Andrew prequel chapter 8

[sl97aq]

One week after Andrew?s first day at work, he and his dad headed to the military base west of Barrie to meet Colonel Mitchell.

?Are you excited about meeting some of the soldiers I used to serve with?? Chad asked Andrew.

?Yes sir!? Andrew shouted in enthusiasm. ?Will this visit allow me to get into Cadets or that military school you told me about??

?That?s a very good question Andrew; you?ll have to save it for Colonel Mitchell to get it answered,? Chad advised his son. He handed Andrew his Palm Pilot and added, ?Type all your questions in there so that you don?t forget any of them.?

?Okay Dad,? Andrew agreed. ?I?m glad you taught me how to use this thing! I wouldn?t know what I was doing otherwise!?

?Yeah, you?re a really smart boy Andrew!? Chad commended him, as they turned west onto the road that led to the base. ?That?s why you, not yet 11, have a job most 15 year olds couldn?t get! I hope you?ve been smart enough to keep your mouth shut about your new job around your friends! Then they won?t get jealous or try to get you in trouble!?

?Good thing we work out after work!? Andrew realized. ?That way I can tell Carrie part of the truth now that I don?t see her as often as I used to.?

?Good, good, because we don?t want anyone to know about the four year head start you?re getting into the Working World. But as you slowly become a jock, you?ll find that your connections, as well as your athletic talents, will give you many opportunities that other people won?t have!?

?Yeah Dad, I can?t wait to become a jock and then I?ll be the Big Man at school!? Andrew shouted in excitement.

?Just don?t let it go to your head!? Chad warned him. ?I got pretty cocky and arrogant in high school, college and especially the NFL! I drove around in a flashy sports car, drove too fast when I got drunk one night and wrapped my car around a telephone pole! I broke my arm, my ribs, and blew out my knee because of that! The other injuries healed completely, but it was my busted knee that ended my NFL career forever! My teammates rallied around me, instead of turning against me, but the damage had already been done! My playing days were over and I had to give up my dream of playing in the NFL! I don?t want the same thing to happen to you!?

?Okay Dad, I get it,? Andrew assured his father. ?I had forgotten that story until you started telling it again just now. I will have to remember the lesson of that story: ?Don?t ever take your abilities for granted, because they could be gone in an instant!??

?Very good son; you remember that lesson and your NFL career shouldn?t end prematurely like mine did,? Chad assured him.

?My NFL career hasn?t started yet!? Andrew reminded his dad. ?It?s about 12 years until I get into the NFL, if I?m good enough in high school and college football to get that far!?

?I know son, but these years, between 11 and 18, are the crutial money-making years,? Chad informed his son. ?Once that window of making money with no expenses closes, you can never open it again! Don?t waste this opportunity to make seven years worth of free money son; it will never come again!?

?Okay, okay I get it Dad!? Andrew snapped in exasperation. ?And I?m not just saying that to shut you up! You don?t have to drill these lessons into me over and over though!?

?I just want to make sure you learn easily the lesson I learned the hard way!? Chad informed him. ?And don?t tell me to shut up again, not even indirectly! I?m getting tired of your insolence and your disrespect for my authority! I?m doing all this for you, so that you can have a better life than I?ve had! Since you don?t seem to get that, I?ll let the drill sergeants at the base drill the lesson ?Respect authority no matter what!? into you! And you?d better listen when they tell you to do something, or they?ll crush you into little pieces, figuratively of course!?

?How big are those drill instructors Dad?? Andrew asked Chad, beginning to look scared.

?300 pounds and 6 foot 5 at least!? Chad informed Andrew, smirking as he saw the fear in Andrew?s eyes. ?That?s right son, you should be afraid of them; because they?re way bigger than I am! They?re all former Infantry Soldiers, so they?re really big, strong and tough!?

?Are you scared of them?? Andrew asked Chad, slightly afraid that his dad would get mad at him for asking that question.

?I?ll answer that question if you promise not to tell anyone Andrew,? Chad replied. He leaned close to Andrew?s left ear and whispered, ?Yes I am scared of them son, because they could break me in half if they wanted to!?

?But they wouldn?t do that, would they?? Andrew asked him. ?You haven?t had arm wrestling contests with them, have you??

?No I haven?t son, but I have learned the most updated unarmed combat moves from them, which I will soon teach you!? Chad replied. ?But I have great respect for them, because underneath their tough brawny exteriors, they are really gentle giants. Most big guys are really kind and gentle, but because society expects them to be really tough, they have to act really tough! The Infantry Soldiers of course have no choice, because they have to face Life and Death every day! Since they act really tough all the time, you?d better listen to them when they tell you to do something! When they yell at you, they will make my anger look like a Sunday School Picnic! So don?t get them mad at you, unless you want to be bawling like a baby by the time they?re done with you!?

?I don?t think I?ll be able to avoid being yelled at today,? Andrew reminded his dad. ?You said ?when they yell at you?, not ?if they yell at you?! Are you going to give me a little taste of Boot Camp today Dad??

?Yes I am son,? Chad replied, pleased that Andrew was smart enough to figure out what he was trying to do. ?You seem to have a lot of pent-up aggression and anger, probably as a result of being bullied by Darrell for the last few years. A ?little taste of Boot Camp,? as you put it, will help you release all that anger through rigorous physical activity! Once the Drill Sergeants wear you out, you won?t have any energy left to yell back at them!?

?You don?t think that I?ll snap at them, now that I know how much bigger they are than you, do you?? Andrew asked Chad.

?Once you get mad, I don?t think it will make any difference how big the other person is!? Chad replied. ?That is why I think that Military School will be a good fit for you; you have what the military calls ?Killer Instinct?! And you will need that intensity to avoid breaking down in tears from what I have planned for you today!?

?Yeah it wouldn?t be good for my upcoming Jock Image if I did that!? Andrew realized.

?You?re absolutely right son,? Chad said. ?But what I have planned for you today is designed to help you learn how to maintain you upcoming Jock Image. By watching how tough the Drill Sergeants act, you will be able to learn how to act really tough yourself, even though you?re not that big yet! Once you learn how to handle your own fear, you?ll be able to face the bullies at school without fear!?

?It?s ?bully? actually; Darrell is the only one who bullies me,? Andrew informed his dad.

?That?s his problem, not yours; as he?ll soon find out if he tries anything in September,? Chad assured his son. ?The fact that his brother Phil doesn?t bully you, but in fact protects you from the bullies, proves what a bigger man he is, even though he is exactly the same height and weight as Darrell! But not to worry son, by the time Colonel Mitchell and I are through with you this summer, you will be the Big Man at school, in both size and attitude!?

"Hey, that would be great Dad!" Amdrew shouted in excitement. "Maybe the Drill Instructors can teach me how to scare the bullies away with just a look! Then I won't have to physically push them away from me, because one look will make them run away from me! I imagine that if I put my hands on the bullies, I'll get in trouble and then everyone will think that I am the bully!"

"In school you're probably right," Chad agreed. "From what I've seen, public schools do have Zero tolerance Policies on physical violence, if the authority figures are around to catch it that is. That's probably how Darrell got away with bullying you for so long, no one else witnessed it. Did you ever tell the teachers?"

"No, I didn't tell anyone, because Darrell said he'd do worse to me if I squealed on him!" Andrew replied. "He's bragged to me about how he's punished others who have squealed on him, dunking their heads in toilets and stealing their lunches. I didn't want that to happen to me, so I kept my mouth shut!"

"Did he just start bullying you this past school year?" Chad asked him. When Andrew nodded, Chad asked, "Is that why you haven't told me any of this before; you were waiting until you were safe from him for two months?"

"That's it exactly Dad," Andrew agreed. "But hopefully the moves I will learn today and throughout the summer will keep me safe from him, even when he's around!"

"That's a very good motivation for you to become highly skilled in unarmed combat son," Chad said approvingly. "It seems like there is a very fine line between bullying and self defence, doesn't it?" When Andrew nodded in agreement, Chad added, "The Drill Sergeants and I will teach you how to defend yourself without getting in trouble. Then you will be admired and respected by all the kids at school, because you will be able to stand up for yourself. Some of the kids may even want you to teach them some of the moves you learn. Then they won't be bullied like you have been! I guess you don't know who Darrell has bullied, besides you, do you?"

"You're right Dad; I don't," Andrew agreed. "Do you think, after I clean Darrell's clock, that I might be able to force that information out of him?"

"I have a better idea son," Chad advised him. "I think if you just wait for the story of how you bested him to spread, his other targets may seek you out. Then you'll be able to teach them how to defend themselves from his bullying. In my experience, once you 'hit a bully right between the eyes' they'll run away and hide. They're cowards inside, that's why they target those smaller than themselves. How many friends do you have son?"

"Except for Phil and Steve and Carrie, I don't have any," Andrew replied. "I can't consider Ralph a friend yet, because I haven't spent a lot of time with him. And I'm reluctant to spend any time with Phil, because he's the brother of that creep Darrell! I can't wait to clean Darrell's clock! He'll never bug me again!"

"I think that if we invite Phil's family to the beach with us next week, the sight of your new muscles might make him think twice about bullying you again!"

"Yeah Dad!" Andrew yelled in excitement. "I can't believe that I've put on 15 pounds of muscle in three weeks! I love being 135 pounds of solid muscle! And it's official, I can't see any bones on my upper body anymore!"

"Good man, you're not skinny anymore!" Chad commended him. "I think that you'll skip past average and jump right to muscular!"

Andrew grinned as he thought about that and was silent for the rest of the trip to the military base.

Once Andrew and Chad reached the eastern gates of the base, Chad got out his driver's license to show the Military Police Officer.

"Thank you sir," the MP said. "How are you doing Mr. Pearson?"

"Just fine Lieutenant," Chad replied. "I just came here to give Andrew a tour of the base and introduce him to Colonel Mitchell."

"Step out of the car please," the MP requested them. "We have to search it just like the border guards do."

"Understood," Chad said agreeably, getting out of the car.

Andrew stepped out as well and the guards searched the car thoroughly. Andrew marvelled at how big the guards were and he noticed that they were armed with handguns.

"When I join the Reserves, will I be expected to be armed at all times Dad?" he asked Chad.

"What did you just say?" the MP Officer asked him. "What's your name?"

"Andrew, sir," Andrew replied. "What's your name sir?"

"You can call me Lieutenant Mitchell," the MP Officer replied.

"As in Colonel Mitchell's first son?" Chad asked in surprise. When Lt. Mitchell nodded, Chad added, "Gosh, you've really grown Tom! You're even bigger than I am!"

"6 foot 5 and 300 pounds even sir," Tom said proudly. "I just crossed the 300 pound mark last week and I can bench over 500 pounds now!"

"Wow!" Andrew marvelled as the guards finished their search. "You're really big and strong sir!"

"Thank you Andrew," Tom said, smiling down at him gently. "But if the rumours of your father's Enhancement Project are true, you may well become as big as the guards helping me today!"

"How big are they?" Andrew asked, gulping a bit in fear as the guards stood up to their full height and came over to stand in front of him. "I feel like a little ant that you guys could crush under your feet!"

"Not to worry sir; we protect civilians, we don't target them!" one of the guards assured Andrew. "Don't you worry about a thing; we've devoted our entire lives to protecting innocent people like you!"

"Thanks a lot sir!" Andrew shouted in gratitude. "I hope you realize how much we all appreciate what you military heroes go through to keep us safe!"

"We're not heroes sir; we're just doing our job," the guard said humbly.

"Well, now that you guys know my name, can I have yours?" Andrew asked him.

"Not without a name change Andrew!" the guard chuckled. "But you can call me Private Stevenson."

"Wow, how old are you sir?" Andrew asked him, looking up at his huge frame in awe.

"I just turned 18, and I must say I'm very proud to serve in the Canadian Reserves!" Private Stevenson said. "You can call me Matt."

"Thank you sir," Andrew said, gulping as the other guard stepped forward and loomed over him. He didn't notice Lt. Mitchell chatting with Chad. "I think I can ask you now: how big are you guys?"

"6 foot 7 and 350 pounds of solid muscle!" Matt roared in excitement, forgetting to act like a gentle giant.

"Whoa Private, calm down!" Tom urged him. "You're scaring Andrew!"

"Sorry about that sir!" Matt said, relaxing his double biceps pose. He bent down so that he could lay a gentle hand on Andrew's shoulder. He only did so after Chad nodded his approval. "We'll teach you how to face people just as big as us without fear! Then you won't be scared when huge guys flex their muscles!"

"I look forward to it!" Andrew shouted in excitement. "Not to be rude or anything, but when are we actually going into the base? Dad said he was going to introduce me to the Drill Sergeants who would teach me all kinds of fighting moves."

"You're a pretty smart boy Andrew; we're just waiting for the shift change so that we can teach you those moves while our counterparts guard the gates," Tom said.

"Okay sir," Andrew said, smiling at the thought.

"You don't have to call me 'sir'; I'll let you call me Lt. Mitchell," Tom said. "And even though Private Stevenson said you could call him 'Matt', it would be best if you called him Private for now. He and Sergeant Jones here will be your superior officers in your training today, so you'll be calling him 'sir' soon enough!"

"Okay then," Andrew agreed. "So, could you guys demonstrate some of those moves that you're going to teach me? Then I can see firsthand what I'll be going through today."

"Good idea Andrew, though we'll practice on each other, not you or your dad!" Lt. Mitchell assured him. He turned to the two huge guards and said, "Okay guys, try to take me down!"

Private Stevenson and Sergeant Jones looked at Lt. Mitchell for a few seconds, hesitant to use force against their superior officer.

"Don't worry guys; no court martial for a demonstration, even if you hurt me," Lt. Mitchell assured them. When they still hesitated, he smirked slightly and said, "You guys outweigh me by 50 pounds! If you don't think both of you can take me on, then I'll let Chad take a turn. He'll show you how to take me down!" The faces of his two subordinates darkened in anger and Lt. Mitchell smiled when he saw their fighting sprits reflected in their faces. "I knew bruising your ego with insults would get you 'fired up' guys!" Lt. Mitchell said approvingly. "Come and get some!"

The two huge soldiers rushed forward one at a time. Lt. Mitchell caught Private Stevenson's fist effortlessly and forced him to his knees with an expert twist of his wrist. Then he slipped aside as Sergeant Jones threw a punch at him, trapping Private Stevenson against the ground with his knee as he did so. Then, with both hands now free, he seized Sergeant Jones's outstretched arm and threw him to the ground. Then he dug a knee into Jones' throat as well.

"Did you catch all that Andrew?" Lt. Mitchell asked him, smirking and flexing his biceps as the two soldiers gasped for breath. "We'll teach you how to take down two people at once, just like I did! Then you'll have no trouble taking down one person!"

He stood up and therefore released the pressure of his knees from the throats of the two soldiers.

"You see guys, I taught you everything you know, but not everything I know!" Lt. Mitchell gloated, grinning down at the two soldiers on the ground. When he saw a faint look of shame in their eyes, he took pity on them and extended a hand to each to help them up. "Since I took you both down, it's only fair that I help you both up."

The two soldiers took his hands and stood up, but then pulled him sharply to the ground. Before Lt. Mitchell could recover, they both pinned his arms and legs with their knees and then pinned him to the ground with their massive hands on his chest.

"You may have taught us everything we once knew, but we've taught ourselves a few more moves since then!" Private Stevenson informed Mitchell. When he saw his Lieutenant glaring up at him, he grinned and added, "What are you going to do now sir?"

"I can't do anything, you have effectively restrained every part of my body," Lt. Mitchell replied. His look of anger faded away and was replaced with a look of pride. "Very good job guys, you have effectively restrained me and you didn't hurt me in the process!"

"Thank you sir," Sergeant Jones said, smiling at the compliment his Lieutenant had paid him. He stood up and so did Private Stevenson, allowing Lt. Mitchell to sit up and rub his chest. "We didn't hurt you after all, did we sir, despite what you just said?"

He extended a hand to help Lt. Mitchell up but Stevenson grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm back before Mitchell could grab it. Lt. Mitchell stood up by himself and looked over at Andrew.

"Did you catch all that Andrew, especially that last bit?" he asked him. When Andrew nodded, Mitchell added, "Good, then you saw how they didn't take pity on me, which robbed me of the chance to pull them down!" He pointed to the thick necks of his two subordinates and added, "And you can see that they don't have a mark on them! That's how you defeat bullies without hurting them: you use a combination of leverage and strength to take them down and restrain them!"

"Got it sir," Andrew said, smiling as he thought about taking Darrell down like that. "But what if the bully actually hits me first? How good are you guys at withstanding a punch?"

"We'll show you," Lt. Mitchell said, turning to Stevenson and Jones. "You guys don't mind if I hit you first, since you each outweigh me by 50 pounds, do you?"

"What do you-?" Jones asked before Lt. Mitchell punched him and Stevenson at the same time!

"Wow sir," Stevenson said, not rubbing his jaw but looking surprised. "I didn't even see that punch coming!"

"I told you that I hadn't shown you all my fighting moves!" Lt. Mitchell reminded them. "Lightening fast punches are just one of the many moves I haven't shown you guys yet!"

"But now you have!" Jones shouted, launching a punch and hitting Mitchell right in the jaw. Mitchell staggered back and Stevenson hit him too, making him fall to the ground hard. "How's that sir, did we learn that move well enough to make you happy?"

"Good thing this is just a training exercise for Andrew's benefit, or you two would be in big trouble for hitting me without my permission!" Mitchell informed them. He stood up, rubbing his jaw, and then added, "But I imagine the same might go for me!"

"Wow, you three guys really know how to take care of yourselves without weapons!" Chad marvelled. "So, how good are your shooting skills?"

"Put a pop can on top of your car and I'll show you," Mitchell suggested, taking his handgun out of his holster.

Chad complied, almost feeling the urge to say "Yes sir." He got a pop out of the cooler and put it on the car roof. Then he stood back and watched Lt. Mitchell take dead aim at the pop can. Mitchell fired and the pop can flew off the car roof, but it didn't explode. Chad picked it up from the ground and noticed that the tab had been shot off the can, but no other damage had occured.

"Wow sir!" Chad shouted in amazement. "That's incredible, you opened the pop can for me but didn't spill a drop!"

"Thank you sir," Mitchell said, smiling with satisfaction. "I suppose you could call me a 'pop star' after that!"

"Ha ha ha!" Chad laughed. "That was a really funny joke Tom!"

"Thank you sir," Mitchell said. He looked down the road into the base and added, "I think I see the jeep coming with the new guards for the shift change. Have you ever ridden in a military jeep before Andrew?"

"No sir, I haven't," Andrew replied. "I have never been on a military base either, before today."

"I think you will enjoy yourself, even if we have to put you through the wringer," Tom advised him, shielding his eyes as the jeep stopped in a cloud of dust.

"Hey watch it Private!" Lt. Mitchell yelled at the jeep driver. "You got dust all over the Sergeant and I!"
"Sorry sir!" the Private apologized. He jumped out of the jeep and quickly ran over to his superiors with a cloth in his hand. He brushed off their uniforms until they were clean again. "There you go sir; how's that?"
"Much better Private; thank you," Lt. Mitchell said. "Now, why don't you go make sure you didn't get dust all over the COLONEL'S uniform with that quick stop of yours."

"He's right," Colonel Mitchell said, stepping out of the passenger side of the jeep. "You got my uniform all dusty as well, Private."

"Sorry about that sir," the driver apologized. He got out a clean cloth from the glove compartment of the jeep. Then he came over to Colonel Mitchell and began wiping the dust off his uniform. "I hope this helps sir!"

"Thank you Private; it helped a lot," Mitchell assured him. "Now, why don't you stay in the jeep for now, and when we're ready to go back into the base, make sure you drive slowly so that you don't spray dust everywhere!"

"Yes sir!" the Private shouted, as he got back into the jeep.

"How are you today sir, besides clean again?" Lt. Mitchell asked, saluting as Colonel Mitchell stepped up to him.

"Just fine Lieutenant," Mitchell replied, as the Corporal and Sergeant who had ridden with him stepped out of the jeep. "It's time for the shift change now, so why don't you join Sergeant Jones and Private Stevenson as they accompany me and Andrew and Chad into the base. Then you can show them all the military moves that I taught you."

"Good idea sir," Lt. Mitchell said, as the new guards took up their positions at the gates. He turned to his subordinates and yelled, "You heard the Colonel: move it!"

Sergeant Jones and Private Stevenson hurried to the jeep, holding the doors open for Andrew and Chad. Then Colonel Mitchell stepped into the jeep, followed by Lt. Mitchell, who happened to be his son. Fortunately, the jeep was a six-seater. Once the jeep had gone down the main road into the base, the two guards turned to face the civilian world outside the gates so that they could meet any threat head-on.

The jeep soon reached the training area and Sergeant Jones and Private Stevenson got out first. They held the doors open for Andrew and Chad, and then Colonel Mitchell stepped out. Andrew looked around and saw the recruits running laps and climbing on the Obstacle Course.

"Wow sir; are you going to make me climb on the cargo net?" Andrew asked Colonel Mitchell.

"No Andrew, but we will put you through the Canadian Forces Express Test," Mitchell replied. "I hope you've been training hard with your dad."

"Yes I have sir!" Andrew shouted in excitement. "I'm ready for whatever you throw at me sir!"

"We won't throw anything at you, at least in the literal sense," Mitchell assured Andrew. "Now, come with me into the gym Andrew."

Andrew obediently followed the Colonel into the fitness center. Inside he saw several people in black t-shirts with red logos on them.

"What does PSP stand for sir?" Andrew asked Colonel Mitchell.

"It stands for Personel Support Personnel," Mitchell replied. "The PSP staff are the civilians who run the fitness tests and other athletic activities associated with the Forces. Today, they will be administering your fitness test, as well as testing Sergeant Jones and Private Stevenson."

"Oh yes, I had forgotten that it was time for my test today," Private Stevenson said. Sergeant Jones glared at him and Stevenson grinned at him. "Just kidding Sergeant; I've been preparing for this test for the past year."

"I hope so Private; because it would certainly be embarrassing if you couldn't at least match my performance," Jones informed him.

"Get ready guys; the testers are ready to start the Shuttle Run," Lt. Mitchell informed Andrew, Jones and Stevenson.

"Yes sir!" the three people shouted together, as they lined up for the Shuttle Run.

Lt. Mitchell grinned and signalled the PSP staff member to start the tape recorder.

"The test will begin in 10 seconds," the tape recorded voice said. "Start running at the sound of the tone in 5...4...3...2...1."

The tone sounded and everyone began running to the other side of the gym. Andrew copied the motions of the two military men as they pivoted and ran back to the starting line. It took quite a few minutes for the test to be completed, as Andrew managed to get to Stage 6 and the two soldiers got to Stage 10.

"Good job guys; one test down and three more to go," Lt. Mitchell said.

"I thought that was the test," Andrew said, panting as he tried to catch his breath.

"That was the endurance test," Lt. Mitchell corrected him. "You still have to do the Handgrip Test, the Push-up Test and the Sit-up Test. Then we will know if you meet the Canadian Forces Fitness Standard and we'll see if my subordinates have improved their results from last year."

So Andrew joined the soldiers as they took the other three tests. Andrew was pleased that he got 80 on the Handgrip, and he managed to do 35 push-ups and 40 sit-ups in the alloted time.

"You're only ten years old, but you have already met the current Canadian Forces Fitness Standard!" Lt. Mitchell congratulated Andrew. He looked over the test results from Sergeant Jones and Private Stevenson. "It looks like you two did better than last year." He turned back to Andrew and said, "It's time to give you a full tour of this base Andrew and we can show you in a few hours what the Basic Training course is like." He leaned down to lay a hand on Andrew's shoulder and asked him, "Can we count on you not to tell anyone what you see here?"

"Yes you can sir!" Andrew shouted quickly. "Can we go and meet Colonel Mitchell, who used to be my Dad's Lieutenant during High School Reserves Training?"

"I think that Colonel Mitchell would enjoy the opportunity to catch up with an old friend," Lt. Mitchell agreed. "Let's go meet him first and then we can have lunch with him in the Officer's Dining Room. Special guests of the Colonel get to eat at his table and since your father is an old friend of his, you certainly qualify for the privilege."

Andrew got a big grin on his face as Lt. Mitchell dismissed Private Stevenson and Sergeant Jones. Before they left, Private Stevenson stepped over to Andrew. Andrew stepped back hastily, really nervous of Matt's size.

"Don't get scared Andrew; I'm not going to yell at you," Matt assured him. Andrew relaxed and stepped forward as Matt sat down on a nearby bench. Your father tells me that you want to join the Canadian Reserves when you turn 16."

"Yes I do, just like my dad did when he was 16!" Andrew shouted in excitement. "And I want to play football in high school, college, and the NFL, just like my dad did!"

"If you keep practicing the same exercises you performed during the Fitness Test, you should have no problem getting into shape for those goals," Matt assured him. "Now, you may not know this, but I have two younger brothers who go to your school. Their names are Mark and Mike. Mike is the same age as you and Mark is a year older. But they are both a lot smaller than you are."

"Why are you telling me this?" Andrew asked him in confusion.

"I'm telling you this because I'd like you to keep an eye on them for me in my absence Andrew," Matt replied.

"That's going to be a little difficult," Andrew informed him.

"Why's that Andrew?" Matt asked him.

"I have no idea what they look like, because you haven't shown me a picture of them yet," Andrew replied.

"Good point Andrew," Matt said, noticing Sergeant Jones looking at his watch impatiently. Matt quickly handed Andrew a picture of his younger brothers and then ran over to Sergeant Jones. "See you in six years Andrew; I should be a Sergeant by then!" Matt shouted from across the gym.

Andrew waved and then followed his dad and Lt. Mitchell out of the gym and along the halls to the Office building. Once they got there, they took the elevator up to the floor where the Commendant's Office was.

"Why is it called the Commendant's Office?" Andrew asked his dad. "I thought it was Colonel Mitchell's office!"

"Colonel is my dad's rank, and since he runs this base, Commendant is his title," Lt. Mitchell explained.

"Thank you for explaining that sir," Andrew said.

"Call me Lieutenant," Lt. Mitchell told him. "But pronounce it 'leftenant'; that's how we say the rank here in Canada. And if you call the Commendant by his rank, which is Lieutenant-Colonel, then he'll be very impressed with your military knowledge and you'll make a good first impression on him."

"I'd make an even better first impression on him if I can show him how much I can lift in the gym," Andrew suddenly realized, as the elevator doors opened.

"Good idea Andrew; we'll discuss that during lunch with the Colonel," Lt. Mitchell decided as they stepped out of the elevator.

"But you just told me that his rank is Lieutenant-Colonel," Andrew reminded him, making sure to pronounce Lieutenant the Canadian way.

"Yes I did Andrew, and you're very smart to catch my slip," Lt. Mitchell said, as they walked down the hall. "Most Lt-Colonels prefer to be called 'Colonel' since it's a lot shorter to say. NCOs, that's 'Non-commissioned Officers', like to call COs, that's Commissioned Officers, 'sir', but the COs work just as hard for their ranks as their subordinates do."

"Thank you for the information Lieutenant," Andrew said, looking a bit confused by all that Lt. Mitchell had just told him.

"You're welcome Andrew," Lt. Mitchell said, as they reached the Commandant's Office. He handed his base badge to the Military Police Officer standing by the door and said, "The Commandant is expecting us Sergeant."

"Wait right here sir; I'll go tell him that you and your party have arrived," the M. P. said.

The M.P. opened the door and stepped into the office, leaving Lt. Mitchell, Andrew and Chad in the hall by themselves.

"Why didn't he salute you sir?" Andrew asked Lt. Mitchell.

"Neither of us were wearing our berets," Lt. Mitchell replied. "But that was a very smart question Andrew."

"Thank you sir," Andrew said. "I don't mean to ask a dumb question now, but what's a beret?"

"That's not a dumb question at all Andrew," Lt. Mitchell assured him. "A beret is the name for a military hat, though we call it a headdress actually."

"I thought indians wore headdresses," Andrew said, looking even more confused. "And why would anyone wear a dress on their head anyway?"

Lt. Mitchell started laughing, as did Chad, and they both had to cover their mouths and cough when the M.P. came back into the hall.

"Are you alright sir?" the M.P. asked Lt. Mitchell.

"Quite alright Sergeant," Lt. Mitchell assured him. "My throat's just a little dry, that's all."

"There's plenty to drink in the Commandant's Office sir," the M.P. informed him. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you in there now."

Everyone followed him into the office and found the Commandant standing behind his desk waiting for them.

"Thank you Sergeant, that will be all," Lt-Colonel Mitchell told the M.P. "Let me know when lunch is ready."

"Yes sir," the M.P. said.

He closed the office door behind him, leaving Andrew, Chad and Lt. Mitchell alone in the office with the Commandant.

"You've done pretty well for yourself Chris," Chad said, stepping forward and shaking the Commandant's hand.

"Thank you Chad; I've heard the same thing about you," Colonel Mitchell said. "Congratulations on becoming the Vice-President of a brand new division at Harrington's Sports Suppliers."

"Thank you Chris, but how did you hear about that?" Chad asked him. "I only found out about that last week!"

"Mr. Harrington and I are old friends from high school and we've kept in touch over the past 15 years," Colonel Mitchell replied. "But we're not here just to talk about my business relationship with him, but yours and Andrew's."

"Really?" Chad asked him, as he and Andrew sat down in front of Colonel Mitchell's desk.

"Really," Colonel Mitchell said. "I'm sure that Mr. Harrington informed you and Andrew about the potential military applications that his company's new line of research can have."

"He may have mentioned it in passing, but I'm guessing that I'm here to provide more details on that matter," Chad suddenly realized.

"That's right Chad," Colonel Mitchell agreed. "And as Sergeant Bartell just told me, witnessing Andrew's performance in the gym after lunch would be a good place to start."

"Sounds great sir," Chad said, standing up from his seat.

"Why are you standing up Chad?" Colonel Mitchell asked him. "We're not done yet."

"I think we are Chris; I hear Sergeant Bartell coming back," Chad informed him.

"Ah yes, I see your hearing is just as sharp as it was when we served together," Colonel Mitchell said as the office door opened.

"Lunch is ready sir, if you and your guests are ready to eat it," Sergeant Bartell informed him.

"Thank you Sergeant," Colonel Mitchell said. He turned to Lt. Mitchell and asked him, "Would you care to join us Lieutenant?"

"Thank you sir, I would," Lt. Mitchell agreed. "After you sir," he added, motioning to the office door.

Colonel Mitchell led the way out of the office, with Andrew and Chad following him and Lt. Mitchell bringing up the rear. They all headed to the Commandant's Private Dining Room where the table staff took care of them. During lunch, Chad and Colonel Mitchell talked more about the Enhancement Project, with Lt. Mitchell taking notes for the official report and Andrew asking a few questions.

After lunch, Colonel Mitchell had his driver take them on a tour around the base, amazing Andrew with the amount of land that the base occupied. After their lunch had settled, Andrew and Chad worked out in the gym, with Lt. Mitchell taking careful notes of Andrew's progress and comparing them to the normal lift amounts for a 10 year old boy. Then after their showers, Andrew and Chad returned with Lt. Mitchell to Colonel Mitchell's office to fill him in on the workout test results.

"Your workout results are very impressive Andrew," Colonel Mitchell praised him. "I would have expected to see those results from a 15 year old who just started to work out, not a 10 year old!"

"Thank you sir," Andrew said, trying not to smirk with pride. "I was pleasantly surprised myself when I saw how much I could lift."

"You should be very proud Andrew, especially when you take into account your passing results on the Canandian Forces Express Test," Colonel Mitchell informed him. "I know some 18 year old men that couldn't match your results, which is why they got turned away at the Recruiting Centers. It's too bad, since their aptitude test scores were really high. The Canadian Forces Leadership should create a fitnesss program for those people during Basic Training, so that they can get in shape and then serve their country. We really need people badly Andrew, even though we're not in a war right now."

"That's why I want to join the Reserves at age 16 sir," Andrew said, having been told at lunch that Military School was not an option.

"Good for you Andrew; we look forward to receiving your application at the recruiting center," Lt. Mitchell informed him.

"Thank you for the support sir," Andrew said, shaking his hand.

Chad shook Colonel Mitchell's hand, thanking him for fitting their visit into his busy schedule.

"No problem Chad; I'm always happy to make time for an old friend," Colonel Mitchell assured him. He came around the desk to lay a hand on Andrew's shoulder and added, "And I'm always happy to meet such an enthusiastic and bright young man as you Andrew."

"Thank you sir," Andrew said, holding his hand out. Colonel Mitchell shook it and Andrew added, "Thanks for the tour of the base and the athletic facilities sir,"

"You're welcome Andrew," Colonel Mitchell said, as Lt. Mitchell held the door open for them. "Come back and see us soon."

"I will sir," Andrew said, as he and Chad walked into the hall. As Lt. Mitchell led them down the hall to the elevator, Andrew turned to Chad and said, "That was a really great taste of what a military base is like Dad."

"Minus the yelling from the Drill Instructors of course," Chad corrected him. When Andrew realized that no military personnel had yelled at him all day, he glared up at Chad, realizing that he had been tricked. "Sorry about that son," Chad apologized. "But I couldn't think of any other way to keep you quiet."

"The Drill Instructors will have a few more ways to keep Andrew quiet in about six years," Lt. Mitchell informed them, as they stepped into the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed and they began their descent, Andrew looked a little scared as he wondered just how tough Basic Reserves Training would be for him.