File Number 285-0083
Name: Brennan Reid
Age: ---
Rank: ARMY, Special Services
Location: Texas Base
Status: On call
Current Occupation: ARMY
Team Members: Pending for trial results
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Steph's POV
During the six months that the boys had been gone chasing our kidnapper, I have gotten to know B pretty well. We had a lot of the same personality traits and interests. But she had told me little of her past with the guys. Some of the stories I knew I would never hear, the Merry Men often used the phrase, "If I told you I'd have to kill you." To tell you the truth, I wasn't too keen on dieing just yet so I took all of the stories she would send my way.
So, when the guys, typical though they were not, started to joke with each other about their previous exploits I was more then a little interested. "Come one I was not that insecure," Das bristled. We were watching Clue, and they guys were comparing each other to the characters.
Dart laughed out loud. "You were too. First little run in with a little torture and you spill all. Then," the others began to laugh as well. "Then you try to make up for it with fancy talk later." I didn't see what was so funny but if he was any thing like the character in the movie then I could see where it would be entertaining.
But apparently LB didn't share her brothers' sense of humor. "We all gave in at the beginning. We all had our breaking points." This got an even louder laugh out of the guys. She didn't think it too funny either but a smile played at her lips. "Oh you find it funny. Well maybe I should share the story of your exploits Tank."
Everyone stopped laughing and my interest was officially perked. "I would love to hear that story B." Tank cut me off.
"No way. You're right we should pick fun at somebody else." By now the rest of the team were nearly crying from laughing so much and so hard. They were draped over the couch and on the floor. They were hanging on each other for support. LB and I were squashed on the couch in between Dart and Ranger, who had pulled us down when we started the movie.
By the time the movie was over and the credits had finished rolling the talk was still on stories but I had gotten them talking on how they all had gotten their start in the ARMY. So far the stories had been the same. Got tired of college and wanted to have a steady paycheck while having the adventure they craved.
"…And I have been on the team even since." Concluded Bobby. "The six of us were often recognized as the best team of Rangers around." They all nodded and I did some mental math.
"But there are seven of you now. What happened?" All of the guys looked at LB and she nodded ever so slightly.
"A guy by the name of Brennan Reid is what happened."
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LB's POV
I caught the look of confusion on Steph's face and sighed. "I guess I should explain in a little more detail then that. I was 16v when I dropped out of high school and left home. My parents were both drinkers and were abusive so needless to say I wasn't that motivated to do something I wasn't all that passionate about.
"I ran into a bunch of ARMY buffs when I was talking with some gang members that I had befriended. They used to go to my high school so I recognized them. A couple of their members were running from the cops and had temporarily gave them the slip. The buffs walked up to us and pulled some macho shit."
I leaned back and gave a short laugh. "I never thought that any good was going to happen to us after that. The boys fought back and got their asses kicked. I was being lead away and told to go home. I, of course, didn't belong to anyone at that point so I told him to kiss my ass and kneed him."
The boys laughed and Steph looked confused so I continued. "I ended up running into him, the guy I kneed, later that night on the streets. I was huddled in a simple jacket and a small blanket. Typical homeless teen. He ended up getting me into his car and giving me the extra bed in his hotel room. How I don't remember."
I stopped to regain my train of thought and they took the temporary silence as an invitation to clear up some misunderstandings. "So, you were talking to a gang, they got in trouble, some guys who just happened to be in the ARMY went over to talk to them, they got into a fist fight and you were pulled aside and told to go home. But because you don't like to take orders from anyone you kneed him. Later the same day he found you on the streets and took you to his hotel room. Is that right?" Dart asked from behind me.
I shifted on his lap so I could see his face. "Yeah. You guys know me, I hate being told what to do." The guys nodded their heads. Steph spoke up next. "So, what happened next? That hotel room couldn't have been a permanent residence for either of you for very long."
"It wasn't. It turns out, him and me got along really well. He would hang out with his buddies and all that during the day and he would always end up coming back to the room all stressed so he would go over to the hotel gym. Being the caged little bird that I was I was already there whenever he showed up. Eventually, he began to teach me some things."
I sighed and sunk deeper into Dart. I felt his arms shift into a more comfortable position around my waist and we settled. "We were roomies for just about two weeks when he told me he was going back to the base. I told him straight out that I wasn't going anywhere with my life where I was so I offered to go with him. At first he was totally against it but eventually I think he understood that I needed something to do with my life and I think he felt better being able to keep an eye on me.
"So off to the base he took me and away he went, leaving me in his quarters to my own devices. I think I would have gone insane if I couldn't see the training fields through the window. I would do the same training they did in the comfort of my own living room. I did that for an entire season and then applied the first chance I got. I was enlisted in the ARMY at the age of 17."
Steph spoke up. "But what does this have to do with Reid or whatever his was? How does he fit into all of this?" I smiled at her and shrugged my shoulders.
"Nothing yet. I haven't met him yet. Well, no that is sort of a lie. I met him for the first time when I completed my training. You see, our drill sergeant was a typical sexist bastard and pushed my training group hard just because he thought I couldn't handle it. At one point in our training one of my fellows had enough guts to ask if we were ready for our final exam. So, our sergeant said that if we could take him down within certain parameters. The one kid couldn't do it because he didn't pull off some move right and I somehow caught the attention of the sergeant."
"Lucky you." Tank threw out. I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, lucky me. Of course he told me that if I could beat him I would be moved out of the cadets so I punched him and had him pinned to the ground with my knife at his throat before he knew what hit him. Now, I didn't talk to anyone at the base except for my roomie so it is fair to say he was pretty shock when I stood up and said, "Sir, I believe I just scored a 'kill', sir" for the very first time in his presence."
The group was stunned. "You were the cadet that took down the…the…" Lester stuttered. He could get the words out. I nodded and returned to the whole life story.
"I went up in the world and to make a long story short…"
"Too late." Everyone said as a whole and I laughed out loud. The same thing had happened in the movie. I turned to Steph, because she hadn't heard this half.
"I was added into the Ranger's at the age of 19 while everyone thought I was over 20. And so I was welcome to make some of the decision which team I got to join. First couple couldn't handle a new member. Some had trust issues. One team had this tell all and you have proven your worth thing going on and I didn't feel like talking so that fell out."
"After that every took to calling her Canary. Her commanding officer took to calling her Little Birdie. " Ranger supplied.
"What does that mean?" Steph asked.
"Well, because I didn't talk to anyone that I was deaf. All of the guys felt free to talk around me because they thought I was a mute. You know the phrase, 'a little birdie told me'? Well, I informed my commanding officer of the serious stuff, which wasn't very often, but the stuff I did tell him was really great shit. Scams off the government, murders, et cetera et cetera.
"So after I was dumped by the last team I took it hard so I joined the very next team. Brennan Reid was on that team. We went out on one of our missions and got caught in a firefight. I asked for cover but they didn't follow through. I took one in the shoulder and dropped like a fly. All and all they left me behind for dead. Another long story short, Ranger and the guys were supposed to be on the op. with us but weren't told in time; they found me. And the rest you know."
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Steph's POV
I awoke to the buzzing of the intercom. I was still on the couch, on Ranger's lap. LB and Dart will still next to us. Ranger felt me wake up and moved us off the couch. I walked over to the intercom and pressed the button. "Yes?"
It was Hal. "Sorry to bother you Miss Plum but there is a Mr. Reid here for a Miss Heart."