A.N.: Thanks to all who are reading this once again. Just to let you know that the next chapter will probably not be posted till after the Christmas holidays, and that the reason for any delay between any written chapters is because there is an 8 hour time difference between myself and Fourth Remnant, who is co-writer on this stroy arc and it is hard to be online at the same time to sort things out.

Also due to the fact that this is a crazy time of year for me and my three kids, we will probably be travelling down state for the hol's and then we have to be back in time for them to get to school on the 4th January 2010. So until the New Year, have a great seasonal holiday, and take care of yourselves.

Blessed Be and may Primus Bless All of You, Till All Are One!!

Crystal and Roulette

I wasn't sure what was scarier. Newbie's or a couple of high-ranking officials from Diego Garcia… I'm putting my money on the newbie's. Lord, most of them don't even know that army life isn't all fun and games. Well, guns and shooting people to be more exact. My job at the Grayling Base is to train the rookies and prepare them for their missions. I teach them how to use M-16 Rifle, M-4 Carbine, MP-5 Submachine-gun, M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon (or SAW for short), Mk-23 Automatic and my favorite, the M-24 SWS (or as it is known the Sniper's Weapon System).

Recently the higher-ups have told us to teach the rookies about handling sabot rounds and using them. Why they're getting us to do that still confuses me.

I was standing in the range waiting for my victims, sorry, charges to arrive so that we could begin today's lesson. They seemed to be taking a while so I started fiddling with my necklace. It was a silver dragon claw holding a clear crystal ball on a thick silver chain. Notice all the silver? It's pure. Fat government pay checks really come in handy, especially when you're single and you want to treat yourself or another family member (Annabelle).

As for my uniform, I was wearing the basic uniform. BDU's (Battle Dress Uniform) consisting of camouflage trousers, black t-shirt underneath my impeccable camouflage shirt with my rank, name tags, squadron insignia's and combat boots. My long hair was tied in a perfect bun that would probably be destroyed by the end of the day.

My charges still aren't here yet. What could be holding them up? It was already 5am. They're usually here by 4:30…

"Ma'am!" a voice cried. I wonder who it is…I turned around and came face-to-face with a rookie (a Pfc - Private First Class for those who don't know acronyms). He saluted to me sharply.

"At ease. Now, why are you here?"

"You've been called to the base Commander's office. You also need to be in you're dress uniform, ma'am."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, ma'am."

This was interesting…Is that why my charges didn't show up this morning? Oh well, time to head back to my barrack room.

When I got there, I quickly changed into my dress uniform (or Class A's) and left. If I had been called to see the Commander then something was going on.

I quickly made my way down to the office and knocked patiently on the door. A short while later I heard a voice from the inside telling me to come in. I did and saluted to my superior officer. When I had permission to relax the director told me to sit down. Then he started telling me about our 'visitors'…

After getting the go ahead from the Commander (who had cleared my schedule for the next two days), I decided to head on back to the barracks and sort things out there, I left the Command Offices stopping at the Commissary for a quick bite to eat and then as I ate my warm breakfast burrito - scrambled egg, cheese, ham, onions, mmmmm, heaven in a wrap! - I walked towards the barracks I shared here on base.

Why do I live on the base and not in town you ask? Well I just love being where I can hit the practice ranges when the need hit's me to blow stuff up, and with this being an AGRB - Active Guard Reserve Base it pays to stay where you can be reached quickly by the higher-ups.

What I wasn't expecting mind you when I walked up the path to the main door of the barracks was to see a huge black C-4500 GMC Pick-up and was that a Dodge Viper sat there in Metallic Gold with of all things twin purple racing stripes! I almost passed out when I took notice of the plates - One from California and the other from Nevada, but that wasn't all about them that shocked me, below the registration ident on the plates was one word - Diplomatic. That caused my eye brows to raise almost all the way into my hairline.

As I walked through the doors I headed towards my rooms, passing the TV lounge I didn't pay much attention since the TV was normally on 24/7 for those who couldn't sleep or were just getting off duty and wanting to catch up on the world before sleeping. I wished to any and all deities that I had because then I would have noticed a rather familiar face sat there, but since I didn't, I jumped and spun around and hit the floor in a crouch with my K-Bar in hand ready when I heard a voice call out 'Hey, Hailstorm… Duck!'

When I finally registered the voice and the sound of two other people sniggering behind the offender, I was about ready to string up the idiot that yelled, which unfortunately for me was my cousin William Lennox of the United States Army, and from the looks of his dress uniform he gained an increase from Captain to Major - nice, now we're on the same footing, but now this has me wondering…. Why is he here, and who are the other two behind him? This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder and it ain't even 10:00 hours yet, oy,oy,oy!! I definitely need a large batch of coffee to drink now - since I'm still on duty till 16:30 hours and I can't have a stiff shot or two of Blue Russian Vodka (something a friend picked up whilst in Europe, and rather strong - 100 proof vodka) the good stuff that will steady my nerves and NO I am not an alcoholic, I hardly drink - unlike my cousin who loves beer a little too much.

'Soooo, Cuz, what brings you out here to Northern Michigan, and especially during the cold season. Especially since I know you simply hate the cold, which means that it is something big. And let me guess…. You are the 'visitors' that the Commander told me about.'

'Uhh, yeah you could say that, especially since you're the one we're here to visit, and to hopefully take back with us to our base, if you want to go that is. And just so you know this offer will be a permanent posting with the group I work with - and let me tell you, you couldn't wish for a better group of guys and girls to work with.' said Will a twinkle in his right eye as he said all that he could without breaching security.

'Alright, come on in to my humble abode here in the barracks and we'll talk shop for a while and sort out what needs to be done and catch up on the rest of the family, alright?' I asked as I removed the key from my jacket pocket and inserted it into the lock and opened the door, what happened next I don't think anyone expected.

A.N.: Cliffhanger - I am soooo evil *grins madly*