Chapter 6: They Made Us Look Good

Words : 1998 Updated : Sep 24th, 2025

The recruits were all stunned. They all just stared at each other, wide‑eyed. "Are your ears clogged? Didn't you hear me?" Smack! Oscar slapped the table. "On your feet, all of you!" The squad leaders quickly barked, "Up! Everyone up!" Only then did the recruits, slow on the uptake and sulking, haul themselves off the benches. Christopher watched with a grin, like he was settling in for a good show. Oscar marched straight to First Squad, fuming. "What have you been teaching your men, squad leaders? Look at First Squad. See how they stand." "The officers haven't sat yet. Who said you could sit? Don't you know the rules?" Pablo was beaming with pride. He hadn't drilled them either; thank heaven Daniel had set the tone. This kid wasn't Oscar's so‑called recruit who got in through connections. He was a natural. With Christopher right there, these recruits had given Pablo something to be proud of. By contrast, the other squad leaders wore sour looks. If everyone had sat, there might not have been a scene. But First Squad stood while the others slouched. The contrast made the others look bad at leading their men. Hands behind his back, Oscar paced. "From day one in the recruit company, every squad leader has a duty to put the rookies on the right track." "War can come at any time. We don't have much time, so we have to make every minute count turning them into real soldiers." "I already heard from the instructor. First Squad started learning barracks standards the moment they arrived. It's only been a few hours, and they can already fold their blankets into neat squares. And what about you?" He laid it on thick. "Just now, when you marched in step, First Squad did the best in the whole recruit company. Not perfectly in step, but at least they looked like soldiers." "Their cadence was loud and in unison." "Look at yourselves. What do you squad leaders even do? Are you here to be nannies for the recruits, teaching them nothing?" The squad leaders looked mortified. The carefree rookies beside them still whispered and snickered. Daniel took it in, amused. These guys still had no idea how serious this was. Tonight, they were in for it. The other squad leaders stared at Pablo with envy, which only sweetened his mood. He felt nothing but gratitude toward Oscar. He knew Oscar's words were not only a dressing-down for the squad leaders; they were also for Christopher to hear. Pablo gave a small smile. It was only day one, and the gap was already this wide. As long as they didn't drop the ball, honors and commendations were in the bag. He glanced at Daniel, praise bubbling up. Oscar kept his tone stern. "From this moment on, every one of you will take First Squad as your model. If you're trailing by this much on day one, what will it be later? Wise up, all of you. This is the army, not civilian life." "Yes, sir!" everyone shouted. A few recruits deliberately drew the word out, thinking it was funny. They had no idea how serious it was. The squad leaders' eyes blazed. Their fists clenched tight. They glared at the men behind them, furious and disappointed. Tonight, they would put them through the wringer so the lesson stuck. "Sit down and eat!" Oscar barked, and the recruits immediately sat, grabbed their chopsticks, and started shoveling food. The squad leaders were fuming. Hopeless cases. They had forgotten the rules the second after hearing them. Oscar stood by, shook his head, and watched. He had just let loose at them, and the rookies hadn't taken a word to heart, acting like nothing had happened. He turned to First Squad. Even sitting, they were like statues, hands on their knees, not moving a muscle. Still, out of the corner of their eyes, they all watched Daniel, as if he were their anchor. Oscar was intrigued. Was First Squad so steady because this kid took the lead? "Did I misjudge him?" he wondered. He had been slipped in without a medical or a background check, which broke the rules, but maybe he really was a promising recruit. Oscar gave a small shake of his head. Forget it. Observe a little longer. If Daniel turned out to be a good soldier, he had to be cultivated. If the chance came, Oscar would apologize. Soon the officers sat and started eating. Only when Pablo saw the officers start eating did he give the order. "Eat." Everyone glanced at Daniel. When Daniel calmly picked up his cutlery and raised his bowl, the rest finally dug in with relief. Pablo was in high spirits. Being in the spotlight felt wonderful. He even felt as though he was not leading a recruit company at all, but a bunch of seasoned soldiers. Pablo lifted a piece of meat and dropped it into Daniel's bowl. "Daniel, eat up. The mess hall food's good. Help yourselves; there's plenty more if you need it." "Thanks, squad leader." No one stood on ceremony. They ate with real gusto. Especially Vincent and Adriel; they attacked their bowls like they were going to war, wolfing it down. Partly the mess crew cooked well. Partly, when the hall was packed, you ate fast or you got less. It did taste better than eating alone. Daniel had been shoveling rice too, but he noticed Pablo eyeing him with a delighted grin, like a guy ogling a centerfold. His heart gave a thump. "Oh no. Don't tell me the old man's got his eye on me. Great. Did I overdo it today? I just wanted to avoid punishment, and suddenly I stuck out like a sore thumb." In truth, First Squad's performance wasn't excellent. Plenty of their moves were wrong and nowhere near regulation. The trouble was that the other squads were so bad. Their ineptitude turned First Squad into the shining example. He thought it through. "This won't do. I need to dial it back, and keep us at a normal level. We can't lag, but we absolutely can't stand out too much." That was the only way he could lie low and be a happy slacker. ***** After dinner, the squads headed back. First Squad returned to the barracks and immediately went back to wrestling with their blankets. Daniel knew the recruit company would soon conduct barracks inspections. If they failed, Pablo would blow his top, and no one would have a good time. So, to avoid punishment, he hustled around the room helping everyone. As long as they all kept to a solid, unremarkable standard, they would be fine. Just then, a howl like a stuck pig rose from outside. Daniel and the others rushed to the window, craning their necks to see. By the flowerbeds, every squad of recruits stood in formation, bellowing at the top of their lungs, "One, two, three, four..." Their throats were nearly raw, their faces bleak and miserable. The squad leaders still roared on the sidelines. "Louder! You just ate; why so quiet? What is this, a whisper? Louder! Keep shouting until your throats are hoarse." Everyone in First Squad sucked in a sharp breath. Even Adriel swallowed hard, a chill running through him. The looks they gave Daniel were almost worshipful. "Daniel, that's you all right." "Good thing we listened to you, or we would be toast." "Bro, I'm your biggest fan. I'll even kneel to you." Daniel gave a small smile. Good thing he knew how the army worked. Otherwise, they wouldn't be quietly folding blankets in the room right now. They'd be outside getting punished with extra drills. "What are you staring at? Want to go out and train too? Get to work." Pablo walked over and said coldly. Daniel stuck his tongue out, then hurried the others back to their bunks to keep at it. Meanwhile, Christopher had just returned to the regimental headquarters office. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello? Aiden, it's me. I've got something to tell you."

Chapter 6: They Made Us Look Good

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