[-Wages Of Sin-]
I could hear the heavy boots clank against the marble floors of the military base as officers, marines, and generals scurried through the halls. The entire base was in an uproar from being given the green light. I recognized several generals standing in the hall speaking to one another in a small circle, each heated in the conversation. I slowly walked up, careful not to get into the way of any of the fretful marines running through the halls.
"General Riordan? May I have a word?" I asked the tallest of the generals with black hair, tapping him on the shoulder lightly. He turned around to face me, his usually electrifying blue eyes duller and downtrodden. "What's going on?"
"It's the 'code red' I was talking to you about yesterday." He pulled me aside from the others, whispering to me in-between taking glances to see who was listening in. "The infection over in England...they say it's gone and their beginning to send people over there again to live, but they still want soldiers to make sure nothing goes wrong."
"But the virus could still be airborne or even in the animals still alive over there. They can't be sure that it's 'disappeared' for good." I shook my head, thinking that allowing people back into England was a tragedy waiting to happen. I looked up into the general's eyes and spotted a familiar look. I gave a small nervous laugh, shaking my head back and forth at him. He quickly grabbed a hold of my left arm and dragged me into an empty office nearby.
"V, I had no choice." Kayne started once the door was shut and locked behind us. I walked in further and then snapped around at him. "Please-"
"No! No way! It's not going to happen, Kayne." I yelled, beginning to pace back and forth. Kayne sighed and walked over to me, stopping my pacing. "I can't believe this...!"
"We already decided who was going to go over months ago. You're the most qualified for this. You're one of the ranking Officers." Kayne placed a hand on my shoulder giving it a gently squeeze to comfort me in his own way.
"I became an officer to watch over my brother. I can't go over there Kayne. I have to watch him otherwise he'll get himself killed." I shook my head again and felt Kayne's hand slip slowly from my shoulder. I pursed my lips and rubbed the bridge of my nose, knowing what he was going to say next, but beat him to it with a sigh of aggravation. "He's over there already, isn't he?"
"Uh...yeah, he kind of left this morning..." Kayne breathed out slowly, walking on eggshells around me. I groaned and looked back up at him.
"And you let him go!?!" I yelled punching Kayne on the arm. Kayne's opposite hand swung up to grab where I had hit him. "Why would you let him go!?! He's going to get himself hurt or worse; killed!"
"He wanted to go so I let him!" Kayne yelled back, rubbing his arm. I stopped my pacing again and stared at him for a moment. "He's not my brother."
"You're right he's not your brother, but he might as well be. We all have known each other since we were little kids! Our father's served together for Christ's sake!" I huffed, trying to calm myself down. "You could have at least warned me he was leaving..."
I took to sitting down in a nearby chair, putting my face in the palms of my hands. I heard Kayne's footsteps as they got closer to me. He kneeled down next to me, laying a hand on my knee.
"The last couple of years have been hard on you; I know that better than most." I gave a small sigh at his words and looked up from my hands. A small smirk filtered onto his face. "I also know that trying to keep up with your brother is a real chore."
"That's for sure." I gave a small laugh and leaned against one of my arms. Kayne gave my knee a gentle squeeze, causing me to look over at him.
"And I also know that you love your brother more than anything, Van. That's why I voted for you to go over to England." I looked at Kayne confused.
"What do you mean?" I asked, pushing away from my arm to sit up straight.
"Shawn told me a couple weeks ago not to let you go because he thought you were smothering him a little bit. He said something about you needing to let him live a little." Kayne gave a small sighed, taping his fingers against my leg. "But I knew if I didn't let you go, you'd find your own way over there. To be honest that scared me more than just sending you."
"Thanks..." I scoffed, standing up from the chair and moved away from Kayne. I cursed a couple of times at my brother who was over in England and then turned to look at Kayne again. "When's the next chopper leaving?"
"In an hour or so." Kayne stood up from kneeling and looked at her. "Are you going to be on it?"
"No shit Sherlock." I gave a sarcastic smile, laughing as I turned away to look down at the floor. I sighed, bringing my hands to my hips. "I hate my older brother..."
"No you don't, you're just really pissed at him." Kayne laughed placing a hand on my shoulder, leading me out of the office. I laughed and nodded my head, agreeing with him.
"I'm going to need a couple of things before I go, though." I looked up at him to see him nod his head like he knew that was coming.
"I know you would. What 'things' do you need?" He asked, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen to jot them down. I stopped and leaned against a window, thinking about it for a second.
"A pair of MV321G night vision goggles, Wiley-X INK glasses, a Black Timber hunting pack in the color black, thigh rigs, waist rigs, a chest rig," I looked over at Kayne a smirk on my face, seeing him trying to keep up with my list, "flashlights, several Black OPS serrated assisted opening knives, two RSR-LMXUNI handguns, two SW1911 pistols-"
"It sounds like you're going over there into a never ending war!" Kayne blurted, snapping his head from the paper to me. I gave a smile and pointed to the paper and pen.
"You want me to go right? Legally I mean. Then let me have my weapons of choice." I gave another smile and looked out the window. Kayne groaned and finished writing the things I had said down.
"Anything else you damn mercenary?" Kayne growled, tapping the pen to the paper.
"A couple hand grenades, several flash grenades, a Rock River Arms: Varmint A4, two Mossberg 590s, and a Remington 870MCS. Oh, also a lot of extra ammo." I gave a laugh at the end of it, knowing it was a lot to ask for. Kayne gave a sigh and looked up from the list, shaking his head at me. I shrugged and looked back out the window. "I'd rather have them and not need them, then need them and not have them."
"Nothing is going to happen. How many times do I need to say this? It's just a routine screening Van." Kayne put the list into his pocket and stared down at me smiling. I shook my head, biting on my bottom lip.
"Then how come I this sick feeling in my heart?" I looked back at him and watched as he tried to give me and answer. He shook his head and then pulled me into a hug.
"Your supplies will be in England waiting for you when you get there." He pulled away, but kept his hand on my upper arms. "Take care of your brother and try not to worry so much, will you?"
"I promise that I will take care of my brother, but the worrying...Well that's just in my genes." I laughed as his hands dropped from my arms.
"Be at the north launch pad at two." Kayne laughed back giving me another hug before walking away down the hall. I looked back out the window and watched as the other marines, officers, and generals scurried around, getting ready to leave for England.
