June 2076
Fort Ord Pacific Command Naval Base
Monterey, Pacific Territory
United States of America

The recruits stood arrayed in five rows of nine and one row of four.. Alex looked around nervously. The recruits were now at the end of their training and, starting today, they would begin receiving contract offers from various companies seeking their specific skill sets and abilities. Alex had already resolved to take a place in Blake’s company, should he be offered it. After everything that had happened during the exam, Alex wanted to stay as close to those who knew his family as possible. 

He shifted uncomfortably in his new dress uniform and absently rubbed the still healing wound to his right shoulder. He’d spent the past few weeks recovering and the graduation ceremony had been delayed a week so he could attend. To Alex’s surprise, the recruits had voted unanimously for that decision. He still only remembered bits and pieces of what happened. Firing off the flares to bring down the Mexican artillery fire on the gunmen in the buildings, being shot twice, and then being dragged out. He found out when he awoke from three days of a semi-conscious fever that Cassie and Shawn had pulled him out, while Dempsey, Jimmy, and several other recruits had covered their retreat into the base. At night, Alex had nightmares of it all, but also slowly regained a picture of the events that had unfolded that night.

Now he was back in Monterey, waiting with the rest of the recruits in his class. No longer were they two distinct groups, as they had been that day one month ago. They had bonded and fought together, shed blood and watched a friend die. Eddie was the only major casualty of the exam. His parents would be receiving a letter of commendation from the US Military as well as one from Sergeant Dempsey himself, for their son’s brave actions. Though the recruits weren’t part of the Army, the operational oversight had fallen to the Army and the mix up that had failed to deliver reinforcements was the reason Eddie was not standing in line with the rest of them. Alex watched sadly as Dempsey and Roberts laid a wreath and a folded black and silver Mercenary flag on his casket. His body had been cleaned and dressed in the uniform the rest of them wore. The casket was a carbon alloy with an acrylic top so those in attendance could see his face as they paid their respects. Alex saw Eddie’s mother and father approached the casket. Both were in tears, but Alex could see a fierce pride buried beneath the grief. Dempsey moved back towards the rest of the recruits. Roberts remained near Eddie’s casket, whispering a conversation with the dead recruit’s parents.

“Today, recruits, you become men and women of the Guild of War. You have passed your tests and learned the skills necessary to serve honorably in our companies,” Dempsey said, his voice booming out over the field even without the aid of a microphone. “You have all demonstrated courage and honor. Before we hand out your licenses, we have some special commendations to distribute.

“Regina Ramirez, please step forward,” Dempsey said. Alex was relieved that he wasn’t the first one called. He knew several others would join himself and Gina, including Shawn. It had been discovered that the reason Gina had been shot was that she had seen the snipers first and pushed several of the others out of the line of fire. “For your bravery, and conduct exceeding expectations, the Guild of War honors you with the Warrior’s Heart. The Warrior’s Heart is our form of the Purple Heart and is only awarded for exemplary courage. Thank you, Miss Ramirez.” By addressing her as ‘Miss’ rather than ‘Recruit’, Dempsey was officially passing her from the program. She nodded, then stood to attention and saluted Dempsey, fist closed over her heart.

Dempsey called up several others, including Shawn and Leandro, who he called up together. They both received Warrior’s Hearts. They were then presented to Eddie’s parents. Alex couldn’t hear what was said, but he knew it had something to do with the fact that the two had been with Eddie in the moments before his death. He watched as Eddie’s parents nodded. Then the fallen recruit’s mother reached out and hugged each of them fiercely and Alex could make out a few words she said to each. 

Thank you for bringing him home. 

Shawn and Leandro returned to their positions in the ranks and Alex could see both openly crying. No one would insult them for it; everyone had cried at one point or another in the last few weeks.

The last group Dempsey called up was the one Alex expected to be included in. Cassie, Jimmy, Sebastian, Jeremy, Jorge, and Devon. The rest of his team who hadn’t been individually honored, but not Alex. He was puzzled, but wasn’t about to make any objections. His collar suddenly felt tighter than ever as he realized Dempsey had something up his sleeve for Alex. Dempsey awarded each of the rest of them the same award as the rest, giving distinction to them for their efforts in escorting the wounded and bringing up the rear, which was arguably the most dangerous place to be during the operation. After saluting Dempsey, each of them turned and saluted Alex. Sebastian and Jeremy were noticeably rigid about it, as if they were doing it more for show than out of any genuine respect. If those in the crowd thought it strange, they kept it to themselves.

Dempsey then set about handing out the licenses to the rest of the recruits, congratulating them as a ‘Miss’ or ‘Mister’ and certifying them as part of the Guild officially. Alex was at the very end of the line, for reasons he wasn’t entirely sure about. He suspected it was part of Dempsey’s grand plan to put him on display in front of everyone. His leg wound, though healed more than the one to his shoulder, chafed in the heat of the afternoon spring sun. 

Not the wound chafing so much as my nerves, he thought and cracked a small grin. Instead of focusing on what Dempsey had planned, Alex took the moment of quiet to inspect the audience.

No one had notified the recruits to send word to their families; that had been done automatically by Dempsey and the other administrators. Alex could see Shawn’s family, nearly twenty of them in all, sitting in the first three rows of one of the bleachers erected for those in attendance to watch the ceremony. He didn’t recognize any of the other families besides Shawn’s and Eddie’s. His eyes skipped across the crowd, searching for a familiar face. It didn’t take too long before he found Rachel. She was chatting with several of those around her and then pointed in his direction. The others looked and Alex smiled and briefly waved his hand, though it was down by his waist. Rachel smiled and Alex was reminded again how good it felt to see his sister. She worked for some political group in San Jose, trying to get the capital of the territory officially moved down there, rather than it remaining Sacramento. They had spoken only briefly before the ceremony, but Alex felt better knowing she was present.

He was also aware that Blake was in attendance, standing at rest off to the side in a separate area given over to the heads of the various companies that would start offering contracts to the recruits as soon as the formalities were over. He smiled at Alex and nodded reassurance. Yoshito stood behind him and also nodded to Alex, though he didn’t smile. Alex returned the nod and smile before turning his gaze back to the formalities. Dempsey had just finished presenting the second to last recruit with their license. He stepped sideways and planted himself firmly in front of Alex. Then he turned to face the crowd.

“Our last recruit to pass from these grounds is Alex Samuelson. Mister Samuelson was injured in our examination operation, shot twice defending those retreating with our wounded,” Dempsey said loudly and suddenly the chatter in the crowd died. “While his team moved to safety, Mister Samuelson risked his life to slow down an enemy bent on the annihilation of his team. He is also the only member of the examination team to have confirmed kills, eleven in all.”

The mention of a confirmed kill count set the chattering off again. Alex noticed appraising looks from many of the recruiters off to the side. He also noticed the impressed facial expressions from the recruits standing nearby.

“For your role in the extraction of the examination team and your unit, you will be awarded the Mercenary Rifle of Valor. This is the highest award the can be bestowed by the guild to a novice. Wear it with pride, Mister Samuelson,” Dempsey said as he fastened the medal to Alex’s left breast. Dempsey nodded with a smile, then stepped back and saluted. Alex clicked his heels together as he returned the salute. 

Then Dempsey turned to address the group as a whole. 

“Only two things remain before you can be inducted into the company of the Guild of War. First you must choose your callsign. It will be the name your comrades use in combat and the name by which others of the Guild will address you. Mercenaries, soundoff!”

Alex listened as each member of the assembled shouted their chosen name. Many had family references or found their roots in history. Then it came to those in his former unit and he listened intently to their choices.

“Gemini,” shouted Cassie.

“Goliath,” Shawn said with a grin.

“Dash”, piped Jimmy.

“Ghost,” proclaimed Sebstian.

“Reaper,” Jeremy grunted.

Then the line continued as more recruits answered the call for their new names in the Guild. Alex hadn’t really thought of what to use. In face, he realized with a sudden jolt, he hadn’t picked one out at all. Now the recruits next to him were taking their turnes and suddenly the attention was back on Alex. He paused for a second, weighing his choices.

“Well, Mister Samuelson. What shall we call you?” mused Dempsey.

“Scope,” Alex said simply, gifting his friends with a sly grin.

“Fitting,” was all Dempsey said in return. He paced back to the center of the line. “Now, recite the Mercenary Oath, and take your place as brothers and sisters of the Guild of War!”

Alex felt electricity coursing through his body. Two months in training and recovery had led him to this moment, the moment that would likely define the rest of his life. He felt his voice swell with pride as he repeated the oath they had all practiced until it had become a part of them.

“I am a Mercenary. I serve at the pleasure of my client. I fight their enemies. I shield their allies,” they bellowed in unison, the first stanza of the oath.

“I am a Soldier of Fortune. My loyalty may be bought. My gun may be hired. My oath may be purchased,” the chorus sang the second verse.

“I am a Professional. I will complete the contract. I will uphold the bargain. I will see the mission through to the end,” rang true the third section.

“I swear this oath now to all,” they shouted, a proclamation to the world.

“I am a Mercenary,” Alex said, quietly, almost to himself, “and I fight to win.”

The recruits stood in silence for a moment, as the echo of their words reverberated around the marshalling yard. Alex could feel the pride swelling, knowing he was about to hear the words he had been dreaming about hearing for the last two months.

“Brothers and Sisters,” Dempsey shouted. “Welcome to Guild of War.”

Cheers erupted from the recruits and Alex quickly found himself shaking hands and accepting congratulations from the recruits around him. Only three others in the history of the Guild, which dated back to the 20’s of the century, over fifty years, had ever been awarded the Rifle of Valor for their first mission.

Then he was standing before his friends. Cassie, Shawn, and Jimmy, the three looked at him for a moment, then smiled and piled on the high-fives and hugs. Alex felt his cheeks blush a bit as Cassie leaned in for a hug, but he quickly forgot any embarrassment. They had done it, as a team. As everyone smile around, he noticed Sebastian and Jeremy standing off to the side, speaking to some of the more intrepid contractors who has started into the melee of newly minted warriors. Sebastian caught his eye, but just glared at him, obviously unhappy with so much praise being heaped on Alex.

At least we won’t have to work together anymore, he thought to himself as he made his way towards the edge of the crowd, looking for Rachel.

Then he saw his sister, running out over the lawn, even in her high-heeled pumps. She looked distinctly out of place in the business suit and heels, her black handbag bouncing around as she unsteadily moved over the gravel. When the two finally met, she threw her arms around his shoulders and gave him a wet kiss on his left cheek.

“Good to see you too, Rach,” he laughed as she squeezed his neck. 

When she stood back, he found himself looking at someone who seemed years older than her young 22. The last time he had seen her, she was like him, recovering from the death of their parents. Now she was a dressed like a career woman, her hair done up in a very professional looking bun, wearing dress slacks and a grey blazer with a white collared shirt. The outfit was completed by a subtle Pacific Territory collar pin on her jacket. But she also wore the same warm smile he remembered from their time growing up together. 

“Glad you were able to make it,” he said after she released him.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, dweeb,” she said, punching him playfully on his uninjured shoulder. 

He feigned a grimace and for a moment she lost the smile, concerned she may have hit his wound. But the grimace quickly turned into a smile, eliciting another from Rachel who angrily punched the shoulder harder for the prank he played on her.

“That’s certainly one way to show affection for your little brother,” he joked as he danced back from the second punch.

“I seriously wouldn’t though,” Rachel said again, her smile fading a bit as her looked grew distant. “Mom and Dad would have been really proud of you. You know that, right?”

Alex nodded. “But if they hadn’t... gone, I probably never would have come here,” he said, taking a moment to reflect on all that had happened in the past four months. Then he brightened a bit and took his sister by the arm. “Come on, I want to introduce you to the rest of the team.”

Rachel giggled and nodded, letting Alex drag her through the milling crowd of graduates, family members, and company recruiters. He spotted Dempsey and Shawn speaking to Shawn’s parents. Jimmy was nowhere to be found, but Alex quickly spotted Cassie speaking quietly with a few people who Alex assumed must be relatives.

“Cassie!” Alex yelled, seeking to get her attention. She turned and smiled at him, waving them over. When they finally waded through the mass of bodies.

“Hey Rachel, good to see you again!” Cassie said with a wide, warm smile as she hugged Rachel. 

“It’s been a while since I saw you, couple of years I think?” Rachel asked. 

While Alex had been close to Cassie growing up, their time spent together had mostly been with their parents and Rachel, being three years older, had always been somewhere else with friends, except for a few special occasions.

“Yeah. Hey, Alex, Rachel, I’d like to introduce you to my Dad, Governor Garrett Hawthorne,” Cassie said, hiding a small laugh behind her closed fist that Rachel’s wide-eyed stare. 

“Good to see you again, Alex, Rachel. Cassie’s been telling me about your exploits down on the border, Alex. And you, Rachel, I understand you work for the San Jose Relocation Council?” Governor Hawthorne replied. 

He was a tall, strong man in the mid fifties. His grey hair was cut short, in something resembling military style. He had a prominent, but not jutting, jaw and same startling purple eyes as his daughter. But Alex couldn’t do much more than smile when he recognized why he thought the Governor looked so familiar. 

He reminds me a lot of Forrest, Alex thought, disquieted by the revelation. 

“I heard about what happened to your family,” Governor Hawthorne said, as if reading Alex’s mind. “Don’t let my sister hear this, but everyone in the family knew Forrest was a monster. You probably did the world a favor, Alex.” Then his face brightened and he rested his hand on Rachel’s shoulder, saying, “Why don’t we leave them for a moment and you can convince me why we should relocate the capital down to San Jose.” Alex smiled as he saw Rachel’s face drain of color, but she let herself be led away.

“Do you really think he meant that, about your cousin?,” Alex said to Cassie.

“Forrest gave a lot of people in our family trouble, in one way or another. It’s hard for most of us to miss anything about him,” she replied. Alex could hear the sincere regret in her voice and decided to leave the issue alone. 

“It’s not like I wanted to kill him, you know, it just sort of happened,” he said quietly. Then he brightened and said, “But I don’t want to get all depressing. Today’s graduation, we should go celebrate.” 

Cassie nodded and the two started to make their way through the crowd towards the benches to find the recruiters who were now milling with recruits and family members. Before they could make it halfway through the crowd, Alex felt a hand grip his shoulder. He spun on the balls of his feet, reaching for the gun that wasn’t there. 

“Whoa, there, Mr. Samuelson. Wouldn’t want you to shoot me before I could offer you a position,” Blake said as he cowered in mock fear. Yoshito stood next to him, shaking his head and laughing silently as he looked at the ground.

“Sorry, Colonel,” Alex said sheepishly, aware that more than a few others were chuckling at his expense, including Blake. 

Alex glanced behind him to see if Cassie was laughing, but she too had been taken aside by a man Alex assumed was a recruiter. He handed Cassie a box, almost like a present, and whispered to her. Then he turned toward Alex and Blake, weaving through the crowd, leaving her puzzled as she opened the package. She drew out a cell phone which suddenly rang as it left the box. Alex watched as her face took on a look of alarm for a moment and she glanced wide-eyed his way. She spoke a few words to whoever was on the other end, nodded to herself, and slowly made her way towards the outskirts of the crowd, toward a quieter section of the marshalling yard.

The man who had given Cassie the phone shoved his way to stand between Alex and Blake. He was portly, though not excessively overweight. Sweat streamed down his face, despite the cool breeze and he wheezed as he trudged to stop.

“Colonel Blake,” the man said breathlessly. “I was told to give this to you, from an old friend.” 

Blake accepted the plain envelope. His eyes widened slightly as he read whatever was written on the face of the paper, but otherwise he made no indication of what any of it meant. Blake turned back to the courier, but the man was already headed off through the crowd. Alex noticed a strained look pass over Yoshito’s face as well, if only for a moment, as they two men stared back down at the letter.

“Something important, sir?” Alex asked.

“No, nothing. Sorry about that Alex,” Blake said hurriedly as he slid the letter into his pocket. His face split into a grin after a moment as he shook Alex’s hand. “Now, let’s get down to business. 

Yoshito handed him a black binder, which Blake opened. He leafed through a few pages before finding whatever he was looking for. He then drew out an envelope and handed it to Alex. 

“Here is our offer for you, Mr. Samuelson. I’m officially asking for you to join Lionheart Security, Inc. I’d like to bring you on board, in your current training position, as a Corporal, in our LRR, or Long Range Reconnaissance, team. Captain Yoshito commands that team and, after watching your performance at the examination, he has requested you personally.”

“Very impressive performance, Mr. Samuelson. I look forward to having on my team, if you accept that is,” Yoshito said quietly. There was an gleam to his eyes, as if he already knew Alex’s response.

“I accept,” Alex said quickly, without even opening the envelope.

“Don’t you want to read the contract, see what your pay grade would be, take a few other offers and find the best one?” Blake replied, but it seemed to Alex that he too knew Alex would accept without question.

“I don’t care about the money. I need to stick with people I know, or at least people who knew my family. I accept placement in your company, sir,” Alex said quickly. 

It wasn’t quite true what he had said about the money. He was looking forward to a paycheck and having his own personal set of weapons. But he meant what he said about wanting to stay close to familiar faces.

“I thought you might say that,” Blake replied. He reached into his pocket and dug out a small, plastic card. Handing it to Alex, he said, “Welcome to the company, Corporal Samuelson.”

Next Chapter: Ch. 12 - Briefing