Josh arrived at the STAR building just as Kenny was finishing off the last Boomer.
"Well I guess I wasn't needed after all." Josh said walking up to them.
"Nope we took care of them without you." Terry said.
"Well then lets go." Josh said and took off for the Silky Doll.
"So is Linna ok?" Kenny asked.
"Yea she was trapped on the roof with one of her friends and both Boomers but I got there in time." Josh said jumping off of a roof.
"Is it just me or does he seem light on his feet?" Kenny asked.
"Yea he does." Terry laughed.
Back at the pit they were taking their suits off and Kenny turned to Josh.
"She kissed you didn't she?" He asked.
"Now why in the hell would you ask me that?" Josh asked turning to him.
"2 reasons one is because you seem light on your feet and two." Kenny said smiling. "You have lipstick smeared on your lips."
"No way let me see." Terry said looking over Kenny's shoulder. "Oh he does I don't believe it."
Josh put his hand to his lips and wiped them and looked at his hand and saw red lipstick on his fingers.
"I knew he was happy about something." Terry laughed.
"Oh fuck off both of you." Josh said and headed for the showers.
"Hey no need to get mad at us we are happy for you." Kenny said smiling.
After he took a shower he went up to the living room where Kenny and Terry were telling Nene what happened.
"No way Linna did?" Nene asked smiling.
Josh walked up and kicked Kenny into Terry.
"Spreading roomers again?" He asked as they got back to their feet.
"Always." Kenny laughed.
Linna walked into the living room and came up behind Josh and put her arm around his waist.
"Hi." She said as he put his arm around her.
"Hey." He said with a smile.
"Boy you two are getting cozy." Nene laughed.
"What I'm glad to see him." Linna said blushing.
"So I hear you kissed him." Nene said smiling. "Our Linna is in love that's sweet."
"Its not love he saved my life so I kissed him once or twice." Linna said crossing her arms.
"Once or twice." Nene said. "If that's not love what is?"
"Oh the hell with this I'm gonna go see Syila." Linna said and walked off.
"Hey Linna wait up for a minute." Josh said and ran after her. "I'm sorry about that Kenny and Terry are gossips."
"That's on its just that Nene is acting like this is the first time I have ever been in lo.." Linna started ro say but cut herself off.
"Kenny and Terry are acting the same way." Josh said.
Linna looked up at him with wonder in her eyes and smiled.
"It feels strange to be in love." Linna said. "Its been a long time and it kind of scares me."
"Me to its been 4 years for me ever sense Sherry." Josh said.
"What happened?" Linna asked.
"She was killed." Josh answered choking back a sob.
"I'm sorry." Linna said wrapping her arms around him.
Josh wrapped his around her and gave her a squeeze. And that is how Mackey found them standing in the hallway.
"Am I interrupting something?" He asked.
"No not at all." Linna said leaning against the wall.
"Linna I really need to call Jack and report in." Josh said.
"And I want to go see Syila." Linna said and walked down the hall.
Mackey walked down the hall at a fast pace and into the living room. Terry was changing Nene's dressing and Kenny was sitting in the chair watching TV.
"Hey you guys are not gonna believe this." Mackey said practically running up to them.
"Don't tell me its more rouge Boomers." Kenny groaned.
"No this is better. Josh and Linna were damn near making out in the hall way." Mackey said.
"Ha that's what I thought." Kenny said laughing. "I bet there in his room by now lets give them a few minutes and to mess with them."
Linna walked up to Syila's door and knocked.
"Syila are you awake?" She asked.
"Yea come on in." Syila said and Linna opened the door.
"Hey how are you feeling?" Linna asked sitting on the bed.
"I'm ok but what are you doing here?" Syila asked.
"After the Boomers attacked my work I called it a day." Linna said with a smile.
"What are you so happy about?" Syila asked.
"Nothing really." Linna said with a deep sigh.
"If I didn't know better I'd say that was a sigh of love." Syila said.
Linna just looked at her and smiled.
"It was." Syila said smiling. "So when do I get to meet this guy that stole your heart?"
"You already have." Linna said.
Syila thought back and tried to think about any guy that Linna might know.
"I can't think of any one who is he?" She asked.
"Josh." Linna smiled as she said his name.
"No way Josh?" Syila asked. "You have only known him for 2 days and your in love with him."
"Yea I am." Linna said.
"Man talk about love at first sight." Syila said. "Does he know?"
"Yea he knows." Linna said still smiling.
"And?" Syila asked leaning forward with a grin from ear to ear.
"He feels the same way." Linna said.
"That's great I'm happy for you." Syila said smiling.
"Well I'm gonna go see if he wants to do something tonight."
Linna walked down the hall and stopped at Josh's door and was about to knock when she heard him talking to some one.
"Yea that's right the 4 Boomers have been destroyed." He said.
"The Knight saber that was in trouble was safely rescued." He said.
"I can't tell you her name. I got to go see you later jack." He said and Linna herd the sound of his cell phone hanging up.
"Oh Sherry you were so much better at handling him then me." He said.
Linna finally knocked. "Josh its Linna can I come in?" She asked.
"Yea come on in doors open." He said.
Linna walked in and closed the door behind her. "Hey I was wondering if you had any plans tonight?" Linna asked.
"Not yet why did you have something in mind?" Josh asked.
"Well its just that Nesay and I go out to a bar every Friday and I was wondering if you and your team would like to go." Linna said.
"Well I'm in and I'll bet Kenny will go and maybe Mike but Terry will probably stay here with Nene." Josh said.
"Ok lets go ask them." Linna said and opened the door.
All Kenny and Mackey saw was Linna leaving Josh's room smiling with Josh right behind her.
"Hey Kenny you were right." Mackey said.
"Yea I guess so." Kenny said. "Hey Josh you having fun."\
"What?" Josh asked looking at Kenny. "I'm not even gonna
ask. Any way Linna has invited us to a bar you going.?"
"No I'm gonna stay here with Terry you two go and have fun." Kenny said.
"Well I'm gonna ask Mike if he wants to go." Josh said.
"I'm out I've had enough alcohol to last me for a few weeks." Mike said walking past them and into the living room.
"Well then I guess its you me and Nesay." Josh said.
"I guess. I'm gonna head home and get some rest I'll pick you up at about 6.00 tonight." Linna said.
Josh looked at his watch. '12:30 hours.' "Ok I'll see you at 6:00."
"Ok see you then later." Linna said.
"Later." Josh said waving.
"Oh God just shoot me." Kenny said shacking his head.
"Fuck you Kenny." Josh said and walked back into his room and laid down on his bed.
Just after he fell asleep he slipped into a dream.
"Lets go lets go they're right behind us." Josh yelled running through the trees.
"There in front of us too." Mike yelled firing his M16 at the shadows in the trees.
"Mike hold your fire. Sherry give me the radio I'm ganna call in all kinds of pain on their heads." Josh said holding out his hand. "Sherry?"
Josh turned around but he was alone in a factory standing outside a room that smelled like gunpowder.
"Sherry, Mike, Jack, Kenny, Terry where are you? Sound off." Josh yelled looking around the room. Behind him he could hear laughing. "Who's there." He yelled bringing up his M16. "What the hell." He yelled as his rifle turned into a snake and struck at him.
"Get off me." He yelled sitting up in his bed his sheets soaked with sweat. "That damn dream again." He looked at his watch. '5:50 Linna should be here soon I'd better get ready.' He thought and stood up and changed.
Linna pulled up at 6:00 on the dot and Josh got in.
"So where is this bar located anyway?" He asked.
"It's less than a block from my apartment." Linna said.
"Well that's good." Josh said. "If we have to much we can crash there if we have to."
"That's why we go there." Linna said.
Nesay was already at the bar working on her 2nd beer when Josh and Linna walked in.
"Hey Linna over here." Nesay said waving.
"Hey Nesay." Linna said sitting down with Josh next to her.
"So is this the guy you have been talking about?" Nesay asked.
"NESAY!" Linna snapped.
"Hey I was just asking." Nesay said putting up her hands. "So is he."
"I remember you." Josh said. "You were on the roof of Linna's work today with those Boomers."
"So it is him I thought so." Nesay said. "He is cute."
"Oh come on Nesay we're here to have fun not to talk about my love life." Linna said.
"Well I can't stay for long I have something to do tonight." Nesay said finishing her beer.
"What?" Linna asked.
"Don't worry you two just have a good time." Nesay said standing up. "The next 3 rounds are on me so you two sit here and have a good time and Linna, I want full details."
Nesay turned and walked out of the bar before Linna could respond.
"I'm getting the feeling we have been set up." Josh said.
"Well lets not disappoint them and have a good time." Linna said and ordered 2 beers.
"That's my plan." Josh said and raised his mug. "To tonight and all the fun we are gonna have."
"To tonight." Linna laughed.
3 hours and several beers later Josh and Linna were laughing and telling stories of past battles and their friends.
"Oh man 40 booommers shat wood had been fun." Josh slurred.
"It wass omthing ells." Linna slurred with a hick up.
"Okey I thinks we hav a lil to munch." Josh slurred and stood up on wobbly legs. "I think is times we lefft."
"Yep mee too." Linna said and stood. "Me hose is tust don the streed."
They walked out of the bar leaning on each other for balance and headed for Linna's apartment. Once they got there it took both of them to find the right key and open the door. Josh helped Linna to her bed and she flopped down on it and was asleep before Josh had straightened up. Once she was squared away he stumbled out to the couch and flopped on it and fell asleep. At about 2 in the morning Linna woke up with her head still swimming a bit and she walked out to the kitchen to get some water and a few aspirins. As she was walking through the living room she heard Josh mumble something in his sleep.
"Move it their right behind us." He mumbled.
'He's talking in his sleep.' Linna thought.
"Kenny where is Mike and Sherry?" He mumbled.
'Sherry must be his girlfriend that died. Is he reliving the day it happened?' Linna wondered sitting on the couch next to his head.
"Oh God please no Sherry please don't leave me." He started to cry.
'I should wake him up.' She thought reaching out to shake him. "Josh your having a nightmare." She whispered shaking his shoulder.
"Sherry please open your eyes." He cried tossing and turning.
"Josh wake up!" Linna yelled this time smacking him on the arm.
Josh shot up from the couch throwing Linna to the ground with a thud.
"SHERRY!" He yelled looking around the room.
"Ouch." Linna said standing back up. "You were having a nightmare."
"A nightmare?" Josh asked.
"You kept calling a woman's name." Linna said.
"Sherry." Josh said
"Yea who is she?" Linna asked.
"No need to be jealous." Josh said. "She died 4 years ago."
"Oh I see touchy subject." Linna said and headed for the kitchen.
"She was my fiancée. We met in Special Forces training that's where we all meet. She was struggling with some parts of the physical endurance part of the training. She fell behind on a 6 mile run and Chancing getting yelled at by my CO I ran back to help her. She was complaining that her pack was to heavy for her size. I took some of her things and packed them into my pack and made hers lighter and she was able to complete the run. Later that night we went out on liberty leave and went to some bars and that's where we fell in love we were both 18 then. We dated for 2 years and finally on her 21st birthday I purposed and she accepted. I was 21 when World War 4 started and we had been engaged for 1 year. We hade many missions behind enemy lines and we all came back without a scratch. 2 weeks before we were to be married we received orders to investigate a possible prison camp 60 miles behind the German lines." Josh explained as Linna went to the kitchen and got 2 beers out of the refrigerator. She handed Josh one as she sat back down on the couch.
"Thank you. We found the camp and there were lots of prisoners in the yard. Now oue mission was to determine if it was a prison camp ant to extract a prisoner if possible. But as we approached I triggered an early warning device and sent off some flairs that showed every Germen in the area where we were. We aborted the mission and made a run for the Landing Zone with every Germen in the country after us." He said taking a drink out of his beer.
