed it and corrected it."" Yeah well that still doesn't prove anything, he saw you do it yesterday."" Ok well let's keep watching."

Strike takes her gaze off the spy to look down at the kid." Why is he taking so long to fire his weapon, I mean what is he doing?" Low-Light switches the camera nearest to the kids face and zooms in on him as he is preparing to line his shots up.

Low-Light observes him for a good ten to fifteen seconds, till he finally answer Strike's question." If I didn't know better I would say that the kid is slowing his heart rate."" Huh, what do mean?"" Well in order to be more accurate in your shots it is often best to slow your heart rate down as best as you can."

"Some of the best snipers in the world can slow down their heart rate to the point, where they can take a shot in between hearts beats." But that take years of training to get it down." Just then they hear a shot. Alas Strike seemed to have missed it since she was too focusing looking at the kids breathing exercise.

Yet Low-Light did confirm of a hit on target in the black dead center. So without really any hesitation Strike started to look into her spy glass to watch carefully for the next seven shots. And just like clockwork all seven shots were fired, while Low-Light confirms each one while saying hit.

Strike's mouth just hanged wide open as to what she had just witnessed looking in disbelief. "What, no way I mean there has to be good explanation for this!"" No one just picks up a rifle for the first time and starts to shoot like that!" Low-Light urges Strike to keep her voice down and calm herself.

"All right I got one more rifle for the kid today and we'll call it a day, so sit tight Strike." Low-Light then heads out to meet with the kid while he grabbed his vintage 1903 Springfield with a modern scope attach to it.

"Hey kid how are you doing so far?"" Doing fine Mr. I mean Low-Light, what you got there?"" I got another rifle for you to try out." I take a quick look at right when he places it on the table." Gee Low-Light that looks really old."" Do you guys even use these anymore?"" Uh actually no, but I do keep here from time to time for recreation use."" So kid here's the ammunition for it, so it takes only five rounds at a time."" Oh one more thing kid the target is about 1000 yards away to the left."

"Uh I can't see it, are you sure it's out there?"" Yeah it is kid; here take look thru my binoculars." I take look like he asked and after searching for a minute I finally found it. "Yikes Low-Light that thing is like little dot from way over here, but I'll give it try if that's what you want."" That's the spirit kid, now remember don't get started until I say so."

I'm like ok whatever man. Hmm I wonder what's for dinner tonight. As I sat here waiting for the call from Low-Light to get started. Well it didn't take too long per say since in a couple of minutes I got the go ahead.

I'm like is this going to be like this every time that I pick up rifle like this that this automatic feeling or instinct kicks in. What I have learned so far is that every time I shoot, I think that I'm getting better. So far every shot I've taken has hit dead center or practically near it inside the black circle.

As I picked up the rifle once again the instinct kicked in, at least that's what I call it. I load up the bullets one at a time. When I was about to start to aim, my mind decided to take a different approach. I switched stances. Instead of shooting with my left finger I switched it to my right. Shit even with my right eye I could see clear as day light all the way to the target. Within a couple of minutes I popped off the first round, then the next about every thirty seconds.

"Wow the kid switched shooting stances," Low-Light exclaimed. "That is extremely rare, usually you only pick one and stick with it."" Yet this kid is just as good with his right as well as his left."" I don't know what to say about this kid Strike, but I think we got one of those one in a billion types in our mitts here."

Strike starts to look away from her elongated spy glass and looks at Low-Light with a bit of worry on her face. "Well I don't know to say either Low-Light, I mean what do I say to the kid."" You don't say anything to the kid at all."" Instead I want you to bring him by here every day so I can continue to test his abilities."

"What excuse you want me to give to the kid?"" Just tell him that I enjoy his company. ""Yeah I tried to explain that to him, but he doesn't seem to buy it the first time around."" All right well just tell him that I have some extra ordinance that I need to get rid of."" I mean he's just a kid Strike he's not going to know the difference anyways." Strike just shrugged her shoulders to Low-Light before leaving to take the kid back to the infirmary.

So basically a week passed on by fairly quickly for me. I pretty much had a routine for my day. Wake up and do Lifeline's checkups. Eat breakfast, then lunch, and then watch some TV. I know for a fact that I've gained at least 20 pounds to my weight. As slowly but surely that my skinny and boney body was disappearing and returning to normal.

At least at this point my foot was healing rather fast. So Lifeline gave me this boot to wear around my right foot and ankle. As for my other foot it's not like they had sneakers on hand so they gave me one of their regular issue boots to wear to balance out my walking stance. At least now I can walk, which was encouraged a lot by both Strike and Lifeline. So every so often I would get up and walk around my room and in the infirmary halls to get exercise.

And as always around 3:00 in the afternoon or 1500 hours as they preferred, Strike would come and get me to head back to the firing range. I would shoot with those antique rifles of Low-Lights for about thirty minutes then head back. And the cycle would continue the very next day. I keep asking for my targets from Low-Light, but he just gives me run around on the subject. I guess he's gathering them up to pack for me, when time came for me to leave.

Leaving is what stuck with me the most in my mind. I know Strike would see me get these worried looks on my face and ask me what's wrong, but I would just make up some excuse not to say anything about it. But the thought always linger inside of me.

I mean what the heck was I going to do once I leave here? It's not like they can send me back to Novsky orphanage since that Hawk guy told me the place had been shut down. Also it's not like I got a job skill either. I guess with my new hidden talent in shooting I could do something with that. I tried not to dwell on it too much and just tried to enjoy my short stay here for now.

It's finally Friday now and the clock shows its 1700 hours which happen to be dinner time here at the pit. Low-Light is standing in front of General Hawk's office. He finally decided that the time was right to reveal to General Hawk about their teenage guest special ability. It is usually proper to go thru the proper channels thru the chain of command in order to speak with higher ups.

And for Low-Light it was no different since he did request a special meeting with General Hawk. He waited outside sitting in one of the many metal folding chairs waiting for his name to be called out. Then again he was the only person waiting, while Hawks personal secretary was busy doing some paper work.

Of course he was rather calm and collective about the situation, but a lingering fear was in the back of his head on how he would explain to Hawk that he allowed a civilian much less a teenager use weapons and ordinances for recreation. At least he's pretty sure that's how General Hawk would see it.

But then he finally heard his name being called out by Hawks secretary that he could enter Hawks office. So whatever fears he had he quickly put them in the back burner. He walked at a normal pace into Hawks office.

Of course General Hawk's office was no different than any other office in the pit. It was very plain looking with a couple of computers at his back. A very plain metal desk and maybe a couple of chairs. Of course when I walked in I thought I was going to have a personal meeting with him. Instead Duke was present in his office as well.

So I made my way to the front of Hawks desk and gave a salute to him. General Hawk returned my salute back as I stood there. "So Low-Light what can I do for you today?"" Well sir I got a few targets for you to look at if you please." Hawk just motions to Low-Light to show him the targets.

"This first target I'm showing you sir is a target ranged at 200 yards fours round into the black dead center weapon M1 grand."" This next target range 300 yards eight rounds into the black dead center weapon M1 grand."" Third target range 1000 yards five rounds into the black dead center weapon Springfield 03."" Fourth target maximum range 2500 yards five rounds into the black dead center weapon Springfield 03." As Low-Light continues to pass on the targets to Hawk he also shares them with Duke who just whistles with a much impressive tone.

"Let me get this straight Low-Light, these impressive shots where made with those antique rifles of yours?"" Yes sir."" Well I have to say that's some impressive shooting on your part."" Well sir I would love to take the credit on this, but that's not my shooting."

Both Duke and Hawk had some very intriguing looks to their faces as they heard the latest news on Low-Lights targets. "Really this wasn't you at all?"" No sir."" Then who was it?"

"Well sir I have some security footage to share with you if you please sir." Once again Hawk motions with his hand to his DVD player next to his 42 inch flat screen TV.

As the security footage starts to roll both Duke and Hawk look at with much intensity on their faces. Only they see someone they don't recognized at all. Duke was the first to speak out." Who is that Low-Light?" Low-Light remained silent, but then added just keep watching Duke. "Wait a minute is that the kid we rescued a week ago?"" Holy shit it is."

Hawk interjects, "shut it off I've seen enough." Hawk sat there in his chair rubbing his chin pondering at what he just seen." One month KP duty for you Low-Light."" Yes sir." I was about to salute to be dismissed, till Hawk said. "You're not dismissed yet Low-Light."

"Has this kid ever fired a weapon before?"" According to him sir, no."" You sure about that, because that kid looks like he knows what he's doing." "The thing that puzzles me the most is how did he make these shots with just plain iron sights at 200 and 300 yards?"" It just makes me even more curious than before."

"However I did spoke to Lifeline earlier today about the kid's condition."" He believes he'll make a full recovery by the end of next week."" Till then Low-Light give him something a bit more challenging shooting wise, but also continue to record his progress is that understood."" Yes sir."" Good you're dismissed now."

Low-Light started to walk out thinking that he might have made a huge miscalculation in judgment here. Yet Hawk did seem rather interested in the kids shooting ability. So I guess it wasn't a total loss. As I was leaving I did hear Hawk ask a quick question." Low-Light."" Yes sir."" Was Strike in on this as well?"" Sort of sir."" Hmm I guess have to have a little talk with her as well."