07:30
Level 2, Commissary
Cadel, Matthew, Alex, Kendall, and Ethan all sat together at a table towards the back of the mess hall, away from everyone else. They were still a bit wary of each other, but they enjoyed having the company.
The makeshift team sat together in silence. They poked at their food, not particularly hungry but trying to eat nonetheless. Fury had said that this training would be the hardest they had ever been through and they didn't know when their next meal would be.
As Kendall looked around the commissary, scanning and memorizing all the unfamiliar faces, she spotted the Avengers walking in. She gently nudged Matthew, who alerted the others. They stared. As much as they hated to admit it, deep down they really admired the team. The Avengers were brave, loyal, fearless, and always seemed to know what they were doing. The younger team doubted any of them would be taking down an army of Chitauri anytime soon.
The Avengers were lucky enough to be able to wear civilian clothes. They looked relaxed and comfortable, unlike the younger team who were sporting the uncomfortable gray training uniforms. They felt as if they were about to burst out of the ill-fitting second skin at any given moment.
As Natasha looked around the dining hall, she spotted them staring and spared them a quick nod of the head. The collection of youngsters nodded solemnly back at her.
After a few more minutes of attempting to eat in silence, Matthew stood up and threw his food away. "We should get moving. The last thing I want to do is be late."
"Yeah…" Cadel agreed reluctantly. The five deposited their trays and headed out. They had less than ten minutes to make it to the training area.
Cadel stopped at the doors leading from the commissary. "Where were we supposed to meet the trainer again?"
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07:59
Level 2, Gym
The team made it to the gym with exactly one minute to spare. Their trainer, who was waiting for them when they arrived, was an aging man, probably in his mid-forties with graying hair. His eyes were hard but held a flicker of mischief. He was of average height, very muscular, and bore an intimidating demeanor. A woman stood next to him. She was fairly tall, with dark brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. She had bangs straight across her forehead and analyzing eyes. She wore a standard navy blue S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and held a clipboard.
"Well wasn't that close?" The man said with a smile.
"No kidding," Cadel said, slightly out of breath from running.
The trainer's gaze hardened. "No sass here. Every comment I hear, the longer you train. Trust me, you don't want that." Cadel straightened up as he continued. "Now, let me lay down the rules. You are to only address me as Sir. Anything else and you will be doing pushups until your arms give out." he said. Nothing in his voice suggested he was joking. "I know what I'm dealing with when it comes to you kids. You are special, but if any of you tries anything with me, you will all regret the day you were born."
The team cringed.
He continued. "You will be here every morning at 0800, not a minute late or else you'll be scrubbing the bathrooms in your free time with a toothbrush. Your own toothbrush," he added with a sneer. "Do I make myself clear?"
The team nodded.
"Good," he said curtly. "Ms. Hill here," he motioned to the woman, "will be monitoring you and keeping track of your results." The team nodded once more, not knowing exactly how to react. "Now, we start with your warm-ups." He gave them a smile that left them quaking in their boots.
