Hey so this a new story which came to mind at around eleven o'clock last night and is different to my usual stuff but hey ho so it is based in an American army base camp during a fictional war and please correct me on any mistakes especially on ranks I am no specialist in this area especially in the American army since I am English but the idea sprung it my head upon seeing a picture and I fell in love, in summary corrections and feedback welcome ~ Thank you for reading and hope you enjoy.

Head Doctor: Arthur Kirkland/ England

Lieutenant Colonel: Alfred F Jones/ America

Captain: Berwald Oxenstierna/ Sweden

Prologue - Attack

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*crackle* "Jones, come in. Jones!" A voice came over the radio urgently from base camp. My hand reached down for the radio in my boot standing behind a pillar as shots fired all around me, both sides unforgiving on the other.

*crackle* "Jones-" "Oh for goodness sakes give me that wanker. Alfred, you there?" The voice changed from a stranger in charge of communications to Arthur, the head doctor on the site.

*crackle* Hey doctor, what's up? I quipped happily in the radio my eyes still sharp watching the people around me with my gun ready to fire any enemy who tried sneaking up from behind.

*crackle* "We are under attack and you took most of our men, repeat we need man power it was a trap." Arthur explained from this side I could hear gunshots not far from where he was reporting. My blood went cold in realisation that the informant was a double-agent. "Shit!" The Englishman cursed as loud gunshot came over the radio making me wince at the close distance, Arthur must be shooting himself. "Everybody scramble!"

*crackle* "Doctor get yourself and everybody out of there we should have an ETA of ten minutes." I told him hurriedly lighting a blue flare signalling an immediate retreat back to camp. "Can you hold that long? Arthur?" My teeth bit my lower lip trying to control my nerves as I waited for a reply.

*crackle* "I have managed to get most people out with an emergency alarm but it seems some of Berwald's men did not get the message as they just returned from duty, I am going to try re-infiltrate lower south-east quadrant of camp where you should be heading in from." Arthur explained panting out of breathe. Footsteps on the dry, sandy earth could be heard and his sharp gulps of air made it clear he had been running since the first gunshot.

*crackle* "Are you stupid dude? Get out of there, that's an order Kirkland!" I shouted down the radio as bullets flew around me, my own taking down a man or two as much as I hated pulling rank as Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the base, the doctor was a close friend who had saved my life more times than I care to admit. His plan was suicidal even for the elite trained sniper he had been before his accident. I got onto an altered off-road open people carrier which sped off back towards the camp as I quickly gave the Major my second in command orders on how to act and a run-down of the current situation.

*crackle* "Huh? Did you say something Alfred? It seems static and lack of signal is interfering I am signalling out and carrying out infiltration as originally planned." Arthur was obviously faking his misunderstanding with a smirk on the other end making me grit my teeth and he dared to call me an idiot.

*Crackle* "Arthur! Fucking hell! Arthur come in!" I exhaled loudly when my shouts down the radio were replied with nothing but static the man clearly busy on his suicide mission. I chucked the radio across the metal vehicle in anger; it only bounced off the wall onto the floor and earned stares from my subordinates.

My hand ran through my hair as I titled my head back looking at the cloudless sky which was so beautiful yet dangerous in this desert climate, stress was filling up my body thinking about my mistake of trusting the informant and how due to my hasty decision my oldest friend was about to be killed not to mention the rest of the men caught on base. It was my fault I could not even blame anybody which only made the feeling worse in my stomach. After closing my eyes and breathing for a few minutes my eyes opened with a new sense of focus and my arm reached back up for the radio slipping it into my military boots. I'm on way doctor please just hold on.

We arrived in just under eight minutes however by then we were too late the camp was empty with only a few stragglers remaining which were quickly shoot with only one to be captured alive though he sustained two shoots to his leg and one in his arm by me. Once the camp was secured the I called the closest city where those escaping had fled too since it was well secured with a military presence who were probably also making their way to the camp.

"Who is this, over?" A man questioned as I connected to their wavelength.

"Hey, this is Desert Rose camp's Lieutenant Colonel calling in did everyone escape safely to your position?" I questioned recognising the voice as the man from earlier before Arthur cut him off taking charge. "Are you okay? We have retaken the camp."

"Almost everybody made it out though as you can see the original infiltration killed about six and when the doctor went back he managed to send back eight of the twelve who had been on patrol duty." The man informed me; I let out a breath of relief at the news.

"Kirkland made it." I said aloud more than relieved at the news, that old man was going to kill me giving me a scare like that, seriously when I next saw him he better have ice cream or burgers because he was in trouble.

"No, I am sorry but you mistake my words he got cut off with the other four who covered the rest able to make it back though even they have sustained injuries. One is in critical condition." The man corrected and my mouth went dry. No? He was lying! This was Arthur Kirkland we were on about he could not just die. The idiot! I felt tears run down my face as a hand covered my mouth try to conceal the chokes. He was a doctor and they were fully trained, still in-duty soldiers, he should have been the first one to leave out of the group!

"Are we to presume them dead?" I questioned just about able to hold back the emotion in my voice as my second in command stood behind me listening though made sure to either dismiss or reassign the surrounding troops to other areas not that in the moment I was even paying the slightest attention.

"Yes, in total that makes eleven dead and a large proportion with injuries, about fifteen life threatening." The man summarised emotionless as I rubbed my forehead trying to reduce the anxiety and rhetorical questions inside my head. How could this happen under my command? "Sir?"

"Y-yes." I answered stuttering as Matthew Williams my Major and younger brother placed a hand on my shoulder in comfort.

"The doctor gave me a message to pass onto you when we arrive back at camp he says to only read it when alone and he told me to emphasis alone since you would otherwise overlook the order." The communicator explained making me smile through the tears which were overtaking my face.

"Only he would dare give me demands the old man." I laughed nostalgic, thanking the man before hanging up the phone which was much clearer than the radio still in my boot. "Hey Mattie?"

"I heard Al, I heard." Matthew's eyes flickered to the floor he was in as much pain as me; Matthew had fought alongside Arthur while he was still in combat the two were like brothers. "If you need me I'll be in my tent otherwise I need to go clear my head, eh.

"Yeah that's a good idea I might go to my quarters as well." I sighed down beat as we tightly hugged each other before going our separates ways. It just could not enter my brain, dead, he was actually gone. I have lost friends before in combat but he seemed immortal in my mind. A stubborn, grumpy, cigarette loving doctor that no matter what tricks he pulled could never die. How was it possible? He should have listened to me! I should have double checked the informant! I-It shouldn't be possible!Yet the truth could not be argued, the doctor was dead.