The tactical simtion had barely ended when Sergeant Ford gathered all the students at the center of Camp Harrison.
‘Congrattions onpleting the tactical rescue simtion,” Ford announced. “But your Princeton Freshman Challenge isn’t over yet. The final phase begins now<b>–</b>wilderness survival training.”
<b>A </b>collective groan rose from the students. I kept my face neutral, though inside I felt a flicker of excitement.
“For the next twenty–four hours<b>, </b>you’ll be divided into groups and assigned to different sectors of our wilderness area,” Ford continued. “Your objective is simple: find water, build shelter, and locate food. Each group will receive only the essentials.”
He held up a small backpack. “Each pack contains apass, flint, military–grade knife, and fifty feet of paracord. That’s it.”
When my team was assigned to the northwestern sector, a guy immediatelyined.
“We got the hardest area,” he said, studying the map. “There’s literally no water source marked anywhere.”
I leaned in, scanning the contour lines. “There should be water here, here, and possibly here,” I said, pointing to three different locations. “See how the elevation drops? And these vegetation patterns usually indicate groundwater.”
My teammates stared at me with expressions ranging from skepticism to surprise.
“What are you, some kind of wilderness survival expert?” Jennifer asked sarcastically.
I shrugged. “I watch a lot of Discovery Channel.”
Twenty minutester<b>, </b>we were trekking through dense forest. When I spotted fresh deer tracks in a patch of soft
earth, <b>I </b>crouched down to examine them.
“These tracks are fresh,” I said. “Animals usually follow established paths to water sources.”
Julian looked skeptical. “How can you possibly know that?<b>” </b>
“The edges aren’t dried out yet,” I exined. “And see how they’re all heading in the same direction? They’re not foraging–they’re traveling.”
Despite their doubts<b>, </b>the group followed my lead. Less than thirty minutester, we found a small stream cutting through a rocky ravine.
:.
12:20 Mon<b>, </b>Sep 22
“Holy shit,” Trevor breathed. “You actually found water.”
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Back at our campsite, the team had divided responsibilities. I’d taken responsibility for finding food, setting up a series of traps around our camp.
“Where did you learn to make these?” Jamal asked.
“Books, videos<b>, </b>camping with my uncle when I was younger,” I lied smoothly.
Twenty minutester, we heard screaming from the eastern edge of our camp. We found Jennifer on her knees, wing at her arms and neck where angry red welts were forming.
“Poison ivy,” Jamal said. “Shit, she’s having an allergic reaction.”
Jennifer’s face was beginning to swell, her breathing bingbored.
“Move,” I ordered, kneeling beside her. Without epinephrine, this could be life–threatening.
I spotted a cluster of ntain leaves growing nearby. I grabbed several, crushed them between my palms, and mixed in mud to create a poultice.
“Natural antihistamine,” I exined, applying the mixture to Jennifer’s affected areas. “It won’t rece an EpiPen, but it should help reduce the inmmation.”
I guided Jennifer through controlling her breathing. “In through your nose, four counts. Hold for seven. Out through your mouth, eight counts.”
Sergeant Ford approached <b>us</b>. “What happened here?”
“Allergic reaction to poison ivy,” I replied. “I’ve applied a ntain poultice to reduce inmmation and slow histamine response. She needs medical attention–possible anaphxis.”
Ford’s eyebrows shot up. “And what exactly is in that… poultice?”
“ntago majormon ntain. It contains aucubin and antoin, naturalpounds that reduce inmmation and provide topical pain relief.”
An hourter<b>, </b>I found myself being escorted to Colonel Edwards‘ office by Sergeant Ford.
Colonel Edwards sat behind his desk when we entered. He looked up, and I felt a jolt of recognition. <b>I’d </b>seen him before–not as Colonel Edwards, but as Major General Edwards years ago.
<b>12:20 </b>Mon, Sep <b>22 </b>
“What’s your name, Colonel?” I asked.
:
“Colonel Tristan Edwards,” he replied, looking surprised by my question. “Please, have a seat, Miss Morgan.”
Ford tapped on a tablet, then handed it to Edwards. “Sir, I think you should see this footage from today’s survival training exercise.”
As Edwards reviewed the footage, Ford turned to me. “Miss Morgan, do you know we have drones monitoring <b>all </b>student activities for safety purposes?”
I kept my expression neutral. “I assumed there was some kind of surveince.”
Ford’s jaw tightened. “Then perhaps you can exin the military–grade traps you constructed in less than fifteen minutes? The Paiute deadfall with the modified trigger system that’s only taught to special forces<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Edwards looked up from the tablet, his expression grave.
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“Miss Morgan,” Ford continued, “I spent fifteen years in Force Recon, and I’ve only seen Delta Force operators make traps that sophisticated. No ROTC student or civilian wilderness enthusiast would know these techniques.”
I remained silent, my mind racing through possible exnations.
“Miss Morgan,” Sergeant Ford pressed, “please exin how you possess what are clearly military–grade survival skills?”
“I read a lot,” I replied calmly.
“No one learns to construct a modified Paiute deadfall trap from reading books,” Ford insisted. “That specific modification was developed for special operations in Southeast Asia. It’s not in any civilian manual.”
I held up my hands. They were smooth, unblemished–the hands of a student, not a soldier. “What exactly are you using me of, Sergeant?<b>” </b>
Colonel Edwards and Sergeant Ford exchanged nces.
“We’re not using you of anything,” Edwards said carefully. “We’re simply… curious about your background.”
I met his gaze steadily. “My background is in the file Princeton sent you, I’m a first–yearputer science student who happens to have read a lot of survival manuals and taken a wilderness first aid course. Is there something wrong with being prepared?<b>” </b>
“Miss Morgan,” Sergeant Ford said finally, “the level of expertise you’ve demonstrated today goes far beyond ‘being prepared. The drone footage clearly shows you constructing multiple advanced traps with military precision in less time than it takes most trained soldiers to set up just one.”
Badass in Disguise