Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David) novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54

"Garrett, let’s go check it out," said Duncan, the commander of Eastern District.

With that, Duncan turned on his heel and headed for the door with Garrett, leaving the other two to their squabble.

"These two never play by the rules..." muttered the commander of Western and Southern Districts.

Those remaining in the conference room exchanged puzzled glances, wondering why the commanders had left halfway through the meeting.

"Danielle, you’ve got killer aim. Care for a match against me and Elliot?" Justin asked cheerfully.

’We’re not done yet? I bet there’s still more to come later, Danielle thought.

"How about a friendly match?" Elliot chimed in.

Knowing her exceptional marksmanship, he wasn’t about to pass up the chance to see her in action.

Danielle sighed inwardly. ’How could I say no? He’s my dear brother.

"Sure." Danielle nodded.

The group moved from the combat arena to the shooting range. Some soldiers were still absorbed in the earlier sparring match, unable to snap out of it.

Others buzzed with anticipation, speculating about Danielle’s shooting skills. After all, the sparring match had been electrifying, and now they were certain Danielle’s marksmanship would be just as impressive. Otherwise, the bosses wouldn’t have proposed a competition.

"Plain old shooting is boring. How about we blindfold ourselves? Let’s see who’s got the best aim," Justin proposed.

"Great! I’m in," Maximus said, his excitement barely contained. One by one, they stepped forward. First up was Luke, who covered his eyes with a blindfold and raised his gun. Relying on his muscle memory, he fired, hitting dead center. Five more shots followed, each finding its mark with the same precision.

Cheers erupted from the Lion Assault Squad. "Captain Marsh!"

"Not bad, Luke. Your aim keeps improving," Justin said, getting his gun ready.

"Go, Captain Guerrero! You’re the best," cheered the Tiger Assault Team.

Calm and focused, Justin put on the blindfold and cocked his gun. He fired three rounds, all hitting the bullseye.

Next came Maximus, his aim as sharp as theirs, hitting every mark.

Impressed, Danielle raised an eyebrow. ’Seems like one must have some serious chops to be a special forces captain, she mused.

Then, it was Elliot’s turn. Known for his legendary marksmanship, he didn’t disappoint. With his blindfold on, he fired three rounds. Each bullet pierced the bullseye almost simultaneously, a feat that left the crowd awestruck.

Their marksmanship was flawless. Even with blindfolds on, they hit the bullseye without fail.

"Major Darling never misses," the soldiers murmured in amazement. "Three bullets tore through the target at once? That’s unreal."

In their bid to recruit Danielle, the commanders pulled out all the stops, paying no mind to the astonished looks of the crowd, their faces filled with eager anticipation.

Danielle was speechless, thinking, ’Is this for real? This is getting absurd...

Sensing her reluctance, they softened their approach. "Take your time to decide. No rush."

Danielle replied with a polite but firm tone, "I’m flattered, but I’m only here to treat the patients. The sparring and shooting matches were just spur-of- the-moment. I’ll start school soon, so I’m afraid I have to decline."

The commanders stared at her in disbelief. "Wait, you know medicine?" They didn’t register her rejection; instead, they shifted to a completely unrelated question.

"A little," Danielle replied humbly. Those who had witnessed her medical expertise wisely kept quiet, knowing she wanted no further attention. If the commanders knew she was highly skilled in medicine, it would be even harder to let her go.

While the commanders brooded over their failure to bring her on board, Danielle’s phone rang. It was David.

"Done for the day?" David’s captivating voice came through the line.

"Yes," Danielle replied, recalling their dinner plans.

"I’ve sent Nathan to pick you up. He’s waiting outside."

Realizing he must still be busy, Danielle responded, "Got it."

After the call ended, Danielle said goodbye to everyone and took her leave.