Another lazy day engulfs me. I lay on the couch in the rec room, flipping through channels. I stop, noticing the flashing words of 'breaking news' on CNN. Rolling up to a sitting position, I turn the volume up. The news reporter has a slight accent while a building stands in the back ground with yellow police tape in Russian. "I'm here at Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow, Russia. Where terrible acts of genocide have taken place. More than a thousand of Russian civilians are dead after supposed terrorists attacked the terminal. But that's where the story takes a bizarre twist. Reports from the Russian police have stated that the terrorists spoke in English and one dead terrorist, left behind, gives insight that this attack was done by the U.S.-" He remarks, continuing to tell the story. But my mind has stopped listening. I stare at the TV, unable to get my mind around this fact. Ghost walks into the room and we share a look.
I gulp, trying to swallow the lump of shock in my throat. "Uh, Ghost? America's screwed." I divulged.
He raises an eyebrow, "Why, what happened?" he questions.
I shake my head, "Some terrorists attacked an airport in Russia and killed a bunch of civies. They're saying the terrorists were American and-" I start. But stop as Mactavish walks in.
"Briefing room. Now." He said shortly. Ghost follows him and I'm left there, until Mactavish pops his head into the room. "Uh, that means you too, Erin." He said.
I blink, and then rub the back of my head, "Oh sorry." I flustered. I follow him out of the room. We enter the briefing room; it's a small room with an oval table in the middle. Around the table sits the rest of our team mates who are chatting amongst themselves. The table is full, saved for Mactavish's spot, the head of the table and my spot in between Archer and Ghost. I slide into my spot quietly, shooting a haft smile to Archer who returns it in full.
Archer is beaming with excitement, always game for a mission. "What do you think they're going to talk about? A new mission? Oh I hope so!" he said lively.
I frown, shrugging, "Yeah, probably some mission involving the terrorist attack on Russian soil by some Americans." I retorted, thinking he already knows this. The chatter stops and people stare at me. I look around at them, wondering why they stopped talking. "What, something I say?" I ask perplexed.
"What do you mean some Americans attacked Russia?!?" Meat asks, staring at me.
I blink, "Does no one else know this?!? It was on the news, like, a couple minutes ago!" I said, taken aback by this fact. I take my iPod touch out, typing in the story to show him. For passing it, I slide it across the table to Meat.
Mactavish scowls, trying to make sense of this. "What reason would America have to commit such an act?" he grumbles in his Scottish accent.
"It wasn't suppose to look like that." Said a voice from the doorway. Standing there is an older man, late 50's early 60's, wearing American styled camo for desert camouflage and a beret. Everyone stands up, saluting him. I join them, wondering who this guy is.
Taking a seat at the head of the table, this is our sign to take a seat. "What do you mean by that, General Shepard?" questions Mactavish. Hm, so this is the man who created the task force. Why do I have a feeling I'm going to hate him in the future?
Shepard coughs, "I sent Private Allens, an American, to go undercover and gain the terrorist Vladimir Makarov's trust. But as you have heard, it didn't turn out so well. Now all of Russia is calling for war." He states. Just then, my phone vibrates in front of Meat. He looks at it questionably then up at me.
"Hey you got a text Erin!" he said out right, not taking in consideration the General sitting at the head of the table who seems to not notice the outburst.
"Meat, give me back my phone!" I hiss under my breath, not wanting to interrupt Shepard's spiel.
Meat sends me a fake look of hurt. "But I wanna read it!" he mopes childishly.
I grit my teeth, OO ooh he really knows how to piss me off. "Meat give me back my phone or I swear to god-!" I hiss. Shepard looks at me, confused at my presence.
"Excuse me, but who are you? I don't remember recruiting you for the task force." He said out right. I look over at him, throwing back a look of confusion. Then I look over at Mactavish who sits on the other head of the table.
"Um, well I-" I fumble, trying to sort out what I'm suppose to tell him.
Luckily, Mactavish comes to my rescue. "We recruited her a couple months back. Her name is Sergent Erin Nirent of Chicago, Illinois." Mactavish adds quickly. I give him a nod, thanking him silently.
Shepard nods. "Ah, interesting. Always a good sign to see a female paving the way into the military." He said briefly. I sense a bit of resentment in his voice but I don't think twice of it. I see Meat, out of the corner of my eye, trying to figure out how to unlock the screen lock to read the text.
Shifting my attention to him, I fold my arms. "Didn't I say give me my phone back?" I grumble.
Meat is resilient, still wanting to read the text. Like it's some sort of big thing, I mean I don't have a boyfriend and my friends usually text me stupid stuff so it's not like some sort of secret thing. But just in case it was, I sure as hell didn't want Meat reading it and taunting me about it. "Oh Please can I just read it!"" he pleads, failing at doing the goggly eyes. I mean, come on! Everyone knows that only works if us girls do it!
I stand firm, not being shaken by his constant pleading. "Don't make me come over there because I will! Hell, I'll climb over the table! Now give me my damn phone!" I said sharply.
Meat finally utters defeat, "Aw, Fine." He said, sliding my phone over to me. I swipe it from the table as soon as it comes to a stop in front of me. Shepard has continued talking, Mactavish and Ghost adding to the conversation once in a while. All the while, I slyly check my texts. It's from my friend Moli. For the record, she's the one who made the awesome hot cocoa that SOMEONE stole the last bit of! Sorry, just had to put that out there.
"OMG! Did u hear da news?" she texts. I text her back ninja style without anyone noticing while Shepard continues debriefing everyone on the situation in Russia.
"Yeah, American terrorists attacked some Russian airport." I text back.
The next text steals my breath away, "Not that! D.C. is under attack! The fighting is getting close to IL. Erin…I'm scared!" she texts, her fears coming through the text full force.
America was under attack…my friends were now in the battle field, unprotected. It isn't supposed to be this way; I'm supposed to be the one in danger! Not people back home in the states. This is all messed up; America hasn't seen a war on their soil since the civil war. I want to cry for my friends, feeling like I can't do anything while they're going through the hell they haven't been prepared for like I have. But I maintain my composure, not wanting to cause attention to be brought to me after my recent outburst with Meat. "Don't worry; we'll get the bastard's before they can even smell IL air!" I text her confidently.
"Thanks Erin….that makes me feel better. You be careful where ever you are, Erin." She texts me.
I nod stupidly as if I'm talking to her face to face, "Yeah, back at you. Stay frosty and cut the chatter." I said.
"No! Its cold enough here, I don't wanna stay frosty! I wanna stay warm!" she texts childishly, "But yeah, I'll shut up so you can do your thing. Peace out."
I slip my phone into my pocket, joining the conversation entirely now. Shepard has finished briefing them on the airport attack and the sudden attack on the US.
"Follow the shells; it'll lead you to Makarov's gun dealer who will most likely lead you to Makarov himself." Shepard concludes. With that, Shepard leaves us with a salute. Mactavish stands up, a serious look on his face.
"Alright, we're going after the arm's dealer who sold Makarov his weapons. The ground team is as followed: Ghost, Roach Meat, Royce and I. Archer, you and Erin will stay here and gather Intel about this guy. Like allies and places of business. Alright, we shove off in two hours. Don't be late." He ends. Everyone files out of the room, that's when Mactavish stops me. "May I speak with you?" he asks. I gulp, nodding as I stare up him. The captain has some scars on his face and I've always wondered why, but I really don't think now is an appropriate time to ask. "What was up back there, with the text?" he asks right off the bat.
I gulp, afraid he'd ask that. "Well, sir, it was a text from one my people back home. They gave me some Intel about the attacks on the US. Basically the same stuff Shepard went over." I said flatly.
Mactavish nods sternly, "Well don't let texts from 'your people' get you off task. You have a mission to do, don't let your emotions get the best of you." He said. I nod. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal, Sir." I said, ridged. There's a pause in between the two of us before we both burst out laughing. "Oh wow, I can't believe you just did that!" I laughed, mostly at going old school with the last order.
Mactavish grins as we walk out the door, "Hey what can I say, I'm old school! But seriously….what do you mean by you people?" he said questionably.
I wiggle my eye brows, "What do you mean, you people?" I ask, bursting with laughter as I quoted a Ben Stiller movie.
Mactavish smiles, "Atta girl, keep things light!" he said before we parted ways. I enter the rec room and join Meat, Archer and Roach who are playing a hearty game of poker. Since I'm sitting my Roach, I steal peeks at his hand and give Meat and Archer signs of what he has. In the end, Archer wins the pot and everything seems OK.
That is, until the mission started.