Page 10 of No Second Chances

“Yeah. But there’s always Skype.”

Remy snorts. “Man, I hate to tell you. Absolutely no one wants you on Skype in the common area while your wife gives birth.” He shakes his head. “That’s just plain disgusting.”

Danny shrugs. “Who cares? We’re all stuck in this together. May as well share that. Oh.” He snaps his fingers dramatically. “Speaking of sharing. The major wants a volunteer for the next mission. So avoid that area at all costs.”

With those words, the radio attached to his shoulder starts to go off.

“PFC Hayes.” The radio crackles with static. “PFC Danny Hayes. Major Morgan wants you to report to the helipad. They need Daisy again.”

Remy and I both cackle. “Guess you’re the volunteer.”

He flips us off. “See you assholes later.”

The sound of the helicopter taking off ten minutes later has us both rolling our eyes. Danny may complain about it, but becoming an MP is probably his dream job. Not only that, but he got a dog out of it. Sure, Daisy is an asshole just like him. She’s also smarter than most of the men in their unit.

“I meant what I said, Linc,” Remy says once the chopper is almost out of range. “I don’t want to deal with a brokenhearted sister. I’ve already seen her broken. I don’t want to have to bury you in the woods for hurting her.”

I swear. “Look, man. I’m not going to hurt her.”

An explosion in the distance drops me to my knees, and my rifle is in the air as everything bursts into action around us.

Although one glance at the fire in the sky, and I’m frozen, watching my brother’s helicopter crash, unable to think about Kennedy any more after that.

I race through the desert, not giving a fuck about anything or anyone that may be coming after me.

“Danny!” The scream ruptures something in my throat, but that doesn’t stop me. I push harder, run harder than I ever have in my entire life. I think I dropped my radio, but I keep going, screaming for my brother through the sound of vehicles approaching. Through the sounds of the gunfight all around us.

I keep calling my brother’s name until I find him, pulling his body from the wreckage and flames, his dog whimpering at my side. “Please look at me. Danny. Please.”

He only looks back at me with lifeless eyes, and I know.

Nothing is ever going to be okay again.

5

KENNEDY

A lot of late nights filled with tears, venting to friends… and more than a few years later.

Before salsa slips off my taco, I shove the entire thing in my mouth and groan with pleasure.

It’s better than sex. Almost.

Dishes clang together, cooks holler, and waitresses talk shit about the people treating them like crap, and I can’t think of a better way to end my shitty-ass day than to stuff my face with tacos. Especially the delicious tacos that my best friend’s restaurant serves.

Lucy’s is busy as hell, but I get to sit right next to the kitchen, away from the crowds, and eat as much as I want to without the judging stares from people who think I’m depressed. They just don’t understand that I have a deep and wonderful relationship with tacos.

“Hey, Kennedy.” Violet Ortiz appears at the side of my table with an empty tray in her hand. “You doin’ okay?”

“Yeah, Vi.” I smile at her before taking another bite of the never-ending taco plate I ordered. “Just got off shift; you know how that goes.”

Vi cracks a smile before shaking her head. We went to school together, even started training to be dispatchers together before she decided she’d rather go to medical school to try and save lives or some shit like that.

“Holler if you run out of tacos.” She walks away with a small wave over her shoulder, and my entire day is made just a little bit better.

There actually isn’t anything on Lucy’s menu about never-ending tacos. But one of my best friends is the manager, and I like tacos. So, she hooks me up with a killer deal, and I make sure to tip the cook and waitstaff who bring them to me, too.

Everything is going great. My tacos are hot; no one watches me eat, and I get to unwind after a particularly aggravating shift answering 911 calls. Until a shadow appears on the edge of my table.

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