Descent into Mayhem (Capicua Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

head dry as to prevent the birds overhead from painting a target on his crown.
    The minutes ticked slowly away and, to Toni’s growing bewilderment, not a single recruit showed up at the gate.
    He checked his watch again. It was a quarter past the hour, and that undoubtedly meant he was late. Anxiety lurched forwards and took center-stage in his heart, reminding him in exquisite detail of the shame that awaited him were he to fail.
    He walked over to the gate and gave it a long, hard stare. He then shifted his weight back and launched himself forward, sending a boot against the gate in frustration. The sudden impact of work-boot against iron produced a resounding metallic clang.
    To Toni’s utter surprise, the sentinel box to his left shuddered violently, and a tall figure enshrouded in a black cloth suddenly jumped out, only to collapse to the ground with a thud.
    “Uff! HALT! WHO GOES THERE?” The figure bellowed loudly, trying to stand as it did so. It finally managed to free itself from its covering and a compact-looking rifle fell clattering to the ground at his feet.
    A crack trooper he certainly wasn’t. Toni suppressed the urge to face-palm as the soldier quickly gathered the rifle up with spider-like arms. He wore a vomit-green uniform a little short at his arms and legs, which made some sense, seeing as his extremities were a little long for the body he had been graced with. The expression on the sentinel’s face as he spotted the newcomer summed his intellect up nicely.
    “Oh, for the love of –” the soldier coughed twice and then spat. Composing himself, he turned to Toni.
    “Hell, you had me thinking the Lieutie had caught me at it again!” He gasped with relief.
    “Hey ...” Toni said, “I thought there was no one in there ...”
    “Oh, just doing the curtain routine. Get some sleep without the critters bothering me. If I knew Parkinson had let someone out, I would’ve been expecting you. So, ya want in?” He asked, hooking his thumb towards the gate.
    “I’m here to be incorporated.” Toni stated bluntly.
    The sentinel stood there for what seemed like a long time, studying Toni anew.
    “You’re a ... a rook?”
    “Uh ... yes, I guess so. Listen, the sheet says oh-six-hundred and I’m already fifteen minutes late ...”
    The sentinel quickly checked his watch, and then marched over to him and put his hand out. Toni shook it, taking note that the soldier possessed retard strength.
    “I’m Derek Rooney, but everyone calls me Stick. Get your gear, I’m gonna open the gate!”
    “Toni. Thanks.”
    Before long Toni found himself inside a military base for the first time in his life, his pack shaking and leaping as he coursed down a paved road at a good sprint.
    Stick had turned out to be a mate. The lanky sentinel had given a brief explanation on how to get to the Suit parade ground, the usual mustering spot for recruits. Before Toni had been about to break into a run, however, the soldier had stopped him.
    “Listen, you look like you’re a mate, so I’ll give you some advice I didn’t chance to get. Only two things. Don’t ever trust a comrade right off, not even the friendly ones, ‘cause some of them are the pits. That includes the other recruits. And when you get hammered down in the Click, don’t ever give up. Giving up will cost you the Suit, and you’ll never get that shot again! OK? Good luck, rook!”
    Following Stick’s directions, Toni kept along the paved road for a full kilometer, occasionally spotting collections of small whitewashed huts to his flanks as he sped along. Sure enough, he soon saw to his left an enormous parade ground. Dead center on those granite-grey grounds, he saw a motley group about fifty strong huddled together. Beyond the parade ground was a much denser collection of buildings, white the dominant color there as well.
    As sweat burned, Toni put in a final burst of speed and ate up the heavily scratched and pitted parade ground. Beyond the group