The newer people, who hadn't yet seen him shoot, watched nervously, sure he would miss and prove he was as fallible as the rest of those who had tried to lead.
Adrian's hand was a blur as he drew and fired, fired, fired. He twirled the black 9 mm a single time and slid it neatly into the holster on his hip.
"Eight bulls-eyes!"
The crowd roared and Jeremy had to shout to be heard as Adrian grinned, stepped over to Kenn.
"Next, Kyle Reece."
No one missed a shot until the end of the round. Mary and Heather, two females he'd sent to the class for match-making purposes, didn't get any bulls-eyes, but Adrian was pleased that they had hit anything at all. For the women here, that was definite progress.
The third woman, Lexa, was a gun shop owner from Los Angeles. Short, with a big chest and a long, brown ponytail, she hit half the targets, making Adrian wish he could add her to his list for the next Level One Eagles. Her draw was beautiful, almost a perfect copy of his, and with a little instruction, it would become as natural to her as breathing.
Adrian wondered if he would ever get his Eagles to accept women on the teams. He needed one of these shell-shocked females to be a warrior in disguise that could hold her own among his army and make the rest of the camp accept it too. For now though, it looked like Lexa was eliminated.
"Last shooter. Rebecca Ann Kelly."
The cute teenager moved toward the line and Adrian frowned as the crowd cheered and catcalled. Had she made it through the gun class somehow without him knowing it? There was always a wait because he hand-filled over half the seats.
Adrian was almost certain she hadn't, but instead of immediately calling her on it, the leader let her have one try, thinking again of how much he needed one of these timid homemakers to really be Xena, the warrior Princess.
Becky was innocent, sexy, playful, and many of his men were watching the slender girl, waiting for her sixteenth birthday in October, when it would be legal to ask her out. That included Kenn, but Adrian thought she had a thing for one of his other top guards. Either way, the girl would be something here. What, was up to her.
Rebecca's reddish blond hair was wild with frizzy curls and she brushed it back impatiently as she took her place, knowing she would only have this one chance to get noticed, to show these men she was useful too. She'd almost swallowed her tongue when Adrian signed in, sure he'd see her name and single her out… "Anytime you're ready, shooter," Jeremy encouraged, eager to get the next round started, and the nervous girl nodded. She was ready now and she wanted them to know, needed Adrian to know.