“The rules are: there are no rules.” Once more, the older man looked around. “Each team has been given a confidential word. If you are captured, it is the job of the hunters to get that word from you. If they succeed, your whole team fails. Everyone knows the kill shots. Once you are hit with a kill shot, you leave the field. Each team has a different colored paintball and will be awarded twenty points for kill shots. If you end up shooting each other, it does not count.”
A murmur went through the crowd. Jill looked at each of their Warriors. Slade, Jax and Duncan all wore a vest with a white X, indicating them as observers. Slade, of course, was the only one who wore a black baseball cap worn backward, indicating his role of medic, and he looked really hot. Who knew he’d look sexy as hell in a baseball cap. Jill jerked her attention back, trying to focus as she looked at Jared, Sid and Damon who wore a blue X. The other thing she noticed was she was the only female, and that was gaining her a lot of attention.
“Initiates, you have a ten-minute lead. You each have a map to get you to the end safety zone. There are two off-road vehicles placed in different locations. I suggest you look very hard for these bonuses because they are the only ones you will get. I know you have been over everything repeatedly in preparation for today. We do our best to make sure everyone makes it out of initiation in one piece, but death is possible as it is with anything. Be careful out there and good luck.” The man’s eyes scanned again, this time landing on Jill. “You’re going to need it.”
Jill glanced at Steve who was looking at her. “Burger flipper is looking more and more like a better career choice.”
Sloan walked up to them. “You guys are ready for this. You’re as good if not better than any of the others. Work as a team and get your fucking asses to that safety zone.”
“Thanks for the pep talk, sir.” Steve frowned, glancing around.
Jared, Sid, Damon, Duncan, Jax and Slade all wished them luck. Slade stopped in front of Jill, a hint of worry in his eyes. “Stay safe, no matter what.”
“That’s the plan.” She gave him a wobbly grin.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but turned and walked away. Jill followed Adam as they made their way past the Warriors to the front. Stopping, they waited for the go ahead. Jill stared straight ahead. There was a clearing before them that ended where the thick woods began. Her stomach twisted painfully. On the other side of those woods, lay what she had worked so hard for, what they all worked so hard for.
“I got a plan.” Adam glanced behind them, then either side.
“Thank fuck, because for a minute, I thought we were going to wing it.” Steve sounded relieved and just plain nervous.
Adam left their group and spoke to each group of trainees. He came back with a smile. “Once we hit the woods, find a good vantage point.”
“Vantage point for what?” Steve’s nerves were showing in his high-pitched voice.
“Dammit, Steve, be quiet,” Adam frowned, then grinned at them. “To take hunters out. Go high if you can.”
“Shouldn’t we just run straight for the safety zone?” Steve looked at the other trainees who were nodding and looking at Adam. “Shit. Guess not. Fucking crazy if you ask me. I say run like your ass is on fire, but no, not us. We do stupid, climbing trees and shit to shoot highly trained fucking Warriors.”
“Shut up, dammit,” Adam hissed. “This will work.”
Jill nodded. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Slade who stood alone, but watched her. A loud horn sounded. Giving him a small smile, she turned and followed the rest of the trainees into the clearing.
As soon as they went into the woods, everyone dove for hiding spots, scrambling to find a clear shot. Jill scrutinized her surroundings. Staying close to her group, she climbed up a tree. Getting in position, she raised her gun and waited. This was either brilliant or suicide. To make sure she knew where her team was when the shit hit the fan, she scanned the area. Steve was just below her using another tree as a shield and looked like he was praying. Adam was on the other side of her, also in a tree but lower than her, his gun raised. Dillon was further up, kneeling in some brush with a clear view to the field.
Another horn sounded and Jill had a sudden case of fear. She wanted to drop out of the trees and run as if her ass was on fire, just like Steve suggested, but she held strong. Glancing at Adam, who held his hand up, she waited. Looking back at the field, she watched the Warriors arrogantly walk straight into a trap.
“Now!” Adam shouted and the popping sounds of paintball guns echoed throughout the woods. Jill hit three with kill shots. Curses and shouts filled the air as the Warriors realized what was happening.