A lone technician leaned back, stretching his fingers as the final command executed. A progress bar appeared.
0%
10%
50%
100%
UPDATE COMPLETE.
The man smirked, tapping a key. “Let’s see how they handle this.”
The sleeping recruits were violently ripped from their dreams by the high-pitched beeping of their P.D.D.s.
Lyra groaned, slamming her hand onto the device strapped to her wrist.
UPDATE AVAILABLE.
She tapped CONFIRM, too exhausted to care.
A soft vibration ran through the P.D.D. The screen flickered, rebooting with a brand-new menu.
╔════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ??? **P.D.D. Main Menu** ║
║ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ║
║ ?? **Factions:** Lists all active PMCs, Renegades, and ║
║ the Mutation Republic. ║
║ ?? **PMC Creation:** Allows high-ranking operatives to ║
║ establish their own PMC (1,000,000 credits required). ║
║ ?? **Faction Contracts:** Displays available missions based ║
║ on rank and reputation. ║
║ ?? **Rank System:** Displays a recruit’s current position, ║
║ progress, and promotion requirements. ║
║ ------------------------------------------------------------- ║
║ ?? **Missions:** Available contracts and assignments. ║
║ ?? **Finance:** Salary, rewards, and transaction history. ║
║ ?? **Inventory:** Equipment, weapons, consumables. ║
║ ?? **Assets:** Land, vehicles, or structures owned. ║
║ ?? **Support:** Help, messages, and emergency contacts. ║
║ ?? **Log Out:** Because even a dystopian hellscape had UX ║
║ designers. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════╝
She clicked it. A list appeared.
Squad Initiates – Team Alpha
? Lyra Vox
? Lara Thorne
? Bilal Gilani
? David Maxwell
? Ava Renner
? Shawn Shaw
Lyra’s breath caught in her throat.
Shawn Shaw.
She hadn’t seen her stepbrother in years.
Bilal grumbled, rolling over. “Why the hell is my P.D.D. screaming at me?”
Lara sat up, rubbing her face. “If it’s another goddamn update—”
David, already awake, was reading through the menus. “Check the new squad list.”
Lyra stared at Shawn’s name.
Before she could say anything, the barracks door slid open.
Standing there, looking exactly like an entitled bastard, was Shawn Shaw.
“Well. It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Lyra?”
Shawn stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his black PMC uniform pristine, neatly pressed, and expensive as hell.
His piercing green eyes locked onto Lyra with familiar amusement.
He looked too comfortable, like he belonged here—like he wasn’t just another Initiate.
Lyra stood up slowly, her expression unreadable.
“It really has,” she said, voice cool. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Shawn smirked. “Father wanted me to get real field experience. Said I should ‘earn my future.’”
Bilal muttered under his breath, “Translation: Daddy paid for him to play soldier.”
Shawn grinned, unfazed. “And you must be Bilal. You look exactly as useless as I imagined.”
Bilal’s jaw dropped.
Lara burst out laughing. “Oh my god, I like him.”
Lyra crossed her arms. “So you’re slumming it with us? Must be hell for you.”
Shawn’s smile didn’t waver. “Let’s just say I’ll try to survive. Though with a team like this, I’m not optimistic.”
Ava, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.
“If you two are done with your weird family tension, maybe we should go see why we got promoted.”
David stood up, clearing his throat. “She’s right. Let’s move.”
Lyra sighed, shaking off her thoughts. This wasn’t the time.
She turned toward the door.
“Alright. Let’s get this over with.”
The new Initiates stood in formation at the training field.
Lieutenant Tim stood at the front, hands behind his back, his gaze scanning the crowd like a hawk searching for weakness.
"Listen up, you little shits."
The recruits snapped to attention.
"You think what you've been doing so far was training?" Tim smirked. "That was playtime."
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Behind him, massive screens lit up, revealing four massive categories:
1?? Weapons Training – Firearms, explosives, melee combat.
2?? Vehicle & Air Training – Driving, piloting, drone warfare.
3?? Base Construction – Outposts, fortifications, and field ops.
4?? Resource Gathering – Oil drilling, supply chains, PMC sustainability.
"You will learn all of this," Tim continued. "Some of you will specialize, some will be versatile. Either way, by the time we're done, you'll be able to run a goddamn army."
Bilal whispered, "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
David cracked his knuckles. "Finally, real training."
Lara grinned. "Guess we’re not bored anymore."
Lyra?
She just smirked. "Bring it on."
?? Weapons Training
The squad was lined up at the shooting range.
Tim paced behind them.
“You morons will start with basic firearms. If you can’t hit a goddamn target, you don’t deserve to hold a gun.”
The first round of shooting began.
?? Lyra’s first shot missed by a mile.
?? David forgot to reload.
?? Lara somehow hit her own barricade.
?? Bilal dropped his rifle on his own foot.
Then came Ava and Shawn.
Ava calmly aimed and hit dead center. Every. Single. Time.
Shawn?
He hit the exact same spot as Ava.
They both glanced at each other.
Shawn smirked. “Decent.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “You wish.”
Bilal, still nursing his foot, muttered, “They’re flirting. I can feel it.”
Lara smirked. "Jealous?"
Bilal grinned. "Always."
?? Vehicles & Air Training
Lara was first up in a ground vehicle simulator.
She floored the acceleration—and immediately crashed into a simulated wall.
“Okay! That was a warm-up!”
Tim rubbed his temples. “This is going to be a long day.”
?? Base Construction & Resource Gathering
“Alright,” Tim barked. “Today, you’re building something. Try not to die.”
The team started assembling basic fortifications.
?? David built an actual usable tower.
?? Lara built a watchtower that collapsed instantly.
?? Bilal fell into a latrine pit.
Lyra sat on a crate, wiping sweat from her forehead. “We suck.”
Ava smirked. “No, Bilal sucks. The rest of us are just terrible.”
Bilal grinned. “You’re finally talking to me? Is this progress?”
Ava sighed. "No. It's a mistake."
David dropped his hammer, exhaling. “I hate all of you.”
The squad? Laughed.
They weren’t good yet.
But they had two more days to survive.
The squad was already regretting waking up.
“Who thought military life was a good idea?” Bilal groaned, dragging himself out of bed.
Shawn smirked, already dressed. “You all look like you got hit by a truck.”
“We did,” Lyra muttered. “It was called yesterday.”
Ava cracked her knuckles. "Better get used to it."
Lara stretched. “What’s on today’s agenda?”
David checked his P.D.D. schedule.
DAY 2 TRAINING:
?? Advanced Vehicle & Air Combat Training
?? Weapons Drills & Favorite Gun Selection
??? Survival & Tactical Field Training
?? Credits Received (—100 Credits?)
David froze. “Wait. Why am I treating everyone?”
Bilal grinned. “Bro. How did you even get 100 credits?”
David muttered, “…I have my ways.”
Lara narrowed her eyes. “Was it gambling?”
Lyra crossed her arms. “Did you scam someone?”
David smirked. “Maybe.”
The mystery remains.
Tim stood with his arms crossed as the recruits climbed into vehicles and drone pods.
"Listen up, idiots. Today, you learn how to drive, fly, and hopefully NOT kill yourselves."
?? Lyra’s jeep stalled three times before moving.
?? Lara hit a training dummy instead of the road.
?? David actually did fine.
?? Bilal accidentally triggered the turret and nearly shot a drone out of the sky.
Tim rubbed his temples. "You're all hopeless."
Ava, however, was suspiciously good at piloting.
Lyra eyed her. “How are you so good at this?”
Ava shrugged. “I had… training.”
Shawn smirked. “Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all.”
Bilal, watching Ava effortlessly maneuver a drone, muttered, “Goddamn, that’s hot.”
Ava rolled her eyes but smirked.
After vehicle training, they moved to advanced firearms.
"Today, you pick your preferred weapon," Tim announced. "But you can’t afford them yet. Sucks to be you.”
The squad browsed the arsenal, picking their favorite guns.
?? Lyra – XM8 Assault Rifle (lightweight, futuristic, high accuracy).
?? Lara – AA-12 Automatic Shotgun (destruction incarnate).
?? Bilal – Desert Eagle .50 & M249 SAW (because why not both?).
?? David – MK14 EBR Sniper Rifle (precision & power).
?? Ava – MP7 SMG (fast, deadly, and tactical).
?? Shawn – FN SCAR-H (classic powerhouse).
Tim grinned. “Too bad you’re all broke. Back to your shitty starter gear.”
The squad groaned.
The squad was sent into the woods, given basic gear to build shelter, start a fire, and survive for 6 hours.
They struggled.
?? Lyra’s tent collapsed.
?? Bilal almost burned his eyebrows off.
?? David cheated and built a full structure somehow.
?? Ava disappeared and came back with food.
?? Shawn… just watched and laughed.
Later, by the campfire, Shawn nudged Lyra.
“…You know, I still owe you.”
Lyra glanced at him. “For what?”
Shawn smirked. “For keeping my ass alive all these years.”
A pause.
Then, for the first time in years, they laughed together.
“It’s good to have you back, Shawn.”
After two days of failure, the squad was put into a simulated battlefield scenario.
They had to defend a small outpost against enemy AI forces.
This time?
?? Lyra actually led the team effectively.
?? David sniped enemies cleanly.
?? Lara drove a vehicle WITHOUT CRASHING.
?? Bilal covered teammates like a proper gunner.
?? Ava and Shawn worked together, clearing enemy positions.
At the end, Tim grinned.
“…Well, you still suck. But at least you suck less.”
Bilal pumped his fist. “Progress!”
With David’s mysterious 100 credits, the squad went to the Base Camp Mall.
The place was massive, filled with:
? Upgraded armor & gear
? Prototype weapons
? PMC-owned shops & black-market vendors
They couldn’t afford anything.
Lara picked up a combat knife. “This costs 500 credits?”
David sighed. “Yeah. We’re broke as hell.”
Bilal spotted a military-grade jetpack. “Guys… I want this.”
Ava smirked. “That’s 80,000 credits.”
Bilal sighed. “…I still want it.”
Then, it happened.
As they were leaving, Bilal nudged Ava.
“You know, today’s been good. You actually—”
Ava grabbed his collar, pulled him in, and kissed him.
A pause.
Then she pulled away, smirking.
Bilal was frozen in shock.
Ava walked away.
Shawn chuckled. “Damn. She played you.”
Bilal grinned, still dazed. “Nah, man. I won.”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”
Lara smirked. “But he’s OUR idiot.”
The squad laughed.
They weren’t perfect soldiers yet.
But they were a real team now.