CODE NAME: ALPHA CHARLIE
Prologue
The rain poured down on the small hut, the sounds of the jungle echoed through. The soldiers stayed huddled together around a small fire. None would admit it, but the fear of an attack kept them all awake. There had been endless, merciless attacks on them all through out the night. Their wary eyes watched a young girl sitting away from them by a fire of her own, her head down. Her long brow hair hung down covering her face, the flickering fire reflected off her tanned skin. She was drawing something in the sand and muttered to her self and wiped it away and started to draw again. Then men looked at each other and exchange a silent word, this girl was the cause of their suffering, they were charged with her protection, and she made it as hard as possible for them. One man leaned back and lit a cigarette, the smoke rose, the men's eyes followed it tell they could see it no more. The eerie silence gave them all chills, and the occasional pop of the fire made them jump. What a horrid place they would all think, and sometimes say to each other. Then a man, who seemed too be the unit's commander, looked back to the girl, she was gone. He cursed to himself and stood up. He looked back and forth seeing if he could tell where she had gone to "Well come on men, lets find her!" he yelled at them as he picked up his rifle angrily and headed out into the down pour of rain. The men stumbled up and grabbed their weapons as well and headed out, they were all mumbling to them selves. They split into 3 groups, the 2 smaller ones when down the road, the larger one searched through the jungle that surrounded them. The sloshed through the mud and crossed rivers looking for her, none and seen any sign of her.
The girl walked down the road bare foot, she had a plan, and nothing ever got in the way of it, that was her job, to stay alert, plan and conquer, though her official business was kept top secret, regarded my the highest military ranks, and the president himself. She kept ahead of the soldiers searching for her. She had a grin on, her blue eyes shown in the moonlight that broke through the dark rain clouds. Her wet brown hair clung to her face. Her bare feet walked silently through the muddy road, she turned her head and look at a hut, a man was standing in it, when he caught her eye he back into the hut out of sight. She grinned and kept walking. Her cloths were normal looking for the people in this area. She looked nothing like the soldiers she stayed with. And that was the point. Her knees down were covered in mud, her hair soaked, as were her cloths. She seemed not to mind, nor notice. The sound of rifle fire made her stop, she turned and looked down the road, obviously the soldiers had found some of the enemy. She shook her head and listened to the sounds of the fire fight. She could waist no more time; she turned and kept walking down the road. Soon the sounds faded as she came to a small empty hut, she walked in. This would be a perfect place for her to hide until she wished to be found by the enemy. She lit a candle and sat in a straw chair and leaned against the wall. She grinned and brushed her wet hair out of her face. She closed her eyes and fell asleep for the short time of what was left of the night.
Chapter 1: Vietnam
She woke up at the first sun rays shinning through the holes in the small straw hut. She had gotten maybe 3 hours of sleep that night, but it was not easy sleep, the sounds of gun fire kept her up, just in case. She wondered how many were left of the unit charged with her protection. She pushed the thought out, she need to stay on the task at hand. She rose and walked over to a small box, hand woven and slightly beaten up, she opened it, in side were a brush and a cracked mirror. She shrugged, it would have to do. She put the items in the sash around her waits and walked out of the hut, an American soldier lay dead in the street, she turned and walked the other way, her blue eyes focused on the road ahead. She walked into the jungle tell she came to a small river with a gentle waterfall. She sat on the side of it, her feet dangled in the water as she rubbed the dried mud off them, the she wadded under the water fall and rinsed her hair. The water was cool and refreshing on this hot humid day, she closed her eyes and let the crystal blue water run over her. She felt refreshed, she pulled out the comb and started to brush through her tangled hair, and soon it was back to its silky clean form. The mix of darker and lighter strands glimmered in the early morning sun. She wadded back to the river bank and climbed out, she dress her self in fresh cloths. She sat on the river bed and watched the water rush past her in easy flowing movements, she was mesmerized by the clear blue water, how perfectly and gracefully it moved.
She heard a twig snap behind her, her mind immediately snapped back into focus, but she didn't move, she pretended she had not heard it. The soft crunch of leaves under foot came closer and closer tell it stopped, she could tell they were right behind her. Her blue eyes were locked on the every flowing river. Then a strong deep voice was heard "Do you know how much trouble you cause us, 5 men are dead because of you! And you keep going on like its nothing! You are nothing but trouble!" the voice was harsh but she could tell it was not really meant the way it was said, it was more like loss for the men that died, but relief for finding her. She smiled and turned to look at the commander, her blue eyes danced playfully, her long brown hair hung in her face, her voice softer and sweeter then his but full of mischief "my dear commander, I am sorry for your loss, but I believe its you causing the trouble for me" she said turning around and standing looking at him, a sweet smile on her velvet red lips. The commander tried to hold a straight angry face but it soon softened as her gave a small smile, he whispered in a low voice but could be heard "I'm so glad we found you". His voice gentler, she grinned and walked towards him and stopped close to his face "I'm sorry I caused you so much fret" she said softly by his ear, he closed his eyes and shook his head covered in dirt, his hands still clutched his rifle, but they were shaking. She looked down at his hands and held them in her smaller hands "but you must let me do my job" she said more sternly stepping back and letting go of his hands. A more professional look came upon her beautiful face. He opened his eyes and looked at her "yes Charlie, you must, now get a go on" he spoke back in his harsh commanding tone; his eyes though were sorrowful as he watched her turn and disappear into the unknown jungle.
She stepped over the thick vines of the Vietnam forest. The jungle was thick and full of the unknown. Many people because of the war believe Vietnam is a horrid place. Full of killers and a mess of a jungle, but if you look beyond the war, it's a peaceful place, small huts dot the vicinity, the beautiful lush jungle and its untouched rivers rushing along side it. Everything is so natural. That is one of the reasons she dose not wear shoes as she walks. She shook her head and got back to her mission, she finally and made it back to the hut she made her home, only when she stepped out it was burned to the ground, nothing left but the scattered ashes and the smell of wet fire. She stopped in her tacks and looked around at the ruble mess. It was relatively fresh, and the one who did this to an empty unused hut obviously knew someone was here. And that person most likely was still here. She stepped around the ash up to where her hut was, her bare feet tip toed silently. When she finally reached the incinerated circle she heard the sound of many foot steps getting closer. She cursed herself; she knew someone must have stayed behind to see if anyone came back to the hut, she didn't expect a large group. She bent down and picked up some ash in her hand then a sharp stick. After a second of thinking, it was best not to fight, there were many and she was only one, and she could not have killed them all, which would give the others time to tell their commanders that she might be the mysterious Alpha Charlie. She set the stick down gently and dropped the hand full of ash.
The sound of a gun being cocked right behind her head made her hold her breath. Then she saw others start to surround her with their weapons pointed at her. She stood slowly her hands in the air as she slowly turned to face the one with the gun at her head. He grinned evilly and he used the gun to hold up my head, I glared at him, my ice blue eyes like flames but I didn't move. He spoke his voice like a hiss snake "what's a pretty girl like you doing out in the middle of the jungle, it's not safe you know, there are people out here that what to hurt you" he grinned. I pulled my hand up to slap him but he caught my hand just before it hit his face. He stopped smiling and pulled me closer to him, my face almost touching his he snarled quietly to me "I wouldn't be going and doing that if I were you" he said letting my hand go and shoving me back. I stumbled and fell back. My eyes burned with hate for him, I sat on the ground looking around, he waved his hand then turned around and walked through the jungle. 2 from his group grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up; they started to shove me along the muddied trail. I stumbled a few times but mainly kept on my feet. I let my head hand, my hair in my face, my blue eyes looked out at the commander, they sparkled as I grinned softly, things were working out perfectly.
Chapter 2: Captive of War
The dim lights of a holding cell made it had to see, she leaned against the stone wall and felt her head, a large cut and formed and blood had run down her face. She looked at her bloody hand and sighed. They must have hit her on the head to knock her out before she knew the location of where they were taking her. She groaned and pressed her hand against the wound to help stop the bleeding, which was no help, it only made it hurt worse. She crawled over to the cell door and pulled herself up, she groaned in pain touching her head again. She brushed her hair out of her face and leaned against the cell door, she looked around outside it tell she spotted a guard, she smiled and turned to look at him, her eyes glowed brightly as she spoke with defiance "Hey, you wanna let me out of here?" she ginned, but the guard didn't move, he didn't even look at her. She rolled her eyes "ah I see, you're the silent type" she turned back into her cell and sat against the wall, she closed her eyes and simply waited to see what they would do with her, in the mean time she tried to push the pain of her throbbing head away, she needed to think straight.
The sound of keys rattling woke her up, her eyes shot open as she saw a guard open her cell door. He looked at her with no emotion "you'll come with me" he said, his voice was harsh. She stood up the best she could, holding a proud pose "I suppose I have no choose" she said sarcastically as she walked out the door, her eyes forward, the guards followed close behind. The dark jail and a reeking stench of death and sickness, its dark musty walls seemed to close in, water dripped down the sides forming puddles on the crude stone floor. She walked on the bumpy rocky floor flawlessly, she didn't miss a step, but her legs were shaky from the loss of blood. Finally they came to an old wooden door, it was splintering, probably from the moist air down here, it should be easy to break through if it came to it. The guard knocked 3 times then stepped back, the door swung open, seemingly by its self, its rusty hinges rasped as it opened. Inside and an old rotten desk, a crude looking man had his feet up on it, he was picking her rotten teeth, he grinned as she was shoved into the stinking room, he waved his hand and the guards left closing the door behind them, she looked over her shoulder watching them go then looked back at the man still in the room, he grinned again and put his feet down and leaned on to his desk looking her over, she held herself up straight her eyes locked with his.
His voice was crude and harsh "do you like your accommodations? I'm sorry if they aren't suitable, it's the best we can do right now" he said laughing. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him but did not speak. He rose up from his desk and walked over to her, his face close to hers, he whispered in her ears "what's a beautiful lady like you doing out in a war zone…" he said grinning looking her in the eyes, their faces almost touched "…with out a man to protect you". She spit on his face, with determination and strength in her voice "I need no mans protection!" he stepped back and wiped his face then looked at her angry, he rose his dirty hand and struck her across the face. She turned and fell to the ground, she tenderly touched the side of her face he had sit, her eyes full of hate looked up at him, still on her hands and knees. He grinned and walked to her he reached down and harshly grabbed her arm pulling her up and throwing her against the nearest wall, her head hit the wall hard, so that she was dizzy, there seemed to have been 2 of him and the room was spinning. He harshly pulled her towards him, "maybe that will teach you to never defy me again women!"She finally could focus on his face she slapped him hard across the check. He turned his head and spit on the ground he looked back up at her, a cut formed across his check from where she hit him.
This time he was really angry. He through her to the ground and kicked her side, she fell to the ground and rolled over on her back, she clutched her side groaning in pain, her eyes closed tightly as he kicked her again, this time she rolled over on her stomach, she groaned holding her side. He grabbed her arm flipping her over on her back again. He pressed his boot on her neck. She gasped for breath as he pushed harder down on her throat. She grabbed his leg and twisted it causing him to hit the ground as well. Before he knew what was happening she had crawled over and punched him hard in the face. She went to hit him again but he grabbed her arm twisting it, she hit the ground and cried out in pain, a loud crack could be heard and her arm laid limp, she rolled over in pain and cried out again as he stepped on her arm, he wiped the blood and sweat from his face, his breathing rapid from struggle. He spit on her, she just lay there cringing as he pressed harder on her arm. His voice exhausted but still harsh "you had hope of getting out of your cell" he bent down by her ear "you could have been with me" he grinned. Her eyes full of hate and pain looked up at him "not on your life" she spat at him. He stopped smiling and stood back up pressing once more on her broken arm. She yelled out. He spoke angry "fine! Then you're just another captive of war, going to rot in your cell" he hissed. He motioned for the guards to take her back, each guard took a hold of her arms and dragged her back down the hall, her head hung down, her hair matted with blood and dirt covered her head. The man watched them carry her away he shook his head "such a waste" he turned and walked back into his office closing the door behind him.
The guards tossed her harshly back in the cell, she cringed in pain, she crawled to the corner of the cell and cradled her broken arm, her eyes full of hate as she looked up, her face covered in blood, dirt and sweat. She leaned back against the wall of the cell and closed her eyes. Her whole body hurt, she needed to find a way out of here, but her mind was a blur, now was not a good time. She closed her eyes as her mind slipped into unconsciousness.
Chapter 3: Cell Mate