August 8,2016
Afghanistan,Khost province
FOB Chapman
Captain Alex Ryan
Alex arrived from his usual combat patrol. He climbed down out the MRAP and took off his helmet. His hand combed through his thick brown hair and reached down and rubbed his even thicker brown, overgrown chinstrap beard. He was walking to his tent along with a friend of his, Gunnery Sergeant Chris Anderson.
He met Chris shortly after joining the raiders. Before marsoc, Alex was a lieutenant and later Captain in 2nd battalion, 1st marines. This had been their second deployment together. They seen a lot of shit together. Everything from ambushes,IEDs, RPGs, sniper battles and suicide bombers. Chris and along with Sergeant Walker, helped Alex become a good officer. After all,Sergeant Walker and Chris was in MARSOC longer than he was and witnessing what happened five years ago.
Chris was a five years older than Alex at thirty-three . Chris was an who along with alex, grew a beard. Although, not as thick as his.
" Another day at the office." Chris groaned walking along Alex to the barracks.
" Another day of interrogating locals." Alex responded. " At least we didn't get blown up again."
Alex never liked combat patrols. He figured he joined the special forces so he could do special forces shit. Not walk around interrogate locals who probably are Taliban themselves, drive over or step on IEDs, or the occasional hit-and-run ambush. He always wondered what those Navy seals are doing the same thing or maybe they are in Pakistan or Yemen getting work done.
" Nothing like the marine raiders." Alex scoffed as he entered the barracks and sat down on his cot.
" You heard about that downed satellite? " Chris asked.
"Heard it was some super secretive shit. Like national security or something ".
" Shit,can't believe everything you hear." Alex responded.
"Heard one of the spooks talking about it."
"Now you really can't believe that bull."
" Naw the disbelief start when you hear that shepherd is sending in his amazing TF 141." Chris said grinning.
" And it gets better. Heard he's only sending two guys " Chris said skeptically as began to hang up his m4 and take off his vest.
"Okay, so why send two guys to recover some top secret component?" Alex asked.
"Well,they are the so-called "best group of handpicked warriors on the planet." Chris quoting the general.
" I'm surprised that he didn't step down yet. Even better, why is he still commanding anything. Even if it is some small task force." Chris said walking out.
The two was walking into the galley and saw Sergeant Walker sitting down with his meal and a cigarette carton next to him. Denzel Walker, a black guy you could tell was a marine from a mile away. High and tight haircut and subtle goatee.A real devil dog.
"Your wife know you still smoke?" Alex asked smiling
"Knowing her, she probably realized before I did." Walker responded as he was taking a another hit of his cigarette.
Chris and Alex proceeded to fix themselves some food and talk about the usual dinner convo. After Alex was done eating, he took one of Walker's cigarettes and walked out toward his barracks. He looked at his watch and realized that it was about time his wife, Emma was waking up. Him and Emma met in high school. They didn't get married until they graduated college. She was a doctor and she always had a habit of waking up early.
He entered the room and grabbed his phone out of his bag and dialed a number. As he was listening to the ring, he was thinking about home. Thinking about his daughter, Nadia. Soon she would be starting kindergarten. It pained him that he wasn't there see her off. He'd always told himself that he wouldn't be like his own father and just disappear but, this wasn't much better being a world away.
He was also thinking about his brothers. Kaleb and Jordan. Kaleb was middle and Jordan was the was about to begin his deployment in month to the North Atlantic on the Gerald Ford. Jordan was a called combat controller. He had to be the one to join the air force nonetheless ,Alex was still proud of him to join the special forces and complete complete combat control school. MARSOC wasn't much easier though. He always made sure his brothers knew that.
Alex was so lost in thought that he almost didn't hear Emma yelling over the phone. He responded by saying the words
"Hey baby".