Now, she’d just fired her final shot group and she didn’t even need to walk down the 25 meters to retrieve her target. She could see all three rounds were in the center and they now could be covered by a quarter. She walked down with the rest of the class, of course, and retrieved her target. Sure enough, she had her weapon properly zeroed in. There would always be a small variation, one shot to the next, since each bullet was different and the atmospheric conditions were slightly different each time as well. These differences were extremely minute but resulted in her rounds not all going in the exact same spot.
Now that her rifle was zeroed in at 25 meters, it supposedly was also accurate out to 300 meters, using the same settings. A cone of fire within a circle of four centimeters, or one and a half inches, would be within a nineteen inch circle out at 300 meters and hit the target. The targets she’d be shooting at were all nineteen inches wide and a little bit taller than that. With her eyesight, she’d be able to actually notice any variation and, if needed, she’d then merely make slight adjustments to her aim. Marksmanship was all about making her body perform the same task in the same manner, consistently, over and over again. She was a very quick study and found she could actually “tune herself”, adjusting each little aspect of her position, her aim, her breathing, how she squeezed the trigger, and where she would allow her mind to go.
She soon had begun to “feel” when she was tuned in and ready to fire. She’d then gradually squeezed the trigger, with the actual firing always coming as a surprise. She never twitched or moved, never anticipated but always just let the round be fired straight and true, with the recoil all after the fact. She knew she would need to find just where her “sweet spot” was for each of the firing positions. She had already found it for the prone position. The Army also had kneeling, sitting and standing positions and these would be used for some of the firing she’d be doing later.
She’d had several classes, all leading up to live firing, explaining all of this stuff. She knew her qualification targets would be “pop up” targets positioned out at various distances. If she hit the target, it would go down. The more targets she knocked down, the higher her score. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, once again. With the unique werecat skills and abilities she’d been gifted with, she just felt this was right, her being in the military. She was good at this. It was what she was meant to do. And, she felt really, really good doing it.
Tracy had learned to shoot years earlier, from her Dad, and was also an excellent shot. Whether being a witch was helping her or not, she had no idea. But, like Missy, she felt really good about herself while accomplishing all her various training tasks and was growing more and more comfortable. This was her dream come true.
As it turned out, none of the guys in their squad were quite as comfortable as the girls were with firing their weapons but they all did reasonably well. Even Gary. When they checked with Missy, anxious to see how she was doing, and saw her big, happy grin, they all were greatly relieved. She’d gone out on that limb, messing with King, and they were all rooting for her to somehow pull off what would truly have to be a miracle. Yeah, they all knew she was pretty good at just about everything. But, to earn top shot, without ever having fired a weapon before coming to West Point?
That night, several guys were standing outside Missy’s room while the four girls were once again laughing about the day’s activities. Kelly and Angel had been shocked when first hearing about Missy and her audacious boast. They’d heard about her crazy top shot announcement long before seeing her that night. The word had gone out and everyone had quickly heard about this. They’d also heard how Missy hadn’t been able to eat at lunch. Food kept showing up all night long, even though Missy had eaten plenty at dinner.
That meal, her squad members had all pestered King with questions, never allowing him to interfere with Missy. They’d purposely positioned Tracy right next to him on one side and Missy on the other. Neither girl said a word but merely ate their meal following all the rules while their squad members asked question after question. Missy had sat there, eyes straight ahead, and devoured a huge portion while King became more and more frustrated with what was going on. But, each of the guys knew exactly how to properly do things, giving him nothing to correct or find fault with.
Now, as the girls began turning away food, the mood was definitely festive. When Missy pulled out her final target, from zeroing her weapon, which showed such a tight shot group in the center, they all whistled in amazement. Soon, the excitement level began to ramp up and so the girls insisted they be given some privacy.
After sending everyone away and closing their door, Angel turned to Missy and said, “Girl, you’re gonna get yourself a real reputation now. Just be careful … I hear that guy Quigby is a real asshole. He hates women in the Army and especially here at Woo Poo U. His buddy King is only following his lead. You guys all seem to be handling King all right, but … you know? Watch your backs!” Then, she slipped out and went back to her own room.
A little while later, Kelly decided to talk to her roommates and get their advice on dating. Kelly had noticed how close Missy and Tracy now were. Whatever problem had existed in the beginning for them had now totally evaporated. “Hey, can I run something by you girls? I mean … what Angel said just now. You’ll have my back, right? If I need you to cover for me or anything?”
Tracy and Missy both assured her they did indeed have her back and they definitely would always cover for her, as long as Kelly wasn’t asking them to violate the Honor Code. She wasn’t, was she?
Kelly sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, I know the rules. No fraternization with upperclassmen. No fraternization with guys in my squad. But, I think it’s okay to date other plebes, right? Especially if they’re not even in my company?”
Missy had noticed that Kelly no longer had any residual scents from the men she’d been having sex with prior to coming to West Point. Four weeks of abstinence had done that for her. Apparently, it had also been driving her crazy. She knew Kelly wasn’t really looking to just date.
Missy said, “You want to have sex with someone? Jeez, Kelly … I mean, it’s not lying, cheating or stealing. So, I guess since we’re not tolerating you doing any of those, it’s not really an Honor Code thing. But, still … aren’t you taking a pretty big risk? If you get caught? I mean, it’s almost impossible to find the time or the place without breaking some rule. At least, right now, while we’re going through Beast Training. Tracy, what do you think?”
Tracy said, “Missy’s right, Kelly. The point isn’t that you’re dating some plebe. It’s that you’ll end up lying about it, or about where or when, you know? Or, are you planning to wait until Acceptance Day? Like Missy? She’s been telling us every day how she almost doesn’t even want to see her parents. She’s planning to shack up with her Mike from the time we get released in the afternoon right up until we have to report back here that night.”
This was a huge exaggeration and Kelly knew that. Missy was hoping to see Mike then, of course, but whatever time they’d have -- in her parent’s hotel room -- would be limited. Shacking up the whole time would not be possible. She’d actually been telling her roommates how she was hoping to somehow manage a “quickie” at least once during his visit. She was also hoping to maybe Change, which needed at least an hour, but she hadn’t shared that with Kelly.
Acceptance Day would be on a Saturday, a few days after completing Beast Training, when they’d formally graduate in a ceremony in front of family and friends. It was the first time they’d be seeing any visitors. They then would be allowed to leave with their parents and could actually go to any hotel within 75 miles. And, yes -- friends were allowed also. But, this was only a Walking Privilege, with lots of rules and cadets must return before taps that night. They’d be allowed to leave again the next morning, but would need to return much earlier, sometime in the early evening.
“I don’t think I can wait another three weeks!” cried Kelly. “My little solo
sessions just aren’t doing it for me anymore. I need to feel a man touching me, doing me, you know? I’m not like Angel. All her stories? All those boyfriends? She’s only had a few real boyfriends. Most of the time, her boyfriend has actually been battery operated.”
“Ewww! TMI, Kelly. Please!” Tracy looked at Missy. “Now you guys understand why it’s really not such a bad thing, me being a virgin and everything. Right?”
Missy felt bad. Yeah, too much information all right. About Angel and about Kelly. “Tracy, I think the problem for Kelly is that none of her ex-boyfriends are going to be here for her that day. And, trying to meet some random guy then? Not really a good idea.” Missy looked at Kelly and asked, “What happens if you ask this guy to wait until then. Just three more weeks?”
Kelly said, “His girlfriend will actually be meeting him then. She’s coming with his parents and … shit, this isn’t gonna work, is it?”
Missy said, “I see, now. He’s only asking you to be his fuck-buddy? And, if you don’t agree, he’s got a few other girls he’ll go to instead? Damn, Kelly, you don’t have to be that desperate. And, no. That definitely won’t work. You’ll only regret it, even if you don’t end up getting kicked out for some Honor Code violation.”
“The ratio here is better than five to one, guys to us girls. I bet you can find someone … you know … for more than just sex.” Tracy looked at her. “Why are you really here, Kelly? Is it to be an Army officer? Or, only to get some guy?”
“Arrggh! Can’t I have both?” Kelly was obviously frustrated but after listening to her two roommates, she resigned herself to just gut it out. New Cadet Jeremy Hanson could just go fondle some other girl’s breasts and nipples, press his great big hard throbbing erection up against some other girl’s swollen, aching, slippery wet … “Arrgghhh!”
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Field exercises. While Missy’s period had been right on schedule over a week ago, it seemed many of the girls were finally getting their periods now. And, many of those periods had been very late. Apparently, this was not unusual -- the stress from Beast Training was known to cause a lot of girls to be late or miss their periods altogether.
Tracy suddenly spoke up, complaining, “As if personal hygiene wasn’t difficult enough out here, with no hot showers, lots of grime and dirt, sleeping in tents, all this miserable heat and humidity, and now I get my period? And, no pads and no tampons. Damn!” Since she actually shared that with the entire squad, and not just with Missy, her comment was met with several complaints from the guys. The complaints were all good natured, however, since the guys now really had grown to appreciate Tracy.
“Really, Tracy? I gotta hear that news? Let me check … nope! Sorry. I left all my tampons home. Guys, anyone wanna help poor Tracy out?” Tony was not a happy camper today either and actually enjoyed this excuse to be sarcastic. Their squad had been working their ass off for two days, dealing with one frustrating problem after another. And, this exercise would continue for one more day.
“Relax, everyone,” said Missy, laughing. “Tracy, I brought some … just in case.” Then she smiled to herself, thinking how all this training together as a squad had helped Tracy overcome most of her sexual hang-ups. She was finally able to just really fit in, do whatever they needed her to do and not give a damn about whether they might be judging her, finding her lacking because of her gender. She knew her value and was pitching in one hundred percent, all the time now. They all were and no one was concerned about males versus females. They’d grown to depend on each other, adjusting for all the various strengths and weaknesses each of them brought to the table. And, as a squad? They were awesome!
Marcus came up just then. “Hey, Missy, I hear you qualified today at the range. Expert, huh? You and Tracy both? I bet King and Quigby are starting to worry big time. Isn’t the final marksmanship competition tomorrow morning? Your big day has arrived at last?”
Missy said, “Yep! I got expert all right. Perfect score too! I’m ready.” To qualify as expert required hitting thirty eight out of forty targets; she had hit all forty. “Tomorrow will be fun. Even more fun than my note from the DPE three days ago.”
Tony laughed. “Yeah, I heard about that too. You’ve dropped to 140 pounds and your body fat has gone back down to only eight percent, right? Any reaction from King?”
“Hell no, of course not!” Missy laughed. “He can’t handle this at all. There are no secrets around here. So, he’s now getting blamed for my losing my body fat and for his harassing me about my poor performance on the APFT … even though my 50 pushups and 100 sit-ups are still the highest female scores in the regiment. Did you see how pissed off he got when I stopped at those exact numbers each time, even though there were still a few seconds remaining before the two minutes were up?”
Marcus said, “Cadet Winslow knows how he and Quigby have been messing with our squad and with you in particular. She’s not happy about that at all. We’re still getting best squad in her entire company, in spite of those two assholes. Her words, and I quote: ‘those idiots would fuck up a wet dream.’ I got that from my buddy over in first platoon.”
“Be sure and guard that weapon of yours tonight, Missy,” said Tony. “I wouldn’t put it past those guys to try and sabotage your rifle … fuck with the sights, you know? We’re all going to try keeping watch tonight, just in case.”
“Don’t worry guys! I’m sleeping with it. As Charlton Heston once said, ‘when you pry it from my cold, dead hands’ -- right?” Missy laughed but knew she really did need to watch out for something. This would be the last chance for them to mess with her. Then, only one more week to go until the end of Beast Training.
She’d been sending Mike more and more mental messages and had also been able to sense his growing excitement. She’d been really filled with energy lately, feeling it go thrumming through her whole body. She’d been sending out lots of this energy, pulse after pulse, trying to maintain her controls. That, of course, was why her body fat was back down to eight percent. Being so highly charged had really worked out okay. Sometimes, it was good to just be a witch.
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Quigby asked, “So, you’re telling me she actually has a chance? Top shot? Over twelve hundred other plebes here and yet she might actually score highest?” King had just explained how New Cadet McCrae had qualified expert, with a perfect score no less.
King said, “I told you she was playing us. There’s something really freaky about her. I told you how she’s making me look bad. And, the whole squad just thinks it’s funny, her messing with me. Even Cadet Winslow is criticizing me now for supposedly hazing everyone too much. No matter what I’ve tried, that bitch McCrae somehow turns it around against me. I’m getting blamed for starving her when the truth is she’s been eating huge portions at every meal. You can’t believe how much food she eats. And, then, she goes and loses weight? I really wonder if those body fat readings of hers are bogus, you know?”
“I’ve been checking her out and you’re right. At mass athletics, she does some pretty amazing things but always makes it look easy.” Quigby studied King for a moment and then added, “I hate to even admit this, but watching her movements is weird … mesmerizing even. She’s freaky all right. Wherever she goes and whatever she does, there now seems to be a lot of guys just following her around, watching her. Just proves my point about how women can be such a huge distraction in the military.”
King smiled and said, “Well, now that she’s out here in the field, away from the barracks? Exposed? Not safely locked in her room all night? For insurance, I’ve arranged a little surprise for her. My insurance so she’ll be in no shape tomorrow for any top shot competition.”
Quigby said, “You made that call? To your friend, like we talked about?” King was from New York City and had promised Quigby he could round up some local guys, if and when needed.
“Oh, yeah. Nothing that can trace back to us. But, there might just be a few intruders out there tonight, wandering around on academy pro
perty. And, if they happen to assault some females, who are sleeping in tents? Won’t that be a shame?” King had explained things to his high school buddy, former captain of their football team. He’d even warned him to bring several friends along, since one of the girls was a real freak. Just Google her and read all about what they’d be dealing with. Be sure and also check out her photos. Then, enjoy!
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Tracy woke up and had to pee. Damn! Getting her period wasn’t enough? Now she had to wake Missy up. They’d agreed to this ahead of time. Since you weren’t supposed to bring your rifle into the Porta-Potty and since you didn’t dare leave it behind, you always had a friend go with and hold your rifle for you. All part of their training.
King’s buddy saw the two girls emerge from their tent and couldn’t believe his luck. It had taken them several hours to sneak in here and find which squad area their targets were supposedly located in. All these tents looked the same, of course, but King had marked the area for him. He wasn’t able to actually mark which tent the girls would be in but his map was clear enough to get them close to the marked area. It was after midnight and all was pretty quiet.
Now, rather than having to check any of the tents, all they needed to do was follow these girls. He saw they were headed for the Porta-Potty’s. Perfect! He signaled his three friends to follow him. He’d promised them that they’d have a good time tonight and it looked like the fun was about to begin.
Missy and Tracy didn’t talk while they walked over to the Porta-Potty area that had been set up. There wasn’t any need for that. The day’s heat had finally dissipated but it was still in the eighties and muggy. Missy was able to scent all the tired, dirty bodies out there, sleeping in their tents. There were a lot of scents to deal with which is why she didn’t notice the four guys following her right away.
Missy Goes to West Point Page 21
