I Don't Buy It for One Second

Modern Warfare 2 (1/2)

By: Emily 'Gadget' Robins

I close my eyes, trying to erase the image of the white house burning down from my mind's eye. God, I can't wait to go to Moscow. I'm gonna tear that place down with my bare hands. Then I'm gonna get my Air Force buddies to drop an A-bomb on the place. Then I'll go in and take care of anyone who's still—

"You okay, Corporal?"

My eyes snap open and I sit up quickly. Private Ramirez is looking at me with a little concern. "Yeah…Yeah I'm fine…Just sick and tired of waiting around."

"We all are."

Sergeant Foley comes over, shaking his head. "Dunn, Ramierez… you two are gonna want to take a look at this." He tosses me a newspaper.

I take one look at the cover and feel suddenly sick. The headline reads 'General Shepard; Murdered by His Own Team after a Heroic Effort to Stop Makarov'. I curse loudly skiming over the first few paragraphs.

At first I'm mad. 'Who the cuss decided they were going to turn their back on their country to kill one of the best leaders we have?' Then confusion replaces rage. 'What the-the 141…but…' Then I spot the pictures. Mactavish…why does that name seem so familiar?

"Hey, who's this Mactavish guy?" I ask Foley, raising an eyebrow. "His name's so familiar…"

"He was the CO of the most successful branch of the whole operation. The 141 was a supposedly legendary squad of only the best of the best. Some people called them the-"

"The prima donna squad," I finish. "Yeah, I know." I stare down at the man's face. "So he's the one who did it?"

"So they say."

"Hmm…" I skim over the last part of the story a second time. Then it hits me. "Do you remember Private Robins?"

"Yes. Promoted her to Corporal and Shepard gave orders to send her to the 141 a few years back…why?"

"Has she been KIA or something?"

"Why?"

"Well, she called me again a few weeks ago." I don't look up at him, knowing we aren't supposed to accept calls when on duty. "Said she was doing well and Shepard was sending her and her CO's after Makarov."

"So?" Ramierez prompts.

"She was always against this kind of thing." I frown. "She was always talking about how we needed to look up to our superiors and follow orders to the letter."

Foley nods. "And she did. That girl was a great soldier."

"But she was in the 141. Said they were all like her, willing to die for their country and do anything to save it."

"It's her word versus the dead body of General Shepard. What are you getting at Dunn?"

"There has to be a reason." I feel my hands shake a little.

"Listen to me corporal. Sometimes people do things for no reason. Sometimes people just do things to watch the world crumble."

"But Robins wouldn't—"

"Listen, Dunn." Foley interupts me before I can finish. "I know you two were good friends, but just because you knew her five years ago doesn't mean those traitors didn't change her."

He takes back his paper and walks off. Me and the Sarge get along well in the field. Not so much personally. I sigh and go back to thinking.

Robins had always been a good soldier; Strong and ready for battle. She was always doing whatever she could to protect their team and make it through the firefights. I remember her mentioning her brother being upset with her for coming home with injuries from time to time, but he was still the kinda kid to forgive her for putting herself into danger.

I'd liked Emily a lot. Just before she was selected to go off to the prima donna squad I'd told her how I felt. I half expected her to be angry or upset or even saddened by me telling her when I knew she'd be leaving.

Instead she'd smiled at me and said 'I know.'

We were never more than friends.

All through training we'd stuck together and then we would often team up on ambushes. We talked constantly and she'd told me all about her childhood and I told her about my descision to join the army.

I knew she was gonna make the 141 the moment Shepherd came to visit our outpost in Afghan. It was heart-breaking to see her go, especially since we'd been such close friends.

I'd watched the KIA lists and she'd call me when she had the time. Once a week turned into once a month, then once a month became the short occasion she had the chance. She wrote letters every now and then, but most of them got lost in the mail.

I sigh and stare at my hands.

"She was your friend right?" Ramirez asks.

"Right."

"And you say she wouldn't do something like this?"

"Not back then."

"Well… I guess the sad truth is, 'People change.'"

"Yeah…" I pull on my helmet and stand. "People change."

I guess it is better that we were only friends.

ANGST~

I don't know, I was half asleep when I wrote this.

Review this crap or Dunn will be very sad…der…more sad…whatever.

BYE :D