Chapter 14: The Medic's Lesson
Marcus stepped into the tactical training center, facing a room of attentive cadets. Valerie observed quietly from the back. As he approached the medical dummies, Marcus hesitated. The sterile scent of the room briefly triggered phantom memories of dust, heat, and chaos.
Valerie caught his eye and delivered a single, grounding nod.
May you like
Marcus cleared his throat, his posture straightening. "I am not here to teach you basic anatomy," he began, his voice steadying and projecting across the room. "I am here to teach you how to keep your squad breathing when the environment is actively trying to kill you."
He ran the cadets through grueling, high-pressure simulations. When Ensign Miller fumbled a tourniquet under simulated mortar fire, Marcus didn't scream. He dropped to his knees, physically guiding Miller's hands through the panic. By the end of the month, the cadets moved with sharp, focused efficiency. Marcus had successfully transformed his lingering survivor's guilt into a vital, life-saving mission.
