Home Sickness

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of this game…at all…ever…ducks

Chris Jacobs, Matthias Nelson, and Jennifer Mui all stood before Fiona Taylor in her office at ExOps headquarters. It was a very plain room with eggshell white walls and Smokey gray carpeting. A ceiling fan created a small breeze and shadows streaming across Fiona's face as the blades circled.

"Okay." Fiona began as she shuffled threw some papers "Since General Song was taken care of there hasn't been much for ExOps in the way of business. But I can send you out to do some simple cargo delivery." Fiona looked up to see the displeased looks on the faces of the three employees. "Look, I know it's not the most exiting job, but at least there's no chance of getting…well…killed." Fiona said in a joking manner

"There's never a chance of me getting killed." Matthias said under his breath. Jennifer flashed a piercing glance at him and looked back at Fiona who had opened another file folder and was going threw it. Chris sighed, turned and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Fiona asked still going threw papers.

"I'll be in the bar." Chris answered as he left the room. Chris walked down the hallway towards an elevator. He let his hand drag across the smooth wall. He approached the elevator and pressed the button. Chris didn't want to go back into combat, he just got back from capturing General Song, and now he wanted a break. He just wanted some time to himself. The elevator door opened and Chris stepped in; he pressed the "M" button to go to the Main floor. The door closed and the elevator started to move. Chris was still recovering from medical injuries he received in his last assignment. Capturing General Song was one of the more challenging missions he has been on. He needed some time to collect himself. The elevator door opened and Chris stepped out and headed for the Bar.

Jenn and Matthias walked out of Fiona's office after their meeting.

"What's gotten into Chris?" asked Jenn curiously as the walked down the hall.

"I don't know, and frankly I don't really care." Answered Matthias with out looking at Jenn, and with that he walked ahead of Jenn and into the elevator.

Chris sat in the bar drinking a beer and looking at a picture of his family. Jenn walked into the bar a saw Chris sitting on a bar stool, she slowly walked over to him and sat next to him. The bar tender asked her if she would like any thing, she ordered a beer. For minutes there was silence between the two of them, the bar tender brought Jenn her drink.

"I haven't seen them in years." Chris said softly breaking the silence. Jenn looked over at the picture.

"They look nice." She replied Chris gave a small grin and huffed. Again there was silence. Finally Chris finished his drink, put some money on the table got up and left. Jenn watched him leave and then turned and stared into the golden foam in her glass.

2:08 Chris' watch read, he was lying in his bed staring at the same, dull snowy white ceiling. He couldn't sleep and he didn't know what was bothering him. HE hadn't seen his family for years and it never used to bother him, but now all of a sudden there was something…off, something wasn't right and Chris didn't know what it was or how to figure out what it was. He had tried to put it in the back of his mind but he just kept coming back to it. Chris sat up, took a deep breath, he couldn't leave his room; there was a 12:00 curfew. They told him that it was strictly for safety reasons "What a stream of bull." He thought. He lie back down, closed his eyes; he needed sleep, which knows what tomorrow might bring.

A bright bean of sun shone through the one window of Chris' sleep quarters right into his eyes. Chris groaned and rolled over but the alarm then went off beside his bed. Chris opened his eyes, dreading this part of the day. Each ExOps agent needed to wake up at 6:30 in the morning to have breakfast and then do field exercises. He say up in his bed, swung his legs over the side. He slept in his combat uniform like he always did. He rubbed his sleep-drained eyes and went to the mess hall.

The cafeteria worker splashed down a pile of tuna blended together with tomatoes. He accepted this "food", picked up a can of apple juice and went and says at his usual place with Matthias and Jennifer. Like always there was not a lot of talking, just the off "pass the salt." And "Get your feet on your side of the table." Just as Chris finished eating, Jenn finally broke the silence.

"What's been bothering you, Chris?" Chris just looked at her strangely and went back to his meal.

"Okay." Jenn said, "Either you tell me what's bothering you or I'm going to tell you all about the last time I got my nails done." Matthias and Chris almost simultaneously picked up their trays and walked to the table across the Jenn.

"Okay." Said Fiona. "If you really feel like you need this break, I will give it to you."

"Thank you." Answered Chris Standing on the other side of her desk

"But only a week." Continued Fiona. "I need you here, you are an important agent here." Chris gave a small grin.

""Your shuttle leaves in half an hour, pack you things." Finished Fiona. Chris stood up, shook Fiona's hand and left the room. Chris was on his way home. He felt like he needed to find out what was bothering him.