A/N May 4, 2019: If you currently are reading this story, note that all chapters have been updated. See author's note for chapter 1.

Chapter 17: The final tour

In early January, 2 section under the command of Captain Alvin "Chip" Aldridge left from Brize Norton for Estonia. They would be based in a camp near Tapa in the northern part of the country. Since a year back, British personnel were rotating here on a continuous basis alongside Danish, French, and host nation Estonian forces. 2 section were to stay for three months and during this time they would beside the regular duties take part in a large international training exercise which they all were looking forward to.

Georgie had expected the climate to be cold like Siberia, but it turned out that the proximity to the sea made it milder, with just a few degrees minus in daytime. Still, the nights were grimly cold and there was more snow than any of them had seen before. Every now and then the 2 section soldiers could not resist goofing around and attacking each other with snow balls. One such day Georgie found herself ducking behind a snowdrift, teamed up with Maisie. whilst Rab and Brains were bombarding them with snow which they did their best to return and they all laughed so hard their stomachs hurt. 'Oh, how I'm going to miss these guys! What will I do without them?' she thought, the pain of the loss almost there already despite that she still was among them. They were all more to her than just fellow soldiers, they were her friends and second family, and she would miss them dearly.

In the day to day life in and around the camp, they noticed little of the increased tension between Putin's Russia and NATO, but their presence was a result of that and that was also the reason for the training exercise which was initiated in February, called exercise Winter Camp.

The exercise was to last for nine days and the purpose of the war game was to mimic the reality if Russia would try to invade Estonia and to rehearse warfare under winter conditions. Working in a winter environment required a different skill set from what they were used to from Afghan and Africa and was a great preparation for a possible real situation.

Undertaking a series of attack and defence manoeuvres against their Estonian allies, troops simulated what it could be like if Putin really send his forces over the border to annex the tiny Estonian nation, and simulated conflict as they fired blanks at each other inside a military training zone. Despite the plunging temperatures they spent the night in tents and the cold was at least as much of a challenge as their "enemies", despite their winter kits. The exercise was made realistic by the actions of numerous umpires who would tell soldiers on both sides they had been killed by the blanks, resulting in them having to lie flat on the ground, or that they had been injured – allowing the practice of battle casualty drills for a variety of medical situations.

This was as near the real thing they came during peace time and they all took it seriously and enjoyed the challenge very much.

On day 7, Georgie was running to take cover from "enemy fire", when she suddenly trampled through the layer of snow into a hole and her foot got stuck. It hurt incredibly, and she was not able to free herself. Much to her frustration, she was "hit" by an enemy blank. One of the umpires gave a sign that she was "killed" and out of the game. When the others realised she was hurt for real, Rab and Brains soon came running to help her. They shoved away snow around her foot, so she came loose, but when she tried to walk it was apparent that she could not lean on the foot.

Georgie was soon transported back to the camp where she was assessed by one of the other medics.

"I think you've only sprained your ankle. You will be able to walk in a couple of days, but you probably have to pass on the rest of the exercise."

Georgie cursed her bad luck, as she really had enjoyed the exciting war game, but she agreed with the assessment and there was not much she could do about it as it hurt badly. She had to wave goodbye to the Rab and Brains as they returned to the rest of 2 section and the snowy woods for the last two days of the exercise.

She spent most of the days reading in bed and the hours felt long. She wished she was out there with Captain Aldridge and the others, even in the cold. She was so restless that she for a while started to wonder if it would be a mistake to leave the army to study, if she could not even cope with two days of reading - but she realised it had more to do with the circumstances. She did not like being left behind with little to occupy herself with.

In the afternoon of day 9, she eagerly kept looking for the guys to return and started to worry a bit as dusk came and other sections returned one by one, but not 2 section. She started asking around, but no one had seen them during the late afternoon. Late in the evening there was still no sign of them and Georgie was now not the only one worrying. 2 section did not return that night and Georgie lay sleepless wondering where they were. Sure, they had tents and other equipment from the exercise but according to the plan they should be back by now, and a deviation from plan seldom meant something good.

Next morning, the 2 section soldiers were still missing, and a search was being organised. Georgie could not join as her foot still needed another day of rest and she waited impatiently all day. In the evening the search party returned - without her friends.

Georgie was seriously worried now, wondering if they simply were lost, had had an accident of some kind or if they had encountered someone out there who was not friendly. The fact that there had been no communication from them at all since lunch time day 9 was not promising.

The major in charge, Major Strickland, came to see her.

"We will do everything we can to locate them. We cannot continue tonight in the darkness, but we will send out a larger search party tomorrow and we will also be joined by special forces already tonight. We will find them."

Georgie's heart skipped a beat when he mentioned SF but told herself this was a stupid reaction. There were so many other teams than Bones' so the chances that it would be him were minuscule.

- OG -

Still, it was indeed Captain McClyde who was standing there next morning during the briefing before that day's search was initiated. His previous mission must have been to a warmer climate because he was tanned and although he apparently had not had time for a shave after his arrival, judging by the stubble on his chin, he looked gorgeous where he was standing. 'So much for my New Year's resolution to forget him' Georgie thought as she felt her heart beating faster at the sight of him, unnoticed watching him from the back of the room. Then she felt embarrassed that her thoughts had strayed from the missing soldiers.

Major Strickland started speaking, summing up the situation at hand.

"Two days ago, Captain Aldridge and the rest of 2 section went missing, except for Corporal Lane who had stayed behind due to a sprained ankle."

He nodded in her direction and then Bones shifted his gaze to her. She saw an expression resembling relief pass quickly over his face before he turned blank again. She realised that until now, he had thought that she was among the missing soldiers. He greeted her with a curt nod.

"It seems like 2 section were last seen here." Major Strickland circled an area on the map. "After that we have no intel on what has happened to them. There are a few options; They got lost in the woods; they were injured in an accident, so they cannot move, and then the cold is the biggest threat; or, they have encountered someone out there who have taken them captives. There has been no communication from their end since they disappeared. They may be in radio shadow or someone may have eliminated their possibility to communicate. The search teams that have already been looking for them will continue searching based on the options that they're lost or injured. Special forces lead by Captain McClyde will investigate the other track - if someone may be keeping them as prisoners."

Georgie noted that he did not mention the fourth, horrifying option, that they all might be dead already, but they had to keep hopes up. The major now gave Bones a sign to take over.

"As you know, we are not that far from the border to Russia. I think all of you have heard of the Russian mafia. They are considered to be the world's most powerful criminal syndicate and extremely violent. There are many branches of the Russian mafia and we have intel saying that some are operating on this side of the Estonian border in deserted areas. If 2 section came off track during the exercise and accidentally crossed their path... well, we can only speculate what may have happened until we investigate further. We will send out drones and we will also track by foot, but with a small team. You don't kid around with these guys, many of them are former elite soldiers. We cannot risk raising any attention because if it is indeed the mafia they would kill them before we reach them."

His words sent chills along Georgie's spine. If 2 section had encountered the mafia out in the forests, would she ever see them alive again?

When the briefing ended, she saw Bones talking to the major, who then waved for her to join them.

"Corporal Lane, if your foot is healed, Captain McClyde has asked if you will join his SF team in their search."

She looked at Bones with surprise, she had not expected he would request her.

"We may need a medic. Your section may need their medic, if we locate them", he explained.

"Of course, I will join" she said, as her foot was fine today, and she was eager to finally be able to do something to contribute.

As they left the room, Bones stopped her by taking her by the elbow.

"How are you, Lane?"

"My foot is fine now, Sir. You don't have to worry about that."

"That was not what I was thinking of. Your section is missing."

His eyes seemed concerned.

"I'm worried sick, all I want is to have them back. It feels so wrong that I'm here, left behind. I should be with them."

"This will likely be very dangerous, you don't have to come. I know it is your last tour and you may not want to put yourself at unnecessary risk. Me and my team can handle ourselves and I shouldn't have asked you to join."

"Are you trying to talk me out of it? You don't need to have second thoughts. You said it yourself, my section may need their medic. Would you ask me to consider staying behind if I was a man?"

He shook his head with a faint smile on his lips.

"You're right. Fair enough, forget what I said. Go get yourself prepared, Corporal Lane. At least you're not among the ones we need to rescue this time as otherwise seems to be your habit."

She had to bite her tongue not to argue back, but she did not want to waste precious time on an argument. He could be unexpectedly kind and considerate for a moment, but then he was back to infuriating her like no one else.