File Number 867-1543
Name: Vincent Dwayne (Tank)
Age: ---
Rank: ARMY/SEAL, Special Services. MILITARY
Location: East Coast
Status: Temp. Civilian
Current Occupation: Security Company employee/ Co-Manager
Team Members: Brown(867-0032), Santos(867-4432), Dart(867-5643), Das(867-9376), Mañoso(867-0132), LB(867-9965)
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Tank's POV
We all kind of stood in shock. How could she have known and still have had enough time to get ready to go. We all knew what her prep was before a mission and it took longer then the twenty minutes that we had left her for. One of the first things I noticed about her was that she was business. No stalling to stay here any longer, no Steph with her. That was one thing that was odd. Every time we had seen those two they were together.
As we all moved forward on our intended coarse she jumped off of the down tailgate and strode forward. She nodded her head at Reid and he nodded back. "Stuff in the back yet?" She glared at him. He raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I ain't pullin' nothin' with them as witnesses."
"Keep movin' then Reid." He put his hands down and turned to face us. "Well, everything seems to be set. I give you a call when we need your approval that she's still in one piece." And he walked over and into the truck.
We all stood there, when I say we I mean the team, reunited, for what seemed forever. I looked LB over. She had on our signature black cargos and her signature deep green tank top. Instead of the typical combat boots that everyone was forced to wear she had on black skater shoes. Her hardware was strapped on and she had a stance that suggested that she was business. She looked like she always did when we were working.
I sent her a smile and clapped her on the back. I couldn't say anything, I didn't have anything to say anyways. I looked at the other guys and they looked as tongue twisted as I. LB must have sensed it in the air because just as Ranger opened his mouth she spoke up before he could.
"Forget it Range. I'll be fine. It's not like I haven't done this before. Plus, I have worked with them before; I know how they operate. And besides, there is someone here that needs your help more then I do." She gave us a quick smile and strode off. She jumped onto the still down tailgate and the engine of the truck caught. As they pulled out of the garage she sent us a two-fingered salute.
That was the last we say of LB.
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Steph's POV
Two Years Later
"You're going where?"
Ranger held his hands up in defense. "We have no choice, Babe. A couple of old acquaintances pulled rank and said we had to be there. But it's not like we are leaving you behind. You get to come too." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They expected me to come along on this whole…macho my-guns-are-nigger-then-yours rangers thing.
"What! No. No, no, no, no, no. There is absolutely no way you can drag me there. Why would I want to go?"
Ranger sighed, yes actually sighed. "Babe, it is this whole family and friends deal. You invite people to come spend three days during a fake training camp and it lets them get a feel for the ARMY. It is also used to help recruit but…it hardly ever works. If anything it scares people away."
I just stared at him. He wanted me to do the whole, fake real ARMY training thing, with witnesses. I continued to stare. "Unless you want to stay here alone for a week." Damn. He knew I would never want to stay here an hour what with his new guys trying to get me to explode something every five seconds. "Damn."
Ranger smiled. "You coming?"
I sighed. "Yeah, I'm coming."
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We arrived five hours later. All of the guys, Bobby, Lester, Tank, Das, Dart and Ranger, were all wearing their normal uniform of badass black commando. They had gotten me into a pair of matching cargos but had let me pick the top. To keep with the theme I had put on a black tee that I had stolen from Ranger a couple years ago. Look out world, I thought, these guys are dressed to kill.
The guys led the way to a large cream building and the simple offices inside surprised me. We walked up to one of the desks. A small woman was sitting behind it. She had stack of folders beside her, which reminded me of Connie's desk on the better of days, and she was busy writing away on a form. When the guys walked up to her she looked up and gasped.
"Well, looky here. I was wondering if you boys would actually show up. I saw your name on the roster but I thought it was a no show. How have you been?"
She had a very perky tone and sent a smile to each one. When her eyes fell on me I had to refrain from wincing. "And who it this? You not Little Birdie, that's for sure."
Introductions were made and a few minutes later we left the offices with a warning. "Ya'll be careful. Commander Hawk has already snagged a victim."
"Commander Hawk?" I asked once we were outside.
"Commander Hawkins, to be politically correct but everyone here calls him Hawk. Tough shit and short temper. Demands respect and thinks everyone has his place and should stay there. Don't want to blow up anything and have him come running." Great, just what I need. Someone else who will chew my head off if something goes wrong.
"What did she mean when she said he had already snagged a victim?" I almost dreaded asking but, you know me.
Ranger gave one of his almost smiles. "Anyone he deems worthy gets a lesson. Mostly he just works them to their limit to make them feel vulnerable."
I winced at the thought. I had felt vulnerable before and I didn't like it. But I also had the feeling that I was going to be there again in no time flat, very soon. The guys lead us around the buildings until we got to a coutyard that looked like a grownup, macho version of a playground.
There was outdoors training courses, a basketball court, a track, and there were people hanging out on each. Well, there were only two people were on the training coarse. Bobby leaned over and pointed them out to me. "That must be Hawk and his new victim."
"New is hardly the word. He's had that one out there three whole days. Only water breaks. I think he's going for a new record." We all turned and found ourselves face to face a woman in black jeans and a green tee. She sent us a small smile. "Sony. And you would be?"
Tank stepped forward and shook her outstretched hand. "Looking around."
Ranger stepped forward. "Name's Ranger. This here's Tank, Lester, Bobby, Das, Dart and Steph." He also shook her hand. When he introduced each one of us we either nodded our head or shook her hand.
"Cool. Nice to meet ya'll. Heard you all retired."
"Just a change of scene." Lester said.
She smiled again. I was beginning to think she was a safe person to talk to. "You all here for the party?"
"I guess we could stand to hang out while we are here." Das said.
I scoffed. "Speak for yourself. You tricked me into coming here. I for one don't want to spend the whole week sweating." Sony laughed.
"You must be quite the woman to have these guys following you around. Come on. Come meet the rest of the gang."
She led me around, followed by the guys and introduced us to her team. She also got us settled and challenged us to a game of foose ball. By the time we had settled down onto the couches for a break it was dark outside. She stood and pulled me off the couch by my hand.
"Come on. Let's see if they have survived another day." I was confused and let it show. I looked over my shoulder at the boys who were watching us with interest.
"Who?"
"The Hawk and his fledgling. I want to know if either one has keeled over and died or are pushing for a fourth day." We were outside now and I was surprised to see a large group of people looking out toward the training grounds, or where they used to be. It was too dark to see them from this distance.
"How's it look?" Sony asked one of the guys. He handed her a pair of night vision goggles. "I can't spot them. Both have just kinda faded into the dark. They were there a moment ago."
Sony humped and handed the goggles over to me. I looked through them for a moment at one of the trees and focused them to my eyes. Once I had them focused I looked at the coarse. No one was on it. I had this weird feeling that they were out there though. I continued to watch and found myself watching the trees.
No one asked for the goggles back so I watched through them for what seemed like hours. Suddenly I caught a glimmer of light. "There they are." I said.
"Where?" Sony grabbed another pair of goggles and surveyed the area. "In the trees. There was a flash of light reflecting off something." As I continued to watch I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It wasn't the same feeling when Ranger was around and watching me but one that felt familiar though I couldn't place it.
Another ten minutes later two bodies emerged form the trees and were heading towards us at a run. Everyone had seen them and was enjoying the spectacle. I removed my goggles and found that I could see them in the dark. One of the figures was reasonably smaller then the other.
A moment later the bodies were just 100 yards away from the group of spectators and the smaller figure sped up. The smaller person rushed the group and cut straight through. The larger body wasn't too far behind. He too entered the group and I could hear him stop running. "Damn it." He growled.
As soon as he spoke some one had kicked the back of his knees and sent him down to the ground. In a second the smaller body had him pinned to the ground. Then they pulled something out of their pocket and held it against the guy's throat. "Kill." She said.
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Hope that will hold ya until I get another chance to update. Please review. It makes everybody feel better. Don't forget to dance the night away. -Cokkii