Killed By Death

by mrcookieman36

I don't understand. I thought I was a normal average teenager going through a shit experience. When I thought my troubles where over, more just come piling on. I cant even explain it myself I went in normal, but then came out as a killing machine. Maybe these people could help i suppose, i mean its not like i got anything else better to do.

10. Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

Well it's been about a few months now since I've been here at the pit. I think it's been about maybe four or five months. How do I know this? Well my body has started to change quite a bit. I'm no longer a string bean runt like before.

Thanks to sergeant major beach head, his motivation and constant yelling along with Strike's ever so persistence to whip me into shape is starting to pay off. Shit I'm even starting to get a six pack. I got some muscle packing on me, especially on my biceps and everywhere else. I mean I'm no Road block here, but I'm not scrawny either.

My stamina has increased as well too. I can actually keep up with the group to our early morning runs as well do a hundred pushups, sit ups, and pull ups. I no longer get winded when I do the obstacle course as well.

I could now carry my weapons with much ease as well, especially my AS50 sniper rifle. Out of all the sniper rifles that I've sample, the AS50 is by far my most favorite rifle. I would train my body to carry as much ammo as I could with this rifle.

Normally it's only required that I carry about three ten round magazines for this rifle, however I would carry around six to nine extra. Including my ACR ammo and side arm ammo as well.

So far I've been advancing very well in most of my classes. Lifeline who was rather impressed with me in wanting to learn some extra studies in first aid, would actually take the extra time to teach me some more advanced medical treatments in first aid, like removing bullets and field dressing wounds.

So as a part of my sniper scout uniform with weapons I would also carry a medical kit with the basics, but also some extra stuff when needed.

Sergeant Scarlett would also take a little bit of extra time to teach me some extra stuff as well. I don't think I was her punching bag any more. She was ok to me, but more on the strict side. I think she was like this so that I could learn my lessons well with her.

I was advancing in everything from basic survival, medical, self defense and sniping as well. The only class I seem to be stuck or at a stand still was my secondary MOS, which happens to be mechanics and or driver for Specialist Cover girl.

To be honest I think she hates me. I would often ask her if she could teach me something, but she'll just give me the run around either by making me sweep floors or clean diesel barrels. Heck even Foster and Phillips can't teach me anything as well. Not that they don't want to, but out of fear that they too themselves would get in some kind of trouble with Specialist Cover girl.

I remember this one time the Foster and Phillips were teaching me about basic fluid checks for a MOBAT tank. Something real simple according to them as checking the oil, transmission, and hydraulic fluids.

Ms. Cover girl got wind of it and had them both doing KP duty for a month, how I knew this well I saw them both peeling potatoes in the back. I tried my best to get Specialist Cover girl to give their punishment to me but to no avail.

Well at least she's gone for this week, but only for a few days. I was told by Foster that she was on a deep cover mission. Any way I'm here at the machine shop watching the place for Foster and Phillips since they decided to take a late lunch due to their extensive work on getting all thirty VAMPS inspected and up and running in the next 72 hours before Specialist was to come back.

Poor guys I would help them out if I could, but since my mechanics teacher decided I wasn't worthy for her time I could do nothing. Shit she probably had the place bugged and rigged with cameras just to make sure they weren't slacking off by teaching me anything.

Man it's boring as hell here in the machine shop as I was alone cleaning the floors. All this cool equipment around me and I have no clue how it works. As I was preoccupied with my menial task here, I heard the machine shop office phone go off.

I would go in there to and answer the phone, but one I'm not allowed to, and two it's locked in there. So I kept sweeping about till the phone that was about a couple of feet next to me as I was sweeping was starting to go off.

Man that's was kind of creepy to me. Well I let it ring for about a couple of rings, till I decided to answer it. "Uh machine shop how can I help you today."" I was wondering when you were going to answer me kid?"" Uh is that you Hawk Sir?"" In the flesh kid."" Um what can I do for you then sir?"

"Well the next time if the phone is ringing off the hook, then answer it ok."" At first I thought you were ignoring it, but then I thought that the door might have been locked in the office so here we are."" Wait you've been watching me?"" Well yes private I do have camera access everywhere here in pit and outside, but I'm getting off track here."

"By the way where's Foster and Phillips kid?" Well they're taking a late lunch due to all the work they been doing here at machine shop getting the VAMPS working right again sir."" Well then that means that I'm going to have to count on you then."

"Ok kid I need you to bring me a few tools to my office and help me out here for a little bit."" Uh ok sir whatever you say."" Good kid I need you to bring a 5/16 ratchet wrench, a ¼ inch Allen wrench, and a 5/16 nut driver with a magnetic tip."

"You think you can handle that?"" Uh yeah I think so sir.""What do mean you think so?"" Uh nothing sir I'll get it done."" That's a good attitude kid I don't like people who are unsure of themselves. ""I'll see you in a few minutes ok."" I'll be there sir," as I hung up the phone.

I stood there for a minute or two thinking about what Hawk wanted. Oh shit I have no clue on what he wanted either, I mean I know they are tools here in the shop, but I don't know what they look like. How is it that I've been here for a few months now and not know anything as simple as the name of the tools here?

Oh yeah my freaking teacher wont teach me anything to me and won't let her subordinates teach me either. Crap I'm so lost right now. I know I can't show up to his office without anything, so I did next best thing.

I brought the entire tool box chest to his office. Luckily for me from observing both Foster and Phillips working on the VAMPS that I was able to see where they keep most of their tools. Since most of the tools they do use, comes from this massive tool crate chest or box.

The great thing was that this crate did have some wheels so rolling it was not a problem. The main problem was that this fucker was heavy. So I got a real good work out from pushing and pulling this thing all over the pit, all the way to Hawks office.

So after about ten minutes I came to Mr. Hawk's office. I guess his secretary was out today probably at lunch, so I knocked on his door. "Come on in kid I've been waiting for you." I push in the massive tool crate in carefully, so that I don't bang it on the door frames. Once I got it in I respectful announced myself as the way Strike instructed me how to do so.

"Private Mark reporting as order Sir." Hawk with a much bewilder look on himself stood there watching the kid bring in a massive tool crate to his office. Of course with good manners the kid stood there saluting to Hawk waiting for him to return the salute back, which he did in an instant.

"Uh kid, why did you bring the entire tool crate to my office, I only needed three tools," Hawk stood there with his arms crossed." Well sir I thought for a moment since you only needed three, but what if those weren't the actual tools that you needed."" I mean people make mistakes all the time when sizing up tools."" You think you need this one, but it was this one that you needed, all because of that pesky metric system."

"I mean were Americans damit stick to the American standard system will yah."" Well you do have an ok and strange point there kid, any ways let's get started."" My chair adjustment stick fell off and I need it to get back on so I can adjust it to the right setting."

Hawk got on his knees while take a good long look at his chair to see what he might need. "Ok kid give me a 5/16 wrench."

I open the tool crate up by sliding one of the racks open. I take a good long look myself while I just pick up a random tool and handing it over to Hawk. Without looking hawk himself grabs the tool the kid handed him and try's to tighten the loose bolt, only the wrench doesn't fit." I said 5/16 kid this is 7/8."

"Oh my mistake sir, uh here you go." I hand him another one. "This is ½ kid."" Well never mind give me a variable Allen wrench set next." I just hand him another tool to him without thinking.

Hawk got the next tool only for it to be a flat head screw driver. For a second there he was going to put an end to this kid's shenanigans as he was rather getting annoyed by it. He slowly gets up asking for another tool from the kid.

Hawk asks for something simple from the kid, like a Phillips head screw driver. As he stood there he sees the kid looking at the tools, as if he was studying to see if he was picking the right one. Of course Hawk had doubts himself thinking how this kid could not possibly know what these tools are, unless he really does not know what these tools are.

For Hawk he had seen enough and was ready to intervene. "Private will you stop for a second?" Mark stops, but just stands there with his head bowed down in a bit of shame. Hawk picks up a 5/16 nut driver and asks, "Private do you know what this is?"

Uh is it a five slash sixteen metal rod sir?" As he answers rather confusingly. "It's a 5/16 nut driver kid," as Hawk corrected him. He then pulls out a three quarter inch Allen wrench." What about this one?"

"That looks like an L-bar sir."" An L-bar, why would you call it an L-Bar?"" Because it's in the shape of an L sir," as I run my index finger to show Hawk in the L shape it is in. Hawk gave a small chuckle to the kid's answer while responding to him in an informative tone.

"No this is not an L-bar as you would say; no it's actually an Allen wrench, three quarters to be exact." "Well then thank you for the lesson sir."" Yeah don't mention it private, by the way what is it that you do in the machine shop?"

"Well Sir I come in every day at 1300 hours and greet both PFC's Foster and Phillips."" Then if Specialist Cover girl is there sir, I would greet her as well."" Then from 1305 to 1500 hours I would start on my custodial duties there."

"What do you mean by custodial duties?"" I mostly sweep and brush down diesel barrels sir." Hawk sighed for a short moment, while asking the kid to follow him to the conference room next his office.

"Let's see here it's about 1430 and your next stop at 1500 is at Sergeant Low-Light's class, so for the next thirty minutes I want you to write about your experience here at the pit."" Tell me about your routine and what you do."" Also tell me about your instructors and what you think of them. ""You think you can do that?"" I think so sir, I mean I know so sir."" That's good kid l look forward to how your penmanship has come along."

Hawk left me for me to start on my task. I wrote as much as I could, but also as clearly as I could. I know he told me to take the full thirty minutes, but I knew I had to cut it at about ten to fifteen minutes before the next hour. Mainly because I had to put those tools up and get to Low-Lights class on time.

I knocked on Hawk's side door as he said to come on in which I did." Uh I'm finish sir." I see Hawk on his knees as he was attempting to fix his own chair. "Good kid, just place it on my desk and head on out to next class with Sergeant Low-Light."

"Yes sir," as I acknowledge him quickly as I start to pick the tools and place them in the crate ready to roll it out here. "Private don't worry about the tools I'll get someone else to put them back up."" Just go now and get to your next class, I know Sergeant Low-Light doesn't like to be kept waiting." I took off as he said without asking any questions, even though I wanted to. I could tell that Hawk was in no mood for me to second guess his orders.

Hawk on the other hand was only pretending to work on his chair since he was actually got it fix within five minutes. He was actually taking the time to review some of the security tapes from the machine shop for the past five months when the kid arrived.

He too could not possible believe the kid's story that every day he was either sweeping floors or doing some kind of cleaning throughout the shop. Yet sure enough the tapes proved otherwise of what he feared the most, that this kid was not learning anything of value. One way or another he was going to get to bottom of this, but not until after he read the kid's short essay.

About thirty minutes pass by as Hawk heard a knock on his door; telling whoever it is to come on in, only to know that he knew exactly who was coming. Both lead mechanics of the machine shop came in and announced themselves in unison to Hawk. "Sir Private first Class Foster and Phillips reporting as order sir."

"At ease men, don't worry I'll make this short for the both of you." Hawk stood there with his arms crossed ready to ask a series of questions. In short both Foster and Phillips were looking in the direction of their missing tool crate.

Hawk picks up on this quickly." I see that the both of you are eyeballing the tool crate over there."" Well not to worry you two men can have it back, but only after you answer my questions."" Interesting day so far gentlemen, I was having a small chat with Private Mark today."" That's the kid that I assigned to the machine shop to help you guys out in case you didn't know."

"We know who he is sir," Foster spoke up. "Well to continue on I asked him to bring me a few tools to my office to fix my chair."" He did tell me that the both of you where taking a rather late lunch do to your constant work on bring the VAMPS back to working order."" So I do commend you on your hard work. "

"So I had him do as task for me."" As a result that you two can clearly see, he decided to bring to rather large tool crate to my office."" That was the first red flag for me that I didn't pick up on until I started to ask him for some simple tools."

"No the biggest red flag was, how is it that private Mark has been in the machine shop for almost five months now and not learn a dame thing there!" Hawk sternly said to the leads." How is it that he doesn't even know the names of simple tools!"" How is it that he knows his way around a broom and brush but doesn't know what a screw driver looks like!?"" It's not a hard question you two, answer me!"

Foster spoke up rather nervously to a much pissed off Hawk. "Well sir the thing is, we want to teach him, but were not allowed to sir."" What do you mean you're not allow to?"" Well sir were not at liberty to say."

Hawk straightens himself up and gave a stone hard look to his mechanics and asked them to fess up. "Not at liberty, by whose orders?"" Were not at liberty to say that either sir."

"I am a superior officer to the both of you, you will answer me is that understood?"" Yes sir," the both said in unison. "So then by whose orders then?"

Phillips spoke up next in a confident tone. "Sir we've been order by Specialist Cover girl not to teach the kid anything."" When Foster here tried to teach the kid on basic fluid checks for a MOBAT sir, well he got a month's worth of KP duty for it."" She keeps the kid occupied by making him sweep the floors and clean diesel barrels every day."" She keeps telling us and the kid that she'll teach him something, but like you said before sir it's been months now."

"We really want to teach him something sir; we know he wants to learn."" But we fear reprisals from Cover girl sir."

"Hmm well then that's all going to change."" Tomorrow you two will start teaching the kid something."" I suggest you teach him the name and the purpose of these tools here as your first lesson to him."" Thank you sir we won't let you down we'll teach him good and right."" Good you two are dismissed, don't forget to take your tool crate back." Both men saluted Hawk and quickly got there tool crate and left promptly.

Hawk stood there touching the bridge of his nose. Normally he would often side with his Joes on such petty disputes like this, but for a second he actually did believed both of the lead mechanics. As it collaborated with the kid's story on his short essay here and even the security tapes.

None the less he still wanted to hear from the rest of the Joes who actually instruct this kid on daily basis. He wanted to hear their testimonials on the kid to what they think of him.

So much later on that day into the night around 1900 hours both Strike and the kid are busy with the planned lesson in his reading and composition skills. Around that same time Strike gets paged by Hawk to come and report to the briefing room next to Hawks office.

So without any hesitation she orders the kid to keep on reading until she got back. Only a few thoughts were going thru Strike's head right now as she calmly but promptly made her way to the debriefing room.

For all she could have known, she could be sent on a mission. Of course hear fears and intuition grew even more when she enter the debriefing room, with her other fellow Joes. Well Scarlett's here along with Beach Head, Lifeline, and Low-Light.

We all greeted each other, except for Beach head who always kept his tough guy persona and professionalism. Of course none of us knew what this was all about, unless it was a mission of course. A mission was always something that was brewing in our minds at the pit.

We soon got out of our thoughts as soon as Hawk enters the room. Beach Head sounded off first alerting everyone to stand at attention giving off salutes to Hawk. He would return our salutes as well as telling us to stand at ease.

"I'll try and keep this short as possible, but I do need all of your input on the matter at hand," Hawk stated. "With that being said I'm going to ask all of a simple question which will require a simple but honest answer from all of you."

Strike was wondering what Hawk was getting at since she was looking toward her fellow Joes as they were looking toward her as well.

"As it stands now, do you all think that one day the kid could earn a spot at the table with all of you?"

Well that's strange Strike though for a moment, I thought we were all in here to put on a mission, but Hawk wants a progress report on the kid. Since no one was really answering Strike decided to be the brave one here and speak up first.

"Sir," Strike spoke up. "Go on Strike give me your thoughts on this matter," Hawk said plainly." Well sir I believe with hard work and time that the kid could earn spot on the team."" Huh well Strike I do believe that's good and honest straight forward answer."

"What about you Scarlett, do you share the same optimism that Strike has?"" Yes I do believe that in a year or two the kid could earn a spot with us."" What about all of you," as Hawk directed the question at hand with the rest of the Joes in the room?

They answer all the same way as Strike and Scarlett did before. "Well that's good to hear then."" Most of are probably wondering why I'm asking such a question."" Well to put in simple laments terms I do plan on having the kid be a part of GI JOE."

"If any of haven't noticed yet with the account of Strike and Low-Light here the kid is an excellent marksmen."" Probably one of the best here at the pit, if most of you are skeptical about this then I suggest all of you to check out these videos and tapes of the kid shooting in the past five months."

"I shit you not; the kid is getting better with every passing day."" According to Low-Light here the kid has gotten so good that he's even given him both moving targets and even more impossible targets with near perfect accuracy."" So to compliment his ability to handle just about every weapon that sergeant Low-Light has dished out to the kid, I decided to make him into a scout sniper as his primary MOS."

Beach head for second interrupted Hawk to find out what is the kids secondary MOS, so that in a way he could help him improve even more.

"What's his secondary MOS sir," Beach Head asked bluntly?" Well Beach Head I'm glad you brought that up, before I tell you all about it I have something to share with all of you."

Hawk opens up a folder to pull the short essay that the kid wrote for him earlier today at his request. "Earlier today I had the kid come up to my office to help me with something."" As it turned out I got learn some rather interesting things about his routine."" So I had a little chit chat with him and asked him to write down a few things about all of you who instruct him on a daily basis."

"Oh before I get started, Strike you did good job on teaching the kid how to write properly his penmanship is getting better."" Thank you sir," Strike said with a small smile on her face.

"I'll just get down to the bare basics on what the kid wrote on here."" First off he mentions about you Beach Head, in that you are an excellent motivator in whipping his ass into shape."" As for you Lifeline, he actually likes your class."

"For you scarlet apparently he thought at first you would treat him as a punching bag, but he saw how patient you were in trying to teach him."

"Well Low-Light he actually finds your class to be very informative and encouraging."

"As for you Strike he actually values your friendship and helpfulness in trying to teach him his English composition."

"So all in all he has nothing but praise for all of you."" You all have had a positive impact on his life so far." "Now back to his secondary MOS."" I personally chose his Secondary MOS, mainly as a way to give the kid a job skill, so that one day if he ever decided to revolve back into the real world he would have something to fall back on." "Which happens to be a mechanic and tank driver for Specialist Cover girl."

"Which also falls back to how all this got started."" Earlier today I asked the kid to bring me a few tools to my office so that he can help me fix up my chair." Hawk then switches on the big screen TV with security tapes showing the kid bring the massive tool crate to his office.

"As you all can plainly see he decided to bring an entire tool set to my office."" This alone should have raised a red flag to me, but I scoffed it off at the time."" No but biggest red flag to me was how I kept asking the kid for some simple tools only for him not to know what these tools are."

"And I mean real simple tools everyone."" In fact I have a couple here with me." Hawk then held up an Allen wrench for everyone to see. He then pointed his attention to Strike." Strike what do you think the kid called this tool in my hand here?"" Uh an Allen wrench Sir?"

"No Strike he did not call it an Allen wrench, in fact he called it an L-bar."" A what," Strike said confused? "An L-bar Strike because he said it was in a shape of the letter L."

"It doesn't stop there; in fact I cross referenced with the two lead mechanics as well with every assistant mechanic at the machine shop."" Every single one of them told me that the kid does nothing but cleans the machine shop on a daily basis."" All of them had said to me that Specialist Cover girl refuses to train the kid and has forbid them to teach him as well."" I even had Flint checked every single security tape for the past five months that the kid has been here at the machine shop."

"Five months Joes that have been wasted on teaching this kid mechanics."" I would question Cover girl on this matter, but she's still out on a mission."" So I'm leaving this matter to all of you, unless any of you have anything to add on this serious matter."

"I might have something sir," Scarlett spoke up. "Go on then Scarlett what do you have."" Well sir at first I didn't think much of it, but I remember cover girl about a few months back mentioned how frustrated she was about having to teaching the kid."" The basic fact that he didn't know anything really got her riled up."

"The main fact that she really didn't know how to teach him really got her in a bind."" I tried to reassure her that the kid is a good learner, so when I asked her how the kid was doing a few months back, she told me that he makes a great dirt devil."" I didn't think much about it, until now when you showed me this footage sir."

"I see so Cover girl flat out neglected the kid. ""With that being said, Beach Head."" Yes sir."" I'm going to leave this matter up to you. ""You will decide accordingly how you'll discipline Cover girl when she gets back, of course with my approval."" The rest of you continue on with your training with the kid." All of them saluted as Hawk returned to salute to dismiss them.

Of course Strike went back to her quarters to see if the kid was still studying or goofing off. When she finally made it back, thirty minutes have passed and yet the kid was still there reading away at his studies. "Oh hey Strike, what was that all about?"" Nothing really kid just some mess about paper work and such."" Say I know we got maybe thirty minutes, but do you want to call a night?"" Why you tired?" "A little bit."" Alright Strike sure why no, you look like you need a good night's rest."

"But before I go, can I ask you question?"" Sure kid shoot me one."" I was in the machine shop a couple of days ago, while doing my duties so to speak and I overheard some of the assistants on a short break talking about a liberty pass."" What is a liberty pass Strike?"

"Oh well it's a pass that you can apply and get special permission to leave base for either a couple of weeks, months, days , or just a few hours."" Why you want to get away from us or something?"" Well maybe just a few hours I suppose."" Ok kid just give me a couple of days and I'll see what I can do." Maybe some the other Joes and green shirts would want to go out for a like a five or eight hour excursion." You really do that for me?" "Yeah why not after all we are friends, besides it'll do you some good to get off base every once in a while."