Four months into their first tour and every bit of it was scary and nerve-wracking for the ten newbies deployed soldiers to Afghanistan. As Hanson told them, it wasn't all bad but not all good either. After the first month of their observation about deployment, they learned about the different horns of the base. One that signaled attacks and one for storms. Also, they discovered that they could only ride their dragons for patrol or take them on a guard shift which they quickly caught on to the fact they could happen whenever and for up to twelve hours at a time. For most of it, Hanson was with them to teach the soldier the ropes about how it worked and to keep them busy during the day; he had them running drills to keep them sharp and on their toes. The ten friends did not take part in the base attacks; rather they were instructed to help get wounded soldiers to the medics and assist any way they could.
Hanson tried his best to keep them out of the danger zones, but it was easier said than done when they froze seeing all the chaos the ensued during a fight to protect the Bagram base. Hanson had to put a few of them through an evaluation after seeing soldier's wounded and bloody bodies on the field. Heather, Grant, and even Aubree had been in with him one on one to make sure they could still handle it. When Hanson was sure they could, he released them back to their rooms to rest and get themselves together before another attack or receiving other orders. Hanson had been done five deployments. Some deaths on those still affected him, but no one except Caylee had known, she helped him through it all, and now she was one of those deaths he couldn't get out of his mind even if he hadn't seen it first hand and it didn't happen on a deployment tour.
Every day for them was a little different but followed the same schedule. Get up, get ready, breakfast, orders from Hanson, lunch, more orders, relaxing at the barrack or chow hall to rile up the troops and raise their spirits, dinner, more entertainment or orders, bed, then it would start all over again. Sometimes they'd eat on guard shifts, or stay up all night on them and then sleep when they got back to the barracks. It was a little weird to adjust too, but that was why Hanson gave them that month of just watching things to get used to it all. Now they were in the month of August, and the summer had been brutal with heat. Most of them wished they were back on Berk where it didn't get super hot and stayed a normal temperature for most of the year except when winter hit and the snowstorms were known for getting bad.
"I can't believe we've been here for four months already, eight left to go, and the tour will be over!" Grant exclaimed while they were relaxing in the main room after lunch since Hanson had a meeting and told them to sit tight until he returned with their orders for the remainder of the day and possibly into the night.
"Seriously, its surreal to think about. I talked to my Dad this morning; he told me how proud he was that I followed my dream after Mom died," Aubree smiled a little.
"You know what I find interesting?" Sawyer started as they looked at him now, "That Hanson was gone for eight years in a place we never expected him to be and now we're a part of it with him. On his squadron too, that he trusts us that much."
"Yeah, I agree. We thought we lost Hanson for good when he left at the beginning of freshman year," Raelyn replied in agreement with him. In fact, all of them felt the same way.
"It is cool when you think about it. All of us together again, fighting for the same cause," Franklin smiled.
"I wish we could do more for him, though. It's just as he said; we don't see a lot of action here because it's our first time being deployed. Hanson has been on plenty of missions or guards where we have to stay back," Taylor stated as the others sighed knowing it was true. Hanson had been on a lot of missions or caught up in meetings the last four months, and they barely saw him at all but heard him come into the barrack early morning or late night to grab a shower and sleep. It was rare they saw him eating with him, or he'd be busy in his room or the cubicle working hard for missions and guard shifts.
The ten friends wanted to help, but they were warned first night in Afghanistan to do as they were told or risk being in big trouble by him and they were sure that he wouldn't want to punish them. It was often the problem with them being his friends and him being their commanding officer. Hanson had to push the friendship aside to be their leader and no matter what, they had to obey him. The barrack doors opened as groaning was heard and by the sound of it, Hanson didn't seem happy in the slightest.
"Oh boy," Heather sighed, they knew from the past that when Hanson was mad, stay clear until he calms down and do nothing to tick him off further. Glancing to the doorway leading to the main room, they saw Thatcher, Ricky, Ella, Vincent, and Nikki come in first and instantly give them a look that said not to say a word right now. Hanson walked in behind them and looked at the ten soldiers before taking a breath to calm down and closing his eyes.
"Have you had lunch?" Hanson asked.
"Yes, we finished twenty minutes ago," Aubree replied to him.
"Good. I have your orders for this evening," Hanson began as they all turned their attention to him now. "There is to be a contact mission tonight with Afghan friendlies who have some information on a target we've been after for two months. Other teams are being sent out for other missions to keep back enemies while we gather information. You ten are coming with me on the mission. We leave just after dinner at 1800 hours and expect to be out a few hours; we're traveling forty minutes from the base. I advise you to get some sleep while you can," he continued.
"Wait, you mean we're going to be leaving the base with you for a mission?" Dustin asked quickly.
"Yes. I don't have much choice but to take you since the others are already set up for other missions tonight. Thatch, El, Nik, Vin, and Rick will be staying back to help defend the base with the Ormr and Dreki battalions. Like I said, get some rest. These missions can take hours," Hanson told them firmly before walking away and going to his room while the rest looked at one another concerned. This would be their first mission outside of the base and only with Hanson at that.
"Use the restrooms and get some sleep. This will be a no dragons mission; you're going by chopper to the location to meet up with friendlies and gather the information and ten to one the objective will turn to recon mission to ensure the information is correct. You better prepare yourselves to see a side of Hanson you haven't yet. The guy takes missions very seriously, and he won't be your friend on them, he'll be your commanding officer and if you don't want the scolding of a lifetime...do exactly as he says," Vincent warned them.
"We will, thank you," Franklin said with a nod as they got up and left the main room to prepare to get some sleep before their first mission ever outside the base with Hanson.
(6 pm)
Fearing he wouldn't have time to call home while on the mission, he called the house phone at his Dad's and left a message for his children then made sure his Dad knew to allow the kids to listen to it before they went to bed. Hanson was ready for the mission; he just hoped his friends were too. Hanson was nervous, these types of missions were always dangerous because it could be a firefight at any time if enemies showed up to kill the friendlies who they considered to be traitors. And he didn't have Thatcher or his normal unit with him this time, this whole mission could go sour, and he was left with the duty of protecting ten soldiers by himself.
'Caylee, I really could use your guidance about now,' Hanson prayed with his eyes closed and faced towards the sky.
"Sir. We're ready when you are," Aubree stated to him as per protocol.
"I expect nothing less. Prepare to board the chopper; we leave in five minutes." Hanson ordered. Without an argument, the ten of them loaded on the helicopter and stayed out of his way as he was speaking to the pair of pilots would be taking them to their location. After three minutes, Hanson boarded the chopper and looked out the door to Thatcher.
"Stay safe brother," Thatcher told him.
"You know I can't make that promise," Hanson replied as he connected hands with Thatcher, Ricky, and Vincent then he took the hugs from Ella and Nikki. Hanson stepped back and closed the chopper door, "Take us in," he ordered the pilots.
"Right away, Lieutenant Colonel Haddock," the secondary pilot nodded affirmatively to him as the blades began to spin rapidly and the chopper lifted off the ground and began to head out of the base. Hanson just kept his eyes closed; the others didn't bother him. From what they understood told to them by the others was that Hanson always used the trip to locations to get his head in the game so they wouldn' disrupt that.
(Hours Later)
It was about this time at the five-hour marker of 11 pm they wished they were in the safety of the Bagram base! Things had gone so wrong in so little time. Retrieving the information went well, then they were ambushed and surrounded with barely any cover and were still in such a position for the last two hours. Hanson needed to get them out of here; he knew they were ready for something of this magnitude. Right off the bat, he could tell Aubree, Sylvia, Heather, Grant, and even Sawyer were terrified for their lives being in this. One wrong move would get them shot and injured, Hanson didn't want that.
"Gods damn it!" Hanson slammed his head against the wall of the building they were in. Hanson changed the magazine in his gun as he got up and placed the barrel out the window to keep firing at enemies, there seemed to be no end to them. "Fuck, it there was ever a time I needed Toothless it would be now!" he yelled and then paused a moment while getting below the window again. Hanson pulled out his radio and switched the channel to one that would let him talk to members of his unit. "Thatcher! It's Haddock, do you read me? Over."
"Loud and clear, Colonel. What's going on out there? Over."
"At the moment, pinned down. Send Toothless, now! Over." Hanson ordered.
"What do you mean pinned down? Hang on; we'll get you out! Over."
"Thatcher, for the love of Odin just do as I say! You have a forty minute flight; Toothless can do in fifteen. Tell him to find me, and give him a direction. Toothless knows what to do!" Hanson demanded.
"Toothless, find Hanson. Now. Go, boy, go!" they heard Thatcher over the radio, there was a familiar screech from Hanson's dragon. "He's headed your way, Haddock. I hope you're alright and if you're not back within the hour. I'm coming after you. Thatcher over and out."
"What now?" Eli inquired.
"Keep taking shots where you can and wait for Toothless to get here," Hanson ordered while preparing to fire again.
(Fifteen Minutes Later)
A familiar roar echoed throughout the area. "Is that-" Heather started.
"Damn right it is," Hanson grinned as he moved to the window. "Toothless, light 'em up bud!" he called and then got below the window. "Cover yourselves!" he ordered as they all got low and covered their heads while blasts began going off around them, soldiers grunting and screaming to retreat. Hanson grabbed his gun and prepared to leave, "Don't move until I tell you to," With that, he exited the small shack and made it to Toothless. "I'm glad to see you too," Hanson rubbed the top of his friend's head while Toothless crooned in delight.
"Lieutenant Colonel Haddock, are you alright?"came the voice of one a pilot with the chopper through his radio.
"Yeah, we're okay and on our way now. Get it ready," Hanson replied before moving back to the shack. "Let's move and stay on guard," he ordered them quickly. The chopper was hidden, and a ten-minute walk there, hopefully with Toothless around the enemies wouldn't get any bright ideas about attacking. Once they arrived there, the blades were going as Hanson gave the order for them to load up, and he'd cover them. However, it didn't go as planned when ten enemies attacked them. Hanson jumped on Toothless's back and began using his dragon's plasma blasts to send them back. "Go!" he ordered the pilots.
"What about you, sir?!" Heather asked quickly.
"Don't worry about me, go!" Hanson ordered again; the pilots did as told as the chopper began to take off and leave the area while Hanson kept the enemies back while they came in waves.
(An Hour Later)
The ten soldiers and two chopper pilots made it back to Bagram base and explained that Hanson stayed back to protect them. Thatcher and the other five now filled with worry prepared to go after their friend but stopped in their tracks when Toothless's roar was heard overhead. Looking up at the night sky with all the base lights shining up, they saw Toothless fly over and finally land. Hanson on his back slumped over and barely hanging to consciousness.
"Hanson! Oh, my Gods!" Ella said with fear as she and Thatcher rushed over to see Hanson falling off his dragon, the two friends lowered him to the ground carefully to check on him and that's when they saw Hanson's injured arm, he'd been shot.
"MEDIC! Haddock got shot in the arm, bleeding badly!" Thatcher yelled out. Aubree brought her hands to her mouth, gasping at the news.
"Come on, Hanson, stay with us now!" Ricky encouraged, but Hanson was out of it as the medic hurried over to treat him.
"Bullet is still inside his arm, I need him in the infirmary now before he loses too much blood." the man said to them.
"Got it," Vincent nodded as Thatcher kept the pressure on the wound while Vincent and Ricky helped carry Hanson off to the infirmary for treatment.
"I-is...Hanson going to be okay?" Heather forced herself to ask.
"We never assure that until after surgery. Hanson lost a lot of blood, and the bullet remains in his right arm, the medic will do all she can for him, and hopefully tomorrow we should know more," Nikki told them.
"Best be getting some sleep, as soon as we have an update on Hanson, we will let you know," Ella said. Feeling they couldn't do much more, the group of ten soldiers made their way back to the barracks to change and get some sleep. All Aubree could do was worry for Hanson, who got hurt protecting them from danger, he stayed back so they could get away and be safe.
