Thank you all for your patience. It's been awhile since I updated this, I was kinda in a slump. Plus I needed to brush up on military terms and tactics. Thank you all who read this and review, it makes me happy to know that there are fans out there :) So here is chapter 7 I hope you guys enjoy. And a special thanks to my Beta Reader Trumpet-Geek.
Don't Cry, This is War
Though we have not been here long, so many of men had died and so many had been injured. Many have returned home with missing limbs. They are in some ways lucky; they get to spend Halloween, my favorite holiday, back home. Fucked up, isn't it, to think that they are lucky to have been screwed over. Oh well. At the moment I am in the tent; a sandstorm has kicked in and these shits are of fucking Biblical proportions. They devour the whole base; it goes from one-hundred percent visibility to fucking none.
I heard a cough come from next to me; Waghorne and Cummings were sitting down on the floor by my cot. I grinned and blew more smoke into their faces. They growled; I just love to fucking annoy them.
"Oi, Jeagerjacques, would you stop blowing smoke in our faces?"
I laughed. "Yeah, once my cigarette is down to the butt."
Waghorne sighed heavily and shook his head.
"Just douse it man!" He yelled.
"Fuck . . . no." Taking a long drag, I once again blew it in their direction. Cummings laughed while Waghorne dramatically held onto his throat and fell down onto the sand.
"Dammit, you're trying to kill me!"
I chuckled. "Maybe."
Someone entered the tent; the sandstorm must have been over. I took a peek outside and noticed the sandstorm was dying down. Looking up at the guy and remembered that he was someone Waghorne or Cummings had introduced to me. Those two knew just about everyone here at the base. This guy was just about as tall as me; he had dark brown hair, charcoal eyes and he was dark complected.
"Ah! Lopez!" Waghorne greeted the man. Lopez smirked and gave Waghorne a small nod. I sighed heavily and, looking more closely at the guy, I knew I had seen him before in the streets of LA. I laughed the three men turned to look at me.
"Never thought I would see your ass again. Guess the Marines really are giving fucks like you a second chance."
Lopez squinted his eyes trying to get a better look at me. How squinting your eyes made you get a better visual of a person was beyond me.
"Hey yo the motha fucka who put me in the clink! Yo that blue haired 5-0."
I grinned wickedly and took another drag of my cigarette.
"No shit, Sherlock. I guess being a lackey didn't get you hard time in jail. Next time I'll find that big fish," he growled. Waghorne and Cummings looked surprised and turned to look at Lopez. I grinned.
"He just went in for possession of maryjane." Waghorne lifted an eyebrow I was slightly taken aback that look on his face said what the hell is maryjane ? "It's marijuana Wagwhore." Lopez and Cummings laughed.
"Ya actually ok dog. Though ya didn't hafta take me down the way ya did." I scoffed.
"Made it more fun for me."
He was about to say something when the kid made his way in. I wondered what he wanted; after that kiss he started acting around me like he did with the others. Arms crossed across his chest, he looked down at me with that usual scowl on his face.
"Hey Sgt. Harrison is calling for you." I flicked my dying cigarette at him and he scoffed.
"Fuck Harrison he's just one rank above me, one! We're both Sgt. He can kiss my ass."
"I knew you would say something like that!" Came Harrison's voice from outside. Sighing heavily, I pushed myself up off my cot and shoved my way past Lopez and Kurosaki.
"Just what the fu… -Lt. Colonel Carter." I straightened out my stance, pulled my hands out of my pockets and I actually saluted the old geezer. Man did I fucking feel like a pansy ass-kisser saluting to this old man.
"Sir?"
"Ah Msgt. Jeagerjacques, the General wishes to speak with you. Wondering why I came to tell you? 1Sgt. Harrison told me you wouldn't listen to him if he told you."
I put up a fake smile and chuckled.
"Well being friends with 1Sgt. Harrison as long as I have been, I treat him like if we were just out in the streets right now."
Carter laughed and patted Harrison on the back. I glanced at Harrison, a wicked grin on my face.
"Bastard! You brought him to make me look like an ass," I whispered harshly he chuckled.
"Payback for all the times you've disrespected me."
We made our way towards the General's command center. While Cummings and Carter went off somewhere I entered, finding General Durow looking at some maps. He looked up at me and smiled. In response I huffed and walked over to him. I looked down at the maps on the table and picked one up.
"Msgt. Jeagerjacques, you remember taking a test awhile back, right?"
I thought about if for a moment.
"Er, yeah for a promotion. So what's up?"
"You've been promoted. Congratulations are in order for you MgySgt." I smirked and shoved my hands into my pockets and he smirked.
"You treat everyone disrespectfully, don't you?"
"Just you guys whom I know personally. If I do this with Lt. Colonel Carter I will be fucking disciplined. Not you Nero, you're a friend somewhat . . . more like a dad to my old teenaged self."
He sighed heavily.
"Didn't do much though, you're still a spoiled brat."
I patted myself in search of cigarettes.
"Yeah, well, I would probably be in jail if it weren't for your ass." He chuckled.
"This promotion . . . we can't make much of a big deal of it since we got work to do. Though when we get back home we'll go out and celebrate. Vegas sound fun?" I found a lone cigarette in my pants pocket and stuck it in my mouth.
"Sure, sounds fun. I'm legal now."
"Aren't you twenty four?"
I made my way out, but I turned to look at him.
"Not yet, birthday isn't until next month. Oh, thanks for the early gift, I'll be sure to use my rank to its fullest. Oh Harrison!" I walked out leaving a laughing Durow.
General Nero Durow one of the few people to change my life for the better. A certain scowling teen made his way toward me.
"Heard you were promoted . . . wondering though. How can you be so young yet move up ranks so quickly? Doesn't it take years?"
"Sure it takes years. I've only been in the military about seven years. I guess you can say I was a special case; I was better than the guys in my class. Always was. I went from a Pvt to Lcpl in two years, skipping Pfc. I was then promoted Cpl after one year of being a Lcpl, then to GySgt after one year. After which I became Msgt in another year. Now I'm a MgySgt after two years."
He had a cute thinking face on.
"That accounts for all seven years, you were promoted so quickly." I lit the cigarette in my mouth and we both made our way to the lunch area. I quickly went through the smoke and sat down at a table. The guys around us were making too much noise for my taste. They spoke of this war as if it were a game. I growled and slammed my hand onto the table and they stopped talking to look at me. I stood up and walked up to the ring leader of these idiots.
"You think this war is a fucking video game, soldier!?" He scoffed and turned to look at his friends. Growling I flicked his cadet cap off his head and he glared at me.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"What's your rank?"
"What's it to ya?"
"WHAT'S YOUR GODDAMN FUCKING RANK!?"
"Pfc."
I laughed. He reached for his cap but before he could pick it up, I stepped on it.
"Listen to me, maggot! You think this war is a damn game? That everyone here has a second life?! That when they are gunned down you get another chance!?" He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, so I lifted an eyebrow. "Speak maggot, I'm giving you permission to. NOW SPEAK!"
He clenched his fist.
"No Sir, this isn't a game. I'm sorry sir." I removed my foot from his cap and he picked it up and dusted it off.
"While you're indoors, keep your cap off."
He looked up at me, seeing I was wearing my cap. I grinned wickedly and tapped my cap.
"I have my reasons." I sat back down and the kid tried to get a good look at my face. My eyes were shadowed by the bill of my cap.
"Why do you always wear that cap? I never see you take it off, not even at the hospital."
"Because he's an idiot."
I growled.
"Ulquiorra!" He sat down next to the kid and I lifted an eyebrow. I noticed I kept calling Kurosaki a kid, yet I didn't know his age.
"Oi Kurosaki, how old are you?" He looked at me fork still in mouth.
"Twenty," he mumbled. I nodded my head in understanding. So he wasn't a kid but he still wasn't at the legal drinking age. I stuffed a piece of bread in my mouth. A pouting Harrison sat across from me so I teasingly winked at him, making him frowned even more.
"How can you now be MgySgt? You flew through so many ranks so quickly. . . . . Oh, by the way, we lost Mason."
I lifted an eyebrow; he didn't seem to emotional about it. He lowered his head, his shoulders beginning to shake. A small hic came from him and I knew he was crying.
"This is war, Harrison. We are bound to lose many."
"I know Sgt. But still, Mason was like a brother to me."
I shoved a spoonful of chipped beef in my mouth and grunted.
"Soldier, I order you to stop being a bitch and pull yourself together." Another hic came from him. He looked up at me and wiped away the tears.
"Don't call me a bitch."
"Then follow my orders and stop crying."
"Sir."
"GRIMMJOW!" My eyes widened; it was the annoying squeaky voice of Taylor. He came running toward the table and, upon reaching us he stretched out his arms and hugged me. I flailed my arms around, trying to regain my balance. Harrison reached out for us and pulled me back into my seat. I glared at the annoying white man clinging to me.
"Get off me, you turd!"
"Not until we celebrate your promotion!" I shoved him away but he just clung on.
"Ew. I'm not celebrating alone with you." He puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms across his chest.
"No Sir, all of us. Ulquiorra, Harrison, Kurosaki, Cummings, Waghorne, Zimmerman, Lopez, Hernandez, and Takeda!" I scoffed he hugged me again.
"I don't want to celebrate shit with you guys. Plus, fucktard, we have a mission tonight."
I looked over to Harrison and he sighed heavily.
"Idiot! Me ranking above you won't last long. You'll be promoted to SgtMaj in no time. Nero will probably call you in tomorrow or some shit." A small smile graced his lips; my misery always made him smile. Pushing Taylor off of me, I stood up and made my way outside. Looking up at the sky I saw that it was becoming dark; our mission would start soon.
My platoon sat there before me, waiting to be briefed. I looked down at the men and women all dressed and ready to go. They waited for my instructions, so clearing my throat, I started.
"All right, we are going to infiltrate a home that is said to be filled with enemies with their weapons and shit. Taylor, Lopez, Waghorne, and Sado will go through the back. Cummings, Vaughn, Kurosaki and Zimmerman at the front door. Jessica, Ana, and Megan will stay in the HumVee's. I'll be across the street in an abandoned home, hoping to take out their ring leader first."
Making my way toward the exit, everyone just looked at me. Looking back at them I wondered what the hell they were just sitting there for.
"Hey move your ass! I ain't going by myself!" They stood up and followed me out. With this bunch of geniuses watching my back I sure feel safer. Ha. We packed the HumVee's and I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, I saw that it was Ulquiorra and Harrison. Harrison was smiling and Ulquiorra was looking at the others as they prepared.
"Jeagerjacques, good luck and don't die."
"Feh, as if my ass would get killed out there."
"Of course you would, you're too damn gung-ho," Ulquiorra said, still looking at everyone else. "Five to a HumVee and only three women in your platoon."
I rolled my eyes.
"They're good medics for in case anyone gets hurt, plus women get in the damn way." Harrison scoffed.
"So sexist."
"No, just realistic. Too many women to a platoon and they bring ya down; they aren't allowed in the front lines, remember that Harrison?" Ulquiorra was still staring at them.
"Why Jessica?"
"Why do you think?" The three of us sighed heavily.
"Taylor," Harrison said. They piled into the HumVee's and the engines roared. Harrison and Ulquiorra let me go. I jumped into the front passenger seat of the first HumVee, Zimmerman at the wheel.
"Sir?"
"Alright, let's go."
The drive was silent; everyone in the HumVee knew this was Megan and Ana's first time out for something other than helping the injured. The only sounds heard were the roar of the engine, the creaking of the plastic dashboard, the shifting of clothing. The HumVee dipped and tilted up as we drove through the sand. We came to stop and exited the vehicles. I looked in the back seat to Ana and Megan.
"You two stay here, I don't want you leaving, not even to go keep Jessica company. Got it?"
They shyly nodded their heads and I slowly shut the doors. The others came quietly running up to us. They lined up behind me, ducking down slightly we ran in. Our bodies pressed against buildings and we slowed down to a creeping walk. I pointed out the house they were to infiltrate and they all nodded their heads. They ducked down even further and ran as fast they could to their positions. I made my way to the home across the street. Doing I quick search of the place for any signs of life, I found there was nothing. Positioning myself at a slightly boarded up window, I aimed. I looked through the scope and found I had minimal view inside the home. There was some boards blocking their window.
I cursed silently but waited for the right moment. Men shuffled around inside, all seemingly going in the same direction to talk to someone. A man I had not seen before came into view. I grinned wickedly and slowly pulled the trigger. The shot was silent but the bullet roared as it cut through the air. My eyes closed; I could hear small splints of wood break off from one of the boards, the sickening sound of flesh ripping and burning, and there was a crack indicating the bullet had penetrated the skull. Another crack, more burning and ripping flesh. The bullet had gone through the man's head, a thud signifying that the man had fallen.
The yells of scared, frenzied men came from the house. It was the platoon's indicator to run in. I quickly dismantled the sniper rifle, hearing a loud crunching sound of wood as the men went into the home. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a white clad figure run out from behind the home. The idiots had let one get away. The man was heading toward the HumVees. My eyes widened slightly; Jessica and the others could be in trouble. I looked down at the case in my hand then back outside.
"Shit!" I whispered harshly and dropped the case; I would be back for it. I ran outside and looked into the home; the men had it under control from what I could tell. The HumVee Ana and Megan were in had started and moved. Jessica's HumVee was still sitting there and the man ran toward
it. I noticed something in his hand; he was hell bent on finishing his suicide mission. If not the planned building, then why not take out an American vehicle with someone inside instead?
Time seemed to have slowed down. I could see Jessica's eyes widen significantly. She tried to jump to the front seat to move the HumVee, but it was too late. He had opened one of the doors already. I ran faster but stopped. The cracking of the fire hitting the explosive powder reached my ears. I looked to see if Jessica had made it out but she was in too much shock to move. There was a loud explosion; the man along with Jessica and the HumVee went up into the air. I put up my arms to block the debris from hitting me, squinting the vehicle slowly descended.
"DUMB BITCH! YOU SHOULD'VE . . . "
The vehicle came back down to the ground. I ran toward it, thinking that maybe by some ray of hope she may have survived. I reached the burning car; reaching out for the door handle I found it burned my hand. Wincing, I took the pain and pulled the door open. I chuckled.
"THIS IS WHY I DON'T WANT WOMEN IN MY FUCKING PLATOON!"
Jessica's body lay there between the front and back seats.
"JESSICA!!"
My head snapped toward the pained yell. Taylor was on his knees crying.
Awww I feel bad for Taylor because I killed off Jessica. Like I told my mother, this is war people must lose limbs and some must die. Again nothing happened between Grimmy and Ichi but like I had said in the last chapter there won't be much going on between them. I like making relationships difficult and make them progress slowly. I've seen too many stories where the characters barely know each other and just after two chapters they're already together. Well thank you all who read and I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
Military terms:
Pvt-Private
Pfc- Private First Class
Lcpl- Lance Corporal
Cpl- Corporal
GySgt- Gunnery Sergeant
Msgt- Master Sergeant
MgySgt- Master Gunnery Sergent
SgtMaj- Sergeant Major
