Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 79

Badass in Disguise

Chapter 79

The alarm blared at 5:30 AM, though I’d been awake for nearly an hour already. I put on the simple athletic clothes I’d laid out the night before. When I arrived at the meeting point, we were all given orange Princeton t–shirts and black athletic pants to wear over our clothes.

I caught myself checking my weapons out of habit before remembering I wasn’t carrying any. Civilian mode, I reminded myself. My own words to Ethan last night echoed in my head: ‘If I chose to be a student, I should act like one. He had responded with amusement, as if he couldn’t quite picture me following rules and playing team- building games.

The residence hall buzzed with nervous energy as sleepy freshmen stumbled toward the buses lined up outside. I joined the stream of orange–clad students, my small duffel bag containing only the essentials.

“That’s her!” I heard someone whisper as I approached the computer science department’s designated bus.

The chatter immediately died down as I stepped onto the bus. Forty pairs of eyes turned to stare at me, conversation. halting mid–sentence. I scanned the faces, recognizing a few from orientation.

“Holy shit, it really is her, someone muttered from the back.

I found an empty seat, ignoring the continued stares.

‘Damn, she’s even prettier in person, someone whispered behind me.

‘I know, right? I thought Megan was hot, but she doesn’t even compare.‘

‘Wait, is that the girl from the Tiger Board post? The one everyone’s been talking about?‘

‘Yeah, Jade Morgan. Did you see those photos someone posted from the dining hall yesterday?‘

Jennifer, sitting a few rows ahead, turned around with a scowl. ‘I barely recognized her from those blurry pictures,‘ she said loudly. ‘Unlike some people, I don’t need filters on my GroupMe photos.‘

A guy nearby snorted. ‘Sure, Jennifer. That’s why you looked completely different when you got on the bus. We almost didn’t recognize you without your six layers of Photoshop.‘

Laughter rippled through the bus as Jennifer’s face reddened. She shot me a venomous glare before turning back

around.

I kept my expression neutral and turned my attention to the window, though I could still feel dozens of eyes on me.

“All right, freshmen!” A faculty advisor clapped his hands at the front of the bus. “We’re heading to Camp Harrison for the annual Princeton Freshman Challenge. It’s about an hour drive, so get comfortable.”

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Chapter 79

The military training facility came into view after exactly fifty–seven minutes of driving. It wasn’t particularly impressive–standard obstacle courses, rappelling towers, and a series of low buildings that probably housed barracks and classrooms. What interested me more were the armed personnel at the entrance. They weren’t regular army; their stance and equipment suggested private contractors or reservists.

As we filed off the buses, a tall man with a crew cut and perfect posture addressed the group. “Welcome to Camp Harrison, freshmen. I’m Sergeant Ford, retired Marine Corps, and I’ll be your head instructor for the next three

days.”

“The Princeton Freshman Challenge is a tradition dating back decades. You’ll be participating in team–building exercises, physical challenges, and survival skills training that will prepare you for the rigors of academic life.”

I scanned the perimeter automatically, noting security cameras, patrol patterns, and the M9 Beretta handgun carried by one of the younger guards. His grip was all wrong–thumb too high on the slide, finger hovering near the trigger instead of extended along the frame. Amateur mistake that could lead to an accidental discharge.

“Something interesting about my men, Miss…?” Sergeant Ford was suddenly standing in front of me, eyes narrowed.

I hadn’t realized I’d been staring. “Morgan. Jade Morgan.”

“Well, Miss Morgan, see something fascinating?”

I could have lied, played dumb like a normal college freshman. Instead, I nodded toward the young guard. “His grip. is incorrect. Increases risk of accidental discharge by approximately thirty percent.”

Ford’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. “Follow your group to the barracks, Miss.

Morgan.”

I rejoined my classmates, who were already struggling to navigate the facility with their campus maps. Megan rolled her eyes when she saw me approach.

“Great, it’s Miss Perfect. I suppose you know exactly where we’re supposed to go?”

I glanced at the map, memorized it in seconds, and nodded. “Building C, east side of the compound.”

“Oh, so you’re a military expert now too?” Jennifer snickered.

I shrugged and started walking in the correct direction. After a moment’s hesitation, the rest of the group followed.

Twenty minutes later, after dropping off our belongings at the barracks, we assembled at the central training ground. I’d led our group directly to Building C earlier, much to Megan’s annoyance, who had loudly proclaimed I was just getting lucky‘ with directions.

Sergeant Ford paced in front of us, explaining the rules. “For the next three days, you will function as a unit. You will eat together, train together, and solve problems together. This is about building the teamwork skills you’ll need to succeed at Princeton.”

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Chapter 79

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He pointed to a collection box. “All electronics and any items not essential to training go in here. You’ll get them back when you leave.”

Students groaned but began emptying their pockets. I handed over my phone but made no move to remove my

watch.

“All items, Miss Morgan, Ford said, singling me out. “Including that timepiece.”

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