Chapter XIX

Jake

"Fucking hell." Jake Muller grunted angrily as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wished he could just get the hell up, but he couldn't leave, he was on a plane to the Auckland Islands. Jake hated planes, they always made him feel sick to his stomach and the food was bad. How does someone mess up a sandwich? –he thought with annoyance.

Leaving wasn't hard, but it was saying goodbye to his mother that made him think twice. He knew this was a selfish decision, but he also knew that his mother needed the money in order to get what she needed. And he would only be gone for a few weeks and would make sure to check up on her whenever he could. He even hired a live in nurse to stay with the weakening woman.

Sherry had plagued his thoughts relentlessly. At night he found himself wondering if she was thinking about him as well, and then he scolded himself for sounding so pitifully romantic.

"You do not like this ride, huh?" The man beside him asked with a grin. Jake turned his head slightly and stared at the brown haired man who looked more like a nerd than a soldier. "My name is Daniel Burke, nice to meet you." Jake nodded silently in his direction. "Not much of a talker are you?"

"No." Jake responded demurely, turning his face from the man with the thickly rimmed glasses and the large nose to stare out at the clouds.

"What do you think they have for us to guard over there? I mean it is definitely top secret." The man, Daniel, continued, "some highly classified information… I'm just wondering why they need me. I'm a scientist you see-

"No, I don't see, and quite frankly I don't care." Jake responded bluntly. "I am just here to get my money and that's it. I don't care much for making friends, no offense."

"None taken," Daniel smiled at the grumpy young man, "But it was a pleasure talking to you."

"Yeah," Jake responded, gazing out the window and frowning.

Sherry

"Holy crap Chris," Sherry whispered as she watched Chris open yet another case of bullets and weapons. "I really don't think all of these are necessary."

"You never know," Leon said to her as Chris opened another case, ten in total so far. Four handguns, more ammo then she believed they'd need, two shot guns, two knives, and two rifles. "This is perfect, thanks." Leon analyzed the weapons quietly in the empty parking lot as Sherry stepped back with a sigh.

"You never know," Chris repeated Leon's words with a smile in her direction. "It's better to have them, and not need them, then to need them and not have them."

"You have no idea of how much I hate that phrase," Sherry laughed, "that's what everyone says when you think you might need a jacket and aren't sure."

Chris grinned brightly in her direction, a big teddy bear with a deadly set of arms. "How's Claire?"

"She's good." Sherry answered, stepping forward and picking up one of the guns, the weight of it was perfect and familiar in her hand, "She was asking for you."

"She always does." Chris said with a sad smile and then turned to look at Leon who was examining a shotgun with a critical eye. "That one is really powerful, might want to be careful with it."

"Yeah, I can tell." Leon narrowed his gaze at the barrel and then looked up to Chris, "You got the jet?"

"Yes. All that's needed is for us to get our asses onto it and then we're on our way."

"Great, great," Leon murmured with a focused voice as he closed the case for that gun and Sherry put hers back where it belonged. "I guess we should get moving in two days then."

Sherry sighed with a nod, "Sounds perfect."

Jake

"So, are you leaving anyone back home?" Daniel asked with interest, the man had been quiet for a while but it seemed he was too anxious for silence. Jake didn't acknowledge him. "I left a wife. She'll miss me, that is if she's not fucking anyone else."

Jakes eyes slid over to Daniel beside him with a raised brow. He saw Daniel smirking.

"That caught your attention didn't it?" Daniel grinned at the man beside him, "Here's somethin' else to catch your attention," he directed Jake's eyes to a man sitting a few feet away from them on the other side of the aircraft staring at a thick book, "That man there, he's a fucking psychopath." Daniel's eyes glittered as he spoke, as if he were analyzing a test subject, "he's here because he recently got out of jail, murder."

Jake analyzed the man with a narrowed gaze. The man had thick arms, a bald head, a typical macho-man. He seemed however to be thoroughly engrossed in his novel. Jake looked at Daniel, suspicious, "and how do you know that?"

"Easy, I read their reports. They have one on all of us you know. They searched us out for specific reasons." This Jake knew, but he wasn't aware that they had files, Daniel read the interest on Jake's face plainly, "they wanted you because they heard of your background… being a mercenary. That comes in very useful. They are also aware that you are highly trained in martial arts, and that you care about money."

Jake smirked and nodded, "and why'd they want someone like him?" He pointed to the big fellow on the other side.

"That's easy, I didn't have to read his file to know that they want him because he can get the dirty jobs done without hesitation."

Jake nodded, agreeing and then turned to look out the window. "And why would they want you?"

Daniel said nothing for a moment, "Because I am going to answer all their questions about where they've gone wrong."

Jake didn't know what to say to this so he said nothing at all.

It took hours and a few stops from the plane before they actually got to the Auckland Islands by boat. He paid no attention to the other men who were all transfixed by the ideas of what awaited them, he and Daniel were the only ones who kept to themselves, but even this was not done together. Daniel, Jake noticed, was an observer. He watched the way people interacted and then moved on to the next one.

Jake just didn't care.

When they made it to the island he was surprised to find that he actually did think the scenery was quite pretty.

Wide rocky lands filled his vision, he saw birds and a few animals, a lot of untouched grassy lands. He didn't know what to make of the wide open spaces but soon enough they led them away from the island and to an opening cave on the side. He instantly groaned, they would be underground for a very long time, he knew. He didn't like it underground, it made him feel out of touch with the world, and with Sherry got it made him feel worse. She was my only connection humanity.

Sherry

Two Days Later

"Wow, how do you not get tired of this?" Sherry asked Chris quietly as he flew the aircraft with a satisfied expression. The craziest part was simply the endless water around them. It seemed as though it might never end though she knew very well that it eventually would.

"I like flying, its mind numbing."

"Yeah, but this is crazy." She sighed and looked towards Leon who was changing into a water suit. "I hate swimming." She mentioned.

"Well I can't drop you off over the island so you'll have to swim your way in, but your oxygen tank is more than prepared for the distance." Chris said with a sad smile, "Sorry, kid."

"Don't worry about it." Sherry laughed as she looked to Leon who was checking his supplies. "We look so silly." She mentioned as she shifted uncomfortably in her suit. She had a handgun strapped to her right thigh, and a knife strapped to her left, their other weapons were in two bags which they would swim with and then organize when they reached land.

"Alright, we're almost there." Chris said with a more serious tone. Sherry pulled her hair tightly into the hood of the suit so that it framed her face. The black made her muscles show through which was a nice bonus. Leon had been silent the entire time, stuck in his thoughts.

"Leon, are you ready?" She asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"More than ready." He replied and stood from where he sat. Sherry let out a gruff sound as she prepared for what was to come.

"Be safe guys, I know you'll find whatever it is that you're looking for." Chris hand his hand over the button that would open the side door to let them out.

"Thanks, Chris. See you in a few days." Sherry smiled kissing him gently on the cheek. Chris nodded at Leon and Leon did the same as he went to Sherry's side and stood ready by the door.

"5.." Chris started as he pushed random buttons in a hurried motion, "4.." Sherry bit her lip as she heard the sound of air pushing through the slightly ajar door now. "3…" Leon pulled his mask down over his face; Sherry did the same, "2…" She checked for her weapons. "1…"

Sherry grabbed Leon's hand tightly in her own as the door slid open and they jumped towards the sea.

A short filler to keep the story moving along :)

Hope this has pumped you up for this awkward little predicament that these two will find themselves in. I have amazing things planned for Jake and Sherry. You'll just have to wait to see what I'm talking about :)