Chapter 10

Chasing Your Demons

The faint light swayed back and forth inside the small cell. Aeric's form resting against the wall of the door. Head leaning back to tap against the metal several times. On his arrival back he was placed in irons and taken to the brig, no one specifying why. Then again Alan no longer cared why, he was a prisoner of war no matter how many comrades he killed for Osea.

"Ghost, you in there?" The faint female voice of Nagase pierced the steel door. Her form plopping down to sit against the opposite side of the door. Eyes closing and a breath taken trying to relax.

Aeric was silent a moment hearing Edge sit down on the opposite side of the steel door. "Yeah I am here. You need something?"

Nagase swallowed softly, "No, I don't. Just wanted to say thank you for saving me. I got careless."

Aeric sighed, "We are teamates.. Simple as that."

Nagase would sigh once more, "I also came to deliver some bad news.. I know you may not want to hear it. But I think you deserve to know."

Aeric froze in mid thought, what else could go wrong? "Just spit it out. I don't like suspense."

Nagase would tap her hand against the steel door. "Your family was just executed as war criminals in Yuktobonia. I am sorry, I can't understand what you must feel."

Aeric swallowed hard, the thought had crossed his mind they wouldn't make it. "Just leave me alone for now."

Nagase would stand up, "Your not alone Aeric. Just try to relax and keep a cool head." Nagase knew she had no right to even say that. Hoping Aeric would hold his sanity together long enough to survive this damn war.

Aeric felt tears roll down his cheek, it was going to happen. Why did the country he loved so much betray him. Had he not paid the piper countless times for them. Two years of dedicated service, only for it to let a simple lie take away his family?

Mere hours might have passed, Aeric was unsure. Only to look toward the door when it opened. The sight of Hamilton captured his full attention. "It's time to work."

Aeric sneered to Hamilton, "Why should I? My family is dead. What could you do worse to me? Kill me? I don't care."

Hamilton shook his head slowly, "Kiling you would be letting you off to easy. Don't you want a little revenge for what they did to your family. They executed your family based on lies, I know if I were you I would want them dead. All of them."

Aeric listened to Hamilton, maybe Aeric wanted a little revenge. Then again the way it came out of Hamiltons mouth he sounded like he had a lot of hate for Yuktobonia. Aeric curious as to why? Aeric then nodding slowly, "I got no choice do I?"

Hamilton grinned seeing Aeric become reasonable. "Your right, you don't have much of a choice. Fight with Osea and maybe the military will take care of you Captain Aeric Chambers." Hamilton said it with a little sarcasm.

Aeric shook his head, "Fine I will fight for this country. But not with my name, with my family dead I have no reason to carry my name."

Hamilton grinned, "Well what do you want to be called?"

Aeric sighed, "Call me Private Second Class Alan. My mother spoke highly of a man in her childhood named Alan, so I will use that name to honor her memory."

Hamilton nodded, "Fair enough, we can change all that. Maybe even get you citicizenship to Osea. I like that name Alan." Maybe that was only because Hamilton's first name was Allen. "Oh and by the way you are no longer a Private Second Class. You are now a Second Lieutenant. Upon your fighting on the mission into Yuktobonia land. I requested Commander Perrault give you a promotion befitting your skills. At great trouble to myself."

Alan shrugged, "Fine, rank means nothing. I will start caring when the military starts looking at individual as people and not numbers."

Hamilton shook his head, "That will never happen Lieutenant. Report to the briefing room. You will get your orders along with War Dog Squadron. Now get to it."

Alan would walk toward Hamilton, extending his hands the cuffs still there. "Fine, just take these off."

Hamilton would remove the cuffs with a key, only to turning his back only to speak up as he did. "You will get a new uniform and bars for your rank."

Alan would keep walking ignoring Hamilton nothing at the moment mattered anymore. He was a soldier used for war, that was all he could do now. Taking a seat in the briefing room, it wouldn't take long but the four pilots he had flown with would arrive.

Chopper turning his head, "I will be they let you out of the brig huh Ghost?"

Alan slanted his eyes, "Just long enough to fly as your wingman. Keep that big mouth of yours from getting shot out of the sky. Unless you got problems with me flying First Lieutenant Davenport."

Archer would quirk a brow listening to the mild bickering between Ghost and Chopper, he wondered if it was nesasary or something they just enjoyed doing.

Blaze would snap, "Quiet you two. War Dog Squadron reporting for duty as ordered."

Orson Perrault was just walking in, looking to Blaze and then the others. "At ease and listen up."

Archer would sit next to Chopper looking to Blaze who crossed his arms awaiting orders. Noticing Nagase sitting behind them next to Ghost.

"We have satelite pictures that transport carrying supplies and radar equipment. You are to head them off before they reach their homeland. Now get to it." Perrault pointing with his left to the door.

Blaze would stand up and walk toward the door, Archer behind him along with Chopper. "I can't believe we are chasing retreating planes."

Blaze slanted his eyes to Chopper, "Stop complaining and lets go. Our planes are already being prepped. Come on Edge and War Dog Five stop lagging behind."

Nagase would look toward blaze nodding, "Yes sir." Moving a little quicker stopping when she noticed Ghost slowing down. "Something wrong Aeric?"

Ghost shook his head, "Nothing that won't be fixed when I am in the air. By the way call me Alan from here out, Aeric is dead." Alan then passed Nagase reaching the hangar seeing Blaze and Choppers F-16's moving toward the runway. Archer was right in tow. Alan walking toward the parked F-5e.

"Hold on." Pops would raise his hands to gather Alan's attention. "Over here. This plane is yours." Pops pointing to an armed F-14a Tomcat.

Alan blinked, "Thats more like it. Something I know how to pilot." Alan running over to the plane climbing the ladder seeing a helmet in the seat. Taking a seat and setting the helmet on the cockpit closing, wait it still had that locking mechanism. Alan assumed the Osean's still didn't trust him, it didn't matter this machine would be his coffin.

"War Dog Five, this is control tower, move toward runway C and join your squad."

"Roger control tower War Dog Five out." Alan's plane shifting out to the runway only for a quick speed up on the runway and then lift off."War Dog Five requesting permission to join in the tail position of War Dog Squadron."

"Blaze here, Roger that War Dog five. Join in the trail position."

Alan would only nod his head a little checking his gages, noticing the weapons payload was full. His planes nose nearly touching the back wing of Nagase's plane.

"Chopper here, so War Dog Five. Got a moniker we can call you now, or you still to good to have us call you anything."

"Chopper." Nagase snapping over the radio.

"Call me Ghost, Chopper." Alan looking over to his left watching Archers plane move forward.

"Wait... Really?" Choppers held a lot of confusion.

"You heard me Chopper. Blaze I see a refueling jet coming in on radar. Do you see it?"

"Blaze here, roger that Ghost. Okay War Dog squadron, enough talk. Refuel and get ready this will be our last break before we reach the engagement zone."

"Edge, roger that Blaze."

"Archer, roger Blaze."

"Chopper, I got it kid."

"Ghost, roger Blaze." The four F-16's refueling first, Alan's F-14 lining up last, the random sounds of the fuel gage would chime in Alan's ears. Watching as his new team mates were flying support beside him. Only for the fuel hose to disengage, Alan veering to the left lining up right behind Edge. The planes now after burning toward the further northern area of Yuktobonia. Random blips beginning to appear on radar.

"Okay War Dog Squadron there are two units of carrier transports. Do not allow any to leave the combat zone. Now get to work." The sounds of thunder head relaying orders would be all.

Blaze taking lead as his F-16 would glide toward an oncoming fighter. "Okay guys be careful there seems to be a lot of transport planes, more than we anticipated."

"I am going to engage the fighters, I will let you guys handle the transports." Alan turning his plane a little to the west breaking formation.

"Roger that Ghost, permission granted. Chopper and Archer prepare to engage the transport ships. Edge cover my six."

"Archer, roger Blaze. Fox Two!" Archer launching a missile from his F-16 the missile missing its target only to die off.

"Edge Fox Two." Edge's F-16 firing a missile as well. The missile dropping and missing its target.

"Hey whats going on, we can't get a lock on any of the transports. How about you Blaze?" Chopper was frustrated not wanting to waiste his missiles.

"Blaze Fox two!" Blaze's missile doing the same as both Archers and Edge's. "We got ourselves a problem anyone have any clue."

"Edge to Ghost, what is your situation, we can't get a missile lock."

"Hold on!" Alan growled his Tomcat barrell rolling avoiding an oncoming missile. Where did all these F-16's come from. Alan counted three when he engaged, now the numbers growed to a staggering seven to one. "I got seven bogeys out here. I can't help you guys, just get the transports. I will handle these guys." A sudden explosion would cut Alan's communication. A near explosion from an enemy missile sent Alan slamming into the side of his cockpit. "Son of a bitch!"

"Ghost! Permission to fly cover for Ghost Blaze!" Edge screaming into her mic.

"No time we have to stop these transport ships. Hold your course and continue attack."

"But sir?"

"Thats an order Edge!" Blaze firing a second missile only for it to explode in the distance.

"Blaze I see them, Jammer craft 22000 feet. We have to take them out to clear the skies."

"Good job Archer! Lets get them."

"Chopper here roger that/ Chopper Fox two!" The missile hitting the jammer craft the explosion lighting the sky.

"This is Thunder Head splash one jammer craft. Get to work War Dog squadron they are getting away."

"Blaze roger that. Lets finish this." Blaze moving in behind the C-5 cargo plane his vulcan machine gun ripping it apart.

"Edge to Thunder Head we lost radio contact, what happened to Ghost?"

"Thunder Head here, he isn't on radar, probably got shot down. That Yuke was supposed to be good to."

"!" Edge couldn't form words chasing a C-5 cargo plane. "Edge Fox Two!" Edge's words choked a little with emotion. The cargo plane erupted into fire and scrap Edge flying through it.

"Captain Nagase are you okay?"Archers voice holding concern.

"Its nothing Grim, Just get these cargo planes so we can go back to base."

"Wow Nagase, you sound like your mad no one is shedding tears over that lost Yuke pilot." Chopper poking fun at Nagase.

"..." Edge not even feeling up to answering that.

"Stop the talking you three. Get to work Blaze just took out the enemy jammer craft finish off those last four planes." Thunder Head barking orders.

"Archer roger sorry." Archer moving in behind Blaze and opening fire on a cargo plane.

"8492 begin the attack now."

"What was that?" Chopper asked inquistively.

"I don't know know Chopper. Blaze Fox two."

"This is Thunderhead did you just attack a neutral target!"

"No." Blaze looking at his dials counting up his missiles.

"Bledvik one, can you believe those Oseans attacking that college they are going to pay for that.

" Archer did you attack any ground targets?"

"No, First Lieutenant Nagase. You?"

"Of course not. Chopper you?"

"Me huh no! Chopper Fox two. Thats the last of the cargo planes."

"Blaze to War Dog squadron, nice job. Is that everyone?"

"Yep. I count one, two, three, four os us kid."

"Roger that Chopper."

"We are missing one Chopper."

"What that Yuke bleh, forget him, he bought us some time without fighters getting in our hair. He did his job."

"... Nice to... Know I was missed..." Alan's radio sequence would cut in, his plane lifitng up behind Nagase's, smoke trailing from the tail. One of his dual engines was out. He had several holes in his plane.

"Woah, he is still alive." Archer was beside himself looking over at the very beat up F-14.

"Ghost you survived!" Edge sounding probably more gleeful than she should have.

"Blaze to Ghost welcome back." Blaze leading the formation back.

"I will be, so the ghost has nine lives. Oh and kid do you like the Face of the Coin song?"

Blaze would tilt his plane toward the east. "Yeah."

"Cool kid." Chopper following in line at Blaze's right wing tip.

"Thunder Head to all of War Dog Squadron, you are to come in for questioning upon your arrival. Thunder Head out."