Shattered (Anderson Special Ops #4) - Melody Anne Page 0,91
know they’ll be extravagant.” Chad again looked at the men who nodded that they were following along.
“Now, for the stages. From this location we’re going to get on mountain bikes and ride to the base of the mountain. There are six different trails, and we’ll get which route we’re individually taking from the draw of a hat. Once we get to the bottom we’re going to run back up the mountain. From that point we’re using our long guns to shoot at targets ranging from six hundred to twelve hundred yards — which we must hit before moving on. We’ll then run back down the mountain. From that point we break off from one another.” Chad stopped and handed each of them a piece of paper showing all of the events of the day. It was staggering how many events there were and the variety.
10 mile run (time), 10 mile road bike ride (time), 3 mile swim (time), bench press 225 lbs (most), skeet shoot (most out of 20), sidearm warehouse clear simulation (highest accuracy), sidearm speed test (highest score — 8 seconds) golf shot (must land on green), computer — write code (time), Jacobs ladder (most in 30 minutes), stairclimber (most in 30 minutes), squat 450 lbs (most), football throw (farthest — 3 attempts), soccer ball kick (farthest — 3 attempts), sudoku — 3 puzzles (time), compound bow (highest score — 3 shots), 1 mile run — w/75lb vest (time), 800m run w/75lb vest (time), 100m run w/75lb vest (time), breakdown/rebuild of AR (time), breakdown/rebuild of sidearm (time), memory game — 250 matches (time), 250 piece puzzle (time), 40 yard dash — wearing flippers (time), chess against computer — (fastest to achieve check *not checkmate*), axe throw (highest score — 5 attempts), 1000 burpees (time), lead 5 children through obstacle course — they’re all blindfolded (time).
“When did you plan all of this?”
“How did you plan it?”
“How did you get my wife here?”
“What is this craziness?”
“Golf?”
“Write code?”
“What the hell, chess?” All of these questions and complaints were called out from all angles. Chad held up his hands and told them that none of it mattered as it was time to start.
“You guys are toast,” Smoke said, pivoting his torso in an attempt to get himself loose.
“You want to put your money where your mouth is?” Green asked the man he’d become closest to since their operation started.
“Ha, the two of you think you have a chance to win? I’m going to win this by a landslide. I’ll put up five thousand that I come in first by at least ten points,” Sleep interjected.
“Wait, wait, wait . . . You to have to write code? I’ll be done for eight hours before you get your first line done, let alone anything significant. I can do this thing backward and win with that event in play. I’m in — five thousand on myself to win,” Brackish laughed, authentically joyous.
“Silly kid. No foresight and so little faith in yourself. Only five thousand? How about this? I’m going to bet twenty thousand for the win.” Eyes paused with a big smirk. “However, when I win, I’ll only take one dollar from each of you, and you know I’ll frame it. The rest of the winnings will go to a charity of my choosing.”
“I like it. I’m in. Twenty thousand, done,” all of the men agreed. They each wanted that victory dollar from their teammates showing they were truly the best of the best in about the strangest Olympic games ever created.
Chad was the last to speak. They were all too shocked to respond. “There won’t be another bet after I say this, because I don’t want this to be another one of those times you guys keep upping the ante until we’ve spent four hours doing nothing more than talking. Keep your twenty thousand bets in place but if I lose, which won’t happen, I’ll give one hundred thousand to the winner’s charity.”
The five Special Ops members all nodded their head in understanding and respect. Without another word they walked over to the judges who’d been waiting for them. Smiles and hugs and energetic chatter consumed everyone for a few minutes, and then Chad got their attention.
“It’s time to start.” They all gathered their bikes and geared up. Chad’s wife, Bree, presented a hat to the men. Inside were six pieces of paper, simply numbered one through six. The trails associated with the numbers had large, printed signs stationed at each entrance.