Hector was sicker than even he thought after getting off the phone with Astrid. He woke up two hour later around 11pm with a massive headache, light headed, dizzy, weak, shivering, and nauseated enough to barely make it to the bathroom before throwing up harshly. Some of the guys were still awake at that house-Tallon and the rest of his unit were among those still awake soldiers so when they say Hector rush to the bathroom they knew he was sick. At first they honestly thought he just wanted to go to bed to avoid talking about the conversation with Astrid but they could see that wasn't the case right now. When it continued for fifteen minutes, Tallon went in there to check on him and he saw him just sitting by the toilet groaning and holding his stomach while trying to keep from throwing up. "I won't bother asking if you're alright," Tallon stated.
"I don't...even know where this came from...I felt fine all day," Hector moaned weakly.
"Want me to send someone to get the medic for you?" Tallon questioned moving beside him and feeling his forehead-then his cheek for a fever which he had without a doubt.
"Yeah because I can't walk without feeling like I'm gonna hurl..." Hector coughed a bit. Tallon nodded as he got up and poked his head through the door while he noticed his friends looking at him for an update.
"Vik, Ry-go get the medic for Haddock. He's running a fever and to sick to move there on his own," Tallon asked.
"Sure thing, Tal." Ryan nodded as they got their boots, coats, and hats on-then grabbed their guns as they headed out of the barrack to go to the medical tent which was only a ten or so minute walk but Tallon knew they'd jog or run there so they could get Hector help fast. What surprised Tallon the most was that unlike when they first met him-Hector actually admitted he was sick two hours prior to now and outright said he wanted the medic to come because he couldn't move without feeling like he was going to throw up. It was strange to see Hector now fighting them or trying to hide it. Tallon crouched beside him and rubbed his back a bit hoping it would soothe any nausea he was feeling.
"This sucks, why is it only me who gets sick?" Hector huffed-clearly frustrated.
"We all get sick, Hec. You just seem to get it first. No clue why though-you're health is in peak form all the time," Tallon replied calmly to him.
"Maybe I'm just too stressed out. I was fine before that conversation with Astrid. I have so much on my mind about it and I have no idea what to do about it all," Hector sighed closing his eyes.
"Well we didn't hear the conversation my friend so we can't exactly give an input on the situation. It really just comes down to what you want to do. Be with her or walk away from it," Tallon stated.
"She gave me answers I expected and yet, some I didn't. She said it was Jessie and Skylar's idea to hurt me but while she was with me-she did actually start to like me but couldn't be with a guy who couldn't stand up for himself. But she understands now the reason I never fought back and I guess Jessie has been a real jerk lately to her and she realized her feelings for me still existed when Jessie raised his hand to her and I stepped in to protect her regardless of the past. It's the same thing as with the others-they didn't see the real me until after I disappeared for a year and it came out seven months after me being gone that I joined the military. They all want to be my friend-she said she wasn't sure about Skylar or Jessie but the rest do and she wants to be with me," Hector looked down now with a hand to his head.
"Hector-we're your best friends and no matter what you choose, we'll have your back," came Thaxter's voice now entering the bathroom.
"But if any of them hurt you again-we won't hold back. Understand that. After all you've told us and been through, this time you got people in your corner and we'll fight for you," Evan added on.
"I appreciate that you guys but it doesn't help me figure out what to do about Astrid," Hector held his stomach again.
"Yeah-I think you're stressed is all. A lot has happened the last month or so with them finding out, us going home only to immediately jump back into coming here after three day. Not to mention all the little things like losing Luna, that outburst you had on your birthday because of Jessie's remarks. It's a lot to take on at once on top of now trying to figure out if you want to be with someone who hurt you pretty deeply two years ago," Tallon said with a hand on his shoulder.
"That's my problem. What do I do? Forgive her and try or walk away in fear of being hurt again. She played it so well the first time-how do I know it's not just another act?" Hector mumbled.
"You don't. You can't, bro," Evan told him.
"Listen-this is all I can offer about it," Thaxter stated as Hector looked at him now, "You still care about her or you wouldn't of let her explain and you wouldn't even be giving this any thought at all. I say give her another chance and if she hurts you again-she has to deal with us this time. We have your back and we won't let you fall-trust in that, Hector." he offered a smile as the medic came in with Ryan and Viktor behind her.
"I see you're not feeling well this evening, Lieutenant." came Isabella Peters's voice-the main Nightwave medic. Each Company had a medic assigned to them because they were closer to that particular set of barracks. When it came to medevacs from missions-the soldier would go to whoever was closest with the equipment available. There were two types of medical areas on the base alone. One was standard things like illness, non battle wound, headaches, etc. The other was for wounded soldiers from battle. Isabella was the Nightwave Company standard medic and she had about six others who worked with her in that tent.
"Not at all," Hector responded to her shaking his head a bit.
"Symptoms?" Isabella asked as she knelt down in front of him pulling few things out like her thermometer, blood pressure checker, and a tool to check eyes and ears.
"Dizzy, headache, light headed, nauseated, weak, tired..." Hector listed off while she was checking him over.
"When did it start?" she inquired.
"Round 2130. Went to bed-woke up half an hour ago feeling worse," Hector responded to her.
"Well fever for sure-102.4 and if that gets any higher it will be a problem. I'll give you something for that and also your blood pressure is much too high so try and calm yourself down. As for the rest-sounds like a small bug or perhaps something you ate." Isabella informed softly.
"So he's on bed rest?" came the voice belonging to Cody Greysen questioned.
"For now. The rest I'm sure he'll recover from but the high fever and blood pressure are cause for concern. I can give him something for the fever but I'm not sure about the increase for blood pressure. It's not in his records for that being a problem," Isabella stated.
"It's stress, Bell, Hector's had a lot going on in that head of his. He'll be alright-just needs a good night's rest," Tallon informed.
"Well I want him back first thing tomorrow morning to be checked over-is that clear?" Isabella said firmly.
"Crystal, ma'am. We'll have him there at 0700," Thaxter saluted. Isabella packed up her things after she gave Hector two small red pills-she left not long after that. "Well, the fever reducer she gave you will likely work for any pain too so that should make it easier to sleep,"
"What brings you over to Dragon platoon, Cody?" Hector asked looking at Cody now.
"Was walkin' by medical and heard these two saying you were sick so I thought I'd come check on ya," Cody smiled as he offered his hand which Hector took and the man slowly pulled him to his feet, "Take it slow-that should keep the nausea down for ya,"
"Thanks...I just want to be able to sleep." Hector coughed a few times.
"I'll let Holgerson know you're sick so you don't get stuck doing any early morning shifts until after the medic clears ya," Cody informed. Hector nodded as Tallon and Evan helped Hector back to his bunk slowly and he laid down covering up under his blanket. "Let me know how he is tomorrow?"
"Of course, Captain." Thaxter nodded to Cody who then left the barrack right afterwards. The rest of the unit got into their beds seeing now that Hector managed to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.
"Poor guy can't a break in the slightest. If it's not one thing, it's another." Evan sighed heavily.
"That's what we're here for-to try and make it just a little bit easier for him," Tallon said to them.
"True. Alright guys, let's get some sleep. I think we all need it," Viktor told them all. It was long after that when they all flipped out the lights and went to sleep peacefully.
(Four Months Later)
They were in July now-middle of to be exact and were hyped up because of the fact that in two months their first tour would be over in September! Four months back, Hector ended up being fine after two days. Food poisoning and stress was the cause of it after all. He mainly stayed in bed those two days while thinking lightly on what to do do regarding him and Astrid. Thaxter had a point-he went through a lot of trouble to protect her and Hector knew without a doubt he still cared deeply for her or he wouldn't of even considered the idea of forgiving her and allowing a second chance. That had to have some meaning to it, right? So what did he do? Forgive her and give things a try or walk away and finally let it go? Now with them being in July-he still hadn't given her a response to the situation of them possibly being together. He didn't call her at all but they did instant message on Skype twice a week just to chat-it was a way Hector was using to see if she was being serious with him and he actually got proven wrong. Anytime they talked, she was kind and caring, seeming genuinely concerned for him being over there. She told him she watched the news a lot and hoped he was okay, saying she couldn't wait to see him when he came home in September.
It was everything he'd ever hoped for but he was still hesitant that it was just a game and he couldn't shake that fear. His friends understood that completely but it had been four months and he needed to decide. As for talking to the family-it was once a week at best. Sometimes he managed to get in two conversations but with the heat increasing again-the connections were awful. One thing Hector did notice is that in all his and Astrid's conversations-she never asked him if he'd made a choice and it made him think back to her saying she would give him time to think about everything so true to her word, she wasn't harassing him about it but he knew he had to choose. To be with her or walk away but right now he was on a mission with his team plus three more. They'd been out there for five hours already and it was close to 9pm and this was getting really old really fast with the fact they got ambushed and had been in a firefight the last hour or so and Hector has had no time to try and even call in extraction for them. Thankfully no one had been killed but three people were injured-nothing life threatening yet but if they didn't get out soon those injuries could become life threatening without proper treatment.
(Berk)
It was 6pm for Archipelago time-Astrid, Reina, Trent, and Skylar were all over at the Haddock house for dinner and to hang out. Drew, Mandy, Freddie, and Danielle couldn't make it and Jessie of course wanted no part of it so he stayed clear. They knew Hector was busy and that was why he hadn't called in over two weeks to check in but they knew this was to be expected because he'd told them straight out he wouldn't always be able to call home. Spencer and Val were both home early-they made the effort to be home by 4:30-5pm every day now in order to catch Hector if he called. Spencer had come out publicly to let everyone know where his son really was-out in Iraq serving in the Archipelago Islands Military. It came off as a shock to most of Berk to know the Mayor's youngest son-who was seventeen when he joined, and now eighteen, was serving in Iraq the last twelve months. Val was making dinner while the others and Spencer were sitting in the living room watching TV. Darius was channel surfing trying to find something to watch while the others were talking. They were on summer break right now and enjoying it fully but it would suck that when Hector got home from his tour-they'd be back in school starting their senior year.
"For Thor's sake, Darius-pick a channel! You're making me dizzy," Spencer sighed.
"Sorry, Dad." Darius said apologetically as he lowered the remote only to land on a news channel-a reporter covering a story in Iraq at the Dreki military base: Hector's base.
"We could just leave it here. Maybe we'll see Hector again?" Heather offered motioning to the TV. In agreement-Darius turned it up a bit and they watched closely.
"Well, I'm here at main operating base Dreki with the Battalion leader, Lieutenant Colonel Drake Bludvist and Nightwave Company leader, Major Alexander Holgerson-where there seems to be an issue with four units out from Nightwave Company that have yet to check in from their mission thirty miles away. Let's see if we can get a statement. Lieutenant Colonel-can you give the viewers back home any insight?" the reported asked holding the microphone closer to the Lt. Col.
"Hector is a part of Nightwave. Darius, turn that up a bit more?" Val said as she entered the living room while wiping her hands with a hand towel. Darius nodded and turned up a little more as now Spencer put down the paper he was reading and all of them were paying attention to the television.
"I cannot disclose much other than four units from the Dragon platoon have yet to check in with us since two hours ago. Units included are Blade, Sharp, Howler, and Inferno being led by their Lieutenant, Hector Haddock. We've tried to radio them but have received no responses-it's just static. They've been gone five hours now on their mission and when soldiers don't check in for a full two hours-we assume something went wrong and they could be in trouble. If they don't answer in the next thirty min-" suddenly, Drake was cut off when the radio began to make noise.
{Dreki One, Dreki One. This is Strike Alpha. Do you...copy? Over.}
{Strike Alpha, this is Dreki One. Copy three out of five. What's the situation? Over.}
{Situation code: F.U.B.A.R, Lieutenant Colonel. We're holdin' them at bay but we need out and now. I got four injured: two at category Blast, one at Cardinal, and the last at Delta. Over.}
{Copy that, Strike Alpha. We'll send in extraction on the double. Can you move out of heavy fire, Lieutenant? Over.}
{Negative sir. We're pinned with barely any cover-extraction will need cover fire to get us out. Also, one of my injured are litter, three ambulatory. Over.}
{Understood, Strike Alpha. Birds comin' to ya now! ETA is fifteen minutes. Hang in there-we'll get ya out safely. Over.}
{I'll let ya know when...Ah!}
{Strike Alpha, what's going on! Over.} No response was given. {Strike Alpha, do you read me? Over.}
{Lieutenant was hit! Over.}
The room gasped now heard that-Hector was the Lieutenant for anyone on the Dragon platoon. They nervously watched the TV seeing how worried Bludvist and Holgerson became.
{Who am I talking to and hit where. Over.}
{Lieutenant's second in command, Furysen sir. Lieutenant got hit upper chest-left side. Category Alpha. Over.} They heard something in the background of one of his other teammates telling him to hold on and stay awake, to stay with them because he wasn't dying on didn't seem to be anything more on that situation-few other radio calls made by Holgerson to prepare medical straight away. They all just stared at the TV waiting for something-anything to let them know Hector was alright, they knew he'd been shot but didn't know how bad. After another half an hour three choppers were seen flying in overhead and landing on their respective pads. Soldiers began to file out and help other wounded soldiers off and getting them to medical slowly. Then two stretchers were brought out of the last chopper, right away they could see which one had Hector on it because his guys from Inferno were carrying it to an ambulance that was backing up towards them. Hector was loaded in and then Tallon climbed in with the medics in there.
"I'll ride with him!" Tallon told the rest of Inferno.
"Keep us posted, Tallon," another of the guys-they assumed it was likely Evan had said. Tallon gave a nod as he sat down out of the way and the door were closed as the gray ambulance turned on its sirens and sped off. Inferno just stood there-worried for their friend as the ambulance got farther and farther away from them.
"Someone tell me what the hell happened out there right now." Bludvist ordered standing before them.
"It came out of nowhere, sir. We got ambushed two hours ago but no one got hurt then it just got progressively worse. As soon as Haddock had a minute to breathe-he called for extraction. Group of ten attacked us-we fought them off but one went to shoot Furysen and Haddock pushed him out of the way-getting hit himself by a pistol at five feet. He blacked out a few times on the chopper-he was out of it and having trouble breathing. We thought we might lose him on the flight back," Thaxter explained.
"We won't know anything until after Furysen checks in with us. For now-get back to your barracks," Holgerson stated coming beside Bludvist now. The soldiers nodded as they walked off slowly-clearly worried still. The reporter seemed to move forward a little more now towards the two men.
"Cut the report-there won't be nothing else the rest of the night," Bludvist ordered before walking away with Holgerson and it looked like Greysen with them too. The reporter said her short ending and the camera cut. When it returned to the newsroom-the anchorman just said he hoped any of the soldiers hurt would be okay. Darius turned the TV off now as they all looked at one another worried. They might not of seen it this time, but they knew Hector was hurt and badly too and they had no idea if he was going to make it.
(Three Hours Later; Iraq)
13:30am at the Dreki base and none of the soldiers of Dragon platoon could sleep-all of them were worried for Hector, they hadn't heard from Tallon yet. "Someone should call his family-that camera was rolling when we got off the chopper," Ryan sighed.
"We got strict orders not to contact them until we know about Hector," Evan reminded firmly-as if on queue, Greysen walked in slowly but the look on his face made them worry if Hector was still alive or not.
"Captain Greysen...how is...Hector?" Thaxter asked.
"He's alive. We just heard from, Furysen. Two hours of surgery to get the bullet out and fix any damage. He's stitched and recovering now. Tallon said Haddock is likely to be there about two weeks to recover before he can return here and even then has to take it pretty easy for another few weeks. Tallon said Hector was just starting to wake up about ten minutes ago. Tallon's gonna stay the night with him and Bludvist said if Hector's up for it then you four can take one of the jeeps and go visit him there," Cody informed.
"Thank Thor..." they all sighed in relief. Hector was alive-had a long recover but he was alive never the less and that was enough for them. All they knew for now was that had been a very scary situation to deal with the fact they almost lost Hector tonight-none of his injuries had ever been bad enough to reach category Alpha and require hospitalization or surgery. Cody finished telling them not to to inform his family just yet because Hector was still on a twenty-four hour watch to make sure there wasn't more damage than they first saw. Hector was listed stable but could change. The group understood as Cody left and they all settled in for bed-maybe they'd sleep now knowing Hector was alive and they could see him later on as long as nothing changed in his condition.
