Episode 1 - Part 3

After the short lesson, Steve gave Trace an assault rifle, but Trace remained wondering how carry it properly, so the Minister quit the gun from Trace's hand and arms, and then Steve gave Trace a submachine gun. The Minister smirked slightly to see Trace be more aware of how hold and carry properly a submachine gun, as is still a sign for the minister of something.

Trace: "And now, Minister? I mean.. Coughs voluntarily What is the objective, Minister?"

The Minister's smirk widened slightly, feeling proud of how fast Trace seems to learn, and how quick is becoming a real man, as finally, the minister finally found someone who demonstrated to have hair in the chest, and is a real man, a man like the Minister himself.

Minister: "Now, you must proof me what type of man you are. Let's check it out, you better be the type I expect, don't disappoint me."

Trace: "I don't know what type you mean, but I'll proof it, minister!"

Trace then followed the Minister, as Steve went along with few magazines, knowing the magazines were going to be needed. After a short walk in the store, they went to a practice room, where the Minister didn't neither teached, nor let Steve teach Trace how to use the gun.

Minister: "Your time starts.. Now!"

With nervous draining his focus, Trace tried his best. His shoots were good, but quickly went bad, as he was inexperienced in holding the gun properly while shooting, and despite he tried, he couldn't find the way.

Once the magazine emptied, he observed the shoots, and obviously, he knew how the Minister would react, so he sighed, and simply grabbed another magazine, recharging slowly but finding himself the way to do it, even without knowing.

After managing to recharge, he aimed, and slowly started again, but this time, he grabbed much more firmly the submachine gun, and remained his arms rigid as branches of trees. His aim still not that good, at least the recoil of the submachine gun didn't affect him this time, and almost all shots were in the torso, and few in the head or any limbs of the practice target.

Once finished, he sighed again, and holding the submachine gun with his right hand and laying it against his right shoulder, he turned around and stared at the Minister, who was only slightly surprised, as the demonstration of trace to learn in such quickly speed.

Minister: "Not bad, not bad.. I didn't expect you to have such bad aim, but your showed you kept trying. You honestly showed you do have what a man requires to have, the balls to do what has to be done. But I'm going to put you in a real scenario, for check if you really do have the balls to do what is needed to be done, or not."

Trace: "Yes, Minister!"

After a little walk back to the counter, Trace remained following the Minister, while he waited for Steve to refill the stock of ammo and energy.

Steve: "Alright, grand Minister. Here the crystal orb, and here two boxes of plasma ammo caliber 4."

The Minister grabbed the crystal orb, and moved it to his chest, and in a sudden, electric static rays appeared from the orb to his chest, and then, a part of an armor showed up, before the orb was inserted inside the Minister's chest. Then, the Minister grabbed both boxes, one with each hand, and started carrying them to the car, with Trace following behind, wondering what those tiny rays were.

Trace: "Minister, what were those... Tiny thunder.. or... What was that exactly?"

Minister: "That was a quick refill of energy to my "TC-2" armor."

Trace: "So... Wait, what? But you're not wearing an armor?"

The Minister left the boxes in the back seats, and placed himself in the driver seat, and Trace went back to the back seat he was before, aside the boxes now. The Minister didn't lose any time and started driving, but the question remained.

Trace: "Minister, what armor you said? I don't see you wearing an armor."

Minister: "Boy, the technology of my armor is advanced, and so, one of its functions is to be undetectable by normal view. You require a specific equipment to detect my armor and can see it, or in special occasions."

Trace: "Really? And what special occasions?"

Minister: "That's something only me knows. I don't tell secrets freely, boy. If you really wanna know, you must be worth to know, and have proved to be a loyal ally."

Trace: "I see.. But then.. Why are you doing any of this, Minister?"

The Minister remained silent for a moment. As the minister was driving to wherever location he was heading to, the silence of the moment was sharp and choking.

Minister: "We already have enough bitches around, and I couldn't afford to continue having even more. Kane told me about finding you laying on the street in front of the hotel entrance. I couldn't care, but... He pursued me to do so. Nothing personal, but something better for the future in a way than to have it in other one. You understand that, boy?"

Trace: "Uhh... No? I mean.. Kane told you something, you know about that something, and you act like this with me, and did what you did until now, only for that?"

Minister: "Well, that is some way to explain it badly and poorly. But is quite indeed that exactly."

Low minutes later, they reach their next destination. Both the Minister and Trace got out of the car, and were in front of a jewelry store.

Trace: "Minister, why are we in here? You want to buy a ring or a necklace?"

Minister: "Don't be silly, boy. Stop acting stupid, and shut up already."

The Minister then got out his laser machine gun, a high quality and technological M60, while walks to go inside the jewelry store, but before entering, turned back to look at Trace with a disappointing expression.

Minister: "What are you waiting for, boy? This is your test!"

Trace struggled for a moment, but then ran towards the Minister, and then, both entered inside. After entering, no long later, the Minister started shooting everywhere and everything, destroying every glass on the way, and piercing through almost every wall.

All the civilians, staff, and even Trace, reacted. Everyone going down, except Trace, who reacted with a jump, and moved slightly down while moving his hands on his ears.

Trace: "Minister, what are you doing?!"

Minister: "Boy, stop being stupid already! Get up, and do the test! You're a man, act like one!"

Trace: "What does being a man have anything to do with this?!"

The Minister stopped shooting, and turned to look at Trace. While Trace remained down, acting similar to a hostage than a robber, and speechless while staring at the Minister.

Minister: "... Boy!... You are a man... So get up already before I make you stand for yourself!... Men get whatever they want, any moment they want!... No one matters, all what matters is yourself! So get up already, stop feeling pity for this NPCs who are already died, and who's life isn't real, and start robbing for thing you will absolutely love once you observe!!"

Quickly, the Minister kneeled a little, grabbing the sub-machine gun from the ground, and then throwing it at Trace, who grabs it while being pushed by the impact of the throw. But quickly, Trace went fast to get up, recovering from the impact, and holding the sub-machine gun with his both hands while shaking and trembling, doubting a lot about the Minister and the situation.