Page 63 of No Rules

“Now I know why Connor was reluctant to compete against you,” he said when Josh was done and had taken out his ear protectors.

Josh laughed. “He knows they’re gonna lose. He’s doing it to make me happy.”

“He’s a good man.”

Josh’s eyes turned dreamy. “The very best.”

“All right, my turn,” Alex said. “But don’t expect me to match those results.”

“I don’t, but I’m eager to see what you’ve got.”

Alex did well, he thought. Only one shot was way off target, but the rest were at least close, even at the larger distances. He took out his earplugs and turned to Josh. “What do you think?”

“You’re good. Better than I expected. Wanna hear some pointers?”

“Yes, please.”

“Okay, we’ll start with your breathing. You’re doing well when you’re shooting handguns, but with the rifle, your breathing is too choppy.”

“Choppy?”

“You gotta get to a place where you only take four to six breaths a minute. Slow that heart rate way, way down, and get your body and your mind to a state of complete peace. When you manage that, your body will be relaxed while still holding tension, but your breathing won’t affect your shot.”

His voice was calm and surprisingly authoritative as he demonstrated. What a difference with his usually shy demeanor. He was clearly in his element here.

“Good.” Josh stepped closer. “Watch your left shoulder. It’s tensing right before you squeeze the trigger. I know it’s instinctive to protect against the recoil, but it alters your trajectory by a millimeter. Over longer distances, that’s enough to send a bullet wide. Try again.”

“Got it.” Alex took a slow, measured breath as he raised the rifle and aimed downrange. He adjusted his grip and dropped his shoulder, seeking that perfect balance between control and relaxation before he squeezed the trigger.

Josh offered a small nod of approval whenever he was satisfied with Alex’s progress.

“That’s it!” Josh gave him a big smile after Alex had fired another ten rounds. “Better. One more round of ten.”

Alex nodded and reloaded. He positioned himself again and exhaled slowly, the tension in his body dissipating as he focused on the task. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat drummed in his ears, and he felt as though the world had narrowed to just him, the rifle, and the target. He squeezed the trigger, and the gun bucked in his grip, the report echoing across the range. The bullet impacted the center of the target with a satisfying thwack, and he couldn’t repress a grin.

The half hour flew by, the scent of spent gunpowder heavy in the air as Alex focused on implementing Josh’s advice. With each shot, his movements became more fluid and instinctive, the result of honing his technique under Josh’s watchful gaze. He’d thought he was an expert shooter, but Josh was on a different level.

“Man, I remember my first time at a shooting range,” Alex said as they took a break, gulping some water. “I was so nervous my hands were shaking like crazy.”

“Really? You’re a natural with it.”

“Thank you. What about you? What’s your fondest memory of being on the range?”

Josh didn’t reply right away, his eyes distant. “In sniper school, we had this one sergeant who was a real hard-ass. He’d walk up and down the firing line, yelling in our ears while we tried to shoot, shouting insults at us. And when we’d gotten used to that, he used sound effects. Explosions, screaming, sirens, anything you could think of.”

“Sounds intense.”

“It was.” Josh chuckled. “But it taught me how to perform under pressure. In battle, it’s not exactly quiet either, and I learned how to take a shot, maintaining focus, even when the world around me was exploding into flames.”

When Wander announced the competition was about to start, Alex was ready. He’d been somewhat confident he’d at least be able to beat Wander and Ryan, but after Josh’s lessons, he could maybe even take on Connor and come out victorious.

“Okay, we’ll do six rounds,” Wander said. “Two handguns, one rifle, each at two different distances. Best of three shots per person, all in the same lane to keep it as fair as possible. May the odds be ever in your favor.”

“All right then, let’s do it,” Ryan said, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Prepare to be amazed, boys.”

The competitive energy crackled as they prepared for the showdown. Each man took turns shooting at the target, each gunshot echoing through the range like a drumbeat leading to victory. Or defeat, but Alex didn’t think so. Not with Josh.

The first round with the 9mm went as expected. Both Ryan and Wander did well here, with Alex close on their heels. Connor and Josh still hit the target, just a little less accurately than the others. When the distance increased, Alex’s knuckles grew white with determination, but his hands were steady as a rock, each bullet finding its mark with unerring accuracy. When he saw the target sheet, he high-fived Josh. With each round, the competition grew more intense, the air thick with anticipation. It was clear that neither team was willing to concede without a fight.