Disclaimer: I do not know Todd Blackburn, Michael Durant, William F. Garrison, Matt Eversmann, Casey Joyce, Shawn Nelson, or Black Hawk Down. I'm using 'Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War' by Mark Bowden and any details I remember from the movie. All details concerning the battle, dates, times, places, etc. are the same. None of that has been changed. I do own this fan fic idea, Danielle Ashton, and Sarah Thomas.
Author's Note: Yes, I finally got off my lazy ass and stopped reading other fan fictions long enough to write another chapter of this for you. Don't you feel so special? You should. Hum, I got some pretty good feedback from everyone and a lot of people were asking me to update this ASAP. I really have no good reason for not writing. Just one word of advice - never RPG, it's addictive. Anyways, rambling. Um, nothing else I really need to say. Yea, onto the next chapter. By the way, this hasn't ended yet. One of the new reviewers seemed to think it was over...well, it isn't...the torture continues!
Matt Eversmann followed the secretary in front of him, curious about why he was being pulled into a meeting.
Was this about me freaking out when I returned? Or maybe, when I was walking around with Sarah in my arms, trying to take her back to the nurses' homes? What else have I done that is worth getting called into a meeting? Calm yourself Matt. They probably just want to talk to you about what happened, not about what you did. Yea, that's it.
Matt smiled to himself, happy to find a solution for why he was being called to a meeting without it being because he did something. The secretary stopped in front of a door, saluted to Matt, and walked away, having more work to do. Matt took a couple of deep breaths, knocked on the door, and then entered. He saluted to Major General William F. Garrison and stood with his hands behind his back, erect and waiting for commands.
"At ease, Sergeant," William said, standing up from behind his desk. He began to pace as Matt watched him, curious about how tense Garrison was. After a couple minutes of this, Eversmann finally got the nerve to ask a question.
"Sir?"
"Yes, Sergeant." Garrison responded, not bother to look up at Matt.
"I was wondering why you called me down here, sir."
"Oh. Sorry, I was just thinking." Garrison stopped, sat at his desk, and waved for Matt to sit in a chair across from him. He did so, slightly hesitant, and sitting stiff in the uncomfortable chair. He forced himself to calm down and wait for the Major General to speak up. He didn't have to wait long. "The reason I called you down here Sergeant is because you were the leader of Chalk Four, were you not?"
Matt nodded, his throat constricting.
"Well, I need you to go tell your men that we are going home."
"What, sir!" Matt jumped out of the chair, surprised by this news. His mouth was hanging open and he looked like he had just been told that they were going to sentence him to death. He regained his composure, sat down, and excused himself for his behavior. "I'm sorry, sir. Why is it that we are leaving now?"
"The President said to come home, Sergeant. I am not one to go against him, even if I do believe we should stay here. The first plane of soldiers to go home will depart tomorrow morning. Amongst them will be all of those wounded that need to get to a more advanced hospital and the deceased. A few others will also be on the plane - nurses, friends of the wounded."
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking... What about Officer Michael Durant? He is still out there, sir, if I remember correctly. And the bodies of those who died in the crashes? What about them, sir?"
"Negotiations are being made to get Officer Durant back here, unharmed. We are also trying to get back the bodies of the others." Garrison paused, thinking for a moment. "Is there something bothering you, Sergeant?"
"Nothing, sir." Matt shook his head and stared at his hands for a moment. He then looked up at the Major General who was looking at him expectantly. "I do have a favor to ask."
"Well go ahead, ask."
"I was wondering, sir, if I would be permitted to return home tomorrow."
Garrison looked at him, studying Matt very hard as if his eyes could bore through his head and into his mind. This continued for a moment, before he stapled his hands behind his head and leaning back. William stared at the ceiling, tracing the patterns of the cracks with his eyes. Finally, he took his hands out from behind him and brought them in front of him, leaning on the desk.
"Permission granted, sergeant. You will leave tomorrow at seven hundred hours. Be ready by six hundred hours so you can help others less fortunate board and to help load the plane with any supplies. Do you understand, Sergeant?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are excused, Sergeant. And don't forget to tell your chalk that the base will be leaving within the next week...hopefully."
Both stood up and saluted each other. Matt left the room and walked down the hall to a nearby bathroom. Once inside, he locked the door, turned around, and slid down the door to the ground. He brought his knees to his chin, wrapped his arms around them, and looked very much like a lost child.
God. All of those men out there and the President wants us to return home as quickly as possible. What are we going to tell their families when we don't bring them back? And what about Durnat? God bless him and please return him to us alive and in one piece. This is horrible. And what am I to tell my men? 'Guess what? We're leaving and you have no choice.' Great!
Matt continued to stare at the floor while trying to figure out the best way to tell his men. After a half an hour, he jolted when he heard a knock on the door.
"Hello? Is anyone in there?"
He jumped up and unlocked the door. Specialist Shawn Nelson was the man who had been knocking at the door and Matt let him in.
"Sorry Specialist Nelson. I didn't mean to lock you from the facilities.
"No, Sergeant Eversmann, it's all right. I was looking for you, sir."
"What about Nelson?"
Shawn fidgeted a bit. Damn the luck that he had to be chosen to ask about the rumors. He looked up at Matt who was waiting an answer.
"Well, Sergeant, there are rumors going around the base. Rumors of returning home. Is it true, Sergeant?"
"Yes it's true, Nelson. I was just about to go tell the chalk."
"Okay, sir. If you want, I can tell them. Private Blackburn was asking for you also. Sounded a bit out of it, but that might be due to the medications he's on."
"Thank you Nelson. I appreciate you telling them. You can confirm that the rumors are true and then I'll speak with the chalk with more details after I'm done with Blackburn."
"Yes, Sergeant."
Shawn Nelson walked out of the bathroom, followed by Matt. They walked down the corridor and parted when Matt had to go left and Shawn had to go right. When Nelson was out of sight, Matt sighed and choked back tears. Sergeant Casey Joyce had been Shawn's best friend and Matt was the one who had to confirm Shawn's worst fears that Casey had died during the battle. Matt slipped into a flashback of the awful event on his way to Todd's room and how he could have helped more. He only came out when he ran smack into Todd's door. He shook his head of the thoughts and walked in.
Todd was slightly dysfunctional owing to the fact that he had just woken up from the drugs they had given him and he was feeling slightly numb. Again, Todd smiled as much as he could at his friend. He waved a hand to the seat by his bed and Matt sat down in it. Handing the pen and notepad back to Todd, Matt watched as his friend scribbled on it.
So...
"So what?"
You're so thick sometimes. Are they letting you take a vacation?
"Yea. And I'm not the only one. The president is shutting down the operation. Everyone is moving out of Somalia starting tomorrow morning at seven hundred hours. The deceased, some of the more seriously injured including you, a few nurses, a few doctors, and a couple of tagalongs like me. Seems you'll be going home sooner than you thought."
Why? Aren't there more men out there?
"Why is because there's no more use trying to take down their clan leader and I'm personally starting to believe that it wouldn't help even if it did happen. And yes, there are more men out there. The bodies of the pilots and Durant is still out there, with them."
They aren't leaving without them, are they?
"No. They are staying long enough to set up negotiations to get the bodies and Durant back."
This sucks.
Matt looked at Todd curiously. His friend was still hooked up to a breathing machine and the doctors were constantly running test on him.
What the hell is Todd playing at? He can't speak. He can't eat by himself. He can't walk. For God's sake, he can't even piss by himself. Well, now that I think about it, it does suck to be him,
"I guess it does suck to be you. You can't do anything, but lay here all day and trace patterns on the wall."
Thanks for reminding me.
"Sorry. I just didn't realize it before that you must be pretty lonesome in here all by yourself for nearly the whole day. All you can do is sit here and wait until you get news from either Sarah or myself on what is happening, and then, you can't even do anything if they needed help or not."
I just want to go home...and see Danielle. Has anyone told her that I'm coming home?
"No idea. I can call her later and tell her when we should be arriving and at what airport and all. I'm sure she'll be glad to here about that."
Yea. I just hope she doesn't become a drama queen over this. She has a problem with overreacting with injuries.
"Like any other typical woman I suppose."
"I pray to all of the gods there are that you just did not say that Matthew Eversmann."
Matt jumped out of his seat as Sarah had just spoken very loudly right next to his ear. He hadn't even realized that she was there until she had said anything.
Smooth move there Matt.
" 'Course not Sarah. I said absolutely nothing about women being drama queens and big babies over small injuries."
"You're such a stereotypical pig sometimes, you know that?"
"No, but thanks for commenting on it."
"Oh shove it Matt."
And with that Sarah flipped Matt the bird and grabbed the notepad. Todd had tried to get it before her, but the drugs had slowed down his reactions and wasn't fast enough. Matt stared at Sarah and the notepad in her hands.
"Sarah. Give it back."
"No," she said without hesitation and began to flip through the notepad for the beginning. "I think I rather read it before returning it to you."
"Sarah, that's personal property. I could...could...I could sue you for stealing it."
"I'm sure you would sue me for looking at your 'personal property'."
Sarah just snorted and began to read. Without any notice, Matt lunged himself at Sarah, ripping the notepad out of her hand at the same time. She just gaped at him as he shoved the notepad down his pants.
"Ha! Like to see you get it now."
"You're such an immature prat."
Matt just stuck out his tongue at her and she returned the gesture. Todd just shook his head at the pair as the two began to argue over whom was more immature. Todd just shook his head with a smile on his face at the two. After five minutes of listening to them bitch to each other, he decided to intervene and grabbed the glass on his table. He let it fall to the ground with a crash and tinkering. The other two turned to Todd with confused looks on your faces. Matt handed him back the notepad and glared at him.
"Why did you do that?"
Because you two wouldn't stop.
"Oh. Sorry about that Todd."
Matt then looked up and his eyes fell on the clock.
"Shit! I really need to go. See you guys around."
Sarah and Todd watched as Matt dashed out the doors of Todd's room. Sarah just shook her head and began to clean up the broken glass.
"Well, that was most certainly interesting. Do you know where he is going?"
Probably to tell his men that they are leaving Mogadishu.
"Oh. I am going too, you know. They told me today. I'm assigned to you on the trip there."
That's good. Matt is also going.
"Oh! Why's that?"
Because he asked if he could and they said yes.
"Oh...okay. I don't see anything wrong with that."
Something bothering you?
"No. Just, Matt's been acting strange lately."
You're telling me. He's probably just in shock or something from the battle.
"Yea. I guess you're right."
She sighed as she stood up and threw the glass away. She again tried to grab the notepad, which Matt had left, away from Todd, but this time he got it. He just smiled as he shoved it underneath. Sarah glared at him, but then realized that she was supposed to check up on some of the other patients.
"See you tomorrow Todd."
Sarah waved as she exited and Todd waved back too.
Now, if only I could hook those two up. Maybe Danielle will be able to help or something.
Author's Note: Yea, this isn't what I wanted this chapter to be about, but it just kinda came out that way. I was hoping I would get them back in America in this chapter, but it turns out that that won't happen until Chapter Twelve. Oh well. You'll just have to wait. By the way, thank you for all of the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it when I get nice reviews and they inspired me to write. Well, please review. Love ya!