THE SHOCKWAVE
BY: INVISIBLE WRATH

Chapter Five:
Training & A Troubled Mind

Shockwave collapsed onto his bunk exhausted. Today Beach head had run him and the other recruits through the obstacle course.

<More like Beach Head’s personal version of Omaha Beach…> Shockwave thought to himself as he laid back. It wasn’t that he hated the course, far from it, it had been the best workout he’d had in months. It was his partner for the course. Each of the recruits had been pair up for the course and he’d gotten Hit & Run. Shockwave had been around his share of smart asses, but Hit & Run was the worst. The man never shut up, always had a comment, retort, or asinine thing to say. It was a wonder Beach Head hadn’t killed him yet. It was Hit & Run’s smart mouth that had gotten both of them stuck with graveyard shift guard duty, Beach Head must have figured that if the partner got into trouble as well, it would help the recruits to stay in line. It didn’t. The next day, Hit & Run called Beach Head “mommy”, which resulted in Hit & Run and Muskrat having to dig a ten-foot deep hole in the 90-degree sun. Then Beach Head made them fill it in.

By now, Shockwave had been pair with all the other recruits. He only spoke with two of them: Budo and Repeater and even those conversations consisted of one-word sentences back and forth. Budo was just a silent as Shockwave, never spoke to anyone unless spoken to, knew what he was doing, and except for the samurai armor was relatively normal. Repeater, he was a different story. The man was huge, had to be to carry the gun that he did. He’d been in the Army since ‘Nam and it was apparent he’d seen the darkest days of the war.

Friday night they’d all gone into the closest town with a few of the other Joes to go drinking. Shockwave wasn’t even sure why he’d gone; he’d stop drinking over a year before. While the others played darts and billiards, Shockwave sat at the bar nursing a Dr. Pepper.

“Man, does that Shockwave guys ever open up?” Hit & Run asked at the billiards table.

“Not that I’ve seen.” Hardball answered. “The man’s a statue.”

“Hell, he was the only one who didn’t laugh at Hit & Run when Beach Head made him do the 10 miles run in his jockey shorts.” Muskrat added, getting the finger from Hit & Run.

“Ease up on him, guys.” Jinx said as she and Cover Girl started a round of billiards at the next table.

“Yeah, he’s kinda cute.” Cover Girl chimed in, drawing a laugh from Hit & Run.

“If he’s so cute, go talk to him.” He challenged.

“I will.” She snapped back as she walked over to Shockwave and sat next to him. “Hello.”

Shockwave looked over at the former model. “Hello.”

“You want to play pool with me and Jinx?”

“Not really.” He said as he turned back to his Dr. Pepper. She was a little put off by that, so she decided to try her secret weapon. She unbuttoned her shirt, revealing the extremely low-cut tank top underneath and her abundant cleavage. Leaning towards him, her breasts looking like they would pop out if she bent over any further, she tried again.

“Are you sure you won’t come and play? I could make it worth you while.” She asked coyly.

“I’m sure.” He replied without looking at her. Her eyes went wide and she sat back. No one had ever resisted her like that before. She stood and stuck out her tongue, then stormed back to the billiards table as Hit & Run and Muskrat burst out laughing.

“Man’s a statue like I said,” Hardball said.

Later that night outside of the three huts, Shockwave was walking the perimeter on guard duty when he heard footsteps behind him. Without turning, he knew who it was.

“You threw Cover Girl for a loop out there tonight.” Jinx said softly. He did not reply. Beach head had assigned him to train with Jinx in hand-to- hand combat earlier in the week when he realized Shockwave was more advanced in his fighting skills. The ninja was even a little surprised her self at what Shockwave knew.

“So where did you learn to fight?” she asked.

“Detroit.”

“From anyone in particular?”

“Not really.’ He replied. It wasn’t that he wanted to be rude, he just wasn’t looking to make and friends here. Friends die and he didn’t feel like loosing any more…

“if you want to talk about what is bothering you, you can talk to me.” She said softly…She turned around and he had walked away from her. <Of all the nerve…> she thought as she turned back and saw Spirit standing beside her.

“He is a troubled man. He has faced great adversaries it his greatest is himself. If he does not face it, it will destroy him.” The shaman told Jinx.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“There is great loss in his soul. If it is not filled, it will consume him.” As Spirit spoke, Jinx looked back towards Shockwave, feeling compassion for the former cop. She resolved that she would help him somehow.

“Spirit, will you help me help Shockwave?”

“Yes. I will help our brother in his spiritual battle.”

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Continued in Part Six!
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