San Diego
Random Guy's Apartment
07:00 hours
"God, you're beautiful." The naked man mutters from beneath the sheets of his bed, his black hair disheveled by the events of the previous night. He watches as the woman forces herself into a pair of regulation cargo pants, pulling them up and buttoning them. The man who now has the white sheet wrapped around his waist pulls himself onto his elbows to get a better look at the voluptuous woman. She tugs a brown, form-fitting shirt over her head, the sound of her dog tags jingling as she threads them over her shirt. The auburn-haired beauty grabs at her blazer and pulls it on, reaching for her cap. The woman grabs her wallet, keys, and phone shoving them into her back pocket. She opens the door to his loft and turns back to look at the man still lying shrouded beneath the covers. She barely knew him and already he had bedded her. She felt dirty.
"I know." She says out of breath. "But I really have to go." She smiles at him with an apologetic smile. A dull ache thuds to life behind her temples. How could she let herself get so drunk?
"I was going to make you breakfast. I had it all planned." He mutters from beneath the covers.
"Sorry, duty calls." She says turning to leave.
"But I didn't get your name."
"Isabella." She lies trying desperately to break all ties with this man. Well it wasn't really a complete lie. Isabella is her middle name. She could barely remember the night let alone want to relive it with him.
"Doesn't suit you." He shouts after as she closes the door, rushing down the stairs of his California loft.
She nearly collides with an older man, a mountain man beard stretching down his chin. He appears to be in his late 50's. She quickly apologizes and renews her hast. She bursts through the door, trying to remember exactly which way they had traveled in her drunken stupor.
"Shit." She mutters as she tries to recollect her memory, it comes in pieces spiraling with laughter and pain. Her headache grows more intense with every moment the sun beats down on her. She looks down the street looking for the crimson red 'M' that alerts people of a metro stop.
"Guess I'm taking the Metro." She mutters, running to the underground tunnel.
Two Hours Later…
Camp Pendleton
09:00 Hours
"Kara, you're fucking late!" Dom shouts at her as she pulls Kara into a small enclave, Dom's luminescent blue eyes bore into Kara's hazel ones. Her snarl slowly warps into a smile.
"Someone got laid." The raven haired girl, for which she is name, states matter-of-factly.
"Don't remind me." Kara pushes Dom off of her, groaning at the flash of pictures that purged her mind. Kara begins walking to the briefing room, where she imagines her CO is seething waiting for her arrival.
"What, come on, it couldn't have been that bad?"
Kara begins walking again, pushing past Dom with ease. "I don't remember it."
"Oooh ouch, he was that bad?" Dom whispers as they pass a bunch of higher-ranking officers. Their eyes trained on the two.
"No..no. I don't know." Kara stops in the hall, trying to find the answer in her jumbled, chaotic thoughts. "I cant remember I was drunk." She mutters sheepishly.
Dom let out a roar of laughter, throwing her head back. "You got drunk?" She inquires returning her gaze back to Kara.
"Yes, ok. I'm human." Kara whispers, delicately. She glances at the now staring military personnel. She pulls on Dom forcing a smile at the men and women surrounding them.
"No. I just never thought you would use your shore leave to party."
The two maneuver past the receptionist flashing their ID's in Ryan's face as he waves them through, not even looking up from his magazine. 'Hot Rod' Kara believed.
"This is gold." Dom jokes as they pass into The General's office.
The older man sits behind a mahoghany desk, a look of displeasure growing as he spies the young women, his deep brown eyes becoming a swirling abyss of evil. The man raps his fingers across his desk, moving the other hand to his chin, stroking his grey beard with anger. Papers are strewn around the room some are piled against a wall in the corner, while more are forced into a drawer behind the man. He struggles to open his mouth, he parts his lips as if to speak, but quickly shuts them.
Kara can see the boiling anger filling his eyes the whites have turned a startling red.
"Quinn, leave now." He motions towards the door. Raven quickly does as is asked of her, giving Kara an apologetic look as she shuts the door.
An awkward silence fills the room as General Kade pools his thoughts into the next sentence. He inhales and exhales trying to keep his cool. He wouldn't be so angry if it was not for the fact that insubordinate woman in front of his was his own daughter.
"You were supposed to be here three hours ago." He states, calmly trying to contain his anger.
Kara looks directly towards the man, standing 'at ease'. "I know, sir. I apol—"
"enhhh ennhh." The General says waving his finger at her. "No apologies. I expect more from you." He stands and begins pacing the room. "I expect more from you. " He continues as he tosses the papers from one of his chairs off of the leather surface and onto the floor. He motions for Kara to sit down. She does so reluctantly, fidgeting ever-so-slightly as her father circles her like a shark after its injured prey. "Here." He hands her a manila envelope. "This is your assignment."
Her face contorts into confusion as she flips through the pages. "Shouldn't you send a higher-ranking officer?" She inquires as she peruses the pages.
Her father returns to his seat lowering himself down as he mutters something beneath his breath. "You doubt me, marine?"
"No, sir. I just—"
"No, I need someone I can trust on this."
"Okay, so when do I leave?" Kara asks, waiting for an answer.
"Right Now." He says as a slight knock on the door tells The General someone is waiting.
"Come in." The older Kade states, watching as Ryan opens the door. Ryan salutes as he enters, waiting for Kade's approval before standing at ease.
"A Captain Price is on line one." The red-haired assistant states.
"Dismissed, Private."
The man returns to his desk no doubt to read another 'Hot Rod' magazine. Kara rolls her eyes. She's never liked Ryan, he's a lying, sexist pig and he has no business being in the military.
The Admiral returns to his phone pressing a button on the telephone he picks up the phone. Kara can see he is invested in the call as her dad leans forward. The sound of a man with a harsh British accent echoes through the phone. Kara gets up to leave so she can pack her things, but is interrupted by the snap of her father's fingers he signals for her to sit back down. She complies and returns to her seat.
"Alright…Yes…She's very capable…I'm sure…She's my daughter…Yes She'll be on her way shortly." Her father's conversation with the unknown Captain was short, sweet, and to the point. He hangs up the phone as the conversation ends. Admiral Kade looks at his daughter with a stoic expression.
"Who was that?"
"Captain John Price, your CO for this joint operation."
"You know what you'll be doing while on this task force?" He questions her.
"Yeah, I read the file."
"Do you know who these men are?" The General reaches for the file Kara still holds in her hands. He flips to the images of four men, the four horsemen. "They are very dangerous."
"I know, Dad."
His brows knit together in a look of concern. "I want you to be careful. Do everything Price advises."
"Dad.." Kara starts as she moves behind his desk, something most officers would be shot on sight for and wraps her arms around him. She places a kiss on his forehead.
"I'll be fine." She smiles
"Alright."
"Dad, if I'm leaving now. I need to pack my things." She tells him.
"They've already been packed."
"You think of everything don't you." She remarks as she forces the knob open.
"Why do you think I'm a General." He jokes.
"Well, you pull off the uniform quite well. What did the ladies say when you were younger. Strapping?" Kara emerges from the room and pulls it close, smiling once more at the elderly man behind the desk. She waves at him through the glass windows as she heads off in search of her VTOL.
