Work Text
August 1st, 1992
In every life lies a core characteristic that defines who a person truly is. Personality, outlook, drive, dozens of intangibles. This core contributes to making an individual with their own unique state of being. For some, this was all there was. For Meghan, there was something far greater.Motivation.The reason one does the difficult things they do, the reason they make the hard choices. What drives them to take themselves to the brink for the sake of family, success, or personal goals.Meghan learned from a young age to put motivation in front of everything else. Having been born to a father in the Marines and a mother working as a senior biotech researcher, failure was never an option. Her parents were not the hardline taskmasters one might expect from such backgrounds, but anything less felt cheap; beneath her. Hardship was, and always would be, par for the course.Today would be one such day where Meghan would need to overcome hardship. Today would be the day when her father taught her how to swim.Meghan woke to the grating buzzing of an alarm on a bright morning. A steady breeze flowed through the open window, the thin curtains fluttering lightly. She switched off the incessant noise before rubbing her eyes and sitting up, gears in her brain struggling in an effort to shake the cobwebs of sleep. Her mind settled on the reason for being up at 7AM on a Saturday.On her sixth birthday, her father told her that he’d teach her to swim when he came back from his deployment. The day had arrived more quickly than she had hoped, yet here she was. With a yawn, Meghan rose from the bed and moved to the bathroom. She ran the water, washed up, and slipped into her two piece swimsuit.As she padded down the stairs, a voice bounced off the cream-colored walls.“-just isn’t going to happen… I’m sorry, Robert, but it’s just too short notice. You know that we can almost never get leave at the same time, and Kenzie can’t just take time off whenever she wants…”He paced around the desk, one hand in his pocket as the other held the phone. The features on his face twisted, flashing through mild annoyance and exasperation. Meghan’s gaze wandered, scanning the objects in the room. She settled on an ornate piece of paper hanging in a frame on the wall.
The Regents of the University of California on the nomination of the faculty of the college of letters and science have conferred upon Sean P. Castellano the degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Civil Engineering-
“Yeah, I wanted to see you too, man, but it can’t happen now. You know we’ll see you over the holidays… Heh, yes you can bring Alicia, just don’t let her ask dad about his views on immigration. Alright, I’ll talk to you later, Rob.”He placed the phone on the base, running a hand down his face. He looked up to see Meghan standing in the door of his office, holding her arm with the opposite hand, half-lidded eyes staring into the small room.A smile split his face as he pocketed his other hand. “Mornin’ Angel, sleep good?”Meghan hummed, speaking being too strenuous an activity.He chuckled warmly. “What’s the matter, dear?”She huffed, “I don’t see why I had to get up so early.” Her tone fell into impatience.Her father stepped over to the blinds on the window and pulled the cord. Light spilled into the room, assaulting Meghan’s eyes and forcing her to raise a hand.He pointed out. “What is that up there, Meg?”She blinked, mouth hanging ajar. “Uhh, the sun…?”“Yes, and what does the sun do?”“Makes things warm…?”He spread his arms out in an extravagant gesture, “Exactly! Perks of living in California, hun, the sun is very good at its job here. Starting early means we avoid the parts of the day where it’s extra hot. Make sense?”A dissatisfied grumble was the answer.“You’ll see, it’s for the best. C’mon, let’s head outside.” --- Meghan shuffled at the edge of the pool, staring at it with a hesitant look. Her feet tilted inwards, body swiveling back and forth. As she absentmindedly tugged at the floatation cushions on her arms, she looked up at her father to see him swimming laps, knifing through the water like a spear from a ballista.Upon hitting the near wall, Sean righted himself and pulled up his goggles. He pulled up his wrist to check his lap time, and pumped a fist.As he refilled his lungs, his eyes flicked up to his daughter standing idle. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”She didn’t immediately answer, instead dipping a foot in the pool. “…I’m scared.”Sean’s brows pinched, and he gave a faint smile. “I understand. I was just like you when I was little.”Her face brightened as she gaped at him, “Really? You were?”“Sure. Everyone’s got a little something they’re afraid of, even me.”Meghan tried to cross her arms, the floaties making it more like a frustrated hug.“Nuh uh! Daddy’s not afraid of anything!” She stamped her foot.Sean laughed, loudly this time. “For you? I would ignore any fears I had.”The concerned look recaptured her face, and Sean waded forward. He held out his hand, “Do you trust me, Angel?”Meghan chewed her cheek. With a huff, she nodded defiantly.He beamed, “That’s my girl. Now come on, water’s fine!”She laced her fingers into his, and tentatively stepped into the water, until she stood chest high.“We’ll start off simple,” he put a finger to his chin, “and I know just the thing. Hey Meg, can you make believe for me real quick? I want you to pretend there’s little fishies in the pool.”She looked around, confused. “Okay… there’s fishies here now.”“Good, now what I want you to do is talk to ‘em! Take a breath, go underwater, and talk! Don’t open your mouth, though, just hold the air as long as you can.”She complied, and Sean set his watch to count. Not long after, Meghan surfaced.Thirty-seven seconds.“Good job, Meg! Get your lungs back, then try again. Go for a little longer!”She did, getting to forty one seconds. The next, forty-two.When she came up again, Sean spoke. “You’re doing great! Now I want you to try and catch the fish. Remember, they’re pretty quick, so push your arms really hard. But, only do one motion each time. Watch me.”He demonstrated his teachings, and Meghan noted that he did the same thing as before. Singular, powerful strokes to push himself through the water.Like a lion cub following its mother in a hunt, Meghan attempted to do as she saw her father do. Her initial motions were uncoordinated, lacking timing. She grew frustrated as her muscled ached, why was it that she couldn’t be like him?Sean noticed the increasingly flustered expression as she moved, and stopped her when she reached the wall. He placed a hand on her shoulder. ”Meg, let me tell you how I see a pool, or a lake, or the ocean. For me, swimming is how I calm down after a long day. The water is your best friend; it just massages all of the bad energy from your body. It doesn’t judge, it doesn’t yell, it doesn’t ask you to do anything. You can tell it anything, and it makes me feel happy. The water can help you, if you respect it.”Sean prostrated himself again, “Watch how I use my legs.”He swam a lap again, kicking his legs in time with each other and the circular motions of his arms.“You see what I did, hun? Try that, and pretend that your legs are like the motor on Uncle Rob’s boat.”Something seemed to click in Meghan’s mind, and she took off immediately to put this to the test. Each time she kicked, water moved out of her way. Every time she pushed forward, her body became one with the fluid. As Sean looked on, he could practically feel her willpower from where he was standing, his chest swelling with pride.Meghan pumped furiously, limbs starting to move in synchronicity. Back and forth she went, launching off the wall as if knowing exactly what to do. Sean bit his lip in a smile, she always was a fast learner.She continued practicing, hours trickling by with minimal breaks. Sean checked his watch.
10:37
He swore to himself; he had to be at the base by noon.“Meghan, I gotta get ready for work. Time to get out!”She slapped the surface of the water. “But dad, I’m getting really good!”“I know you are, Angel, I’ve been watching the whole time! I’m so proud of you.”He knelt and hugged her, eyes misting over at the proud smile adorning her face.“I promise I’ll teach you some more later, kay?”Meghan’s head bobbed up and down, hazel eyes wide with excitement. “Can I show mommy when she gets back?” She asked, bouncing all the while.Sean chuckled as he tussled her hair. “If she isn’t too tired, sure thing. She should be home pretty soon, kiddo.”He led Meghan inside, shutting the sliding glass door behind them.Throughout the day, Sean thought about Meghan’s growth in such a short time. She conquered fear, shattered doubt, destroyed dissatisfaction, all while exceeding her own expectations.His little Angel was maturing before his eyes, and he knew it was only a matter of time before she gained her armor – piece by piece.
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February 12, 1997
As Meghan had learned, life was by no means a fair and balanced existence. It’s a fickle beast, taking and taking and taking from people, sometimes by force, with no guarantee of redemption.Meghan woke up, coughed up a lung, washed up, bundled up, and rode the bus to school. All of this through a haze of cold medicine and hot chocolate, exacerbated by unusually aggressive biting winter air.It sucked.She crawled through the day in what could only be described as a slog, deflecting any unnecessary human contact and locking her speaking voice away in an airtight vault.Meghan had a relative understanding with her fifth-grade teachers. She was smart enough to listen, absorb, and apply what they were saying, so she did her work without the teachers forcing her to say anything if she didn’t choose to.If only the other kids were so courteous.Meghan liked her friends, she really did, but if she was feeling like a truck made of virus ran her over, she really didn’t want to hold extensive conversations on the wonders of Dunkaroos.At the risk of being “that girl,” she answered everything non-verbally, nods and hand motions taking the place of spoken words. Fortunately, her friends knew – it was the season, after all.Unfortunately, not all of the snotty children were her friends. --- Meghan stared at the clock. 2:28. Only thirty-two minutes to go… The teacher had them doing a math assignment to kill time until the end of the day, one that was laughably easy for her. As such, she was done within twenty minutes.Not that she was complaining.The teacher strolled around the room, hands behind his back, looking from desk to desk. His gaze caught hers, and she pointed in the general direction of the bathroom. He got the idea and cocked his chin toward the door.She stood up and left the room, signing a ‘thank you’ to the teacher.An empty hallway greeted her, the light squeaking of sneakers on the tile flooring echoing from wall to wall. Meghan hugged her sweatshirt-covered arms closer to her, wondering why in the world the air conditioning was on.
It might be California, but this is stupid.
The singular stream of thought distracted her just long enough for her to not register the second set of footsteps coming from around the corner, and she collided with a boy coming from the opposite direction.Meghan squeaked out a scratchy ‘sorry,’ turning to continue toward her destination, before an exclamation sounded off.“Hey dummy, what did ya do that for?”She didn’t answer, staring at the boy incredulously.He continued. “Are you too dumb to talk? Did your parents not teach you how to talk?”Meghan rolled her eyes and turned again.“Hey! Are you gonna answer me?!” He placed his hands on his hips.The boy ran and pushed her in the back. She stumbled and hit a row of lockers, a metal handle digging into her arm on impact.“Tss- oww…”Her eyes lit up in anger, and she stormed up to the boy.“Don’t do that again.”He scoffed. “You can talk! But you’re still stupid. Your clothes look dumb, and your hair looks like a boy’s. Your mom and dad must hate you!”“Shut up. Now.”“Or what? Are you gonna tell on me?”She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him close, “Or I’ll beat you up and cough in your face, you brat!”She shoved him away and spun around, trying to will the walls into absorbing the little pig…Until he chased her down again and punched her in the same arm, spitting as he did so.This time, Meghan used the wall to fire herself at the boy like a rocket and hit him with her shoulder. His back hit the lockers on the opposite wall, rattling the metal doors. Before he had a chance to react to the pain, Meghan recaptured his bunched shirt and threw him to the ground.A flurry of punches bounced his head back and forth. Left eye, right eye, left ear, right ear. Flailing attempts to get her off him before she quashed them by punching each side of his ribs.Heavy, ragged breaths left her illness-addled lungs, forcing her to cough at his face, adding illness to injury.Satisfied, Meghan bounced up from her knees and left the crying boy to quiver in the hallway, alone. --- 3:19.That’s what the clock in the principal’s office read. Meghan sat in the lobby of the administration group for the school, waiting for the hammer to drop.The boy from before sat in the seat farthest from her, casting a glance her way every so often as if she was about to pull a Hitchcock and come back for more.The incessant ticking of the wall clock was driving her crazy, she wanted to tear it down and smash it with the stupid little desk ornament on the receptionist’s desk.A tall, older man with a striped oxford shirt stepped into the room. “Gelvan, come in here please.”shot up from his seat and bolted into the office. Meghan watched him go, before resuming her death stare at the time teller.Soft voices carried from outside the office, dragging her attention away. Two adults rounded the corner, each holding expressions of disappointment. One, she assumed, was Gelvan’s mother.The other, was her father.They sat down on either side of Meghan, and she wanted nothing more than to fade into the chair.Sean rubbed Meghan’s head lightly, “Hey Angel. You alright?”She didn’t meet his eyes, but nodded hesitantly.“What happened, Meg?”She shrugged. “Nothin’.”Sean and the woman looked at each other, and she spoke softly. “You don’t have to be scared, sweetie, we just want to know. I won’t be mad.”Still nothing.“It wouldn’t be the first time that Van did something like this. I guess this time, he got what he deserved. I kept telling him that one day, life would catch up.”Meghan chanced a look up at the woman. “He said mean things and pushed me into the lockers, then he spit on me.”The woman sighed and shook her head, muttering something to herself that Meghan didn’t catch. She looked to Sean and Meghan.“I am so sorry, both of you. Seems I have to give Van an attitude adjustment.”Sean shook Meghan’s shoulder. “Why don’t you apologize, hun?”She looked up at the woman with a glazed stare. “I’m sorry…”The woman cracked a weary smile. “Thank you, dear.”Gelvan stepped out of the principal’s office, eyes popping at the sight of his mother. Her expression soured, causing him to flinch.The principal commanded everyone’s attention. “You two should do some apologizing. Please.”Meghan looked up at her father.He nudged her. “Go on.”Meghan leveled a harsh look at Gelvan. “Sorry.”He shuffled his feet, speaking as softly as possible. “Me too.”The principal looked at Gelvan’s mother, “Two-day suspension.”She gave a terse nod and looked at her son. “Let’s go, young man.”She shepherded him out of the office, harsh whispering filling the hallway as they left the building.“You’re up, Meghan.” The principal was expressionless, but she had a feeling that he’d already made up his mind.She followed the man into the office and sat down.“Start from the beginning.”So she did, recounting the one-sided “fight” from the time she left the classroom.“…And you coughed-““On him, yeah.”He hummed. “Meghan, what do you think happens now?”“You’re gonna suspend me, too.”“The only choice, really.”He sighed, removed his black-rimmed glasses, and placed them on the large wooden desk.“If I’m being honest, Meghan, I don’t blame you for what you did. I tell my daughters to do whatever they have to in order to defend themselves.” He leaned back in his chair and folded a leg to rest on his knee. “But, there are rules. Doesn’t matter how much Gelvan deserved what he got, you still aren’t allowed to hit people.”Meghan coughed into her sleeve and sat up. “So I’m just supposed to let him hit me and say mean things and spit on me?”“I didn’t say he was in the right, he’s still getting punished.”Her temper flared. “But that isn’t fair! If I don’t do anything, he still does bad things and I end up hurt anyway-!”The principal held up a hand and cut her off. “I’m sorry, Meghan, boys just tend to do things like this when they’re young. He’ll learn and grow out of it. You still acted more out of line than him.”Meghan’s mouth hung open, her brows knitting together in barely contained rage. “Are you serious, sir?”“Very.”Meghan looked down, seeing her arms visibly shaking. It took every fiber of her being not to explode on him. She looked up at him, fire burning in her eyes. “Are we done?”He tilted his head toward the door.She stomped out of the office as he called behind her, “Week suspension, Meghan.”She hardly listened.
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March 22, 2002
Something Meghan learned over the years was that for her, swimming was very much a subconscious activity. When she dove into the pool, her limbs did the thinking while her brain took a back seat. By now, she was so used to doing it that she could go for hours without any noticeable slowdown. She moved with robotic precision while retaining organic fluidity; stroke after stroke nailed to perfection.Dad was right, the water really is the best therapist.In the pool she had no worries – no homework, no nagging relatives, no immature boys trying for her attention. It was just her and the cool water. The pool was her domain. Seventy laps, and the week’s stress melted into the chlorine.Medals and trophies of varying sizes cluttered her bedroom, to the point where she’d asked her mother and father to get a display case solely for them. Being the exceptionally proud type, they did just that without a second thought.After years on the swim team, Meghan could compete with nearly anyone. She could dive in cleanly and cleave the water with powerful, rhythmic strokes until she reached the other end, all with abnormal regularity.She knew kids her age were typically hyper competitive, but she wanted so much to be special, to outshine her peers in every way. With each therapy session, she came closer to that point. She had to be perfect. She had to be. Anything less would be unacceptable.A whistle blew as Meghan touched the wall. She straightened out and hooked her arms to the top, looking up at the coach.He had his arms crossed, his mouth tugging upwards in a proud smile.Meghan lifted the goggles and wiped the water from her face, breathing deeply. “How’d I do, coach?”He lifted a hand to stroke his invisible beard. “I dunno, Meg, I think you might be getting slow in your old age!”She rolled her eyes. “Very funny. You know, Coach Jackson, I think you might be a better philosopher than comedian!”He raised his hands. “To live is to suffer, to survive!... is to find some meaning in the suffering.”Slow clap. “If you start quoting Beyond Good and Evil, I’m quitting the team.”Jackson raised his hands. “I’m stopping, I’m stopping.”“Good. Now, are you gonna tell me how I did?”He turned the stopwatch. “See for yourself.”She lifted her body up to squint at the tiny screen.A new record.“Hell yeah!” She leapt, backstroking across the length of the pool.Jackson watched her celebrate, his best pupil riding high on an energy so contagious he couldn’t help but dance.Meghan struggled to find a word to describe the feeling she was experiencing, but didn’t care to find one enough to stress about it.She hopped and dove through the water like a frolicking dolphin in celebration of life. The water celebrated with her, curving around her body and lifting her each time she jumped.She swam to the edge of the pool and launched herself from the water, legs still pumping as she bounced in place.“I’m gonna smoke the competition! No way I’ll lose with these times!”Jackson smirked, hands on his hips as he walked to black machine sitting along the wall.Meghan tilted her head, face twisting. A shiver wracked her body, adrenaline wearing off just enough for her to notice the cool air in the room. The coach tossed a heated towel from the machine, chuckling as it landed on Meghan’s head.She wasn’t in a position to complain, and wrapped it around as much of her body as she could. She sat down on the bench next to the towel heater, Jackson taking his place beside her.“You know something, Meg, every now and again it hits me just how special you are.” He held up a hand as she looked at him with knitted brows. “Hang on, hang on, I’m not getting weird on ya.”He looked around the pool gym, gaze resting on playoff and championship banners, equipment, team photos.“From the day you walked in here, you gave one hundred and ten percent. Not only have you been doing everything I ask of you, you’ve been practicing outside standard times, breaking school records, helping your teammates better themselves…”He trailed off. Meghan elected not to speak, focus directed entirely on her coach.“My point is, it’s been extremely refreshing to coach someone so dedicated to team victory as you are. No challenge has been too great, no training has been ‘not worth your time,’ no issue with me or your team has been a hassle.”Her jaw hung open slightly before she found the words. “Not that I don’t appreciate the praise, coach, but why now? What made you decide to say these things now, rather than when I graduate?”He clicked his tongue. “Because I wanted to bring up something to you.”She shot him a wry smile and narrowed her eyes. “Sounds pretty ominous, Coach J. You skipping town?”“Heh, not just yet. I’ve got a couple years left in the tank. The something is about you.”Meghan tilted her head. “Me? Did I do something wrong?”“No, no, quite the opposite. Meghan, how far do you plan to go with your swimming?”She looked out over the water, irises bouncing as they tracked the rippling waves. Swallowing hard, Meghan scratched at her cheek. “I’m… not sure. I haven’t put a lot of thought into it.” Her head swiveled to stare at the coach, “That must sound pretty weird coming from me, huh?”He snorted at the question. “Only if everyone else in the world is just as weird.”Meghan’s lips pursed, tightening as her brow raised and drew together. “Where are you going with this, Coach?”He didn’t immediately answer. Jackson stood up, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked to the water’s edge. He tossed a look over his shoulder.“I believe you should think about going pro. I don’t mean just to the interstate level, I’m talking Olympics.”Meghan gaped at him, floundering for words to address his proclamation. Her breathing became uneven; shallow inhales, shuddering exhales. “I-I… I don’t understand, how can you think I’m that good?! I’m in high school, Coach J, that’s way beyond what I’ve ever thought of!”He grabbed her shoulders. “Meghan, listen to me. From the moment you first came in here and tried out for the team, you’ve been nothing short of incredible. You’ve never let anything keep you back, and put forth a winning effort the likes of which I haven’t seen in a long time at the grade school level.”Jackson pointed up at one of the championship banners. “Your work ethic, performance, hypercompetitive attitude, and selfless nature are at least as good as that of all of those names you see up there.”Meghan’s mind was drowning. Her eyes flicked left and right as she stammered, searching for something, anything, to throw her a life preserver. Jackson took the hint.“When I was a member of the team for States at UC Berkeley, I was among the best male and female swimmers in the state. You know what our times were for the very same exercises you just did today?”She dumbly shook her head.“Twenty eight seconds slower than what you just clocked. I’m not embellishing even a little bit when I say that your ability and drive are remarkable. Plus, you take every extra step to better your teammates. I don’t know the last time I’ve had such a well-rounded swimmer on my roster.”Meghan rubbed her shoulder, before pressing her palms together in front of her mouth. “I don’t really know what to say, Coach, other than… well, thank you for thinking so highly of me. I try my best to make this a good time for everyone, but I had no idea that it was this special for you…”He smiled. “I don’t expect you to have all of this figured out right now, or even in the near future. I’m just suggesting that you can be great. You’ve made my job a hell of a lot more enjoyable since you joined, and if you want, I’ll do everything in my power to help you reach whatever heights you want to.”She stared at the floor, eyes tracing the tile pattern. She absentmindedly wrung her hands together, skin turning red from the force.“Take some time to think about it, Meg, this is a big-”She slapped her thigh, the echo bouncing off the walls. “I’ll do it.”He startled back. “Oh?”“I know I have skill, and you’re willing to go so far to encourage me to dream bigger. It would be stupid of me to ignore both.”Jackson pumped his fist. “Hell yeah, Meghan! I’m so proud of you. We’re gonna turn you into a goddamned star!”Meghan’s brows curled downwards, a devilish grin taking hold of her features, teeth bared on one side. She cracked her knuckles. “So, where do we start?”
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June 13th, 2003
If Meghan was superstitious, she may have held some misguided reservations about competing on Friday the 13th. A day found once or twice per year, associated with black cats, ladders, broken mirrors, and whatever other silly things people talked up to justify plain old bad luck.Fortunately for her, she didn’t need luck. Skill would be what propelled her to victory, just as it always had.Still, she found herself sitting in the visitor’s locker room on a bench facing the door to the pool. Her hands were tented, eyes locked on the floor. Despite her confidence, the raw power rolling off her shoulders, that tiny little shred of doubt always seemed to make its presence known.
“We know you can do it, Meg!”
“You’ve got this, no sweat!”
The exuberant exclamations from her teammates mere minutes earlier played over and over again in her head. They were right, they had to be. She could do this!…Right?She lifted her gaze as she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Coach Jackson rounded the corner, excited smile on his face.“The break’s almost over, you ready?”She said nothing, and he saw the expression she wore.“What’s up, champ?”Meghan exhaled, lifting her head to meet his gaze. “Just, nerves, I guess…”He took a seat next to her. “Perfectly normal. Still, I know you’ve got what it takes to win this.”She whined, bowing her head and clutching at it, elbows resting on her knees.“But what if I don’t, Coach, what if I fuck it up?”He smirked and shook his head. “We’re gonna need to get a swear jar for you…”She deadpanned at him. “Very funny.”“I’m serious, after a month we could afford all new gym equipment! Maybe a set of bleachers…”“Coach…”“Even a brand-new filtration system for the pool!”Meghan found herself giggling into her hand.Jackson smiled. “Glad I could help. But hey, listen. No matter what happens out there tonight, know that everyone on this team is proud of you. You’ve done right by all of us, especially considering how much you’ve done to help.”He stood up. “Besides, it’s not like this meet is the gateway to your ambitions. So, let’s get out there and win this thing, you goddamned champion.” He held out a hand.“Ah ah ah, that’s one for the swear jar!” She reached out and allowed him to pull her up.“I’ll put it on my tab.” ---
Inhale, count to four. Exhale, count to four.
Meghan stepped onto the starting block, chancing a look around the gym. Down the line were the state’s greatest female swimmers, all gunning for the title she knew was as good as hers. On the sidelines, teams and coaches prayed that their champion would be the one to clinch the final event.In the stands…Sean and McKenzie sat, waving and gesturing at their star of a daughter.Meghan had the best support network of anyone she knew. All of them came to watch a show of skill, with the ambition of watching her claim the trophy.The official raised the megaphone to his mouth. “Racers! Are you ready?”They all knelt, one leg splayed behind as their hands braced their weight. As if switched off, Meghan’s mind went blank.“Set!”Her head lifted, her cocky grin adorning her face.A whistle blew, sending the swimmers rocketing into the waiting water.Sound gradually dropped out of her senses. Her breathing slowed and steadied, trained to allow for the most efficient muscle movement – any wasted air only slowed her down.Meghan’s state of mind in a competition entered a realm akin to the water itself – persistent and methodical, dangerous when angered. She was in her element, poetic symbiosis melding them into one. Slow, peaceful tones wrapped themselves around her body, pulling it in sync with the water.Meghan spun, hit the wall, and launched for another lap. Again, and again, and again… After the seventh lap, she noticed far fewer people keeping pace.Amateurs.One by one they dropped from actual contention, and Meghan used each small victory as motivation to keep grinding. Soon enough, only two others remained. Within two seconds, they all kicked off for the final stretch, and she found herself a half stroke behind.To the untrained eye, it seemed that Meghan wouldn’t have the ability to pull this out. However, like a shark to its prey, she could see her opponent fading. Prey that was growing tired, the stress from the constant chase pulling the other swimmers down into the dark below.With a burst, Meghan propelled into the current, riding the driving current into the lead spot. With mere meters to go, she sped forward and touched the wall, an air horn sounding above.The three swimmers vaulted out of the pool and stood in place, chests heaving. The time judge rose from his seat and slowly made his way towards them. A nervous quiet permeated the room, the judge seemingly walking at a deliberate snail’s pace.He passed one racer, then the second, and stopped in front of the third, raising her arm.Meghan had won the California state competition for her team.The section housing her team and fans erupted in cheer, in complete contrast to the deflation of the others watching. She found herself swarmed by teammates, Coach Jackson standing back with arms crossed and a proud smile. --- The locker room celebration lasted for the better part of half an hour. As soon as Jackson managed to get everyone more or less paying attention, he addressed the group.“You all know I’m not really one for long-winded speeches, but this has to be said. I am so goddamn proud of every single one of you; you all brought you’re A-game tonight. None of your efforts can be understated, and you cleared the final hurdle effortlessly.”One by one he went down the roster and individually thanked them for their hard work, leaving Meghan for last.“And I don’t think I need to state just what you’ve meant for us, Meg. You took us above the competition, and made us one happy team. So, thank you.”She gave a dramatic flip of the hair, a rightly smug expression on her face. A chorus of demands for a speech fired off from varying persons in the room.Meghan laughed and threw up her hands, relenting to the horde. She climbed onto a bench and looked over her teammates.“First off, I want to congratulate you all; everyone pulled their weight today. It was a team effort that got us here, and now we can look back knowing that we gave it our all and have everything to show for it.”She pointed at the team, sweeping her hand across the length of the room. “And I want to thank you all, for all you’ve done for me.”A flurry of confused looks went around the room.“Being on this team… having all of you to be friends and teammates with, to help me grow, to pick me up, to be the best people a captain could ask for… it’s been everything I ever could’ve wanted from the experience. I’ll remember this night as a first of many, and I hope you’ve all had as much fun as I have in getting here, because it won’t be stopping any time soon.”She hopped to the floor and raised her fist. “Bring it in, everyone!”Meghan’s teammates surrounded her. “Family on three, one two three!”“Family!” Whooping cheers went from wall to wall until Jackson caught the team’s attention.“Well said, Meg.” He put his hands on his hips and looked to the floor. “You know, I think some sort of actual celebration is in order…”His head lifted. “And I know just the thing. Dinner and dessert at Ruby’s tonight, all on me!”The team cheered again, pure joy threatening to punch holes in the lockers.“Dress casual, you know the drill. I’ll see you all there!” ---
Whatever, fuck it, this’ll do. I’m not trying to impress anyone.
Fabric from the blouse fluttered as Meghan wrenched the hanger from the closet, frustration marring her face. She gritted her teeth, pushing an annoyed sigh through her nose.Evening traffic in California was always rough, didn’t matter where you lived. Meghan had little patience for it, especially when she had somewhere to be. She’d texted Coach Jackson and her co-captain that she’d be late, colorful language highlighting each sent message.She capped off her outfit of the evening, checking the final results in the mirror.
Not about to let some stupid pricks holding up traffic ruin my chance at having fun.
Meghan grabbed her camera from the nightstand. She held her left elbow, with the hand holding the camera resting lazily to the side. She smirked.
Damn, I’m fuckin’ hot.
She righted the camera and snapped a picture before returning the camera to the stand.She descended into the living room, using the bottom of the banister to hook around the staircase and propel herself toward the door.“Dad, I’m taking the Acura. I’ll be back later tonight.”Sean turned from the television, placing an arm on the top of the couch. “Be careful, Meg, summer Fridays bring out the extra stupid in people.”She waved him off and turned to leave. “Yeah, yeah, I know dad.”He called to her back, “Meghan I’m, serious. Please be careful,” She turned to face him. “For me.”Meghan looked at her father, and seeing the conviction etched into his face pushed her to give a nod. “I will. I’ll see you later. Love you, dad.”“Love you too, sweetheart.”With that, she opened the door and left the house.Meghan gingerly lowered herself into the car, clicked the seatbelt on, and started the engine.She backed out of the driveway, and made her way toward the on ramp to Route 76 from Canyon Vista. As she got up to speed and merged into traffic, she became aware of just how light it actually was.
Weird… maybe everyone’s already out drinking.
Five or six pop songs later, signs dotted the road, marking on ramps and off ramps for downtown. Meghan’s chin bobbed up and down, hands drumming on the steering wheel to the beat of her new favorite track, voice belting out perfectly tuned lyrics.At a break in the verses she looked back to the highway to see she’d almost missed the exit.She dropped the carefree attitude and gripped the wheel with both hands, swearing under her breath. She jarred the wheel to the right in an effort to reach the off ramp in time.A deep horn blast ripped through the air, causing Meghan to jump in her seat and slam the brake pedal. Her head whipped around in the direction of the noise as her breathing became erratic.Time simultaneously slowed and sped up, her brain struggling to keep up with the stimuli. The tractor trailer roared past her, horn blaring the whole way. She fell in line with the exiting vehicles, white-knuckled hands clutching the steering column for dear life. She sucked in as much air as she could, her body having momentarily forgotten that she needed it.Meghan slowed to a stop at the traffic light at the end of ramp, and ran a hand through her hair and down her face. She reached for the volume knob on the radio, the violent shake in her hands not going unnoticed.
Get a fucking grip, Meg, you nearly just killed yourself…
Taking a final deep breath to even herself out, she released the brake pedal upon seeing the very same tractor trailer sluggishly move its way forward. She got onto the North Coast Highway, waiting for the sign for Pier View Way – the public lot there was the closest to Ruby’s without having to walk more than she had to.The light at Civic Center Drive flashed yellow as the tractor trailer crawled under it, earning a groan from Meghan before she stopped at the intersection. Again she drummed her hand on the wheel, albeit this time because of the wait.
I just need to get out of this car and eat some goddamn food. Coach is gonna freak out at this one…
The light flipped, and Meghan switched her foot between the pedals. The engine spun up as the car started rolling forward.Screeching tires forced her attention to the left, and Meghan had just enough time to pull in a terrified gasp before a pickup truck slammed into the door.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
June 13th, 2003
Black.Meghan’s vision was encompassed with dulled, hazy, black.The only sound she could discern amongst the jumbled mess of nerves was her blood pounding against her eardrums.With great effort, she pried her eyes open, desperately searching for anything that could explain what had gone on.Her head sluggishly rolled along her shoulder, bloodshot eyes leveling an empty stare at the left side of her car.Broken glass. Jagged metal. Bent, fractured plastic.
What the hell happened-
A new sound assaulted her ears – sirens. Muffled voices surrounded her, concern and terror seeping into each word.All at once, the floodgate opened and threatened to hold Meghan’s head under with a force she wasn’t sure she could top – she’d been hit by a car.She groaned, blunted senses making it impossible for her to tell just how bad the situation was.Meghan made an effort to pull her torso up, before the tangle of wires making up her nervous system sparked together, a complete circuit being present for the first time since the accident. A scream tore from her throat, muscles and bones shrieking in agonizing pain at the disconnected nature they now possessed.The car awkwardly melded with hers rolled backwards, glass fragments crunching underneath its tires. A huge set of metal jaws forcibly separated the door of Meghan’s car from the frame, before falling clean from it to the ground.She continued to scream, tears mixing with dirt and blood as it ran down her face. Through the noise, faint sounds of words directed at her registered in her brain.“-going to be OK-““-try not to move-“Meghan felt herself being removed from the car, the ceiling of an ambulance being the last thing she saw before blacking out. --- Slow, rhythmic beeps.That was the sound Meghan woke up to. For the second time that day, she struggled to open her eyes.And, again, not for the first time that day, the voices around her were not immediately clear.“-sure there isn’t any chance that she…”The first two figures, with their backs to Meghan, had their hands over their mouths. The third, facing Meghan, shook his head, somber expression painted on his face.“No, it was just too severe. I cannot, in good conscience, allow her to continue—”, he paused, noticing Meghan looking in their direction.The man, wrapped in a white coat, approached her bed and knelt down. The other two turned, and the pain-stricken faces of Sean and McKenzie stared back at her.“Hello Meghan. How are you feeling?”She blinked slowly, and found that her mouth was too dry to speak. What came forth, instead, was a raspy scratch followed by a hacking cough. The doctor handed her a cup of water.Meghan’s parents walked to her other side, and McKenzie took her hand, running her thumb over Meghan’s knuckles. “Hi Angel…” Her voice wavered, and Meghan swallowed painfully upon seeing the tear marks on her cheeks.“What- happened?”Sean looked to the doctor, cocking his chin in the man’s direction.“You were hit by a drunk driver, Meghan. He ran a red light, and hit your driver’s side door. You suffered a number of lacerations and bruising, internal and external. Nothing’s irreparable, but you’ll be down for a while.”He sucked in air, “Your arm was pinned between the door and your body, and at a very bad angle. You have two fractures in your humerus. The first is comminuted, and what that means is that part of the bone broke into several fragments.”Meghan stared up at the doctor with enlarged eyes, chest tightening.“This is a serious injury, and can take months to fully heal. Now… The other break is longitudinal, meaning that it runs down the length of the bone, rather than across it. This one is worse, and it could take up to a year to get back to normal function.”The doctor heaved a nervous sigh, folding his hands and looking to the floor before looking into her eyes.“Your father tells me that you’re a very talented swimmer, with sights set on the Olympics.”Tears leaked from her eyes as the tightness in her chest snaked its way into her throat, “Please…”He pulled his lips together and placed a hand on her shoulder. “As a medical professional, I must tell you, as much as I really don’t want to, that at this point, you should not try for this. The rigors that competitive swimming put on your body will almost certainly lead to more extensive damage.”She released a single, choked up sob. “But- but this is my passion, this is my life! Swimming means everything to me, I don’t know what I would do without it!”“I’m sorry, Meghan. Everyone in your life, myself included, would feel terrible if you hurt yourself even worse somehow-““This isn’t fair!” She felt her mother’s forehead fall against her shoulder, but continued to yell at the doctor. “Why did it have to go like this!? What am I supposed to do without my sport, my team… what am I supposed to tell my coach-““I want nothing more than for you to be safe, Meg.”Meghan’s eyes snapped to the door, her mouth hanging open. Coach Jackson stood in the door frame, hands in his pockets, bags pulling at his reddened eyes. She covered her face with her hands, openly sobbing into them.The others in the room said nothing, but Jackson pointed to his wrist, and nodded as they got up to leave. Sean and McKenzie each shared a hug with the coach in the door, and Jackson spoke softly to Sean.“I am so sorry, both of you.”Sean spoke. “Me too, Kyle. Me too…” He pulled back, glancing at his daughter on the bed. “She needs to hear from you right now. I don’t know how much we’ll be able to do.”Jackson looked back, “I’ll do my best. Go get some rest, Sean, you’ve had a long night. And Kenzie,” He pulled a five dollar bill from his pocket, “Get a coffee. You need a break.”“I don’t know how I’m supposed to go back to work after this,” She swiped at the tears running down her face. “But I’ll try. Thank you for coming, Kyle.”“Of course. Now go, I’ll come get you on my way out.”Meghan’s parents hugged him again, before leaving the room.Jackson walked to Meghan’s bedside, pulling a chair up to the mattress. Meghan seemed to shrink, almost ashamed of her current status. Her cries grew quieter, but no less pronounced.Jackson put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s gonna be alright, champ. We all still love you, and you’re still here. The same can’t be said for the other guy, and that alone makes this situation bearable.”“I’m so sorry…” Her voice cracked, causing her to wince at the perceived weakness.“You’re sorry? Aww man- Meghan, if anyone should be sorry, it’s me. If it wasn’t for my plan, you wouldn’t be in this situation. But, it’s neither here nor there; it isn’t a fault on either one of us. You are still here.”She didn’t respond right away, still holding her face in her wet hands.“What- what am I gonna do, coach? Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve overcome since I was a kid, all of it, gone. Where do I go from here…?”He sighed. “I can’t answer that for you, Meg. Beyond being your swimming coach, there isn’t much I can do for you that someone else couldn’t do better. My job has been to help mold your passion, your unmatched energy, into an Olympic athlete. Now, you’re going to have to direct that energy elsewhere.”Meghan pulled her hands away, bloodshot eyes locking onto the coach’s. “But I don’t know what else I can do, coach, this has been my life… I don’t have the same drive for anything else. I don’t want to bottom out now, or end up teaching someone else how to be great because I can’t do it myself-“She stopped. “I- I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-““It’s OK. I know you didn’t mean anything by it, and I understand where you’re coming from. Meg, for what it’s worth, this doesn’t have to be an ending to your pool life. You can still come see me whenever, and I know your teammates would love to keep seeing you. Hell, in a bit you can even use the pool for recreational swimming.”Again she chose not to speak immediately, staring dejectedly into the sheets.“The team is here, out in the lobby. Do you want to see them?”“I guess.” She squeaked.It broke Jackson’s heart to see Meghan like this – so broken, so defeated. He had to throw her a line, had to be a lighthouse in the storm.“Meghan, can you look at me one more time before I go?”She complied, but still said nothing.“Whatever happens next, I know you can do anything you set your mind to. You are the strongest girl I have ever known. But you cannot let this injury define you. Don’t let it ruin another dream, beat it until it isn’t an issue anymore. You are a fighter, and you do everything in your power to make your dreams, and those of the people close to you, succeed. This is not the end, Meghan. Stay strong, just like you always have been.”Coach Jackson stood, and headed for the door. He threw one last look over his shoulder, “’He has heart who knows fear, but vanquishes it; who sees the abyss, but with pride.’”With that, he turned and left. He wasn’t sure if his words would take, but he did know that it was all he could do. Even if it took everything she had, she would overcome this.She had to.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
May 10, 2004
Meghan’s face contorted, but she remained silent as the tattoo pen crawled up her arm. After six hours in the chair, she was good and sick of how that fucking broken spring dug into her lower back, and the wisps of smoke that rose toward her face with rhythmic repeatability.“Paula, do you suppose you could chill with the chain smoking while I’m here? I’m not looking to sound as bad as you do by the time I’m 30.”The older woman let loose a gravelly laugh from the left side of her mouth, the other still clutching the cigarette with her teeth.“No can do, kiddo. Need ‘em to keep my hands from shakin’. You don’t want a fucky lookin’ sleeve, do ya?”She scoffed. “Well then could you at least get a new chair? My back’s getting sore from the dagger poking through the leather.”“Thought you was used to feelin’ springs while you were on your back?”Meghan chuckled dryly, “Granted, but usually what’s going on during that is a little different.”“Amen, girly.”Over the course of the past year, Meghan had set aside a chunk of money from her bullshit job as a warehouse stocker with the goal of doing something to deal with the eyesore that was her left arm. In the months following the accident, she’d grown to resent everything about her scars and her life before she got them.Her life had changed drastically since then; a number of activities and people trying to fill the void in her life after swimming got thrown into the grinder. She’d become less tolerant of her family, often fighting with her father over every little thing.So maybe the tattoos weren’t just to hide the scars.Meghan found Paula during her search for an artist with experience in such a thing, and they met several times to work out a design that both hid the marks and told a story. During their talks, Meghan had decided to get both arms inked, because “why leave a job half finished?”According to US law, persons between 14 and 18 must have written permission from a parent or legal guardian to get inked. A look at a calendar told someone that Meghan did not meet the age threshold to go by herself. Not to be deterred, she came up with a plan to circumvent this inconvenience.One phone call later, and she received a signed and notarized form, sent by one Robert Castellano.
‘Enjoy your early birthday present, kiddo!’
And so, in early April, Meghan walked into Paula’s shop and booked the first of four appointments to transform her arms from battle-scarred monstrosities into canvases for new age art.Paula continued down Meghan’s arm, the buzzing pen leaving behind trails of black ink. Meghan watched as the pen passed over and around the malformed skin, diamond chains and woven chevrons replacing the ugly scar tissue. Tribal tattoos made up the lower sections, accentuated wavy shapes dancing along the circumference of her arm.The motor stopped, and she looked at the area just below her shoulder to see a finished sun-like shape peeking over the horizon of her sleeve.“And I think that just about does it, Meg. Stand up ‘n check yourself out in the mirror.”Meghan sprang out of the shitty chair, rushing to see the results.“Oh hell yes!” She flexed both arms, watching as the lines bounced and tightened with the muscles; a new armor welded just for her.Paula smirked and shook her head. “You told your momma and daddy about these yet?”Meghan soured. “Nope, and at this point, they’re just gonna have to get over it.”Paula took a puff from her cigarette. “Listen, kid. It ain’t none ‘a my business, but you oughta figure your shit out with them. Take it from me, you don’t wanna alienate your family like that.”“Yeah, well, maybe dad should make an effort not to alienate me. My life is my own, and I’m not going to let anyone or anything rule me.”“There’s certainly worse ways to think… Well, just don’t forget what I said.” Another drag. “So whatchu doin’ after school, kid? You could come work for me if you wanted.” She laughed, devolving into a coughing fit.Meghan’s eyes dropped. “Been thinking a lot about that. I still want to be something great, Paula. Can’t be an athlete, but maybe there’s something I can still be the best at.”Paula turned her back as she stowed her equipment. “You could always join the military.”“Would you believe me if that was at the top of the list? Ever since 2001, that’s always been at the back of my mind…” Meghan crossed her arms. “You know anything about the SEALs?”“Sure, my ex-husband failed outta the training for ‘em. You tryin’ to get in with them?”“Maybe. On top of being the best of the best, dad mentioned once that there’s never been a woman that made it in. Just the idea of that interests me.”“Probably helps your thinkin’ that it’d stick it to ya daddy if you joined the Navy.” Paula mumbled.“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of that.”Paula shrugged, extending a hand. “Well, let me know what you decide on. Come back in a week so I can check up on the sleeves.”They shook. “You got it. Thanks, Paula.” --- Meghan shut the door of her home, bee lining for the staircase.McKenzie swiveled her head from her spot on the couch and looked to Sean before tilting her chin towards their daughter. “Talk to her, Sean, I’m sick and tired of the toxicity in this family. She hardly even comes home anymore…”Sean exhaled loudly through his nose.“That you, Meg?” Sean called.She hummed, but continued up the stairs.“No no no, Meghan, please come back here.” Sean stood and made his way to the stairs, leaning on the banister.Meghan sighed loudly, hanging her head before looking to him. “What?”McKenzie stood up and tentatively walked to her husband, putting a hand on his shoulder.Meghan followed her parents’ eyes to her arms, and snapped back to Sean’s face, waiting for either of them to say something.“I’m going to guess you haven’t been ignoring our calls and staying anywhere other than home for the last several weeks because you’ve been extensively researching colleges?”She crossed her arms. “You’d be right.”“And when do you plan to do that?"McKenzie shook Sean. “Hun, can we not—“ He shook her off.“Let her answer.” He crossed his arms.“I don’t.”Sean’s eyes narrowed. “You may want to reconsider that, Meghan.”“Probably not gonna happen.”“And what do you plan to do with yourself after high school, then?”She shrugged. “Join the Navy.” This got her mother’s attention, whose jaw slacked.Sean scoffed. “Good one, smartass.”“Man you are gonna be pissed when you find out that I’m totally serious.”He stared into her eyes. “Bullshit.”“Believe what you want, dad.” She turned.He followed her for a couple steps. “Why, oh why, have you been so snippy and confrontational with your mother and me recently?”Meghan snorted. “Because you two have done nothing but try to control everything about me for months, and I’m tired of it. Just let me live my own life, and make my own choices!”McKenzie struggled, to no avail, to defuse the ticking bomb in front of her. There was no pair of wire cutters prominent enough to stop this timer.Sean raised a finger to her. “Frankly, I’m not convinced that you deserve to make some of these choices. ‘Responsibility’ has been a word missing from your vocabulary for a while now. Just look at what you blew your money on!”Knocked on the defensive, Meghan raised her voice. “It’s my money, and I don’t see what difference it makes to you! I really don’t care what you think!” She whipped around to leave.“We are not done, Meghan!” Sean yelled.McKenzie tried to shoulder way past her husband. “Okay, that is enough, Sean-““Let me finish, Kenz, this has to be said.”Meghan turned around, mouth open, and arms outstretched.“Never mind why you would want to join the Navy, what on Earth makes you think that you can?”She descended enough to stare him in the face. “I can do whatever I damn well please! But why stop there? I’ll apply to the SEAL program, and I’ll be the fucking best at it!”The sound of Sean’s breathing amplified, as he spoke with a harsh whisper. “Don’t be ridiculous, and watch your damn mouth, young lady!”“There’s only one of us being ridiculous here, dad, and it isn’t me. I’m gonna goddamn do it, with or without your support, and I’ll make you look like an idiot for doubting me.”Both combatants puffed themselves up, battling for top dog.“Even if this wasn’t the most outrageous thing you’ve ever suggested, you wouldn’t be able to get close to doing any of that even before your accident, let alone now!” Sean’s teeth snapped together.Meghan’s fiery gaze flitted left and right, up and down. Her body shook, armor cracking at the blow. Try as she may, she couldn’t keep the shock and pain from her face. Tears formed in her eyes, stinging as they pushed down her reddened cheeks.Just like that, the fight was over.Sean’s expression changed in an instant, as if he’d been slapped, “Meg, I— I didn’t mean—“She was already halfway up the stairs. And Sean certainly didn’t feel like a winner. --- Hours later, after night had long fallen, Sean cautiously made his way up to the second floor. Wringing his hands, he padded his way to Meghan’s door and knocked. “Sweetie, can I come in?”No response.He knocked again, harder this time. “Angel, I just want to apologize for earlier.”Nothing.His brows creased, and he inhaled before opening the door.“Meghan, please, let me just—“What greeted him was an empty room.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
August 8, 2005
The halls echoed with loud, crisp footsteps. A figure with a pressed shirt tucked into a pressed pair of pants marched through the building, turning the corner into a large room towards the back.He stopped at the door, tightened his stance, and folded his hands behind him.“Everyone up!”As if a grenade went off, the dozens of recruits bolted up and jumped from their bunks. Within seconds, every last person in the room was standing at attention at the foot of their beds. Meghan stood among them, eyes forward and face stoic.The sound in the room died, and the drill instructor walked down the lines.“Welcome to week four. If you know anyone who has been through these halls, they might tell you this is hell week. As you can see, I’ve woken you up at oh-three-thirty. Is anyone here tired?”“No, Petty Officer!” One, synonymous shout.His brows knitted together as he shouted. “I can’t hear you!”“No, Petty Officer!”“Good! Now get your asses cleaned up and form up for the PFA!”The physical fitness assessment. She’d passed the first such test with ease, but everyone knew that was easy mode. The second iteration was the first real challenge that Meghan actively worried about in boot. A benchmark that every recruit had to meet, with the knowledge that they were at risk of letting not only themselves down, but their fellow recruits as well.Meghan was no stranger to putting teams on her back, but this test went beyond her ability to carry. This test failed the whole class if enough participants sank. This test, was on par with Olympic qualifying standards.It was a topic of no small amount of internal debate if she would be able to kill those particular demons. She knew that her physical and leadership abilities were sufficient, but the mental aspect of the concept alone gave her pause.She had rehabbed her injury extensively, trained harder than ever before to get back to standard. But that wasn’t good enough – she had to be better than standard.And hell would freeze over before she could be described as standard.
They’ll have to create a new precedent.
--- Meghan stood outside amongst her peers, in PT gear, waiting. She watched as they completed their tests, one activity after another. She’d memorized every one, and the requisite benchmarks.
Sit-reach, curl ups, push-ups, five hundred yard swim.
“Castellano!”“Sit-reach, let’s see it.”She stepped out and sat down, legs extended and knees locked. With minimal effort, Meghan’s hands latched to her toes, sticking like glue for the required one second.Keep goin’.”She arched her legs and crossed her arms. Slow inhale, slow exhale.“Get started!”Meghan’s body sprang into action, muscles flexing and relaxing in perfect unison. They executed like a well maintained engine, pistons firing perfectly into the cylinders. A trick Jackson had taught her long ago was to think of anything else, to ignore the buildup of lactic acid. Once the subconscious action gets going, the mind wanders to a strong thought. In Meghan’s case, it was the primary accelerator in her life.
Motivation.
Her mind went to her high school teammates, and how they would all do anything for each other. The ones who mentored her at the beginning, how thankful she was for their tutelage. The ones she competed with day in and day out, how much she appreciated people to keep her sharp. The ones she taught and praised when she was top dog, how much she loved watching them grow.“Next exercise!”In one fluid motion, Meghan pushed herself upwards, balanced her weight on her right arm, and rotated about the planted limb. Her splayed hands and toes of her boots held her weight as she pushed.She thought about her teachers and coaches, Jackson being at the forefront. How patient he was with her, the extra hours he spent building her up. The techniques, tricks, and tactics he taught her in becoming the state’s best swimmer; his constant pushing to make her into a well-rounded individual. A dullness started to creep into her left shoulder.“Next!”With a shove, Meghan launched herself up and ran for the track. Her mind shifted to her friends, how much she missed being around them. Laughing at stupid jokes, causing trouble for themselves at school, doing stupid shit in the city that nearly got them arrested. She thought of the high school boyfriend she left behind, how he tried to convince her not to leave because “the military is full of stupid jarheads and cold-blooded killers.”Let me know how working the loading dock at SafeWay works out for you, Tommy.“Last one, Castellano!”Meghan jogged to the pool, pulling her shirt and shorts off before diving in.She closed her eyes as she hit the water, and in her mind’s eye only saw one thing.Red. Anger. A roaring flame stoked by the poker of spite, fed by a gas can full of grudge.The image of her father played on repeat, flickering like a broken film reel. His doubts and thinly veiled venom drove her muscles like a shot of adrenaline, limbs pumping furiously as she attacked the water.Stroke after stroke, she went from end to end, once again thinking nothing of the activity. In what seemed to her was the blink of an eye, a whistle blew from the edge of the water, eliciting an involuntary flinch.Meghan stopped, chest heaving, and hefted herself from the pool. She snapped to attention, holding perfect posture as she awaited evaluation. Her left arm felt pins and needles from trunk to hand, hot spikes slowly pushing into her nerves. She grit her teeth, determined not to show weakness.The stat keeper looked between the sheet and the recruit, his face never betraying his thoughts.“Nice job, rookie. Go clean up.”“Yes, chief.”Meghan broke her stance and returned to the barracks, smug smirk on her face.The results would speak for themselves. --- Meghan was no stranger to firearms. Sean, being Marine, had several in the house while she was growing up. He was always hesitant to let her use them, but he always took the opportunity to drill gun safety into her head. The two times he relented and took her shooting, he was stunned at just how well she could operate his guns.Not that he would ever admit that.
Oh, how fate twists one’s expectations.
Meghan steadied her breathing, letting the light breeze on the range siphon the spent air from her lungs. She brought the glow sights to eye level, right hand supporting the weight, and double tapped the trigger. The force from the recoil rocked her arms, but she did not waver. The handgun was holstered and re-brandished, slinging bullets with deadly accuracy.She flicked the eject lever, letting the spent half-mag fall to the ground and sliding a fresh one into the port. Her grip switched, left hand now holding the gun, and she repeated the process. A pinch hit her forearm, but the chest and head of the wooden three yard target splintered all the same.The first dummy lowered as the seven yard target sprang up. She fired three two-round volleys, strong hand supporting once again. Starting a ten second timer in her head, Meghan fired twice more, swapped the cartridge, switched to her weak side, and shot two more rounds before sliding the barrel into its holster.Another timer, eight seconds this time. The barrel found itself pointed at the target and spitting its final two bullets downrange. Like the previous dummy, this one was relieved by a third target, now fifteen yards back.Meghan drew a deep breath, setting her stance and narrowing her eyes as she took aim. She fired two rounds in just under four seconds and slid the gun away. She dropped to a knee and shot four more before reloading and holstering. Finally, time seemed to slow as Meghan set her last timer – to fire the last eight bullets within eight seconds. The slide rocketed back and forth as a steady stream of brass casings bounced every which way. The barrel smoked after the last round left the chamber, like a wildfire deprived of oxygen.The final dummy fell, riddled with holes from head to torso. Meghan made a conscious effort not to smirk, expecting an earful if she slipped up. She walked to the range bench and took the barrel in her left hand to extend the pistol to the range master. He nodded at the table, and she placed it down.“Outstanding, you showoff.”Her arms snapped to her sides. “Thank you, Chief.”“Get your ass over to the next range.”She wordlessly complied, moving with purpose toward the first barricade of the shotgun course. Meghan had to make a conscious effort to steady her breathing, wary of the rugged Mossberg firearm resting in her hands.She stepped up to the barricade, twenty-five yards from the target, and loaded the five shells laid out next to the shotgun into its receiver, before leaning into the barrier. A shuddering breath left her lungs.“Begin!”Five loud bursts rang out, punctuated by rhythmic clicks, and hot casings were thrown to the ground. Meghan stood firm, despite the tremors that tore through her with each pull of the trigger. Each successive target was riddled with pellets, but she knew better than to count.She marched to the second station, a low barricade at kneeling height and twenty yards from the dummy. As the four shells slid into the chamber, Meghan found herself quietly scoffing at just how shitty the training weapons were. The thing looked like it was fifty years old and felt older than that. She noticed that the ejection port had way too much friction, and wondered how long it would be before the gun jammed on someone.Meghan shook her head and knelt down, stock pressing into her already-sore muscles, and the second set of targets found themselves just as perforated as the first.The third station saw her standing with her weapon at the shoulder position at fifteen yards, but minus one barricade to support her stance. She shoved the creeping feeling of dread from her mind.
I’ll be fine…
Four shells went in, and she pulled the trigger. This time, Meghan winced as the stock buried itself into the fabric of her uniform. Her body called out in protest at the repeated actions. She refused to think about it, and pumped the shotgun.Thud. A loud exhale left her flared nostrils.Thud. Her lips pursed, tightening around her teeth.Thud. She groaned against her will, angry at herself for letting it happen. The petty officer standing by glanced at Meghan, her pained expressions not slipping by unnoticed.The fourth station may as well have been a burning room, for all she wanted to do with it. This test would have her load the final three shells and shoot from the hip at ten yards with no barricade. Meghan had an idea of how much force this firing position would put on her bones, and if she were honest with herself, she was scared. If force applied directly to her shoulder hurt like that, what would it be like to have it torqueing her shoulder so aggressively?She clenched her jaw, leveling an angry stare at the target. The gun coughed a loud burst of pellets, and again Meghan winced. She fired again, earning another flare of the nerves. With a grunt, she adjusted her hold on the weapon. She took the shotgun’s forestock in her right hand and forcefully jerked the frame, ejecting the spent shell.Meghan reassumed the firing stance and pulled the trigger for the final time. She shifted her grasp on the shotgun to the forestock again, and used the prostrated firearm to brace herself as she fell to a knee, breathing increasingly labored.The petty officer ran to her side, kneeling to her level. “Is everything alright, Cadet?”“My arm, sir. I’ll be fine.”He looked at the targets and saw the collections of center mass shots, before facing her. “Let’s go, I’m taking you to Medical. You’re done for today.”She accepted his hand and pulled herself up. As they walked from the range, she glared at the shotgun.Just one more opponent to conquer. --- Meghan sat in the Medical wing, running through the list of physical therapy exercises given to her by the camp doctors. She turned to the door upon hearing someone entering the room.“How are you feeling, Castellano?”“Never better, doc. Like I told Petty Officer Benjamin, I’ll be fine. The shotgun at the range just made me a little sore.”The doctor crossed his arms. “You shouldn’t act so nonchalantly about your condition. Times like this, I wonder why they let you in. You’re lucky, someone must really like you. You may be in exemplary physical shape, but it wasn’t some ‘nothing’ injury you had.”Meghan scoffed. “You make it sound like I’ve got the Plague or something. Thanks for the reminder, by the way.” She sighed. “Look, doc, I’m not blind to my ‘condition.’ I know it’ll be a bitch to live this life sometimes. Thing is, that makes me even more determined to make it work. I’m willing to put in the extra effort, and I want to be the best I can be despite it.”The man shrugged. “I can’t say I don’t respect the drive. And, given, your assessments so far, I suppose it’d be crazy to stop you now. I just hope that, for your sake and ours, your body holds up.” He turned to leave.“Me too, doc. Me too.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
September 9, 2005
A haze of sounds bounced between Meghan’s eardrums like the droning flatline static of a dead TV broadcast. Varying pitches and inflections accented the bevy of voices talking at the lineup of uniformed people. They stood, motionless, listening to speakers congratulate their efforts so far, and layer on the reality that there is much still to come.Meghan swore that she’d make the best effort to pay full attention, but she was never one for pointless ceremony. Much like graduation from junior high school, this served to annoy Meghan by its existence, and for no other reason.
I got through the entry exam, yay. Give me my assignment so the real work can start.
Meghan forced herself to refocus, making a conscious effort not to move in the meanwhile. This wasn’t some nothing accomplishment, she kept reminding herself, this was the first test in the commitment to a completely new way of life.One of the first lessons she’d learned through a torrent of shouted words and close-range spit of a drill instructor was that her rebellious nature would get her forcefully dry docked in a hurry.Being a part of the United States armed forces meant being a part of something greater than one’s self, a sacrifice beyond leaving home to obey orders of someone they’d never met. Being an effective contributor required the casting aside of one’s lesser qualities, so that they may better serve the collective that strove to keep the country and its interests safe, and if that meant that Meghan had to can her contempt for perceived extravagance to avoid being torpedoed on the front lines, so be it.A video flickered to life in the auditorium, spitting snapshots in time from the earliest moments of the new inductees’ time at the facility. Getting measured, stowing of personal effects, getting her hair cut, the first days in the classroom for orientation, shots and medical assessments… calling home…A numbing feeling punched its way into Meghan’s gut – that was a particularly awkward conversation. At the time she wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t be immediately hung up on, but on reflection she almost wished she had been. Speaking with her mother nearly deep sixed her entire plan – she hated hearing McKenzie cry. After a few terse sentences, Meghan was told that her father was “out with his friends,” but she knew better. Sean wouldn’t want anything to do with her after the past six months.She was on her own now.The video switched to the training exercises they had endured. Fire safety, with the stuffy uniforms and hoses. Chemical suits and gas masks, with somehow even less breathability, ironically. The water-based exercises – Meghan puffed herself up as it showed her leading the pack in the diving and raft drills. The firing range, that damned shotgun. Meghan found herself grinding her teeth, and clenched a fist to calm herself.The image Rear Admiral Danvers flashed on screen, talking to the audience, thanking the graduates for their leap into service, and particularly their families for the sacrifice, for allowing their loved one to be a part of “the greatest Navy in the world.”The irony was not lost on her.Further bands played their songs, further flag bearers paraded around the room. Meghan held her ground, trying to bask in what was a celebration of her, among others. One by one the state flag holders lowered their patterned fabric, cheers of varying intensity following each utterance. Much to her non-surprise, Texas and New York received the most raucous reception.The far doors opened as the announcer introduced the staff of the base, and row by row Meghan watched as those that molded her most hastily strolled down the lined floor. These people, despite whatever initial thoughts she may have held for them upon arriving, were already among those she respected most. Their influence, she had decided, was akin to that of a hurricane – over the course of a short time, they affected her life in ways that would change her forever, though not in gentle fashion. Whether she liked it or not, they burned her new way of life into her skull, and set the tone for who she would eventually strive to be.That was their cue, and the divisions of the newly graduated class marched into the auditorium. The booming voice introduced them as a sportscaster would, cheers and applause filling the room with echoing reverberation. As they’d done so many times already, they followed instruction as the ceremony proceeded. Moving as part of a cohesive whole, she eventually stood with her unit at the center of the room. The crisp voice of the male coordinator never failed to test her composure; she’d always found it laughable how they were able to make one syllable words last for five seconds at a time, baritone notes dragging every last letter through the halls.A female lieutenant cut the following silence, her trained speaking voice commanding the attention of the room. She introduced herself as a training command officer, and gave a brief overview of the time that the nearly eight hundred recruits has spent in her care. One by one she acknowledged the leaders of the divisions, giving the petty officers their rightful moment of recognition. Meghan watched as her division officers stepped forward and saluted the crowd, unable to keep herself from imagining her name being called in such a fashion.
One day.
More songs and prayers came after a few high ranking individuals did their thing at the front of the groups. Again Meghan found herself tuning it out, she was rapidly approaching the point of no attention. For a second time, however, her focus snapped to the sudden yelling from the division leaders as they signaled “farewell” to the training camp. She barked out the sailor’s creed in unison with her new family, and fell back into silence as the fanfare started again.Gun twirling and instrument playing, while very pretty and impressive, did nothing for her at this point. Hell, it may have even started to worsen the whole experience, were she the drama-loving sort.Finally, the commanding officer of recruit training command said his piece, before he handed the floor to the announcer for the doling out of division awards.Meghan, alongside a few other notable recruits, stood in formation front of the guest officers of the ceremony, waiting for the announcer to get through the long-winded distinction descriptions. As the recruit in front of her turned and marched off, she took the initiative.She stopped, snapping to a salute, “Good morning, Captain! Seaman Castellano reporting!”The man smiled and returned the gesture, “Hooyah.” --- The overhead speaker crackled to life once more, “Seaman Meghan Castellano, Division 105, from Oceanside, Calfornia, is the recipient of the Military Order of the World Wars Award of Merit. This award is presented for meritorious performance during recruit training. Seaman Castellano is presented with a commemorative plaque from the Military Order of World Wars. Well done, Sailor!”
--- During the announcement, the Captain spoke with her. “Congratulations, Castellano, you really did it. I had my doubts, but you proved us all wrong.”Meghan didn’t try to conceal the smirk. “Respectfully, sir, I’m just getting started.”“I believe it. I know you’ll go on to do great things.”Her lips tugged ever upwards as she rolled her shoulders. “I appreciate that, sir. I’ll do my best to make you proud.”“Sailor, with much confidence, I can say that you already have. I'm looking forward to reading all about just how far you can take your military career.”She allowed herself a single, measured laugh. “Thank you, sir.” --- Thunderous applause erupted around them, and she side stepped to greet the next person, the visiting congressman. They shook hands as he handed her the aforementioned plaque.“Good morning sir.”“Good morning. Congratulations on your accomplishments, and keep up the good work.”“Thank you, sir.”She didn’t know the guy, and had a feeling he was only here because he drew a short straw, but mustered the same level of humility regardless.Another sidestep, this time coming face to face with a much higher ranking official.“Good morning, Admiral.” Another salute.“Good morning.” He extended his hand and shook, “Congratulations, well done.”“Thank you sir.”
Short and sweet, I like it.
Meghan resumed her march, reuniting with those recognized in her division. The adjutant spoke briefly before handing the podium to the congressman. He spoke of his efforts in the House of Representatives to highlight the need for expanded naval presence worldwide, which meant functioning bases and shipyards as well as sailors. The man orated with a practiced speech, all mannerisms carefully ironed out in ways only befitting to politics. Despite that, his message resonated with Meghan, sheerly from his tone. At the end of it he added that he, too, was once a sailor, and the previously unqualified nature of why she appreciated his character was made clear.
Maybe not just because he drew a short straw.
He and the commander did their final march past the division leads, saluting each time they met in line. Once they were free of the room, the section leaders lead the fall out.Just like that, it was over. Cheering and clapping once again filled her ears, as the divisions broke formation to converse among themselves and the people from the rapidly emptying stands. Meghan watched as her fellow sailors met with their families and guests, making her situation feel even more lonely.A hand laid itself on Meghan’s shoulder, and she turned to see who on earth-Her face lit up. “Coach Jackson!” She threw her arms around him. “What are you doing here? How did you know I—““Slow down there, killer.” He chuckled, rubbing his chin stubble after he pulled back.Meghan waited, albeit with waning restraint.“Your mom told me, and gave me her ticket. Wouldn’t miss this for the world, Meg.”The mention of her mother stung, although she wasn’t surprised. McKenzie always knew that Kyle was Meghan’s lighthouse in the raging sea.“I— I’m sorry I didn’t invite you, I had no idea that you…“ She trailed off, looking away from him.Jackson put a hand on her shoulder once more, giving a light shake. “It’s OK, Meghan. No harm done, I’m just glad I got to see you in your biggest moment yet.”She drew a shuddering breath. “You’re not… disappointed?”Jackson took a step back. “Disappointed? God, no! Meg, that night in the hospital, I told you to find something else to take refuge in, some other activity to base your life around. ‘He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.’”He gave her a warm smile, pulling her in for another hug. “This is as good as I could have ever hoped! I know you’re gonna do great.”Meghan looked into his eyes again, trying to match the raw determination he was exuding. For now, she would take him at his word.She nodded. “How about, after I get free, we catch up. I’ll give you the details behind, well, all of this.” She opened her arms at the room. “I’ll call you?”He flashed a grin. “I’d like nothing more.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
December 22, 2006
Meghan scribbled on a piece of stationery, hand struggling to keep up with the speed at which her mind was going. She had written an entire letter in a haze, only realizing what she’d done as she signed her name at the bottom of the page. She folded the paper and shoved it into an envelope, destination and postage already on it.
Mr. and Mrs. Castellano
120 Basilica Way
Oceanside, CA 92057
Her deployment to the Joint Base at Pearl Harbor-Hickam several months ago had been taken with a great deal of excitement. Away from the continental United States, yet still comfortably within its reach. A “stone’s throw,” the assignment coordinator had said.The promise of exotic locale, plentiful activities, and exciting duties had snared Meghan in its grasp, metal teeth sinking into the logic center of her brain.But, as Meghan knew all too well, expectation is not guaranteed to line up with reality.If someone had told her that she’d be analyzing weather patterns to determine when and where natural disasters would occur, she would’ve told them to shove it. Yet here she was, making notes about the way in which the ocean’s temperature was 0.13 degrees cooler at Station 52403 yesterday, and what that meant for coastal Papua New Guinea.On top of the absolutely riveting day job, her cohort could best be described by the word “sedentary.” No drive, no ambition to do something more than stare out at the sea of numbers on the monitors facing away from the sea outside. Few and far between were the days in which she could do something exciting outside of work.
They found a way to make even Hawaii boring. Lovely.
The holidays, especially, found Meghan with no small amount of melancholy. She was only marginally in contact with her family, and most of her unit was either on leave or otherwise indisposed. What resulted were nights spent celebrating publicly at a bar near the base with those in similar situations.At the very least, Meghan wouldn’t spend every night alone.The trip from her bunk room to the base was familiar, yet empty, with non-essential personnel having left already. She sighed and walked her letter to the mail stop, kept in operation by the one poor soul that had been assigned there. Meghan tossed it into the “outgoing” bucket, voicing a friendly greeting to the mail attendant.Even with the reduced number of persons, the base’s intelligence facility was sparsely populated at this early hour. Meghan had learned quickly that the best analysts got started early, and extensively poured over the reports from the previous shift. Being caught unprepared in this field was not only inconvenient, but occasionally fatal.That’s what her mentor had said, anyway. The only way lethality came anywhere near this place would be in the event of a hurricane or tidal anomaly.The occasional shuffling page and the odd three line conversation greeted Meghan as she pushed her way into the situation room. The workstation was as it always was – clean, yet barren. Personal effects weren’t strictly forbidden, but the effort to put flair on one’s desk depended greatly on how much one cared for the job.Meghan did not care much for the job.As expected, nothing earth shattering ran through the base while she slept. Reports on atmospheric and oceanic patterns occupied her morning. A thermos of coffee kept her awake through the sheer roller coaster of excitement within every charted bit of kinetic energy rolling inside the waves.Meghan looked up and saw the clock reading 13:19, a weary sigh escaping her lips as she realized she’d managed to “research” her way past lunch. She’d just gotten into a groove of assembling a thesis that the islands were due for an unusually large tropical storm when her stomach sent a reminder of what time it was.She sighed and looked out a window, mind calming at the sight of the waves lapping at the shores.
One day, I’ll study shit that matters. One day, some big task will come my way. And when it does… I’ll be ready.
A chair creaked beside her. “See anything new out there?”Seaman Rebecca Winters, the usual suspect. A soft spoken girl from rural Kansas, just happy to be out from under the heavy lift helicopter that was her parents’ household. Her tied black hair sat in a tamed knot, rimless glasses outlining her gaunt facial features. One of about three people that ever held Meghan’s interest for more than a few minutes.“New and exciting water particles, same as usual, Winters.”A content sigh came from Meghan’s accomplice. “At least the view is nice.”This exact exchange was a daily occurrence, as regular as the tide itself. Meghan had played along one too many times, and now this was the norm.Just one more thing reminding her of the mundanity of everything.“It isn’t so bad, you know.”Meghan did a double take at the uncharacteristic comment. “What do you mean?”Winters kept her gaze outward, chin sitting on her palm, knuckles curled. “I know you don’t think much of this posting. It’s obvious to me, but that might just be because we work in the same twenty square feet every day. This wasn’t your dream job out of high school. Hell, it probably wasn’t what you wanted coming out of Boot.”Meghan waited, lips slightly parted, eyes squinting.“Can I share something with you, Meghan?”“Uh, yeah, sure. What is it?”She finally looked at Meghan, brown eyes softening as she clasped her hands together. “You know my story, so you know that my life isn’t as exciting as some. I’m not bemoaning that, merely stating.”Meghan cocked her chin, eyes narrowing as her lips pursed. Who says that?Winters glared at her, tilting her head. “It may not shock you if I tell you that I resided a bit low on the social totem pole in school.”
Doesn’t surprise me at all, I can practically see you standing against the wall of the gym during dances, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes
—
Meghan shook herself. When had she become so vindictive, and for no reason whatsoever? The answer, she thought, might just become clearer shortly.“I didn’t drink or party, mostly kept to myself, and associated with others that did the same. This lifestyle wasn’t completely my choice, since my mom and dad were so strict, but I would be lying if I said I had the balls to argue any of it.”Winters rubbed behind her neck, leaning back. “But I wanted so badly to be different, to break out of the padded cage they’d confined me to. No matter how cozy it was, it was still a prison. I took the first opportunity to do just that, and since my grades weren’t anything special and my hobbies included nothing productive, this was it.”Meghan leaned against the desk. She still wasn’t sure where this was going, but kept quiet, regardless.“But, one thing my mom taught me will always stay with me. She would say ‘Even if your job sucks and you want nothing more to quit and never come back, you have to make the most of the situation and try to impress someone anyway. People will remember the one that silently did both the good and bad jobs with no objection before they remember the loud asshole that only took what they thought was worthy.’”For a moment Meghan wondered if she’d ever woken up this morning. Was this a dream? Who was this person sitting in front of her? The one that normally said as many words as a pamphlet for the blind, was orating a whole section on life philosophy from the Library of Congress at her.“My point, Meghan, is that you shouldn’t ever take for granted the chances you’re given. You put in the time to get here, and they put you here instead of someone else. That means you’re special enough do the things this job requires.” Her face fell, voice gaining a tone bordering on pleading. “Not everyone is. Do your best with all the work you’re given, and those in positions to raise you up will take notice.”Speechless didn’t begin to cover it. Meghan caught the clock flip another digit in her periphery. In just four short minutes, an associate she’d previously thought marvelously unassuming had taken a metaphorical sledgehammer to her crooked perception.Meghan’s eyes flicked this way and that, as if searching the room for any explanation, before finding her voice after another tick of the clock. “You’ve… given me a lot to think about, Becca.” She noticed the lift in the girl’s expression at the use of the nickname, “And I appreciate the wake-up call. Seriously.”Winters beamed, dimples forming on her reddened cheeks. She gave a bemused shrug. “My pleasure. It isn’t every day I get to share something so personal with someone.”Meghan couldn’t help but reflect the smile, and for the first time since she arrived on base, she felt truly happy. “Hey, you wanna hit the mess?”Winters looked to her own terminal, apparently satisfied that Station 52402 wasn’t going anywhere. “Absolutely.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
April 17, 2007
Petty Officer First Class Meghan Castellano tiredly swirled the stirring straw around in her coffee thermos, perfectly aware that the cream and sugar had long since mixed with the hot, bitter liquid. The rhythmic motion, she kept telling herself, was helping to keep her awake.Or something like that.She blew over the top of the cup before fixing the lid back on and taking a sip. Scalding, just how she liked it.The room filled with monitors and work stations was more than a little empty, with only four keyboards clicking away with the urgency of a Monday morning DMV clerk.Flanking Meghan were two other intelligence specialists, both with their own caffeine storage devices filled to the brim. A yawning man entered the rear of the room, causing both of Meghan’s counterparts to stand and snap to attention.“Sir!”Meghan simply raised a hand with two fingers extended. “Mornin’, Chief.”Senior Chief Petty Officer James Samson waved his hand dismissively. “At ease. Morning, all. Castellano, you got my pick-me-up?”She tossed an oatmeal bar at him and held up an equally large thermos, emblazoned with a skull and crossed bones on the side. “Extra heart stop-y.”The specialist to her right, PO3 Angela Foster, scoffed. “Technical term, Meg?”“You know it. Take notes, I’m teaching a course in Important Shit 101.”Specialist Hector Garza hummed. “I’d better buy the textbook for that before it’s too late…”“Alrigghh alrigghh, lefs get dis shit goin’.” Samson spoke through his food. He swallowed and shook his finger at Meghan. “Let’s talk to our friend.”“Copy that.” Meghan removed the stereo headset from the metal holder next to her terminal and placed it snuggly on her head. She flicked the switch on the computer base and tapped the microphone.“Check one, check two.” The speakers around the room crackled to life, her voice bouncing off the walls.She muted herself. “Thank Christ for mic monitoring… we’re good to go, Chief.”Samson sat in an empty chair, folding his hands behind his head and putting his laced boots on the desk, ankles crossed. He held the half-eaten oatmeal bar in his teeth as he made himself comfortable.“This is your show, Castellano. Call ‘er up.”Meghan called up the secure communication line and entered the unique identifier and recipient codes before pressing the red “Execute” button. The large central screen in the room flickered on.
Establishing connection…
A green check mark took over the screen before a covered camera appeared. Locational data and a counting clock showed in the corner. Meghan flicked the mic arm down to her mouth.“This is callsign Hammer, challenge phrase ‘Smoke,’ how copy?”An accented female voice came through the speakers, “Callsign Fracture reporting, response phrase ‘Fire.’ Dzień dobry, moi amerykańscy przyjaciele. Happy to see me?” The camera feed popped in, revealing a young brunette woman in snug cold-weather gear, a ballcap on her head.She couldn’t help but smirk. “Always. Good morning Elżbieta, I trust all is well?”Meghan’s words were met with an eye roll. “Just Ela, please.” Nonetheless, the woman sighed. “I fear Yuri suspects something, as he grows increasingly paranoid and short-tempered. He continues to extort and torture, including his own workers. At the smallest of inconveniences, those under him are sent to be maimed or killed. No one is safe.”Yuri Oliynyk, Target Zero. Local warlord, of Soviet descent, working to upset political balance in Ukraine. He’d developed an intensely nationalistic belief system, going on record as saying that the current establishment was too soft, and that only “pure-blooded” individuals should be making decisions. His policies were harsh, to the point where it became dangerous to one’s health to publicly oppose him. What started as a heavy-handed attempt to sway public opinion had turned into a bloody struggle for a position of power, spearheaded by the psychopathic head of a political party turned crime syndicate.The Ukrainian government quietly called on its allies for assistance in “dealing with” their problem, similarly to the handling of the 2004 occurrence known as the Orange Revolution.Thus, Operation “Orange Sky” was born.Meghan tented her hands, brows bunching together. “How is the implosion plan progressing?”Ela talked and worked simultaneously, hands moving in unseen motions. “Highlight the target list, and give me the cursor. Dać.”Foster turned control of the system over to Ela, who pointed to the row of four top targets below Yuri, starting with a blond man with a patchy beard.“Target One believes his life is in danger because of the apparent mistrust Yuri has for his motives. I have stoked this fire to the best of my ability without becoming obvious. He does not speak publicly of this, but rumors spread like wildfire. Any statement from Yuri that could possibly be interpreted as aggressive in any way might set One off.”The next target was a bald man with a long scar down his face, splitting the left half of his moustache. “Target Two has seen a large amount of his money drain from his accounts, and a sizeable enough trail pointing to Target Three and his people. Three has publically complained to Yuri that he does not get enough compensation, so this is sufficiently believable.”Ela paused, expression souring at the fourth target.Samson sat up in his chair. “And the fourth target, Ms. Bozak?”Her hair swayed to the side as she snapped to hold his gaze. “He is the one that I am most concerned with. As you know, he has been wary of me since we started, and is considerably smarter than his peers. My attempts at turning him against others were not successful. So, since our last communication, I moved on to making him the odd man out.”Ela held a faded government seal and badge to the camera lens. “At Meghan’s suggestion, I planted seeds of misinformation. A large number of people in Yuri’s employ believe that Four has been feeding valuable information to the state. Plans, troop movements, locations of resources.”Samson chewed his lip, thumbs twirling. “So where does this leave us, Ela? Don’t get me wrong, what you’ve done to this point is fantastic. My question is, with all of this coming to a head, what’s going to kick it off?”A calculated smirk overtook her pale face. “Today, Yuri called a meeting with the five of us, and all of the direct subordinates of the targets, to address the chaos brewing in his operation over the past weeks. The storm of accusations, implications, and fragile egos will dismantle Yuri’s operation by day’s end, and the state agents will take care of what remains.”The Chief Petty Officer mulled this over, face shifting from contemplation to acquiescence. “Alright, Ela. Proceed with the plan. Castellano, you good with all of this?”Meghan nodded, shoulders relaxing. “Lookin’ like our best option, Chief. She’ll do that, and we’ll help her exfil.” She sighed. “Well, we know we’re heading toward the best conclusion. Yuri’s psych profile suggests that his judgment falters when his confidence is shaken, but he’ll begin to act like a trapped animal when we put the screws on. I’d say we’re well passed that…”She leaned back, closing her eyes and drumming her fingers on the desk. The gears in her mind turned, and she snapped her fingers.“Alright. Foster, update the target web with Ela’s new info. Garza, I need public transit schedules and traffic conditions in Mykolaiv today. If Ela isn’t going to be able to move freely amongst the people, tell us. I’m gonna start pulling all the information I can regarding the meeting location and the nearby area.”Her associates scrambled at her rapid fire instructions, and she turned to the big screen.Meghan tapped at her keys, satellite images of the area of operation. Densely packed buildings and crowded roads littered the frame, people occupying the sidewalks.
Son of a bitch… they’re doing this right in the middle of the city.
“Please tell me this meeting isn’t at ground level…”Ela spoke without facing the lens. “No. It is underground, in a control center for the sanitation system. As I said, the man is paranoid, so he wouldn’t settle for anything more conspicuous.”Meghan dragged her hands down her face. “Well that’s a pain in the ass, tech might not be consistent.”She turned to Samson. “Chief, what are the odds that we’d be able to clear the blocks surrounding the AO?”Her commanding officer adorned a thoughtful look and clicked his tongue. “I’d have to make some calls to our friends in the Ukrainian government. Gut feeling says maybe we could manage half a klick without causing a scene, but I can’t really guarantee that.”“Alright. Ask ‘em, and could you see about getting me live access to the public cameras on the nearby streets?”He scraped his chair back and stood up. “I’m sure that should be doable. I’ll let you know.”“Ela, make sure your LocCams, body cam, ear piece, and GPS tracker are operational. I’m gonna be with you the whole way today. We’re nearly through this, so I’m not taking any chances,” She raised her voice. “Keep it tight, everyone! We’ll be through this by day’s end!”She stood to get more coffee, a confident glint in her eye.“And Ela!” The Polack looked at the camera. “Don’t do anything stupid.”Another smirk. “No promises, Hammer.” --- Foster grit her teeth, index finger drumming on the desk. The dead silence in the room exacerbated each repeated thunk, grating against the ears of her compatriots.Samson grabbed her hand and stared at her. “Would you relax? We knew we’d lose GPS tracking as soon as she went underground.”Foster’s eyes drilled into his, and her knee started bouncing as a result of the impediment. “Sorry, Chief, I can’t help it.”Meghan shook her shoulder. “All we can do is wait, and we need to stay calm for Ela. We’ll be fine.”Foster took a deep breath and nodded.“-mer, th- is -cture, how -py?” The speakers crackled at the static.Meghan lowered the headset microphone. “Solid copy, Fracture. We’ve lost your pos but we hear you well enough.”“Dobry. Switching on body camera and setting up first LocCam.”Seconds later, two video feeds came to life, the cameras focusing on each other.Garza blinked rapidly. “Jesus, it’s like a funhouse…”Ela moved down the tunnel, sticking cameras to the walls as she went. Each feed was of varying resolution and clarity, with no rotational movement.
Christ, these things are terrible. Wonder if I could get one that spins…
Meghan squinted at the monitor, panning them as far as they could swivel. “Fracture, there’s a blind spot between feeds one and two, can you address it?”“No time, Hammer, I cannot afford to be late.”Meghan swore under her breath. “Just be careful.”Other voices trickled into earshot, and Ela’s camera feed showed several people standing in a cramped room filled with terminals, piping, and mold.Garza sucked in a breath. “Those are pretty tight quarters…” The trepidation in his voice was apparent, and he too bounced his knee.Meghan snapped her finger at Foster. “Be ready to transcribe.”She wordlessly nodded. They weren’t kept waiting long before Yuri addressed the room. ---
“You
all know why you are here. There have been several… unfortunate, pieces of discourse circulating throughout our organization. For the past months, I hear of nothing but lies and deceit among you and those beneath you. In addition, someone in this room has been leaking information vital to our cause to outside sources. For the sake of your continued health, I suggest someone speak up.”
The men in the room exchanged hostile glances, but the only sound that came forth was that of a constant drip from a leaking water pipe.“No one will speak? Then perhaps I will have to give extra motivation.” Yuri drew his sidearm from an unseen holster, pointing the gun at the room in a sweeping motion. The men stiffened, taking a rigid step back, some sliding their hands toward their waistlines.“Maybe if you didn’t threaten us regularly, this would not happen.” A taller blond man drew Yuri’s attention. Target One.
“Szymon. Such bold words, do you think you could prove that? Maybe if you stupid fools were not so incompetent, I would not have to threaten you! Perhaps you need an extra reminder?”
A redheaded man, Target Three spoke up. “You’re going to scold us, the ones who carry out your dirty work for you, for your shortcomings?” He found the gun leveled at himself.
“As a matter of fact, yes, Aleksander
, I am. Why else would you find it necessary to steal from Kacper, after bitching to me that you do too much for too little?”
Target Three took a step forward, pressing Yuri’s gun barrel into his chest. “You slander me with these false accusations, why?!”Ela stood silently as they bickered, keeping herself near the door. Target Four rolled his eyes and heaved a weary sigh before drawing his own handgun and firing at the ceiling. Everyone’s hands shot to their ears, and Meghan recoiled at the loud burst that slammed into her earpiece.“This is getting us nowhere, you stubborn fools. This has happened because we let it happen, we must fix this mess. Although…” He pointed the gun at Yuri, eliciting clicks and leather sliding against polished metal from everyone, “I concur, that perhaps we need new leadership.”Quivering guns pointed at everything, their owners breathing exaggeratedly. Yuri growled and yelled. “You are all traitorous scum, the absolute worst of the Ukrainian people! Maybe I should just liquidate all of you, just like Stalin did in the second Great War!”Bullets every which way jumped from their chambers, carrying their own argument for debate, one of high velocity metal against the soft flesh of their targets.The debate did not last long. --- Sounds of yells of rage and pain, of rounds barking and burying themselves in concrete and person alike, of panic and resentment assaulted the speakers on Meghan’s head and around the intelligence headquarters.Foster covered her mouth. Garza chewed his nails. Samson crossed his arms, breaths barely audible. Meghan stood up, hands planted on the desk. All pairs of eyes whisked around the screen, watching the carnage unfold.The door rattled its frame as it closed behind Ela. She turned right, making hastened strides back toward her entrance location. She looked at the shallow trench a bullet had carved in her muscle, and the intelligence room personnel took note of the blood forming a growing path on her sleeve.“Fracture, what’s your status?!” Meghan couldn’t hide the stress from her voice.“I’m fine, Hammer. What am I looking at?”Meghan shook her head and straightened herself, calling the LocCam feeds to the front. She enlarged camera four’s image. Armed men could be seen yelling and running toward the commotion in every feed.“Camera four: Two tangos in the tunnel, one on each side. Double tap at your 10 and 12.”Ela rounded the corner, her sighted RG15 booming twice at the first target. The second guard jumped at the unexpected slaughter, and fumbled with his weapon before firing. A chunk of the wall exploded as she ducked behind it. Meghan pressed a button on her console, and the camera blasted white noise at the gunman. He fell to a knee in a yell, and Ela took full advantage. She stepped over him and continued on, gunfire continuing behind her. Voices yelling in front of her carried around the tunnel corner, but all she picked out was “coming this way.”“Hammer, they know I’m red now, fire at will.”Meghan switched to the next feed. “Camera three: three tangos, two on right at 230. Left side 11, heavy armor, aim high. Triggering burst.”She slammed the button again, the sound startling the guards on the right side. Ela turned left around the second corner, firing once into each of the guards’ heads. She pulled a concussion grenade from her belt and tossed it, the blast shortly following. She turned to see the armored guard with one arm covering his face, his other firing a compact machine pistol wildly. She ended his attempt.“Camera two: only one, crouched, at your 1130, he’s got a shotgun. Firing.” The gunman didn’t react, save for a slight turn of the head.It was all Ela needed.A shift in the thumbnail feeds of the previous cameras caught Foster's attention, and she leaned in to Meghan’s microphone. “Fracture, cameras four and three are showing static. Head on a swivel, you’re being followed.”Ela stopped, putting a hand to her ear. “Say again, Hammer!”Meghan saw a figure rush by the second camera and turned up the gain on her headset. “You are being followed, Fracture, turn-“Ela reacted to the sound of a roaring yell and tried to raise her firearm. The attacker knocked her gun away in a tackle, and a swift punch to her torso broke the body camera, the lens destroyed. The two wrestled and struggled, the attacker relentlessly driving Ela into an alcove off the main tunnel path, out of the sight of the LocCams.Blind to the situation, Meghan growled and pounded the desk. “Son a bitch!”Animalistic snarls and incomprehensible Ukrainian words poured from the side of the cameras, punctuated by blows and grunts of pain. Meghan and her comrades sat in rapt horror as the fight went on, every tick of the clock taking what felt like years from their lives. Water splashes, someone had fallen in the water. A dull, sickening crack, someone had broken something. A loud bang, then another…Someone had gotten shot.Seconds ticked by. Nothing, not a sound. Meghan felt something creeping into her system that she had not experienced in a long time.Helplessness. There was nothing she could do, and it frustrated her to no end.Foster and Garza looked at each other, then at their commanding officer. His eyes were glued to the display, as were Meghan’s. She palmed the microphone. “Fracture, this is Hammer, do you copy?”
Nothing.
“Fracture, can you hear me?!”
Silence.
Meghan hung her head. This mission was over.Samson swore under his breath. “Son of a fucking bitch… Castellano, call it-”The sound of a microphone scraping jerked them from their dazed stupor. Ragged breathing preceded labored speech.“Hammer, this is Fracture-“ Ela coughed before spitting what Meghan could only assume was blood, “-I hope you weren’t looking to get rid of me that easily.”Meghan fell back into her chair, puffing her cheeks and blowing at the ceiling. “Solid copy, Fracture. Looks like we’ll have to try harder next time. Thank Christ… You ready to get the hell out of there?”Another cough. “Like you would not believe.”“Alright, get topside and we’ll get you home. Can you walk OK?”“Eh, it probably sounds worse than it is. Drań did a number on my face, but I paid him back by making his explode.”Meghan couldn’t keep the smirk from her face. “When you get home, the first round’s on me. Now get moving.”Ela did as she was told, and thirty seconds later Meghan saw a blip appear on the overhead map. She pinned the that to the left of the large screen, the other half featuring live feeds from traffic and security cameras.A manhole cover could be seen sliding from its resting place, and Ela climbed to the surface. Clearly Samson’s favor got called in, as no other people could be seen in the immediate area. Wasting no time, she replaced it and hurriedly marched toward her extraction point.An ocular hub on a street light flickered to life as Meghan took control. “There you are-“ Meghan whistled and cocked her chin, “Man, you do look rough.”“Shut up, ty głupia suko.”“Aww, that hurts my feelings, Ela.” She stopped herself at the sight of the cover being disturbed a second time, three men with partially concealed weapons wriggling from the tunnels.“Fracture, you have fans approaching your pos. Keep moving, we’re gonna give these guys the runaround.”Meghan scanned the overhead view, noting a set of train tracks nearby. An idea clicked in her head and she turned to her colleagues. “Foster, get me today’s schedule for Mykolaiv-Vantazhnyi Station. Garza, send the traffic map to the big screen. Chief, can you tell the boys on the ground to standby on the north end of the tracks?”He turned to walk to the comm terminal. “Consider it done.”Foster beamed the train schedule to Meghan’s HUD. She smirked. “Perfect.”She turned back to the monitor. “Alright Fracture, they’ve split to three different roads, trying to sweep and intercept. I’ve got ‘em all on camera, so just listen up; they’re not far behind.”Meghan hot swapped between feeds, relaying short bursts of information. Duck into that alley, blend at the storefront, cut through that yard. One after another they came, every callout barely allowing Ela to stay out of sight. Civilians gasped and hurriedly ran from the armed thugs sprinting through the streets.“Hammer, I can see the tracks!”“Run like hell, they’re almost right on top of you!”The gunmen converged around their corners, spotting Ela and drawing their weapons to take aim. She weaved between any obstacles in her way, pulling her sidearm to shoot behind her, never breaking stride.A horn sounded nearby, and a commercial train popped into view less than a few hundred meters out. She ducked her head and pumped her legs harder, the end in sight.Ela stuttered her feet and launched herself over the tracks, the train crossing her trajectory just a few seconds later. She finally stopped, sucking wind and leaning her arms on her knees. She turned to see the gunmen yelling, though whether it was directed at her or the taser rounds incapacitating them, she couldn’t tell as the train cars passed.Several masked individuals bearing the insignia of the Ukrainian government closed on the men, collecting the twitching attackers and cuffing them. The final carriage cruised by, showing the would-be usurper henchmen glaring at her as they struggled in the grasp of their captors.Her face pulled into a cocky grin, and she ignored the dull pain resulting. “Dyakuyemo za zadovolennya, khloptsi!” She winked and blew them a kiss, prompting snarling howls in return.A man wearing officer’s clothing approached her. “Operatyvnyy Bosak, chy hotovi vy pity?”“Tak, davayte vyydemo zvidsy.” She walked behind him as Meghan spoke into her ear.“You are such a showoff.” Her thinly veiled pride did not go unnoticed.“Coming from you, especially after that plan, Meghan? I must be bad. Now, about that drink…” ----- A knock on Meghan’s door roused her from her reading, and she stood at attention, “Sir!”Samson waved dismissively at her. He took a seat in a free chair and crossed one leg to rest on his knee. “At ease. I just wanted to congratulate you on the operation. You’ve done a damn fine job over the past few months, spearheading this mission. It wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination, but you got the job done well. Not once did you waver under pressure, and you handled things better than most could’ve.”Meghan relaxed and sat on her bed. “Thank you, Chief, that means more than you know. I’m just thankful you gave me the chance, and after all it is still your name on the report.”“Maybe so, but I was only providing insight where needed, and don’t think I left anything out in detailing just how critical you were. You’ll make one hell of an intel officer some day.” Samson rubbed his chin. “Speaking of which, you hear back from the folks at USC yet?”She smiled, a full and excited smile. “I got in, Chief. In the summer, my contract will be up and I’ll be headed back to SoCal.”Samson leaned forward and held out his hand, and she eagerly shook. “You’ll do great there, I know it.”She rubbed her arm. “I owe a lot to you, and Foster and Garza.”He chuckled. “Nah, you would’ve done just fine without us. It’s hard to say what exactly qualifies an intelligence specialist, but I know you already have it. All you need’s the fancy piece of paper.”Meghan scoffed. “For most people, the most expensive one they’ll ever get. Thank God for the GI Bill.”“Ain’t that the truth,” He clapped his hands. “Alright, just wanted to check in. Have a good evening, Meghan. See you tomorrow morning.”“Good night, Chief.”Samson closed the door behind him as he left. She couldn’t keep the stupid grin from her face. Meghan’s expression lit up the room at the mere thought of the opportunities ahead of her, and she allowed herself a contented sigh. Her skin tingled, body shivering from excitement.Meghan shook her head, short hair swishing. She slid her bookmark into her current spot in the novel and closed it, laying the book on her nightstand. With a flick of a switch, the light in the room was extinguished, and she pulled her thick blankets up to her chin, closing her eyes for well-deserved sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
August 29, 2011
A light breeze blew into the room, dancing to a carefree rhythm with the curtains caressing the white-trimmed window. This way and that, they sailed gracefully with each renewed gust. After leaving the colored fabric fluttering through the air, it moved to find a new partner, finding solace in the sheets of the nearby bed. Rushing air lifted them up, unheard music causing them to soar ever upwards.Meghan stirred at the feeling of her covering being disturbed, the cool air caressing her skin. She willed her eyes open and yawned softly, turning to look at the clock on her nightstand.
7:59
A hum left her, sliding to the edge of the mattress and flicking a switch on the device before it could begin its incessant screeching. Meghan tossed the sheet to the side and sat up, before standing and taking a moment to revel in a prolonged stretch as her nude form adjusted to the coolness of the room. She pushed herself up and onto the balls of her feet as her muscles flexed and relaxed, sending a jolt through every fiber.Meghan made her way to the bathroom, chancing a look into the mirror. A tired face sitting under disheveled blonde hair stared back, eliciting a grunt before she pulled the shower curtain back and started up the water. Once it got to an adequately nearly-skin-scalding temperature, she threw herself in.A contented sigh pushed past her lips as the jets of water massaged her skin. Her mind clouded over as the streams gently yet purposefully cleansed her, sending a calming pulse through her system. Meghan wet her hair, running her fingers through the strands in an effort to appease the rebellious creature. In the current moment, the faint smell of cinnamon and the fruity soaps made this the most relaxing atmosphere she could imagine.Years in the military had taught Meghan to be expedient about taking showers, her mind nagging her to wrap it up after ten minutes of basking in the mingling of sensory pleasures. Cutting the water, Meghan shivered at the sudden loss of heat and quickly toweled herself off while standing next to the cute little wall socket heater she picked up last week.
So worth the thirty dollars.
She opened the door, skirting out of the room as swiftly as the steam she’d been keeping as company.Soft footsteps padded toward the chest of drawers against the far wall, taking care to be quiet as she opened them. A voice coming from the bed told her she needn’t have bothered.“Don’t put that on just yet, the view from back here is too good to cover up.”Meghan scoffed, eyes rolling in her head. “Such a charmer, David.”“What can I say, babe, that ass had to have been sculpted by God himself.”She tossed an amused grin over her shoulder before slipping into a sports bra and pulling a navy blue tank top over her head. “God had nothing to do with it, honey. That’s years of hard work you’re drooling over. Speaking of, wash your pillowcase, you slob.”David propped his head on his left hand. “Your wish is my command…” He watched her step into a pair of underwear, eyes following with spellbound attention as dark, lacy fabric slid along flawless sun-kissed skin. “…my queen.”Meghan giggled before turning and ambling to the bed, “Good boy.”She bent down and kissed him, feeling his hand cup her cheek in an almost reverent fashion. Seconds later, it became emboldened and skated along her skin toward her chest.Meghan smacked it away and pulled from him. “Uh uh, no sir. I just put these on. I need to get ready.”David uttered a whine. “Come on, Meg, just real quick. You don’t have to leave so soon.”She shook her head and pushed him back onto the mattress, returning to the cabinet. “Says you. I am not going to be late on the first day of classes. You should be getting ready too, mister.”A short “wah” was all she got in return as she pulled on a pair of black form-fitting pants.As Meghan laced up her boots, David uttered an exaggerated sigh. “Sometimes I wake up and wonder how I got so lucky…”She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the grin from her face. “You are such a dork.”“I’m being serious, Meg! My friends are super jealous. Greg even asked where he could get one.”Meghan turned to him, arms crossed, a satisfied smirk lighting up her features. “I hope you told them that there’s only one of me in the world. I can’t imagine there are too many other hot military chicks around falling for software guys with D&D addictions.”David snorted before bringing a hand to chest. “You wound me, madam!” His voice was thick with mock hurt. “Though I can’t say you’re wrong. It helps that you’re older, too, some guys are into that. Adds an extra layer of accomplishment.”A wicked gleam appeared in Meghan’s eye. This should be fun.She leaned back and frowned, retaining the posture she held moments ago. “Did I hear that right, David? Am I only a trophy to you? A rare achievement for you to gloat about to your little friends?”His eyes widened. “N-No, babe of course not, I-““And did you call me old on top of that?” She walked forward and placed her hands on the bed, glaring at him.David sat himself up, wringing his hands together, “I didn’t- I mean, I wasn’t trying to say that-“Meghan flicked his nose and chuckled, his panicked expression giving her cruel enjoyment. “Relax, hon. I’m just messin’ with you, I take that as a compliment.”The color returned to his face, and he sucked in worried breaths as he laughed. “You’re so mean… but I’m okay with that.”She turned to the mirror on the wall, giving herself a final once-over. “Anyway, I’ll be back later tonight. After capstone I’m going to the ROTC class to talk to the cadets, so if you would be so kind as to start dinner a bit later, I would appreciate it.”“Right, you got it, Meg. Hey, good luck; they’ll be lucky to hear from you. ”She kissed him once more. Immediately after, she shoved David off the bed and spun around, grabbing her keys, power bar, and bag before heading to leave. Meghan swung the door closed as she yelled back to him.“Love you!”He groaned at the ceiling. --- To Meghan’s lack of surprise, the atmosphere in the semester’s first capstone seminar was subdued at best. Baggy clothes, thermoses of coffee, and drooping eyes could be seen at every other seat in the tiny amphitheater-style classroom.Something that always baffled Meghan was how infrequently most learning establishments made an attempt to make their classrooms engaging. Obviously going so far as putting flashing lights or setting fish tanks in the walls would be detrimental, but having dingy lighting in buildings complete with the color pallet of bedrock and dilapidated, fifteen year old furniture certainly doesn’t stimulate the brain.In such cases when the learning environments themselves siphon all energy from its occupants, it falls to the instructor to keep their students engaged. The professor was certainly trying to do this, with varying degrees of success. She’d introduced herself as Mary Knowles, a forty-something year old – if Meghan had to guess – woman of above average height and build, flowing reddish-brown hair draped over her shoulders like a fine shawl. Her brilliant red form-fitting blouse stood out among the drab background like a flare, subconsciously calling the attention of one’s eyes without any spoken words.Not like she was bad at speaking, though.The woman’s voice carried the authoritative undertones of someone who was upbeat and understanding, but knew when to apply appropriate correction. The experience she brought to the table was evident in the way she presented herself, despite only having started to go over what the students could expect in the coming months. Mercifully, she skipped the ever-present icebreaking activity, under the assumption that the students knew each other to some degree already, and that she would learn about them over time. As such, Meghan found herself drawn to her seminar professor already, reminded of some of her more memorable superiors in the Navy.Mary paused, checking her watch. “Alright, I can tell that I’m starting to lose some of you, and I’ve said what I need to for this first session. Read over the handouts, and start thinking about what you think you can do. Prepare a short proposal for Wednesday based on the criteria in the syllabus. Have a good day, everyone!”Notebooks and pens closed, bags shuffled, quiet murmurs spread amongst the students. Meghan sat through it, waiting for a lane to clear in her aisle, and shouldered her own bag when the room and mostly emptied. She made her way to the front of the room, where Mary switched off the projector hanging from the ceiling. Her footsteps caused the professor to hesitate and look up, a smile forming on her face.“Ahh… Meghan, was it?” She extended a hand, and Meghan firmly grasped and shook.“That’s right. I wanted to formally introduce myself, and pick your brain a bit, if that’s alright.”Mary leaned back against a table, fingers curled around the wooden slab. “Certainly! Whatcha got?”Meghan crossed her arms in a relaxed stance. “What got you into this? You strike me as a pretty smart cookie, and I’m thinking you could’ve gotten a higher profile job. So why teach a senior communications course, a capstone seminar in particular?”Mary chewed her cheek, jaw setting, as she looked directly into Meghan’s eyes. “That’s a bit of an interesting topic. Tell me something first, Meghan. Why do you think I’m here?”She shrugged. “The usual ‘looks good on a resume’ and ‘wanted to broaden my horizons’ answers don’t really fit. They might still be applicable, but they’d be more like a secondary goal, rather than a primary driver. If I had to guess, you wanted to be a sort of gatekeeper for those about to receive degrees.”The professor beamed at her, giving a low whistle. “Damn, that was pretty impressive. You’re very perceptive, just about spot on with your assessment! Throughout my adult life, I’ve noticed that at least half of the major problems that occur in industry and journalism because of a lack of proper communication. I’ve seen it firsthand, and felt what it’s like to get burned by it. My goal is to send people into the field with the proper skillset to create a more well-informed environment-”Mary stopped herself, realizing she’d left her position at the desk and gestured wildly as she spoke. She chuckled, cheeks reddening, and rubbed the back of her neck at Meghan’s bemused smirk.“Anyway, you get the point. But I’m curious about you. Between you being a bit older than much of the class and your advanced perception, I’d say you’ve seen some relevant experience. Am I right?”Meghan nodded. “You could say that. I was an intelligence specialist with the Navy, and I’m here to get a degree so I can keep moving up.”If Mary was surprised, she hid it well. “I’m not all that shocked, but I thank you for your service regardless. Though, I get the feeling there’s more to it. Active duty doesn’t last forever, and I’m fairly certain you know that. What comes next?”Meghan found herself nodding in mild awe; clearly her professor was no slouch. She couldn’t help but respect the woman more.“That’s actually what I wanted to get your opinion on. Now, obviously, you don’t know me or what I’m like just yet, but you know that I’m military, and that I’m a cut above most of my peers – and I’m not afraid to say it.”Mary chuckled, but did not interrupt.“After all is said and done, I was considering becoming a war correspondent. I’ve been where the soldiers are, physically and psychologically, and I imagine I’ll be there again. I want to tell a story, the real story, of what things are like for deployed persons. Having the perspective of someone that can relate to them, I think, could only be better.”As the student spoke, the teacher placed a hand on her chin and considered the set of constants and variables in front of her. A thoughtful pause followed, and Meghan waited patiently.“Another question for you. All of what you’ve told me certainly gives you the edge, and I don’t doubt your conviction. But, in your own words, what would put you above and beyond the rest, worth hiring more than someone else?”Meghan saw what she was doing, and carefully considered her response. “By the time I get to that stage in my life, I plan to have made a name for myself. But the thing is, I’m not chasing fame, I’m pursuing recognition – not just for myself, but for every young woman behind me,” She struck her open palm with a fist. “There has been, and will continue to be, a push for women to join the STEM fields. That’s fine, there’s plenty of mileage in that. I’m trying to prove that it doesn’t stop there, that we can do anything. If I show that, even after I retire from a notable active service, I’m still willing to charge into the fight for my team and tell the full,Meghan looked to the floor, then directly into Mary’s eyes, a fire burning in her gaze. Her stance straightened, and she subconsciously clasped her hands behind her back. “That’s what will set me apart.”The redhead leaned against the podium, arms bent to support her head as she watched with an enraptured admiration. “I must admit, you fascinate me, Meghan. I think you and me will get along just fine, and I look forward to helping you reach that goal.”Mary presented her hand again, but this time, the two women shook with a combined aura rivaling a pride of lions.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
August 29, 2011
Meghan peered through the plexiglass window of the door to the small classroom. A uniformed man inside looked up from his papers, checking his watch before waving her in. She pushed the door open and slid the doorstop under it. A chief petty officer insignia rested on the man’s sleeve, proudly displayed as he smiled and stood to greet her.Meghan saluted. “Chief Petty Officer Peters, Petty Officer First Class Castellano reporting.” She failed to hide her sarcastic smile.The older African American man laughed, his deep voice resonating around the room. “At ease, Castellano, you’re a civvy for the time being. And besides, I know damn well that you’re not for formalities when it isn’t needed.”A glint shone in his eye. “Samson gave me an idea what to expect.”She shifted, cocking her head. “You- you know Samson, sir?”His chest rumbled again. “Oh yes, we’ve known each other for a lot of years. He’s been a friend of mine since we got deployed to Stuttgart together, and he’s mentioned you more than once.”Meghan exhaled shakily. “I won’t lie to you, sir, I’m a little surprised at that.”“You shouldn’t be. From everything I’ve seen in your record and heard from others, you will most certainly be a top candidate for an enlisted officer position, probably sooner rather than later. Your work in Orange Sky, especially, was some high grade stuff, believe me. It’s a big reason I was eager accept your request to visit with us today.”She regained her composure, taking a seat on the table at the front of the room. “I’m flattered, sir.”He offered a hand, which she readily accepted. “Please, call me Andrew.”She nodded, and Andrew continued. “Samson also told me that you have quite a lofty goal, but he wouldn’t say what it was, wanted you to be the one to tell me.”Meghan crossed her arms. “He did, huh? Well, he wasn’t exaggerating. I’m determined to become the first female admitted into the SEALs.”She waited, expecting a disapproving look or snide remark. Instead, Andrew nodded and pondered the idea.“Lofty indeed.”Again, Meghan found herself off-balance. “So…do you have anything to say about that, sir?”He smacked his lips. “I won’t lie to you, that will be one hell of an undertaking. I know a few guys who tried to get in the SEALs, some of the best men I’d ever seen in the uniform. The training program is no joke, and it’ll run you into the ground if you’re not prepared. You’ll be required to go through the most intense mental and physical tests of your life. It can break you, if you let it.”The teeth on her mental gears ground together, friction wearing on them once again. For the sake of who was saying that it would be difficult now, Meghan held her posture.Andrew raised a single finger. “But! But… your service record thus far speaks to an exceptional mental fortitude, and you’re in outstanding shape. So, if any female has a real shot at doing it, you’d have my vote.”There it was. The much-needed coolant left the valve, flooding onto every hot spot in her mind’s machine. Meghan heaved a measured sigh, a number of responses cycling through her head.“I appreciate the vote of confidence, sir- ah, Andrew.”He put on a lopsided smile. “I look forward to you proving me right.”A third and fourth person entered the room, with several other voices becoming louder from around the corner. Andrew raised a hand in a wave to the cadets before turning back to Meghan. Quiet conversation continued among the newcomers in their assigned Navy Working Uniforms.“So, do you plan to become a regular for us, here? I could think of a few lessons that you’d be a good aide for.”Meghan hummed. “Well, it’ll depend on my schedule as time goes on, but I’d be more than willing to-“A sharp wolf whistle ripped everyone’s attention to the newest person, standing in the doorway. A shorter, dark haired male swaggered to an open seat, uncaringly tossing his gear toward the wall. Meghan’s eyes narrowed as her lips tightened. CPO Peters visibly ground his teeth, harsh stare heating the air around him.“Well, well, well! Now who do we have here! No one mentioned there would be an absolute babe gracing us today. You must be new, how’s it goin’ chica?”
Now this will be fun.
Andrew’s lower jaw shifted in a barely controlled anger, opening his mouth to level some choice words. Meghan touched his arm, raising her other hand to placate him before striding forward. She stopped on the other side of the long table from her newest prey. In an instant, her demeanor changed completely – she raised her voice and added a distinct lilt, arms placed delicately behind her back, hips lightly swaying. A cursory glance at his name patch gave the target identity.“You’re right, Adams, I am new here. I don’t know many people yet, and I was just introducing myself to Chief Petty Officer Peters over there. Let me introduce myself to you all, too.” She looked to the floor, fingers tapping together in an apparent nervous tick. Cadet Adams leaned forward in his seat, cocky grin on his face.Meghan dropped the façade faster than a hot iron, snapping her legs together and assuming a crisp stance.“My name is Petty Officer First Class Meghan Castellano. I’m an active duty veteran on leave to get my degree before transitioning into a future role as a Naval intelligence officer. I’ve seen deployment overseas, and taken part in several high profile missions involving international politics and stability.”She caught several of the cadets looking around; from Peters, to each other, to Adams. The target in question shifted in his seat, eyes becoming wider with every word as his brows knitted inwards.
Good, you need to learn early.
“As such, I’ve seen and will see more than most of you will in your entire service careers. I have very little patience for those who project attitudes detrimental to the situation, including both combat and intra-unit communication settings. I am here with you today to provide insight into my experiences, as well as to be a resource for you all to come to, aside from CPO Peters. In addition, I will be joining the Chief Petty Officer in future lessons to give my input as needed."She paused, scanning the room like a patrolling sentry. Settling on Adams, she placed her hands on the table. “Any further questions, Cadet?”He scrambled to attention, knocking the chair to the floor, and saluted. “N-no ma’am!”Meghan flashed a smirk, easing off the gas pedal. “Good. Now, I believe Andrew has a wonderful class prepared for you all, and I would hate for any further interruptions to delay that. Chief?”She stepped back toward the corner, sweeping her arm toward the man. He snickered and shook his head, eyes closed.“I hope you enjoyed that little preface from our guest. Adams, we will discuss your liberal interpretation of proper etiquette later. Now, to the lot of you, welcome to your first Navy ROTC lecture…” --- A weary sigh left Meghan’s lungs as she shut the door of her apartment. The scent of searing seasoned meat caressed her face, wrapping her senses in a soft blanket of bliss. She inhaled, savoring every smell as they mingled and danced around her.She projected her voice around the corner. “Sup babe!”Meghan tossed her bag vaguely in the direction of her desk and gave a relieved sigh, stepping into the kitchen. David stood at the range, crafting a perfect meal.He turned to her and smiled. “Evening, beautiful. How was your day?”She leaned against the counter. “Pretty sweet. Got to know my capstone professor and the Chief running the ROTC class. Even got the chance to yell at someone in the class today.”David chuckled and shook his head. “-and talked to the Chief about the SEALs.” Meghan finished.His expression faltered, hands stopping briefly before resuming their task. “And what did he think about that?”Meghan shrugged. “That he thinks I’ve got a shot. Couldn’t let me go without mentioning how next to impossible it is, but he gave me the vote of confidence, so that was good enough.”“You believe him?” David spoke without looking at her.She glared at him through narrowed eyes, annoyance swimming in them like angry sharks. “And what do you have to say about that, David?”“Well, you know what I think, hon. I’m worried that you’ll end up killing yourself over this, with nothing to show for it.” He still wouldn’t meet her eyes.She had to respect his willingness to stand on the table and voice his true opinion, rather than stammer out some half-baked answer while beating around the bush.Which is why it just broke her heart that the table he chose to root himself on was rapidly approaching those same sharks.Meghan screwed her eyes shut, grinding her teeth and pushing hot air from her nose. “I would really rather not have this conversation again. I don’t think either of us would like where it would go.”She grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn toward her. “Is this going to be a problem, David? You’ve known from the very start how things would be with me. You chose to stay. You chose to support me, or so I thought.”Doubt flickered on David’s face like a broken reel. “I do, it’s just-““I’ve heard the doubts and questions for a long time. Every time, I’ve proven them wrong. I don’t want this from you, too, but don’t think I won’t move on if you’re going to try to hold me back.”At some point the venom dissolved, and the sincerity in her voice that shocked David; he’d never seen this from her before.He took her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles. “Okay.”“Okay?”“Okay. I’m willing to put my hesitations aside, because you’re worth it.”Meghan smiled softly at her boyfriend, and drew him in for a kiss.“But, Meg, you’ll have to make the baked corn.”She pulled back, bringing the back of her hand to her forehead. “Why must you burden me so?”They laughed together, worries dissipating into the night like the steam in the kitchen.
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February 15, 2013
Wisps of smoke drifted in the air, leisurely cycling from corner to corner along the path given to it by the vents. An unknown rock song filtered through an aged set of speakers above the jukebox, soft light glowing from the music player. The windows accumulated moisture along the edges, warm air from the inside worming its way through the cracks in the sealant in an effort to escape the cold outside.A crack sounded from down the bar. Meghan’s neck swiveled toward the sound, gaze fixing on the ceramic balls bouncing along the felt surface of the pool table. She turned her attention back to the glass of whiskey in front of her, swirling the ice around before taking a sip. The liquid bit at her tongue, and she pushed an exhale through her nose as she swallowed. The red tinted tubing lights on the walled spelled something she couldn’t read.The door swung inwards, howling wind shoving the metal frame against the wall. The worn bell jingled incessantly until the newcomer shoved the door closed again. Meghan did not look away from the wall, keeping her stare until the barstool next to her creaked.“Nie byłem pewien, czy przyjdziesz (I wasn’t sure if you would come),” Meghan spoke before knocking back the remainder of her glass. The bartender wordlessly took it and replaced its contents. She spun to her side, eyes running up and down her guest.“Really diggin’ the new look. Just screams ‘middle school drama queen.’”Ela rolled her eyes, and pointed to the glass in front of Meghan when the bartender asked what she wanted. Her green-dyed hair, shorter than Meghan remembered it, shone in the light of the overhead lamps.“I see the years have not changed your sense of humor.”Meghan waited, but when a follow-up didn’t come she turned back to her own drink.Minutes passed with no conversation. Meghan looked sidelong at the woman next to her, studying her compatriot’s face. Creases beyond her years were in places they definitely weren’t six years prior, and her skin was noticeably duller than it had been.When Meghan caught herself staring she tilted her chin at Ela. “The years don’t seem to have been kind to you.”Ela hummed and drank from her glass. When she put it down, half the whiskey remained. “You would be right.” Again, she left the short statement alone.Meghan sighed, reaching into her back pocket. She retrieved a pack of cigarettes and pulled one from the box, offering it to Ela. Her eyes shifted from it, to Meghan, and back to the stick of tobacco, before taking it between her fingers. Meghan flicked open a lighter and sparked it. She held it to the cigarette before sheathing the chrome plated tinderbox and setting it aside, next to the pack.Ela took a long drag, closing her eyes as the smoke filled her lungs, and exhaled. “Didn’t know you smoked.”Meghan gave a dry chuckle. “Didn’t know you did, either. Honestly, there’s probably quite a few things we don’t know about each other these days.”Another pull, the filter glowing orange. “I suppose so. Such is life, when two people spend so long apart.”Meghan’s fingers curled, briefly digging into her palm. She leaned her elbow on the bar, looking fully at Ela. “You talk like we hardly knew each other. We weren’t strangers, a few years back. Sure, we weren’t exactly sending each other Christmas cards, but I got used to hearing from you every now and again. Then you basically dropped off the face of the earth!”Not once did Ela turn to her, switching between whiskey and cigarette with reckless purpose. “How did you find me?”It wasn’t a question so much as it was a demand, laced with ice and short on patience.Meghan shifted on her seat. “Your sister-“Ela ripped off a growl, animal and angry, “Always forcing her way into my life, no matter the point in our lives. You would think she has better things to do.”Meghan set down her glass, resting her arm on the bar. “She was worried about you-““She puts up a convincing façade. I’ve seen it before.” She snapped at Meghan, biting the words off with as much force as she could muster. “I was worried about you—“Ela rolled her eyes and scoffed before pulling another drag on the cigarette. She huffed, refusing to look at Meghan.“Why are you so hostile towards her all the time, and why are you so short with me right now?”Ela’s head snapped to meet Meghan’s gaze so violently that it made her neck hurt.“Because what I am now is different than I was when you knew me!” The bartender looked to the two women, wiping a glass in the meanwhile.“My life is different than it was, and it will never again be like what I had before. Zofia only ever seems to twist whatever knife finds itself buried in me with her judgmental scolding. I know she does not mean it to be like that, but she knows that her meddling bothers me, and she never makes an effort to change.”The outburst had drawn the attention of the bar patrons, until a fiery glare from Meghan persuaded them to resume their activities. When she looked back to her accomplice, she found that Ela had resumed her focus-drained stare at the bar’s stock of liquor.“If you didn’t want to be found, by me or anyone else, then why even meet me here?”The prolonged silence that followed nearly convinced Meghan that Ela didn’t hear her, but she was determined to allow her friend the time to think about her answer. Finally, Ela spared Meghan a look, one she held while speaking, and Meghan could see the shimmering moisture lining her eyes.“Maybe I wanted a bit of my old life back.”It was Meghan’s turn to be at a loss for words. Her gaze softened, shoulders sagging. “What happened to you?”A pause, as Ela put down the nearly empty glass. “After our operation in Ukraine, I returned to the PMC in Iraq that I was taking jobs from. It was fulfilling work, work that I learned from. I was happy.” She wavered at the final syllable. “But, a few months later, I learned that my father had taken his own life.”Meghan leaned back, silently stammering as she searched for the right words. “That’s fucking horrible, I’m so sorry… but I’m confused, I thought you hated your dad? Something about playing favorites?”Ela’s glass was swiftly collected and refilled, and she nodded at the barkeep. The filter on her smoke burned orange again. “Yes, well… I have always tried to make him proud. As a child I would try to outdo the other children at everything, and as a teenager I would beg him to take me to the firing range to prove I could handle a gun. He never showed outward affection for my efforts. It frustrated me greatly, but I vowed to make him smile with pride, even if just once. Now I’ll never get the chance-“Her voice cracked on the last word. A tear splashed on the scarred wood as Meghan watched on with pursed lips. Ela swiped at her cheek with a sleeve.“All I can do now is try to make amends after the fact, but that serves only me. And, the real trouble is, it doesn’t even make me feel better...” She trailed off, staring at the teardrop. In one motion she balled her fist and slammed it on the bar. “I hate myself for being so weak. I wish you were not seeing me like this.”She felt a hand rest on her now stinging skin, and spared a glance at the source of the sensation. Meghan stayed as she was for a minute, maybe more, she couldn’t tell. No words left Ela’s mouth.“You are anything but weak. I’ve seen enough to know that isn’t true. Everyone gets the occasional crack in the armor; it’s how we deal with it that defines us. What you’re going through is normal, and you shouldn’t be ashamed. I’ve been through similar things when the situation with my dad comes up.”Meghan removed her hand, but remained fixed on her friend as a storm of telegraphed thoughts flashed across Ela’s face. A shuddering exhale left her.“So what have you been up to?”Ela took a deep breath, collecting herself. “I joined with my father’s unit, the GROM, as a civilian. They contacted me some time after his death, apparently Orange Sky grabbed the attention of more than just your government. I’ve been working as something of an interrogator, pulling information from people who would rather I didn’t.”Meghan’s lips tugged into a smile. “I don’t know about you, but I’d say that’s a pretty good start at patching things up with your father. Living his work, helping your country.”A shrug from Ela. “Maybe. I can only hope.” She paused to drink. “Tell me about your last couple of years, Meghan.”She hummed as she crossed her legs. “Well, I took leave from the Navy to go to college. Spent four years there studying communications, earned a fancy certificate to show for it. I’ll be starting SEAL training in a couple months, but in the interim they stationed me at Redzikowo,” Meghan took a swig of whiskey. “‘S why I decided to look you up.”Ela stared at her, unspoken thoughts joining the smoke in the air. “I would say your years have been far superior to mine.”Meghan huffed. “It isn’t a contest, Ela, everyone’s got their own mountains to climb. Your life isn’t any less worthy than mine, not by a long shot.”Ela couldn’t stop her eyebrows from knitting together as a wary look crossed her features. “Why are you trying so hard to cheer me up, what does it get you?” Her words had the same frigid edge she’d used before, and Meghan adjusted her approach.“I’m doing it because you’re my friend. Even if you weren’t, we were comrades, teammates. You get to be happy too, you know.”She turned back toward the bar, and the two entered a silence that, despite its length, held the most comfortable air of the night. Ela extended her glass in an outstretched hand, and Meghan clinked hers with it before they drank to the bottom.“You will make a great SEAL.”“And you will make a great GROM agent.”Wood banged into ceramic as a pool player broke a formation of balls, pulling their awareness to the table.“Hey,” Meghan lightly slapped Ela’s forearm. “Wanna go hustle those guys for all they’re worth?”A predatory grin beamed beneath hooded eyes. “You read my mind, Meghan.”
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May 18, 2013
A low hum buzzed in Meghan’s ears, occasionally punctuated by looped monotone voices over the airport intercom. Passing pedestrians in varying amounts of thermal clothing carried on idle conversation, ignoring the sea of faces around them.Meghan yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand and rubbing her eyes with her wrist. She fought sleep with each passing moment, regretting the redeye flight she had to catch to get to her destination in time. A flash of pink amongst the endless stream of black suitcases caught her eye, and she swiped hers from the motorized belt. She made a mental note to thank Coach Jackson and the team, all these years later.
Can’t believe I gave them shit for getting me this. Say what you want about the rainbow unicorn, it stands out in a crowd.
She strolled through the wide halls and causeways, with an exuded purpose that made others swerve to avoid her. The journey had not been made idly, and Meghan would waste no time in the day. Turning a corner, she stepped into the designated pickup area and scanned the waiting faces. An older woman stared intently at the door with her husband, a pair of girls giggled at something on their phones, men in sharp suits read this morning’s news.Her eyes settled on a russet-haired woman in smart business casual, leaning against the wall with her hands stuffed in her pockets. Meghan smiled tiredly and made her way around the benches to take the outstretched hand.“Thank you for having me, Dr. Melnikova.” --- Meghan spoke candidly with Lera, as she insisted on being called, during the trip to Novosibirsk State University. She asked Lera just how she had obtained a doctorate at such a young age, and how she had arrived at the line of work she had chosen to align herself with. The good doctor turned out to be a woman of few words, but was surprisingly blunt about her past - growing up in the looming shadow of the Chernobyl disaster, mistakes of a dead nation weighing on her family like a lead blanket. Lera’s diagnosis had done nothing to dampen the drive she possessed, in some ways even fueling it to defeat the sins of the past.Meghan could certainly relate to that.The door clicked shut, sealing off the lobby of the research lab from the outside air. Few people populated the sterile halls, the clicking of shoe heels the only sound permeating the air as they passed room after room. Meghan felt compelled to speak before she lost her mind. “Did they tell you why I came all the way here for this?”Lera turned to look at Meghan, keeping her relaxed pace. “Nyet. I assume it must be for a very good reason, because my research is not exactly common knowledge. It surprised me greatly when the General Secretary informed me that I would be testing the second round of my creation, and a heavily modified one at that, on an American. I almost asked if he was joking with me, but Russian politicians wouldn’t know a joke if it pissed in their vodka.”“To be totally honest, I don’t know who in the chain of command arranged this for me, either.” Meghan did a double take. “Did you say second round?”Lera smirked. “You Americans have a saying, ‘don’t get high on your own supply?’ I do not follow that rule.”The gears clicked in Meghan’s head. “So you have a personal investment in the success of this ‘supply,’ then.”“It is why I was so quick to accept. This isn’t the Soviet Union anymore, so ‘willing’ test subjects are not normally coming to me.” She held a badge up to a black square reader on the wall, pushing the door open after a short beep.Meghan hummed, putting a finger to her chin. “Well if it makes you feel better, I can act like a prisoner and bitch about my living conditions… comrade.”Lera chuckled, looking sidelong at Meghan. “Can’t do that. You’re too pretty to be a prisoner… kotyonok.” She flourished her head with a sultry wink.Meghan turned to avoid the smug gaze, but the sudden rosiness of her cheeks gave her away.Her skin bristled the chilled air of the temperature-controlled laboratory. The room was relatively bare, consisting of a few benches, a rolling cart, and a chair. On the cart were a number of vials and beakers, alongside an intravenous tube and a powered pump. Lera gestured at the chair in the center, previous disposition dropped in favor of a flat, serious tone.“You know you will be dependent on the nanides from today onwards, yes? After starting the treatment for the months of your training, you will not simply be able to stop. Regular doses will be required, and you must check in with me in person every year or so. Finally, you are not to use the injector more than once in sixty seconds; the rush will do damage to your major organs.” She spoke in a low voice, devoid of humor.Meghan had been afraid of that. She would be forced to make Lera’s science project an integral piece of her very basic life functions. Could she do that? The rest of her service career would hinge on the continued effectiveness of the nanides, if they even worked at all. Meghan heaved a pronounced sigh.
I did not come this far to quit now.
She cracked her knuckles. “I’m ready.”“Then let us begin.” ---
August 16th, 2013
In her college days, Meghan would often hear people complain about their workload. With each passing semester she would notice the trend of the low drone of student whining getting progressively louder, until it reached a sound so resonant with the state of her sanity, she sometimes wondered if she might snap.If only they could experience anything like this.She’d arrived at the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes, Illinois just over eight weeks ago. Before she’d even gotten the chance to take off her coat, they’d shuffled her into the medical quarters for an assessment. Her file raised more than a few eyebrows, surprise washing over as no questions were asked before her record was stamped and she was shunted to a bunk. The very next day she started yet another physical training regimen and had several novels on various topics shoved into her hands.Falling back into the regular clockwork-like system was almost relaxing; in a way she’d missed the fully planned and standardized itinerary of pure, unfiltered training. What she was being told to do wasn’t entirely new to her, but it was elevated to a degree she hadn’t seen in typical Naval routine. For weeks on end she ran, swam, and performed group calisthenics.As per the good doctor’s orders, she kept to the prescribed regiment involving the nanides religiously. To this point it had held its effectiveness more than she could have ever hoped, keeping her sharp and pain-free no matter the situation. Lera had told her that the doses would trickle into her system at a slow pace automatically, with manual triggers being possible as necessary, not unlike an insulin pump. The immediate effect of the tiny robots flooding her system held the same uncomfortable, lightly stinging feeling one might experience as they consciously feel blood leaving their vessels during a draw, but when she compared it to the initial burst of her first treatment, she would take the former any day. All she remembered from that afternoon was a sharp, agonized inhale followed by the corners of her vision turning blue, heartbeat thundering in her ears as she felt her nerves scream at the sensation. Sleep didn’t come easily for her for days afterward.Now, when she wasn’t grinding away at the track and the pool, she was absorbing a payload curriculum from a machine gun loaded with knowledge, personal conduct, and the very essence of SEAL ethos. Meghan watched her classmates as time went on. In her years, she knew the signs of one losing their will. She’d seen it before, and she was seeing it again, even before the modified physical screening test, on which everyone’s graduation hinged. And here she was, standing next in line to take said test. Her dream would live or die within the next hour.At the harsh whistle, she dove into the water. Time lost its relative hold on Meghan as she swam, the provided fins slicing through the water like a knife through fruit with relentless efficiency. Her muscles pumped repeatedly, propelling her halfway through the thousand-yard slog with nary a thought. Briefly the memories of the pool at her school flashed in her mind, but she ejected them as quickly as a bullet from a firing chamber.She pulled herself from the water and tossed away the fins before dropping to the floor for the push-ups segment. The timer in her head silently ticked on as she fired off as many as she could within two minutes.
Seventy-eight will do.
Meghan ran to the raised bar tying two concrete pillars together and hoisted herself up. She pushed a grunt through clenched teeth with every determined lift. Fourteen pull-ups later, she dropped from the bar and assumed a prostrate position on the rubber mat in the next area. The next two minutes saw her curling her torso upwards with a relative per two second pace, keeping her center of gravity pinned to the spot. Another whistle blew, and she slowly pushed herself to a standing stance, hands on her hips. She sucked in air, feeling the mechano-chemical cocktail surging through her veins.After a brief rest and water break, she took to the track. The physical ramifications of this gauntlet of ability and resolve would normally have started to take their toll, but Meghan would not be denied. She was a flaming arrow, searing all it touched, not to be stopped until it met its mark. She’d practiced for this for nearly twenty years, and the end to this tunnel was in sight. Four miles, and twenty-eight and a half minutes later, she was on the grass, panting like mad, but with an enormous weight lifted from her shoulders. It was done, finally over.Her head lolled to the side while she watched people complete the test, most dropping on their asses and doing the same thing she was. The following hours were either a springboard or a trapdoor for the ultimate ambitions of the class of SEAL cadets, and everyone got their orders for the future. When all was said and done, half of the initial class remained. Some were sent home.Meghan was not.Stage One done. ---
October 3rd, 2013
The phrase “hell week” held many meanings. To a college student, it meant the week of final exams and projects coming to a head. To a Navy hopeful, it meant the most grueling stretch of physical and mental prowess many recruits will have ever seen.To SEAL candidates, the first two are morning’s breakfast.Meghan spent weeks doing organized team drills, swimming and doing water exercises with varying levels of weight, and running that goddamned obstacle course more times than she’d gone to sleep in recent memory. She was positive that she’d be seeing that ramped bar ladder for fucking years in her dreams.This was worse.It’s impossible to know what being awake for 85 of the previous 88 hours is like until one has lived it. An experience Meghan thought was saved for those in hell itself. Her face was oily and muddy, her hair had long since been plastered to her skull, and her fatigues had become a disgusting, second skin. Even through the drugs laced into her bloodstream, her body screamed. Her muscles wept, her nerves burned, her bones groaned.Nonetheless, she was determined to persevere.She stood in a line with six others, using a log a foot in diameter as a team-barbell. For the past two hours, they’d stood on the beaches of Coronado, lifting and curling the wooden beam, in full gear. They ran with it, they carried it up hills, held it over their heads. More than once, her peer stumbled under the immense mass. More than once, Meghan picked up the slack just long enough for the next person to recover. Each time, her yells of anguish filled the ears of those around her. Each time, she could feel the very fibers of her muscles ripping and tearing, and the sensation of the nanides rebuilding them just as quickly burned even worse.They did the same with the inflatable personnel boat they were assigned. They did lunges with it, crawled the beaches with it, ran miles with it - through the base, over the rocks, to the water, where they put it in and paddled for more miles. In the words of the instructor that kept getting in her face, “we’re going to beat you with the stick we make you find.” Nelson was his name, and every day he watched her eat mouthfuls of sand, washed down by heaps of saltwater, with a dessert consisting of sweat and dirt.And then they did it all again in the dead of night, to the same bellowing yells of the bearded man.But she could not falter. ---
November 15th, 2013
The underwater and diving phase, in Meghan’s mind, was where the high impact selection phase to weed out the half-assers turned into the phase that makes frogmen, frogmen. Even as she navigated the flora-filled ocean bottom in full scuba gear, she could tell that this was something the aquaphobes would struggle with.Meghan, however, was right at home. This was her element, her quiet place. This was the heaven she remembered – languid water flowing every which way, allowing her to lithely push through the waves. She’d learned the physics, and she’d learned the advanced medical concepts associated with combat diving.It was time to check in with her old therapist.By now, the exercises had become routine. She knelt at the bottom of the pool for extended periods of time, minutes into hours, with the rebreather strapped to her back. Hands on her thighs, fingers spread apart at two- no, three centimeters tip to tip.This was the phase where the oft talked about “drowning torture” exercises took place. It made sense to her why they did it, obviously they needed to be prepared for any equipment fault or unforeseen situation. She even supported doing it, but sympathized with the recruits that couldn’t handle the prolonged oxygen deprivation sessions.Meghan found that the nanide surges were akin to a double-edged sword; they allowed her to hold her breath for an obscenely long time, but if she exceeded that limit, the head rush would be remarkably debilitating. Lera would need to know about this. Any excess of stimuli during use would be exacerbated to unsafe levels.Day in and day out, they repeated the underwater maneuvers. She couldn’t lie and say any of it was easy, because every day her body would find new ways to tell her that this was insanity.But she would not falter. ---
January 9, 2014
For the third time that afternoon, Meghan shook herself awake, aided by the de facto “squad leader” slamming a map down onto the tree stump in front of her. They’d been sent off to San Clemente island to put their weeks of intensified land navigation, live fire and explosive courses, and small unit tactics, to the test.“Alright gentlem- ah, everyone…” Meghan fought of the urge to roll her eyes, though she’d become more than used to the stumbling blocks that came with her situation.The brunet man cleared his throat, making brief eye contact with Meghan. “Anyway, I’m Kieran Nelson, and I’ll be leading our fire team in this exercise.”Per their instructions, while there was a team leader, all members were to contribute to the course navigation. They hashed out the details and started the hike. A minute in, Nelson dropped back in formation to fall in line with Meghan.“So uhh, sorry about the little faux pas earlier, I didn’t mean to-“She held up a hand. “Don’t apologize, I get it. The ‘No Girls Allowed’ club is all confused the instant a second X chromosome is involved,” Jenson snickered between her words. “But I appreciate the notion.”Nelson nodded. “Of course. A fighting force is only as strong as the people in it, and that includes strength of character. Wouldn’t be much of an anchor if I was alienating my peers.”Meghan turned to look at the man. His face was rugged, slightly higher cheekbones underneath noticeably scarred skin, especially a prevalent gash on his right side. Dark brown stubble dotted his jawline, somewhat extensively, given that the men were freshly shaved before their departure.She hummed at him. “Nice outlook. You’ve got my vote, sir.” She accentuated the last word, elbowing him in the arm. He shook his head with a smirk. “Yeah, yeah. Well listen, I gotta get back to the front. Let’s kick ass, dig?” He presented his fist, and she tapped his hand.“Hell yeah, bossman.”Nelson jogged ahead, gear jostling and clanging on his back. He barked out orders to the team, and they got to work. Their next few weeks were full of trials, toil, and success.And she did not falter. ---
June 18, 2014
Meghan could never complain that her life was boring. In these short years, she’d seen and done more than her teenaged self could have ever dreamed of. She never lacked that sweet adrenaline rush, and was constantly challenged to be a better soldier, a better person.Who else could say they’ve hiked the snow-covered Alaskan peaks, gone ice diving, survived anything as hardcore as SERE training, and jumped out of a plane – not once, but dozens of times? All of this was capped off by systematic breaching and clearing of mockup buildings, at the peak of a mountain reached by a high-altitude low opening parachute jump.“Aight, bosslady, what’s the plan?” Nelson pulled back the bolt on his marksman rifle and rested the firearm on his knee.Meghan slung her rifle and smoothed out the building blueprint. “OK, forward recon reveals five rooms, twelve tangos. We stack on the front door, and Keller plants a door charge. Nelson, you flash the room and push in. Team follows, fans and clears the targets. Keller moves hard left, Nelson rear left, Harris rear right, and I go hard right. Flash and clear, be mindful of the hostages. We have twenty-five seconds after the door goes, and accuracy counts, so move quickly and efficiently. Questions?”No one voiced an objection, so she nodded once. “Then let’s begin.”Directional detonations, ear shattering bangs, and controlled staccatos of gunfire peppered the spring-loaded targets, and one by one they fell. Meghan waited for the horn telling them to stand down.“Chemical explosive!”The shout from Nelson’s room tore her attention from the timer and had her charging to the sound of his voice, Keller and Harris in tow. Meghan tossed her rifle to the side.“Nelson, get that panel open!” She ripped open a velcro patch on her chest and removed a set of cutters. Muttering to herself as she traced the wiring, Meghan took stock of the mechanisms on display in the recreated crude explosive.“Keller, turn the pressure valve 45 degrees counter. Harris, slowly pull the lever downwards – slow like it’ll bite you if you go too fast.” She snipped a red wire, snuffing out one of the two red lights on the housing.“Nelson, listen carefully. The instant I cut this wire, I need to you smash the junction box as hard as you can.”“What—““Please just do it—” she snipped the blue wire, causing the other red light to supernova “-now!” He slammed the stock of his rifle into the electrical hub. A high-pitched whine slowly lowered in intensity as the light flickered and died out.Meghan slumped against the wall, exhaling slowly. The horn rang in her ears, and her squad looked to the door as their instructor – Jensen – sauntered in.“Congratulations, you all passed, excellent work. A SEAL has to be ready for absolutely anything and make use of whatever is on hand to accomplish the mission.”Nelson piped up from her left. “All respect, sir, EOD wasn’t in the syllabus for this week. What’s the situation?”Jensen, clad in perfectly pristine uniform, looked them all up and down, holding Meghan’s gaze last. “Some government team no one has ever heard of is pushing for extra training in chemical ordnance disposal in special military divisions.”Meghan’s breathing evened out, and she pushed herself to a standing position. “Back to camp, then, sir?”He nodded. “Dismissed.”The wakeup call blared loudly and clearly at her – this was it. This was the manner of situation she should always expect, with stakes elevated to the highest degree. Her actions would determine life and death, of herself and her team. This was what being America’s finest would be all about.And she was ready to be the warden to what she held dear.
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July 12, 2014
The sense of profound amazement and borderline disbelief simmered in Meghan’s mind, head swimming in a constant haze. She could hardly remember what had come before the last several months of relentless training and short nights, and even now she fought the inner suspicion that there was a hidden test just waiting to get fired in her direction.Fewer than 50,000 Americans had ever attended a SEAL graduation. It is no hyperbole to say that each successive graduation ceremony is a significant piece of history. For those in the audience today, that notion got cranked to eleven. To say that the US military “advertised” the graduation of its warriors would be terribly disingenuous. However, to say that they would pass up the chance to tell the world that, for the first time, a woman had passed the test of tests?Now that would be downright wrong.Meghan had been told that “a few news outlets” wanted a moment with her. Within days, major networks had lined up to get her picture and ask for quotes. They would get their time, but this moment was all about her, and her comrades. Cameras and microphones dotted the crowd, soaking up every word as the officers detailed what this group went through, how they were special among the most spectacular.Their speeches projected the gravity of the situation perfectly – that the pinning of the tridents on the chests of the newest SEALs, while an extraordinary accomplishment, also sets the bar of impossibly high performance even higher. It turned out that Meghan had not reached the finish line, but rather earned a spot at the true starting line. She had the chance to become a team player on the world’s biggest stage, to put all the training to the highest echelon of real-life combat.It was true, and she knew it. Thinking that this was the mountaintop would be doing herself and those around her a disservice, and put her in line for one of many rude awakenings. Earning her trident meant many things, one of which being that she would need to earn the respect of the world’s best soldiers. At this level, the difference between an “FNG” and a veteran SEAL was, in the words of Twain, that of “a lightning bug and a lightning strike.”Still, one thing at a time. Meghan had already become the one percent of the one percent, and this day was meant to be celebratory.She and her peers looked crisp and pristine in their dress whites, with the four-person brass band setting the tone for just how momentous this occasion was. The graduation speech, while succinct, was the most accurate reflection on personal character she had ever heard. These recruits had shown the fortitude to stretch the limits of what was physically and mentally possible.The voice of the retiring SEAL boomed over the plaza. “There is no splendid ceremony or fuss, but the education you are receiving is better than any Ivy League College or University can offer. Through the crucible of this training you will gain an inkling of self-awareness. You will learn to seek your own strengths and weaknesses; your boundaries and your fears.”Over the years, Meghan had experienced several iterations of the same question: What does it take to make a good SEAL?The speaker must have read her mind. He took a moment to clear his throat, forehead creasing as he thought back to his own memories, “What does it mean to be a good SEAL? Is it the man who swims hundreds of miles and runs thousands? Is it impeccable standards? Spit and polish? One of my BUD/S instructors was a Vietnam veteran who said ‘I did five tours of duty and I never saw an obstacle course, and I never had to run more than 50 yards in the jungle.’ So it isn't just about being physically healthy and capable.”The speaker recalled a moment that stuck with him, in which he barked back at a superior officer after he was reprimanded for a uniform violation. Although he “only just barely escaped with his life,” Meghan held back a smirk. She could certainly relate to that. Not every CO was as lenient as Samson.“But that old warrant officer knew something back then that I didn't: the definition of discipline. I had allowed him to form an opinion of me: if I made the wrong decision when the choices are easy, what would I do when the choices are hard? You know the right action, and you take the right action: Only. Every. Time.”If anything, the points that the decorated man made were the cement that held it all together. The SEAL ethos, the months of classroom and field training, the lifestyle that was her new norm. Now, she started to get a better idea of what made the perfect soldier.A good SEAL acknowledges that good fortune heavily impacts their futures, but that they can't outrun bad luck. A good SEAL seeks and accepts responsibility for their own actions, or lack thereof. A good SEAL is a leader who understands that leadership is not given, but honed through experience; that true leadership is revealed when one proves that they have what it takes, whatever that may be in any given situation. A good SEAL embraces the concept not of one leader and many followers, but of leaders leading leaders, and of being part of a team of creative thinkers bound by their tridents.The man turned to look at the graduates, and Meghan felt his steely gaze fix on her, specifically. “You are not here to lead the hunt for the terrorist masterminds of the world, you are here to make sure this community continues. I envy you; I worry for you. In the meantime, there is work to be done. Congratulations.”He led the assembly in a lengthy round of applause, as the audience stood and cheered respectfully. Meghan allowed herself to look around at the crowd, there to see their sons, friends, husbands. She sighed, knowing that the only people there for her were CBS, CNN, Fox... rather than loving hugs, they were there to get a story out of Meghan. They could swear up and down that they were proud of her on behalf of the country or whatever such bullshit, but at the end of the day the narrative was what made them care. She stepped off the raised platform, resignation planting itself in her mind, until a couple with press guest passes at the center of the seating aisle caught her attention.Her mother and father.The world around her fell away, sound drowning out and forgotten. Her jaw hung open, until she shook her stupor and paced in their direction. McKenzie jogged to meet her halfway and threw her arms around Meghan’s neck, squeezing as tightly as she could.Her mother spoke through regular sniffles. “You did it, sweetie.”“I can’t believe you came… When I sent the invites, I thought—” Meghan’s voice came out as a broken whisper, as she was unable to keep her voice from cracking.McKenzie drew away and gestured to Sean. “Are you kidding? We wouldn’t miss this for the world!”And there he stood, hands in his pockets. “Hi, Angel.”That was it, that was all it took for the dam to break. Tears slid down Meghan’s cheeks. She nearly jumped at him, engulfing Sean in a crushing hug. “Hi, daddy.”“I’m so, so proud of you, Meghan.” She tightened her fist, bunching his shirt between her fingers. Sean rubbed her back as she cried, screwing his eyes shut as he took in the fact that, for the first time in years, his little girl was in his arms.Maybe not so little anymore…They split apart, and Meghan rubbed at her eyes. “I’m… I just, I don’t know what to say…”McKenzie took her hand. “Oh baby, you don’t have to say anything.”Meghan pulled in a shaky breath, smoothing out her uniform. “From the badges I’m guessing you’ll be joining me in the media event?”Sean nodded. “As soon as they heard we were here, they pretty much insisted. If it’s alright with you, we’ll be right there with you.”She grabbed both of her parents in one armed hugs.“Let’s go be stars.” --- It took all of three minutes under the blinding lights and camera shots for Meghan to decide that she never wanted to do this again. Already, she could feel the beads of sweat forming on her forehead, courtesy of the bulbs trained on her like the barrels of a thousand guns. Nonetheless, she and her parents clipped the microphones on, and waited for the barrage of questions.“Barrage” was probably the most accurate description.“McKenzie, what were you going through as you watched your daughter graduate one of the nation’s toughest military programs?”She straightened up. “I think anything less than ‘elation’ would be a lie. Meghan has been making both of us proud for years, even when she was thousands of miles away, on deployment. Maybe it’s a little dramatic, but she gives me reason to do my best every day.”Another commotion roared to life as the reporters vied for attention, and the Navy moderator picked one.“Sean, do you have any reservations about your daughter putting herself in a position as dangerous as this?”Meghan watched as her father crossed one leg, hands moving animatedly as he spoke. “Not at all. She’s proven to me more than once that she’s the strongest woman on the planet, and that doubting her only serves to stoke an untamable fire. Does part of me wish that she could stop right now, go home, raise a family, get a safe job, take up stamp collecting? Sure, of course I’m worried for my little girl’s safety. But, I also know that it would take an act of God to knock her down and keep her there.”Meghan felt her chest swell with thankfulness at the praise, and gave a contented sigh.“Meghan, what drove you to not only join the SEAL program, but see the whole thing through, and what does it mean to you to be the first female to pass the program?”“Well, like my dad mentioned, the notion that ‘she can’t do it’ has always been the biggest thing. I was trying to be an Olympian as a teenager before I broke my arm, and I heard the doubt from my friends. I decided to join the military, and I heard the doubt from dad. I decided to join the SEALs, and I heard the doubt from everyone, even my boyfriend, who I still love very much despite it. In essence, I wanted to prove that I can do anything, and carve a path for the women behind me to smash the glass ceiling.”For a brief moment, the room was as calm as could be. Like many other times in which Meghan spoke with such conviction, the pack bowed their heads to her.“So, why did it have to be a military career, particularly the SEALs? There’s no doubt in my mind that you have passion, but couldn’t you have set a similar precedent in a medical or research field?”“If that were my calling, maybe, sure. But I love this job. I love being a part of this cohort, whether it be in a situation room or doing a HALO drop over deserts. I feel like my service makes a positive difference, and that it’s good for me as a person.”She paused, looking at each of her parents. “See, my fears aren’t the same as mom’s and dad’s. Sure, getting injured or killed in the line of duty would be terrible, but my biggest concern is having all of this training drilled into me before I can be deployed on my first mission, and make that positive difference. I understand the risks, and the danger, but if I could be sent to wherever I’m needed most tomorrow, I would.”She meant every word, and knew that soon enough, she could put those words into action. --- “Can I open my eyes yet?”Sean chuckled. “We’ll let you know, Angel.”Meghan whined, hating being in the dark, even if this alleged “surprise” was as worth it as they kept assuring her. They’d given her the chance to swap her dress whites for something more comfortable, but insisted that she “make herself presentable.”The car ride had been odd, in a word, but she couldn’t say it had been negative. She finally had the chance to air out the situation with her parents, and they’d been able to just talk. Meghan acknowledged that she had been a rebellious little shit, and Sean admitted that the stick that used to be up his ass had made him a sour little shit.Meghan felt the car stop and accepted her mother’s hand to get out. Her parents walked her down a path, and her ears picked up the sound of waves lapping at the shores. Her father pulled the blindfold away, and she gasped at the sight in front of her.A row of people sat on a seaside patio, beneath a congratulatory banner surrounded by party accessories. Most of her high school team, led by Kyle Jackson, cocky smile on his face. Rebecca Winters, no longer standing with that idle fidget she used to possess. James Samson, with Angela Foster and Hector Garza flanking him. Mary Knowles and Andrew Peters looked her up and down, at the end product of their efforts. At the center, was her boyfriend of five years, David Harris.Meghan found herself crying once again. This was her biggest achievement yet. This was her perfect scenario. This was her ultimate goal. McKenzie pushed her forward, and she embraced David before kissing him like they were the only ones in the world.Just for today, she could say…
I made it
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January 4, 2016
Meghan had once read somewhere that one couldn’t know what “hot” truly was unless they’d been in 120 degree heat with eighty pounds of gear strapped to their body. A movie she’d seen, maybe. Didn’t matter, shit still sucked. A hot gust blew at her face, carrying a sand payload bound for any crevice it could reach. Meghan pulled her shemagh closer and slung her rifle over her shoulder.“Who ordered the pound of sand that’s working its way into my fucking boots?”The shout came from behind her, muffled by the tight fabric of her head covering. She turned back. “I think it was your dumb ass when you kept jinxing us this morning, saying it was gonna be a good day, Spears!”A third figure piped in from further down the line. “Yeah, dick, you know damn well there’s no good days in the sandbox!”“But did we die? No? Then it could be worse, you pessimistic shmucks!” He held a fist up and shook it.That, she thought, was certainly true. The past few years had splashed a number of paints onto the canvas of Meghan’s life. Splotches of orange when a mission was successful. Swaths of red when she lost friends, comrades, brothers in combat. Swishes of blue when those goddamn Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and spackles of green when they blew it in the last minute next year. A spurt of purple when David had asked her to marry him……and an explosion of pink when she said yes.Whoever the artist was behind her painting was an expressive soul, but she wasn’t going to question their decisions. All things considered, she was perfectly happy… if one ignored the ever-sweltering climate of her post in Bagram Air Base.They’d spent the better part of the last two weeks trundling through the desert, scaling mountains, and traversing canyons to recon a grid square with a watch list target. The mission statement allowed for the team to make their own determinations on dispatching any hostiles, so long as the objective was achieved without open conflict, but the bastards didn’t even have the common courtesy to present themselves for an early grave! The countryside must have been part of the conspiracy, with the howling winds battering Meghan’s team constantly day in and day out, and the sun tossing mirages at the squad. By the end of the mission window, she was convinced a mountain lion would come along in the middle of the night and make things even more interesting.Despite it all, however, they’d done what they had to, and with minimal whining. Meghan led her team onto the road leading to Bagram, cresting the final hill and flashing the signal for re-entry. At this point, the only thing on her mind was how badly she needed a shower.She turned. “Debrief in 10 mikes, then you’re all free for the evening. Dismissed.”A chorus of “ma’am” echoed her, and Meghan headed for the command center. --- Major Grenier wore a tired expression, weights pulling at the bags below his eyes. Sleep hadn’t come easily for some time, and good news were few and far between. It turned out that the house of cards that was the Middle East just refused to stay standing, no matter how many times they set fire to it. The report from Meghan’s team gave a glimmer of hope that just maybe something would go smoothly, but he held fast to the guarded optimism that had hung over him for years.Grenier slid his hand down his face, blowing out a weary sigh. “Lovely. Thank you all, dismissed.”He rubbed at his eye as the team picked up their gear and slowly shuffled to the door. He hummed as a thought flashed into his mind and called out. “Castellano! Hang back for a moment.”Meghan looked to the others and tilted her chin towards the door. She leaned her rifle against a desk and clasped her hands together. “’S happening, boss? Am I in timeout?”Grenier chuckled warmly. “Not quite. You caught me on a good day, so I won’t even bring up your shirt hangin’ out of your pants.” She smirked, but made no effort to act like she was at all bothered.“Anyway, no. There’s someone here to speak with you about an… interesting opportunity.” Grenier motioned to a door at the back of the room, where the plastic flaps swayed aside to allow a woman to enter.She was a tad shorter than Meghan, but exuded raw authority the likes of which Meghan hadn’t seen since, well, herself. Her hair was exceptionally well done up, makeup perfectly accentuating her flawless black skin, suit arranged in a sharp luster that practically forced one to pay attention. Meghan subconsciously straightened up, tucking her shirt in as subtly as possible.The woman stopped just short of Meghan, stoic expression quickly melting into a sly smile and offered her hand. “Meghan Jane Castellano. I’ve had an eye on you for quite some time. They say that you’re remarkable in every sense of the word, and I can safely say that they were not lying.”Meghan blinked to refocus. “I— ah, appreciate it ma’am, but you’ve got me at a disadvantage.”“You can call me Six. I’m here on behalf of a multi-national program, looking for top talent to bring into the fold. We need the best of the best, people who have broken and continue to break the mold. You fit that description to the last detail.”Meghan glanced at Grenier, who had yet to even attempt to address either of them. “A recruitment trip, then? I imagine the Navy might have something to say about that, though if you say it’s multi-national… Which agency is heading this? CIA, FBI? And what’s the job?”“We’re called Team Rainbow. A counter-terrorism agency with the funding and support of the world’s nations, with the mission of neutralizing the most dangerous criminals and killers. We collect talent from the best of the best in renowned CTUs, and temper them into the shield protecting the world.” Six slid a folder to her, a collection of individual profiles within.Meghan scanned each one, absorbing the details that made up every one of the world’s best. Cut from every cloth, from all races and creeds. They were like her – coming from backgrounds of all kinds, but willingly putting themselves through the wringer just to prove that it would not break them. Their resumes were outrageous; on every page she saw operations and initiatives that caught the world’s eye – and these were the people making them happen! The stage didn’t get any bigger than this, the stakes didn’t get any higher.Meghan locked her eyes on Six, a clenched fist holding position on the table. “I want in.”Six smiled again, crossing her arms. “I had a feeling you might.”Meghan spun around and looked at her commanding officer, “Major Grenier, I want to officially request a—“He held his hand up. “It’s already approved. Actually, when Madame Six came looking for prime candidates, your name was the first one on my list. Your experience as an intel officer made the choice easy.”She softened her gaze, and gave him a single, shallow nod before looking back to Six. “When do you want me?”They shook hands once more, and Meghan felt lightning course through her veins. “You can report to our United Kingdom based facility in May. Until then, you’re free to serve your superiors here.”“Thank you, ma’am, I very much appreciate your confidence in me, and thank you for the offer.”“I know you do, and I appreciate your willingness to be a part of our team,” Six crossed her legs. “Oh, and one more thing – you were the second person here at Bagram that I talked to. I think you’ll be very interested to know who the other was.” --- “Son of a bitch, she wasn’t kiddin.’”Meghan sat down at a metal table near the back of the cafeteria, across from a man she had come to know quite well.Craig Jenson.Their palms smacked together with a resounding crack, fingers curling together before pulling apart and forming a fist to bump the other’s hand. Meghan couldn’t scrub the grin from her face – she was buzzing from the news. She had remained in near-constant contact with the men from her SQT team; surviving hell itself together tended to bind a group, for better or worse. The people that she graduated the program with were all family, for certain, but these guys?They were her brothers.Harris had been stationed in Qatar for the better part of a year, doing largely what she was – desert recon, occasional search and destroy. Keller, the last she knew, was still with his team in Little Creek back home. Nelson, the lucky bastard, got to slum it at Bagram with her. And so, she had come to find out, had Jensen. It wasn’t very often that they got the opportunity to work together, but whenever they were on base at the same time, they were bound to be found in the same places.Meghan smiled and tossed a full canteen at him before twisting the top off of her own and downing the contents. “Didn’t know they let cavemen into the club! Goddamn, Craig, that thing is massive. You sure there aren’t animals taking shelter in there?”“They have the same acceptance policy as they do for Amazons like yourself. You got bigger arms than most of the dudes, you’re makin’ ‘em feel inferior!” Craig laughed as he dodged the water bottle whizzing by his head.“Ass.” She muttered, smirk betraying her attempted expression.Meghan wasn’t a stranger to the idea of fear. It was a common response to the unknown, expressing uneasiness when presented with something equal parts dangerous and exciting. The difference between fear that strengthens one’s resolve, and fear that causes their foundation to crumble, is how they leverage it. Acting as a tool of war can be daunting by itself, and adding the pressure of being the tip of the special operations spear gives even the toughest of warriors pause.The best approach to braving the storm, she found, was utilizing every port made available to her. In the devil’s lair that is the Middle East, these ports were few and far between, but she had found hers. Craig became her partner in crime, her confidant, and one of her best friends. The ability to speak one’s mind with no fear of social barrier, where any topic or joke was welcome, was truly freeing. They could discuss the day’s training regimen, how the home life was going, and more recently, how their pet projects were going.“How’s this for freaky coincidence, Meg? Of all the psychos and head cases here, they asked us to be in their new pop band.”“It’s pretty unreal, but I don’t think it was all coincidence. You remember the thing that happened in the house mockup back in Alaska? What you said about an agency no one had ever heard of?” She crossed her legs and rested an elbow on the table.He quirked a brow at her and scratched his chin, but realization spilled onto his face. “Damn, guess we were guinea pigs from the start, huh?”“Maybe, but now we get to be secret agent guinea pigs.” They shared a boisterous laugh, drawing the looks of a few of the others eating their dinner. Craig stared at the shadow cast by the whirling fan hear the ceiling before snapping his fingers.“Oh right, I meant to ask you: Six mentioned a pretty hefty R&D budget for whatever neat-o toys the team wanted to try out. You gonna bring your spy kit for dummies with you?”She scoffed at him. “Only if you decide to bring your saran wrap rifle window with you.”Craig placed a hand on his chest, voice laced with sarcasm. “I’ll have you know that my ‘saran wrap’ keeps both fruits and vegetables fresh and crisp, even in the pressure cooker known as Afghanistan!”Meghan couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics. This was what helped her stay grounded, no matter the situation. She had him to get through training, she had him to stay mentally right on base, and she’d have him to tackle this completely new experience, with completely new people.“With a pitch like that, I think your callsign should be Shamwow. You’ll be a hit!”“Mm, I dunno, I was thinking Slapchop. Sounds more edgy.”“Sounds more like something a twelve year old would say.” Mock indignation painted his face once more, a look that Meghan thought he could pull off on command better than he should’ve been able to.
He really is a princess, with that look on his mug.
“Well, you look kinda like Barbosa, if he was younger and less gray.”Craig hummed. “You know, I don’t hate the pirate theme. I might think about that one,” He lifted his leg onto the bench, sitting with his arm resting on his knee. “You got any ideas for yours?”Whether or not Meghan knew it, the answer had been obvious for her entire life. From the time she could understand speech, one name was attached to her life. Even to that day, Meghan’s father still called her ‘Angel.’ And over the course of her life, she could point to individual milestones that forged part of the metaphysical armor she wore on a daily basis.Meghan was fiercely protective of her familyWhat moniker would she use in the field, where she was a force of nature, standing guard for her team against the unknown? She crossed her arms and leveled a smirk at Craig.“Valkyrie.”
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April 30, 2016
Meghan looked away from a satellite map when the sound of Sea Hawk rotors hit her ears. She pulled the headset off and handed it to the specialist at the nearest workstation. With a turn of her head, she shouted. “Craig, on me! Cavalry’s here.”Jenson shot a brief goodbye at the man he was talking to before joining Meghan as she left the command center. The two donned protective eyewear in response to the dust kicking up from the helicopter blades, holding fast twenty feet from the air transports. The doors slid open, and several armored individuals disembarked. Meghan counted seven, taking note of the slight differences in their uniforms. The whirs from the helicopters lowered as the engines spun down, and the pilot of one of them leaped from the cockpit before circling around the bird and joining the newcomers.Meghan and Craig marched forward, pulling their face coverings away to speak freely. She shouted to the now eight people. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Afghan-Pakistani border. Hope you like blistering heat and sand, because that’s pretty much all we’ve got.”The tallest of the group spoke. “Aye, that you do, lass. Though, when I told Six I wanted to vacation someplace warm, this isn’t quite what I ‘ad in mind.”She smirked and shook hands with who she assumed was the fireteam leader. “I’m intelligence specialist, and future Rainbow operative, Meghan Castellano, United States Navy SEALs. This is combat specialist Craig Jenson, same story,” Craig stood with his hands clasped behind his back, while Meghan cocked a hip and rested her hand on it. “We’re runnin’ the show in this pit, and we very much appreciate the help you all are pitching in. Who’s who?”“Name’s Seamus Cowden, otherwise known as Sledge.” The Scotsman swept an arm to his side. “An’ goin’ down the line, we have Monika ‘IQ’ Weiss, Marius ‘Jager’ Streicher, Sébastien ‘Buck’ Côté, Emmanuelle ‘Twitch’ Pichon, Gilles ‘Montagne’ Touré, Jordan ‘Thermite’ Trace, and Shuhrat ‘Fuze’ Kessikbayev.” Each operator nodded or waved as their name was called. Seamus looked back to his hosts.“Wanted to save the orientation proper for when you two joined us in Hereford. We had name plates and candy and icebreaker games all planned out, too, but I guess the gits out here were too eager for us to come meet you ‘ere.”Craig laughed, dropping his bravado for just a moment. “Believe me, we’re just as sad as you are. But I think we can pay ‘em back.”Seamus set his hands on his waist, nodding at the two SEALs. “Not normally how we run, but Six says that we’re all yours today. Wants to test your mettle or some such, so give the word.”Meghan motioned for everyone to follow. “I’ll give you all the rundown, let’s get to business.” --- Two large monitors rested on the wall of the briefing room, controlled by the remote Meghan held in her hand. She leaned against a table, pointing the laser at each section of interest.“Here’s a floor plan of the border checkpoint, and here’s the camera feeds from a couple CCTV lenses that didn’t get smashed to pieces when this place got fragged. First floor has a lobby, security center, stockroom, workshop, lavatory, and visa check-in. Second floor has offices, an armory, and the closed-circuit control station. The solid yellow lines you see are windows, the breaks in the white solid lines are doorways.”Meghan looked around to ensure she still had everyone’s attention. She cleared her throat and tossed the laser pointer to Jenson. “Tell ‘em about the tangos, Craig.” She swirled her canteen of water and tossed it back.“From what we can tell, this is a very well-equipped terrorist cell with next to no notoriety, which by itself is a little terrifying. They’ve identified themselves as the White Masks.” He zoomed in on a blurry camera shot of one of the hostiles pointing a gun at the lens.The occupants of the room studied the figure. “What are the odds that they’re big fans of Alan Moore?” Marius mumbled.“Probably giving them too much credit.” Gilles stated flatly.“From the perspective of the US and its allies,” Craig continued, “this is their first time openly ruining things. Our job is to make it their last attack. Transmissions from the station before it went dark are… less than helpful. Armed hostiles stormed the place, but as of right now, we have no idea how many there are, or if they have any intention of diplomacy. I think we can all hazard a guess.”Sébastien called from the back. “Any civilians?”Craig resumed control of the room. “Unknown number of non-military checkpoint employees taken hostage, including the station head, being used as assets. Until we get in position for drone recon, assume several, and in any room. There’s likely to be some casualties, as well.”Sébastien stroked his beard.“So, what? They just showed up, shot some blokes, took some hostages, all without making any demands? What’s the point, they just have a couple extra bullets that a range wouldn’t satisfy?” Seamus spoke over crossed arms.“If I’m being honest,” Meghan postured, “something here is off. These guys came out of nowhere with a mountain of gear and attacked an American outpost for no immediately discernable reason, taking hostages while doing so. I can’t think of any remotely rational excuse for doing this, which makes me think it’s either a statement, or a distraction. But they’ve fucked up the joint, people have died, and more might continue to die. Until we go smash these guys’ heads together, postulating only leaves lives in danger.”A stoic head nod was her answer.A light, sharp German accent addressed Craig. “Should we expect explosives?”Craig shuffled. “Unclear. But we’re expecting just about anything, which is why I think your expertise will be invaluable.”Monika held his gaze before sparing a glance at the video feeds, then back to Craig, before giving a curt nod. Meghan knew the woman by reputation; her advanced electronic detection device was two steps above what most of the US military had access to. Even if there wasn’t a threat of bombs, she wanted Monika’s brand of experience on hand.Meghan called out to the room. “Anything else?”No response.“Alright, then listen up. We’ll have Fire Team Alpha, consisting of Touré, Trace, Cowden, Weiss, Streicher, led by Jenson. Bravo will be Pichon, Kessikbayev, Côté, led by me. In fifteen mikes, two APCs will arrive to take us to the target building. Alpha will deploy at the west end of the building and advance on the main entrance. After performing drone recon, you’ll clear the first floor. Touré will spearhead the assault, with Weiss sweeping for electronics ahead of his path, Trace will clear any obstacles present. Cowden, Streicher, and Jenson will enter through the window leading into the stockroom, and snake through the other side of the first floor. Link up at the entryway into the lobby and wrap the rest up from there.“At the same time, Bravo will take position on the roof to gain intel on the second floor. Pichon will use her specialized drone to seek and destroy any electronics detrimental to the mission and provide eyes for Kessikbayev to use his cluster charges. Côté will be our overwatch for when we push the entry points. Questions?”Nods of approval went around the room, and several of them started last minute checks of their equipment. Cowden met her gaze. “On your go, then, boss.”Meghan picked up one of her cameras from a table. “Let’s go be big goddamn heroes.” --- The rear hatch of the armored vehicle dropped open, and Meghan led her team to the perimeter wall of the facility. She pulled her tactical smart device from her chest rig and keyed it to the street camera facing the northeast corner of the building, panning left and right.“They have the place locked up tight, and I’m not seeing any foot mobiles outside the walls. Second floor balcony is empty, but every wooden wall I can see has some kind of metal reinforcement. Whoever these guys are, they’re more well equipped than your usual terrorist…”“Then we should be quick.” Shuhrat pulled back the bolt of his Kalashnikov.Meghan nodded and stowed the tablet. They moved to the wall of the building and launched a pair of rappel lines. The metal hooks snagged on the stone at the top, burying themselves within. In teams of two, the operators strapped in and climbed to the roof. Beads of sweat rolled down Meghan’s forehead, muscles working double duty to reach the roof. The smooth-cut brickwork provided little traction, more than once causing boots to slip from their holds. Half a minute later, Meghan and Shuhrat hoisted themselves to the top, and grabbed their squadmates’ hands to pull them up.“Gear check, everyone still good?” All nods, and Meghan looked around at the area. “Then fix suppressors. Buck, take position at that opening above the lobby. Make yourself a ghost but call out whatever you see.” He moved to his designated spot.Meghan looked at a dome structure next to them. “Twitch, what’s the max drop height that thing can handle?”Emmanuelle unclasped the pouch on her hip and retrieved her drone. “Tested it to two stories. It’s pretty hardy, but I don’t want to take chances.”“Perfect, then you’re gonna drop it in through here,” she tapped the dome, “and guide Fuze on where to set up.” She looked at Shuhrat. “You have full shoot-to-kill authority, but if there’s any hostages anywhere in the rooms, do not hit that trigger. Understood?”“Yes, yes.”“Good, then get in position. Move on the sound of hell breaking loose downstairs.”Meghan moved to Buck’s position and tapped him on the shoulder. “Wait till there’s no one on that catwalk overlooking the lobby and then tell me.”She prepped a Black Eye camera, flicking the switch and releasing the fast-acting adhesive. She drew her arm back, waiting on the go-ahead from Buck. Fifteen seconds passed, and he held up a thumb. She whipped the device at the top of the wall, watching it land between two static filled television screens. Meghan activated her tablet once again. and switched to her new feed. A faint blue light pulsed on, lens examining the angles visible to it.“Twitch here. Armory shows six hostiles, no hostages. Office shows three hostiles, ten hostages, all in the southeast corner. CCTV room shows eight hostiles, no hostages. They are patrolling around but are all staying in their respective areas.”“Valkyrie, this is Blackbeard. We’re in position, waiting on your go.”Meghan adjusted her mouthpiece. “Green across the board here. Fuze, how copy?”“Ready for some fireworks.” His voice was filled with a giddy anticipation.“Wait,” The French woman blurted over the comm, “let me warn the prisoners.”---Nervous breaths through tightly bound cloth filled the corner of the office, eyes darting every which way. People praying for their lives were huddled uncomfortably close together, bloodied faces quivering in fear.Loud bootfalls were present everywhere around them, backgrounded by the tinny radio music playing through dusty speakers.“Turn that fucking shit off!” One of the gunmen stormed over and blasted the radio with his handgun, drawing whimpers from the group not even twenty feet away. He holstered his weapon and walked off, muttering about how “too goddamn hot” it was.The ears of the hostage at the front of the assembly perked up at the sound of… a remote-control car? It drove right up to her knees, yellow LED blinking softly. All eyes rested on the device in front of them. The tiny screen on the front of it booted up, and they all watched in bewilderment as it relayed a message to them, piecemeal. One character at a time flashed on the display.
G
E
T
D
O
W
N
!
They looked at each other, confusion weighing on each of them.---“They got the message, ready to proceed.”Meghan chambered the loading tube of her shotgun. “Copy that. All teams, Operation Dust Line is a go. Weapons hot.”Meghan counted in her head in advance of the first explosion,
Three, two, one-
A siege hammer, breach charge, and cluster charge went off simultaneously. Pops of flashbangs came from several vectors below, followed by pained shouts caused by the explosive pucks above. Steady rapports of gunfire echoed in the halls as the tangos within tried to organize amongst the chaos around them.“Buck, use the camera from cover to pick out hostiles as they move, and slap ‘em down from up here. I’m gonna join Twitch and Fuze in the push on the armory.”“Copy.”Meghan picked herself up and ran to the others. “We’ll swing onto the balcony outside of CCTV. Fuze, deploy a charge on the west window, then bust it down and star shooting. Twitch, take the northwest door and do the same. I’ll hit the southeast.”The trio hooked in and vaulted down the wall, pushing off to gain momentum for the swing. They split up and assumed positions at their entry points. She heard a pair of muffled coughs from the marksman rifle stationed on the roof.“Alpha teams, this is Valkyrie. Status report.”“Jager here, we’re in the workshop. Heavy resistance, but we are fine.”“This is Sledge, just cleared the security checkpoint. We’ll rap ‘round and hit ‘em from the side. Out.”Meghan flipped her comm channel back to her fire team. “Alpha’s making progress. Fuze, hit the switch.”“Dasvidanya, bitches.”Five grenades launched into the room, throwing the entrenched enemies into chaos. More screaming followed, as shards of glass and wooden fragments shot outwards amongst clouds of dirt. Furniture buckled and snapped, curios adorning them tossed around as if in a tumble dryer. After the explosions, the remainder of the barricades broke inwards, and Bravo team set up a crossfire on the survivors. Meghan lined up the glow sights of her shotguns with the prone targets, sending concentrated pellets of buck shot into them. Emmanuelle drove her drone around the room, deftly avoiding bodies and bullets to the best of her ability. She called an all clear, and the three pushed in, boots crunching the debris beneath them. Meghan lifted her shemagh to cover her face to avoid the thick particles hanging in the air.Meghan relayed hand signals to the team to stack up on the door. She unclasped another pouch on her chest and flashed a mirror around the corner to check the hallway.“Buck, how we lookin’?”“Haven’t seen any traffic for half a mike, I’m coming in. Don’t mind the wall to your right.”The wooden wall of the southeast corner splintered and shot everywhere, a three-foot hole now ventilating the room. Meghan snapped to the loud sound, hand flying to her handgun holster, but took note of the unconcerned expression on the faces of her comrades. They continued checking gear and topping off magazines as Sébastien swung in, unslung his rifle, and took up position behind Shuhrat.She shook her head. “Alright, Bravo. The hallways are clear, and anyone downstairs is tied up with Alpha. We’ll split up to attack the armory – Fuze and Buck, move to the door over there to the balcony and set up on the exterior door to the armory. Twitch, you and I will move to the door near the stairs.”Meghan removed two shells from her ammo belt and filled the tube as she moved to the hallway door. Emmanuelle placed her drone down, examining the contents of the room once again.“Bravo Lead, we are ready. Give the word.”Emmanuelle preempted Meghan. “Set a cluster charge on the door, there’s two within range. Two near you, two near us at the metal detector, one in the small office, one at the north side window.”Meghan snuck a look at her squadmate’s wrist interface. “Once the show is over, Buck, make a new door and hold position, looking sixty degrees at the middle lockers. We’ll do the same from here. When your guys are down, toss a frag at the middle one.”Meghan tapped Emmanuelle on the shoulder and pointed at the boarded door. She took the hint, securing a breaching charge on the barricade.“Bravo 2, detonate in three, two, one…”The wood exploded in, and Emmanuelle leveled her sights on the two tangos. Four bullets later, they were on the floor. Meghan pushed up to the metal detector and leaned toward the window, raising her shotgun and firing at the enemy in the office, stock bucking hard into her shoulder in tune with the explosions of the cluster charge. The two women remained put behind cover as the noise died, covering their faces when metal hitting metal rang out from the middle of the room.“SHIT—" The grenade silenced the last man, leaving the armory in the same eerie atmosphere as the previous room. Meghan heaved a sigh.“Round up!” She hissed at the other two, and when they joined her and Emmanuelle in the archives room, she left them to prepare for the final assault. It then occurred to her that the noise coming from below had ceased as well.“Bravo, this is Alpha. All hostiles eliminated, you alright up there?” Meghan sighed again, Craig’s report putting her more at ease.“All good, only the large office left. You guys alright?”“Aye, nothin’ serious,” Seamus cut in, “Cuts and bruises. Jager might need a fresh change of pants, but we’re fine.”Meghan chuckled dryly. “We can bury them later. Montagne, IQ, and Sledge, take the lobby stairs and assemble at the hallway door to the office. On my signal, take the door down and let ‘em have it. The rest of you, secure the perimeter.”Forty-five seconds later, she received the green light, and turned to Emmanuelle.“One at the section of wall nearest us, I can see him under the door, but if I drive the drone further, he’ll see it for sure.”Meghan pondered for a moment. “Fuze, set up on the wall and—"“Listen up, out there! Leave now, and let us leave safely, or we’ll start killing!” The shouts disrupted Meghan’s train of thought, looks of panic floating around the team.“Merde, I can see the other two next to the hostages…” Emmanuelle spoke, eyes glued to her drone controller.Meghan’s eyes darted around the room as she ran both hands through her damp hair.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
“All units, Thermite here. Be ready to party, because we got a really big fucking hole comin’ right up.”Meghan snapped her fingers and leaned toward her throat mic. “Sledge, IQ, Montagne, breach on the boom. Buck, wall. Twitch and Fuze, push in when I take the door down. Send it, Thermite.”She hoisted her shotgun and waited. Several terse seconds passed, following by a prolonged harsh popping sound that reminded her of a sparkler. The ear-splitting explosion rattled the next room, and Rainbow sprung their trap. Meghan’s shotgun unleashed a storm of buckshot, sending the flimsy wooden boards spinning into the room. Emmanuelle and Shuhrat perforated the startled terrorist, and he stumbled into the wall before slumping to the floor. Sébastien aerated the wall on their flank with his skeleton key and vaulted inward, in time with Gilles, Monika, and Seamus smashing the door down.Meghan ducked and slid along the doorframe into the room, taking aim at the two remaining hostiles. They were still between Rainbow and the hostages, shaking off the remnants of the ambush and frantically trying to choose a target. She dropped her shotgun and pulled her pistol from her hip. Time slowed as she held her breath, closed one eye, and leveled it at center mass. Meghan pulled the trigger, the slide rocking backwards as the second round chambered, and she did the same to the other combatant. Blood sprayed from each of them and pooled under the bodies as they hit the floor.Muffled screams came from the people huddled in the corner, their eyes screwed shut as they tried to make themselves as small as possible. Team Rainbow holstered their weapons and moved to assist the civilians, receiving stuttering thanks for their efforts.Meghan heaved a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding and placed a hand to her ear. “All units, hostages secure. Repeat, hostages secure. Moving to extract at exfil point.”She slid her handgun back into its holder, and tilted her head back. “Thanks for the assist, Jordan.”“No problem, ma’am. Didn’t wanna say it at the time, but that was a fifty-fifty shot at best.”“Don’t remind me.” She returned her hand to her side and walked to the remaining hostages. --- “Was it everything you expected, Meghan?”“Gonna be honest with you, boss, that was the worst intro party I’ve ever been a part of. Too much shooting, not enough cheesecake.”Six chuckled warmly, leaning back in her chair. She may not have had serious concerns about scaring off her new recruits on the first day, but it provided some relief to see Meghan making light of the whole thing.“I’ll have Mike pick one up for your actual party, then. But Meghan, in all seriousness, excellent work today. Seamus had nothing but glowing praise for your planning and leadership abilities. I know you’re no stranger to directing soldiers that you don’t know, but as I’m sure you’ve realized, these lot are no ordinary soldiers.”Meghan wrung her hands, looking away from the screen. “I definitely see that now. I… Well, to be honest, boss, I was a little worried. Against my base instincts and logic, I just wasn’t sure if this would end up being the ‘match made in heaven’ that it seemed. But we pulled off the op with no hitches, and even when the tangos caught me off guard, the team had me covered.” She consciously stopped the nervous tick and stared at Six. “But they’re the real deal, and I can’t wait to meet the rest of the team.”The older woman had a knowing smile plastered on her face for Meghan’s explanation. She tented her fingers and rested her chin upon them, soaking up every word. “Excellent. You and Mr. Jenson are welcome to return to Hereford with the contingent you worked with. I look forward to meeting you again. Six, out."The screen blinked black, and Meghan was left alone. She relaxed into her chair and scrubbed her face with both hands.“The only easy day was yesterday.” She stood and headed for the door.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
September 20, 2016
It wasn’t very often that Meghan got the chance to truly relax. To be certain, the team wasn’t called upon to save the free world every week, but the preparations they made every day could fool someone unaware. A day on the obstacle course, or at the firing range, or practicing teamwork and synergy in the simulation; it was always something. Days off were few and far between, and a vacation was damn near unheard of.And yet, here she stood, in downtown London, city lights and evening traffic buzzing around her. Buses and passenger cars slowly crawled down crowded streets, rolling over pavement damp with a recent spattering of rain. A common occurrence, she’d come to find out.Meghan took another step from the curb, allowing those behind her to exit the bus. Daniel was first off, looping his arm around hers. He looked at her and smiled, with that full-on dorky grin he got when he was simply admiring her.“What?” She laughed through the question.He shrugged. “Just appreciating what I’ve got. You look gorgeous tonight, by the way.”It was true. While Daniel had donned his best suit, a dark navy blue pressed and wrinkle-free Armani, he knew he didn’t hold a candle to his wife. A deep, dark cherry red dress hung from her shoulders, ending at the midpoint of her shins with a slight flared bell. Short sleeves came down to the top half of her biceps, rounded neckline resting just below the top of her sternum. The silky satin garment was neither too snug nor too loose, and felt like it was tailored just for her.In fact, that was precisely the case. Meghan may not have been one for fifty-foot walk-in closets filled to the brim with expensive, designer clothing, but she would freely admit to wanting at least one or two “stunner” outfits for the rare nights out. Her closet at home was by no means the Cosmopolitan version of loaded, but she could still turn heads like the best of them with what she did have.“Babe, I look gorgeous every day.” Meghan flipped her bangs, jarring the minimalist diamond earrings hanging from her lobes.“Well duh, but tonight it’s exceptionally true. You’ll have to forgive me, I keep dropping my jaw.”“You’re such a dork,” she swatted his arm, grin betraying her words. “But that’s why I love you.” They shared a chaste kiss, as a cough drew their attention.“Cute as this is, mind if we get off too, Meg?” Miles stood on the last step of the bus, half-smile resting below a cocked eyebrow. He looked just as dapper as Daniel, the perfect complement to his lovely wife.Daniel gave a sheepish chuckle as he hustled away from the door, arm around Meghan’s back guiding her with him. One by one, members of Team Rainbow filed off the bus, some accompanied by significant others. As the final rider disembarked, the bus driver called out.“Give me a ring when you’re ready for me to come back, yeah?” Meghan nodded at him, and the bus door closed before the vehicle joined the steadily moving traffic.Daniel turned to her. “It was real nice of your boss to set us all up with this, Meg. Private bus on demand, tickets to a show at the Palladium, and a few rounds of drinks at Kings Arms after? Shit, I wish Intel would set me up with perks this swanky. How come the whole group didn’t join, though?”“Someone’s gotta keep the front desk occupied, hun. The Bosslady said she was gonna start setting up some team-building activities, but we can’t all go at once – not with our jobs.”He turned as a light chuckle came from behind him. “Yes, Monsieur Harris, it’s not as if the world’s problems will wait for us to come back to work on Monday.”Julien nudged Daniel’s shoulder and winked at Meghan. For whatever reason, he loved picking on Daniel whenever the chance presented itself. She could only smirk and shake her head.“Guess that should’ve been a little more obvious…” He rubbed the back of his neck.The woman at the rear of the group scoffed and uncrossed her arms, brusquely pushing past them. “As much as I love standing here in the cold, if we’re going to go, then let’s go.”Meghan and Daniel stepped out of her way, joining everyone else in following her with their eyes as she stormed off. Meghan looked at Julien and Miles, before shrugging and beckoning for everyone to fall in line.“Who is she, Meg?” He spoke in a hushed whisper.“Taina Pereira, one of our newest recruits, along with Vincente Souza.” Meghan jerked a thumb at the older man ahead of them. Vincente shook his head at Taina, and jogged to catch up to her.“She doesn’t seem too thrilled about being here.”“You’d be correct.” Emmanuelle settled alongside them. “It was somewhat of a chore to get her to come with us.”Emmanuelle, or Emma, as she’d insisted on being referred to as, walked with a strut in her full-length azure dress. A small sapphire was nestled just below the point where her chin would reach, with equally regal blue gemstone earrings swinging as she walked. Her hair was done up in an elegant fashion, projecting an air of class perfect for the nature of the night’s entertainment. Beside Emma was her boyfriend, Ethan Mallory. Even when Meghan had first met him, she thought the name was familiar. A Delta force boy, someone who’s name she had heard at some point over the years. By some wild stroke of luck, he’d managed a few days of leave to come see her.“Didn’t you say she was a little short on friends in the office, Emma?” Ethan asked her.Emma hummed. “You are not wrong, but she isn’t really trying to change that, either. She’s already at bit at odds with even Meghan, unfortunately.”“Not a good first introduction at work, babe? That’s not like you.” Daniel looked at her with interest.Meghan sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “You know I can’t talk about it. But no, things did not start off well. She’s a real loose cannon, and we had some real stimulating conversations afterwards.”“So why did she join us this evening?” Ethan spoke as he watched Taina speaking tersely at the ticket clerk.Emma spoke up. “Six requested it personally, to help Taina meld with the team. I would assume that she also felt that it would be a good opportunity for her to rebuild bridges with Meghan. Your tickets are next to each other, are they not?”Meghan hummed, but said nothing. She resumed her stroll toward the theatre entrance. The opening of the building flared out, bright lights clinging to the overhang extending over the sidewalk. The red cloth walls reached past the outside of the buildings like loving outstretched arms, beckoning its patrons to come in and enjoy its hospitality. Meghan ran her eyes up and down, staring in awe at the extravagant display.She caught sight of Taina snatching her ticket from the clerk and walking off without a word, with an exasperated Vincente apologizing and politely taking his ticket. Meghan blew out a resigned sigh, and Emma put a hand on her shoulder.“Chin up, Meghan. You have faced challenges tougher than this.”Meghan rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but usually if something is being particularly difficult, I can make use of the good ol’ fashioned boomstick, or failing that, CAS.”Emma chuckled, tugging on Ethan’s hand as they continued after their crowd to the lift. “Bon chance, mon amie!”“Word of advice, Meg?”She turned in mild surprise to see Jack beside her, with a look around telling her that everyone, even her husband, had continued on. He was entrenched in a conversation with Maxim about something or other, so it seemed he wasn’t having any trouble making nice.
How long was I standing here gawking at the wall…?
“I’ll take all the words you got, Jack.”He smiled at her. “During my first sit-down with Taina, I could tell she wasn’t some blood rage inspired sociopath. She’s in a new country, with all new people, doing something she probably hasn’t ever done before. She’s in the deep end without a pool tube, so be a lifeguard. Talk with her, try to identify with her. I know your working relationship so far is like rubber and glue, but you’ve got a knack for finding the weak spot in the barriers around people.”Jack lightly swatted her arm with the back of his hand. “You got this.” He left to join the others.Meghan took a deep breath, forcing her legs to carry her forward. As her heels clicked on the tile floor, she mumbled to herself.“Guess we’ll find out.”--- For the third time that evening, Meghan wondered just how much Six had spent on her team. Their seats were on a private balcony nestled along the wall at stage left, with a perfect sightline down to the focal point of the lavish theatre. Two rows of plush seats lined the elevated veranda, angled and offset such that no view of the stage would be sacrificed.Meghan spotted her assigned chair; rear row, second from the back. She strolled through the footpath and sat down. In front of her was Vincente, and flanking her were her husband, and Taina. Like an agitated cobra she sat, face set in an annoyed scowl, waiting for anything at all to provoke a venomous strike.Meghan sighed and sat down, intentionally ignoring Taina as she quietly scoffed and shifted away from her as Meghan got comfortable. She crossed her legs and turned to Daniel. “How do you like the view, babe?”“Absolutely gorgeous.”She rolled her eyes. “I meant of the stage, you dork.”Daniel looked at her. “So did I. Oh, I’m sorry, did you think I was talking about you?”Meghan smirked and smacked and his shoulder. “Dick.”“Careful hun, you keep saying that I might start taking it as an order.”“Oh my god, you are the worst.”He winked. “Guilty as charged.”They shared a laugh, and Daniel turned to say something to Maxim. He definitely wasn’t having trouble fitting in with her coworkers. But now, she was forced to face the consequence of her situation. Meghan exhaled through her nose.“Your relationship with your husband is enviable.”The statement startled Meghan, to the point where she wasn’t sure she’d heard it correctly. She blinked hard several times.“Wh-what?”“You and your husband, you make a good couple.”Meghan sat, staring at Taina, mouth agape. “I uhh… Well, thank you, T-Taina, I-““You don’t have to talk to me like I’ve got you at gunpoint, you know.” Taina drummed her fingers on the armrest of her seat, muscles tense, eyes still trained on the stage.
Strange, Jack mentioned that she never even broke eye contact during his first assessment with her…
Meghan struggled for words but found none. She wracked her brain several times over, trying in vain to force herself to find anything to say. The silence was killing her, and it seemed Taina also tired of the lack of response. She pushed an annoyed sigh through her nose.“It’s going to always be like this, isn’t it? I don’t know why I even bothered. Ever since you first uttered my name, you’ve treated me like some kind of feral animal, or a delinquent child incapable of following authority. You don’t even respect me enough to answer me.”Meghan recoiled, directing her attention to the floor. She felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head, in front of everyone in the building. She shivered uncomfortably and shook herself.
This isn’t me. I’m not some cowering wallflower that can’t talk to people, damn it
Meghan cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.”At last, Taina swiveled ever so slightly to look vaguely in her direction.“You’re right, I haven’t been fair to you. I should have listened to Jack, and I should have listened to you. I let presumptions make my opinion before we even met. I’m sorry.”Taina looked her up and down, eyes boring into her. “Fine.”Again, Meghan faltered. “So, does that mean we can start over?”“…It’s a start.” Taina shifted her position, crossing her legs and sitting up. Her now elevated left ankle caught Meghan’s eye.“I suppose I can work with that.” She paused, “Who is Joao?”That got Taina’s attention, as she flinched at the question. “Excuse me?”Meghan nodded her chin at the small calligraphy tattoo in the shape of the name. “Your ink, Joao. He must be important to you.”Taina looked at her ankle and moved her leg to hide it. “Maybe another time.”Meghan gave a hesitant nod and turned her focus to the stage, just as the lights came down. --- The booming of the base blasted out by the speakers was enough to rattle one’s brain. Music ten decibels too loud surged through the club, bouncing off the crowd of people that was taking it all in. The pounding beats, the liquor in their cups, the raw essence of sweat and energy that a group of dancing people thrived for.Meghan sat at the edge of the VIP booth reserved just for them, wondering just when the “party girl” spirit had started to fade from her. She nursed a fruity cocktail that Daniel had given to her as she took a break from dancing, watching the room enjoy themselves. Subconsciously, her eyes went to each member of her team and their guests, going down the checklist to make sure they were all still accounted for.
Never thought “group mom” would be a title of mine…
Those spoken for danced with their loved ones, and those still available roamed the crowd with a contagious fervor, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.With the exception of one, quiet Brazilian woman.Taina sat at the opposite end of their booth, occasionally pouring herself another shot from the bottle of tequila for the table, knocking them back with nary a grimace. Like Meghan, she too watched the crowd, but with the appearance of someone who didn’t trust sitting with their back to people. Maybe, Meghan suspected, that was precisely the case.Meghan scooted along the length of the bench, stopping just shy of her accomplice. “Have you gone out there yet?”“Hadn’t planned on it.”“How come? It’s fun, and I think it’d help you loosen up.”Another shot. “Look, I appreciate you trying to patch things up, but that doesn’t mean I want you to try and be my best friend, either. Plus, this isn’t really my idea of fun.”Meghan scoffed. “Come on, everyone likes music.” She paused to take a sip from her glass. “There must be something that you like…” She stopped in thought. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”Taina heaved a sigh. “No, there isn’t—“A pair of sharply dressed men emerged from the crowd, convening at their table. Daniel and Vincente laughed about some joke that Meghan hadn’t heard and re-lubricated their throats with booze. Daniel offered his hand, and Meghan took it with a smile. She stood, only for Daniel to pull her close and speak into her ear.“Vincente and I were talking about how we could help Taina get a little more active. You in?”She nodded and looked at the older man, who took Daniel’s place by her side. “As much as Taina would swear she feels nothing for music, I happen to know that she has an affinity for samba. If we were to ask the DJ to play a song from home, perhaps she would come around.”Meghan shrugged. “Worth a shot. When’s the song coming on?”“Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”Those still standing took a seat next to Taina, until their conversation was interrupted when two more figures approached the booth. Mark and Maxim, both out of breath, joined them.“You lot do know that the point of a dance floor is to dance, right? I haven’t seen anyone of you except the captain and Meg’s man out there all evening!” Mark spoke with more fervor than Meghan had seen from him yet, but the smile on his face told her his intention.“I’m working my way there, Mark. It’s exhausting keeping track of you people!”“Well come on, then! You won’t know how fun it is until you get your arse out there!”“This is the most words I’ve ever heard you speak in a row.” Taina said.“Ahh, so she does speak after all! Are you enjoying your evening, Taina?” Maxim’s boisterous attitude floored Meghan almost as much as Mark’s did.
These two are way more cheery than I would expect them to be… Unless…
Taina’s brow arched. “You’re way too lively as well, what’s the deal? Spill it.”Maxim raised his hands. “I know it might seem unlikely, coming from a Spetsnaz, but there is no hidden agenda. The only goal here is unwind. In our line of work, one must take whatever down time they can.”She didn’t acknowledge that, directing her gaze to her drink. Mark snapped his fingers at Meghan, Daniel, and Vincente.“Keep your eyes over ‘ere. Pretend we’re talking about somethin’ else. Got our closer coming in.”Daniel leaned forward. “Who?” He followed Maxim’s tilt of the head.“Glazkov? Why him?”Mark spoke up. “He’s been makin’ eyes at ‘er all night.”“And we think he’s the best one to try this part, anyway. His personality, at least in social places, is much like hers, especially so when the team was first started. If anyone can relate to her, Timur is the one.”Meghan nodded, going along with the act until she saw Timur take a seat next to Taina. He spoke in a tone loud enough for Taina, but too soft for Meghan. She didn’t eavesdrop, instead cozying up to her husband and occasionally pitching in to the conversation in front of her for the next several minutes.“Alright everyone, we’ve got special request for something a bit more fiery, so get ready for a little sambaaaa!” On cue, the DJ’s voice came over the speakers.Everyone at the table stood and took a spot near the VIP area and allowed the beat to take control of them. It was at this point that Meghan realized she couldn’t samba, but a cursory glance at her teammates told her that they probably couldn’t either. This was a show of camaraderie, not of skill.Taina shot a glare directly at Vincente, who only smirked and crossed his arms. Her face contorted in frustration but melted into shocked hesitation when Timur stood and offered his hand. He whispered something in her ear, and Meghan couldn’t stop herself from smiling when Taina hesitantly left her seat.With everyone in place, Meghan took Daniel’s hand and let the music flow through her. She had some rhythm, just not this rhythm – but she didn’t care. Latin music always managed to worm its way into her heart and mind, so she let go, determined to enjoy herself. As she looked across the around the room she saw much of the same, and the faintest trace of a smile on Taina’s face was all the validation she needed. --- Meghan hung up on the call with their driver, sliding the device back into the usual pocket of her bag. As cold as the night air was, she was grateful to finally be free of the stifling nightclub heat. She and her team stood on the sidewalk outside Kings Arms, chatting and coming down from the night’s activities.“Meghan?”She turned to see Taina approaching her. “What’s up?”“I just… wanted to thank you. For tonight.”“I’m probably last in line, as far as the trip and the plan were concerned.”“I don’t mean for all that, but I suppose that as well.”Meghan smiled. “Of course, it was no trouble at all.”Taina shuffled her feet in place. “Before tonight I would have said that was untrue. But, this once, I’m glad to have been proven wrong. Oh, and…” She pointed at her ankle tattoo. “He’s my brother.”“I hope I get to meet him someday.”Their eyes met, and Taina hummed noncommittally. “Maybe you will. Now, fair’s fair – tell me about your tattoos.”“Ha! Alright, I can do that. You’d better buckle up…”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Ready or not, here I come!”Meghan’s yell was met with silence, her voice echoing up and down the deserted street. Not a single thing moved anywhere around. She opened her eyes and warily looked about, until far away whispers and laughter caught her attention. A smirk played on her lips and she took off in the direction of the sound. She would hear them again, slightly further each time, and pump her legs to catch up. They wouldn’t know what hit them!Her legs carried her with glee as she excitedly ran down the road, pausing every so often to survey the area. The occasional deteriorating streetlamp was the only source of light for as far as she could see, which wasn’t much. The dark pressed against her, ever expanding, encroaching ever so slowly. So, she kept running, from lamp to lamp. It was like another part of the game! Just like those video games she had at home, she had to stay in the light before the dark got her!Minutes went by, and still she ran. The voices became quieter, and farther away as time rolled on. Where could they be? House after house passed her by, seemingly going on forever. How long was this road? Was it straight the whole time? Meghan slowed to a stop, brow furrowing as she looked this way and that. How far had she gone? The buildings lining the street were foreign, every last one as dead as the ensuing silence.“Hello?” She called out.No answer came. Meghan cupped her hands around her mouth. “Is anyone out there?”Nothing. No noise at all; quiet to the point where her ears started to ring at the complete lack of sound.“Guys, this isn’t funny!” Meghan wrapped her arms around herself. She stood rooted to the spot, in the middle of the dimly lit road that stretched on endlessly in front of her. Even the streetlights seemed to be on edge, flickering in and out, the beams of light tightening when she wasn’t watching.Finally, another whisper pulled her from her trance, this time near one of the buildings. Meghan frowned. They weren’t supposed to go to the houses! Slowly she treaded up the walking path toward the door of one of the many non-descript structures. The windows revealed a lifeless interior – much like with all the others, no one seemed to be home.Meghan stood several feet from the door, rubbing at her arm with worry etched on her face as she stared at the house. She’d lost whatever sound she thought she heard, at this point she didn’t even know if there’d been one. A small light clicked on next to her, making her jump. She tilted her head as she knelt to pick it up – a flashlight. Had it been there the whole time? She pressed the button a few times to test its functionality, and the little torch dutifully did as she asked.A sigh escaped Meghan’s lungs as she shone the light along the front of the house. It couldn’t show her what she wanted either. Just as she turned to face the road once more, the door of the house softly clicked open. It creaked along its hinges painfully sluggishly, calling out into the dead of night for someone, anyone, to make it stop. The space inside in the doorframe was just as dark as she guessed it would be, like an impenetrable wall of shadow.The back of Meghan’s mind tingled as she stared into the abyss, the sensation growing stronger the more she looked. Something was beckoning to her, drawing her in with a voice as soothing as the gentle waves on a dusk beach. Her legs carried her toward the threshold, and no part of her had the will to make them stop. The closer she got, the more she felt like a soft blanket was surrounding her, imploring her to relax and let go. With a final step, she crossed into the house.The deep, cavernous hum that greeted her was startling, appearing as suddenly as a lamp being switched on, and dominating everything around her. The resonant rumble rattled her bones and made her skin crawl as some hidden presence traced down her arms. The blanket she’d been promised turned to lead, the oppressive sound fraying every last nerve she could feel. The magnitude of difference between the silence outside and the ominous booming drone within jarred Meghan so severely she dropped the flashlight. It clattered to the floor with a sharp crack, the bulb inside weakening for a moment at the impact. Meghan whimpered and bent down to collect it, backing up as she did so. This place was not somewhere she wanted to be.Her backside collided with the door, earning a surprised yelp from her. She frantically jiggled the handle, rattling the door in its place when the stubborn golden knob refused to cooperate. When had it even closed behind her, much less locked her inside? Had the alluring feeling from a scant minute ago been that intoxicating, or had the sinister nature of what lied within been that shocking? As slow, shuddering exhales took over her body, Meghan slowly panned around the immediate area with the flashlight. The small metal tool was her beacon, the only thing she could cling to inside this terrible place.Where was she? Who had locked her in? What could she do now?Sweat beaded on Meghan’s forehead as she returned her focus to the room around her. By all accounts it was a completely normal entryway, with completely normal furniture and a completely normal layout. Cute yet functional furniture lined the walls, pleasant pictures hung in frames, and a not a single thing was out of place. There wasn’t even dust on anything nearby. The house was completely and utterly normal.Except for the dense weight she felt pulling her into the dark waters of fear.Meghan gulped hard, tightening her grip on the flashlight. “H-hello? Is anyone home?” She received no response as the walls ate her words, the syllables fading away into the ether. She took a tentative step forward, and then another. She jerked her hand to flick the light switch for the hallway light, as if she expected it to burn her. A singular ceiling light crackled to life, its dull glow reaching no more than a few feet from where it sat.A soft thump from elsewhere in the house spooked Meghan. Her arm seized up, and the flashlight fell from her tense grip to the ground again. She scrambled to retrieve it and bolted back to a standing position.
“Hey”
The sharp whisper at her ear caused Meghan to yell out, eyes snapping shut as she trembled. She waited, for whatever was there to get her, to take her away…But nothing happened.Cautiously she pried her eyes open again and swiveled around. Nothing. She whined, but she continued on. Another light switch rested on the wall opposite a large television, with a pair of couches arranged in an L shape facing it. She flipped the switch up, bathing the room in the exact same muted glow as the hallway light. Another step forward. In front of her was a kitchen with off-white cabinets and stainless-steel appliances surrounding a black marble island. To the left was a quaint dining table with a matching set of basic wooden chairs, all resting in front of a sliding glass door. Meghan slid her hand against the pair of switches wired to the adjoined eating space and let out a soft sigh at the sight of it. Finally!Torrents of raindrops pattered against the glass. When had it started raining? She jogged to the door and yanked on the handle. The sturdiness of it caught her off guard; she barely had time to correct herself to avoid falling to the floor. Meghan placed her torch on the dining table and secured both hands to the accursed handle and tried again. It didn’t budge. She gritted her teeth and pulled once more, the nerves in her hands howling in pain at the strength of her attempts. The door still refused to open. She growled in anger, snatching the flashlight from the table and slamming it against the glass. The returned force of the strike sent the metal tube sailing from her grasp, hitting a chair and snuffing out the bulb.“No!” Meghan scurried back and collected her lifeline, tapping it with the ball of her wrist. “No no no no no…” Finally, it turned back on, but it could only muster half the energy it had before. Meghan ran her hands up and down her face in exasperation. What the hell was that? Why did her swing bounce off the door? What was this place?“Please, is anyone here? I need help!” Her words were thick in her throat, feeling like broken glass sliding across her skin. The kitchen light blinked off and back on, then again a few seconds later. Meghan watched the light switch, but the light stubbornly stayed on. She dragged her feet to the island and leaned against it to collect herself. Whatever was happening here was taunting her, taking pleasure in her pain.When the sink abruptly turned itself on, she almost didn’t react, until she looked at the water coming from it. It was viscous and brown; the mere sight of it made Meghan’s stomach lurch. She stumbled over and twisted the knob to stop the disgusting sludge water from overflowing onto the floor. She sighed again and lifted her head to stare out the window above the sink…And saw the reflection of a face in the glass. Her eyes shot open and she let out a howling yell, whirling around to find—Nothing.Meghan’s chest heaved as she struggled to recollect the lost air, hands locked in a white-knuckle grip on the countertop. Back and forth she looked between the reflection in the window and the empty room, expecting that same shadowed figure to be standing right over her shoulder. And she could swear that every time she saw herself in the window, she looked older and older—She squeezed her eyes shut so tightly that it hurt and snagged the flashlight from the island, holding it at the ready. Whether by light or by might, she would vanquish this beast.
“Here”
The same voice from earlier grabbed her attention, but this time it was far away, muffled like it came from behind a wall. Meghan's gaze was drawn to the door she’d passed between the living room and the kitchen. She’d already seen the other exit from the kitchen that led into a laundry room connected to a garage, so the last one must be…No.There was no way she would be going down into the—“Is anyone there?”A soft gasp pulled itself from Meghan. “Daniel? Is that you?” Hope grew in her eyes at the sound of his voice. “I’m in the kitchen!”No response.“…Daniel?” She called out.The untouched door cracked open, just enough to reveal a sliver of the brickwork lining the stairway downward. Meghan raised her torch again and padded her way to the door. She pushed it open with her palm, until it bumped against the opposite wall. A hazy glow emanated from a corner of the basement she couldn’t see. She stepped down one board, then another, and another. What took her by surprise before anything else was the nearly instant drop in temperature, to the point where she was puffing out clouds of steam before she even reached the bottom. As her boot touched onto the cement floor, the door behind her slammed shut. She screamed again, lip quivering from both the cold and the fright.Down here, in the crushing darkness, the grave, arcane rumbling sensation pressed painfully against her eardrums. The pressure grew unbearably intense, constricting and mashing her sanity into a compromised puddle. Against her better judgment she peered around the corner and shone the light at the rows of metal storage racks before her. Nothing on them was particularly surprising, all things one would expect in a basement. A thought occurred to her.
I should look for something to use in case—
The torch sputtered and crackled, and Meghan lost her air as it turned itself on and off repeatedly. She remembered that the ceiling lights did something similar upstairs, but this time… She smacked the flashlight with her other hand, praying that it would find the will to stay alive. It couldn’t do this to her now!A thunderous footstep echoed across the cramped basement. Meghan’s eyes shot up and behind her.
The stairs…
Slowly, painfully slowly, Meghan pointed herself in the direction of the stairway. The flashlight gasped in time with her uneven breathing, bathing the room in fleeting light, frame by frame. The footsteps continued, trudging ever closer toward her. The presence reached the landing with a final stomp, the bass-filled slam killing the last remnant of life left in the bulb. Meghan stood rooted to the spot, as if her feet had been nailed to the floor. She could only exhale in choppy breaths, the resulting steam being all she could see in front of her. Three more slow, deliberate footfalls brought the presence to stop mere feet in front of her. Tears leaked from Meghan’s eyes, scorching her cheeks as they too fled from whatever was with them in the basement. Deafening stillness followed, the presence clearly taking sick pleasure from her anguish.The torch in her hand whined as, by some miracle, it was revived and again bathed the room in dull iridescent light. Meghan looked ahead of her, prepared for the worst…But again, nothing was in front of her.Meghan shook her head violently. She had well and truly lost her mind, that was the only explanation. The flashlight seemed to agree with her, flicking three times. She growled and flailed the infernal thing around until it resumed its constant beam. A tired sigh left her. The hairs on her arms stood on end, probably from the cold—
Hey
Her gaze snapped upwards as she let out a scream. Before her was none other than—“D-Daniel?” Meghan’s thoughts flew everywhere in an instant. How could this be? Where had he come from?Was he even real? Was anything real?She lifted a hand to reach out to him, stopping just short. Her fingers curled back to her palm. Something was off. The air around him was cold, very cold. Daniel stood there, stock still, hands clasped behind his back. His head was cocked to an angle that looked unsettlingly awkward, face sporting a wicked grin that did its positioning no favors.“Daniel, what’s going on?” Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper, all courage stamped out.The flashlight flicked again. What remained when it turned back on made Meghan flinch backward roughly, into one of the metal shelving units. The face of what once was her husband was grossly maimed, even missing in some spots. Ugly, gnarled burn marks and oozing red flesh covered his upper body. Parts of his jaw were gone, and one eye was pushed way out of its socket. She could only watch as the figure in front of her brought its hands forward, decayed and bony digits looking just as gruesome as the rest of the body.Sheer terror seized control of Meghan. She couldn’t move a muscle, couldn’t summon even a semblance of a sound. The figure shifted forward, gliding along the concrete sluggishly until it was the only thing Meghan could see.But still, she could not move.In an instant the figure vanished from view, but Meghan’s limbs refused to respond. A choked sob escaped as the deathly cold vice of the presence’s hands wrapped themselves around her throat, constricting tighter and tighter—---Meghan shot up from her bed as a strangled yell tore from her throat. Cold sweat soaked her forehead and neckline, her lungs gasping for air. She clutched at her chest in an attempt to calm her hammering heart, wincing at the sharp pain resulting from every beat.Minutes ticked by as she calmed herself, little by little. The stabbing became dull throbbing, and her breathing had slowed to an even rhythm. She fell back onto the mattress, head hitting the pillow with a soft whump. She looked at the clock next to her.
4:02AM
As her eyes focused, she noticed the shape of a person standing in her doorway, arms crossed. Meghan propped herself up on an elbow and squinted in the dark.“Same one?”The voice spoke with an air of experience, while also laced with sleep. She’d heard the exact question before.She groaned. “Did I wake you again?”Mike shrugged. It wasn’t an answer, but it told Meghan everything that she had to know. For the third time in the last ten days, Meghan’s nightmares had been so severe that she’d probably woken half the building up.“S’alright, lass. I shooed ‘em away, told ‘em to get back to their bunks.”Meghan rubbed at one eye with her wrist. She sat up from the bed. “House was a little different, and… it was my husband this time…”Mike’s face softened, though he hadn’t been mad at her. He uncrossed his arms, stuffing his hands into his pockets instead. “Not that it’s my business beyond losing a bit of sleep, but maybe you should sit down with Jack and talk about things. Whatever’s eatin’ you is doin’ it bad, and it won’t be long before it starts to take a toll on yer ability to perform.”She exhaled sharply through her nose. “I’m fine, Mike, they’re just dreams. I don’t need to bother anyone with it, and I certainly don’t need to lean on Jack to fix it.”Mike simply looked at her, jaw shifting as he deliberated. “It isn’t shameful to ask for a helpin’ hand every now and again, you know. It doesn’t degrade you one damn bit. Part of why we’re a team is precisely so we can lean on each other.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, you don’t have to talk to Jack, but for God’s sake talk to someone before this becomes a bigger problem. We all know you’re the toughest bitch on God’s green earth, but every suit of armor’s got its cracks, Meghan.”Meghan didn’t return his gaze, but Mike knew he’d hit a sensitive spot. Not wanting to push the envelope further, he sighed and disappeared around the corner. “And call your husband, I’m sure he’d have something good to say to ya.”Her door softly clicked shut, leaving the room in a dark silence. Meghan rubbed at the back of her neck as she stared at the floor. She looked at her nightstand again, and gingerly picked up her phone. One by one she slowly pressed the softkeys to bring up Daniel’s cell number. She stared at the screen while her mind raced, contemplating the idea of just locking it and going back to sleep. Her thumb hovered over the button, but Mike’s words resonated in her head. With a final sigh, she instead pressed the “call” button. Several seconds went by as the phone rang and rang, until the other line picked up and, after a moment of waking himself up, Daniel groggily spoke.“Hey, sweetie. Missed you earlier, sorry about that. Bit late isn’t it?” Meghan heard the sounds of bedding being ruffled. “For both of us?”Meghan’s eyes misted up as she opened her mouth, but no words came forth.“Meg? You there?” Daniel said, more alert this time.Meghan sniffled into the phone. “Hi Daniel… I’m sorry I called you so late. Do you… have a couple minutes to talk?”Daniel answered immediately. “Of course, hun. What’s up, are you okay?”She smiled despite herself, he was always quick to check on her. “I will be. I just… need some advice.”Meghan lost track of how long they talked for, but the sun had already started to peek above the horizon when she returned her phone to the nightstand. Exhaustion claimed her for a few more hours after the phone call, but when she did make herself decent and joined the team in the morning’s activities on base, no one said anything.She ventured out to the observation deck overlooking the range, watching as the occupants of the lanes honed their skills. She took note of the footsteps approaching from behind her, glancing at Mike as he stopped alongside her. Meghan gave him a shallow nod before returning her eyes to the range. A ghost of a smirk grew on Mike’s face. The two stood in comfortable silence for the better part of an hour, unspoken respect being shared both ways.It would be hard, but Mike was right. Meghan couldn’t hope to survive the weight of the world on her own, and shouldn’t be so foolish as to try. Luckily for her, she had the best team one could hope for to get her back on track. The world needed her, and it needed them to be at their best. She couldn’t let them down.She wouldn’t allow it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
November 17, 2016
The early morning sun, peeking above the wispy clouds on the horizon, shone a brilliant rosy orange as it greeted the cool morning gracing the city of Nagoya. A gentle breeze caressed the trees creating an arboreal archway above the roadway, leaves mingling together to create an abstract lattice of shadows on the pavement. The building’s courtyard was a colorful, organized affair with several well-maintained shrubs and a polished stone marker with the name chiseled into it, matching the modern façade covered with perfectly aligned blocks.Meghan shut the door of the black SUV parked at the curb, taking in a deep breath with a full body stretch. Foot traffic so early in the day was low, as much of the city would still slumber for some time. Still, observing the energy of the civilians around her was just as enjoyable as when she was stationed in London, or when she was still a young college undergrad patrolling the campus of UCLA. Despite the fact that this trip was strictly for business, she took the moments when she could. And, when pressed, she could always fall back on the excuse that civvy behavior near the area of operations could always be useful.“Business.” The term that, to most, meant greeting foreign dignitaries or pitching a tarted-up concept of a product to a room full of stuffed shirt bean counters. A few days of upgraded plane tickets, enjoying a few fancy meals on a corporate card, and probably a trip to the local strip joint for a taste of the local flavor. To Team Rainbow, however, it meant a direct private flight somewhere at the ass crack of dawn, breaking out the fun destructive toys, and generally making a mess of a job site or three.And, in this case, meeting a few of the nation’s finest operatives to evaluate them for an invitation to the team. Six had been insistent that the two candidates hailing from Japan’s Special Assault Team were two of the most promising yet. Of course, she said that last time too. That was just the way it was with Rainbow – everyone was the best of the best, no exceptions. At first Meghan struggled to buy into their director’s words. She wasn’t used to being around so many high achievers; she’d always been at the top of the class, so to speak. After a few deployments with the team, though, Meghan saw that they all had to be the best, for the nature of the job they were tasked with. A few private conversations with Six helped ascertain the idea that such an environment would ultimately be the best thing for Meghan.
Iron sharpens iron, after all.
Meghan blinked hard, giving her head a shake as she beckoned for her comrades to join her heading into the building’s lobby. The contingent, ten in number besides herself, meandered toward the door as they conversed and shook off any remaining sleep. The one exception was Alexsandr; the bear of a man looked like the first chair he fell into would become a napping spot. When Meghan had woken up just before their plane landed in Nagoya, she’d found him still staring anywhere except outside the aircraft. He’d taken care to avoid the word “fear” when talking about his disposition on flying, employing the term “unease” in its stead. “The adrenaline will do just fine,” he assured her. Given the man’s track record dating back to the time of the Soviet Union, Meghan was inclined to believe him, albeit begrudgingly.The lobby, it turned out, was just as impressive as the exterior. Calming warm colors framed tasteful artwork dotting the walls between vibrant foliage. An intricate long wooden desk sat along the back wall, playing host to a pair of receptionists and a woman with short, dark hair with her back to the entrance. The clock ticking above the desk showed 6:43AM local time. Upon hearing the door open she cut her conversation short and turned to face the newcomers.“You all must be from Team Rainbow.” She extended her hand, and Meghan returned the gesture. “Welcome to the Aichi Prefecture Police Department. I am Specialist Yumiko Imagawa.” Her demeanor was all work and no play, but she wore a polite smile as she stood straight, her other hand pinned to the small of her back. A retained habit for most with formal training, Meghan had noticed.“Hi, Yumi!” Jordan exclaimed as he threw a hand up.The woman’s disposition eased at the sight of him. She gave a curt nod. “Jordan. Good to see you again.”Meghan looked between them. “You two know each other?”“Oh yeah, we met at a spec ops conference a few years back. We worked on some fun science projects while we were there. How’s the gadget business these days, Yumi?”Yumiko’s expression gave way to a playful smirk. “Boomin’.”Meghan couldn’t help herself from snickering. Leave it to Jordan to spread puns to foreign shores during work. “Small world. But thank you, pleasure’s all ours. We appreciate you hosting us.” Meghan nodded her chin over her shoulder. “And yes, we’re from Rainbow. Six sends her regards, says she’s sorry she can’t be here to greet you in person.”Yumiko shrugged. “I’m sure someone of her caliber has quite the busy schedule. That’s alright, we’ll just have to make a good impression on the rest of you.”Meghan crossed her arms. “Speaking of, where is Specialist Enatsu? We were told he would be joining us.”“He will be at the briefing, I will make sure of it.” The contours of her mouth tightened at the mention of her partner. “Nakamura-san will show you to the room.” She gestured to the man sitting at the desk. “Yoroshikereba onegaishimasu.” (If you would, please.)The man nodded and abruptly rose from his chair, inviting the team to follow. “This way, please.”He led them down one of the adjoining hallways and to a large double door at the rear of the building’s first floor. The man opened the door and showed them inside. “Wait here, they will be with you shortly.” He left as soon as the thought was out, briskly returning to his post.The team filed into the large conference room, each person claiming a chair surrounding the huge central table. On one wall hung an even larger flat screen, nearly as wide as the wall itself. The tech alone, Meghan surmised, probably cost more than one of her entire paychecks. Not to be outdone, the table and its chairs were the very definition of sleek, modern, and ergonomically sound. With a setup like this, one could be forgiven for thinking they’d stumbled into the department’s movie theater. Hell, the seats were just comfortable enough for someone to-A snore like grinding gravel ripped from the rear of the room.
And there it is.
“Jack, wake him up.” Meghan rubbed her brow.The man narrowed his eyes at her. “Why can’t Glazkov do it?”“Because I am familiar with the adage about sleeping bears, Estrada.” Timur flashed a toothy grin. “Go on!”Jack sighed, muttering something under his breath. He leaned back in his seat and smacked the sleeping Alexsandr on the chest with the back of his hand. In an instant, Jack’s wrist was caught and squeezed to a degree that made him wince.“You are all much too loud.” Alexsandr’s voice, thick with exhaustion, had become much like a hand-cranked gravel grinder.Meghan laughed, shaking her head. “There’s a coffee maker in the corner, Alex.” She pointed behind him. “If you can read the directions, make yourself a strong one.”He pushed himself up with a grunt. “If I can read the directions… I was a machinist for the Red Army, I can figure out a fucking bean grinder…”“You know, often times machinists are glorified sandwich makers just barely qualified enough to push buttons!” Elias chuckled to himself, even as he dodged an empty coffee cup whizzing by his head.“Better just make sure you don’t have to piss halfway through the mission…” Eliza spoke, unamused, arms crossed.A brief clearing of the throat directed the team’s attention to the door. Yumiko and another figure stood at the base of the screen, hands in their pockets. The man, Meghan guessed, was Specialist Masaru Enatsu. A brilliant man and robotics genius, by all accounts. He looked just as tired as Meghan’s Russian teammate, short black hair unkempt and wild with a headphone parting line in the middle. Yumiko closed the door behind them just as Alexsandr flopped down into his chair. The seat groaned in protest at the beast of a man.“My apologies for the delay, and thank you for your patience. If everyone is ready, we will begin.”Meghan dipped her head. “By all means.”Yumiko nodded. “As I said before, I am Specialist Yumiko Imagawa, and this is Specialist Masaru Enatsu.” She pointed to herself, and to her companion. The man did not react, continuing to lean against the wall. “We are members of Nagoya’s Special Assault Team, and we have enlisted the help of Team Rainbow to contain and neutralize a brewing conflict between two yakuza groups operating in the city.”The Yakuza. A series of crime syndicates with history dating back hundreds of years, proficient in the arts of killing, dealing, and leaning on the media and governing bodies of Japan. The height of their activity may have long since passed, but Japanese citizens still have a very present threat looming around any given corner. The level to which the government was historically able to impose prohibition on yakuza membership, or lack thereof, had always been a topic of uncomfortable discussion. Largely, the extent of what the Japanese governments over time could manage was to impede revenue and increase liability for criminal activities.
Too small a penance for scum like those fuckers.
Yumiko tapped the screen. The large screen flickered to life, an array of images sliding into an organized grid: an intricate hand painted white lotus crest, camera shots of a large warehouse filled to the brim with contraband, and the mugshot of an older man. “Seijiro Matsuo. The president of the Dojin-kai yakuza organization, notorious for engaging in human trafficking and the distribution of drug paraphernalia. And, more recently, they’ve been making their presence known in some of America’s larger cities, using Hawaii as a midway station for drug and arms smuggling.” She tapped the screen again, revealing an animated chart of demographics. “Because of the higher percentage of those with Japanese ancestry living in Hawaii and the western United States, they’ve had little interference in establishing a presence. They are also known to work with local gangs, funneling Japanese tourists to gambling parlors and brothels.”Meghan watched Yumiko’s eyes travel around the room, landing on the figure sitting furthest from her. She crossed her arms. “Can you wake him up, please?”Alexsandr let out a closed-mouth groan. “Why is it okay when he dozes off, then?” He lazily pointed at Masaru. Sure enough, he too sat with eyes closed.“Shūchū dekimasu ka?” (Can you focus?) Yumiko hissed as she shook the man awake.“Anata wa hitori de genkidesu.” (You are doing fine by yourself.) Nonetheless, Masaru rubbed his nape and straightened up.Yumiko rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “My apologies. Specialist Enatsu spends long hours in our research and development facility with his tech.” She turned back to the screen. “The fracturing of the Dojin-kai, as far as we know, has several contributing factors. Allow me to tell a brief story…” She retrieved a small tablet from a plastic holding secured to the wall, tapping rapidly at the little device. With two fingers she swiped something from the display and onto the larger one beside her.“The headquarters of the Dojin-kai was coercing their affiliates into purchasing large quantities of seemingly innocuous things, such as daily goods and mineral water, to the tune of a minimum of ¥500,000 per month, with no explanation at all. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you just how much space such sizable purchases would take up.” Images of intensely cluttered office spaces popped up. “Cases of water were piling up to the ceilings, to the point where there was one and only one path through the rooms.”Taina lifted her head from its resting place on her knuckles. “As riveting as this is, why should we care?”A grin formed on Yumiko’s lips. “That is precisely the thought that went through the head of large swaths of yakuza gang members, ‘We aren’t water merchants, so what is the point of all this?’ As with any large organization, when the leadership order their subordinates to, in their eyes, waste their time and money, what would you expect them to do?”“Whine, most likely.”“Among other things, yes. Again, just like any other entity, a workforce must be aligned to its goals and willing to give their support. Such tasks could easily be deemed unworthy of the mighty yakuza. But, there is more.” Yumiko tapped again on the tablet, calling up another series of images.“Some key figures in the Dojin-kai expressed a great deal of displeasure with how Matsuo set up the line of succession – it was completely dominated by men lining his pockets, something highly atypical of usual yakuza leader behavior. A large contingent of member split away to form their own faction, leading to an irreparable schism in the gang structure.” A news report, all in kanji, appeared. Meghan couldn’t read all of it, but the critical elements stood out. Just a few days prior, a team of hit men assassinated Matsuo and his son in violent fashion and put the bodies up in a grotesque display for all to see. What followed was chaos in the streets of Nagoya, in its first day leading to twenty-nine gang member deaths and dozens more injuries. In total, the police had arrested hundreds of gangsters.Yumiko clicked to a new page. “As the war intensified, it spilled over into the public, resulting in extensive property damage and threats to the safety of our citizens.” She closed the news report. “That is why you are here, to assist us in ensuring that this does not become a larger problem.” She faced the wall monitor and used her whole hand to wipe the existing interface away. What took its place were blueprints, models, and technical reports detailing two unique inventions.“We will now show you the product of our R&D teams, spearheaded by Masaru and myself, to combat this threat and others like it. First is—”Jordan’s hand shot up, waving wildly. He waited patiently to be called on, despite his childlike enthusiasm that Meghan couldn’t help but chuckle at.With a roll of the eyes and a knowing smile, Yumiko pointed to him. “Would you like to explain this part, Jordan?”“I thought you’d never ask!” The man pushed his chair back and joined Yumiko and Masaru at the front of the room, clearing his throat. “So Yumi and I spent some time working on a quick, efficient way to deliver my brimstone charges over a distance. She had the idea to use a launching mechanism kinda like a 203, with a trigger, but a straight launch trajectory. We played with the design of the housing for a while, had to make sure that the payload could clear the barrel properly while maintaining versatility of the charge pattern.” Jordan snagged a whiteboard marker from the sill, drawing several shapes and chicken-scratch words. “We ended up with a forty-millimeter launcher that fires exothermic charges in a clustered grid. Upon impact with a solid surface, they open and expand to form a flower-like shape, and once she hits the trigger the primer channels the explosive into the surface to prevent friendly fire. It punches through even the toughest of metals! Hard to counter brute force when chemistry is thrown into the mix.” He ended the tirade with an excited grin, glancing at Yumiko. “Did I miss anything?”“No, I’m pretty sure you covered it all.” She laughed, and turned to Masaru. “Anata no bandesu.” (It’s your turn.)Jordan took his seat as Masaru heaved an annoyed sigh and tapped at the PDA strapped to his forearm. Jack whistled lowly, marveling at the tech. “That’s some computer. You got any games on that thing?”Masaru gave him an unamused stare, holding the expression for long enough to make Jack squirm under the judging gaze. "Don't ask me what I'm doing on my phone. You don't want to know."Jack shrank back into his seat and crossed his arms.A flurry of images appeared on the electronic board. “My creation, the omnidirectional surveillance and deterrent drone, which I have named Yōkai.” Masaru pulled a square device from his chest rig, flipped a switch on it, and tossed it across the room. The machine righted itself before colliding with the ground and floated in place. “It uses several intricate and expensive systems to hover above surfaces, as well as launch itself upward to attach to ceilings.” With a tap from Masaru’s screen, the device leaped at a breakneck speed to latch to the drop ceiling of the conference room. Meghan gawked at the mechanical marvel, and found her teammates were doing the same. “When mounted, highly light-reflective surfaces act as a cloak to conceal Yōkai’s presence.” The machine seemingly vanished, leaving behind a faint shimmering reflection of the tube lights that one would easily miss unless looking for it. “It also fires directed, concentrated ultrasonic bursts using a range of electro-acoustic transducer frequencies. Yes, it can cause permanent damage to your eardrums. No, I will not be giving a demonstration. Much as I may want to…” He mumbled, glancing at Jack.Yumiko cleared her throat. “Yes, anyway…” She peeked at her wristwatch. “If there are no further questions, we’ll take you to our armory to prepare.” Silence followed, leading Yumiko to nod and gesture to the door. “Then please—”An officer in a crisp uniform stopped abruptly in the doorway, saluting Yumiko and Masaru. “Supesharisuto Imagawa wa, senchō wa anata o yōkyū shi, gesuto wa, jōkyō no heya ni kite!” (Specialist Imagawa, the captain demands that you, and the guests, come to the situation room!)The atmosphere in the room changed in an instant. Yumiko’s face fell to a frown as she gave him a terse nod. “Hai.” (Yes.)The officer dropped his salute and left.Meghan drew a shallow breath, hands on hips. “Looks like our timetable just got moved up.”“It would seem so. This way, please.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
November 19, 2016
“Keep applying steady pressure, and get a Celox on the entry point!”
Meghan watched the hectic feed from Jordan’s helmet cam, sweat beading on her forehead. His movements were erratic, hesitant. Blood coated his hands nearly up to the wrists with a slick red, painting his scars like an ugly railroad map.“I…I don’t…” He was hyperventilating, panicking. Meghan chewed her lip as his heart rate ticked up on the monitor. “I can’t stop it, Doc, I don’t know what to do!”The line was silent.“Doc, wh-what do I do?” Jordan’s voice was just above a whisper, creeping doubt seeping into every word.Gustave pushed out a short breath. “There is nothing more to do, mon ami. Just be there for him.”The camera panned up the person’s body, painfully slowly, until it rested on the face of a boy, couldn’t have been more than twenty, by Meghan’s guess. His wild eyes brimmed with tears, chest shuddering with drowned coughs. Blood spattered against the lens, but Jordan didn’t flinch. The boy arduously lifted a trembling arm toward the man knelt at his side, feeble fingers aching for human touch as the fire within him starved. Jordan took the hand with both of his, and a deep sigh came through the comm channel.“Gomen'nasai (I’m sorry)… We tried our best to protect you…”No words were uttered for some time, but Jordan never left the young man’s side. When the smaller, bloodied hand fell limply to the ground, Jordan got to his feet.“Didn’t have to go like this. Hard to feel like we won when there’s dead civvies left on the field.”Meghan flicked her microphone down, clearing the lump in her throat. “I know, Thermite, I know. Regroup with Pulse and Hibana, they’re tearing the strongroom apart for docs and intel.”“Copy that, Valk.” --- That was two days ago. Barely an hour went by where Meghan and the rest of the Team Rainbow contingent weren’t pouring over every little detail from the mission and its fallout, reconstructing and overanalyzing what transpired and how she could have done more. The Red Crow operation was supposed to be Rainbow’s ticket to an outreach venture with the SAT to secure the safety and peace of mind of Nagoya’s citizens, to prove to the Japanese government that Rainbow was worth devoting precious money and people to.Instead, the goalpost may as well have been moved to a different end zone, in a different stadium, in a different state. Thirteen civilian workers killed in the tower, the HVT offed himself before the team reached the strongroom, and cable news choppers started buzzing the building within minutes of the go-live. Six had been on the phone with the Ministry of Defense all morning getting an earful, doing as much damage control as she could.Meghan sparked a cigarette as she leaned on the balcony rail. The phone in her pocket buzzed, alerting her to a message from Daniel. Meghan always had to give her husband credit; he never once complained or gave her shit when work kept her from coming home on time. What stung the worst, though, was that Daniel had already known this time before she even told him so because of a fucking news broadcast. Given Meghan’s job description, making the nightly talk show was, in no uncertain terms, a goddamned disaster. The team was assigned to stay in the prefecture until the cypher-encoded intel was solved, with Meghan and Eliza serving as the investigation’s main catalysts. Specialists Imagawa and Enatsu continued to lend their services as well, which had been nothing short of a godsend. Her fingers tapped away at the screen as she typed a response.“Smoking is not good for you, you know.”Meghan jumped at the sudden proclamation, nearly dropping her phone. She drew a deep breath as she saw Masaru standing at her side, his hands buried in the pockets of his sweatpants.“Didn’t see you there.” Meghan exhaled.“That is surprising. Given what your peers say of you, there must be something quite pressing on your mind.” His voice was flat, devoid of any sign that the forced overtime was bothering him.Meghan took another drag. “Guess you could say that. Don’t tell my husband, told him I quit years ago.”Masaru hummed softly, but remained quiet. A stoic silence fell over the two, turning into minutes of simply existing in one another’s company.“There wasn’t a way anyone could have known, just so you know.”An annoyed sigh forced its way through Meghan’s flared nostrils. “That’s nice of you to say, but it’s my job to know what ‘no one could have known,’ Specialist Enatsu. Bet it’s no consolation to the families of those civilians that got caught in up this mess.”Again, Masaru chose not to speak, allowing Meghan to vent her frustrations.“How can the people be expected to trust their protectors at all when those protectors sell each other out for a fucking profit? How can we even trust each other when shit like this happens?!” She pulled hard enough on the cigarette to burn though a quarter inch of it.The rage she felt for the false protector in question was a particularly fiery one. Minutes after the team had reached the top of the tower, all hell broke loose and tossed their attempt at inconspicuous wet work over the edge when the Yakuza opened fire before Rainbow had any chance to enact their preparations. The elite team proved capable of surviving the encounter without casualties, but their objectives were reduced to ash all but instantly. When the smoke cleared, the supporting Nagoya police informed Rainbow of a turncoat officer that had warned the Yakuza of the assault in advance, and even he too was now among the dead. It took both Elias and Jordan to keep Taina from rending the police captain’s head from his body, and Meghan wasn’t so sure she would have helped hold the Snake back. In the wake of Rainbow’s biggest slap to the face to date, no one was eager to collaborate with the Nagoya prefecture’s law enforcement, leading to more than a few tense exchanges.Meghan shook her head to clear the red haze clouding her mind. “I’m sorry, I’m just bitching… Don’t mind me.”Masaru switched the elbow bracing his weight to face Meghan. “I had always heard that Americans were some of the most intense people on this earth.”Meghan snorted with a roll of the eyes. “Yeah, well, sue me I guess.”“You misunderstand me. Your intensity shows that you care a great deal about your work and those affected by its results. Those like Yumiko-chan are very similar, and to a point I envy it. The amount of energy you and her possess is tiresome to me, but it is what makes you both the best at what you do.” He looked out toward the city below. “Yakuza tactics are rarely predictable, and therefore always dangerous. Do not put yourself down for failing to spot a mole inside the police force within hours of arriving here, Castellano-sama. If nothing else, it is our fault for allowing this to happen in the first place. All we can do now is clean up the pieces and solve this mystery, to prevent further damages.”Meghan stared at the man beside her, ruminating on his speech. “That might be more words than I’ve heard you speak all week.”Her statement earned a faint smile, nearly hidden by a curt yawn. “It is likely more words than you will ever hear me speak. As you may have noticed, I am not one to, as you say, ‘wax philosophical.’”Meghan chuckled and ashed her smoke. “Never would’ve guessed. Come on, let’s get back in there and figure this shit out.”Masaru gave a silent nod and held the balcony door open for her to enter before following her inside. The relative quiet of a breeze sweeping over the upper story of a high-rise building watching over a city in early morning was soon replaced by a cacophony of overcaffeinated, fast-talking desk jockeys and officers digging into the contents of the Pandora’s box that sprung open a scant two days prior. Masaru led her through the organized pandemonium and along the wall of windows into the code-locked strongroom where they’d set up to sort through the evidence seized from the tower.As Masaru rested his hand on the door handle, a muffled chime sounded from his wrist computer. His half-lidded eyes peered at the device as he smirked in triumph. “Yoshi. Tengu has cracked the greybox. Let’s see what they’ve been up to…” His fingers slid from one softkey after another until the door latch clicked free and he pulled it open and flicked his hand out in front of him.The feed from his terminal beamed onto a half-moon shaped wall of curved screens surrounding a circular center console with softly glowing keyboards at every quarter mark sitting nestled at the back of the room. The projected virtual rendering flickered to a stop to show a 3D depiction of an object that Meghan didn’t recognize; some sort of non-descript cylindrical container, with what looked like a valve release mechanism on the side.Her compatriots stood in groups of three or four in front of differing parts of the room with hands stroking chins or resting on hips. Eliza and Jordan hunched over the central terminal, staring intently at something on one of the smaller inlaid monitors. The former glanced up at the sound of the door clicking shut.“Hey Meghan, come over here and take a look at this.”Meghan wordlessly complied as she scrutinized the contents of the room. The now-familiar walls were littered with photos, mostly mugshots and high-resolution captures of the Yakuza tower and its rooms. Printed transcripts and recounts of correspondences from witnesses and other law enforcement officials collected by Taina and Jack; a web of red spidered throughout the array of collected evidence. As the team had spent the better part of the last 40 hours poring over each and every scrap of information, Meghan was sure she’d be having dreams about suspect lists and motive charts. Masaru’s uncanny hacking and decryption skills had proved to be invaluable in accessing every little dirty secret that their adversaries wanted to keep hidden away.The dense digital journals and folders packed with records in in foreign languages, though, were what had first caught Team Rainbow’s eye. Arabic, Cyrillic, Spanish, German, the list was long. The briefing they’d been given prior to their mission highlighted the type of traffic the Yakuza tended to target, and this was several steps beyond that.
Just what would possess a crime syndicate to risk exposing itself by dabbling in international affairs?
Meghan leaned into the metal shelf lining the terminal. A list of words written in katakana sprawled all over a scanned document, one that was barely saved from being lost to the chaos of battle if the charred corner was anything to go by.“What am I looking at here?”“This was poking out of a fireproof safe that the Dojin-kai had under the floorboards.” Jordan traced a line around the page. “Elias tripped over a loose latch when we were checking out the head honcho’s office.”The blond German chuckled softly, scratching at the back of his head.“Yumi’s translating everything on this page and putting the words up on that board,” Jordan pointed to the huge whiteboard in question, “but we’re not getting anything from it. It was the only document the boss had in the safe.”Meghan squinted at the laser-scanned image. The page itself was of a visually non-descript paper, the ink didn’t appear to be any different than a run of the mill blend.“Anything show up on blacklight, heat, lemon juice—”“Lemon juice…?” Eliza inquired, eyebrow quirked.“Listen, it worked once.”“Well regardless, no, none of the usual tricks revealed anything.”“The words themselves don’t reveal much either.” Yumiko piped up, her voice bouncing off the board as she wrote, the marker squeaking with each stroke.“Knowing organized criminal groups, this is all code. Gangs worth their salt usually use it for their product, their people, or whatever they’re buying.” Jack drawled.Several minutes and idea pitches later, the board had become a mess of words and half-formed thoughts. Nearly everyone had done some degree of postulating, but Timur remained as stoic as ever. His gaze remained transfixed on the sheet, soaking in every detail.“Alexsandr, a mozhno s bashni otkryt' trekhmernyye kamery? (Alexsandr, can you open the three-dimensional camera views from the tower?)” He whispered to the bear of a man beside him.“A? Vy znayete ya plokho razbirayus' v komp'yuterakh, pochemu vy ne mozhete etogo sdelat'? (Eh? You know I am bad with computers, why can't you do it?)” Senaviev growled out.“Moy razum vse yeshche rabotayet. Ya v tebya veryu. (My mind is still working. I believe in you.)”Alexsandr sighed and uncrossed his arms but complied nonetheless, grumbling and swearing under his breath as his fingers slowly worked the keys to call up the room scans.“Zdes'. (Here.)”“Pozhaluysta, bol'shuyu komnatu s freskoy v vide drakona. (Please, the large room with the dragon mural.)” Timur still stared at the smattering of Japanese characters.The larger man panned the camera to the target room and looked to Timur.“Sosredotoch'tes' na samoy rospisi, durak. (Focus on the mural itself, fool.)”“Zatknis! Yesli tol'ko vy ne khotite sdelat' eto sami. (Shut up! Unless you want to do this yourself.)” Alexsandr barked in a hushed tone.———Jack startled at an elbow digging into his side.“Should we eh… do something about that?” Elias mumbled lowly.“I dunno about you, man, but my MO doesn’t usually involve getting between two fighting dogs.”His German counterpart shrugged. “Perhaps you are right, especially when the dogs are large and smell of vodka…”———Timur did not poke further and switched his attention between the mural and the document for another minute before addressing the silent man at the back of the room.“Specialist Enatsu, how many characters does katakana use?”Masaru raised his brow. “Forty-eight exist, but only forty-six are used in modern Japanese.”The Russian nodded and faced the whiteboard. The array of words, now written in Romaji and plain English, lay before him. He loudly cleared his throat. “Everyone, I believe I may have an idea.” The room turned to face him with a mixture of surprise and interest.“Go ahead, Glazkov.” Meghan yielded to him.“I believe the katakana characters on the sheet are laid out in such a way that mimics a mural seen in the tower.”No one spoke, so he continued. “I asked Alexsandr to retrieve the 3D scan of the tower taken after the mission, and compared the arrangement of the characters to the shape of the dragon at the mural’s center. They are a match.”Rows of faces went back and forth between the scans as he spoke. He took a breath. “Specialist Enatsu says there are forty-six characters still used in katakana, and perhaps not so coincidentally, there are forty-six spikes on the dragon. Each spike points to an object or color, and each word’s first syllable, when translated to Romaji, corresponds to a katakana character. When compared to our mystery sheet, it may reveal something.”The end of his speech was met with silence, and more than one traded glance between his audience. “You just, came up with that? On the spot? How can you be sure of any of that?” Eliza swept her arms wildly.He returned a simple shoulder shrug. “Let us call it an artist’s intuition. I do not blame you for your skepticism, but please, humor my curiosity.”Meghan latched a hand to her hip, the other rubbing at her brow. “Okay… Not the craziest theory I’ve ever indulged.” She turned to the rest of the team. “Some kind of cypher, then, maybe? Hell, it’s more than we had five minutes ago. Let’s pull on this and see where it goes.”Another hour and a coffee break passed. The result of their efforts was a slightly less perplexing catalog of words. The team had broken into modular groups again to analyze the other intel for any connections. On a whim, Jack opened the recovered shipping manifests from the tower’s upper stockroom.“Got something here, folks. Dojin-kai shipments over the last six months include a bunch of items marked only by one word, some of the same words from our cypher. No descriptions of the products, but it has the seller and their country of origin. Based on that, we can probably make some educated guesses at what each one references.”While looking between the databanks, a lightbulb went off in Meghan’s head. “What was it you said the other day, Yumiko, about what the Dojin-kai had been collecting? ‘Seemingly innocuous things?”“Hai (yes), that’s correct.”“Look at the companies on the invoices. Some of these designations don’t sound like anything they sell, but if we assume it’s a type of their most known product or export, you essentially get a shopping list, except they’re bringing some of this shit in from all over the world.”Elias ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, so the chain of command had their minions collect and store a mountain of random chemicals and household items from foreign shores. Why?”The gears continued to turn for Meghan, and she grew more and more uneasy with every meshed tooth. “Jordan, if you were a civvie trying to make a bomb without drawing any attention to yourself, what would you buy to do it?”He brought a bandaged hand to his pursed lips. “Probably at least half this stuff…”Yumiko perked up. “Meghan, the dragon is holding a white lotus, the symbol of the Dojin-kai. If we use the cypher to read the katakana within, it reads as…”“Ō o korosu.” Masaru said cryptically, his face as unreadable as ever.Eliza set her jaw. “Meaning, what?”“I believe it most closely translates to ‘kingslayer…’” Yumiko breathed out.Taina scratched at her cheek. “Is that some kind of activation phrase, or callsign?”“Maybe it’s the catalyst for the concoction they’re makin’, since the dragon’s holding it?” Jordan theorized.“Or a weapon the dragon wields…” Alexsandr threw in.A final piece clicked into place in the puzzle revealing itself to Meghan. “Masaru, what is that thing that Tengu brought up on the render?”“Some kind of slowly bleeding gas release canister with an inconspicuous casing, something that would be perfect for…” He stopped himself, slowly looking back at the dragon mural.“Slaying kings?” Elias finished the unsettling thought.“Where have the Dojin-kai been sending shipments to?” Meghan all but snapped.Yumiko worked the keyboard with expedience, sending the list of Dojin-kai shipment manifests to the large screen. The resulting world map had dozens of countries highlighted, many of which were high-ranking in NATO and UN presences. Everyone in the room stared with the same troubled, foreboding expression.Meghan looked to Eliza. “Get Six on the line, she’s gonna need to start making some calls.”The auburn-haired woman nodded and strode quickly from the room, shutting the door behind her with a slam. Team Rainbow convened to write their reports, for both their CTUs and Six. They all knew, their jobs were only just getting started. This house of cards had many layers left to fall.Yumiko stood beside Meghan, gazing at the map as she spoke. “One question remains in my eyes, Meghan. If the Dojin-kai were simply the lotus in this analogy…”There were very few times in Meghan’s life during which fear of the unknown crept its way in. She was often able to elude its crushing grip, making use of her indomitable spirit or superior intellect to create solutions where there were none. But this moment, right now, was different. The fear had taken on a new shape, dark and ominous as the dead of night. It was a beast of immense strength, capable of shaking the world’s very foundation, and Meghan knew that she wasn’t the only one thinking it.“…who is the dragon?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
February 11, 2017
Part of Meghan missed going to high-end nightclubs. The deep booming rhythms, the vibrant strobing lights, that intoxicating energy that glides through the crowd as the night goes on, sweeping away inhibitions in a cascade of expensive liquor and deceptively powerful mixers…Being twenty-five was fun.Not that she would give up the life that she had to do it all again, Lord knew she couldn’t drink like she used to anymore, but the night’s mission had her reminiscing on days past. She sat up a little straighter in her chair to better focus on the feed.On the other end, a sharply dressed man donning a pristinely pressed three-piece suit stood in front of an enormous bathroom mirror, fastening his ornate golden cufflinks with a clearly practiced dexterity. His strong jawline – Meghan had to force herself to not use the word chiseled – was elegantly shaved, the silver-flecked beard blending perfectly into the sideburns framing his face.“Meg, you’re staring.”She waved a hand. “Shhh… it’s not illegal to look, Miles.”He chuckled. “Fine, but we do have a job to do.”A sigh made its way through her nose. “Alright, alright.” She opened the communication line.“Jackal, this is Valkyrie, how copy?”“I hear you loud and clear, Valkyrie.”“Good. Looks like you’re a fan of your disguise, how’s it fitting?”“As I’m sure you can see, it fits perfectly. Such a shame that I have to wear it for work.”“You won’t catch me complaining, either way.”Meghan flinched as Miles jabbed her side with his elbow. He cocked his head, peering over the top of his glasses with the ‘you should know better’ eyes. She raised her hands in resignation as Ryad chuckled at her.Miles cleared his throat.“Alright Jackal, I know we went over this before you shipped out, but just to reiterate – we don’t know how long the target will be staying at the club tonight, so you’ll have to move quickly before things have a chance to unravel.”“Remember who you are talking to, Señor Campbell, I am an expert at getting things done quickly.”“You know, most women would see that as a negative, but I won’t tell anyone.” Meghan chortled.Miles pinched his nose, smirking. “You really can’t help yourself, can you? I’m telling David.”Ryad peered up at the mirror. “…I feel as though I’ve missed something.”A second female voice spoke up. “No te preocupes (Don’t worry), Ryad, I’ll tell you when you’re older.”Elena Alvarez, known amongst Rainbow as Mira. Her mechanical prowess was second to none, and her fierce intelligence and wit created one hell of a potent combination for Team Good Guys.Everyone on the communication line shared a brief laugh at Ryad’s expense, minus the man himself. He didn’t fire back, settling for an exaggerated eyeroll.“Estos malditos niños…; These damn children…”Meghan took a breath to compose herself. “Alright, alright, anyway…” She tapped away at the keyboard. “The primary target is El Halcón, the facilitator of Red Dragon business in Spain and Portugal. We don’t have anything on his identity, but we know he’ll be here tonight. Your friends at GEO came through with a bit of info that’ll help us out, so—” Her fingers went to work once more. “The secondary target is Lisia Perez, her picture’s on your HUD. She’s a co-owner of La Perla Blanca, and a secret mistress of El Halcón. She’s likely to know where you can find him, and just about every scrap of dirty laundry he’s got. If you can get her to turn herself in to the supporting ground team, we can get her to sing like a canary.”“And by ‘we,’ I assume you mean ‘La Gringa’ that is also listening in on us, hm?” Ryad had a devious smirk on his lips.Meghan shared a glance with Miles, who shrugged. “I… don’t follow. There aren’t any other gringas on the—"“She knows who she is, and what I’m doing.” Ryad teased.“Tch. At least you do it on purpose, not like the Americans that can’t tell Spanish and Portuguese apart.” Taina drawled into her microphone.“For those of you not in the know, Brazilians call any foreigner a gringo or gringa.” Elena clarified.“Isso fere nossos sentimentos, Taina; That hurts our feelings, Taina.” Meghan looked at Miles in mild amazement; his fluency in Portuguese wasn’t anywhere on his profile…“Whatever.” She cut off the line.Meghan could practically feel the eyeroll. She took a look at the mission clock. “Mira, get to work on casing the perimeter. Watch the people, watch the bartenders, watch who goes in and out of the bathrooms, everything. If someone breathes when we’re not expecting it, I want to know about it.”“Copy that. They’ll never see me coming.” She closed the channel.Meghan nodded. “Jackal, you ready?”“Sí. Let us begin.”“Good. Perez is in the Sunrise room, near the bar. She’s alone, so you should be good to go.”Ryad hummed in acknowledgment, putting the finishing touches on his styled hair. With a satisfied smile, he pushed his way out of the restroom and casually strolled down the main hall of La Perla Blanca. As nightclubs went, this one was ritzy, even for Ibiza. Meghan couldn’t help again but wish that she had the opportunity to spend a night in such a place. She watched as Ryad passed under the CCTV camera nested above the corner entrance to both Sunrise and Azul, the twin bars on the first floor. He looked up to the lens and gave a subtle thumbs up before moving out of sight. Meghan switched to the camera on Ryad’s heads-up display, which showed the operator taking a spot next to Perez.“Te ves como si estuvieras esperando a alguien; You look like you’re waiting for someone.” He spoke with that same experienced elegance that told Meghan he’d definitely done this a time or twelve before.The woman, not taken by surprise, looked Ryad up and down before flashing a pleasant smile. “Por suerte para mí, no lo soy. ¿Está aquí para pedirme que me entretenga, señor?; Luckily for me, I am not. Are you here to ask to keep me entertained, sir?”“Quizás lo soy. ¿Te importaría bailar? No lo he hecho en algún tiempo, y solo estoy ansioso por sentir el ritmo; Perhaps I am. Would you care to dance? I haven’t in some time, and I’m just itching to feel the rhythm.” Ryad extended a palm.“Dios mío, ¿cómo podría rechazar una oferta así?; My my, how could I refuse such an offer?”She took his hand graciously, allowing him to guide her into a swaying movement in time with the song. They remained on the edge of the packed crowd, blending right in with the mass of partying patrons.Minutes passed by, turning into the better part of an hour. Meghan and Miles watched on with mild interest as Ryad went to work, leaving him to pull out all his suave charms. Meghan was willing to bet that, if pressed, he’d say it’s only for the sake of the mission, but he was just too good to be someone who never practiced. She kicked her boots up on the desk and crossed her ankles, keeping one eye on the monitors.Miles sparked a cigarette, leaning back in his seat. “What’s your read on these guys, Meg?”She peered over at him. “Professional, well-informed, work well with others, know how to dress sharp if the situation calls for it. What’s not to like?”He snickered. “Fair enough, but I meant as candidates to join the team. Six was real eager to get them brought in, but it was a bit of a lucky coincidence that they already had a lead on our target.”Meghan shrugged. “Makes them useful, if nothing else. If all goes well tonight, they’ll have my vote.” She checked the screen again. “I’m grabbing a coffee, be right back.”As time rolled on, Meghan found that the coffee was more of a need than she thought. Miles was already on his second, too. They waited, absorbing everything that the GEO operators uncovered from their reconnaissance. From where Meghan sat, Elena’s end of things seemed to include a fair bit more hard-earned intel, not to mention more than one unsolicited groping.More than one broken nose, too.The atmosphere in the war room had become quiet, bordering on uneventful, until a menacing whisper rumbled in their earpieces. The Americans looked up at Ryad’s camera.“Cuidado, señorita, llamará la atención. No quisiéramos causar un escándalo, ¿verdad?; Careful, señorita, you will attract attention. We wouldn’t want to cause a fuss, now, would we?”Meghan watched with bated breath, pulse elevating, as his hand slid along his beltline and pulled a sound-suppressed pistol, digging it into the woman’s back.
This isn’t part of the plan, what on earth is he pulling?!
“Jackal!” Meghan hissed into the microphone. “If El Halcón catches wind of this, or the crowd starts to panic, this op is toast! What are you doing?!”Ryad gave nothing away indicating that he’d even heard her, keeping his attention on the nearly frantic woman in his arms. “Solo diré esto una vez, chica. Si no me dice dónde puedo encontrar El Halcón, me temo que no volverá a casa esta noche; I will say this only once, chica. If you do not tell me where I can find El Halcón, I’m afraid you won’t be returning home this evening.” He placed a finger on her lips when he felt her shifting to call out.“E-estás mintiendo, no me matarías, aquí, con esta multitud tan cerca; Y-you’re lying, you wouldn’t kill me, here, with this crowd so close by.”“Considere esto: si no estuviera preparado para matarlo, ¿para qué me serviría esta amenaza? Pasé de contrabando un arma dentro de La Perla Blanca y voy tras uno de los hombres más peligrosos de España. Si cree que dudaría por un solo testigo, claramente está delirando; Consider this – if I were not prepared to kill you, what purpose would this threat serve for me? I’ve smuggled a gun inside La Perla Blanca, and I am going after one of the most dangerous men in Spain. If you think I would hesitate because of a single witness, clearly you are delusional.”“No te diré nada. No puedes intimidarme; I won’t tell you anything. You can’t intimidate me.” Her tone betrayed little of the abject terror that her body language exuded.“Ah, tal vez no, pero ¿qué sería del pequeño León si no volvieras?; Ah, perhaps not, but what would become of little Leon, if you did not return?”
Bringing her only child into this, that’s dirty…
The woman froze, the air rushing from her lungs. Tears formed in her eyes. “Por favor ... no tengo la información que busca ...; Please… I don’t have the information you’re looking for…” Her voice, just above a whisper, cracked as she spoke.“Pero lo haces, solo tienes que decirme dónde está. Podré seguir el rastro desde allí; But you do, you only have to tell me where he is. I will be able to pick up the trail from there.” Ryad shifted his stance as the panicking woman hyperventilated against his grasp. “Sea razonable, señorita. Es su vida lo que busco, no la tuya. Puedes salir de aquí sin un rasguño. Piensa, ¿te protegería como eres él?; Be reasonable, senorita. It is his life I am after, not yours. You can walk out of here without a scratch. Think, would he protect you as you are him?”Perez was silent for a long time, but still Ryad waited patiently as she wrestled with her response. “¿Cómo sé que no me matarás de todos modos?; How do I know that you won’t just kill me anyway?”Ryad relaxed his grip. “Tendrá que creer en mi palabra. Si desea alejarse de esta vida, camine por la ladera hacia la costa sur de la isla, justo detrás de las ruinas. Mi amiga estará ahí, dile que te envió el Chacal. El entenderá; You will have to take my word for it. If you want to get away from this life, walk down the slope toward the island’s southern coast, just behind the ruins. My friend will be there, tell him that the Jackal sent you. He will understand.”“Multa. Está arriba, en el costoso salón, probablemente sintiéndose como una puta repugnante. Aparentemente no fui lo suficientemente bueno para él…; Fine. He is upstairs, in the expensive lounge, probably feeling up some disgusting whore. Apparently I wasn’t good enough for him…”If Perez could have seen his face, the uneasy guilt brewing in his gut would have been evident. “Lamento las molestias, señorita. Gracias. (I am sorry for the trouble, madam. Thank you.)”———The malicious pressure on the woman’s skin eased, as did the hand restraining her side. She wheeled around with a wild look plastered on her face, only to be met with empty space. The man who had threatened her mere moments ago and then offered a disturbingly malevolent salvation had simply vanished. Her racing mind clung to his final words – tell them that the Jackal sent you. With a shaky breath, she strode from the orange-tinted room and made for the door, pushing past everyone in her way – including the partner of the man she had just been dancing with.———Meghan watched Elena’s eyes follow Perez as she strode out of the door and broke into a run toward the coast. She marched up to Ryad, who’d already acquired a drink and for all the world looked nothing like someone who’d just threatened to kill another person. Meghan released a breath long held, only then realizing the sharp burning sensation in her lungs.“¿De verdad lo habrías hecho? ¿La habrías matado sin pensarlo dos veces?; Would you really have done it? Would you have killed her without a second thought?” Elena said, staring knives into him.“¿Qué respuesta preferirías?; Which answer would you prefer?” Ryad matched her gaze in time with the last word, his tone eerily even.“La verdad, Ryad; The truth, Ryad.” She seethed, taking care to keep a low volume.A pause.“No. Pero ella no necesita saber eso; No. But she does not need to know that.”Meghan took note of the annoyed grunt that came through the comm channel as Elena mumbled to herself.Ryad took hold of Elena’s shoulders. “You can be angry at me later, Mira. We have a target to apprehend. He is upstairs, in the VIP lounge. I suspect he has been granted use of the penthouse as well. Make your way up the western stairs and investigate.”Elena shook him off. “Fine.”Several tense seconds passed as Ryad watched her storm off.Miles cleared his throat and opened his channel. “Cav, reposition and see if you can get a view of the VIP lounge.”“Copy.”“Jackal, do we need to talk about that?” Miles uttered, slowly.The line was silent for a long pause.“No.”The Rainbow operators didn’t press the issue. ——— “Got you on cams, Jackal. I see a guard at the door into the lounge, but I’m blind to the room itself and the penthouse.”“I hear you. Keep me informed.”Meghan leaned back in her seat, cracking her knuckles. The lights went down, theater going quiet. The maestra was ready to orchestrate a winning symphony, and her mind went to work. The camera eyes darted this way and that, absorbing information at a speed frightening to even her. She’d been asked more than once to describe how her uncanny electronic information siphoning sorcery came to be, but the answer was always the same.
You either can, or you can’t. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
Miles silently watched the melodic poetry in motion as she worked the angles and directed traffic at her discretion. The free show never failed to amaze him; he was more than satisfied being a student. Before he knew it, Ryad had reached the second floor, stalking the scent of blood.“Remember we’re trying not to kill anyone.” Meghan lectured.“I know,” He growled, “I have just the idea.”Ryad slowly walked around the corner, his head on a swivel, and caught eyes with the large man down the hall. “Oy, senor!” He scratched the back of his head, trying his best to look lost. “I can’t find the restroom, do you know where I can go?” He noted the thick black curtain blocking his view into the VIP lounge.“I can’t help you, sir, please go back to the party.”“Please, don’t make me beg!” He kept approaching the disgruntled guard, who sighed and stormed at Ryad.“You should have just listened to me the first time—!”Ryad snagged the guard by his shoulder and delivered a swift punch to the man’s throat. His eyes bulged as the air left him before he found himself spun around and being strangled, a hand bracing the back of his head. Ryad held the guard in place for several seconds through his stunned thrashing until the body in his arms went limp, unconscious. He guided it down the wall so as to avoid making noise and looked around. No partygoers seemed to be coming to check on any sounds vaguely reminiscent of a scuffle. The hallway was devoid of any rooms or recesses that could feasibly hide a body, but Ryad’s eye caught the edge of a black marble platform extending out over the courtyard where the modern-style open air windows parted from the lattice frame. Perfect for some intoxicated stargazing…
Or for a man to enjoy a brief siesta…
He grunted as he shifted the body’s weight to his shoulder, taking care not to make a scene for those drinking themselves stupid below. “Dios mío … I’m getting too old for this.” As luck would have it, the platform meshed with the wall of the building, allowing Ryad to prop the guard against the corner in a sitting position. Ryad dusted himself off, stepping over the low barrier and back into the hallway.“Nicely done, Jackal. No spooked civvies, no suspicious bouncers.”“Gracias, Valkyrie.” Ryad looked again at the curtain. He put his ear to the fabric. A few muffled voices sounded through. He dropped to one knee and pressed a finger to the orbital of his eye, blinking twice. An array of colored footprints illuminated his vision, all showing up on Meghan’s feed as brightly as the neon signs adorning several walls in the club.“Now what do we have here…” His voice had a low, predatory eagerness dripping from every word. This was his element, tracking down unsuspecting targets using nothing but razor-sharp wit and a wealth of experience.
And ultra-high-tech gear co-funded by the CIA, but I’m not about to rain on his parade.
The two pairs of footprints left over from his tangle with the guard were the freshest, but one set stood out amongst the several others. He ran a finger along the ground and rubbed it against his thumb, recognizing the telltale glint of gold flakes. The analysis running through the database in his HUD drew only one result, but Ryad already knew who this terrible, gaudy shoe belonged to.“El Halcón…” He mumbled, taking the former guard’s pose next to the door. “Mira, this is Jackal. The target is in the VIP lounge with three unknown civilians. What is your status?”“I copy. I am in the theater. I had to sweet talk my way inside, but with Valkyrie’s assistance there was no trouble. Moving through the penthouse now, standby.”Ryad waited, hands clasped, keeping his eyes forward as Elena spoke again. “Dios mío, this man has absolutely terrible taste in… well, everything. Alright, I’m near the opposite door. On your go.”“Showtime.”Ryad yanked the black curtain aside, brandishing his sidearm in the direction of the group of people on the white circular couches. The women huddled near the man at the middle let out a simultaneous gasp, leaning as far into the upholstery as they could manage. Elena stood at the far side of the room aiming squarely at the target.“El Halcón! ¡Levanta las manos y ven con nosotros! Estas bajo arresto!; Put your hands up and come with us! You are under arrest!” Elena flashed her pistol at El Halcón.The man leaped from his spot on the couch and snared the back of a woman’s dress, pulling her to his side, pistol pressed into her neck. His finger hovered just off the trigger of the gun. The other two women bolted from the room, whimpering all the way out the door. Ryad tightened his grip on his own weapon, glaring as he studied the man in front of him. His face was rugged, in the sense that it had seen its fair share of scarring, and played host to a nose that had clearly been broken more than once.“¡Ni siquiera lo intenten, cerdos, o esta pequeña perra no se irá a casa esta noche! ¡Me voy y no me vas a seguir!; Don’t even try it, pigs, or this little bitch won’t be going home tonight! I’m leaving, and you are not going to follow me!” The pistol in his hand boomed loudly as a bullet pierced the glass, showering fragmented crystals all around him. The vibrant colored lights in the room glittered off the glass, casting a veil of rainbow light over the once-spotless lounge.Ryad registered a brief glimpse of a shadow outside the bay window, and he resumed his focus on the man. “¿Y adónde espera correr, señor? No crees que estemos aquí solos, ¿verdad? Tu rastro termina aquí, rata, así que déjala ir y ríndete; And where do you expect to run to, sir? You don’t think we’re here alone, do you? Your trail ends here, rat, so let her go and surrender.”The man lifted a leg to climb out the window, his back still facing the outside. “Ahí es donde te equivocas, cabrón. No tienes idea de con quién estás hablando, pero te prometo que pronto lo harás— ; That’s where you’re wrong, asshole. You have no idea who you’re talking to, but I promise that soon you will—” The hand holding the pistol was wrenched away and tugged halfway out the window. As the pistol clattered to the floor, the man reeled in shock as his trapped hand was roughly shoved against the window frame. He roared in pain as a knife was shoved through his hand.Blood ran freely down his arm as tears welled up in his eyes. His blubbering grew soft and pathetic as the mighty Falcon was stripped down to nothing more than trapped prey beneath a predator’s heel. The former hostage stumbled into a run out of the room, brushing shoulders with Ryad as she went hurtling for the nearest safe haven. Nearly as quickly as the situation had escalated, it was snuffed out and returned to relative tranquility.“Nice timing, Caveira.” Ryad holstered his weapon.Elena followed suit before turning her attention to the contents of the room, scanning for anything that looked important.Taina shrugged and leaned against the wall. “Valk said you could use a hand, so I took his.”“I’d say it’s a better use for it than he ever used it for.” Meghan chimed in.A disgusted scoff from Miles occupied the radio. “Alright ya group of comedians, fan out and search the place for intel.”———“Interpol has his identity as Kilroy Ross. Not much to his criminal record, but he does show up on a few databases for drug and contraband trafficking.” Monika droned on the channel.Ryad rubbed at his chin. “Contraband, hm?”“I’m guessing you’re thinking the same thing I am.” Elena mumbled, leafing through the disheveled stack of documents in Ross’s briefcase.“Sí, it seems this may have been the man that our American friends were chasing after all.”A thousand miles away, Meghan massaged her temples. “Glad to know this wasn’t a total waste of our time…Cav, can you escort our new friend to the secure transport?”“With pleasure.” Taina shoved Ross in the back, swearing after him as he stumbled into the hallway.”“At any rate,” Monika interrupted, her voice thick with sleep, “I believe we have a few solid leads to pursue. Twitch and Echo will finish sifting through the contents of the hard drive in the morning, but for now, I am going back to sleep. Gute nacht; Good night.”“Understood. Jackal, Mira, the police are headed your way now. See if you can pull anything useful from Ross’s stuff before they get there. Let me know if you see anything that might link to Red Dragon.” Meghan said.Elena nodded. “Sí, we’ll get to work.”Silence reigned in the penthouse as Ryad and Elena continued delving through the pile of papers. There didn’t seem to be any sort of organization to them, like Ross never expected anyone except for him to be in the same room as his briefcase and laptop. The sounds of shuffling pages and tapping keys melted into a soft, rhythmic melody before sliding toward a white noise.Elena hummed, intrigued. “Not that I’m surprised, but much of what is written is in code. I recognize some of the terms from the cypher that Rainbow created…”“And,” Ryad added, “it seems that El Halcón had a few favorite destinations, based on his flight history.” He slid the flickering laptop screen over so she could see it. “Including regular trips to an amusement park in Hong Kong.”“Peculiar…El Halcón does not strike me as the type to spend his evenings riding a Ferris wheel with cotton candy.”Ryad snorted, shaking his head. “You know what they say about a book and its cover…But no, look again. This amusement park has been shut down for over ten years, and is a site known by la policía (the police) as a source of drugs and other contraband.”She leaned toward the screen, squinting at one particular detail in an image of the park. “I don’t suppose it’s a coincidence that the largest building has a red dragon built onto it?”“If it is, I’ll play El Gordo for the next month.” Ryad’s ears perked up. “Speaking of la policía, they are here. I will call Valkyrie, you go meet with our compañeros (companions). I will catch up.”The Jackal looked back at the computer. They’d managed to secure their target and find a solid lead for Team Rainbow to track down, but a worrisome thought stuck in his mind.
Hunting a falcon is much different than hunting a dragon. If our friends are not prepared when entering its den, what horrors may await them?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
July 28, 2017
It was a normal thing for the sounds of whirring drills and scribbling pencils to occupy the R&D wing of Rainbow’s home compound these days. Personnel scurried all about, rushing every which way at the behest of the technical marvel of the day. It was a thing of beauty, Meghan decided, to simply observe the organized chaos. She nursed a coffee while leaning on the railing overlooking the recessed room housing the drafting and build stations, elbow propping her up to watch the hive mind do its thing. That was the most appropriate term she could think of after the new head of research and development swooped in and reshuffled the deck, as it were. The fact that the teams below carried out their duties regardless of any outside influence spoke to the discipline she had instilled in them.And lord, were they tested frequently.Even now, said influence was actively engaged in a terse discussion with barely hushed voices. Eliza had already been talking at Elena for some time, about what Meghan couldn’t tell, but as usual the professionalism on display was surface level at best. Ash made herself present often in the labs, whether by choice or by orders, to keep an eye on the show. Elena, to her credit, showed remarkable patience in their interactions, yet at the same time always seemed one misstep away from a multilingual explosion of swear words. Meghan knew from firsthand experience how fiery an incensed Mira could be, especially when a mission was on the line.That was months ago, though. It had been quite some time since Rainbow’s last actionable scrap of intel was unearthed. A raid on a drug lair here, an arrest of a low-to-mid tier person of interest there, a couple thwarted crimes sprinkled in. The bulk of the team, especially the heavy hitters, had been out of the field long enough time for them to start getting bored. It wasn’t all bad, it gave them a chance to train, to tinker, to stay on top of their health – both physical and mental. Maybe now they could finally work on some of those gear upgrades that Six kept promising…This, among other thoughts, ran circles in Meghan’s distracted mind as she stood above the noise, thundering hooves of a thousand horses beating against her brain. She’d been off all day, to the point where the usual reassurances of “I’m fine” and “I’m just tired” didn’t even fool Tachanka; the stubborn old Russian spent ten minutes grilling her on what had her so preoccupied. She felt bad now about the next-level snap she unleashed on him, but at the time being a bitch had never felt so justified. Normally the look that she gave curious minds on off days sent a clear enough message, but for whatever reason the expression on her face seemed to give people the impression that she was dying to share every last secret.Things couldn’t be further from the truth. Meghan had perfected the art of leaving home at home and leaving work at work, something that she felt was absolutely necessary in her field. One moment of hesitation in the field because of some fight at home could mean the difference between life and death, for both her and her team – not even mentioning potential collateral in mission areas. She couldn’t and wouldn’t let it happen.A short buzz from her phone shook her from falling into a spiral. She fished it from her pocket and stared tiredly at the screen, pushing out an annoyed sigh at the message. After tossing back the remainder of her drink, Meghan exited R&D to make her way to the med wing. She felt the stares of everyone she passed on her back, but she refused to look. It was time to keep her eyes forward and focus, because if the repercussions of the reason behind her trip to the infirmary were anything to go by, she’d dug herself into a deep enough hole already.—The nameplate next to the closed door taunted her, the title beneath the name itself pushing all the wrong buttons. Who forced her into this? What made them think that they had any right to send her here to be psychoanalyzed by some hotshot rookie kid? She pulled the emergency brake on that train of thought; this wasn’t her, and it wasn’t fair to—Meghan jerked as the door opened, eyes focusing on the room’s occupant leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms and a warm smile.“Normally I would be concerned if someone was gritting their teeth that hard at the mere thought of me, but in this case I’m happy to see you.”The dull pain that only just registered in Meghan’s mind upon hearing his words abated as she unclenched her jaw. She had to consciously relax her fingers from tightly held fists too, normal circulation returning to her nerves - when had that happened?“I uh,” Meghan cleared her throat, “Sorry. I promise I wasn’t planning to start swinging.”The young man chuckled, pushing the glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “I believe you. I’m acutely aware of the effects that a wandering mind can have.” He stood aside and swept an arm into the room. “Won’t you come in?”Her gaze remained glued to the man, but she complied anyway, claiming the plush chair facing a large wooden desk. He shut the door behind them and casually strolled toward the back of the office.“Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea maybe? I have a variety of herbal blends that I just got in from—”Meghan’s grip on the chair’s armrests tightened. “Look, Harry, I’m really not in the mood for pleasantries today. Can we just get this over with? I know someone, or several someones, must have told you that I was acting weird. They’re overreacting. That’s it.”The look of seemingly genuine concern never left Harry’s face. He relaxed against the bench holding those exact “herbal blends” he’d mentioned, fingers curled around the edge. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I understand that you’re a busy person, one of the busiest.” Harry turned around, presumably to make himself some eccentric drink. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did others overreact about?” He tossed over his shoulder.Meghan cocked her head. “Are you… serious?”Harry turned to face her, nodding.“You called me over here to talk and you have no idea what for?”Another nod.She squeezed her eyes shut. “Why?”Harry shrugged. “It’s my job.”Meghan wasn’t sure that she entirely bought that. She massaged her temples. “And why won’t you take me at my word? Am I the ‘problem du jour’ for you to figure out? Today’s complicated new Rubix cube?”If Harry was offended at that, he didn’t show it. “Of course not. It was brought to my attention that you might need some assistance. I didn’t ask what they thought the problem was, I find it easier to work with people when I don’t have any implicit prior biases from others.”“That’s not good enough.” Meghan realized she’d raised her voice, but she didn’t care. “You have to know I don’t care for people meddling when I don’t ask for it, and that I was going to bite your head off if you did. Why?”“Concern for your well-being—”“Bullshit!” Meghan pounded a fist into the armrest. “You hardly even know me! You don’t get to rope me into some fucking therapy session after doing zero prep work and then act like you’re my friend. I know your type, kid, and it’s not going to work.”He simply watched, taking her outburst in stride without so much as a blink. He crossed his arms again. “I could be completely genuine. You have no way of knowing.”The eyeroll Meghan felt was so pronounced it hurt. “If this is all you’ve got for me, then I’m leaving.”“Meghan, you should recognize as well as I do that even someone who doesn’t know you can tell that something is weighing on your mind. From the moment I walked in here as a fresh face, I could tell that you were the single most composed and stable operative that Team Rainbow has in its arsenal, but what’s in front of me isn’t quite that. You’re right that I don’t really know you, but you’re struggling with something, and I want to help. Perhaps not knowing you would make it easier to discuss. Are you willing to give me that chance?”Harry’s tone was soft, measured, and confident, and it never faltered. Meghan could tell that, despite being as green as her fatigues, the kid knew what he was talking about, at least a little bit. Maybe he had a point. She was close with the people on her team, but this wasn’t something she was prepared to talk with them about just yet.She heaved a sigh, rubbing at her forehead. “Fine, whatever. You’re right. Make me one of those fancy teas, and don’t skimp on the kick.”Harry gave her a smile and got to work. Minutes later, he handed her the steaming mug and sat down opposite of her. Meghan breathed in the strong aroma and took one long sip. Harry waited, fingers laced together, as she collected her thoughts, but he did not prod. Finally, after battling with herself on how to begin, Meghan spoke.“I assume you’ve read our files?”He nodded.“Meaning you know our family statuses and personal information?”The same response.“So when I tell you that I’m married, it won’t come as any great surprise?”“You would be correct.”“Right, okay. So my husband and I have been together for, God, what, almost 7 years now? We’re perfect for one another, we work together on everything, and we almost never fight; hell, even when we do it never lingers or anything. He’s always been so supportive of me and my career…” She let the sentence fade as she took another drink of tea.“It sounds like he’s an excellent partner. It isn’t easy to keep up with someone involved in combat situations for a living, much less someone of your caliber.”Meghan stared at a fingerprint smudge on Harry’s desk. “Yeah…”The man said nothing. Meghan knew what this was – he was waiting for her to come out and say it, without having to pull it from her. The room was silent for a while, she didn’t know how long, but not once did Harry indicate that he was growing impatient.“…but he brought something up last night that I wasn’t ready for.”“What did you do?”Guilt flashed across Meghan’s face before being swiftly buried. “I blew up on him. I said stuff I didn’t mean. I was selfish, and he never even said a thing afterwards. I went to bed angry, and I left without a word today.”Again Harry let the conversation simmer. Meghan started to wonder if he was trying to make her stew in her emotions until she cracked. If that was the goal, it was working. She was startled when he finally did say something.“Let me ask you something, Meghan, and feel free to respond however you like.” He waited until she finally met his eyes. “Do you love your husband?”She gaped and sputtered, caught off guard. “Of course I do, what the hell kind of question is that?!”“Does he love you?”“Y-yeah, he must in order to keep dealing with me every day.”Harry leaned back in his chair. “Okay, good. Do you trust your husband?”Meghan sucked in a breath, narrowing her eyes at him. “What are you getting at, Harry?”He shrugged that same little shrug he did minutes ago. “Do you trust your husband? About what, it doesn’t matter. Anything. It’s just a question.”She clicked her tongue. “Alright, I’ll bite. Yes, I trust my husband very much.”A nod. “Does he trust you?”“I—” Meghan recoiled like he’d slapped her. It was a simple inquiry, one that she should have been able to answer with zero issues, but one that was tripping her up to an uncomfortable degree. She fidgeted in her seat and bit her lip, hard. Did Daniel trust her? Did he trust her to think the situation through? To take his feelings into account? To make a decision to the best of her abilities? Her mind raced, as the single four-word question swept her thought process into a frenzy.Harry watched the wrestling match taking place within Meghan’s head, letting it unfold as organically as possible. He knew exactly what Meghan was referring to, but he didn’t state it directly; he didn’t have to. This was something she would have to do a hard reset on in order to think it through clearly, all he could do was lead her to the breaker.She stopped, dropping her gaze to the floor. “I hope so…”“Meghan.” Harry leaned forward.She looked up at him with embarrassed, angry tears at the corners of her eyes before swiping them away.“I don’t know you, and I don’t know your husband, but you are more than capable of working through this. He won’t hate you, he won’t stop loving you, he won’t stop trusting you. He has complete faith in you, just as you do in him. All relationships have their storms, this too shall pass.”“But… you don’t even know what we fought about.”The chair squeaked as he resumed his previous posture. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever the cause, you would not have made it this far in life without being able to navigate difficult situations. It’s what you do, and you can do it again.”Meghan inhaled sharply. “How will I know if I made the right call?”Harry gave her a full smile. “I can’t answer that for you. It may not be obvious even when you do make your decision, but you will know in time. Your husband will support you either way, and so will we. You have the strongest support network behind you, Meghan. Don’t forget that.”—The flurry of thoughts and what-ifs never really stopped that day for Meghan. Even as she shut the door of her car, shielding her eyes from the setting sun, the situation hadn’t become any less muddy. Her phone buzzed again, from the same person as this morning.
Thanks for chatting today. You can do it.
A simple statement, and not the first time that day that he’d presented her with such a thing. Meghan put her phone back into her pocket and took a deep breath. Daniel’s car was already in the garage, so she knew she wouldn’t have any more time to think. She chastised herself; it wasn’t time to think, it was time to do.She turned the knob and went inside, leaving her things in their usual spots next to the door. The sound of the kitchen sink running rang through the hallway.“Hi, honey!”The shout came from around the corner as she unlaced her boots, and Meghan winced. He didn’t sound upset, at least…The running water stopped, and a moment later her husband came into view, not a hair out of place. Without missing a beat, he wrapped her in a hug, leaving a chaste kiss on her cheek. Shock held Meghan in place, but she shook herself free and returned the gesture. He pulled back and grinned.“How was your day, hun?”Meghan’s throat tightened; he really was acting like she hadn’t shouted at him until she was blue in the face not even 24 hours prior.“Better. I um, I got the chance to clear my head and think things over. I’m sorry that I yelled at you, and for all the things I said. I’m… I’m willing to actually talk this time, if you still want to?”The smile that Daniel gave her that same dorky, loving smile that he’d given her a hundred thousand times before, but this time it felt like it pulled the weight of a bus off her mind. He took her hand in his.“I’ll always be ready for you.”Meghan couldn’t hold back the sniffle that snuck up on her. She wrapped Daniel in the tightest embrace she could manage, as if he’d vanish at any moment.“Okay.”Daniel cocked his head toward the kitchen. “I’d just finished dinner when you walked in, want some?”Meghan chewed the inside of her cheek. “I think I’d like to talk first, get all this… junk, off my chest while I still have the balls, you know?”He chuckled at that. “Sure thing, babe, let’s have a seat.”She nodded wordlessly and joined him at the table, painfully aware that her hands had been dancing to a song of nervousness for the past 30 seconds.“So…” The words eluded her at every turn, but Daniel waited patiently. “So last night you brought up the possibility of having k-kids, and um…” She swallowed hard. “And I reacted in a way that was rash, and not at all fair to you. It’s just, it caught me off guard and made me realize that I wasn’t in the right mind to make a proper decision, and then I exploded on you when you didn’t deserve it and—”Meghan jerked at the sensation of Daniel grabbing her hand. “Sweetie, take a breath.”She did just that, squeezing his hand in appreciation. “I do want to apologize for how I treated you, though, baby.”Daniel smiled warmly. “It’s perfectly alright. My mom told me to be ready in case I got an answer I wasn’t expecting.”Meghan couldn’t help but smile, Daniel was always a regular ol’ momma’s boy. “Right… So, I know that we’ve talked a bit about potentially having a baby before, but with how often I get deployed it kept slipping my mind because I would want to have a stable home life where I’m actually here often enough to properly raise them…”“We wouldn’t be the first military family to have a kid, Meg. Plenty of folks have made it work, military moms included, and I’d like to think that we could do better than ‘most folks.’ I could be home more often, or our friends could help out. And, I know my mother would jump at any chance to come take care of them.”Meghan sighed. “I know… I know you’re right. But like, my job is stressful and has long hours and it’s dangerous—” She stopped, nails digging into her palms. “Danny, what if I die? What if we bring a child into this world only for them to lose one of their parents?” Her voice trembled, only a hair above a whisper.Daniel cupped her cheek. “As much as I’d like to promise that that won’t happen, I’d only be lying to you, and myself. There’s a risk in most things, hun, but you can’t let that stop you from doing something that would make you happy. Your dad would tell you the same thing.”She knew he had a point, but part of what her husband said stuck with her. “…Would it make me happy? Would I be a good mother…? I’m not exactly anyone’s definition of a girly girl, and I don’t know if I even have a maternal instinct.” Her head fell into her hands.“Meg, look at me.”She did.“Do you trust me?”A jolt ran through her, paralyzing her thoughts. Her conversation with Harry loomed large, but this time, she wouldn’t hesitate.“I trust you with my life.”“Then you should believe me when I say that you would make a great mom. Your preparation ability is second to none, you know how to learn and adapt to any situation, and you’re a fiercely protective person. I can’t think of a better person to be a mother.”The air in their home, she decided, must have been drier than usual as tears pricked at her eyes. She leaned in to kiss him, resting her forehead against his after they broke apart. She peered into his eyes, a vulnerable love shimmering in her hazel irises.“Do you… do you trust me?” Her voiced wavered in a way that she’d never experienced before, one that she was sure she didn’t like.“With my life.”He answered practically the instant she stopped speaking. Of all the reasons Meghan was grateful for her husband, him not letting her question hang for even a second topped the list.“Meghan, listen to me. I want this, and I think you do too, but if you decide that you’re not comfortable with going through with it, I’ll be behind you every step of the way. You’ll still be the wonderful, smart, beautiful woman that I fell in love with, and I’ll still be your husband.”Meghan didn’t try to hold back the waterworks. “I love you so much, Danny.” She didn’t even care that her voice cracked.She let out a shuddering breath. “Okay.”“Okay?”“Okay. If it’s alright, though, can we wait a bit to start trying? I want to talk with Six about some things first, and make sure I’m really ready.”“Of course, baby. I’d wait forever for you.”Meghan couldn’t suppress a giggle. “You’re such a cheesy dork.”“Yeah, but that’s why you love me, though.” He laughed with her.Daniel found his hand in his wife’s, her thumb brushing lightly over his knuckles. She didn’t say anything, but he knew that he was right.“So what do we do now?” She murmured.He tilted his head, pondering. “We could… you know, practice?”That earned a lopsided smirk from Meghan. Slowly, meticulously, she pushed herself up from her seat. Daniel felt his chair spin, but kept his eyes trained directly on Meghan’s as she lowered herself onto his lap, arms resting on his shoulders as her hands locked together behind his head.“Whatcha doin’, love?”“Practicing.” She spoke with bated breath as she claimed her husband’s lips in a passionate kiss.