Hell Hath None 10- Parting Glass
Jack could hear Gordo telling Norman to shoot at the Nazi's over the con. She minded her own business and focused on shooting. Collier would straighten him out after this.
"Hey, get him! Get him!" Gordo yelled to Norman. Jack called through on the con.
"Where, tell me where, I'll get it." Jack called.
"Got it!." Boyd called and took out the threat. Jack kept firing.
"All tanks hold here, hold here." Collier called through the radio. Jack felt the tank stop. Norman had had a rough time reloading. She figured she should show him how to reload later. They kept firing and the troops covered the ground. Jack sighed her nose when Norman started freaking out. Don shot her a look before calling through the con to tell him to be quiet.
His yelling brought her back to the boy who helped her escape. His words were almost the exact same as what Norman was saying. If Norman kept on this track, he'd be eating his own bullets. Jack wasn't sure if she would be able to handle that. In a way, it would be her fault. She was in charge of making sure he ok. But Norman had already headed down that track, how was she supposed to get him off it.
When she got the call to get off the tank, she climbed down with her gun and helped take care of business. Jack made sure to beware of where the trenches were. Sometimes she would climb down and search the dead. After the fourth trench was cleared, she stuck her head out and began to climb out when a bullet flew past her. She jumped back down until Grady gave her an all clear, him being at the trench next to her.
She climbed out and thanked him. He handed her a bottle of something and she began to drink. Grady thought she was just going to take a sip. He laughed deeply when she took several, trying to get as much in her before he took the bottle away.
"C'mon now. We don't need you shit faced." He said as he took the bottle and pat her on the back. She winced and rolled her shoulder. Her hand rested on it as if it was going to make it stop hurting.
"Where's Gordo? He owes me a pack." She asked firmly. She kept rubbing her shoulder. Grady just shrugged and took a sip from his bottle. Jack sighed through her nose and began walking around. She pulled out her own pack and grabbed her last cigarette. She smoked it as she walked around. She saw Boyd with some of the dying soldiers and left him to do his thing. She finished the cigarette in minute. She didn't bother looking for Don, he was still in the tank, probably chewing out Norman. She as glad she wasn't in there. She heard Don chew out people before, hell, she even got chewed out every now and then.
Jack finally found Gordo and approached him aggressively. Gordo found himself freezing as he watched her advance. Her helmet was off and her hair that now reached her shoulders in messy curls fanned back as she marched over. She was a little frightening to watch. She got to him and spoke.
"Pay up." She demanded and stuck out her hand for the pack of cigarettes.
"Nah, man. How you don't know I won?" He argued. She scowled.
"Call it a draw and split fifty-fifty." She suggested. Gordo laughed and handed her a pack. She looked at him confused.
"I found another pack. Take this one." She nodded and lit on the moment it was in her hand. Her and Gordo walked around, talking about Norman and where they were going. She smoked three before Gordo spoke up. She was lighting up her fourth when he said something.
"Damn, girl. What got you smokin' so much?" He asked. She exhaled the smoke for a few long seconds before explaining. She looked back to the tank before talking about Norman and her concern.
Norman was taking of his helmet and trying to get himself together. Don rubbed his head and sighed through his nose. He took a moment to think. What does he say to a kid who has no business being here? He settled down before making the top rotate so he could look at Norman and tell him what's going on. When it stopped, Norman looked over his shoulder at him.
"I had one of the best assistant drivers on the American side who could arguably be one of the strongest, bravest person I have ever come across. She is also the love of my life." Collier told him calmly. "Now I have you." Norman seemed to be slightly surprised about the information Don just shared, especially the last bit. /collier took in a breath. "I also promised my crew I'd keep them alive." He said firmly. "You're getting in the way of that."
"Look, ok, I'm sorry. I was trained to type…" Norman began defending himself. Don leaned back and looked at the kid. There really was no way he should be here in Germany. Even enlisting was such a bad idea. Don looked up and tried to listen to outside. He could hear a commotion. He climbed out of the tank and began figuring out what was going on.
"Damn, girl. It ain't yo' fault he here. He a man now. He made this choice just like the rest of us." Gordo told Jack. She nodded and picked up her sixth cigarette. Gordo grabbed the pack from her. "You gonna run out you keep that up." He said with a small laugh. "Besides, he's just gotta adjust. You remember when you first got here? You probably weren't no better than him." Gordo reminded her. She looked at him and laughed, nodding.
"Yeah. I was a fucking mess, man." She laughed thinking back. "My group, on the first day during down time, they decided to pull a stupid prank. One of them tossed a grenade near us. It wasn't live, but they didn't bother to tell me that. I thought I was gonna die right then and there." SHE admitted and rubbed the back of her head as she giggled.
"What'd you do?" Gordo asked, wanting to hear more.
"I jumped on it. Figured if I was gonna go, I wasn't making anyone go with me." She admitted. "Took me a while to figure out it wasn't live." She said.
"How long you stay on it." Gordo asked.
"Onle a solid minute. They told me what was happening. The Top wasn't happy about it, chewed them out. After that they let me be." She explained. "Daniel was the one who threw it. Speaking of which, you seen him around?" She asked. Gordo shook his head and pointed to the tree line.
"Nah. But I think something's about to happen over there. Maybe they got a Kraut." Gordo suggested and the two headed over to the group. On the way over, she saw Don get out of the tank and call for Norman. They watched as Don lead Norman over to the group.
Jack spotted Grady and Boyd standing near the tank, watching. Jack and Gordo joined the group of onlookers. The Nazi was on his knees, facing away and Norman was refusing to take the gun. Don had to smack him around a bit before he made Norman look at him.
"I'm tryin' to teach you something." He said firmly. He tried to sound encouraging, telling him to just get it over with. "Just, get it overwith." A few of the onlookers made sounds of agreement and tried to pressure him into taking the gun.
"C'mon man. It only takes a second." Gordo said.
"First one's always hard, you can do it." Jack called from her spot. Norman looked around at the people surrounding him. Norman told Collier he couldn't do it and Collier assured him he could.
"It's simple. It's you or him. You or him, pick." He said and waved the gun between the two. Jack froze at Norman's words.
"Just kill me. Kill me. Kill me." He said quietly. Norman became firmer in his decision and Don quickly glanced around the onlookers and briefly saw Jack's startled look. He turned back to Norman who tried to tell him he couldn't do it. "I can't, I can't do it just-"
Fury and anger burned through Jack's veins in a flash and she cut off Norman's rant. She started forward only to be held back by Gordo.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" Jack yelled, startling most people around her. Gordo had to lift her up and drag her away. Once he got her a few feet from the group, he took his hand off of her mouth and she yelled at him. "Gordo, get the fuck off me! Let me go!" She yelled at him. He didn't let her go until he got to Boyd and Grady.
"The fuck you do know?" Grady asked laughing as she dropped from Gordo's grip. He had let her go and she dropped a few inches to the ground. She turned around and shoved Gordo.
"I'll fucking kill him myself! I swear to God if War Daddy doesn't shoot him, I fucking will!" She said as she treid to get past Gordo. Boyd laughed and grabbed her shoulder.
"No you won't. We know you too well. Sit down before you hurt yourself." Boyd said as he dragged her to sit. She let him lead her to sit but pulled out her cigarettes. She lit one before Gordo walked over and took her pack. She let him and put her head in her hands. Fatigue washed over her. For the past month she had bene having trouble sleeping. That gunshot had reopened so many emotional scars.
Her loader from her first group that had stepped on a mine, the kid who shot himself, watching her top from the first group get gunned down, the concentration camps, screaming, fire, everything. Everything over the past year came flooding back in vivid nightmares. But Norman, Norman brought back her nephew mixed with the kid that saved her life. She sat like that for a while and smoked her cigarette until she heard the gunshot. It slightly startled her out of her thinking and she got up.
Jack walked over to the front of the tank and climbed into her old seat. She settled in and looked around. Norman hadn't decorated it yet. She looked to her pictures and ran her hands over each one. Her parents, her nephew, her crew, she had even put the picture up of her and her nephew, the one where she was in a dress. She had gotten a lot of comments when they saw that picture.
"You sure that's you? You don't look anything like that now." Was one of the things the boys said. They made her laugh and she put it on her wall. Her hand rested on the picture of the little boy who shares the name of the boy who was now the new driver. His smile with a missing tooth, his long, sandy hair and happy brown eyes. That Norman looked nothing like the Norman she was working with now. However, they were similar. They were similar in the way they saw the world.
Both of them saw everything as black and white, right and wrong. They both shared and innocence she felt obligated to protect. But they were in Germany. If she tried to protect Norman, it would only get him killed. At the rate Norman was going, he was going to end up like the boy who helped her escape. Jack didn't know what to do.
"Jack!" She heard Collier call her and she jumped out of her opened hatch. She looked at him and met his gaze. He took in her firm, challenging expression. "Make sure Norman gets something to eat. After that, you're up top with me. I want you on that gun." He explained and climbed up. She sighed through her nose, knowing better than to argue. She reached in and grabbed food before climbing out. She walked over to her group and stopped short.
"Grady, what the fuck are you wearing?" She asked. Grady had on a Nazi coat and helmet. Boyd snorted at her surprise.
"What you don't like my new look?" Grady teased. She kept her expression firm and unamused but on the inside she was laughing.
"It makes me wanna shoot you." She answered. She sighed and turned to Norman. She tossed a can of food to him. "Eat that. Now!" She insisted when he just sat there watching her. He startled and opened the can. Grady and Gordo chuckled. Jack didn't realize how intimidating she could be at times.
"What's Don got you doin'?" Boyd asked her. She sighed and rubbed the back of her head.
"I'm up top on the gun. The kid is driving. " She answered. "Gordo, gimme my pack back." She said nad headed towards him. He laughed and took it out of her pocket and backed away from her.
"No way, man! You gonna run out and I ain't sharin'!" He told her. Jack tried to grab it out of his hands but Gordo tossed it to Grady. He caught it and Jack spun around, not up for their antics.
"Grady! So help me-" She started saying, making her way towards him. He laughed and waved it in her face before putting his hand high up in the air. Norman watched as she tackled Grady to the ground, getting a running jump. Norman found himself smiling at the two and Boyd nudged him.
"C'mon. Eat up or she's gonna tackle you too." He told Norman and sat next to him. "If she doesn't, War Daddy will take you down." Boyd said as he sipped his coffee. Norman began eating slowly. Gordo walked past, laughing at the two on the ground. Jack was sitting on Grady's chest. She used her foot to pin one of his arms to the ground. He kept one hand far away and it was the one with the cigarettes. Grady tried to roll her off but she had a knee on his chest keeping him down. She figured out how to keep a person down from her first tank. She was slapping his head around, trying to get him to give her the cigarettes. If she shifted slightly it would give him the chance to get her off. Gordo walked over to try and break it up. It was a half-assed attempt.
"You talk as if they've done that before." Norman said as he ate and watched the three.
"Do you see what Jack's doing?" Bible pointed out and sipped from his tin cup. "And as for War Daddy? He did. HE took down Jack when he found out she wasn't eating." Norman looked at Bible, then to Jack, then back to Bible.
"Why wasn't she eating?" Norman asked, concerned. Bible looked at him and pat his shoulder while drinking his coffee. He tossed out the rest and stood.
"Don't worry about her. It was a while ago. She couldn't keep it down so she stopped. Figured she would stop throwing up if there was nothing in her stomach. War Daddy had to take her down to get her to eat or even go to the Med Tent." He picked up the box Norman was sitting on after he got up. "We gotta go. Start getting this shit back in the tank and get seated." HE said and walked over to Jack, Grady and Gordo. Boyd picked up the pack and tossed it to Jack. She caught it with a cry of success and Grady shoved her off into the mud. Norman was picking things up as he heard her swearing and yelling.
With the conversation over and distractions gone, Norman's thoughts went back to the man he had just murdered. He looked back to the bodies on the ground. It was overwhelming and he felt guilty for letting them distract him. How could they joke and fool around during times like this? How were they not overcome by grief and guilt?
They all got in the tank and moved on. Norman was silent, Gordo was silent, no one spoke as they rode. After a while, they heard the sound of planes overhead. They looked up to see a few small planes heading straight for a massive wall of planes. Everyone looked up and watched.
"There you go, boys." Don said out loud. "Keep poundin' 'em." Everyone watched as they rolled through the ruins of a previous battle. Destroyed equipment littered the ground as smoke rose from the ground. The grey skies above them mirrored the mood infecting the soldiers as they rolled onward. Jack leaned against her gun and rested her head on her arms. She sighed deeply through her nose and Boyd looked at her, giving her a small smile.
As they rolled through, they came across a woman carving meat from a dead horse. It was eerie and Jack felt a shiver run down her spine. Smoke rose from the town behind the tree line and as they came upon a town, corpses hung with signs around their necks.
"They got signs around their necks." Boyd pointed out. "What they say?" He asked. Jack read them but could only make out a few. She could speak German fine but reading it was challenging. Collier translated for them.
"I am a coward and refuse to fight for the German people." Don stated simply. Jack's mind went straight to the boy who helped her escape. How he claimed he couldn't do it anymore, couldn't fight in the war, how he took his own life. Was he a coward? Or was he smarter than the rest of them?
"The SS does that." Gordo said. "Let 'em rip themselves to pieces! Fuck them." He said to Norman. Jack straightened up and coughed. She coughed for a good minute and Don turned to her.
"You dyin' back there?" He asked. She cleared her throat and shook her head.
"Got sick and it settled in my chest. Thought I had it cleared out by now." She said. They rolled on to the town. Troops were on the ground and everyone readied themselves. Her thoughts drifted to Daniel and she looked back to see him in his seat, driving. He wasn't looking around at the landscape and Jack turned back around. As they rolled into the town, Don put the radio down and turned to Jack.
"Jack, I want you in the tank. We don't got eyes on the enemy and I don't want a sniper picking you off." Don said. Jack looked at the back of his head incredulously before climbing up. She slid onto the hatch next to him and before she could sink in, he stopped her. "Hey, iche liebe dich." He said. Jack smiled at him.
"If I get shot again, I'm coming after you." She teased. He smiled and elbowed her gently. sHe shoved him before getting into the tank. She settled in the tank.
"He send you in?" Boyd asked. Jack rolled her eyes and lit a cigarette.
"The fuck does it look like?" She asked lightly. Bible laughed as he and Grady readied the canon. She could hear Collier yelling orders and called over the con for Gordo to turn. "This is stupid. If he's hanging out of the tank I should be out on the gun." She grumbled and Grady laughed at her. She began to stand when Don had them stop. He used a hand to push her back down. She sat with an indignant oof.
"Opa…" Don was speaking in German, asking where the soldiers were. Jack didn't hear a response but flinched at the sound of a gunshot. Someone shouted "sniper" and gunfire followed. Jack made her way behind Norman. She was going to make sure he fired.
"Bible, follow my bursts." Don ordered before firing. Bile settled in and followed.
"That are you doing?" Norman asked her.
"Helping. You got new rounds in?" He nodded. "Keep your eyes open. I'll help you reload." Norman nodded with a firm expression and watched the battle outside the tank. Jack leaned over and spoke to Gordo before coming back to Norman and pushing his head out of the way. She wanted to see outside. They began to move forward after the building was taken care of. Jack leaned back and let Norman look again. A ground shooter began firing and Norman stated and leaned into the scope, shock taking over his features. Jack watched him. Don sunk into the tank and closed his hatch. One of the tanks fired and chunks of brick hit the tank.
"God damn." Don said quietly. He climbed back out and looked at the other tank. "All right, Gordo, forward." He said. Jack coughed again and tried to settle it. They rolled into the square and Jack shoved Norman's head away from the scope for a few seconds to see what was going on. It was quiet. Something heavy fired at the tank and ricocheted off it. Jack leaned back and dragged Norman back to the scope, leaned back and made sure Collier was still standing. Grady nudged her head with his foot.
"He's good." He said and she turned back around. sHe was going stir crazy not doing anything. She felt powerless and she wanted some form of control. "Clear it Boyd!" Grady yelled. Boyd fired. Jack looked out Norman's scope and he rolled his eyes at her behavior but didn't mind too much. She let him look and he saw German soldiers come stumbling out the building, burning.
"Shoot them. No one else will." She told him quietly. He pursed his lips and fired. He cut them down as they all came out of the building. Jack rested a hand on his shoulder. Norman saw it as mercy killings and she knew that. It was the whole reason she had him fire at them. He leaned back with a sigh when they all died.
"Good shooting, kid. Keep stacking them up." Collier called through the radio. Jack smiled encouragingly at him and leaned back.
"You should've let em burn." Gordo called. Jack glared at him and kicked his seat.
"You want him shooting or letting 'em shoot us?" She asked. Gordo laughed at her and she rolled her eyes and climbed her way to the back. She climbed up and Don let her. They stopped in the square and Jack climbed down to join the troops on the ground. The place was clear for the most part. Before Jack could get of the tank, they saw a German with a white flag. Don waved him over. The man was speaking so fast Jack could barely understand him.
Don spoke with the man and the man turned to tell his soldiers to come out. Jack grabbed her gun and held it at the door, ready to fire as Don told everyone else to do the same. She watched as kids came out of building. sHe kept her gun aimed but let herself relax. They were kids and they looked scared to death. But kids could do as much damage as an adult and she wasn't taking chances. She watched as the soldiers lead them around and got them out of the building.
Jack froze and lowered her gun, mouth hanging open as an SS officer walked out of the building. She knew him. She knew that face anywhere. Her heart raced and she tried to control her breathing. She wasn't scared. She was livid.
"You know him?" Don asked, noticing her expression. She nodded. "He one of the guys who took you?"
"You could say that." She bit out. Don called out to the Mayor, asking if he was the one hanging people. The mayor looked at them and confirmed it. He seemed to be angry at the SS soldier as well.
"Hey." Don called to the soldiers. "Get that guy." He said pointing out the SS officer. They advanced and dragged him away from the rest of the Germans. He held a piece of paper in his hand and kept them up in surrender. He stood and faced Jack. He met her eyes and held her gaze. If he was afraid, she couldn't tell. "Give him hell, Ghost." Collier told her. She looked at him and he nodded at her, motioning for her to go ahead. "Just don't make it easy on him." He said. Jack gave him a small smile and nod, hopping down off the tank. Gordo saw her walking over to the Nazi.
"The hell is she doing?" He asked.
"Collier told her to take care of him." Boyd answered. "He's one of the fuckers who took her." HE explained. Gordo whistled and Norman looked around the tank in confusion.
"This I gotta see." Grady said as he climbed out to watch. Gordo popped his hatch and stood up. Bible made his way to the top as well. Norman looked out his scope. He could see Jack standing face to face with the man.
"Remember me?" She asked him quietly. He just looked at her, scanning her face. They stood in silence for a few seconds. Jack was thinking what she was going to do. There were so many things. He shook his head and she backed up a bit. She raised her gun and shot out one of his knees. Two shots and he was down, screaming in pain. She ran up and swung her foot into his face. She leaned over. "Remember me, asshole?" She yelled at him. He spat at her and she stomped on his nose before backing up again. Two American soldiers were watching her, smiling and laughing at the damage she was doing. She spotted a metal pipe. She asked one of them to grab it for her.
"The hell is she doing?" Grady asked. Gordo shrugged.
"I'm sure it won't be good." Boyd answered as he pulled out a cigarette.
"Whatever she does to him, I'm sure he deserved it." Collier said simply. Grady laughed as she approached the Nazi with the pipe. It was a short but thick pipe, only about two or three feet.
Jack gripped it tight. She called the two soldiers to get him up. The moment they got him standing, Jack ran at the man and the soldiers stepped to the side laughing as the pipe connected with his ribs. She had swung it like a bat and they could hear a few cracks as the man yelled out in pain. He was on his hands and knees and She swung a few more times, hitting his ribs. She rolled him onto his back and put one of her feet on his chest.
She asked him something in German. When he didn't answer she put her weight on the foot on his chest, putting pressure on the newly broken ribs. He yelled out in pain and she asked him again if he remembered her.
"Your German is shit." He spit in English. She slammed her foot down hard and he gasped for air. She stood over him and swung the pipe down against his face. It was awkward and difficult to get a good angle but it did enough damage to hurt. She kept at it until his face was unrecognizable.
The two American soldiers who had been laughing suddenly found themselves uncomfortable with this woman's violence. They backed off and let her be, not wanting to invoke her wrath. The men in her tank watched on, unsurprised, except Norman. He had a difficult time coming to terms with what he was watching. Slight horror graced his features as she continued to beat the man's head in even though he was well passed dead.
Blood sprayed up onto her uniform, mixing with mud. Blood and grime found its way onto her face as she let out two years' worth of anger on the dead soldier. She stepped back and looked at the damage she had done and dropped the pipe. Her breathing was labored and she coughed a bit before picking up her gun and heading back to the tank. The Mayor looked at her in horror and Grady pulled her back up congratulating her.
The American's wandered about the square and Jack slid into her seat to grab some food and water. Norman had gotten out of the tank. She climbed back out and sat next to Boyd who had set up a few crates and was warming up something to drink.
"Feel better?" He asked. She nodded and coughed a bit, clearing her chest. "That doesn't sound good." She waved him off and spotted Daniel. She got up and approached him, ducking when someone used a bunch of cards as a baseball. She smiled when she finally reached him. He looked tired.
"What's wrong?" She asked, concerned. He shook his head.
"Assistant driver is dead. Didn't get down in time and a sniper got him." He explained.
"I thought you were assistant driver." She said confused. He shook his head with a small smile.
"No. I'm the main one. Now I'm the only one." He said.
"I'm sorry." Jack offered and he shrugged, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. Jack saw Don talking to Norman before heading into a building. Gordo was helping a woman into the tank and Boyd looked miserable.
"I saw what you did to that German." Daniel stated as he put his glasses back on. "I didn't know you lost your humanity when you got your name Ghost." He said and looked right at her, disappointment in his eyes. Jack was taken aback by his words.
"I didn'-" she started to defend herself but Daniel shook his head and cut her off.
"Don't. Look, I know you had a rough time and these German's aren't human. But I know you and you're better than that. You had no right-" Daniel was cut off when Jack backhanded him so hard his glasses fell off.
"Don't you dare tell me what right I do and do not have." She bit at him quietly and began walking forward. Daniel backed up and she began shoving him. "Let's see your family get gunned down by these people. Let's see you have to spend months with them and see just what they really do. Let's see you get put through hell by them and be expected to not be angry, not want to make them suffer." She shoved him again.
"Look, we've all lost people. You don't see us beating their heads in, do you?" He tried to defend himself. He was getting tired of her pushing him. "This is war and war has its rules. What you did was wrong."
"What do you think you are? Some priest? You are no better than me! What about that family you slaughtered hu?" She challenged. Daniel glared at her.
"That was different." He demanded firmly. She spat in his face. He looked at her and saw the blood. "All that blood is on you. How can you eve sleep at ni-" She punched him this time. She punched him in the face so hard he stumbled back in shock. Anger flashed across his face and he swung fast. His fist connected with her nose hard and she stumbled back. He let her get her bearings. A few people near them stopped to see what would happen. She swore and brought hands up to her nose. Hse wiped away some of the bad and fury ran through her veins. She lunged and brought Daniel to the ground.
She wrapped got in three punches before he rolled her off. He was on top of her and had punched her in the face again, but not the nose. She struck out and hit his chin and she struck out and hit his throat. She brought her legs up to knee him but he just readjusted and wrapped his hands around her throat. She couldn't breathe and tried to pry him off.
When she first arrived in Germany, she didn't know the first thing about fighting. Daniel taught her. He had been in Germany longer and knew a few things. He taught her almost everything she knows. He was also someone she never stood a chance against.
She lay in the mud, trying to get him off as he choked her. She heard yelling and black spots crept into her vision. The man she thought was her friend was trying to kill her. Someone pulled him off her and dragged her away and onto her feet. When her vision cleared she was it was the American who gave her the pipe. She coughed and gasped. Daniel shouted at her but she didn't hear him. A few guys pushed him away, making them get distance.
When she caught her breath she assured the man she was ok. He handed her gun back and she put it around her shoulders and walked back to the tank. She had seen the guys go into a building and knew it was empty. As she headed over, they came out and met her. She hadn't seen Don. He had left before them to go meet with someone in charge. She ran over to the guys, trying to look as un-frazzled as possible.
"Woah, woah, woah. What the hell happened?" Boyd asked and grabbed her arm, pulling her to stand in front of him. She swung her arm as an instinct and he backed up.
"Shit, sorry." She said as he approached her again.
"The fuck did you get into to?" He asked, seeing the bloody nose and bruising. Bruises bloomed on her cheek and neck. "Was there a fucking Kraut?" He asked concerned. She shook her head.
"No, no. Just-" She tried to explain when Grady walked over.
"Who the fuck did that?" He asked She sighed irritated.
"No one. Just got into a disagreement. It's fine." She insisted.
"INCOMING!" Someone yelled and they all ran for cover as bombs dropped. Boyd climbed up the tank and jumped in. Same with Gordo and Grady. Norman and her dropped and rolled under the tank. He was only partially under the tank and she pulled him closer. She covered his head with one of her arms as the bombing ensued. Soon enough it ended and everyone made their way out of hiding. People were running around, seeing who was ok. She made sure Norman was good before climbing out into the open. She tried to climb into her seat but Boyd stopped her.
"Hey, lemme check your nose. Make sure it ain't broke." She rolled her eyes and let him. She hissed when he poked at it with his thumbs. She yelped and swatted away his hands. Don was walking around, making sure everyone was ok. He came up to the tank. She hopped down to meet him.
"The fuck happened?" He asked. She tried to tell him it was nothing but one of the leaders from the tanks came over. He was from Daniel's tank.
"Sarge, I got a problem." He said. Don turned to him, waiting for the issue. "Both my loader and my assistant drivers are dead. My main driver know how to act as a loader but I need a driver." He said shaking his head. Collier sighed and Jack stood next to him when Daniel came over and stood behind his Top. She glared at him. "I know you have an extra driver. I need one of 'em." He explained. Collier nodded and turned to Jack.
"You son of a bitch!" She yelled, going after Daniel. The other man stepped in between and Collier pushed her away, confusion on his face.
"I'll give you one. Just need to decide who. We'll stop and they'll come over when needed. Mount up and move out." Collier ordered. The man nodded and he and Daniel went to the tank. Don turned and saw Norman running to a building that was nothing but ruble.
"Norman!" He called. Grady went after the kid.
"what happened there?" Jack asked. Collier filled her in on the way bac to the tank. She nodded in understanding.
"You gonna tell me what that was about?" He asked as they climbed up the tank.
"Daniel and I didn't see eye to eye." She answered.
"I'm thinking of sending you over. I need to keep an eye on the kid. You know how to handle yourself. That gonna be a problem or do I need to send Gordo?" He asked. She shook her head.
"I know him and we work well together. I'll go." She stated as she climbed into the tank.
"Yeah. I can see that." He said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes. "Let Norman drive." He told her, earning an exasperated sigh. He laughed. "When you first got here, you never wanted to drive." He pointed out. Jack could hear Grady yelling at Norman outside. She sighed, feeling sorry for Norman. She knew what it was like, losing someone you love. She knew it too well. She watched with pity as Norman climbed in an they drove off. Her and Boyd decided to climb out and get the fresh air while they could. He lit a cigarette and gave her a rag to get the blood off her face.
They all sat in silence for a while. Before long Don called Norman up, to give him a break. Gordo would be fine driving alone. She didn't send Jack in for a few reasons. One of which was because she could relate to Norman so well. Norman sat cross legged on the top of the tank, tears cutting through the mud. He pointed out the city on fire and began telling about how he started the war in Africa and how he was now in Germany. Jack stood behind them, listening. He assured him it would end soon.
They sat in silence for a while. Grady was sitting inside while Boyd stood out of the hatch. Jack stood in back with her gun, ready to run to the tank behind her if needed. She rested her head on her arms against the large gun and looked at Norman as he hung his head. Everyone was silent, somber. Then Jack remembered a line of a song. She started out quietly. So quiet it was almost a whisper. She kept her eyes on Norman.
"Oh, of all the money, that ere I had, I spent it in good company." She sang quietly, straining her sore throat. "And all the harm, that ere I've done, alas it was to none but me." Don smiled as she sang and looked to her. "And all I've done, for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall, So fill to me the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all." She stood up straight and tried to sing louder, looking at Boyd briefly with a smile.
"Of all the comrades that ere I had, they are sorry for my going away." She looked at Norman who had turned to look at her. She rested a hand on his arm as she sand. "And all the sweat hearts, that ere I had, they would wish me one more day to stay."
Boyd and Jack joined together for the next bit, both singing in harmony and Norman cracked a small smile.
"But since it falls unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not. I'll gently rise, and softly call, good night and joy be with you all. They sang and she smiled at Boyd in thanks. Bible let her sing the next part and didn't join in until the end.
"A man may drink, and not be drunk. A man may fight and not be slain." She looked at Norman again and gently pushed him, smiling. "A man may court a pretty girl, and perhaps be welcome back again."
"But since it has so ought to be, by a time to rise and a time to fall. Come fill to me, the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all. Goodnight and joy be with you all." Jack and Boyd finished together. She smiled softly at Norman who returned it. Don put a heavy hand on his shoulder and nudged his gently. Boyd handed Jack a cigarette and Grady calle dup from in the tank.
"Goodnight and joy my fucking ass!" He called. Jack laughed and lowered her head and torso into the hatch where Don was standing, getting between him and Norman.
"Jealous we ain't singin' for you, Coon-ass?" they heard her jear. They heard him thunking around in the tank.
"You're just jealous I got me a chocolate bar." He said.
"You gonna use it to fuck Hitler?" She shot back.
So we are nearing the end of the movie. Do not fear, more people than just Norman will survive. I am not sure how it will be ending. I am thinking of who I want to kill off or I may not even kill anyone. But the question for you guys is do you want the movie to end in one or two chapters. If two, they will be short. If one it will be hella long. Also, I don't know if I want a sequal or just to make the story longer by adding it in. Message me or review with your thoughts and Ideas. If both Jack and War Daddy live, I am going to go into them getting home. Let me know if I need to make a sequal or a really long story.