Read Online Project Sparta (The Xander Whitt Series Book 1) by B.B. Gallagher - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: B.B. Gallagher
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something to look forward to each day.
Today was his first day of live training. He fried three eggs that he had found in the refrigerator food supplies, just like what Ms. Baker used to make him on his first day of school. He had never been taught but he had watched her one morning and most of the time that was all Xander needed. He walked out into his front yard in his bathrobe and looked up at the dome ceiling. It no longer looked like a ceiling; rather, it was imprinting with an image of clouds and birds flying by. The concrete walls and ceiling were no longer exposed, and the Compound before him now resembled a small midwestern town. The warm temperature relaxed him and the cool summer breeze brushed by in a whirl. The lone circular window to the outside world poured bright natural light in for the trees of the Thicket. The Compound now had a pulse. They were in their own world now.
To Xander’s surprise, a voice from the sky spoke sweetly, like a mother waking her children up for school.
“Good Morning, Spartans.” The voice paused a moment as the other recruits joined Xander outside in the middle of the street and gazed toward the massive skylight. Fiona smiled, still dressed in her pajamas, as if she were amazed by the seemingly livable and charming place before them. “I am Anni. I am an artificial intelligence program that helps run the Compound. It’s my pleasure to serve you. Your training begins today. You will first report to the Armory for weapons training at oh-seven-hundred. You will then go to securities and intelligence training in the Mainframe. Lastly, you will report to the Thicket for espionage and stealth training. Have a good day, Spartans, and remember, nothing is as it seems.” The intercom system in the Compound returned to playing the typical suburban background samples of dogs barking, birds tweeting and kids playing. The recruits looked around at one another, still taken aback by the surprise voice from the sky and the new atmosphere of the Compound.
The warmest voice I’ve heard since I’ve been in here…and it isn’t even human.
«————————»
Later that morning, the Spartans walked over to the Armory for their first class. The facility was bigger than it looked from the outside. There was a shooting range, wrestling mats, and archery targets, as well as trenches dug into the ground. Captain Axle awaited them, arms folded across his chest, beaming down at his new recruits. He noticed the inflamed grape covering Xander’s eye. His eyes furrowed as if to say, Attaboy.
“All right, Spartans, we are going to learn how to shoot one of these.” Hardy flashed his Glock. “The first and most important lesson of using a firearm is safety.” Axle proceeded to teach the proper holding technique, the different parts of a firearm and basic concepts in how to physically and mentally handle a firearm. After thirty minutes of introductory lecturing, Axle looked over the recruits and made his selection.
“Xander, come here.” Axle held the M1911 pistol out for him. Xander sauntered up to the gun and grabbed its thick grip. The gun dropped in his grasp; he was not expecting its weight. Xander looked to Axle for direction. “Go on! Go over to the range and try to shoot the target.” Xander heaved the gun over to the shooting mats, careful to employ the correct safety measures. He held the gun up with both hands and fired a round which jolted him back a half a step. He wasn’t ready for the kickback and his shot came nowhere near the target. His ears rung. His eyes were closed. The bullet drove into the ground twenty feet in front of him. The only sound to come through his ringing ears was the snickering of Duke as a second misfire blasted through the room.
“What the hell is so funny?” Axle ripped into Duke with a deprecatory bite.
“Nothing, sir.”
“You bet your ass nothing. Now I want to see how excellent of a marksman you are, Duke.” He motioned
Today was his first day of live training. He fried three eggs that he had found in the refrigerator food supplies, just like what Ms. Baker used to make him on his first day of school. He had never been taught but he had watched her one morning and most of the time that was all Xander needed. He walked out into his front yard in his bathrobe and looked up at the dome ceiling. It no longer looked like a ceiling; rather, it was imprinting with an image of clouds and birds flying by. The concrete walls and ceiling were no longer exposed, and the Compound before him now resembled a small midwestern town. The warm temperature relaxed him and the cool summer breeze brushed by in a whirl. The lone circular window to the outside world poured bright natural light in for the trees of the Thicket. The Compound now had a pulse. They were in their own world now.
To Xander’s surprise, a voice from the sky spoke sweetly, like a mother waking her children up for school.
“Good Morning, Spartans.” The voice paused a moment as the other recruits joined Xander outside in the middle of the street and gazed toward the massive skylight. Fiona smiled, still dressed in her pajamas, as if she were amazed by the seemingly livable and charming place before them. “I am Anni. I am an artificial intelligence program that helps run the Compound. It’s my pleasure to serve you. Your training begins today. You will first report to the Armory for weapons training at oh-seven-hundred. You will then go to securities and intelligence training in the Mainframe. Lastly, you will report to the Thicket for espionage and stealth training. Have a good day, Spartans, and remember, nothing is as it seems.” The intercom system in the Compound returned to playing the typical suburban background samples of dogs barking, birds tweeting and kids playing. The recruits looked around at one another, still taken aback by the surprise voice from the sky and the new atmosphere of the Compound.
The warmest voice I’ve heard since I’ve been in here…and it isn’t even human.
«————————»
Later that morning, the Spartans walked over to the Armory for their first class. The facility was bigger than it looked from the outside. There was a shooting range, wrestling mats, and archery targets, as well as trenches dug into the ground. Captain Axle awaited them, arms folded across his chest, beaming down at his new recruits. He noticed the inflamed grape covering Xander’s eye. His eyes furrowed as if to say, Attaboy.
“All right, Spartans, we are going to learn how to shoot one of these.” Hardy flashed his Glock. “The first and most important lesson of using a firearm is safety.” Axle proceeded to teach the proper holding technique, the different parts of a firearm and basic concepts in how to physically and mentally handle a firearm. After thirty minutes of introductory lecturing, Axle looked over the recruits and made his selection.
“Xander, come here.” Axle held the M1911 pistol out for him. Xander sauntered up to the gun and grabbed its thick grip. The gun dropped in his grasp; he was not expecting its weight. Xander looked to Axle for direction. “Go on! Go over to the range and try to shoot the target.” Xander heaved the gun over to the shooting mats, careful to employ the correct safety measures. He held the gun up with both hands and fired a round which jolted him back a half a step. He wasn’t ready for the kickback and his shot came nowhere near the target. His ears rung. His eyes were closed. The bullet drove into the ground twenty feet in front of him. The only sound to come through his ringing ears was the snickering of Duke as a second misfire blasted through the room.
“What the hell is so funny?” Axle ripped into Duke with a deprecatory bite.
“Nothing, sir.”
“You bet your ass nothing. Now I want to see how excellent of a marksman you are, Duke.” He motioned
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