What happens when British troops are called up for an operation in a well known landscape? And what lies in store for War Correspondent Alex Serrano, will this be her last assignment? And what's she got to do with Molly Dawes?
New story for you guys to sink your teeth into, as this has quite long chapters I want to keep them all around the same length so you might find uploads with gaps between them. This is a story that I am really excited to share with you all, I had a blast eventing and developing my own character Alex, she really was a lot of fun, so I'm really excited to see what you think of her! She doesn't really appear in this chapter but I had to set some groundwork, so you can get a slight inside into what type of person she is. Quick structure note, this story as you will discover is written in both third and first person, as I am writing about two women it was the easiest way to separate them, hope you don't mind! Let me know what you think of this and if you want to see more.
I don't own Our Girl, all the rights go to Tony Grounds and the BBC. But I do own Alex Serrano, so no copying!
Have a great day!
Bath 08:00:
"Private Smith, put down the gun!" Bossman was shouting as usual, this happens every night, everything froze "now this is new" I exclaimed, my dream was torn apart by the ringing of a mobile, my mobile. My eyes opened to see the sunlight pouring through the curtains of our bedroom, Charles was still asleep, for an ex-army captain that man can sleep through anything I swear. I picked up my phone to see a lot of missed calls from various members of 2 section and a few text messages from Jackie, as I was looking at the senders a face appeared on the screen "Mansfield, the Queen better of bloody died you have just woke me up, what is it?" The voice on the other end was panting slightly "Molls you have to turn on the TV, this is huge. Gotta go, I have to call the others, text me once you've seen. Bye"
"What you on about? Mansfield?" The line went dead. A body stirred beside me, "Did I just hear you talking to Mansfield? What did he want?" His voice was still husky from sleep, eyes only slightly open due to the light that was projecting different shapes onto the wall beside us. "Morning, dunno he said something about turning on the TV, he sounded rushed, I think shit may have hit the fan somewhere."
Central London 08:00:
Alex Serrano had just poured her first cup of coffee of the day when her phone practically exploded with various Google alerts, emails, text messages, instant messages, and her news apps notifications. "If the world is gunna end, it can do that after I have finished my coffee, it's a Saturday. My one day off, so the world can bugger off!" Her voice echoed through the empty apartment, she made her way down the corridor from her kitchen to her study, passing various prestigious awards for her correspondence in warzones across the globe mixed with pictures of family and a few of her cat who she loved dearly. Being a highly successful and therefore famous national war correspondent had left her hardly any time for a social life, so there had been no stamps on her dating card for a good few months but plenty on her passport, mainly to and from Afghanistan. She was the main correspondent out there during the conflict, she was happy when the troops finally departed, she finally got some time to have a small holiday. But her editor had other ideas sending her to interview various injured troops as part of a follow up series she had envisioned in her time out there, but for someone else to cover, she was all about thrills and action. Not charity funded military hospitals and crying families with tears of gratitude. Her phone was ringing in the kitchen; she decided it would be alright to call them back later, until it rang again just seconds later. "Oh bloody hell, I'm coming! Couldn't have ended another day could ya?!" She exclaimed jogging to grab her phone. "Serrano... yes sir... no sir I haven't been ignoring your calls...he did what! Is that even legal...I guess being the Prime Minster gives him some sway on the law...no sir I haven't seen any coverage...of course I'll come in straight away... oh you just want me to go from here, of course... okay email me over the details of my flight...I'm doing what? You can't send me commercially, why not? Last minute my arse... sorry sir; I'll call you the minute I arrive." After a shocking phone call from her editor, Alex found herself talking to her empty apartment once more, "I'll grab my combats and bulletproof vest then." As she rallied around grabbing her needed items.
Bath 08:10:
Luckily we had been watching the news last night so there was need to change the channel, hopefully nothing major had happened, me and Charles had planned an entire day with Sam, taking him to the park playing on the swings, eating way too much ice cream, and then coming back here for our monthly film fest and fort building contest (Me and Bossman always one, Sam blamed our combat training) I was so wrong, my Saturday couldn't have got off to a worst start.
"The Prime Minster to send British troops back to Afghanistan after talk with the United Nations regarding the latest firebomb attacks in central Kabul. The decision comes just over a year after troops finally pulled out of Afghanistan after nearly 13 years of combat, an inside source has revealed that many of the small number of troops that are to be sent out should be waking up to an email this morning from their relevant superiors' that contains the details of their deployment. This morning the question that we ask is, how much upset will this cause and are we in for another 13 year war? You can send in your comments and thought via email at..."
I muted the TV, not wanting to hear anymore, "You have got to be kidding me, we were gunna go to the park, and eat ice cream!" I was furious at the Prime Minster, I know that I signed up for this, but after two short tours back to back I thought I might finally have time to spend some much needed time with my family. "Hey, you don't have to go, you haven't received an email have you?" Charles could tell that I was angry and tried to bring me back to reality, he was right I hadn't seen an email appear on my phone this morning. "I'm gunna check with the rest of the guys and see who is going, no chance of going back to sleep now. What time are we picking up Sam?" I was already sitting on the side of our bed searching for the number of two section and Jackie. "Rebecca said that she would make sure he's ready for eleven, do you want a coffee?" Charles was already out of bed parading his washboard abs to the world whilst opening the curtains, before giving me a morning kiss and going downstairs.
Many of their phones went straight onto answer phone, apart from Jackie. The first woman I met on my first tour had since become a great friend of mine; we often met up for a takeaway or a good natter whenever I was around in London visiting my family. "Hi Jacks, did you hear... Yeah I know it's crazy, I knew things were getting bad again but this is a bit Patrick Swayze! I haven't got an email yet... What do you mean you have the first draft of the list of sections...Oh Jackie you are a naughty girl, what do you mean you learnt from the best! I didn't fall in love with someone higher up in command for the perks; it was totally that hair and the abs! Could you email me over a copy, that would be great...Thanks, I'll text you later." I hung up and went in search of finding my laptop, before joining Charlie at the breakfast bar.
"You'd think that me being retired would mean that my phone didn't explode at stuff like this, I think they forget we live together." Charles was holding up his phone scrolling through notifications when I entered the room. "Oh nope, apparently they don't, I have a lot of texts here asking me to wake you up. Even my mother has asked if you're being deployed. I'll text her back saying you're safe for now. Who did you get hold of?" I could tell that he was scared at the possibility that I could be being deployed in the near future, due to my advancement through the ranks and three tours I always seemed to be at the top of the list if something massive ever came up. Luckily my name had been overlooked for once. "Only Jackie, who happens to be sleeping with one of the admin staff at Brize, she has emailed me over the first draft of the recruitment order for sections. Care to take a look?" I said opening my emails, still no one from my CO, only a few promotions from websites and the golden ticket from Jackie. "Oh Captain Dawes, you really know how to excite a man, coffee?" He was clearly being sarcastic but was eager all the same. I opened the document, to find 25 pages waiting my reading, small number my arse.