Disclaimer: None of the characters from the AoT universe belong to me. They belong to their respective owners.

Special note to readers:

You will notice that this story includes original characters in addition to the established ones in the AoT universe. The purpose of these original characters is to flesh the story out more so keep this in mind when they are introduced.

From the shadows into the light

CHAPTER 1

Somalia, March 1995

In the safety of a former peacekeeping base that had long been abandoned and transformed into a Security and Strategy Corporation (SSC) operational infrastructure six sweaty men exited from the aircraft hangar. Four of the six were contractors with SSC. One was a pilot while the other three were hired guns whose job was to protect the other two men, a prominent journalist and his cameraman.

The journalist's name was Roger Davis. Davis was a middle aged man with salt and pepper colored hair who had been born and raised in a small town in the Midwest with traditional small town values. He had relocated to New York City more than twenty-five years ago in the pursuit of a career in journalism. In order to prove to his colleges that he had just as much edge and worldliness as them he'd made a career and name for himself by going to remote and often dangerous places throughout the world chasing down stories.

The news worthy event that brought him to Somali was the United Nations Operation in Somali II (UNISOM II) troop departure from the Somali conflict. Covering the story earlier in the day had gone rather smoothly. He had successful gotten several interviews, photos, and footage of the whole event. He was rather pleased with himself and grinning uncontrollably.

While he was doing this the other men set about to following their usual routines. For the contractors this was to properly store their weapons, remove their heavy tactical gear, shower, and change for dinner. Davis' cameraman followed a similar pattern. He put his gear safely way, cleaned up, and changed. This was where the similarities ended since the cameraman was the one who made dinner nightly. This worked out well for everyone since conveniently enough he happened to be a real talent in the kitchen and was all too eager to showcase his skills by putting together some pretty good eats for everyone.

After dinner everyone would spend their free time doing whatever it was that relaxed them.

Normally for Elliot Salem one of Davis' hired guns this would be to bond with the other men over a game of cards while sharing and listening to personal stories; however, today was different. Today he choose to sit alone in the empty dining facility at one of the lunch tables located on the edge of the room with his legs and feet outstretched on the bench while having an evening snack, a bologna and cheese sandwich on white bread.

The familiar taste of the bologna sandwich had him reflecting back on certain aspects of his life. Elliot had never known his father; his mother was a single parent trying hard to raise three boys who were always either in trouble at school or causing mischief in the neighborhood. Being that she was either working all the time to support them or cleaning up their messes, she barely had time to make a lot of home cooked meals so bologna sandwiches were constantly on the menu since they were easy to make and bologna was pretty cheap.

Back in those days he dreaded having to eat bologna sandwiches day after day. He would've given anything to be able to have more home cooked meals or a menu with more variety like the middle class kids he attended school with, but it never happened. One thing that being a former U.S. Army Ranger and now a private military contractor had taught him was an appreciation for bologna sandwiches. Sometimes when he was away on missions in foreign lands whose names he could neither spell nor pronounce freezing, or burning up, and consuming less calories than he'd prefer to consume per day he longed for those bologna sandwiches.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the heavy dining hall doors being pushed open and someone else entering the room. The familiar sounds of the person's heavy footsteps went from the entrance of the dining hall to approaching Elliot from behind. He didn't have to look to know who it was.

"What's up Tyse?"

"Not much." Tyson said before adding. "So you're in here eating another bologna sandwich.

"Yeah, they rule," Elliot simply stated.

Tyson snickered at his response as he walked around the other side of the table and planted himself across from Elliot.

Once he was seated there he did nothing but stare in silence at Elliot for a while before he spoke. "I've been trying to figure it out for awhile now."

"Figure it out," Elliot repeated as his eyebrows came together and he studied the older, swarthy man confused by Tyson's strange statement.

"Yeah, we make so much more money working for SSC than we ever did when we were in the Army yet regardless of how much money we make you always seem to be broke," Tyson said in slight humor.

"Yeah, but at least I have a lot fun." Elliot replied playfully.

"I suppose you do," Tyson sighed as he shook his head a worried look settling over his face.

"You don't have to worry about me," Elliot tried to assure him. "It's only a matter of time before I come out of this debt."

"Maybe you need to cut back on some things," Tyson suggested. "Perhaps the gambling, the partying, or the drinking."

"I told you already, you don't have to worry about me," Elliot snapped the annoyance showing clearly on his face and in his tone.

Even though Tyson wasn't happy with this response he decided to back off.

Once again the heavy doors to the dining hall were pushed open breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled in the room between Elliot and Tyson. Neither bothered to see who was entering the room since neither cared.

Michael Williams another one of Davis' hired guns entered the dimly lit dining hall. He noted that his presence hadn't even garnered a response from his fellow SSC operatives whom he'd dubbed Ellison which was a combination of the two men's first names. He did this since they seemed inseparable. They also appeared be unusually close, almost like brothers. They could tease and insult one another all day and all night and then turn around in an instant and offer advice, support, or be fiercely protective of one another.

Casually he strolled to the table where they were sitting. The younger member of Ellison appeared to have just finished an evening snack while the older one was just sitting at the table neither eating nor doing anything else of significance a look of concern on his face.

Williams didn't have anytime to find out what the look on the older member of Ellison's face was all about. He had important news to share with the men. News he was certain wouldn't set well with either man, but the information had to be shared regardless of the outcome.

"There's good and bad news." Williams announced after reaching the two men. "Which do you care to hear?"

"The bad," the two replied in unison as they focused their attention on him.

"Tomorrow morning we will accompany Mr. Davis into Mogadishu so that he can film the conditions there."

"Are you shittin' me?" The younger half of Ellison asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's probably not a wise move right now." The older one added. "Things are already pretty unstable out there and not having the other foreign troops around isn't gonna make things any easier."

"Believe me gentlemen I know how you feel," Williams said earnestly. "I tried to talk him out of it, but the man won't budge. He's convinced that covering this will conclude his piece on Somalia."

"Yeah, it just might if we all get killed," The younger half of Ellison replied spitting the words out in disgust.

William's frowned at the younger man's reaction. He rightly concluded that Elliot was still young and relatively new to SSC. Elliot hadn't even been with the company for five years yet so he wasn't aware of all the dangerous and sometimes stupid jobs that many of the contractors had taken part in to complete a mission. A long time ago Williams had learned to adapt to it and respond to it with a smile since getting angry about the situation never solved anything.

"I'm gonna contact Dalton and let him know about this shit," The younger half of Ellison said angrily as he abruptly got up from his seat and stormed out of the dining hall.

"So what's the good news?" The older half of Ellison asked.

"If we're successful out there tomorrow than all of our pockets will be a little heavier from the substantial bonus we'll be paid," Williams said with a toothy smile revealing his porcelain white teeth.