Sitting at his desk, Hawk stared pensively at the form with Sylia's name on it that would list her missing in action; maybe he was being too premature, but he had to leave the possibility open. Rubbing his hand against his mouth, he fought against the maelstrom of feelings going through his mind. The worse of it was breaking the news to her brother, Hawk hated the duty, but he would rather not delegate it to someone else; being a close friend of the Stingray family, he would do it personally. Sylia and Mackie were very close and have been through too much pain. Rising from his chair, he went over a window watching Beachhead driving a group greenshirts during PT; but his thoughts still dwelled on his current dilemma, it wasn't just obligation but it was a promise he made years ago to a dying friend.
"I need a moment to prepare myself, Colonel," Sylia sighed with a shaky voice, a newly minted 2nd Lt, fresh out West Point and due to be transferred to the Airborne and Ranger School at Fort Benning. "You go on."
"All right, Sylia, but take too long your Uncle doesn't have time left." Colonel Abernathy said before entering Robert Stingray's hospital room. He had to steel himself of the sight of his old war buddy lying there dying of kidney disease. After all they've been through in Vietnam they times they share a good drink and a good cigar and the many laughs through the hell of war. It came down to this. The elder Stingray was dying and on life support to make him more comfortable. "Robert?"
"Clay," he smiled weakly, "forgive me for not saluting."
"We'll forget the court martial, this time, old friend."
Robert hacked and coughed as he winched in pain. Clayton noticed the sadness in his friend eyes "All that time in 'Nam I thought I was going to be put down by some Commie, never thought it was going to be like this."
"We don't get to pick and choose how we end our lives."
"No shit," Robert coughed. "Clay, I need to ask you a favor."
"Anything."
"Sylia… She's very special to me."
"I've taken an interest in her career."
"It's going to be a tough road for her." Robert gave off a painful hack. His time was growing short. "The loss of her parents, me. Promise me, be there for her if she needs you. Mentor her, I know she'll become soldier. Please Clay."
"You have my word, Robert. I'll go get Sylia."
Hawk heavily sighed, he felt like he failed his friend. But he had to remind himself; Sylia was a soldier she knew risks going in. Hawk regarded Sylia like a daughter he never had; he understood the feelings a parent would have seeing a child go off to war. Nevertheless he had faith in Sylia and her ability to complete her mission no matter the cost.
Grey Fox drew her SOCOM after slinging her M-4 as she headed back to the warehouse. Suddenly a crossbow bolt sped her way like a bolt of lightning into her left shoulder. The force of the impact sent her down flat on her back, getting into a crouched position she found cover of a nearby tree and flatten herself against it. With her good arm she peered past her cover she scanned the canopy with her SOCOM. Nothing, she grimly observed. Sniper's got good cammo and using a crossbow.
"That was a warning Grey Fox! Venture further and I'll take your life!" A voice cried out with a booming laughter to add to it.
Great. A snipers' duel. Guess some one wants to play the home game of Enemy at the Gate. Fox sighed, that was something she was not trained for, in every Ranger and light infantry unit there was a sniper assigned for support. Her Uncle and General Hawk met the legendary Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock who stalked a VC sniper, one of their best who was sent to kill him, Hathcock shot him right through the scope of his rifle. Glancing at the trail of blood running her arm brought to a more pressing matter. Right now I need to treat this wound. Clutching her wounded shoulder, Fox gritted her teeth as she headed back to the warehouse. She wasn't going to be deterred from her mission. Whoever shot her, they will meet again; Fox was determined to come out the victor. She was going to complete her mission no matter what.
I apologize for the short chapter but I have reasons.
1. I finally got off my ass and back to work on this after sitting on the back burner for far too long.
2. I trying something new I thought about prior to writing this chapter is a flashback from the perspective of both Hawk and Sylia but I'm trying to give a little realism where there is information that only Hawk would know and vice versa. It's a bit hard to describe to say the least.
3. Keeping the timeline of events in mind in this being prequel to the Call to Duty; you'll notice I'm not referencing Chris Kyle or the American Sniper.
