Well as much as you all seem to be enjoying this story, I enjoy writing it. I was so happy about the reviews I got from the last chapter, that I wrote another chapter tonight. I know it's a first for me to put chapters out onback to back days, but I'm really psyched about the story and in a creative mood. Well I'll stop talking and let you read.
The news of the attack traveled fast and it soon reached the ears of Kasey and the others.
"Do you think it was Odd and Ulrich's base?" Millie asked Yumi and Kasey as the three girls sat around the TV.
"I think it is, I mean they said central France and…that's where they said they were going." Yumi said, choking on the words as they came out.
"All we can do is wait for news on casualties, I'm sure they'll come soon enough." Kasey finished and the girls sat in silence for a moment, Kasey and Yumi worried about their boyfriends, and Millie sat worrying about all her friends. Tamia's death still weighed heavily on her heart.
"I don't mean to change subjects," Millie squeaked, "but I was wondering why you called me up here?"
The two older girls smiled, both at Millie's unusual shyness and for a change in subject.
"Well we brought you here for two reasons," Yumi said. "First we wanted to let you know that we are your friends and that we are here for you. I know it is hard not having Tamia around."
Millie nodded, "It's been really hard, she was like a sister to me." Millie cried.
Kasey hugged her and wiped the younger girls tears away, "The other reason we brought you here is we have a secret to tell you."
Millie's eyes sparkled, "I love secrets, but something tells me I can't put this in the newspaper huh?"
Yumi laughed, "Yeah, this is just between you and us."
Kasey and Yumi spent most of the next thirty minutes explaining Lyoko, Xana and the battle they waged to Millie, who took it all in with wide-eyed amazement. When they finished, Yumi threw the question out there.
"So will you help us fight, we'd love to have you?
Millie sat with her mouth open until Kasey leaned forward and gently pushed her jaw shut. Millie snapped out of her amazement and looked at the two girls.
"You aren't kidding me are you? Cause I really don't feel like being made fun of."
"Not a joke Millie, this is serious, with the boys gone, we need your help." Yumi said.
Millie's face lit up in a huge smile, the first true smile since Tamia's death. "I'd love to help, what do I do?"
"Come on let's go see if we can scan you into the computer and get some training in." With that the three girls headed off to meet Aelita at the factory, who was already in the process of training a very stubborn Hiroki.
"Training, that is why you are all here. I know some of you performed very well in the skirmish yesterday. Well luck happens, but if you live by luck alone, she'll let you down, and in this business, when she leaves you…you leave this earth."
Nicolas, Ulrich, Odd, Jesse, and Chance all stood at attention with the rest of the forty soldiers of barrack 32 who were under the command of Drill Sergeant Tinzo.
"Today, I'm going to break you up into five squads of eight men each. You will train as a squad, and you will fight as a squad…and God willing you will survive this war…as a squad."
Tinzo started walking down the line numbering off everyone and stopped as he came to Odd and the others.
"You five are in one squad with these three." He said pointing for three others to join the group. "I liked the way you worked together yesterday, I don't usually let situations pick squads, but what the hell, it can't hurt. You have five minutes to get your gear and get to the firing range. MOVE OUT!"
The eight soldiers ran into the barrack and headed out on a light jog to the firing range. Arriving before everyone else, they decided that introductions were in order.
"Well," Odd said, "Us five already know each other, but I'm Odd, and it's nice to meet you." The other three smiled and the tallest extended his hand to Odd.
"I'm Ivan and these are my brothers, Artur and Vladimir."
The others introduced themselves and then Chance asked the question on everyone's mind.
"You three are Russian aren't you?"
Vladimir was smiling with pride, "Yes we are, we joined up after the attack on the school. One of our friends was killed when the terrorists did the same to the Russian school. We felt we must enter this war."
"Yeah that was our school," Odd said pointing to Ulrich and himself.
"My sympathies comrade." Artur said, and his brothers nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, and glad to have you." Ulrich said and the eight continued talking until Tinzo walked over to them.
"Alright, well I guess you are my international squad, but if you get the job done, who gives a shit. Right?"
"Uhh…Sir." Odd muttered.
"Here's the deal, each squad consists of a two man machine gun team, a two man sniper team and a four man, regular grunt team. You will all work together, but the roles will be different."
"I'm going to assume we are your snipers." Chance said nodding to Jesse.
"Yes, your previous training has made you expert shots, I think you would do well together."
"And the rest of us?" Odd asked.
"Well, Artur and Vladimir are going to carry the machine gun, and that leaves you other four as normal every day grunts, enjoy. You have thirty minutes to shoot, make good use of it, Vlad, Art, come with me. Chance and Jess, I imagine you would like to shoot long today?"
The two boys nodded and headed off to the long range. Ivan grabbed Chance's arm as they passed by, "What previous training is he talking of comrade?"
"Me and Jess were in training to join SWAT as snipers, we were on vacation when we joined the army here."
"Ah very good, train hard so you can shoot with great accuracy and protect all our asses."
"Will do, my friend." Chance laughed and the two headed to the snipers range.
The training done for the day, the girls headed back to the dorm to get some rest and Yumi was dragging a very tired Hiroki home.
"I'll see you tomorrow, call me if you here anything on Ulrich or the others." Yumi said worriedly.
Kasey, Aelita, and Millie all headed back to the dorm where they found Sissy sitting in front of the TV.
"Any news?" Aelita asked, scared of the answer.
"No, they said six soldiers were killed, they are about to list the names so the families can claim their bodies."
The girls sat in fear as the reporter began listing the names off.
"Pvt. John Demoines…
Pvt. Andrew Hastings…."
The girls held hands, silently praying to God they wouldn't hear a friend's name next.
"Pvt. Ashley Vinza…
Corp. Jeremy…ummm…Yakousky…"
Aelita was almost passed out after hearing Jeremy read off the list. Kasey shook her to get her full attention.
"It's not our Jeremy, our Jeremy's ok." Aelita let the stress and emotion drain from her body and laid down on the bed, small tears rolling down her cheeks.
"The final two soldiers who were killed in the attack are Pvt. Daniel Miller and Pvt. Henry Miller, both brothers who joined recently. Are prayers are with all the families of these brave men."
With that the new anchor signed off and the girls went to bed offering up another prayer to join the thousands they had already sent. 'I hope they will all be ok.' Millie thought as she walked to her room.
The day done, the boys tired and drained, walked to the makeshift mess hall, and stood in line for an undercooked meal.
"I'm going to start living off the land if the food doesn't improve around here." Chance laughed.
Odd smiled, "Yeah it isn't exactly my first choice either."
The group of friends grabbed their food and went over to some logs in the middle of the camp and sat down to eat.
"Mind if I join you?" All eight turned to see Jeremy standing there with a plate in hand.
"My goodness Jeremy, of course sit down." Ulrich said, and then turned and introduced Jeremy to the Russians.
"I was worried after I the attack, I couldn't find you until earlier this afternoon. I saw everyone at the firing range."
"So what have you been up to genius?" Odd asked through a bite of some nameless mush that he decided it was better to not guess what was in it.
"I'm working with the commander on a way to detect attacks earlier, we've set up another system to alert us farther from the base, should give us more warning."
They all ate, carrying on idle chatter until it was time to leave. Jeremy said his goodbyes and headed off to his barrack. The newly formed squad, grabbed their gear and walked back to Barrack 32.
"Ah home sweet home." Jesse laughed as they entered.
"It beats a lot of places." Artur said as he took off his boots and slid into the bunk across the room from Odd's.
The others soon followed suit and ten minutes later they were all trying to fall asleep. It was rather hard as they found out do to Odd's snoring. Ulrich grabbed his pillow as did Ivan who had crawled out of bed.
"One, two three." Ulrich whispered and the two brought their pillows full force down on Odd's head.
"Why you little…huh where am I?" Odd asked sleepily.
"Shut up and let us get to sleep before you start snoring." Ulrich laughed.
"Yeah, you are louder than the bears back home." Ivan laughed as he crawled back into bed.
Odd glared at both of them and then smiled, "Fine, I'll give you five minutes to fall asleep than I'm letting loose again."
Everyone took advantage and fell asleep. Odd smiled as he looked at the rest as their chests slowly rose up and down in regular intervals. 'I wonder how Kasey is doing?' Odd thought. He fell asleep hoping he would have another dream of her by his side in much happier times.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. More to come soon. Please review, the reviews really inspire me to write more. Many thanks to all of you who are faithfully reading and reviewing, and to the others, it isn't too late to start dropping your thoughts on me. (LOL) Thanks again.