"There has been another attack again on Mandoe as what is known to be the creature has struck again." Forty people have been injured, but no deaths have been recorded yet. This makes it the fifth attack in a month. What is the government doing about it? The people are dying and the....... " Austin switched off the TV and turned to face his team. They had arrived earlier, as ordered by the colonel, to the base camp.

"We are leaving in four days and we need some basic training that we all know." Austin addressed them. "The people are suffering, and as soldiers, we must protect and serve them." Do you understand? " He shouted.

"Yes, sir!" They all chorused.

Kemisola raised her hand to ask a question. "We don't even know what we are going up against," she pointed out. "Are we going to fight what we don't know?" She asked, and the rest of the soldiers chuckled.

"Who are you again?" Austin asked her, and this made the rest of the soldiers laugh, except Kelly. "Is something funny?"

"No, sir!" They chorused.

"So who are you again?" Austin asked Kemosola.

"Second Lieutenant Kemisola Landon." She responded. "I'm an army surgeon."

"Why are you here again?"

"Really? "Sir with due respect, the general called me to join your team." She retorted.

"Have you ever been to war before, second lieutenant? Have your ears rung for a long time after a bomb blast? Have you ever shot anyone just to survive? " Austin yelled. If you have never witnessed any of that, then you do not need to be here. I don't want weaklings on my team. "

"I'm not a weakling, sir." I might not have gone to war, but I'm capable of saving lives. " She answered back. "I'm going as a doctor who saves lives," she added.

"We'll see about that," Austin told her and turned to face the rest of the team. "We are going to a war that might lead to our end." If you are not capable, you can back out now. Do you understand? " He asked.

"Yes, sir," they all saluted.

I'll give you all till tomorrow morning. Training starts at 6:00 am prompt. You come late, you serve a punishment. Do you all understand? "

"Yes, sir!" They all chorused.

"Dismiss!" he ordered.

a formalized paraphrase

Morning came and all the soldiers assembled in the camp field for training. "That's not how you do it!" Austin yelled at his team. "We are going to war, not to play games!"

"At least we are trying," Kelly replied sarcastically.

"Did you say something significant, Kelly?"Austin questioned him.

Kelly hesitated for a while before replying to his cousin. "No sir," he finally replied, after they stared at each other for a while.

"We need to be physically prepared for this war," Austin said to them. "100 laps around the field, everyone!"

"Yes, sir!"

"What are we?" Austin asked as they all ran together on the field.

"Rangers!"

"And what do we do?"

"We protect lives; we defeat terrorists."

"I can't hear you!" Austin yelled.

"We are rangers and we defeat all terrorists!" They all replied and continued running around the field while saying "rangers" and "what they do." After the running ended, Kemisola was the first to drop to the ground and lay on the field.

"Giving up soon?" Okie lay beside her. "Our team leader is a pain in the ass, isn't he?"

"He is more than that," Kemisola answered and turned her eyes on Austin, who was still running around the field. "Doesn't he get tired?" She wondered.

I don't think so. I heard he comes from a long line of military families, so I get it runs in the blood. " Okie explained.

"Did you understand anything in the file given to us?" Kemisola questioned

"I didn't read it because I didn't understand anything."

"Don't you find it suspicious?"

"Suspicious?" Okie thought and shook her head. "No, I do not find it suspicious," she answered.

"I just find it suspicious." Why haven't they shown the people attacked by the so-called creature and why would the general send a special team to fight a creature we don't know what to look like? " Kemisola explained.

Okie didn't seem to have a reply to Kemosa's explanation as she never thought of it. We just have to follow the general's orders. It's our duty as soldiers, "Okie stated. "It seems our leader needs us on the field." Okie stood up and offered her hand to Kemisola, who took it. They both ran to meet the rest of the soldiers that were awaiting Austin's order.

The following day came, and they started by running around the field. After running, the soldiers positioned themselves in front of five bottles each with guns in their hands, and shot on Austin's order. "Again!" He shouted. "You all are shooting as if this is a child's game. If we were fighting a war right now, most of you would have been dead. Don't wait for your enemy to get close to you before you shoot. Again! " He ordered "Position yourself again and do it again." This time, lie on your stomach and shoot your enemy. " He commanded.

"Yes, sir!" They all chorused.

The soldiers cocked their guns and positioned themselves as they raised their guns to shoot. "Again! Shoot like you are ready for a war. Again! " He ordered

"Kemisola, that's not how you do it." If you shoot like that, you won't hit your target! " He corrected Kemisola, whose hand was not placed properly on her gun. "Stretch your gun forward and aim at your enemy!" He shouted at her.

"Yes, sir!" Kemisola shook in fear as she fired the gun.

You don't need to learn how to shoot since you are going as a doctor, but you need to protect yourself when nobody is there to protect you. Do you understand? " He shouted at Kessola again.

"Yes, sir!"

After the shooting training, the team was given a break before they continued their training. Okie sat beside Kemisola on one of the chairs on the field as they both stared at the sun. "Do you want to keep going? You can back out if you want. " Okie advise

"I have dealt with something worse than this." I don't care if he doesn't like me. I am doing this for my country. Kemisola replied to her.

"That's the spirit girl." Okie smiled at her.

"You are the only one who ever talks to me." The rest see me as a weakling, but I'm not. I have done something great, so I believe I am strong. "

"I know right. I heard about what you did five years ago when you and Jeremy Akinsola bought Daniel Hamilton to justice. " Okie told her.

"Wow!" Kemisola exclaimed. "You know about that?" She questioned

"Of course I do. It was all over the news, but I don't think the rest watch the news. "

"That's what I thought." Kemosola admitted.

After a short rest, the team all met together in a large hall filled with ten chairs. They all sat down while Austin stood up to address the team. "Does anyone know about the creatures?" He questioned

Two people raised their hands. They were Captain Tony and Kemisola. Austin ignored Kemisola and turned to Tony. "Yes, captain."

"Sir," Tony said as he stood up and faced the team."We don't even know if we are going to fight creatures. The file that is given to us only contains what the creature might look like. You have faced the creature, right, sir? " Tony questioned him, and Austin nodded in response. "You'll have an idea if what you faced was truly the creature." "He said and sat down.

"In addition, sir, I think no one has truly seen the creature." That is why the news is not showing the people affected, "Kemisola added, and when Austin tried to shut her off, she continued to speak. "The creature might not be what we thought it was. What if we are not fighting a creature but a dangerous animal? " Kenisola questioned the team, but no one seemed to have an answer to her question.

"Stop talking, second lieutenant, or I'll send you off the team," Austin warned.

"But sir," she argued.

"That's an order!" Austin yelled at her. "One more word and you are out." This is my team and my rules. " He pointed out "Don't say this to the General or I'll make sure you are kicked off the military force," he threatened her.

Kemisola bit her lip to stop the tears that were threatening to fall and heaved a sigh. She summoned the courage and looked at Austin. "My apologies sir!"

Austin ignored her and talked about another thing. "I came up with a code name for all of us, which is Team Coffee."

"Team what?" It was Gabriella who first spoke up.

"You heard me right," Austin answered back.

Ella raised her hand to ask a question. She stood up and looked at Austin. "Isn't that a little bit childish, sir?"

We are going to fight a war. No one cares about whether the name is childish or not. My code name is Espresso, and I'll like it if you address me like that. " He commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

"Choose your code name now!" He ordered

"Yes, sir!"

Daniel was the first to stand, and he chose the code name "Irish Sir!" He saluted.

"Affogato sir," Gabriella said, was the second to stand.

"Doppio ser," Okie followed suit.

"Cortado sir," Lenny also followed suit as he chose his coffee name.

"Cappuccino," Sammie stood up and said.

"Americano, sir," Tony saluted Austin.

Ella saluted, "Sir.""I choose mocha, sir." She said

Kemisola emphasized the word "latte." "Because I love a latte," she added and sat down.

Kelly stood and glared at Austin before picking a name. "Lungo, sir." "He said and sat down.

"From now on, Let us address ourselves by our code name. We are going to fight a war that might...

"Lieutenant colonel, sir," Kelly interrupted and stood up to face him. "You keep repeating the word over and over again." "Everyone here knows we are going to a war."

"And what are you pointing out, Lungo?" Austin folded his arms together.

"I'm trying to tell you that we don't need all of this." We know we are fighting a war already! "

"I see." Austin walked closer to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.Listen, lungo, you might hate the idea of being here, but I'm in charge here, and if you don't want to be here, You can leave! Remember, I am your senior and I demand respect. The next time you question my authority, you are out of this mission. " He let go of his collar and turned to face the team. "Dismiss!" Austin ordered and walked out of the hall in anger. He knew his cousin hated him, but he wanted nothing more than to settle the rift between the two of them. He hoped they could make up once the mission ended.

''''''''''''

Day three soon came, and the soldiers did their morning run, shooting exercise, and the rest of the training. Austin gathered them together, and he divided them according to their ranks. "We all know this mission is unlike any mission we've ever been on. We are teaming up with other soldiers from other countries. We need to make sure we have a role before we go to the war. Do you all understand? " He questioned

"Yes, sir."

"Latte," he addressed Kemisola by her code name.

"Yes, sir!" She stood up.

"Since you are a doctor, your role isn't much as you will be in charge of treating anyone who gets injured or sick. You will be protected if there is a need to. " He explained.

"Yes, sir!"

"Mocha!" he called.

Ella stood up and saluted him."Sir,"

"Your role is to be back up for Lungo as you both will lead us while we face the creatures."

"Yes, sir!" They both said

"Cappuccino, Americano!" He called, and they both stood up.

"Sir," they both said.

From your profile, it was written that you are both good sniper shooters. You both will be in charge of sniper shooting. Austin said to them.

"Yes, sir!" They both saluted him.

"Irish, cortado, and Affogato, you three are in charge of surveillance. You will be backup for Lungo and Mocha when they go fight the creature. "

"Yes, sir." They all chorused.

"Doppio!" he called.

"Yes, sir!"

"You'll be the front shooter alongside Lungo."

"Yes, sir!"

"Do you all understand?" Austin questioned

"Yes, sir!" They all answered.

The day ended, and the next day would soon come. The commander came on the fourth day to see how the training was going. He told them that while the war would be their final chapter, their country would never forget them."You are all going to serve your country and you will all be remembered even in death." He said to all of them. "Our base camp is already at the border of Mecianda. The plane won't land, so you'll have to jump down with a parachute. Do you understand? "

"Yes, sir."

"You are not to return even if the mission is getting hard." It's a fight to the death. Understand that you are not to return until all threats have been eradicated. "You are not to contact any family members or lieutenant colonel," he said to Austin.

"Sir!" Austin saluted him.

"Lead the soldiers to victory!"

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers board an army plane bound for the Mecianda border the next day. A place where their destinies lie.