One last time
"We're under heavy fire, General Keith. Permission to retreat?"
"No, Air Force reinforcements will arrive within 15 minutes. Hold your position, Lieutenant."
"Understood. Agent Moto!"
"Yes, sir!"
"I need you to sabotage the enemy's supplies. Do you understand what I am asking of you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Can you do it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Off you go then, Godspeed Atem."
He nodded and prepared to cross No Man's Land. With a nod to his comrades, he was off, running across the battlefield. Diving into an abandoned trench two-thirds of the way across the battlefield, avoiding enemy fire, he caught his breath and planned his next move. Gathering his strength, he launched himself into enemy territory, crawling on his hands and knees through the thick of the battle and snuck to the supply bunker. Smirking at his luck, he walked up to the unguarded bunker with a box of matches.
WOOSH
Smiling tiredly, he rounded the enemy army and retreated. Jogging across the edges of the battlefield he saw a terrible sight.
"Atem," Joey yelled, "is that you?"
"Yeah," he replied tiredly, "it's me."
Staring silently, he saw two of his best friends stranded atop landmines. If they attempted to move of the mines or shifted their weight too fast, the mines would go off and Joan and Tris would be nothing but memories.
"Can you help us?" Tristan asked, the pair obviously tired from standing so still.
"I'll try." he replied, his eyes steeling with determination.
He turned around and sighed, the enemy front was close, too close to get help in time. Taking careful steps he approached Tristan's mine.
"Spin half a step to the left." he said getting out his screwdriver, wire clippers and switchblade.
Tris nodded and slowly moved to the left. Prying the main panel open, he slowly checked the wires and switches and quickly discovered that it was a foreign mine. Worriedly, he checked Joey's mine. It was the same. Going over the designs of the mines in his head, he came up with a desperate plan.
"I can't fully disable the mines, but I think can recalibrate the mines to go off 5 minutes after you two step off them. Trust me."
Though nervous Joey and Tristan nodded. Working furiously, Atem recalibrated the two mines.
"You can get off now." he said
The pair stumbled off the mine, going boneless with relief.
"Four minutes and thirty seconds to detonation, Let's move!" he yelled.
As they ran back to their base, the enemy came up upon the mines.
Boom
10 days later
"Cheers to the last mission we'll ever have!"Joey yelled.
"Yes, sir!" shouted Tristan
"Amen to that!" cheered Atem, " And cheers to our new lives!"
10 years later
"Grandpa Atem, did you really fight in the army?" said Hyui
"And did you really blow up a whole bunch of bad guys?" Asked Yuni
"Yes." he replied chuckling softly
"Which was your favorite mission?" The pair asked
"My last." he replied.
"Tell us about it, tell us, tell us!"
"Ok then, we were under heavy fire…"