This training was not for the weak. The taser drills always brought mixed reactions in the unit nobody wanted them, but everyone knew they had to. It was about feeling on your own skin how paralysis really worked, how long it actually took to regain control over your muscles, and how easily an opponent could disable even the best soldier with a single impulse. It was a brutal lesson: don’t get caught, don’t expose your back.

Soap, always the first to jump in, let out a laugh when he volunteered. But when the electrodes bit into his body, the smile disappeared. The current ripped through him like lightning, his body arched violently, and he shouted, trying to joke and endure the pain at the same time. Finally he collapsed onto the mat, breathing heavily, then lifted a thumb as if to prove he was still in control.

Moments later, as his breathing calmed, all eyes turned to you. Now it was your turn. Your heart sped up, though you tried to keep a stone face. You stepped forward and stood right by the mat.

Price slid his gloved hands onto your shoulder firm, steady, leaving no room for movement. On the other side, Gaz grabbed you just as tightly, his hold meant to support you but also to block any reflex to pull away. You felt their presence on both sides, like a wall you couldn’t escape.

It was your turn now, and there was no time left for hesitation.