Missions in Manticore were my strongest, while every task I get are my best, but missions were my favorite. Escape and evade, seek and destroy, capture the flag, search and capture. Some of the best games to play in Manticore. My attention span is very limited when I'm bored, like lectures. Sitting around listening to drill instructors talk is not fun, but it's for a good cause. Being put on the battlefield is more up to my speed. When it comes to the best teams of four they're, Zack, Johndy, Max, John or Vince, Dan, Jace, and me. Any combinations of us eight will always conquer over the other team. Jace maybe near my height, small, innocent, but her loyalty towards her team will make her a good soldier. I'll always know she got my back in heavy situations. She more like me and less like them. Got to follow the rules. Reason why the squad rarely speak to her but I do. Jace talk to me more because I pay her more attention, as others look at her as a ghost, that just won't go away. They know she there but they know she's Lydecker favorite. Coronal's pet as they recall.

Winter missions are always harsh. Cold weather, below freezing with snow added to the element, making tracking more easily to find other x-5's in the woods. There was always a saying when it came to Lydecker during our lectures.

"Snowy climates can either be your friend or your enemy. Surprise is a tactical advantage, but to accomplish one objective, you must accomplish another. Stealth and teamwork can be your best advantage but you must accomplish that first, to accomplish a surprise tactical advantage over your enemy."

Our missions was to capture and acquire the Intel from the enemy to tell about there operations location, even if it means torturing them. It's a simulated training mission meaning it have to be real as possible, even if it's against family or Lydecker will get on you like white on rice, as some Drill Instructors say. Zack, Johndy, Max, John, including myself are a team of five against 15 other x-5's, considering as enemies. Unfair, yes. But war is always unfair and setting up a team like us is like setting up a small army, skilled for combat.

In snowy climate, where issued white camouflage army clothes with matching big jackets, blending in with the snow, carrying our M16 assault rifles. Each of our rifles shoots laser beams. When hit, our receivers around our chest, emits a loud beep that means your dead.

Were all spread out but keep in a distance to see each other, stomping lightly as a feather on the snowy ground, to not make that crunch sound as a big give away to your location. Zack gives a hold and regroup signal. We circle and crouch down waiting for orders, breathing puffs of smoke from our mouths.

"The enemy base is 2 miles away," Zack whispers. "Will draw out their defensive line our way, while Max and Samantha go in and retrieve the subject. Alive."

I pause, having a flaw in that plan as I calculated it in my brain quickly. "I don't like it."

They all eye me as if spoken for the first time.

Zack doesn't like his orders questioned. "I'm given the orders soldier. Now move out." Demanding obedience from me.

"I think it's to easy," I explain. "Dan's the lead command of the other team. He'll expect that move from you from our recent combat training simulations. He'll hold back ten of his soldiers while let five be his defensive line to attack us, leaving Max and me in heavy fire. There's an 85% chance that our subject will get hit and 95% chance of Max and I being captured, if were lucky. By that they'll win. But if we do it the other way, Max and I stand back while Johndy, John and you capture the subject. You'll at least have an 75% chance to get out without any casualties."

Johndy, Max and John eyes widen, impressed by my information, explaining it less than one minute and thirty seconds. But Zack quinces his face about to punch me in the face. "You don't know that for sure. You follow my orders and will do it my way."

"Our mission will be a failure." Protesting to him.

"Don't question my orders. Soldier," I turns my head, starring at the ground, disapproving but I shut up because I know in about fifteen minutes, it's gonna blow up in Zack face like a firecracker placed in your hand waiting to explode. He gives me one final look, to not question him again. "Let's move out."

John eyes match mine as if understanding my concern about the mission and think Zack plan a bad idea too, but soldiers are to follow the C.O. commands, but how long he wonder.