Starting Line || Carter Grayson

(3) Checkups

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Watching the rangers in a full blown training session with Nova and my father made the reality of Demons invading our earth a truth. I sat quietly on a foldable chair, watching the rangers be timed on various exercises. I was only there in case of a medical emergency, but things seemed to be going well. No one got hurt, but my father seemed frustrated when the training had halted to an end. I listened from a few yards away, trying to figure out what had bothered my father.

"Nova, Carter!" my father called them over.

Nova and Carter swiftly jumped to their feet, making their way to my father.

"Carter, you may have gotten the fastest time, but you got the lowest score." my father told him.

Carter's smile fell, "But- the lowest? I don't understand."

"You have to take time to use this-" my father said, pointing to Carter's head, "Before you ever use a blaster."

"But sir, I hit every target-" Carter started.

"Carter," Nova said, cutting him off, "That means nothing if you don't think the situation through."

"Sometimes the obvious choice, is the wrong choice," my father told him, turning to the other rangers, "Alright, break down your gear. Let's get back to the Aqua base."

I packed up my chair and threw it in the back of one of the vehicles transporting the gear. I didn't like the way the sky was looking with the clouds forming above. It was definitely going to rain and I was not going to be caught in it.

"Come on," Nova tried to grab my hand, "It's starting to rain!"

I pulled my hand away from her, "You know I don't play in the rain anymore."

She frowned at me when I walked away from her.

Without saying much to anyone, I sat quietly in the Rescue Rover as we were driven back to the Aquabase. Most of the others were equally quiet, especially Carter. I glanced at him once, seeing that he looked deep in thought. He also had a slightly embarrassed posture to him with his hand resting over his mouth like he was trying to cover the frown I could see.

We all separated ways upon arrival at the Aquabase. I headed to make rounds since I had missed them this morning due to the rangers training session. I spent most of my day going through charts, figuring out what patients could be discharged. Dana helped me sort through some of the charts before being called away.

A very loud alarm that was installed throughout the base began ringing, signaling that there was trouble in the city. Dana and I both ran down the halls. She met the other rangers and I found myself standing in the middle of our command bay, watching on a monitor an attack unfold in the city. It was not an easy thing to watch. Watching the rangers struggle to fight against a monster, Quakemon, as we learned his name... was surely not a sight for sore eyes.

All I could do was watch the attack, waiting for the rangers to complete their mission and return to the Aquabase so I could begin assessing their injuries one by one. They were taking some heavy blows out there. It was a mere wonder how they were able to survive such violent hits. Maybe Nova was right... there was no way I'd be able to be out in the field fighting like they were. Dana seemed to handle herself well, fighting wise. Still, it bothered me though because I didn't feel like our father had any confidence in me at all.

I was waiting at the vehicle bay when the rangers returned from battle. I could see obvious bruising and rushed right over to them, ordering them to all follow me to the medical bay right away. Dana tried to evaluate herself, but I insisted she come anyway. After all, it was not her place to do so anymore. She had her job, just as I had mine. She didn't argue much with me, but followed along.