AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey :) It's been a few months since my last live chapter (I've recently retold the first three WDW chapters so far and intend to do all of the first ten extensively, and up to the first 25 in a more minor capacity). I have thought a lot about things since my last update in May, where most of you will have seen me put WDW on indefinite pause. During that period of reflection, I realised that rather than give up this story because of those no longer here engaging with it, why not continue for those of you who are still here?
So, that's precisely what I am going to do. I love this story and will write it for however long it takes, but life and such might get in the way and chapters will come when I complete them… I do very much appreciate reviews to know that I'm not writing into the void and more engagement always leads to faster chapters from me because it makes me connected and accountable to that increased demand to see, and hopefully to enjoy, my work.
I think it's time for me to accept that I'll never get those who have disappeared back and no longer enjoy this story. For whatever their reasons, they are long gone. So instead, I should worry about those of you still around and actively engaging with the story and invested in seeing its continuation. It's you folks who continue to read WDW and take part in feedback for the story which will drive me forward, rather than past folks no longer here. So, in close of this message, if I may ask one request, if you are still around and enjoying this story, please show up occasionally and leave me a quick message that you're still here and still enjoying the tale. Because, to me, it makes all the difference and helps me to push on through the intense loneliness which comes from isolating myself to be writing these tales for you folks.
Thank you.
Who Dares Wins
Chapter Seventy: Target Practice
Stirling Lines
Monday, 3 December, 2007
In the air, a biting chill lingered while the weak morning sun attempted to penetrate the gloomy December sky. A winter wonderland had transformed the sniper range on the base of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, with a gossamer frost coating everything in sight. The soldiers of Red Team could see their breath in the brisk air as they assembled. The ground beneath their boots crunched with every step, the frost-covered terrain a reminder of the harsh winter gripping the landscape.
The team huddled near the firing line, rubbing their gloved hands and stomping their feet to keep warm. Chris MacDonald, Bryce Larkin, John Murray, and Big Dan had already taken their shots, leaving the steel humanoid targets downrange marked with scattered hits—nothing spectacular, but solid enough given the conditions and their collective lack of outstanding excellence in marksmanship. Now, they were back in the fold, joining the rest of the group with a mix of camaraderie and good-natured ribbing.
Chris blew into his hands, trying to stave off the cold, before shaking his head with a grin. "Well, if frostbite was the target, I'd say I hit the bullseye every time," he joked, earning chuckles from his team.
Big Dan, always ready with a quick comeback, shrugged. "At least your scope wasn't frozen solid, old timer. It took me half the time just to get mine to move!" he said, glancing at Chris, who merely rolled his eyes in response.
John Murray, a stoic Scotsman as ever, gave a half-smile. "Och! If I'd known we were aiming for mediocrity today, I wouldn't have tried so hard."
Bryce, ever the smooth talker, shrugged with mock indifference. "Hey, as long as I didn't come in last place, I'm happy," he teased with a glance at John.
"Ya wee tosser!" John Murray, also a man of few words, hissed back.
The team shared laughter, but Big Dan's heavy snorts pierced through the chilly air. "Speak for yourselves, 'cause I reckon I'd do better if we were shooting snowflakes instead of steel in these conditions."
Chuck scoffed. "You're only saying that 'cause you're shit and have probably finished seventh, Dan."
Sarah shot Chuck a smile from her position on the ground next to him, appreciating his comment.
Big Dan pivoted his towering frame down towards Chuck. "Fair enough. I can accept when I'm beaten. But you have to prove it first."
"They will," Chris MacDonald said instantly, without hesitation, knowing the four remaining were the best shots, but especially Chuck.
Bryce looked around the team. "If they are so good, why did none of them volunteer to shoot first?"
"It's because we know we're the best and want to see you all marvel at us," Chuck joked.
Cole gave instant voiced support for Chuck's comment. "That's why he's my best man! We always think alike!"
Immediate scoffs erupted amongst Chris, Bryce, Dan and John Murray.
Nonetheless, Jamie, Sarah and Cole exchanged smug looks and laughter, supporting Chuck.
Jamie Hughes, also prone a few paces away, couldn't resist jumping in further. "As Chuck said, we're the best! And he'll be my best man at this pace, too! But don't worry, lads," he called out towards Chris, Dan, Bryce and John, easing a grip on his Accuracy International AW50F—an anti-material sniper rifle chambering .50BMG rounds with an effective range of 1500 metres. "If you were trying to set the bar low, consider it mission accomplished. The rest of us don't even need to try to look good now!"
The group erupted in laughter again, their spirits undampened by the cold.
Cole Barker looked up from his scope, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "With how those chaps shot, I think the real challenge for us four today is making sure we don't trip over our own egos!"
"Yours is as big as Mount Everest, fella!" Big Dan rebuked without delay.
The crack unit shared an additional spirited exchange of laughter over the latest ribbing.
Sarah, meticulous as ever as she checked her sights, raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm just glad the boys have lowered expectations for the rest of us. Makes it easier when we come out on top."
Chris, Bryce, Dan and John shared scoffs again, but Cole, always quick with a quip, joined in. "I'm clueless how those chaps are still in the SAS with shooting like we just saw from them!"
"Cole wants Chris's job!" Jamie laughed strongly.
The team erupted in shared the laughter with Jamie, finding the joke hilarious.
After a moment, Cole continued his teasing. "Laugh all you want, gents, but you're about to watch perfection in action!"
Big Dan snorted. "As I said, fellas! Mount Everest!"
"Aye," John Murray said with a nod. "But only his mouth is at the top! The rest of him is stuck halfway up!"
The Scot's hilarious remark caused the unit to erupt in a fit of laughter for a long moment, John Murray easily coming out as the victor, in terms of delivering the best line at least.
Once the laughter calmed, the four shooters got serious, tucking themselves into comfortable shooting positions.
When the four felt settled in place, Chuck couldn't help but cast a sideways glance at his teammates. "Don't worry, I'll leave the easy shots for you all. Gotta keep things fair, right?"
Sarah responded with an eye roll, while Cole gave a dismissive scoff.
However, Jamie suppressed a deep chuckle, shaking his head. "Fair? I thought we were here to have fun! Besides, I'm aiming for speed, mate, not perfection!"
"No surprises there," Big Dan muttered loudly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Chris, Bryce, and John erupted in laughter at the big geordie's comment, their joy echoing through the air as the remaining shooters readied themselves, feeling the nip of the cold air on their faces.
Six steel humanoid targets stood silent and waiting at varying distances and elevations. The range officer, bundled up against the cold, gave Chuck, Sarah, Jamie and Cole a nod, signalling that it was time to get serious.
"Alright, let's see if you four can live up to all that talk," Chris called out, his breath visible in the freezing air.
"Or at least aim for the right target this time," Bryce joked, winking at Jamie.
Jamie contained himself with a muted laugh. "Being jealous won't get you anywhere, Speedy Gonzales! You wish you could shoot like me!"
Those not actively shooting shared additional laughter, exchanging looks with each other and glad to be enjoying the show rather than being prone on the freezing ground.
After a few final headshakes from the shooters to curb amusement, the joking subsided, the atmosphere shifting from a light-hearted ribbing to focused determination.
A sense of silence took hold through the air, save only from the quiet, steady breathing of the snipers preparing to make their mark on a cold December morning. The competition was about to begin in earnest, but the camaraderie would last long after the final shot echoed across the frosty range.
After a moment, Jamie broke the silence. "Ready to fire."
"Steady on!" Cole shouted sharply, the urgency in his voice demanding a few more precious moments.
Those not shooting erupted in laughter again, knowing Jamie was a quick shooter while Cole was on the slower side of that spectrum.
Jamie, now focused fully on the first steel humanoid target through his Schmidt & Bender MK II 5-25X50mm scope, said, "Steady isn't the name of my game, mate. Speed is."
"Don't worry about it, Jamie," Chuck said, his glance also locked razor-sharp on a target in the distance. "Cole's slow in everything."
Jamie and Sarah suppressed immediate laughter, but they held their focus on the targets ahead of them through their sights.
However, Cole couldn't help breaking his eye from his sights to shoot a glare at his best friend and best man-to-be. "Hey! I heard that!"
Chris, Dan, Bryce and John erupted in a spirited exchange of laughter at Chuck and Cole's close friendship bickering.
"Range?" Cole queried a few seconds later, his focus locked again on the target in the open yard ahead of him.
Chuck held his glance at a static target. "750 (metres)," he said, his voice oozing with unwavering certainty.
Everyone on the team nodded, their agreement unanimous.
A second later, Sarah said, "Ready to fire."
Chuck soon reached the same state, too. "Ready to fire."
"Hurry up, Cole!" Big Dan shouted teasingly.
Those on the team who were not about to shoot laughed on.
Finally, after another second, Cole said, "Ready to fire."
The range officer took over. "Load and fire in your own time. For maximum speed reward, shots fired within ten seconds of my whistle blowing will receive two points. For shots before fifteen seconds, shooters will receive one point. For all shots after the fifteen-second mark, shooters will receive zero points. For the first shot, I will blow my whistle and it will apply collectively. But from the second shot onward, I will blow it individually."
Chuck, Sarah, Cole and Jamie processed the instructions, remaining silent.
With no questions after a few seconds, the range officer took their silence as acceptance. He then raised the whistle to his mouth and blew it to start the second half of the competition.
The range officer had four deputies standing over the four shooting Red Team members. Their job was to record the time for each shooter to fire after the blowing of the whistle.
Jamie, the first to fire, spent a few seconds adjusting his scope. He then meticulously armed the chamber of the sniper rifle with the bolt action, aiming for the head of the target.
Confident in the impending shot, he firmly squeezed the trigger.
The deputy watching Jamie stopped the clock as soon as he fired.
"Left shoulder! Five points," the range officer soon called out, observing the targets closely for additional shooting from Chuck, Sarah and Cole.
Another deputy stood close by the range officer made note of the score in his book, having kept note of the score of every shooter to have fired amongst Red Team so far.
"Have that, Joe!" Jamie chuckled with pride.
Jamie's sharp wit elicited immediate reactions from Chris, Dan, John, and Bryce - their lips spitting out or snorting in response.
Just a second later, the sharp, thunderous crack of another AW50F signalled Chuck's first shot as the projectile sped downrange.
Like Jamie, the assistant watching over Chuck stopped the clock.
A loud ping echoed as Chuck's bullet struck the target, hitting the head dead centre.
"Headshot! Ten points!" the range officer called out.
Chuck's face beamed with a satisfied smile, basking in the glory of his flawless opening shot. "Have that, Kyle!" he joked, having heard Jamie's remark a few seconds ago.
Jamie joined Bryce, Dan, Chris and John in laughing uproariously at Chuck's comment, but the discharging of Sarah unleashing her AW50F at a target soon interrupted the posse from laughing further.
The range deputy watching over Sarah stopped the clock as soon as she fired.
Everyone who was not actively shooting watched as Sarah's careful shot she'd taken a few more seconds on sped down range.
Her round hit the target with a sharp clang, but it struck just below the head, in the upper chest.
"Right chest shot! Seven points!" the range officer called out.
Sarah frowned slightly but quickly refocused. She knew she needed to up her game to a much higher standard to jockey with Chuck.
Three seconds later, the final AW50F in Cole's hands announced its presence with a deafening roar.
The assistant keeping tabs on Cole's time stopped the count once the discharge rang out.
Cole kept his calm breathing, his eyes focused on the target, observing as his round connected with a solid clang against the forehead of the steel humanoid.
The range officer promptly reported the shot. "Headshot! Ten points!"
With a broad smile lighting up his face, Cole let out a deep laugh. His eyes sparkled with pride as he looked around at the team, savoring the flawless execution of his first shot, and proud of his best friend for his, too.
"We'll never hear the end of this now!" Big Dan complained.
The team laughed briefly, pausing to reflect on the first round of six.
A few seconds later, the range officer announced his presence again, looking at Jamie Hughes. "Fifth shooter, seven seconds to shoot, two points earned for speed of shot."
Red Team shared an additional chuckle at the speed of Jamie Hughes's shooting, who already looked ready to fire again.
The range officer continued. "Sixth shooter, eight seconds to fire, two points for speed of shot."
Chuck gave an accepting nod, pleased with his agility.
"Seventh shooter, twelve seconds, one point gained," the range officer said.
Sarah, like Chuck, nodded in acceptance, happy with her timing.
"Eighth shooter, fourteen seconds, one point," the range officer finished.
Cole let out another chuckle in approval.
"Just about made it, Cole!" Big Dan shouted, attempting to wind Cole up.
However, Cole couldn't stop laughing, smugly revelling in his perfect first shot and that he still got a point for his speed of shooting. "Jealous, are we?"
Most of the team shared head shakes to stem amusement, then refocused themselves.
The four shooters spent a moment eyeing up their second targets, entering consideration for their upcoming shots.
The second targets—steel humanoids like the first—were positioned in elevated positions up in watchtowers some distance above the ground.
"I make it 900 (metres) to the shot," Jamie said a second later.
The team started nodding. However, they paused when Chuck said with finality, "903."
Eyes started narrowing all around the area, including the range officer.
"That's why he's the sniper," Bryce said with admiration, respecting Chuck's tremendous ability while holding a sniper rifle.
"But not for much longer!" Cole boasted with a rowdy chuckle.
The team shared a laugh, but stopped when the range officer said, "It's 900."
"It's not," Chuck muttered, giving an immediate firm shake of his head in disagreement, confident in his assessment that the target in his sight was 903 metres away.
Big Dan opted to reply more audibly, turning to face the range officer. "Listen, fella, if he says it's 903, that's good enough for me," he said, then pointed the range officer down at Chuck. "That fella down there is the best shot in this regiment."
Many heads nodded, including the range officer, happy to accept the correction, though he'd ensure to confirm at a later point that the target was indeed 903 metres away for accuracy.
Jamie's quickness ensured the dispute ended there with no further talk. "Ready to fire."
With confirmation of Jamie's readiness, the range officer blew his whistle.
As the time started ticking, Jamie, always rapid on the draw, didn't waste any time. Making a few micro adjustments to his scope to account for the extra distance and increased elevation which he deemed 10 metres, he lined up his shot, aimed for the head, and fired.
The observer stopped the count for Jamie as soon as the roar of the AW50F filled the air. "Six seconds," the observer said towards the range officer, observing Jamie's shot.
Jamie's bullet struck the shoulder of his target soon after, a little off from his intended target, but still a hit.
"Left shoulder shot! Five points, plus two points for speed of shot," the range officer called out.
Jamie chuckled in approval, unfazed by his less-than-perfect—but still reasonable—shot. "I'm speedy and consistent!"
Chris, Dan, John and Bryce laughed on.
"Ready to fire," Sarah disturbed the humour of her teammates.
The range officer blew his whistle, and Sarah's count started.
Sarah aimed for the heart again, determined to make up for the last shot. She quickly factored in any difference in the wind from her previous shot, the increased distance and elevation, making minute adjustments to her scope, and then pulled the trigger.
The loud discharge of the sniper rifle caused her deputy to stop the clock. "Ten seconds."
Sarah's bullet struck the target with a satisfying clang—right into the heart, a perfect shot.
"Heart shot! Nine points, plus one for speed!" the range officer called out.
Sarah smiled, feeling a rush of satisfaction.
She was back in the game.
"Ready to fire," Chuck called out.
The range officer blew his whistle as Chuck's count started.
Chuck knew the shot was trickier with the increased elevation and distance. There was an ever-so-brief change to the wind speed too, though the direction remained the same. However, he remained calm, his breathing in a perfect rhythm for sniping. Adjusting his scope ever so slightly to account for the changes to the shot, on his final exhale, his finger squeezed the trigger, his crosshair aiming right above the eyes of the static target.
The roar of the AW50F caused the assistant to stop counting. "Nine seconds."
Chuck observed in wait as the bullet flew true, striking the target with another perfect headshot.
"Headshot! Ten points, plus two for speed!" the range officer called out.
Chuck gave an approving nod, pleased with his performance so far.
Chris, Dan, Bryce, and John couldn't contain their excitement as they sensed their teammate's top-notch form, which was always a spectacle to witness Chuck's exemplary marksmanship when he was firing.
"Ready to fire," Cole said soon after.
The range officer blew his whistle, and the assistant started the count.
Cole didn't rush, knowing accuracy was more important than speed. It was a belief Cole would happily fall on his sword over. Adjusting his aim at his own pace with the help of his scope to the new modifiers of the second shot, he aimed at the head and fired.
"Thirteen seconds," the assistant said a moment after Cole's shot.
The group watched on as the bullet raced to the target, cracking into the chest of a static humanoid.
"Heart shot! Nine points, plus one for speed," the range officer said.
Cole let out a satisfied chuckle, happy with his shooting so far.
Sarah, with her gaze already sharp on the next third target with the second round over, announced, "I make it 1100 metres."
"Agreed," Chuck said, his eye, too, focused on his third target.
The team pondered the comments, but they didn't have time to think because Jamie said, "Ready to fire."
"Fucking hell, Jamie!" Big Dan laughed out, shocked by his teammate's speed.
A few teammates shared the laughter with Big Dan as the range officer blew his whistle and Jamie's countdown for his third shot began.
Jamie, sticking to his quick-shooting style, made the necessary mini adjustments to the shot, aimed at the head and fired without hesitation.
"Six seconds," the assistant said.
Humour erupted amongst Jamie's teammates standing behind him over the speed of his shooting.
Jamie's shot landed in the chest of the target.
"Heart shot! Nine points, and two for speed!" the range officer said.
Jamie pumped a fist triumphantly into the air. "Get in there! I'd have shot Joe Lewis through the heart, but he doesn't have one! So this one's for my ex-girlfriend!"
The whole area, including Chuck, Sarah and Cole, erupted in thunderous laughter in immediate reply to Jamie's remarks for a long moment.
"YOU'RE A FUCKING LEGEND, JAMIE!" Bryce howled.
Jamie let out a deep belly laugh, shared by his teammates behind him until the group refocused.
Once Chuck regained his composure, he said, "Ready to fire."
The range officer's whistle promptly blew, and the countdown started.
At 1,100 meters, Chuck knew the margin for error was slimmer. He aimed carefully, his sights set on the head again. The wind was calm, and he took advantage, firing with confidence.
The assistant overlooking Chuck checked his clock. "Eight seconds."
Chuck's bullet struck the target, but this time it hit the edge of the chest area, just missing the heart.
"Chest shot! Just above the heart! Seven points and two for speed," the range officer said.
Chuck shot an immediate glare at Jamie, positioned prone just behind Sarah. "That's your fault!" he shouted, drawing out a deep, frustrated sigh, deeming Jamie to have contributed to putting him off his shot.
Jamie chuckled at the remarks, shared by Dan, John and Bryce, but Chris remained silent, concluding that maybe Chuck was correct.
After a moment, Chris commanded, "Let's stop the joking and let everyone shooting take this seriously."
Everyone nodded, entering silence until Sarah said, "Ready to fire."
The whistle blew and the countdown for Sarah's third shot began.
Sarah aimed for the head this time, wanting to ensure a higher score. She knew Chuck had likely been put off his shot by Jamie, but it wasn't her fault. She made minute adjustments to her scope to factor in the elevation and range change, then, taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and fired on her exhale.
The assistant observing Sarah checked his watch. "Ten seconds."
Sarah, the range officer, and a few of her teammates watched on as her bullet struck true, hitting the head of the target with precision.
"Headshot! Ten points, plus one for speed!" the range officer confirmed.
Sarah kept herself grounded, pleased with her shot.
She was catching up.
"Ready to fire," Cole disturbed the brief silence.
The range officer blew his whistle, and the countdown began.
Big Dan snorted, meeting Bryce and John's glance. "Cole's last again," he muttered under his breath.
Bryce and John shared smirks with Big Dan.
The target at 1,100 meters was a challenge, but Cole was determined. He was methodical in lining up his shot, aiming for the head again, calculating for wind, elevation change and bullet drop. Confident with his adjustments, he squeezed the trigger.
The deputy assigned to keep track of Cole's timing stopped the clock. "Fifteen seconds."
Cole watched on as his bullet flew through the air, striking the upper chest, just missing the heart.
The range officer, his eyes locked on the target, said, "Chest shot! Seven points, no points for speed!"
Cole drew an irate sigh. For the first time, he felt disappointed in his shot, but he knew he was still in the running.
None of Cole's teammates took issue with his shooting, at least while he was still on the range.
They'd unanimously decided to respect him, for those who'd already finished firing fared worse than Cole or anyone else still shooting had so far.
The four shooters aimed at their fourth target. These steel humanoids were elevated like the second shot.
"I make it 1250," Chuck said.
Sarah cast the briefest of glances at her boyfriend in query, enjoying being next to him in his element, then looked back at the target way into the distance ahead of her. "Agreed. 1250 metres for me, too."
"Ready to fire," Jamie Hughes said suddenly.
Chris, Dan, John and Bryce fought off laughter at Jamie's speed again as the range officer blew his whistle and the countdown began.
Jamie took slightly longer with this shot, taking a little extra time to factor in the elevation and a detectable slight change in wind direction. Adjusting the settings on his scope, he aimed his crosshairs at the head of the static target inside a watchtower and fired.
"Nine seconds," the assistant said.
Jamie observed the target through his scope, as did the range officer, where his round connected with the target, his bullet ripping into the shoulder of the steel dummy.
"Left shoulder shot! Five points and two points for speed!" the range officer called.
"Speed, aggression, surprise (SAS)!" Jamie replied, unfazed by the lower score, happy to have landed his round on target with a tough shot that most of the planet would have missed.
Jamie's teammates behind him shared muter than normal laughter at his witty remark, each trying to behave and not disturb their teammates.
Chuck was ready next, determined to better his poor third shot. "Ready to fire."
The range officer blew his whistle, and Chuck's deputy started the clock.
Chuck adjusted his scope, aiming carefully for the head this time. He calculated the bullet drop, noted the change in wind direction, adjusted for elevation, and then fired.
"Eleven seconds," the assistant in charge of Chuck's time said.
The bullet struck the head with a resonating clang—a perfect hit.
"Headshot! Ten points and one for speed!" the range officer called out.
Chuck allowed himself a brief smile. He was pleased with that shot.
Cole, feeling prepared, took over proceedings. "Ready to fire."
His teammates behind him quirked their eyes at his increased speed, this time firing before Sarah.
The whistle blew, and the countdown started.
Cole knew he needed to pick up the pace while maintaining accuracy. He aimed for the head again, steadied his breathing, made micro-adjustments to his scope to account for changes to the shot, and then fired.
"Nine seconds," Cole's deputy said.
Cole watched on as his bullet struck the lower edge of the head, just inside the scoring zone.
"Headshot! Ten points and two for speed!" the officer announced.
Feeling a surge of satisfaction, Cole's shoulders perked up where he lay. It was the shot he had been searching for.
With no further distraction to her upcoming shot, Sarah, too, was prepared to fire. "Ready to fire."
The whistle blew, and the countdown began.
Sarah knew she had to aim for the head again, determined to keep pace with Chuck. She took her time for this one, lining up the shot and making the adjustments to her scope, then fired.
"Twelve seconds," the assistant said, stopping the count.
Sarah watched on in hope until her bullet connected with the chest of the target, her gaze lowering in immediate despondence.
The range officer announced Sarah's results. "Heart shot! Nine points, one for speed."
Sarah knew she had to be more precise with the remaining shots, for she was now finding pacing difficult, needing to take the extra seconds to aim carefully with the distance increasing shot by shot.
The four shooters took a moment in pause to re-set themselves and make themselves comfortable again amid the harsh December conditions.
The body temperatures of the teammates' actively shooting were up because of the intense activity they were each engaged in.
After four shots, Chuck was in the lead at 44 points, followed by Cole at 40, then Sarah at 39, and Jamie in fourth place overall after four shots on 32 points...
X-X-X-X-X-X
During the extended pause, Chris, Dan, John and Bryce looked amongst themselves, rubbing their gloved hands together and kicking into the dirt to keep warm. Nevertheless, the excitement of what they were witnessing was helping with that.
Once everyone shooting reset themselves, they scanned the fifth target, this time a moving dummy, through their scopes.
"I make the range 1400 metres," Sarah said, now prone again and feeling in a perfect sniping position.
Chuck nodded. "Yeah," he said with a brief pause. "1400. Good luck."
"Thanks. You too," Sarah said, smiling in reply, though neither could see each other right now as all four remained razor-focused on the target in front of their sights.
After a few seconds, Chuck said, "Ready to fire."
Chris, Dan, John and Bryce shared excited smirks, knowing someone had finally beaten Jamie for speed as the whistle blew and the countdown began.
Chuck knew hitting a moving target at 1,400 metres would be challenging, though he knew he was extremely capable of delivering the shot with success. However, he knew he had to slow down for this one. He took an extended moment, his crosshairs trailing the target's movement, predicting where the head would be in a brief moment. Adjusting the settings on his scope, he pressed the trigger at the end of his exhale.
The rifle cracked, its sharp report echoing through the air as the bullet raced toward the target.
"Thirteen seconds," the deputy said, stopping the clock.
Chuck and the range officer observed as his round connected with the moving target, hitting the upper chest close to the heart, just missing the head by a few inches.
"Heart shot! Nine points and one point for speed," the range officer said.
With a nod of acknowledgement, Chuck's set jaw revealed his awareness of narrowly missing the perfect shot, although he had still delivered a very impressive one.
Jamie Hughes, set in place and ready, said, "Ready to fire."
The whistle of the range official blew, and Jamie's countdown resumed.
Jamie, ever the speed shooter, trailed the movement of the moving target briefly, adjusting his scope for the range increase and a slight change in an easterly wind. With his adjustments complete, he aimed where the head would be in just over a second, then fired.
The deafening roar of the AW50F caused the deputy to stop the clock. "Nine seconds."
After a moment, Jamie and the range official witnessed his shot smacking into the shoulder of the moving target, a few inches from the heart.
"Shoulder shot! Five points and two for speed!" the official said.
"I'm happy with that!" Jamie said with a soft proud chuckle, knowing the tremendous difficulty behind the shot he'd just hit, which had landed on target.
Now ready herself, Sarah said, "Ready to fire."
The range official blew his whistle and Sarah's countdown resumed.
Sarah didn't want to rush this shot. She knew that to keep up with Chuck; she had to land the perfect hit. Keeping her breathing calm, she followed the movement of her target, preparing herself for the shot, and making the necessary adjustments. Once she felt confident in her calculations, she squeezed the trigger and fired at where she thought the head would be in a moment.
With the growl from the AW50F as the signal Sarah had fired, the deputy stopped the clock. "Fourteen seconds."
Sarah, Chuck and the range official watched on as the bullet flew true, striking the head with a perfect headshot.
"Headshot! Ten points and one for speed!" the official said.
Chuck afforded Sarah a glance. "Nice hit," he said with a nod.
Sarah felt a rush of satisfaction meeting her lover's glance and smiled. "Thanks."
"Ready to fire," Cole said, interrupting their moment, ready to deliver his shot.
The prompt sound of the range officer's whistle signalled the countdown for Cole's shot to begin.
For Cole, the increased distance alongside a moving target was daunting, but he was in the zone.
Cole took his time, knowing he always performed best when slowing it down. He knew a solid hit would keep him in contention.
Making the adjustments to his scope and following the target briefly, he took the shot, aiming at where the head would be on the bullet's arrival.
After the screaming sound from the AW50F filled the air, the deputy said, "Sixteen seconds."
Cole and the range officer watched on as Cole's bullet struck the moving target in the upper chest, just missing the heart and a few inches away from the head.
"Chest shot! Seven points but no points for speed," the range official confirmed.
With the range officer confirming what he already saw, Cole sighed, knowing he was very close, but not quite where he aspired to be.
"Sixth and final shot," the range official declared to the team.
The four shooters and their teammates took a moment to process the information and prepare for their last shots.
"They've all held themselves well and delivered some top shots so far, I have to admit," Big Dan said, looking around his teammates with respect.
Bryce nodded. "Yeah, all of them have had some cracking shots."
"Aye," John Murray agreed.
Chris watched proudly as his four team members prepared their sixth and final shots. "Good luck," he said, his tone sincere and encouraging.
"Range, 1500 (metres)," Chuck said, the final static target in his sight.
Cole, Jamie and Sarah nodded in silence, unanimous in their attention and focus.
After a moment, Jamie said, "Ready to fire."
The whistle of the range officer signalled the start of Jamie's final countdown.
Jamie knew 1500 metres was close to his maximum distance on a good day. But he was shooting freely and comfortably, hitting the target every time, so he felt confident in his final shot. Taking a few seconds to adjust to the range and account for wind speed, direction, and bullet drop, he squeezed the trigger at the head in his crosshairs on his final exhale.
The thunderous clap of the rifle firing made the deputy stop the count. "Eight seconds."
Chris, Dan, John and Bryce exchanged chuckles at Jamie's consistent speed throughout, under ten seconds for every shot, the group witnessing Jamie's final shot race at extreme velocity to smash into the shoulder of the target.
"Shoulder shot! Five points and two extra for speed," the range officer confirmed.
Jamie let loose an almighty smile, elated with the speed of his shooting and consistency in hitting the target every time.
"And that's how it's done!" Jamie said as he moved to stand. "Quick and straight to the point! Not bad, if I may say so meself, after a night on the ale with you lot all night last night!"
Chris, Dan, Bryce and John joined in quiet laughter with Jamie while Chuck, Sarah and Cole remained focused on their upcoming shots.
Once Sarah felt confident, she said, "Ready to fire."
The sound of the whistle started Sarah's countdown.
Sarah knew she had to match Chuck's precision just like the last shot to be in with a chance of winning the competition. Taking her time, she chambered the rifle, adjusted the dials on her scope, and prepared herself to land the perfect shot, adjusting her aim to the required bullet drop and wind calculations.
Once satisfied with her preparations, she squeezed the trigger on her exhale, her crosshairs over the head of the steel humanoid; the rifle barking in anger as the bullet sped towards the target.
"Sixteen seconds," the deputy said.
Sarah held her breath in anticipation as she watched the target in wait for the shot.
The bullet impacted the target, but it struck the chest.
"Chest shot! Seven points, but none for speed," the range officer said.
Sarah drew out a melancholic sigh for the briefest of moments, but she soon overcame it, accepting the result as a smile replaced the despondence. She knew she had performed very well overall and there was no shame in losing if that was likely the case.
She moved to stand, sharing a nod with her teammates, who held her glance.
"Good shooting," Chris said, his tone oozing respect.
Sarah smiled at her team leader. "Thanks."
The team promptly drew their attention back to the range when Cole said, "Ready to fire."
Once the whistle to begin the countdown began, Cole started his disciplined process to land the perfect shot.
He knew this last shot was the longest and most challenging. But he also knew he needed to make it count.
Taking his time, he skillfully manipulated the bolt action, using the tactile feedback as he chambered his final round in a calming way.
With the target now firmly in his sights, he made his adjustments, then with the head lined up in his crosshairs; he delivered the shot.
The AW50 screeched out as the projectile raced to the target.
"Eighteen seconds," the deputy overseeing Cole's timing said.
Cole watched on, silently praying for the perfect hit.
After a moment, his final bullet struck the target, hitting the left shoulder near the neck.
Very close again like the last shot, but not the headshot he was aiming for.
"Shoulder shot! Five points but no points for speed," the range officer confirmed.
Cole nodded, accepting the result. He knew he had given it his best shot.
He moved to stand, turning to face his six teammates, with only Chuck still to shoot.
The seven teammates then watched on as Chuck prepared himself for his final shot, soon stating, "Ready to fire."
Chuck took a moment, knowing 1500 metres was a difficult shot. Still, he'd hit real-time shots against actual enemies at distances of 1500 metres or greater multiple times, so this was a comfortable shot for him. Making the briefest of adjustments to his scope, he fired.
"Eight seconds," the deputy observing Chuck's time reported.
His teammates watched on, though sudden quirked eyes aplenty erupted amongst them because Chuck would usually take an extended moment on his last shot to ensure it was as accurate as possible.
After a second, Chuck's shot connected with its target, but what happened next shocked everyone in attendance.
"Miss!" the range officer reported, his tone dazed and in complete disbelief, in total shock at what he'd just seen through his scope.
The entire area erupted in stunned silence. The only person to break that was Chuck himself, who muttered to himself a simple, "Shit!"
Chuck's scuffed shot had stunned everyone into complete silence, with each of them not knowing what to say, the shock of the miss etched across every face in attendance with every mouth but Chris's held agape.
Chuck was about to stand but paused when Chris said with authority, "Shoot again."
"Come again, Chris?" Big Dan asked, pivoting to face his team leader, bewildered in shock, "He had his shot, fella, and like the rest of us in complete disbelief, I saw him miss it!"
Chris locked eyes with Chuck as he replied to Big Dan. "He didn't miss it! I know exactly what he has done and I'm not impressed!"
Discontent erupted in an instant within Red Team, with each member confused and not even remotely on the same page as their team leader, though Sarah was now looking at Chuck with suspicion.
"Chris, I genuinely missed," Chuck protested. "I shot too quick and missed by inches. That's all it was."
A few teammates were happy to accept Chuck's explanation, but Chris was not.
The team leader held his stoic, less-than-impressed glance at Chuck. "You've been on the team with me for three years now, laddie! You don't miss those shots! Those are shots you can hit blindfolded after downing all the ale on a great Big Dan bender, laddie! Maybe you won't get a headshot every time, but you would comfortably hit the target one thousand times out of one thousand, and I don't want to hear ANY BULLSHIT ON THE CONTRARY!"
Most of the team erupted in a fit of laughter, finding their team leader's comment hilarious.
However, Sarah wasn't laughing, her glance now locked at Chuck, intensely scrutinising him.
After a moment, Jamie calmed down, turned serious, and said, "Yeah, on reflection, as much as I want it to be true that he missed, Chris is right. There's no way he missed unintentionally!"
"Why does it matter, though?" Big Dan asked. "Neither he nor Sarah can become the new primary sniper anyway 'cos he's the new dog handler while she's the medic."
Chris finally detached his contemptuous glance away from Chuck briefly to lock eyes with Big Dan. "It bloody well matters to me, and now I'll tell you why!"
"Oh, here we go," Big Dan teased, shaking his head.
"BUTTON IT!" Chris roared, his glare now a hundred times more intense towards Big Dan. "It matters to me because while on duty, we are all teammates and we DO NOT DO things in favour towards each other just because of how we might feel about them off duty! I'm not having it AT ANY POINT, so I'm certainly not going to allow it to start here because that will never be the end of it and it will just continue happening and get worse!"
But Big Dan wouldn't back down from his stance. "For fuck's sake, Chris, neither of them can be the sniper anyway, so why does it matter who is the best of them?!"
A few of Dan's teammates voiced agreement with him.
However, Sarah was unsettled, now believing like Chris that Chuck had intentionally missed his shot so she could win.
"It matters!" Chris said with a stern nod. "It's not your opinion that counts, laddie, for you ain't the team leader! And I'm sure it matters to Sarah as well! I haven't known her as long as Chuck, obviously, but I know her very well already and I know it won't sit well with her if she's handed the victory without earning it herself!"
The entire team turned their attention towards Sarah, their gazes expectant in wait for her reply.
"Well, Sarah?" Big Dan asked.
Sarah glanced around the team, but she wasn't sure who to finish looking at; Dan, Chuck, or Chris.
Assuming she should probably look at her team leader, she met Chris's glance and nodded. "He should shoot again. If I'm truly better than him, I want that on merit and fact, nothing else. You're right. I don't want to be handed the victory by anyone."
"And that's the way it will be!" Chris said instantly, with no room for negotiation in his tone.
He then met Chuck's glance, his look stern and an unspoken warning not to cross or mislead him any further in the way he was looking at him. "Shoot again!"
Chuck, having seen the disappointment on Sarah's face at what he'd done, along with the pissed-off state of his team leader, relented with a nod.
Taking a moment, he settled back down, adjusting his body to find the perfect position to take another shot.
Once everything felt perfect again, he refocused, finding his bearing on the sixth and final target again.
When he felt ready, he said, "Ready to fire."
The range officer blew his whistle, and the countdown started for Chuck to retake his shot.
Having been reprimanded by his team leader and knowing there would be hell to pay if he intentionally missed his shot again, Chuck took the extra time in this last shot, as he always did, to ensure he would deliver the perfect shot.
He relaxed his breathing, noting the wind's direction and speed, making adjustments to his scope.
When he felt confident, he chambered the bullet, adjusting his aim to account for the drop of the bullet in flight.
Taking a last breath, he squeezed the trigger on his final exhale, the rifle sharply recoiling against him.
The piercing roar of the rifle firing its round filled the air as the deputy managing Chuck's clock spoke up. "Twelve seconds."
"That's more like Chuck's final shot," Cole said instantly, knowing his best friend inside out.
The firm nods of the rest of Chuck's teammates was a clear signal that agreement was unanimous.
Everyone watched on, in wait, as Chuck's final shot slammed with perfection into the dead centre of the head of the static target.
With a sense of normalcy restored, the range officer, feeling sure that's how Chuck's last shot should have gone, confirmed, "Headshot! Ten points and one point for speed."
Chuck's head bowed in embarrassment, knowing he had tried to pull a fast one on his team to allow Sarah to win and that he'd not gotten away with it.
"Fucking hell!" Jamie said incredulously after a moment, shaking his head. "I can't believe he tried that, and that most of us believed it!"
"I never!" Chris said, his glance held firm at Chuck's back. "Because, like I said, he NEVER misses those shots!"
Chuck, with shame, moved to stand, then turned to face the team, finding it hard to meet the gaze of his teammates, but especially Chris and Sarah, knowing what he'd done.
Chris broke his glance from Chuck, then stared out all of the team. "I don't want ANY OF YOU to ever pull a stunt like this again or else the next time, there will be a serious formal reprimand because I'll have no choice but to get the CO involved!" he warned, his glance finishing on Chuck.
Chuck nodded in acceptance, still finding it hard to look at the team.
The rest of the team nodded, no longer seeing the funny side of Chuck's actions, each recognising the team leader's stance and point of view.
With every shot now concluded, the range officer said, "Final scores, in order of first shooter Bryce Larkin, sixth place, 40 points."
"I'm happy with that," Bryce said with a smile.
The team shared nods and warm spirits with Bryce but kept quiet so the range officer could continue.
"Second shooter, Daniel Thomas, seventh place, 38 points," the official said.
Big Dan snorted. "We can't all be good at everything."
Dan's comment elicited a brief chuckle, but they hushed as the official continued, "Third shooter, John Murray, eighth place, 35 points.
The team laughed more strongly at the Scot for finishing last.
"Och!" John Murray complained. "Ya wee tossers!"
The team calmed shortly after when the range officer continued. "Fourth shooter, Chris MacDonald, fifth place, 42 points."
Chris nodded in mere reply at the range officer.
The official continued, "Fifth shooter, Jamie Hughes, fourth place, 46 points."
"Is right, mate!" Jamie shouted with glee, elated and entering an extremely teasing mindset. "I beat that twat in last place, big gob in seventh, Speedy Gonzales in sixth, and Chris in fifth! It's been a while since I've bettered you gobshites 'cause of all of our recent visits to saunas!"
John Murray shot an immediate glare at Jamie, hissing, "Ya wee bastard!" while the rest of who Jamie had called out took it in good spirits and the team shared laughter.
The range officer continued. "Sixth shooter, Chuck Bartowski, first place, 65 points, seventh shooter, Sarah Walker, second place, 57 points, eighth shooter, Cole Barker, third place, 52 points."
With the final verdict declared and Chuck confirmed as the winner, he couldn't even bring himself to smile, still feeling embarrassed for what he'd done.
"Look at him!" Big Dan laughed. "He's too embarrassed to celebrate!"
Cole met Dan's glance. "Sod off, Dan!" he warned. "We all would have done what he did if we had a girlfriend on the team. We owe it to ourselves and Chuck to be honest about that."
"I don't disagree, fella," Big Dan said with a nod. "But be that as it may, it was Chuck who did it, not us, which means he deserves a ribbing for that."
Chuck nodded. "Fair enough. I do deserve one. I don't know what came over me."
"You were trying to help your girlfriend and to give her the honour and moment in the spotlight, mate," Jamie said with a nod of understanding. "Most of us would have done the same and I don't hold it against you either."
Chris locked eyes with his teammates. "I wouldn't have done it!"
Scoffs broke out amongst the unit because everyone in attendance knew Chris wouldn't have done it, but Jamie and Dan were both right in that almost everyone else would have. Everyone knew Chuck was the best sniper, not just in Red Team, but the whole regiment. Being the best sniper already, they all knew that he didn't need to prove himself every single time and was merely trying to help Sarah and make her feel good about herself, and nobody intended to hold that against him.
"We know you wouldn't have, old timer, but the fact of the matter is the rest of us would if we were as good as Chuck is with a rifle," Big Dan said.
An eruption of nods spread amongst Sarah and Chuck's teammates, their consensus unanimous.
Sarah, on the other hand, had her glance locked at Chuck, who finally met her eyes.
"Nice shooting," she said with a smile. "You deserved to win. It wouldn't have been right for me to have won in the way that you tried," she finished with a confirming nod.
Chuck nodded in acceptance, smiling back. "Thanks. And great shooting for you too. You're right. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"It's ok," she replied, holding her smile, happy for the issue to end here and now.
After Chuck and Sarah finished with their moment, which the team gave them space to air, Big Dan turned to look at Sarah. "Oh well, you still shot great and you're still the second-best sniper."
Sarah met Dan's gaze and smiled at him. "And that's completely fine with me. Chuck deserved to win. We all know it."
Everyone except John Murray nodded, while the Scot didn't, as he was busy preparing a joke. "But maybe it's not fine with Chuck!"
Sarah drew an immediate irritated sigh, shooting a contemptuous glare at John Murray.
However, before anyone could say anything further, Chris jumped in, his glare locked on his fellow Scotsman. "BUTTON IT! Or else both of them will take a seventh shot right at you, laddie!"
"Chuck's already had seven," Big Dan joked, snorting. "But I agree. Sarah can have seven, while Chuck can have eight."
The team shared laughter at Big Dan's joke, knowing he wasn't intending to give them grief but was merely lightening the mood.
"I can't wait for him to get bit!" Chuck said, his glance locked on John Murray.
The laughter extended at Chuck's comment, amplified when Jamie chuckled. "Why bother with that, mate?! Just take that eighth shot Dan spoke of and shoot him instead!"
"Ya wee tossers!" John Murray hissed, glaring at Chuck and Jamie.
Once the laughter calmed, Chris turned to face Cole. "That makes you our designated sniper by default."
Laughter instantly reemerged, with the team finding it hilarious that the only reason Cole was the new primary marksman on the team was because Chuck and Sarah, both being better than him, couldn't take up that role themselves.
"Third best sniper and he gets the job because Chuck and Sarah can't!" Jamie laughed uproariously. "What a shit shot our new designated sniper is!"
Jamie's remarks set off another ripple of laughter amongst the team.
Cole smugly turned to face Jamie, lifting his head back, then said, "Jealous, are we?"
"Of course, he isn't, 'cause who'd be jealous of you, fella?" Big Dan said back with a smirk.
The laughter intensified, but significantly more so for Cole, who revelled in his success in becoming the new primary sniper on the team, knowing he'd get some of the best jobs as long as Sarah or Chuck were needed elsewhere for whatever tasking lay ahead.
After a moment, with the whole team now in great spirits, Chris said, "Let's return our rifles to the armoury and then we'll head for an early lunch because the three of us who missed breakfast after our scuffle with Blue Team deserve it after events that have transpired here."
"DESERVE IT?!" Jamie asked with a thunderous salvo of deep belly laughs, shared by the team. "The three of you finished fifth, sixth and seventh!"
"Exactly!" Chris said with a timely nod. "You laddies and lassies wouldn't want us to suffer any further now, would you?!"
Most of Red Team entered serious thought about that question, with most of them quickly concluding that maybe they would.
However, Big Dan interrupted everyone before they could speak by pointing at Chris and saying, "That might be the first time I have ever agreed with that old timer on anything!"
"Well said, mate!" Bryce said with vigour because, like Chris and Dan, he was starving.
Chris cast an immediate glare at Big Dan and Bryce. "Watch it! Or else I may become masochistic as well as a sadist and backtrack on my remarks and make us go the whole day without food on exercises!"
A fresh ripple of laughter spread amongst the team, finding the team leader's remarks top tier before the unit collected their rifles, then departed for the armoury ahead of a well-earned lunch!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed the chapter today. Please leave a review and let me know if you liked it or not. It would help me a lot.
FOOTNOTES: I will see you again soon with more Who Dares Wins. Until my next chapter, I hope you all have a fantastic week!