******Erika******
"Hey," some guy sat down next to Erika as she looked over her Lit notes. This was not what she needed right now. She was two years into a Journalism degree, just a little side job to cover what her books wouldn't. Her parents had finally put their foot down when Erika had been arrested and put in jail for six months. She had to do something with her life, not be angry and take it out on everyone else...or her car. Her parents had taken her keys after she crashed the fourth car in sixth months. Yes, they were rich but they weren't stupid. Erika was mad at life. Her best friend had turned on her, going and serving the government. Her other friends were off, going places with their lives while Erika sat at home, going to dinner parties and protesting outside courthouses.
"Hello," Erika glanced at him and sighed. Not another one. Somehow the main anti-government group on campus had found out about her less than graceful few years in the limelight. After some intense therapy via email from Amanda and Emily, Erika had turned away from her more outspoken habits and decided to protest in softer ways. Hence the Journalism. Her books were more opinionated, using fictional characters to say what she chose to write. Of course, it had only taken her peers two years to figure her out. Her agent had promised her secret was safe with her, that E. A. Sparrow was keeping the public eye away from the twenty-year-old college student who was the current blogger for the school newspaper.
"So, some of us are getting together and heading down to admin to let our views be heard by our lovely politcally-lacking leader of our fine state. You in?" the guy smiled sweetly at her. His hair was long and pulled back in a ponytail and Erika cold pick the hint of some drug on his clothes. Yay, another stoner fouling her people.
"Look, I love how your being all hippy and stuff, but you have to understand that what you are doing is wrong. Peaceful protests speak better for your organization than you tomato throwing followers," Erika snapped.
"Come on, girl! We really need you! Don't you want our soldiers home here with us?" the guy pleaded and Erika's eyes hardened. Oh, that was a soft spot with here. Wrong cause.
"Yes, I would, but I have a friend who happens to be a soldier and you drawing eyes here instead of where she is could very well kill her," Erika slammed her book shut as she stood. "Good day. I can't wait to kill your group tonight on my blog."
Yes, she was mad at Carolyn for abandoning them three years ago, but she now understood why. Her dad had been able to move out of his trailer home and into a real house. He'd finally gotten a new car. He'd updated his shop. All because Carolyn had gone and done something with her life. As Erika stalked back to her dorm all she could think about was her friend over seas and hoped she'd come home safe and sound to Erika could apologize.
***Amanda***
So, today wasn't her day. Not at all! First, the humane society had refused to let her have a photoshoot there. Then, her car had broken down in the middle of a busy highway outside of Hollywood. Then, her boss had called, reminding her that tonight she had to be at the reception hall early to set up. Then, there was this. Some government people had tried to blow up Mission City. And it was the government because the government was saying it was the government. Nothing else had been said, probably working on their story. That wasn't bothering her. What was bothering her was that she had to go find another city near Hoover Dam who had a hotel big enough to fit 50 models, 10 camera men and all of their staff and then another, fancier hotel for her, her boss, and their staff. Yup, life was just peachy. She needed to vent.
"Hello?"
"Erika?"
"Who else would it be? The Great Pumpkin?"
"Have you seen the news?"
"Ah, what happened this time?"
"I had the whole crew booked to stay there! That was the only city with in a resonable distance I could get everyone into!"
"Stupid government...again."
"And to make things worse, I have to find two new hotels within three days or I get fired! Can you believe it? They idiotic, glaikit, egotistical basterds! dinnae thay realize some o' us huv tae wirk tae survive! 'n' dinnae git me stairted oan mah gaffer! he thinks th' world revolves aroond his giant boaby!"
"Scotty?"
"Aye?"
"You're doing it again. Going Scottish on me."
"Och! Sorry, Captain."
"You had better be. Call Em."
****Emily***
Emily could only stare at the tv, just like the rest of the students gathered in the main lecture hall. They had been learning the proper way to preform heart surgery on a patient with a history of heart murmers when an all call had been made. Turn on the school's main news station. What they hadn't been expecting to see was smoke floating out of Mission City. Rumors of aliens attacking the city, U.S. soldiers seen fighting giant robots and blackouts filled the speakers as the proffesor flipped through channels. Students opened their emails and cellphones, contacting friends and parents for answers. Emily could only stare. She knew something none of them did. Those soldiers weren't just any soldiers. Carolyn's squad was stationed there on leave for two weeks before being shipped over seas. This couldn't be happening. Carolyn was there. This was not happening.
Emily's phone started to vibrate. A Scottish dity. Scotty," Yeah?"
"Have you seen the news? Here, three way. Captain, I got her!"
"Em! Can you believe it?"
"Guys," Emily stood, staring at the screen as familiar brown hair appeared, carrying out a crying child. "Guys, Carolyn's there."
"WHAT?"
***Carolyn***
She was tired, dirty and not about to give up. She didn't have to be here, none of them did, but none of them could just sit back when it was their own brothers in trouble. And of course, it was an all boy squad. She could feel their eyes on her now as she took the crying child from their Captain. Captain Carolyn Williams shot the man a glare before walking away,"Brady, jacket!"
"Yes, sir!" One of her own men threw her his jacket and she wrapped it around the little girl, shushing her quietly. Had to be no more than 4 years old. Didn't they see the girl's dead mother only feet away? No, of course not.
"Cap, your cell's ringing," Jeff came over, their comms man. Carolyn had ordered all her men to turn over all their phones to him, keeping them focused on clearing the city.
"Who's it from?"
"Your dad."
"On what phone?"
"Work."
"I'll take it," Carolyn sighed, taking it. Only that man could get to her in the middle of a war zone. "Yeah, Dad?"
"You alright?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Em just called, said you were on the telli."
"TV, Dad. I'm fine. Me and the guys just came out to help clean up the mess. Let Em know I'm fine and will send her an email as soon as I have time."
"Okay, be safe."
"Always," Carolyn smiled before handing the phone back to Jeff. "He says to kick the ass of the next Ranger who looks at mine the wrong way."
"With pleasure," Jeff and Brady laughed as they got back to work. Carolyn looked down at the little girl. She was silent, snuggled close, sucking her thumb.
"Lets go find you some friends," hopefully she was lucky and had some left.
