There was a comfortable silence as each member of the team sat quietly, praying to which ever god they worshipped.

The newest and youngest member of the team sat staring at the opposite wall of the carrier, clutching his rifle with white knuckles. His knees shook and his teeth chattered. I nodded my head toward him, looking at Griff. He stood and walked over to Tom, bending down so that he was at ear level and whispered something to the youth.

Tom seemed to become calmer as Griff stood and nodded to me.

“Alright, listen up!” My voice resounded through the carrier as the men all sat at attention. They’d all been briefed prior but it gave them an opportunity to focus as I ran over it again. “This is not a stealth mission; we go in, we take out the rebels and free the captives. We’ve pin- pointed their location to a tent in the centre of the camp. We’ll drop down on the north buildings and fan out from there. Griff will lead the recovery team; if any support is needed Gunner and Jackson will reinforce. Once we have them, the ground team will cover Griff and his men.”

“Insurgents are armed with AKM's, PBS & Dragons and Type 50; Cold War stuff.” Griff added.

The light went off and I walked to the centre of the floor where cables dropped down. “Let’s hustle!” Everyone lined up as the man behind clipped their teammate to the zip line. “Weapons check!”

“Check.”

“Check.”

“Check.”

The space was filled with the cocking of hammers as everyone cocked their guns, checking that everything loaded smoothly.

“Check.”

“Check.”

“Check.”

The rumble of the plane drowned out the beating of my heart as the floor dropped out from underneath us. The cord went tight as we dropped to the ground, my knees absorbing the impact as I snapped off the line and drew my weapon up in front of me, staring down the barrel. We fanned out, moving quickly and quietly.

“Alpha, bravo radio check. Roger.” Came the slightly fuzzy voice in my ear piece.

“Team two respect heavy contact; bring the rain.”

Deafening gunshots rang through the night as men appeared in front of us. “Move out!” I shouted as my finger squeezed the trigger, the loud bangs and kicks as my gun discharged. Adrenaline rushed through my body as bullets flew, shouts ringing through the night as men dressed in heavy garbs confronted us.

I covered my team as they rushed forward to meet the rebels head on. When a turbaned man appeared in front of me I raised my gun and bought it down on his head before smashing it into his throat hard.

His body slumped at my feet as I effortlessly stepped over him, discharging my gun every few seconds at any resistance. The click of my gun signified that my magazine was empty as I switched my rifle, a C8 Carbine, for the hand gun I knew was in the holster on my hip. I pulled it out as a man rounded the corner with his rifle drawn.

“I’ve got eyes on the targets, eyes on the targets.” Griff’s voice came through the radio as I took down the Al-Qaeda rebel. “But I’m taking heavy fire.” I could hear the gunshots through his head piece and swore.

Firing a shot into the head of another man I sprinted towards the middle of the camp, knowing that Gunner and Jackson were too far away. A man jumped out in front of me and aimed a punch to my face. I ducked, swinging out my leg and landing him on his back. I fired two shots into his chest and kept running.

Griff was crouched behind a stack of crates as four rebels drew near. I took two down before they turned their fire towards me. Tom appeared behind them and with a nod took them both down effortlessly.

“Get the targets; go, go, go!” I ordered as more men poured into the enclosed space of the camp. They were quickly taken care of as Griff sprinted off with four other men, running towards the central tent. My weapon clicked again and I ducked, taking cover as I slipped out the mag and inserted a new one.

I stood just in time to see Griff gun down another rebel before covering his team as they dragged out beaten bodies from the tent. My gun recoiled in my hand as I squeezed the trigger time and time again. Bodies dropped like flies around me as my heart beat at a hundred miles an hour.

“Target acquired; go, go, go.” Griff yelled as an armoured car came spinning through a tent. I kicked the legs out from underneath a nearby man, emptying another three slugs into his body.

I covered the men as Griff and his guys piled into the car, followed by my team. Bullets pinged off the side of the armoured vehicle as I sprinted towards it. I felt a bullet tear through the flesh of my shoulder and I cried out, falling to my knees at the force. Turning I fired off three shots into the remaining two men, dragging myself off my knees to get to the car.

I could hear the men screaming my name as the back door slammed shut, Griff reaching towards me. I latched onto his hand as they dragged me into the car, slamming the door behind me as we sped off.

“Contact base.” I ordered as I ripped the Velcro holding on my Kevlar vest and pulled it off. I felt blood drip down my arm as Griff cut into my shirt, tearing it away from my body as I held a hand over the wound. The bullet had torn straight through, but thankfully had seemed to have missed any major arteries; I wouldn’t die of blood loss. “And get me some god damn water.” I said through gritted teeth as the vehicle jostled over a ditch in the path.

“Fucking hell Eve.” Griff muttered as he pulled my hand away, stuffing my shirt to my shoulder. “That’ll be one mad scar. How are you feeling?”

“My cholesterol’s a bit high.” There were laughs all round as I raised an eyebrow at Griff. “I’ve been shot and I’m bleeding everywhere; how do you think I feel?”

“Good point.” He said calmly, taking a seat next to me, leaning against the metal interior. “What are you going to do when we get back home?”

This was our last mission before we went on leave for a few months; I’d been serving for seven years now. Griff would also be going on leave which made it that much better. “I figured that maybe we could travel?” Griff didn’t have family; his mother was an abusive alcoholic and his dad’s estranged. I was his family.

“What about your family? Surely your dads would be missing you?” He knew that I hadn’t seen or spoken to them since the day I walked out.

I frowned and shook my head. “We don’t talk about that.” I knew that I’d probably broken their hearts and I couldn’t go back to face them.

He frowned but left it at that as a water canister was handed to me. Griff unscrewed it for me and I took big gulps. I slumped against the wall and closed my eyes as the car rounded a bend. “Eve don’t you dare fall asleep.” Griff said, tapping my cheek.

I ignored him until I felt a smarting in my cheek as it tingled. “Slap me again and I’ll fucking shred you like confetti.” I said opening my eyes to glare at Griff.

He shrugged as the car stopped and the door opened. Medical personnel seized the rescued men and laid them on gurneys, rushing them off to the field hospital. They approached me with a gurney after seeing me shirtless and holding my shoulder as it poured blood.

They tried to push me onto a gurney but I resisted. “I can walk just fine; it’s only my shoulder.” I insisted. They didn’t buy it but instead of arguing they just nodded to Griff who scooped me up in his arms and deposited me on the bed; none too gently either.

“Bastard.” I muttered. He knew that I liked my independence and I was tough; I could walk a few hundred metres.

The rolled me into the field hospital and past many of the men before stitching me up. My shoulder throbbed and stung but I was lucky that they didn’t have to go digging in there as there was no bullet to take out and no major arteries to tie up.

They were done in fifteen minutes and they strapped my arm and ordered bed rest. I read for about an hour before I couldn’t stand sitting around anymore.

I pulled out the IV they had me on and parted the curtain, walking towards the door with practised ease. If it looked like I was sneaking out they’d stop me, the best way was to be confident and self- assured; I wouldn’t be questioned.

There was many happy voices and beers passed around as I walked through the camp. I spied Griff and many of the SAS men, many whom I lead. They all sat around with their feet propped up, drinking cold beer. “Oi you slackers!” I yelled jokingly.

They all jumped slightly before turning to look at me. “Shouldn’t you be on bed rest?” Griff asked as he stood.

“What? You going to dump me on another stretcher?” I asked sarcastically, resting my free hand my hip.

He chuckled and handed me a beer. “Oh wait, you can’t open it.” He teased. “Here let me.” I pulled it out of his reach and put the top in my mouth, biting down before twisting the body. It popped open and I spat the cap at his feet before taking a swing with a grin on my face.

I took his seat and laughed when he shot me a glare. Griff was and always had been very strong so he picked me up easily and dumped me on the floor before taking the foldable chair back.

I shook my head and stood, picking up my split beer and brushing my butt off. I slumped down onto Griff’s lap and leant back into his chest before taking a sip of his beer since he had so kindly spilt mine.

Mine and Griff’s relationship was… different. We had known each other for several years and served side by side in the army. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. I knew that he always had my back and I had his. He’d saved my life more times than I care to count and I’d done the same. When I was beaten down and wanted to quit he stood by me and I him. He’d been the first guy I’d kissed and the first guy I’d slept with. We teased each other continually and always messed around but we loved each other; but as friends. Out here it was dangerous and I guess neither of us wanted to take that final step and become more; we were happy as is.

“Earth to Eve.” Griff’s voice reached my ears as he waved a hand over my face. “Those painkillers must be kicking in.”

“They didn’t give me any.” I told him. My shoulder hurt but not enough to warrant getting doped up, making me more vulnerable and less aware. “I refused.”

“Crazy ass bitch.” He muttered.

I chuckled and took another sip of his beer. “You’re the one who’s friends with me.” I reminded him.

I felt his chest move as he sighed. “I know; sometimes I question my judgment.”

I elbowed him in his chest as he began laughing, though I wore a smile on my face as well. We sat around for hours joking until the sun went down and the giant flood lights were turned on.

“Planes coming 0300 tomorrow.” Jackson said. “It’ll be good to finally get home.” Though we were SAS, we’d been cracking down on al-Qaeda camps so we’d been here for a little over a month. Jackson smiled over to me and held up his beer. “And Capt. can finally take a well- deserved holiday.” They all knew that I’d been serving without a holiday for several years. In the start I had kept reenlisting along with Griff and when I came to the SAS, I didn’t take any leave or breaks; a few days tops before I was deployed again or given a mission. I kept myself busy to forget who I’d left behind all those years ago.

Over the years I’d been awarded with many medals, honours and promotions. I was happier than I’d ever been and these guys were my family now; sometimes I found myself missing my parents though. I smiled and raised my glass as the rest of the men did the same.

“To the Capt.” The clinking of bottles filled the night air as we finished drinking and headed back to our bunkers. Griff followed me to the tree line and soon we ended up naked and tumbling to the ground. He was gentle and considered my shoulder as he rocked my world on that dusty groundand I loved every moment. When we finally fell asleep he hugged me to his chest tightly and I drifted off into dream land with a smile on my face.

-

When I awoke to the sound of loud rumbles I figured that it was the plane but as the air was filled with shouts and screams I knew that something was wrong.

I scampered off Griff who was awake as well and we quickly got dressed. I looked down at the sling on the ground and wrinkled my nose; I wasn’t going to wear that again. I strapped a knife sheath to my leg and slipped my largest bowie knife into the sheath. I slipped on my boots and put another sheath on my calf. I made sure that I had my handgun and a rifle before slipping out of the bunker into the night, Griff right behind me.

The night was alive with the blazing of fires and screaming of alarms. I could hear the sounds of firing guns and the screams of men and women.

We were under attack.

My shoulder throbbed in time with my heart as we crept through the camp. There was a form lying face down on the ground as I stopped to roll them over my heart sank. It was Tom. His eyes were filled with fear but clouded by death and his mouth was wide open in a silent scream. His throat was severed and blood still oozed from the deep wound.

I took a deep breath as Griff gently squeezed my uninjured shoulder. “There’s nothing we can do E; he was a good kid but he’s with the angels now.”

I nodded and gently laid his body down. My eyes were dry after so many years of death but my heart felt heavy. I knew that there would be more deaths tonight; deaths of people I knew and cared for.

“Let’s keep moving.” I murmured.

We crept towards the fight, taking out anyone who didn’t belong here; we knew the difference between friend and foe. “Griff get to command; there’s a distress button.”

He shook his head fiercely. “I am not leaving you.” He hissed.

“Now is not the time for theatrics Griff; as your commanding officer, I order you to find command and make sure that everyone knows we’re under attack.” I ordered. His jaw ticked and for a moment I swear that he was going to go against me but he nodded before drawing close.

“If you die I will personally drag you back down here and kick your ass.” I nodded as he dragged my face towards his and laid a sizzling kiss on my lips. I pulled away and pushed him towards the direction of command.

“Get going; try not to get shot.” There were no more words as he jogged off and I felt dread heavy in my stomach and heart.

I slunk through the base killing any enemies and avoiding the main fire fight. I knew that if I just jumped in I would be shot and killed.

It felt like years had passed until I heard the rumble of airplanes overhead. The power had been cut long ago and the night was dark save for the bursts of light from fires and torches. I headed towards the outbuildings to try to determine their numbers and take out any men who stood guard around the perimeter to make sure that no one escaped for help; at least, that’s what I would have done if I’d been them.

There was a town around fifteen miles south so they wouldn’t hear the gunshots but a survivor could escape and seek shelter there.

I watched as the men began strapping vests to themselves and my eyes widened at their intent. The gun fights were to distract us from their main objective; they were going to suicide bomb the base. If I didn’t stop them then they would kill everyone here.

I slid my body through the strap of my rifle and rested it on my back before bending down and pulling out my knife. It would be stupid to shoot at them as it would detonate the explosives; of that I was sure. From here I could tell that they were speaking their native tongue; afgani, and I easily translated a few words. They were praying to whatever gods they worshipped.

I let my footfall be heard and one man turned, staring into the shadows. He told his comrades that he would investigate and picked up a rifle before heading toward me. I waited, crouched in the shadows until he walked right past me. I stood and covered his mouth with my hand before running my knife over his throat with practised ease.

His body slumped as wet gurgled escaped his lips, muffled by my hand. I dragged his body into the bushes and went to stare at the remaining two suicide bombers.

I couldn’t shoot them and I wouldn’t be able to lure them one at a time now. I couldn’t throw knives as they as they were too far away and I the possibility that I might miss would be too far too high. My heart pounded in my chest as I slunk towards the two men who were rapidly speaking in their native tongue.

In the distance I heard a plane landing and I knew that they had begun evacuating the base and killing any insurgents left. The men began walking towards the centre of the base and encountered no one as I stalked them.

I crept up behind the second bomber and before he could utter a world my hand was muffling his yell as I slid the knife deep into his throat. I let his body drop to the ground with a thud as the third man turned around. His eyes narrowed and I moved to kill him but he beat me to the punch.



Time seemed to slow down as the loud boom of the bombs detonating hit me full force. I felt my body fly through the air as my ears rung until my head collided with something hard and my world faded into blackness.