AN1 AWOL concludes. I did an updated mapping of the story last night. Consequently, I consider Who Dares Wins a 175-chapter tale, so that's 139 chapters (including this one) still to come! I sincerely hope that those most passionate about WDW will be here with me for the long haul because that's a lot to go through without continued support :)
AN2 Thanks so much to everybody who left feedback last chapter! Just a brief as I can be comment from me about Sarah's behaviour throughout the conversation with Chuck at the restaurant. Writing Sarah's character as I did, I found it to be completely understandable. Sarah had not taken him to McDonald's so they could discuss their relationship there: he had hit her with that question while she was caught off-guard and not expecting the conversation to go there.
It's also important to remember that there is still a red alert with a potential active threat to their lives. If a capture or kill team had moved in on Chuck and Sarah while at the restaurant, they would be court-martialed for putting civilians in unnecessary harm's way. In this context, Chuck attempting to discuss them at that moment was unfair to Sarah and totally unprofessional. That's why Sarah had her reservations about answering him. If I was on a red alert in a potentially hostile place, and my friend with benefits with whom I agreed never to bring it to work suddenly asked me if I was gonna miss what we had with each other while I was trying to have a serious conversation with him after he'd just gone AWOL, then I wouldn't have been happy either. Actually, I probably would have called him out over it, which Sarah didn't do.
Who Dares Wins
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lockdown: Part Sixteen: AWOL: Finale
Wednesday, 14 November, 2007
Stirling Lines
Hereford
United Kingdom
Chuck pulled his car to a stop at the security checkpoint entrance to the base of operations for 22 SAS.
Waiting a brief moment until the armed guards cleared the car ahead of him and Sarah to enter, Chuck soon put his vehicle in motion again, and the teammates passed through the entrance without needing to provide paper clearance.
The people who were invited to or had the privilege to enter this top-secret base generally didn't need any paperwork to do so.
Chuck and Sarah were no different. They were easily identifiable as serving Special Air Service members by the numerous armed MoD (Ministry of Defence) Police positioned at the checkpoint.
Now inside the large camp, Chuck drove for several more minutes, navigating his way through the base until coming to a stop outside Mobility troop's barracks.
"Home sweet home," Chuck declared, pulling his car to a stop and taking in the surroundings of a place where he had spent much of the past three years of his life.
"Mh-hmm. But for how long?"
Chuck turned to look at Sarah to query her comment.
She was already looking fixedly back at him.
Chuck briefly sighed before saying, "Sarah, my love for the army will never leave me. I haven't even decided to leave yet. Right now, it's 75-25 in favour of staying. And if those feelings to leave become stronger, then it will only be because I don't want to lose anyone else, especially not any of you."
"Don't tell any of the lads," she implored him, nodding at their barracks and towards Big Dan, Jamie Hughes, Bryce and Cole Barker, who were in conversation. "They all love you. It will hurt them if they know you are having thoughts of leaving, even if they are small ones."
Chuck nodded in concession. "You're right."
Sarah pushed a smile through her closed mouth at him before she unfastened her seatbelt and she was about to depart the vehicle.
However, Chuck immediately held her back, taking hold of her arm.
Sarah snapped back to face him, frowning over his actions.
"Sorry," he said, smiling at her. "I just wanted to ask you something: in private, while I dare to do it."
"Chuck…" she said in apprehension, and she looked at him awkwardly, sensing he wanted to talk about them further, just like at the restaurant when he had caught her unprepared. "We both agreed that we were a thing only when we were off duty and in civilian world."
"I know…" he agreed, holding his gaze onto her. "I just really need to ask you something, Sarah. It's something that I haven't been able to stop thinking about for the last day."
Sarah took a long moment in consideration, feeling excessively uncertain and on edge with what he may ask her. Sighing for a few seconds, knowing that if they didn't hurry up, some of their team might approach them, she agreed, "Ok."
Chuck smiled at her.
"Chuck, just ask whatever it is that you're going to ask and get it over with because you already have my nerves shot to pieces here," she instantly said with impatience, shaking her head in irritation at him.
"If I did leave the army," he said, looking into her eyes. "Could we still have something? Could I still see you?"
Sarah instantly broke from looking at him, and her gaze lowered to the floor. "I don't know," she whispered after a few seconds, gulping air. "I don't know…."
He nodded in acceptance. "It's ok. You don't have to give me an immediate answer here and now. As I said, Sarah, I've not even decided to leave the Regiment. I just had to ask you because it was driving me crazy trying to figure out whether there could still be something between us without us serving together."
Sarah swallowed further air as she began to play with her toes. Soon looking back up at him, she said measuredly, "Chuck, I think what you might want to happen with us if you were to leave the army should be the least of your concerns right now."
Chuck nodded in concession, and he remained silent, sensing Sarah had a further comment to add.
"It's the last of my concerns, too, Chuck," she soon admitted. "I can't think about us right now. Please understand that," she said, forcing a smile. "We are still in lockdown, on a red alert, and I, too, am still processing and coming to terms with everything that happened on Monday, which is consuming all of my thoughts. Everything that happened on Monday isn't easy for me either, you know?" she said, but she paused to sigh. "It's not just you who is having a hard time with this…."
Chuck nodded multiple times, now feeling very selfish for lumping Sarah with his thoughts and desires for possible events into the future that had not even occurred yet, while she was still battling and stuck with the demons of the here and now. Chuck had briefly lost sight of Sarah's difficulties in the Regiment, but he was now totally back in sync with them and immediately regretted having said anything in the first place.
"You're right," Chuck said, holding his hand out in apology to her. "It was selfish of me to say that to you right now. I don't know what I expected you to say anyway. 'Yes, Chuck, we can be together and live happily ever after'," he paused to scoff in embarrassment. "Sarah, I'm sorry about that. Please forget I said anything."
And with that, Chuck unfastened his seatbelt, collected the bag containing the double cheeseburgers for his teammates, and he departed the vehicle.
However, with everything Chuck had just said to her now in her mind, Sarah was much slower to exit the vehicle, but once she had, she followed Chuck behind.
Chuck soon arrived at the position of Big Dan, Jamie, Cole and Bryce.
Finding it hard to look at them in shame of his actions, he came to a stop near them.
The quartet paused their conversation and turned to look at Chuck.
"I've already told Sarah, Cole and Jamie, but I'll tell you both as well," Chuck said, looking at Big Dan and Bryce. "What I did was stupid, unprofessional, and the actions of someone with a lone wolf mentality. I took the piss out of all of you, and instead of being a good teammate, I became a problem that all of you had to give up your time to fix. And for that, I'm sorry."
Bryce nodded in acceptance, feeling no need to say anything about it nor take it further.
Big Dan, however, spent a few seconds longer weighing up the remarks of his teammate and close friend. "Anyone who owns their mistakes gets a pass from me, fella, so long as they don't repeat them," he said, holding an intense glance in wait for Chuck's reply.
"They won't be repeated," Chuck replied, looking at Big Dan before he changed his glance onto Jamie, Cole and Bryce too.
"Then I'll accept your apology, fella, conditionally, on the basis that this moping that's been coming from you for the past few days ceased to exist the moment you departed the base on your own this morning," Big Dan said, looking right into Chuck's eyes.
Chuck quickly nodded. "No more sulking. To any of you."
Big Dan nodded, then lifted his intense glance from Chuck, relaxed his posture, with the incident now buried in the past.
"I also got you these, as an apology, for pissing you all about," Chuck said as he began to take the double cheeseburgers out of the paper bag in his hand.
Big Dan, Jamie, Bryce, and Cole's eyes instantly lit up, and their glance became razor-sharp onto the burgers Chuck was now holding in his hands.
"Did I ever tell you of my love for you, fella?" Big Dan said, rotating his glance between the burgers in Chuck's hand and his face.
As he suppressed a laugh, Chuck said, "I think you might have mentioned it a few times."
Bryce quickly rushed to take a burger out of Chuck's hand, and as he did, he complained, "Fucking hell! You could have got us Big Macs instead, mate!"
"You greedy bastard!" Cole said, chuckling away at Bryce's comments.
Everyone except Bryce erupted in laughter, who was too busy and had his mind elsewhere as he quickly opened the burger from its packaging and began to consume it.
Shaking their heads at Bryce's actions, Big Dan, Cole, and Jamie moved to take burgers out of Chuck's hands.
"Cheers, fella," Big Dan said as he took his.
While Jamie said, "Thanks, mate."
And a grinning Cole came up close to Chuck and said, "I owe you for this."
Chuck quickly shook his head, returning the warm gaze to his best friend. "Nah, Cole, it's me who owes you, and far more than I can ever say, mate."
Laughing away, Cole glanced around his teammates and said, "I'm looking forward to this!"
"Not half as much as me, mate!" Jamie said back, smiling before he opened the packaging of his burger, and the four of them began to eat.
Chuck soon turned to look at Sarah, who winked at him before she broke out with an affectionate glance.
"Thank you," Chuck mouthed silently at her.
She nodded, still holding her friendly smile.
The group were soon disturbed by Chris and John Murray exiting the barracks.
Chuck and John Murray shared a nod, although John was not best pleased to see Chuck right now, evidently over his actions earlier.
Chuck then glanced at his team leader and instantly knew he was in for it big time just as soon as Chris arrived at his position!
Had Chuck not deserved what was undoubtedly about to come, he might probably have ran back to his car and fled the country because Chris was now approaching him with a face on him like a raging bull!
"How long have you been in the Regiment and under my command, Chuck?" Chris said as he came to a stop just inches away from Chuck.
The rugged team leader then began shaking his head at Chuck, giving him disgust. "A tough couple of days that all of us have had to endure, not just you, and you fall to shit on us?!"
Chris kept shaking his head at Chuck, and Chuck remained silent because he knew that his team leader was far from finished yet!
"When you came through selection, you were the best I'd seen in a long time. And all of us knew it. On your first deployment, we went to Iraq, where you proved your worth to everyone in the Regiment and got the job done!"
Here it comes…
"WELL, YOU'RE NOT BLOODY WELL SHOWING US THAT WORTH NOW, LADDIE!" the Staff Sergeant roared right into Chuck's face, and most of the team grimaced because everyone knew it was coming!
"IF YOU, OR ANYONE ELSE STANDING HERE NOW EVER ABANDON YOUR DUTIES UNDER MY COMMAND AGAIN, YOU'RE OUT!" Chris warned in immense anger, having been taken the piss out of by somebody he greatly respected.
The team leader continued to shake his head in disgust at Chuck's conduct, before the SSgt blew out a sigh to attempt to control his anger. "If you weren't a mate, I'd have you returned to your unit and on your way back to Aldershot with The Foot Guards! This is your first and only warning! The ball is in your court now, laddie!"
And with that, the team leader immediately stormed away from the team.
As he disappeared, Chuck and the rest of his teammates glanced in silence at the back of their team leader.
As soon as he was out of sight, most of them turned to look at each other again.
"Fucking hell!" Big Dan said, snorting. "We've only just put an end to one moper, and now another one's gone off sulking already!"
Most of Red Team snorted, but Chuck still had his eyes on where Chris had walked off to, and said, "Nah, he's right. I need to get my shit together. And fast…"
"So who's having the other burger then?"
Everyone instantly turned to look at Bryce, where laughter erupted once they registered who had made the sudden interruption and what he'd said.
"Fucking hell!" Jamie said with roaring laughter. "He's finished his already! I was too busy shitting meself over Chris blowing up, but Speedy Gonzales spent his time finishing his burger!"
Jamie's comments caused most of his teammates to have to bend over in agony from their laughter.
"He's Speedy by name and speedy by nature!" Big Dan quickly remarked as he continued his fit of intense laughter.
Big Dan's comments caused most of the unit to bend over a second time.
Returning to stand a short moment later, Jamie said as he attempted to stop laughing, "Fucking hell! I'm now in too much agony to finish the rest of this burger I already have! So I'll have to pass on the second one, as much as I want it meself!"
The unit continued to chuckle while John Murray said, "Ya wee bastards had better have saved a burger for me, or they'll be trouble, I'll tell ye!"
The laughter continued as Chuck nodded at John and said, "Of course, there's one for you, mate. It's an apology from me for pissing you all about. I wouldn't have let any of them take what's yours."
John Murray grinned at Chuck, and he moved to pat him on his shoulder. "Aye, I always knew you were a mate," the Scot replied, and he moved to take the double cheeseburger from Chuck, who had handed it to him.
"Of course, we wouldn't leave you with nothing, John, fella," Big Dan then said. "Speedy Gonazles was referring to the one Chuck had for Chris, but as he doesn't want it, I'll be having that one, Chuck, fella. Just hold it right there until I finish this one."
Chuck nodded while Sarah, John, Cole and Jamie snorted at Big Dan's remarks.
However, Bryce said, "What if I want it?" while glancing at Big Dan. "I finished first."
"You greedy bastard!" Cole quickly complained.
Big Dan nodded in immense agreement. "I couldn't agree more, Cole, fella. He's too short and slender to put that second burger to good use anyway. But don't worry, fellas, 'cause there's more than enough of me not to waste it, and I'll be expecting all of your votes on the matter."
"Big Dan has mine," Sarah quickly said, knowing that if there were anyone on the team she wouldn't want to go against, then it was him, for obvious reasons…
"I'll remember that, Sarah," Big Dan said, grinning from ear to ear while he used his free hand to point his thumb at Sarah in approval while he held the rest of his first burger in his second one.
"Fuck it!" Jamie said, shaking his head. "I know I'll get a good slapping if I even make a move on that second burger, so he has my vote too."
Chuckling sadistically in approval, Big Dan said, "Nice one, Jamie, fella."
"He has mine too, for the same reasons," Chuck quickly said.
Big Dan continued chuckling, and he pointed his thumb at Chuck in approval, "Nice one, fella."
Because John Murray was too busy getting acquainted with and enjoying his first burger, Big Dan turned his attention to Cole.
"Well, Cole, fella, it's just you and Bryce, so what will it be? Do you want to give me the burger the easy way, or will it be the hard way?"
Cole took a long moment in thought before he said, "While I trust in my ability to come out better in an arm wrestle or anything else, I'm still rather full from the canteen before we went out, so just one will do me today."
Big Dan continued chuckling away, and he soon turned his attention to Bryce, who continued to eye up the final burger held in Chuck's hand.
"Well, Speedy, fella, what will it be? The easy way, or the hard way?"
"Look at him," Cole commented as he looked at Bryce while laughing. "He wants it. But is he brave enough to take it?"
"If he does, Cole, fella, then he'll be getting a good slapping!" Big Dan said before he finished the final bit of the burger in his hand. "Aw, that was lovely that was."
Turning his attention to the burger in Chuck's hand, with his eye on Bryce as he did so, Big Dan moved to take the burger from Chuck.
Bringing the burger up to his person, Big Dan began unwrapping it as the team watched on in amusement, while Bryce watched on in envy, his mind still in conflict about whether it was worth risking retribution from Big Dan if he snatched it from him!
With the burger now in hand, Big Dan couldn't resist teasing Bryce a final time, and he said, "Unlucky, Speedy, fella," before he took the burger up to his mouth and took a bite from his seconds, moaning in delight as he did so.
Most of the team erupted in laughter over the exchange, while Bryce continued to give Big Dan the eyeball in envy.
"You lucky bastard!" Bryce soon said before finally relenting and reluctantly joining his teammates in laughter….
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Thursday, 15 November, 2007
Stirling Lines
Hereford
United Kingdom
16:00 hours
"Floor it!" Chuck commanded, glancing at Sarah next to him.
Sarah smiled at Chuck before she looked to her front and hit the gas in her vehicle.
As part of their light duties, Red Team had been spending a few hours participating in advanced driving manoeuvres together, and this was their final tasking of the day, so Chuck wanted to go out in style.
Increasing the vehicle's speed for a brief moment more, Sarah approached a turn on the tarmac, where she released her foot from the gas, put on the handbrake, and performed an inch-perfect drifting turn to navigate the course.
"Perfect," Chuck declared, grinning at her.
Releasing the handbrake, Sarah put her foot on the gas again, turned to look at Chuck, and returned the smile.
She then focused on driving again as Bryce and Jamie passed Sarah and Chuck on the same side of the course they had just completed.
The teammates instantly shot their glance onto the rear-view mirror, and they observed their teammates performing the same perfect manoeuvre, which caused them to grin in approval.
A few minutes later
Red Team returned in their personal vehicles to the field close to their barracks, where they came to a stop.
The team of eight promptly departed their cars, and they moved to link up.
"Right lads, Sarah, we made some nice moves out there," Chris said, glancing around his team. "That's it for today, but from tomorrow, we're stood to once more."
Groans erupted amongst the team.
Staff Sergeant MacDonald narrowed his eyes. "That's not the reaction I expected."
"What else did you expect, Chris, fella?" Big Dan complained, shaking his head. "I know it's Who Dares Wins, not Who Dares Whinge, but we've been in lockdown for two fucking weeks now, fella, and I've just about had enough of it. If this goes on much longer, I'll be returning to 1 PARA."
"I couldn't agree more, mate," Jamie said, quickly backing up his teammate and fellow paratrooper. "I'll be joining you and fucking off back to 2 PARA meself if this nonsense continues."
"Once a Para, always a Para, ey?" Cole asked, lifting his head with a grin.
Some chuckles broke out within the team.
"They're both right, though, fellas," Bryce soon said. "And so is Chuck."
Everyone turned to look at Bryce.
"I'm right in what way, mate?" Chuck asked because he'd not said anything yet.
Glancing around his teammates, Bryce said, "I'll bet all of you that the tossers responsible for these trackers are just journalists. I mean, are we all expected to believe that the fucking IRA is still pulling shit like this in 2007?"
"Bryce is right," Sarah said, nodding in agreement. "And we know Al-Qaeda likes a fight, but are they really sophisticated enough to pull this off and come after us in our own backyard? I don't think so. Because they'd stick out like a sore thumb."
Red Team, minus Chris, instantly began to voice their agreements with Sarah's remarks, and the area turned loud.
While Chris said, "Be that as it may, the Regiment doesn't take any chances, and all of you know it. I've been in this game a long time. Red alerts are never ideal for any of us, but we have to get on with it and manage the situation accordingly."
"He never hesitates to show his age, does he?" Big Dan joked, pointing his thumb sideways at his team leader.
Some of the team muted laughter until they were all disturbed by John Murray saying, "Look who it is."
Everyone snapped their glance in the direction John Murray was looking, and their gaze connected onto Morgan Grimes, the Box 500 employee and the man who had offered to help out during Monday's bloody, intense operation.
"Alright, fella?!" Big Dan called out in Morgan's direction, who had just departed his vehicle.
Red Team soon began to walk in Morgan's direction.
Arriving close to Morgan's car, he stood to receive them.
"Hey guys and Sarah," Morgan said, smiling at Red Team.
All of Red Team, except for Chris, returned the warm glance at the friendly MI5 employee, while Chris simply nodded at him.
"How's the arm?" Chuck asked, nodding at Morgan's left arm, which was held in a sling from where he had been shot on Monday.
"Hurts like hell, but I'll live," Morgan laughed.
The team, minus Chris, shared the laughter with him while Chris simply shook his head.
"Well, how does it feel to be one of us, mate?" Jamie asked.
Chuckling as he gazed fondly with respect at Red Team, Morgan said, "It's an honour and was worth being shot for."
Laughter and warm spirits continued between Red Team and Morgan.
Soon sighing, Cole declared, "Ah… It's a pity we can't take him out to the pub and celebrate his first contact in style."
"Too right, Cole, fella!" Big Dan quickly agreed.
The rest of the team, including Chris, also muttered their prompt agreements with Cole.
Soon glancing around every teammate of his, Bryce encouraged, "Come on! Why don't we?!"
Chuck, Sarah, Cole, Big Dan, Jamie and John Murray instantly began to consider Bryce's encouragement.
While Chris cautioned, "We shouldn't," although inside he very much wanted to be off the base for an hour or two himself right at this moment. His team had certainly earned a period of R&R, he just didn't want any blowbacks, nor heads to roll if they got caught.
"Come on!" Bryce encouraged once more, glancing around the team again. "It's our last day of light duties, and we haven't even had a fucking warm down after the op on Monday yet, which we always do!"
"He's right," Jamie quickly said, starting to become very excited about the idea of sneaking off the base for a few again, just as they had done eight days ago when they had gotten the better of Blue Team in their football match. "We snuck out for a few last Tuesday, and nothing happened. Plus Sarah, Bryce and Chuck are right in what they said earlier as well. The pillocks behind putting the trackers on our cars are nothing more than journalists."
"Exactly, mate!" Bryce encouraged Jamie immensely before looking at the rest of his team. "Come on, fellas! It would be criminal for us not to have a few! Who knows, we might be locked on here or out on another op for the next month after tomorrow, so tonight might be our last chance, and we're stood down until tomorrow anyway!"
The team seriously considered Bryce's latest remarks as daring faces began to break out amongst the unit.
"I'm up for it if everyone else is," Big Dan suddenly said. "And even if it was the ragheads responsible for bugging our cars, they're not exactly gonna make a move on all eight of us in the same place simultaneously, are they?"
"Exactly, mate!" Bryce quickly agreed.
However, the rest of the team took a slightly more extended time to consider Big Dan's remarks.
"If we all stick together like last time, Dan's right," Cole soon said. "Only the most halfwitted pillocks would make a move on all of us together."
Many heads began to nod.
"Aye. We aren't going oot to get oot our faces, are we?" John Murray said. "A wee pint or two. Who Dares Wins, ey?"
Laughter erupted amongst the team while Morgan observed the exchange between the funny soldiers with a smile on his face.
"Are we going out for it then?" Bryce asked, glancing around the team, before finishing on Jamie. "Jamie?"
Jamie quickly nodded.
Bryce changed his glance to Sarah, who nodded.
"I'm in," Cole quickly said.
Followed by Dan, "Me too, fella."
"Aye," John Murray quickly said.
Bryce then turned his attention to Chuck. "Just you and Chris left, mate."
Glancing around his teammates, Chuck soon said, "I was waiting for all of you to answer first 'cause I've already pissed off the base once this week."
"If it stops him moping," Chris quickly said. "Then I'm in too."
Excitement instantly erupted within the unit.
"Right!" Cole said, clapping his hands together in excitement. "Let's go and fetch our sidearms, and then we'll be off for the warm down and to celebrate Morgan's first contact!"
The excitement continued to build and take hold of most team members.
"We'll take Jamie and Bryce's cars. Morgan, leave your car here. You can ride with us," Chris instructed.
Morgan and Red Team nodded, who soon dispersed to collect their sidearms, before departing for Jim's pub.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Red Team and Morgan arrived outside Jim's pub in their two transport vehicles.
Coming to a stop, the eight teammates and Morgan departed the cars.
Moving to link up, they paused, waiting for Chris to give instructions.
"Right, lads and Sarah!" Chris said, looking around the group. "The same instructions as the last time our soft bollocks's all did this. Keep yourselves to yourselves at all times. If any civilians approach you, be polite, but send them packing. Nobody is to disappear from the group unless in pairs and for a period no longer than two minutes. Now, are we clear?"
Everyone nodded in confirmation of the team leader's instructions.
"Right," Chris said, pointing with his thumb at the entrance to the pub, "In we go then!"
Excitement erupted amongst the squad as lively spirits and chuckles broke out as they entered the pub.
On arrival inside the pub, the team took in the atmosphere inside the lively alehouse.
For every member of Red Team, it felt like a lifetime ago since they were here on that Thursday night, post-assignment in Birmingham, when six of them remained behind after-hours for a lock-in with the friendly landlord, Jim, while at the same time, Chuck and Sarah retired to his place together, having been set up by the team, minus Bryce.
However, it was, in fact, not a lifetime ago and merely two weeks to the day since the team had been here on that eventful Thursday.
Jim quickly abandoned his activity behind the bar and moved just ahead of Red Team and Morgan to receive their arrival.
"Do you still have that business going on from last Tuesday?" Jim asked, glancing around the team.
Red Team nodded, while John Murray said, "Yeah, fella."
"Then you're not being served in here!" Jim said, shaking his head, and he became anxious again like eight days ago. "You already had my nerves ruined last week, and if it happened again, I'd be six bloody feet under!"
Laughter erupted amongst the team, and the pub turned very loud, causing multiple pubgoers to glance in their direction.
Most customers instantly recognised Red Team by face, having seen them around regularly.
"What's that about?" Morgan asked, looking at Chuck.
Shaking his head but grinning, Chuck said, "Don't ask, mate."
Morgan nodded as he began to chuckle.
"So you don't want our custom then, Jim, mate?" Jamie asked, looking at the landlord.
"We could always go to a rival of his if he doesn't, fella," Big Dan threatened.
"Outside!" Jim said, pointing his thumb towards his establishment's beer-garden section. "Until the business that you need your guns for is solved, you lot are being served and staying outside!"
The gun comment drew further glances from multiple pubgoers towards the crack-SAS team.
"I knew he liked our charm too much to bar us," Cole declared as he began to chuckle rowdily.
Laughter strongly intensified amongst Red Team.
"Well then, Sarah, fellas, I guess we have no choice but to do as the man says and head outside," Big Dan said, looking at his comrades.
Everyone nodded as they began to depart the pub to head outside.
"Same as usual, Jimbo, fella, oh, and an extra beer for the new friend we've brought along with us," Big Dan said.
Jim nodded before puffing out a huge sigh because he always seemed to get more than he bargained for whenever Jim served the 22 SAS unit, and he was starting to regret having ever opened a pub in Hereford!
Big Dan snorted at Jim's despair before he turned, and he headed outside to join his teammates and Morgan.
Now outside, Red Team and Morgan moved to take seats around two benches in the beer garden.
It was a rather chilly mid-November evening in Hereford, with a substantial breeze making it feel much colder than it already was.
But none of the team cared about how cold it was outside.
Everyone was simply happy to be off the base, in each other's company, and to be able to unwind, even if just for a few hours. However, despite coming out here to enjoy each other's company tonight, each soldier had no intentions of lowering any of their guards. Their heads were still in the game, with each member of the team relaxed but alert and intending to remain capable of drawing their sidearms and entering armed combat at the click of a finger just as soon as they saw anything they didn't like or the call was given by a teammate for immediate action.
The crack unit exchanged glances, and conversations soon started as they waited for Jim to bring out their drinks.
Nudging into Sarah, seated next to him, Chuck waited until she turned to face him.
"Hey," she greeted him, a smile lighting up her face from their close distance apart.
"Hiya," he replied, matching her friendly glance. "It feels a while since we were here last."
Nodding, Sarah said, "I know. It's only been eight days, though, but even then, we couldn't stay long, so I don't count that time."
"Neither do I," Chuck replied, grinning.
Sarah suppressed approving laughter before breaking out with an affectionate smile.
Wanting to whisper to her how great she looked tonight, despite her simple attire, Chuck soon thought better of it, in case they were overheard.
So instead, they held their friendly gaze for a long moment until they broke it, finding new conversation partners, but the team was soon interrupted by Jim's arrival with their drinks.
Excitement instantly erupted within the unit, and many hands clapped together as Jim stopped at their bench tables.
"Nice one, Jim, mate," Bryce said, grinning from ear to ear.
Chuckling excitedly away, Jamie said, "Yeah, nice one! Oh, by the way, Jim, is there any chance of this one being on the house?"
Immediate voicings in agreement broke out amongst the unit while Jim quickly put the drinks down on the benches, pointed at Jamie, and said, "Don't push it, Jamie!"
Disappointed groans broke out amongst the SAS team, which quickly turned into laughter.
"Oh, Jimbo, by the way, fella," Big Dan said suddenly, but he paused in suspense.
Big Dan wanted to wait for a reply from Jim, which caused Red Team to snort because, usually, something terrible always followed whenever Big Dan said this.
Jim instantly moved to put his head in his hands. "Oh, bloody hell! Here we go!" he cursed at his inevitable upcoming misfortunes!
The barman's reaction caused the snorts to develop into uncontrolled laughter.
Revealing his face from between his hands, Jim said in depression, "What is it now?"
Big Dan, remaining composed, said, "I was only intending to inform you that it's a good thing you threw us out here anyway, fella, 'cause we've just been in a shootout literally just before we entered the pub."
Multiple snorts for a long moment in succession erupted within Red Team once more.
While Jim started to laugh hysterically, which only furthered the snorts from the team until he stopped and said, "You're pulling my leg!"
Still remaining composed, Big Dan put his hands in the air and said, "Jimbo, it's the god's honest truth, fella. Look at his arm," while nodding Jim towards Morgan.
Jim followed Big Dan's nod until his glance connected onto Morgan, still wearing the sling and smiling at Jim.
"Bloody hell!" Jim cursed, unable to take his eyes away from Morgan's gunshot wounded arm.
The barman's anxiety led to further laughter amongst the team, whose stomachs started to hurt at the friendly barman's expense.
"I didn't hear anything!" Jim soon said, suspecting Big Dan was still pulling his leg.
"We all had silencers, mate, you know, like James Bond?" Jamie said, getting in on the joke, which caused further snorts amongst Jamie's teammates.
Jim shook his head, now excessively agitated, and he moved to put a hand on the temple of his head and puffed out a long anxious sigh. "You fellas are going to be the death of me!" he exclaimed, pointing with his free hand at all of Red Team.
Chuckles erupted amongst the unit once more, while Chuck got in on the joke and said, "Don't worry, Jim, mate, we won't let anything happen to you. Where would we go for our ale if something did?"
Big Dan pointed in immense approval at Chuck. "Good shout, fella!"
While Jim remained unamused, excessively tense, and shouted, "YOU'LL BLOODY WELL HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE SOON BECAUSE I'LL BLOODY WELL BE SODDING OFF TO BLOODY TENERIFE!"
Intense, rapturous laughter instantly broke out and erupted among the entire unit for a very long moment.
It took all of Red Team some time to calm themselves because that's the exact same place that most of the team wanted to go to themselves!
Big Dan was the first to be in a position to talk again, and once he could, he said, "I always knew you were one of us, Jimbo, fella, and now you've only gone and proved it!"
"How have I proved it?" Jim asked back, still shaking his head, a nervous wreck. Every time he was in Red Team's company, he was never far away from being rushed into the emergency operating room for immediate heart bypass surgery, and today was no different!
"Because we're all going to Tenerife!" Red Team said in unison as hysterics erupted amongst the team again.
"Bloody hell! You're having me off!" Jim said back as he looked up to the heavens in search of someone to come and rescue him from his living nightmare.
Once the barman looked back at Red Team, who were all looking at him, they began to shake their heads in sync.
Shaking his head in overwhelming anxiety and a complete nervous wreck, Jim quickly turned away from Red Team and rushed back inside his pub before that surgery became a reality.
"HE DIDN'T EVEN CHARGE US FOR THE DRINKS!" Jamie suddenly realised, erupting in roaring laughter as soon as Jim had disappeared, and he looked around the entire team while crying out in laughter.
Jamie's comments caused the laughter within the unit to peak at an all-time high, as they began celebrating at the first sign of good luck and fortune for the unit in what felt like a very long time!
"YOU'RE A FUCKING LEGEND, DAN, MATE!" Bryce said back, howling himself as the intense outpouring of laughter among the entire unit and Morgan continued for quite some time.
Once the laughter finally stopped a few minutes later, with all of their stomachs now in severe pain from all of the laughing, the team took hold of their drinks, raised them into the air, and Chris led the toasts, "Cheers."
"Cheers," everyone except Big Dan replied, while Big Dan said, "Up yer arse."
Light chuckles over Big Dan's remark escaped for a brief second until the whole group took a mouthful of their drinks.
Their actions led to pleasurable sighs of contentment erupting across both benches, and many shoulders throughout the team started to relax, as the team plus Morgan unwound blissfully in each other's company.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
"Right, so who's buying the next one then?" Chris asked, glancing around his unit and Morgan searching for an answer.
Red Team briefly considered the question, but nobody could answer as Morgan said, "I would be honoured to buy it for you, as a thank you for bringing me with you. You guys are really cool!"
Cheers erupted within Red Team while Big Dan, sitting next to Morgan, moved to pat him on his arm, which happened to be his sore one, which caused Morgan to wince.
"Nice one, fella!" Big Dan said, grinning at Morgan.
Morgan chuckled as he smiled back at Big Dan before looking at the rest of the team, and he smiled at them too.
"I'll get the round in with Sarah?" Cole suggested.
Everyone nodded.
Cole and Sarah promptly moved to stand while Morgan handed Cole enough money for the group's order.
Walking a few steps, Cole and Sarah soon entered the inside of Jim's pub, where they moved to the bar where Jim would serve them.
Now in place, they paused in wait until Jim became free from his present tasks to serve them.
Turning to face Cole, Sarah said, "I know."
Cole turned to face her. Narrowing his eyes at her, he soon replied, "You know what, lass?"
"What you did yesterday," she said, nodding at him.
Cole eyed her up and down briefly before he said, "And what did I do yesterday, lass?"
"You lied to Chris and the rest of us to cover for your best mate...so he didn't get in trouble."
Cole processed her remarks briefly, and holding his cards close to his chest; he said, "And what do you intend to do about that?"
Taking a brief moment, Sarah soon smiled and said, "Nothing."
Cole paused, opting not to respond, as he sensed she had a further comment to add.
"I'm not going to do anything," she soon continued. "Because he already means as much to me as he does to you, and if you ever tell anybody that: then I'll deny it."
Grinning from ear to ear, Cole said, "I won't even repeat that admission to Chuck, lass, never mind any of the other lads. It stays between us. You have my word."
Sarah nodded at him in reply, and the teammates soon turned to their front once more in wait to be served.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
A few hours later
Red Team and Morgan departed their two vehicles, now safely back on base. Everyone except for Jamie and Bryce had had four drinks, which was enough to make them merry, but nobody was drunk.
Linking up together in happy spirits, the group exchanged warm glances.
"Well, guys, and Sarah, thank you for tonight! I really had a good time being with you!" Morgan said enthusiastically, smiling as he looked around the whole team.
Red Team returned the friendly glance to Morgan.
"Don't mention it, fella. You're one of us now!" Big Dan said.
Morgan held his friendly glance at Big Dan and the rest of the team.
"Yeah, mate, we'll have to do it again soon," Jamie said.
Everyone nodded while Cole added a further comment and said, "And hopefully it will be with the lockdown at an end, and then we can really enjoy ourselves!"
The whole team quickly voiced their agreements before they moved to shake Morgan's hand one by one until he departed.
Now in their own company, Red Team retired into their barracks in great spirits as they shared a few laughs and jokes, and they walked into the middle of the corridor, where they paused in place.
"Well, I guess that's goodnight then," Bryce said, glancing around the team, a feeling of regret lingering throughout him that he and his comrades would part ways now.
"Goodnight, fella," John Murray said, smiling at Bryce, but sharing the same sadness of his teammate, just like the other six were feeling too.
Glancing around his teammates, Big Dan said, "Be seeing you fellas, and Sarah, tomorrow then."
The team all nodded, smiling at Big Dan.
"Goodnight," Cole said, glancing around the unit in fondness.
"Goodnight," the whole team replied, sharing one last glance until they turned their backs on each other and departed for their rooms…
A short while later
Chuck was inside his room, lying on his bed in his shorts and nothing else. Since taking off yesterday morning, he was now in a much better place, having blown off a lot of his tension and steam during the cross-country run he'd partaken in. While Red Team's activities at the pub just earlier had all but evaporated his sadness and uncertainty, at least for now.
In the next few minutes, Chuck would be sound asleep happy and content with himself for the first time in three days. Actually, this would be the first great sleep in six days.
Sighing pleasurably, he placed his hands behind his head and gazed up at the room's ceiling for a long moment.
Chuck closed his eyes and relaxed his shoulders after a fantastic evening with his team and Morgan, the funny Box 500 employee.
He continued his comforting thoughts in peaceful tranquility for a moment longer until it was disturbed by movement at his door.
Chuck shot up from his position of rest, quickly turning on the small light on the bedside drawer.
With his actions complete, he turned back to look at the door.
His glance quickly connected onto: "Sarah!" he said in shock.
Sarah turned away from Chuck, where she proceeded to close his door, and she turned the lock in place.
Chuck narrowed his eyes at her actions, his glance razor-sharp into her orbs as she began to approach him.
"Might I inquire as to what you're doing here?" he asked, his eyes not leaving hers for a moment.
Stopping just in front of where he was seated, she stared down into his eyes, filled with lust. "To give you your answer about us."
Chuck instantly attempted to stand as a humongous grin lit up his face.
However, he was immediately held in place as she took hold of his shoulders, pushing him back onto the bed.
She quickly moved to climb on top of him, and she straddled him where he lay.
Lowering herself to him, they began to kiss, each tasting the alcohol they'd each consumed.
He ran his hands up to caress her neckline and face, while she ran hers through his hair until they parted for air.
With their faces now no more than a flick away, they burned a stare into each other's eyes as an intense desire to express intimacy with each other consumed their thoughts.
The temperature inside the room quickly rose as their skin clammed, their breathing began to deepen, and their faces overcame with a hot flush.
They adjusted themselves to kiss once more, their tongues beginning to skirmish, and their touches on each other's person became more firm, and each lowered towards intimate body parts.
Parting for air, Sarah used the pause to release a hand from Chuck's body, and she moved to turn out the light.
In a moment of stupidity? Or intelligence? Chuck whispered, "Is this wise? What if we get caught?"
"Chuck?" she breathed back.
"Yeah?" he asked, gazing up at his stunning teammate and recently acquainted lover.
"Shut up and kiss me."
And kiss her he did…
AN3 Panic over, readers! Here's your Charah :) You should trust me more. My pen name is Charah, after all! Nobody ships Charah more than I do! And I'll fight anyone who says they do!
Next chapter, the team heads to Manchester for training, but the location, which is a five-star hotel, is used as a mini-vacation! And Charah has their first off-duty date! It's gonna be romantic! And passionate! We have entered a new phase of Charah's relationship now. As I said just above, trust me.
Please leave a review today! Muchas gracias! And I'll see you in a few days with Chapter 38!