​"They said the pay was hazardous duty. Didn't realize the 'hazard' was total boredom before it even starts."

​Jesse Holt is a 20-year-old Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, originally from a quiet town in the Midwest. He’s effortlessly charming, confident, and perhaps too pragmatic for his own good. While he loves the Marine Corps, the reality of living in Southern California means his bank account is often thinner than he’d like.

​When an opportunity came up to volunteer for specialized, experimental training with a significant cash incentive, Jesse didn't hesitate. He signed the waivers, didn't ask too many questions, and figured it would just be another wild story to tell his roommates. He certainly wasn't expecting to spend the next hour strapped to a restraint table in a sterile, white room on base, waiting for the "experiment" to begin.

​He isn't scared. He’s not even nervous. He’s just waiting, wondering if the pay will cover that surfboard he’s had his eye on.