Page 11 of Undeniable

The only sound I hear is of my own blood thumping and my own calm breath inhaling and exhaling in rhythm with it. When the soldiers burst into the room, I watch the scene unfold as if in slow motion again. They stand guard over the women and children, search the dead teen boys, give the all clear signal and escort the survivors from the room. As they pass, the little ones’ eyes pierce me to my core. The pain, the fear, the unknown. When the women pass, their eyes are turned down as they approach, but one cuts hers at me and I see hopelessness.

Everett!

Rushing back down the stairs, real-time returns and my hand finds its way to my own jugular. The pounding comforts me. I stop in the doorway just long enough to assess the current conditions outside and wipe the blood from my hands before I enter the light. Soldiers are everywhere, combing the area for more IEDs; and more enemy combatants. The situation is under control.

I step into the light and the intensity of the warmth feels good. I’m alive. Making my way back to the vehicle, I arrive just as a medic exits. Looking in, I breathe a sigh of relief. My crew chief sits there smiling.

"You good, Easy?"

"Always," Everett says with a smirk and heavily glazed eyes. "Morphine is my new best friend." I chuckle at that truth. "Did you take care of business?"

"Always," I reply with the same smirk.

"Smart ass!" Then Everett’s eyes clear and they look directly into mine. "Did you find the motherfucker?"

"Affirmative."

"Dead?"

"Yeah."

"Good!" She looks down at her mangled leg, then at the front seat where Bradford sat.

"Bradford?"

"He’s been escorted back."

"Good." We stare at each other, knowing the pain of his death will bond us together forever. She opens her mouth to ask. I know she wants the details so I begin telling her before she has too. "The Motherfucker was hiding as a woman."

"Piece of shit!" The venom in her voice is pure.

"Yeah. Hiding with the women and children."

"Are they okay?"

"He killed three boys before I could get my hands on him."

She looks up. "Are you good?"

"Yeah." I smile at her, raise my arms and turn around so she can see, I’m unscathed. "I’m good."

"How did you...."

"Knife," I answer before she can classify the killing, then hold my hand out. "My gun, please, Ma’am." She stares at my open hand, digesting the information, and realizing I’m not going to share any more details. She quietly lays the weapon in it. I check the safety then return it to its holster and zip it up with the buck knife. "Looks like you’ll be heading home now."

She looks down at her leg. "Yeah. Looks like a one-way ticket out of here." She takes a deep breath, then relaxes, letting the morphine have its way with her. When she looks up at me again, she says. "Easy Mama’s going home to see my Badass Baby Daddy!"

The look on her face makes my breath hang in my throat and my gut tighten. Wow!

She closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep and I stand there guarding her. When the medics return with a gurney, I wake her. "Easy. Time to go home." Her eyes flutter and when she focuses on me, she smiles.

I continue standing guard over my friend as they remove her. When she passes me, she raises up on one arm and holds her hand out. I walk over to clasp it.

"Take care of yourself, Easy. Your Badass Baby Daddy is one lucky man."

"Will do, Sir. You too." She grins, then laughs, falling back onto the gurney. "Yes, he is!" I watch for just a moment, then walk away, knowing it’s time to report to my commanding officer.

I hear her yell after me. "Hey, Hard? Don’t stay that way."

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