Jason and Travis stood there frozen, still confused on seeing each other there.
JESSICA: "You two know each other?"
JASON (nervous): "Y-yeah... he's, uh…"
TRAVIS: "A friend from the Elite program. And also my lil' bro." (ruffles Jason's hair playfully)
JESSICA (giggling): "Alright, Mr. Travis. Have you seem Mr. Ken? he is our uncle"
TRAVIS (blinks, surprised): "Wait... Mr. Ken is your uncle?"
Before anyone could respond, the sound of hooves came from behind. A rugged man with an almost cowboy-ish outfit rode in on horseback, shotgun strapped to his back and chewing stick in mouth.
UNCLE KEN (dismounting): "Travis... I told you, if you see intruders, you break their jaws open."
JESSICA: "HEY!!"
JASON is speechless
TRAVIS (grinning): "Pretty sure these 'intruders' are your niece and nephew, Sir."
Uncle Ken paused, looking closer. He removed the chew stick.
UNCLE KEN (softly): "Jason?"
JESSICA (jumps in, smiling, arms flaring): "And Jessy, remember?"
His gruffness melted into a warm smile as he pulled them into a tight hug.
UNCLE KEN: "You kids have grown so much… especially you, Jason. I still remember when you took your first baby steps—and when I accidentally left you at the store that one time. But hey you always came back. Heh."
Jessica explained why they were there.
JASON: "Why do you live all the way out here anyways?"
UNCLE KEN: "Kid… Crime. Drugs. More crime. And…abnormal people."
The group stared at him all confused —except for Travis.
Jason asked for Uncle Ken to train him but, Ken immediately declined.
UNCLE KEN: "Nah kid. You're not ready for MY type of training."
But Jessica and Jason pleaded. Then Travis gave Ken a silent nudge of approval.
So Finally, Ken sighed.
UNCLE KEN: "Fine. But don't expect me to go easy. Training starts tomorrow."
JASON: Thank you so much Uncle ken, I will do my best
UNCLE KEN gives Jason a chop on the back of his neck and he falls to the ground
UNCLE KEN : That's your first lesson. Rule number one don't do your best, GIVE YOUR ABSOLUTE ALL!!!
---
JASON (weakly raising a thumb up): Go--got it
As Jason lays there with his tongue out able to move
JESSICA (Turns to Uncle Ken): Sooo…While we are here, do you want to go horse riding together?
UNCLE KEN (Chuckles, as they walk out the door): Sure, It would be like the old times.
THE NEXT DAY…
The training montage at the farm began.
Jason struggled through some obstacle courses involving jumping over huge stacks of hay while running.
He tries to keep his balance on a boulder, standing up right, arms wide as he gets hit with buckets of cold ice water by his uncle and Travis at all directions but he kept falling or slipping off
He tries to avoid getting hit by his uncle as he swings his bo staff at him but he get hits anyways
He is put in the chicken coop where he's being chased by angry mama chickens (No goal here, Ken just thought it would be funny)
He then spars with an robotic bear that Uncle Ken apparently has (it's similar to the Ai combat bot at the SDE Training program but less advanced) and Jason get beaten quickly landing Face first, lands on his back and even get knocked out cold.
Meanwhile Jessica and Ken are riding horses having fun as Jason with an ice pack on his head watches on, he had never seen Jessica this happy since their mom died.
INT-SOMEWHERE AROUND THE FARMHOUSE
Later that afternoon…Jessica is looking for Jason with a chocolate smoothie in hand.
JESSICA (Yelling): OH JASON!! WHERE ARE YOU!! I MADE YOUR FAVOURITE CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE!!
And just around the corner Jason is sitting on a bench alone, exhausted, pretty bruised up from the intense training, looking down with the ice pack in hand
JESSICA (Runs toward him, Frighten): JASON!! are you okay?
JASON (with a fake smile): Of course I'm, why won't I be?
JESSICA: Well, you look hurt, your hair is messier than usual and you never used an ice pack before
Jason then looks down trying to avoid eye contact
JESSICA (softly): Come on lil bro talk to me…
JASON (low tone): *sighs* Yeah you're right. my whole body is killing me, and it has only been 3 days.
JESSICA (A bit Sad): I see, but hey its okay if you want to go ho--
JASON (Interrupts): NO!! I can do this, and I will. Even if I have to break every last pathetic bone in my body *slams his fist on the bench and instantly regretted it* OW f**k…ok maybe not every bone.
JESSICA (sit next to him): I understand Jay but, I'm just worried that maybe Uncle Ken's training was a little too much for you.
JASON (calmly): Honestly, it kinda is but after seeing you and Uncle Ken have fun and…seeing you all happy and smiling again, I…I didn't want my lazy butt to interfere.
JESSICA (Puts her hand on his shoulder, softly): Jay, You got a good heart but, you know that I wouldn't want you to torture yourself just so I can be happy right?
Jason doesn't say anything & turns his head to the side
JESSICA: Tell you what, We can home right now and we'll find you another trainer or we can stay and you continue to train with Travis & Uncle Ken
Jason looks around, thinking about it, he looks at his taped up hand then he finally decides as he lets out a huge sigh
JASON (with a smile, almost playful voice): We… Sorry. Am staying, and no am not doing it because of you, am doing it because of me.
JESSICA: That's my selfish lil buttface
They laughed
JESSICA (Brings out the smoothie): now here your smoothie, chocolate with whipped cream, your favorite
JASON: Can you just hold it up to my mouth, I really cant move my arms right now
JESSICA (Chuckles): Aye Aye Captain…
They continue talking & laughing as Jessica gave Jason the smoothie, meanwhile Travis is on the other side, watching everything, he has a warm smiles on his face as he say to himself
TRAVIS: *sigh* If only you were here, Sylco.
Later on Jason start to improve in Uncle Ken's training drills
He run over the hay obstacle course with him beating his previous time each time.
He can now balance perfectly while being hit with ice water…at least for sometime before he goes into a shock from the cold
He start doing more and more push ups and sit ups, he even sees Travis clapping as he's doing his own pushups, so he gave it a shot. And then… SPLAT! He hits face first on the ground. (With him and Travis laughing it off)
He dodge some of Uncle ken bo staff attacks and even stops the staff with his bare hand, Uncle Ken is surprised but also proud on how Jason is improving so far. He still knocks Jason out afterwards (cus why not)
Meanwhile Travis training alongside him, giving pointers, encouraging him while teasing him a bit.
Now... back to SDE Junior training Facility, Jason's efforts shows.
slow but still visible.
He keeps up in the sprinting exercises
He start outlasting some of the top performing recruits in the monkey bar exercise (especially Viktor)
He manages to dodges most of the AI combat bot attacks. He surprised everyone including himself (He got knockdown afterwards but hey it's a start)
Later Patricia, Lysa noticed his improvement and are equally happy for him. Except for Viktor
Later, Viktor starts plotting something against Jason.
VIKTOR (whispers to himself): "So…you're starting to get good now aren't you Martinez, Let's see if can keep it up when am done with ya…"
Bennett overheard him but, He didn't intervene
SIDE NOTE:The reason why Daniel isn't mentioned is because, he has been spending more time in the SDE science/tech labs than on the training ground. Simply because he hate the training drills, so he hardly sees Jason.
UNCLE KEN'S FARMHOUSE- ALMOST SUNSET
On the hill at sunset, Jason is carrying two heavy logs on his shoulder. He's sweating, exhausted, panting , probably losing his balance a bit, thinking to himself: Man, I've been carrying these logs for over 10 minutes....If I keep this up my right arm is gonna snap off.
He looks at the top of the hill still pushing: I… just…. need…. to push…. a little…. more…. come on Martinez You're almost there.
With Jason still pushing to get to the top, one of his legs gave out and his arms are shaken from the pain. Just as he was about to drop the logs and give up, Travis who had already made it to the top encourages him
TRAVIS: Come on, Jason. You're almost there.
JASON (Weakly as he's on one knee): I...I don't think I can make it T.
TRAVIS (Yelling at him): IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE SDE SO BADLY THEN YOU HAVE TO GO BEYOND YOUR F**KING LIMIT, YOU WON'T GET ANYWHERE IF YOU DON'T EXCEED YOUR NORMAL LIMIT, COME ON MARTINEZ!!
Then with all that Jason muscle up all his energy to his arms, body & legs kinda like a adrenaline rush, he screams as he get back to his feet
while lifting the logs again on his shoulder with Travis cheering him on and then he finally made it to the top. He drops the heavy logs as he slowly collapse to the ground, happy but also catching his breathe
TRAVIS: "Ayo, I'm impressed, Martinez, You're really climbing fast— but still behind me though."
JASON (panting): "Thanks, man… You know me... I'm aren't no quitter."
They fist-bumped.
Back at the farmhouse, Jessica and Uncle Ken watches on with drinks in hand.
JESSICA (smiling): "I havent seem him this determed in like… ever. well, except when he tried to beat Uncle Frank's Tetris score."
UNCLE KEN (chuckling): "Yep, He is a real workhorse, pun intended.
They both laugh
UNCLE KEN (smiling): Now I've got three trained fighters."
JESSICA (confused): "Three?"
UNCLE KEN: "Yeah. Travis, your dad… and now Jason."
Jessica went silent. The mention of her dad darkened her face.
JESSICA (annoyed look): You just had to bring him up.
UNCLE KEN (softly): "Sorry Jessy, didn't mean to."
JESSICA: "It's alright. I just… don't want him to come near us again."
UNCLE KEN (hand on her shoulder): "Yeah, I get it. My brother might not be the best dad. But he's still a good man. Jessy"
JESSICA (sips her drink, low tone): "*Sigh*… I guess."
JESSICA (serious tone): "But hey, I got a question…Why did she tell us not to visit you?"
Uncle Ken paused. His tone shifted.
UNCLE KEN: "Lets just say my antics may got something to do with it but besides that, she had her reasons."
JESSICA: I see
Jessica get suspicious but doesn't push further
Then we get a close-up of Uncle Ken's face—giving a dark almost like evil smile while sipping on some beer as the sun goes down.