Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! Glad you're still enjoying this.
I spent this evening writing this and re-watching s1. I had to after last weeks' episode. Although I'm still nervous about the direction the storyline is going; I don't think CJ and Lane are going to get together…I think he means he's feels too protective over her…wanting to look out for her for Elvis.
If they do get together, then I think it would be just be lazy writing.
You could feel Molly and CJ's feeling for each other building. There's been none of that between CJ and Georgie…I might be okay with it, if we saw a spark in the past series or if Molly wasn't around.
Besides, six month ago Georgie with sleeping with that Milan guy and then getting engaged to Elvis! Plus, think it's a bit harsh for her to blame Elvis' death on Charles since if it wasn't for her and Richards getting involved with that girl, they wouldn't have gone to Afghan in the first place!
Anyway, rant over! On to the story!
Please review!
Enjoy!
A Different Mission.
"How is everything coming on, Jackie?" Charles asked, the last minute replacement medic who had been setting up in a small room next to where the rest of the section was.
"Just about done, Sir." She replied. "Would you like to inspect it?"
Charles considered it; not because he didn't trust her but because it would give him something to do. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, telling him he was missing something but he just couldn't work out what.
"I'm sure it's fine." He resisted.
Although Jackie was a replacement, she had a good record. Plus, it would probably get back to Molly, who would no doubt tease him about micromanaging and not being able to cope without her. He was beginning to wonder if that last one was true.
"Was there something you needed, Sir?" Jackie questioned.
"That ANA guy is going to start a fight if he doesn't stop trying to talk to the lads about football." Elvis announced as he walked into the room before Charles could reply to Jackie.
"Just what we bloody need." Charles muttered.
Elvis looked at him for a minute before turning to Jackie, nodding his head towards the door; asking her to give them a moment. She took the hint and Elvis gave her a small smile as she passed him, closing the door behind her.
"You okay?"
"Something doesn't feel right." Charles shook his head.
"What?"
"I don't know…I just feel like we've missed something."
"We haven't." Elvis tried to assure him. "We'll stop and inspect the truck, apprehend Badrai then we'll be on our way back to camp to get ready for Cyprus."
"And it's going to be that simple?"
"We both know we can't make any guarantees in this job, Charlie but we've done our homework on this and we have a good team….Except for that Troll guy." Elvis replied. "He keeps giving me evils…"
"Elvis." Charles sighed; there was enough going on without having to play referee for him and Smurf.
"What are your plans when you get back home?" Elvis decided to change the conversation. "Back to Bath with your parents?"
"Yep, don't think Rebecca's new boyfriend would be too please me crashing in the spare room."
Elvis rolled his eyes. "It's your house…."
"No, it was my house until I gave it to Rebecca in the divorce."
"Just like you gave her everything…"
"Almost everything …And you know why I did." Charles shot him another look. "I got what was important...We're not having this conversation again."
"Okay, fine…" Elvis held up his hands. "Anyway, we should plan a trip…Get Sam and go camping for a few days…"
"Aren't you tired of roughing it?"
"Nah, it'll be fun…" Elvis shrugged. "The three of us…He'd loved that."
"He would…" Charles agreed; knowing that if he told his son he could do anything he wanted with who he wanted, the three of them camping would probably be top of the list. "Does that mean you're going to spend time with me and Sam rather than go act out a scene from Romeo and Juliet with a certain medic?"
"There's no reason why I can't do both." Elvis answered. "I'm going to marry that girl and when I do, you can be my best man…"
"Let's not get carried away." Charles cautioned. "You've only known her 5 minutes."
"Doesn't matter…She's the one…I know it."
"If you say so…"
Smurf's attention was brought away from the conversation happening in the small room by Mansfield laughing loudly at something Baz was saying. When he looked back in, he could hear the Boss and Elvis were now talking tactics. He slowly moved away from the door and sat on the floor next to Brains.
"You alright, mate" Brains frowned at him.
"Fine." Smurf muttered.
He couldn't believe it; the boss had divorced his wife and none of them knew. He always thought the boss consider them friends; that they wasn't just another group of squaddies. He wasn't like the other officers…He got stuck in and never looked down or judged any of them.
Everything had been fine up until Special Forces showed up and ruined everything. Elvis with all his stories about the boss... stories that didn't include any of them, except that Spanner guy in some. The boss even picked him first in the rugball game…Maybe he wasn't happy being their Captain anymore. Maybe he wanted to join Special Forces…He had never mentioned it but Smurf was sure that if there was something that the Boss wanted then nothing was going to stop him.
The one thing he did not want to think about was what the boss said about Elvis and a certain medic.
There was no way he was talking about Molly. There was no way Molly would be interested in a jerk like him, besides she barely knew him and had a rule about dating people she was working with. He was sure that was the only reason stopping them getting together. He was going to give her a bit of time and space once they were home then try again.
He just needed to get Elvis away from them all and everything would be fine. He would get his happily ever after with Molly and the boss would realize they were more than a section; they were family. Maybe he could even ask the captain to be his best man when Molly and he set a date.
Smurf looked up when there was a call that the truck had arrived and everyone jumped up, getting ready to move. He barely heard a word what the boss said before they left the compound but he notice Elvis whispering something that caused him to laugh…another inside joke.
They all followed as Baz led them out, Captain James telling everyone to keep an eye on the goat farmer as they all took up their positions.
"Smurf, Spanner …on me." Charles ordered as they made their way across the bridge along with Qaseem and Elvis.
"Remember when we first met?" Elvis started as he walked along side Charles. "You used to take me to such nice places…Now look at us."
"Well, if all goes well and everyone gets back in one piece, when we get home I'll take you to a fancy restaurant…I'll even buy you something pretty." Charles quipped back.
"Ohh, I hope its jewellery…"
Charles let out a small laugh but before he could reply, a message came over the radio about the farmer still taking an interest in them.
"Smurf, eyes on that farmer and covering the west." Charles ordered. "Spanner cover the east."
"Sir." Spanner was the only one to reply as both men moved into their positions.
As they approached the truck, Qaseem split off to talk to the driver while Elvis and Charles headed for the back of it. The first thing Charles noticed was that there were 2 young girls, both sat looking terrified. He hated it when kids got caught in the middle of it all. The others in the truck were all wearing Burkas and all trying to avoid looking at them.
"This isn't right…" Charles muttered to Elvis.
"Let's just get them out…" Elvis replied.
Charles looked around to the front of the truck where the driver seemed to be arguing with Qaseem.
"What's going on?" He asked the translator.
"He's not happy about being stopped." Qaseem answered. "He does not want to be delayed."
"Too bad…We need to get everyone of the truck and then we can let him go."
"I have told him this, Sir…" Qaseem assured him.
The driver suddenly moved towards Charles, waving his arms and shouting something at him in Pashto. After 4 tours, he was able to pick up most of what he was saying. He decided to stay quiet and allow Qaseem to handle calming him down.
"Smurf, what are you doing?"
Charles turned when he heard Kinders over the radio and saw Smurf leaving his position and heading in his direction.
"Smurf, what are you playing at?!" Charles questioned, his eyes darting between him, the driver and the back of the truck.
"Backing you up, boss."
"What?!"
"I got your back, Boss…" Smurf had his gun trained on the driver, who put his hands up in the air.
"There's movement in the truck!" Spanner warned.
Charles snapped his attention back to the truck just as there was a scream and a shot was fired.
"Take cover!" Elvis ordered as everyone dropped down. "Got eyes on target."
"Hold your positions!" Charles shouted as he scanned the area. Qaseem was taking cover along with the driver near the cab on the truck; Spanner had jumped over the small wall for shelter, desperately trying to get the target in his sight. The rest of the section was taking cover at the other end of the bridge.
More shots were fired in his direction as he pushed Smurf flatter to the floor. He caught sight of Elvis on the other side the truck, trying to stay out of the line of fire while at the same time keeping eyes on the target.
"Has anyone got a clear shot?!" Charles shouted into the radio.
There were returns calls of no as Charles lifted his head again to see Badrai aiming at them; ducking once more at the sound of fire. He heard gunshots from different direction and he had no clue who was shooting from where; he was just very aware Smurf, Elvis and himself were out in the open with no cover.
"Hold your fire!" He ordered. "Hold your fire""
He heard Kinders repeat it until the only thing that could be heard were screams from the people still in the truck, unable to get past Badrai.
Charles inched forward to get a better view.
"Shit…" He muttered when he saw Elvis struggling with his gun, trying to get it unjammed. "Harte, take cover…"
Elvis disappeared behind the side of the truck only to re-appear a few seconds later with his pistol; taking and a shot at Badrai.
"I got you covered, Bossman." Smurf said, gaining the captain's attention again.
"What?" Charles looked back in time to see Smurf getting to his feet and taking aim. "Smurf get down!"
Charles stood up just as Badrai turned back in their direction.
"Get the fuck down!" Elvis yelled, crawling further towards them as more shots were fired.
"Stay the hell down…" He ordered as he pushed Smurf to floor, looking up in time to see Badrai now with his gun trained on Elvis.
He shot once and then again when Badrai fired in his direction again. Pain shot through his right shoulder and down his arm as he dropped back down to the ground, losing his grip on his gun.
Then suddenly everything around him fell silent….
TBC
Sorry for the short chapter but I do like a cliff-hanger…
Now it's the crappy bit about leaving this here. Next week, I'm going away on holiday…I am hoping to update before I go and / or whilst I'm there but if you don't hear from me in a while….that's why.
Please review!
