Becker Loves His Guns

Hilary Becker's first word had in fact been 'Gun'. His father was a military man and would always come to dinner, sitting at the head of the table, look down to the opposite end where his youngest of four and only son would be sat in his high chair, and try to coax the word 'da-da' out of the baby. It never worked, nothing really did. His parents were slightly worried, their eldest had said her first word at 7 months as had their third; their second had started at 6 months. However Hilary Becker had now reached 9 months and had yet to speak.

The day finally came on a Thursday evening, the whole family was in the living room, Jane and Rose (the eldest and second eldest) were playing with their dolls, Louise was colouring in her colouring book and Mr and Mrs Becker were watching the news.

Baby Hilary was watching the colours on the T.V set in fascination, the newscaster was talking about a war that might break out and had mention the word 'gun' in passing. However Hilary kept playing the word over in his tiny mind. Gun, gun, gun, gun. His brain had obviously recognised it from when his dad would mention it at the dinner table and his mum would slap him lightly telling him not to speak of them in front of the children. Finally, he rolled over and started making some gurgling sounds. This was the closest to speaking he had ever come, no one paid it any attention. Until a word slipped from the baby's mouth. Even with the slight lisp that babies have, the word was still distinguishable.

"Gun."

Every head in the room turned to the baby, whose hazel eyes were glittering with the joy of what he had just done, his mouth turning up in a grin of pride, showing his red raw gums from teething. Cheers of delight, wonder and relief were heard from the family. As they each in turn picked up the small boy and swung him round, except Louise who was only four, but she gave him a massive bear hug instead. While all that was going on Hilary had been proudly repeating the new word he had learnt. "Gun!" he cried happily.

No one found it odd that the child's first word had not been 'Ma-ma' or 'Da-da' but the word for a destructive weapon that was used to kill people, being in a military family and hearing the word so often, Mr and Mrs Becker were surprised it hadn't happened with the other three.

But it had been Little Hilary Becker whose first word was 'Gun'.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

At only four years old Hilary Becker had developed an obsession with guns. His duvet had little guns on it and so did his wallpaper (his Mum tried to protest but his Dad was so proud and demanded it) they had also bought him dress up clothes. But only those of a profession that required a gun. Such as a policeman, a soldier, a cowboy. Also, it always had to be a good guy. But Hilary's parents would never let him have an actual gun, too dangerous. So little Hilary was stuck just wishing he had one.

His favourite game would be to run after his older sisters in one of his costumes, wishing he could shoot at them, cheering when he caught them. But unfortunately it was a Friday evening. And Friday evenings meant family movie night. All he wanted to do was play his game, but his mother had made him sit down and watch a movie. Jane and Rose, who were now ten and nine, decided they wanted to watch Jurassic Park. His mother refused saying Father shouldn't have shown it to them as it was a scary movie, and that it didn't matter anyway because Hilary was too young.

"I'm not too young!" Hilary said indignantly "Why is it so scary?" he added as an afterthought.

"They're dinosaurs!" Jane said waving her arms around to emphasize the point.

"Huge ones, big and scary! That would eat you for an afternoon snack!" Rose poised her hands together, pretending it was the mouth of some huge dinosaur, and then closing them together quickly creating a snapping sound. Louise, who was seven and had yet to see the movie, was staring at her sisters, her mouth hung open in interest and fright.

"Pfft!" Hilary said, crossing his arms "I would scare them with my gun!" he said as he unfolded his arms and made a finger gun, which he pointed at Rose's hands (still clasped in demonstration) and shouted "Bang! Bang! Bang!" he refolded his arms looking smug.

"That a' boy, Hil!" his Dad cheered and his Mum looked at him disapprovingly.

"One day," Hilary said, glowing at his dad's words "I'm going to fight dinosaurs with my gun, and I'll show you I'm not too young!" he pointed his thumb towards his own puffed out chest. His family laughed at the young boy.

"Dinosaurs died a long time ago Hil. You'll have trouble trying to scare them with your gun." Rose said.

"I'm gonna find a dinosaur!" he said determinedly "And I'm gonna shoot it! Bang! Bang! Bang!" he said making a finger gun again.

Mrs Becker rolled her eyes and changed the topic to what movie they were going to watch but at that moment Hilary realised something. He clasped his chubby hands together making a gun with his fingers and whispered "Bang. Bang. Bang." He smiled suddenly. The grin he was now wearing soon enveloped his face because at that moment Hilary knew he wouldn't have to wish for a gun to use during his games, he could use his hands.

And that's when Hilary made his first finger gun.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

At eight years old Hilary Becker could obviously use a variety of words, but 'Gun' was still his favourite. He would use it constantly, even if it wasn't relevant to the conversation and would scoff when someone said that the word wasn't needed in the present discussion, then proceed to tell them that it was because: 'Guns are cool'. He would also try to use it as its own sentence, just the word 'gun'. For example, that Christmas while the family was thanking the Lord and having a silent prayer before eating, a voice echoed through the room, awe evidently present in it.

"Gun." Hilary whispered from the end of the table. His shocked face looking at the small water pistol that had come out of the cracker that now lay shredded next to the boy. Instead of pulling it open he had obviously clawed into it impatiently. After dinner was eaten and his mother had finished scolding him for interrupting the prayer and opening the cracker early, the young boy was allowed to fill the toy with water and use it outside only.

Half an hour later 14 year old Jane, 13 year old Rose and 11 year old Louise were sent out to find their brother and call him in for dessert, as the table had been cleaned and pudding was ready. They searched the garden and couldn't find him, they had called his name but he wasn't responding.

The three girls were about to run in and tell their parents when a battle cry was heard from behind some bushes, and a grubby Hilary ran out with mud strikes across his cheeks, water pistol raised as his fired openly at his older sisters. He shouted and laughed, amusement ringing in his voice as the squeals of horror that came from the girls got quieter when they proceeded to run in complaining about their wet dresses and how Hilary shot them.

Hilary, however, had returned to the small space behind one of the bushes where he had placed a bucket of water to use as a refill. He sat down on the muddy grass, he best Sunday clothes were long ruined, and even his hair had blades of grass in it. As he heard someone else marching over the garden he dipped the toy gun into the bucket to refill, a wide grin splayed across his face as he prepared to drench the next person who came to look for him.

Hilary's very first gun.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

Hilary Becker's thirteenth birthday was one he'd never forget. It was the birthday where his dad had gotten him a BB gun. It was small and black, heavier than the plastic water gun, but it had actual bullets in it (well, plastic ones). It was his pride and joy.

The first time he remembered using it was when his sisters had humiliated him at his birthday party by telling everyone from his school his first name (ever since he started secondary school he had demanded to be called by his surname only, even by his family). So, being clever, Becker waited it out until the evening when he knew all three of his sisters were sneaking out. Rose (who was now 18) to see her boyfriend and Louise (who was 16) was sneaking out to a night club. Jane (19) was going round to her soon-to-be flatmate Sam's house, who Mr and Mrs Becker had been told was a girl, but Becker knew better. Sam was Jane's boyfriend and they were moving in together because Sam had gotten Jane pregnant.

Becker had snuck into the basement (that was where Rose had insisted her room be) with his newly acquired BB gun and then crawled along the corridor to Rose's room. She was brushing her hair in the mirror. Becker, with accuracy he didn't know he possessed, shot the back of Rose's hand from the doorway making her release the brush in surprise, which then went on to smash into the mirror shattering it into a hundred pieces. She whipped around just as Becker fired another shot into her shoulder before sprinting back up the stairs.

As he made his way stealthily upstairs he passed his parents on their way down to check on Rose, they had heard the glass shatter and went to investigate, a minute later he heard his parents yelling at her. Obviously they had noticed her lack of pyjamas at 11 o' clock and in their place had been some rather revealing clothes. Becker snickered at his revenge. One down, two to go.

By now he had reached the landing and was making his way along the corridor that led to Louise's room. Louise was checking how she looked in the full length mirror on her wall. She was dressed in a short plaid skirt, a red tank with a ripped black tee over the top, converse and heavy make-up on her face. Becker thought her eye liner alone made her look like a panda.

He raised the gun and shot five times at her legs. "Ow!" she shouted and tried to find out what had caused it. He fired another shot to her stomach. She looked up to see him kneeling in her doorway, gun still raised. "Why you little-" Becker leapt to his feet and ran down the stairs, and angry Louise on his heels. He skidded to a stop in the kitchen just as his parents remerged from the basement. Perfect timing. He thought. Louise barged into the kitchen after him right into the path of their parents, who were still angry about Rose. "What are you dressed up for?" Their father looked questioningly at Louise, who looked sheepish. Becker left before the real shouting started.

He slipped away, unnoticed, and made his way back upstairs but this time to Jane's room. One more to go. Jane's room was almost bare. Everything packed away in the cardboard boxes that littered the floor. She was packing the last of it in one final box. In the room, however, was Sam. Becker greatly disliked Sam, and although Jane was older than Becker by six years, he still felt protective over her. So that's why instead of selling Jane out to Mum and Dad about the pregnancy for revenge (which Jane was worrying about enough already, and Becker promised not to do or say anything about it) he merely shot her in the thigh once as revenge for embarrassing him and another in her shin as a goodbye (he wasn't good with feelings and he tried to avoid her stomach with the bullets). Then he turned his aim to Sam and shot him three times in the crown jewels. Just to make sure he didn't get Becker's older sister pregnant again.

If he did, Hilary Becker wouldn't use a BB gun.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

The day Hilary Becker turned seventeen his dad finally got him a real gun. His dad decided to take him shooting with a couple of high profile friends. And that was when Becker's obsession with real guns began. He liked the feel of them, the way the cool metal felt right in his hand. He loved the recoil a split second after he gently pressed the trigger.

Later his dad had shown him the workings of a gun. How to dismantle a gun, and how to reassemble it. He had already researched it in every book he could find, but actually doing it was a whole new experience. He loved the way it required all his concentration, it could take his mind off things. The way the little pieces, so small, felt as if they might shatter in his huge hands.

And when he would reach his 'breaking point' as his family called it, basically he tended to bottle everything up until it sort of spewed over the edge, he could demolish his targets and relieve the on slaughter of emotions he didn't want to feel. Not the healthiest option. But it worked... for him.

One thing his sisters and mother never understood was why he liked the smell of his guns; the oil he used to clean them with. His mother and sisters could never stand it, but he and his father knew. There wasn't any way to define it, it just was. It was like trying to describe the taste of water. Becker just couldn't. But it doesn't mean he hadn't tried. Not only what he cleaned it with, but the acrid smell of gunpowder itself made Becker's sense of smell practically dance with joy. He could smell it strongest just after he fired. So much he could almost taste it.

He loved the adrenaline rush he felt when his father had taken him shooting. The blood pounding in his ears, his eyes focused on his target. Completely still. That moment just before he fired, like the World had frozen for second, nothing moved, he could only hear his heart racing and his controlled breathing. So calm. Relaxing almost. And then he'd pulled the trigger, he liked the way the sound of the gun vibrated in his ears, an echo, and minutes later when it would fade into nothingness.

Yeah, Hilary Becker loved guns.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

Becker had not had a good start with the EMDs (or Electrical Muscular Disruption weapons)

"You like guns, don't you Becker?" Matt asked, passing the soldier.

"Yes Matt." They'd had this conversation a thousand times before "But that," he pointed to an EMD "is not a gun." It's a taser. He thought bitterly. He'd lost too many friends to mess around without proper guns.

"Are you sure you feel that way? I could always shoot you again." Matt smiled fondly at the memory.

"Guys!" Jess' irritated voice came through the earpieces. The two men muttered their apologies and carried on to where the creature had been sited.

Suddenly a rustling came from the bushes on their right. They were in the overgrown garden of an abandoned mill. The grass was up to their waists and the trees curving downwards, branches sagging. Becker gripped the EMD tighter in his hand. The wind whipping through the tall grass gave the illusion of something moving through it, but the leaves rustling in the breeze obscured any sound the almost silent predator could have made.

Click.

"What was that?" Becker whispered. Matt had frozen. He knew that sound, he'd heard it before.

"It's from the future." Matt whispered "Where the hell is back up, Jess?"

Click. Click.

"Back up should be there by now. Oh, I found some reports of more sightings it's been report as-"

Click. Click. Click.

"It's getting louder." Becker whispered. It was coming from behind them.

"Don't move." Matt said urgently, guessing the soldier was about to turn and shoot. "It's only slightly less able than the future predator, it can't see sound but it picks up on it. Like a monitor in its head, for example, it gets set off by the slightest sound."

"Then stop talking!" Jess' panicked voice came into their ears.

Click. Click. Click. Click.

"Does it have to make that irritating sound?" Becker asked sarcastically.

"The sound is made by its tongue being constricted from-" The sound was coming louder and more frequent. Becker slammed into Matt hurling them both to the floor just as the predator sailed over their heads. It landed with a muted thud opposite them. It looked like a jaguar in size but jet black, saliva was coming in thick strands from it mouth which was hanging open, revealing two rows of dagger-like teeth. Its slit eyes were trained on the two men on the floor, the subconscious growl emitting from the back of its throat got louder and it raised it hackles, almost cat-like, as it got ready to devour them.

Matt swore.

Both men simultaneously raised the EMDs and fired. The hairs on Becker's arm rose from the electricity. He hated the EMDs they felt all wrong in his hand, and he felt his grip loosening from his sweaty hands. He brought his other hand up to steady the poor excuse for a gun. He liked nothing about them. They even smelt wrong. Instead of gunpowder it smelt like someone had just been electrocuted. Also, once, Connor had set off a bad aimed shot and missed Becker's head by inches, unfortunately it had caught his hair, it looked like he'd stuck his fingers in a socket and all his men had laughed when they saw him, even Jess had to conceal her laughter. Another reason to hate them.

The creature had stumbled from the double shot but was still advancing, this time its tail was swinging threateningly. Becker hadn't noticed it before but it had a spike on the end of it, and Becker would bet all his proper guns that it was poisonous.

This time, Becker swore.

He fired five shots, one after the other. The creature swayed dizzily, but didn't go down. It only got more aggravated. Its tail now thrashing from side to side, its top lip pulled back in a menacing snarl to reveal a third row of teeth.

"Shoot!" Matt's Irish accent rang clearly in Becker's ears. Both men poised the EMDs and fired simultaneously and continued to do so until the creature collapsed on the floor. Both men lowered their weapons, panting for oxygen. Becker was the first to stand; he wandered over to the creature and nudged it, its head lolled uselessly.

"It's out cold." Becker said. Matt just nodded. "You know, this wouldn't have taken so long had we been using real guns."

Matt shook his head and laughed at his colleague. "They are guns, Becker."

"They're not guns!"

"Guys, the removal team's on their way. Good job!" Jess said cheerfully before signing off. Becker sighed and put the EMDs in their cases and then into the back of the car and headed to the driver's seat.

The EMDs were not guns. No matter what anyone said. And Hilary Becker did not like them one bit.

BeckerLovesHisGuns

Name - Hilary James Becker

Birth - 29th May 1985

Height – 6" 0

Profession – Head of Security (ARC)

Jess scrolled impatiently through the information she had already looked at when she first arrived. She finally got to the part she had been looking for: The reports Becker had sent for the last mission that she had missed, after being forced onto medical leave because of 'The Bug Incident'. She shuddered unconsciously. She wanted to know what had happened. Abby had come back to the flat with a gash on her face, and both her and Connor refused to talk about it.

"Is that my file?" a shocked voice came from behind her. Becker had obviously snuck up on her; she was currently sat in the break room on one of the comfy sofas with her laptop. And just so happened to be going through Becker's file.

She only blushed in response, which Becker took as a yes.

"May I ask why?" he walked around to the front of the sofa and flopped down. Jess couldn't help but notice that he was sitting incredibly close.

"I wanted the mission report for last week. You know, because I was off ill, I say ill I only had an allergic reaction! Yes, I nearly died" Becker winced "but I was fine the next day... ish and the doctor cleared me and everything but Lester still insisted on me- " Jess rambled, as she tried to give a reasonable excuse for snooping round his information.

Becker rolled his eyes. "You could have asked me, you know. You didn't have to hack my file."

She was about to resort with the fact that hacking was her job but she then noticed the gun in his hands. "Why do you have a gun? You're not going to shoot a creature are you? Because I know they're dangerous and you've lost friends but... Abby'd skin you alive, and then feed you to the Dracorex..." Jess was about to go on when Becker cut across her monologue.

"No Jess. I'm just cleaning it."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence before Becker turned to her and asked something he'd been dying to know. "You know those reviews Matt filed on us?"

"No." Jess replied.

"Matt reviewed everyone, part of his job as team leader. Stuff like; how we're doing, do we work well with others, are we good at our jobs, personal opinion. That kind of thing." He looked at her hopefully.

"Yeah, so?" Jess said, not understanding the request.

"Could you hack him and get them up?" At this Jess started laughing. "What?" Becker asked.

"You just think he's put something horrible about you because you down talked his EMDs." Jess said, still giggling slightly. Becker huffed and folded his arms. "Fine." Jess caved and then proceeded to type furiously on her laptop. A few minutes later Jess had managed to break down several firewalls and pulled up the files.

"Nothing's safe with you around." He commented "Thanks Jess." She blushed and started scrolling through the different people's reports to avoid looking at him. Each person had about a page dedicated to them. Subtitles on how well they were coping and how efficient they were flew by. When she got to hers she resisted temptation and continued on. Then near the very bottom was Becker's. She read it quickly and a grin a mile wide appeared on her face.

"What? What does it say?" Becker was getting nervous. His boss wouldn't let personal feelings get in the way. Would he? By now Jess was doubled over laughing, not only at the report but the panic stricken look on Captain Becker's face. He grabbed the laptop from her and looked what it said. He drank in the words, not that there were many.

"That's it?" Jess nodded "That's all he put?" Again, Jess nodded. Becker's mouth pressed into a hard line as he stormed off to find their leader and have a word with him.

Jess shook her head, looked at the screen again and giggled once.

Captain H. Becker

He loves his guns