November 2023 Brymor, Kent

Molly woke up with a thumping headache, as she looked around the room nothing was familiar, and then he appeared with a cup of tea like everything was normal, she wanted to scream but decided that keeping calm was the best course of action for now "where are we?" He smiled "we have got our very own cottage in the country Molly" she felt across her stomach, it was still there, the mobile phone she had tucked into her pants before he had dragged her out of her house.

The same day, The James house, Hurst Green, Lancashire.

Charles was pacing up and down the kitchen, why was he taking so long to answer the damn phone?

Kinders picked up "...Jesus Kinders he has taken her"

"Charles ? ...stay put let me pull a few strings here, I can have a unit there within thirty minutes"

October 2013 Camp Bastion, Helmand Province - Afghanistan

Private Paul Jones - Medic, had been stationed at the main camp hospital for the last year, returning to duty following being injured in a botched mission the year before. He was still seriously fragged, that's when the voice in his head had started, the devil in his ear, nagging him, but had managed to convince the powers that be that he was fit for duty again. He was well known on the base as having tried his luck with a number of the female soldiers and had achieved moderate success with some of the supply of more niave newbies that regularly arrived fresh from Brize.

Nobody had joined the dots that his success had not been all down to his charm, he had for some time now been using his medical knowledge and the contents of one of the hospital drug cabinets to assist him in his seduction techniques.

Most of his victims always woke up with the most heinous hangover, putting it down to the contraband Vodka they had shared.

Tuesday afternoon and he spotted a new girl in town, she was stood with Jackie outside of the main medical unit "alright Jack whose your friend" Jackie rolled her eyes "on yer bike Paul she's not interested" he looked over at Molly "well we will let her decide that shall we...what's your name gorgeous ?"

Molly had her arms folded and burst out laughing in his face "mate...I have had a sh!t day, the last think I need is some cocky tosser trying to give it the chit chat in the hope of a quick sh g behind the mess tent...honest mate I am sure you are a nice bloke really underneath all that Bullsh!t but please do us both a favour and go and find someone else to play with"

his eyes narrowed and he glared at her momentarily but then quickly flipped to laughing "see you around mystery girl" and walked away. "Bloody ell Molls that was a serious rinsing" Molly shook her head as they began walking back to their digs "just not in the mood for that kind of b llocks"

In the days before being shipped out to the FOB when he wasn't on shift he observed her, he had found out from one of the other guys in her section her name was Molly Dawes and she had been posted as a replacement medic.

It was their first morning PT she looked to be getting a hard time from her Captain, as the face shouting at her turned... he recognised him.

It was James, he had been one of the officers on the mission that nearly got him killed and had put him on a charge when he refused to follow orders, they had been involved in a massive stand off where another officer had to step in, there was no love lost for sure.

Captain James ...after all this time..

Well maybe he could try and console Private Dawes and they could compare notes about the nasty Captain. He wasn't really used to getting the brush off so quickly, this one fascinated him, she was feisty...more of a challenge and James could be his way into her.

"Out of your league mate" Jackie walked past him as he was sat on a loading trolley watching her from a distance, he didn't answer her and continued staring, Jackie just shook her head and walked on.

Once Molly was separated from the rest of the lads and he saw her heading for the mess tent he followed her and went to sit at the same table, she looked up "well if it ain't god's gift, you following me?" He smiled "nah just having a break" he seemed a bit less full of himself now he didn't have an audience. They were soon interrupted by Smurf shouting for Molly, she quickly got up "sorry gotta go" he watched her dash out, disappointed he hadn't had more time to find out more about her...maybe later.

The following day 2 section were flown out to the FOB.

By a twist of fate though, I had a glimpse of her one week later when she had accompanied the same idiot that had interrupted them in the mess tent back to the hospital. Apparently he had been hit whilst out on patrol and she had saved his life.

I managed to get the whole story out of him during one of my shifts when he had been recuperating on the ward...he sounded like he had fallen for her...but in the end no one was going to have her except me...I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since I had first clapped eyes on her...still I had all the sneaky photos in my phone to keep me going and I would keep my ear to the ground to see if any opportunities came up to visit the FOB they had been sent to.

Much as I had tried there had been no chance of going anywhere near the lovely Molly Dawes, as the month's passed I had started to think about her more and more, she was beautiful and something of a hero from what I had heard, the crush grew into an obsession and no other women held any interest for me, it was only Molly I wanted. The devil gave his usual words of encouragement "if you want her...you have to take her Paul"

April 2014 Camp Bastion, Helmand Province - Afghanistan

They arrived back at Bastion, something seemed to be going on...she had been going to the detention compound quite a few times with the Captain...then I saw them arguing and he pulled her into his quarters, I went around the back and could hear them talking it was muffled but there was no way a private would be in the Captain's quarters unless something was going on...wait someone else was there...the next thing I see is her rushing away, he is following her...they are arguing again and she walks away leaving him...no way can this be happening "James is not getting this girl Paul...you are"

It was 1am Charles couldn't sleep they were due to be picked up for the mission at 2am, he left his cabin to stretch his legs he could feel someone behind him as he turned around he caught sight of a face, it seemed familiar, partially lit by the moonlight. Paul didn't give him chance to recount who it was of his own accord "Captain Charles James, long time no see"

Charles frowned "Jones, what the f...what are you doing here, I didn't even know you were at Bastion or even still in the Army, in fact if it had been down to me you wouldn't be"

Jones smiled "it's a big place here, easy to get lost in the crowd, sorry to disappoint you that you didn't manage to get me out"

Charles started to walk away

"that's a very pretty medic you have been inviting back to your Cabin James, I take it the brass don't know about it"

Charles stopped in his tracks

"I saw her when she first landed and I have been keeping tabs ever since, I think she deserves some special attention from a real man...don't you?"

Charles launched himself at Jones, lifted him off the ground and pinned him against the cabin wall! he was an inch from his face as he hissed...

"you listen to me...carefully because I won't be repeating myself, whatever you think you have seen, you haven't, not all of us treat women like nothing. I remember what happened on that tour Jones and it wasn't just the failed mission why I wanted you out, you attacked that girl and it was only because she was too scared to make a statement that you got away with it. So let me make myself clear...you touch as much as a hair on Dawes head and I will finish you.."

Charles tightened his fore arm across Jones' neck "do you understand me" Jones nodded Charles dropped him to the ground and walked away.

August 2023 Royal Preston Hospital, Lancashire

One fake CV and a shaved head later he was shaking hands with HR manager, having been offered a job with one of the best trauma teams in the country headed by no other than Dr Molly James.

Life had not been kind to Paul Jones since he was discharged from the Army with schizophrenia, he had a period on the streets for a while. By using fake CV's he had managed to get a few months in hospitals before they got the chance to check references, at which point he would disappear and move on. He couldn't believe it when he saw the advert...his ideal job... the chance to finally re-write his story book.