Chapter Sixteen: Transfer
After visiting awhile, Red and Doc left to do whatever it is they do on a ship. I sat on Lake's bed, careful not to tug on any of the wires. I was glad for a moment alone with him.
I eyed the IV bags—there were a few. Lake followed my eyeline.
"Nice, huh?"
"You're a human pin-cushion," I said with a slight smile.
"Could be worse." Yes, we both knew that. "How's everyone treating you?"
I shifted on the bed. "Fine. I met Captain Rhodes, which was interesting. But everyone's been great. Especially Red."
He got this weird look on his face, but then smiled tightly. "Good." I felt him squeeze my hand.
The bags hanging from the IV tower dripped down the lines, flooding Lake with things I couldn't pronounce. The only thing I recognized was 'saline.'
"They do have you on a lot of stuff," I commented.
"I don't know why," Lake said nonchalantly. "I was doing fine before." I rolled my eyes.
"You collapsed," I said. "I was afraid you were—" I cut myself off before I said 'dying.' "I thought we made it too late, for you." There was a twitch to the corner of his mouth.
"Hey." He looked steadily into my eyes. His own were bright all of a sudden. I loved his eyes. "You saved me. Not just back in that field, but . . ."
I felt a lump in my throat.
"When I found you in the jungle, I got distracted. From that moment on, I . . . couldn't stop thinking about you."
My face grew warmer. My heart hammered inside of me. I didn't have tons of experience here, but I knew what he was going to say.
"I wish you didn't have to go through everything," he said, "but you were there. And I'm—"
Footsteps sounded behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. It was a nurse. She smiled politely at us, but she'd broken the moment. I looked back to Lake. He smiled, amused, but I could read the disappointment in his eyes.
"He should get some rest," the nurse said in my direction. I nodded, not looking away from Lake.
"See you tomorrow," I said. I half moved in to kiss him, but thought better of it. Maybe he didn't want anyone to see. I settled on giving his hand a gentle squeeze. I felt his eyes on me as I left, and I had to glance back once more at him.
I kept the image of him smiling at me in my head.
-0-0-0-
I slept till morning the next day. The uninterrupted sleep was spectacular. I woke up refreshed, even more so after another shower. I felt good; my leg was newly cleaned, thanks to Doc, and spending time with Lake and the others had lifted my spirits.
My wardrobe today consisted of another t-shirt, branded as the Navy's, and some sweat pants again. Normally I avoided sweat pants like the plague, but the Navy made them more comfortable. That, and I could tell I lost some weight the last week, so that was a bonus. I found a scale in a gym after I left Lake yesterday, and when no one was looking, I weighed myself—lost twelve pounds. Probably all water weight or something, but hey, I'll take it any way I can. Actually, I was probably a little sickly looking. Maybe I'd put a few pounds back on—Red had said I looked like a corpse.
I made my way out of the room I'd been given. People were milling around, and I heard voices up and down the halls, but no one glanced twice at me. There was a flurry to everyone's movements.
I passed the mess hall. I didn't recognize anyone there, so I headed down the corridors and turned right. It felt colder here. I crossed my arms in front me, preserving what warmth I could. After sweating nearly non-stop since coming to Nigeria, I was surprised that I missed the warmth.
I couldn't remember where the medical bay was, but suddenly I was right in front of it. Red was inside, talking to Lake. I wondered if they needed a minute. The door was open.
"When?" Lake asked.
"When we get back to base," Red said. "We're being sent back, with the bodies."
Lake nodded somberly. Suddenly his eyes shifted in my direction. I was caught. He smiled.
"Hey."
Red turned towards me. "You sleep okay?"
I nodded. "I didn't mean to interrupt." The men exchanged a look.
"We were just talking about the memorials, for the team," Red filled in. 'Memorial' stuck out in my mind. I knew he was avoiding the more blunt way of putting it—the burial of those who'd died. "We're flying out today."
"I didn't think you could be moved yet," I said, looking at Lake. He smiled.
"Fast healer," he said. Red rolled his eyes.
"You're still on bed-rest when we get back," he reminded Lake. "You'll be lucky if you get back in the field within the next two months."
I smiled. It was fun, seeing this calmer camaraderie, versus the battle-type when they were in the field. The cool air got to me again. I shuddered.
"You cold?" Lake asked. He frowned.
"Weird, huh?" I said, smiling so I could play it off.
"I'll get you something," Red said, and he jogged out of the room quickly. I didn't even have a chance to stop him.
"You ready to get home?" Lake asked. I shrugged.
"Maybe." It depended on him, a little, but I couldn't say that. I mean, really, what could happen between us? He still had his duties, and he lived—where did he live? On base? Oh well. I lived in Ohio. Of course, if it came up, I'd leave Ohio in a heartbeat. Was that crazy?
I cleared my throat and my thoughts. "When do we leave?" I was assuming we were all going together. Luckily, he didn't correct that assumption.
"This afternoon."
"The memorials," I started, and I saw the flicker of emotion in his eyes, "could I go?"
He smiled softly. I'd make that image my mental wallpaper any day. "You sure you want to?"
I nodded. "I know I didn't know them long, but . . . they protected me too."
Lake's smile broadened. Just then, Red came back in.
"Here," he said, and he had a hooded sweat shirt in hand.
I grinned. "You didn't have to do that." Red shrugged and helped put it over my head.
"Might be a little big on you," he said, as I popped my head out of the top of the hoodie. He tugged at it, surveying the fit. I glanced down and found that it was loose, but not ridiculously.
"Thanks, Red." He smiled. His eyes flickered to Lake, and I peeked over my shoulder at him. His lips were a tight straight line. I was about to ask him what was wrong—
"I ran into LT," Red said. "Captain wants to see her." He looked at me. I'd already been debriefed, so I wasn't sure what Capt. Rhodes wanted. I looked to Lake for some reassurance.
"It'll be okay," he said. I smiled.
"Come on." Red started for the door. "I'll take you."
-0-0-0-
We came to the room where I'd been debriefed. LT was there, and he looked grim. Captain Rhodes stood waiting for me.
"Miss Sorenson," he started, "I apologize for the abruptness of this, but we have to get you and the rest of the team State-side quickly."
"I heard something about that."
"A transport will take you to Senegal," he said, "and you'll be put on a plane to Norfolk." I stared at him. Where the heck was Senegal? Norfolk, I figured, was Virginia. "From there, you can talk to the Navy about getting you home."
I nodded like a bobble-head.
"We can't ask you not to share what's happened with anyone," Rhodes continued. I frowned. "When you get back, it's your right to tell whoever you want."
I sensed a 'but' coming on, but he didn't say it. I glanced at Red and LT.
"But it would help you if I kept quiet," I suggested for them. If they weren't going to say it . . . Rhodes nodded.
"For several reasons," he said. I got the impression he was talking about security issues, among whatever the 'several reasons' were. I looked to Red, who just looked me straight back. He wasn't avoiding me, and that confidence clued me in—the US was going to fight Yakubu.
It made sense. Yakubu had authorized or allowed a US embassy to be destroyed. He'd threatened US citizens, and maybe he was playing hardball still. He was problematic enough to warrant being taken out. Maybe the US would even try to get Arthur in power.
"Captain, my parents already think I was crazy to come out here," I said. "If I go back and tell them what's happened, I'll just be proving them right. I see no reason to do that." Captain Rhodes chuckled.
"Thank you." He nodded at Red. "The transport will be here soon. Lieutenant Waters and his team are getting ready to leave. Stick close to them."
"Thank you, sir."
-0-0-0-
Norfolk. As soon as we landed, I realized how memorials began. An armed salute guard stood ready as we came off the plane. Lake was nearly carted away, but he whispered something fiercely into the ear of the medical staff who were waiting for him, and so they steadied him off to the side. I stood next to him, with Red, LT, Lena (she came too) and Doc.
In single file, three coffins were brought out. A military brass band played something mournfully suitable, in honor of them. It felt weird to me, but I ignored it with the morbid thought of who was in each coffin. Slo. Silk. Flea. I wondered what their real names were.
The real memorial service, in an on-base chapel, would be held tomorrow. Judging from how the others looked, that time to say goodbye would be well-appreciated. The coffins were loaded into a vehicle. My eyes teared up—I wondered how their families would cope. Would they even know how or where they died?
"We should go," one of the medical staff said to Lake as soon as he could. Lake glared at him.
"I'm fine," he seethed. Despite the circumstances, I smiled. He caught my smile and glared at me. It only made me grin more. "Give me a minute," he said to the medical staffer. Reluctantly, he stepped away. I put my hands out to steady Lake.
"Lake, are you sure—" I started.
"I can stand," he cut me off. "Nothing wrong with my legs."
"Or your mouth," I said. He nearly glared at me again. "I know you cussed out that guy." I nodded in the direction of the medical staffer.
"He deserved it."
I fought back a laugh.
"So what are you going to do?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I'm free to go whenever," I said, "but I definitely want to stay till tomorrow." At least. "I just have to go shopping, get some stuff, find a place for tonight. And I should probably call my parents." I frowned.
"Place for tonight?" he repeated. I nodded.
"To sleep. I don't live here," I said.
"I do," he pointed out. "And unfortunately, they won't let me go home yet." He jabbed a finger in the staffer's direction. "Just stay there."
I blinked. "No, it's okay. I can find a hotel—"
"Red," Lake cut me off. "Will you get Jane my keys?"
He nodded. "Sure."
"Might as well have someone use it," Lake said. "You'll show her where?"
Red nodded.
I felt a slight thrill at being invited to stay at Lake's apartment. It'd be better if I wasn't there alone, a stranger in his home, but hey, at least I wasn't going to be in some weird hotel in a new city.
Lake's medical babysitters won out at that point, carting him off. I promised I'd stop by, and Red added that we'd bring him some of his stuff too. I was sad to see him go, but then again, I'd be close to him, in some ways. I'd get to see where he lived.
Red dropped me off at Lake's, after volunteering also to come back and give me a ride to wherever I wanted to shop. I thanked him, and went inside an apartment building.
There was nothing ornate about the building, and Lake's apartment was the same way. Furniture was sparse and practical. He had one coffee table, one end table, one couch, and one lamp. He did, of course, have a flat panel TV. I smiled.
I strolled through the apartment. From the living room, the kitchen was attached. No kitchen table, but there was bar-seating and three barstools. I walked back to the bedrooms.
Two of them—one had weights and a Bow-Flex-looking thing. The other was his room. His bed was unmade, which I found completely adorable. Dark sheets, because of course—nothing else would be manly enough. This was Lake, the guy who thought his first name made him sound like a wimp. Everything in his room was neat though—no clothes thrown everywhere. A simple chest of drawers and a closet . . . I resisted the urge to go through those.
There were five photos I found in the whole apartment. One of him and the team—all decked out in military gear. Another one of him, Red, Zee, and Flea, at a bar of sorts in regular street clothes. The third photo I found was a family reunion or something, but Lake was easy to pick out still—he didn't have the mohawk in it, but none of his siblings had his smile, or those same, green eyes. The fourth photo was of a military base, the American flag flying in the wind. I assumed it was Norfolk, but I hadn't studied the base enough to really know. And the fifth photo was of a child, an Asian boy, who lay in his mother's arms in a tattered hut.
My heart stopped. The boy wasn't asleep. He was dead. The mother's eyes were shut, but she was alive, holding her son. And the hut . . . it was tattered because it was burnt and nearly destroyed. Maybe bombed? I swallowed. Why did Lake have such a morbid photo?
It wasn't in a nice frame; in fact, the frame was just black metal, something cheap from Wal-Mart or wherever. The other photos were displayed on the walls throughout the apartment. But this one was on top of his chest of drawers in his room. Maybe there was some reason for it—I'm sure there was. My heart ached just thinking about it. I left it alone and went back to the living room.
I settled on Lake's couch and went ahead and called my parents. They were frantic, wondering what had happened to me given what little they'd heard in the news. I just told them I went to an embassy where I was evacuated and brought back. It was true enough, in a general sense. They pushed for when I'd be home. I wasn't sure—I needed to buy a ticket home, but I couldn't bring myself to do it yet. I wanted to stay.
Also, not having any ID or money on me didn't help. My parents were wiring me some cash, and the Navy, aware of what happened in Nigeria, was helping me with ID thing. I had some documents and my license back home, but my passport was still in the village in Africa.
The door bell rang. I glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was 1 o'clock. Red.
I opened the door, and found Red waiting.
"Ready?"
I glanced him over. "No fair," I said. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and a jacket, and I was very conscious of the fact I only had this Navy apparel. I was still wearing his hoodie, but I was one of those girls who went shopping in a semi-cute, impressive outfit. Not sweats.
"What?"
I shook my head. "Never mind." He chuckled. I made sure to lock Lake's place, and when I turned back, Red had his hand held out towards me.
"Let's go," he said.
I blinked, then took his hand.
-0-0-0-
a/n: There's a point, I promise!! And thanks so much for everyone's patience. I thought I would get this chapter done sooner, but I wrote a version and didn't like it at all, and needed to rethink how to get where I wanted. Thank you so much also for the reviews!! Let me know what you think of this chapter too. Thanks!
