One-Shot
"I spy with my little eye something beginning with…d."
"..Dirt."
"Correct, you turn Private," Lieutenant Maria Hill said as she drove down the dusty road. The man sat next to her looked out of the window, his gun in his arms.
"I spy with my little eye something beginning with…S." Private Max Hans said, and Private Anabel Johns chimed in from the back three seats.
"Sand."
"Correct, your turn." Private Hans said. Private Johns smirked a little and then thought of something to say.
"I spy with my little eye something beginning with...d," she said. Everyone was kitted out in army gear. Wearing trousers and tops, with green protective vests. They had brown thick boats on, laced up tight. Knives and gun strapped to their legs and hip. The team was boiling in the Afghanistan heat but would never admit it.
"Let me guess...dirt?" Maria asked, titling her head a little as she kept driving. She checked in her side mirrors to see the other Humvee was behind them, which they were.
"Yes, your turn Lieutenant," Private Johns said.
"I spy with my little eye... something beginning with s," the Lieutenant said, half interested in the silly game, but it kept the group entertain. If it meant another two hours of this, Maria would just have to deal with it.
"Sand," Private Johns said just before Private Wilson, who was sat next to Johns could say the answer. Private Wilson wouldn't really get involved, saying the game was too silly for him. Private Wilson turned his body away from the group and looked out the small bulletproof window in the Humvee.
"Surprisingly yes," Maria said with a sigh. Private Hans smirked slightly, glancing at Maria who gave the other man a quick smile. People thought there was something between them, the two would always say there wasn't and were close friends. Maria had to admit the man next to her was very attractive, but they were just very close friends. Everyone that Private Hans had a thing for Johns, who was completely oblivious to this.
"I spy with my little eyes something beginning with...P," The private said, making everyone turn to look at her.
"P?" Private Hans asked and Johns nodded.
"People," Private Johns said, pointing out of the front window. Maria slowly came to a stop in the run down village. Private Johns was right. There were people running down the street towards them and away from something. Maria pulled the Humvee to a stop and climbed out, followed my the rest of her team. The guys in the other two Humvee all climbed out after Maria, all on high alert. People ran past them, screaming and shouting in a different accent. She had picked up a few words in the language and ready her gun.
"Stay on high alert," Maria shouted over the noise. "Unsure what is it at the moment," Maria said. Her group walked behind her and the sound of gunshots made her team load their guns and hold them up, searching the area. Maria gestured for three men to go to the right and three to go to the left. Maria and the rest of the team walked forward, down the dusty sand road.
"We talked to one of the civilians..." Private Hans said down the radio. "They say there's a breaking at the large warehouse at the end of the road... The worse part is that it is a weapons warehouse, over" Private Hans said down the radio.
"Copy that," Lieutenant Hill replied. "I want everyone outside that warehouse in under one minute, over."
"Copy that," Everyone said down the comm. Maria and her team made their way to the warehouse just on the outskirts of the small village. The sun blasted down on them, making them hot and sweaty. The rest of the team met up within the minutes behind a cream painted building, warehouse just around the corner. The sound of screams and gunshots were even louder. Maria began as another women and man ran past the group for cover.
"There's three sniper on the building to the East," Maria said, pointing over her shoulder. "Johns, i want you to take them out. Clear?" Maria asked and the women nodded. Maria planned the rest of their new mission. Four to go around the back of the warehouse, two from the in sight right entrance and the rest with Maria through the main entrance to the warehouse. Maria walked forward, hunched back, gun up in her arms.
"I want everyone back within twenty minutes if we don't extinguish the threat," Maria said. She would then call for backup if it got to that.
Maria decided to call for backup ten minutes later, while still in the warehouse. The threat was still live and it seemed to be going bad. Maria and her team were in the middle of fighting the men trying to steal the weapons.
"GET OUT NOW!" Maria shouted as a grenade rolled their way. Private Hans kicked the grenade as Maria went to jump on it. Maria grabbed Private Hans as a bullet hit his leg and pulled him back, but she was too late. Private Wilson had about to run, but he tripped over a trip wire. He had been surround by the threat with Private Dodson and Private Hathaway. Private Wilson looked up and Maria saw fear in the mans eyes. She pulled at Private Hans bulletproof vest and threw the man behind. Her team was busy getting out of the warehouse, one member pulling Private Hans out with ran towards them but an explosion occurred where her team mates had once stood. The world went black.
It's her fault they were dead.
Maria woke up gasping for air, sweat covering her body. She shot up in bed, her grey t-shirt drenched in sweat. One hand gripped at the bed sheets and the other at her chest. A sharp pain stung in her chest, not letting her breath properly.
"Maria"? Steve's sleepy voice came from behind. He had been fast asleep and had been woken by Maria violent jolting up from the mattress.
"Maria?" Steve asked again, sitting up to look at her. He saw she was shaking. He placed a hand on her back and then pulled her close. It was normally him having the nightmares and Maria comforting him, never like this. He hate the see Maria hurt.
"Shh," Steve hushed. "It was only a dream." Steve said, not even knowing what the nightmare had been about. He guessed that it was either about her childhood or something to do with her work.
"I kill them," Maria mumbled into Steve's chest. Steve rocked back and forth with Maria in his arms. The room was dark but Steve knew Maria had tears down her face. Not many people, well no-one had seen her like this before. No-one but Steve.
After a while Maria pulled herself away from Steve.
"I'm fine," she said. Steve smiled lightly at her.
"No your not," Steve said. "But your strong." Steve said, pulling Maria into a hug. Maria let out a deep breath and hugged her boyfriend back. He had never seen her like this, it scared him in some levels. Yet he felt it made her strong for it. The rest of the night Maria curled up into a ball, Steve curled up behind her, holding her close. He would whisper he loved her and Maria would whisper she loved him back.
She needed someone strong to be there for her. She needed Steve. She relaxed into his hold as Steve kissed Maria on the neck. She hummed slightly, closing her eyes. Sleep then took her. Thankfully, it was a dreamless sleep.
