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Who Dares Wins
Chapter Fourteen: Rest & Relaxation: Part One
Thursday, 1 November, 2007
Stirling Lines
Hereford
United Kingdom
"You executed a clean and methodical job in Birmingham, ladies and gentlemen," Colonel Wood said to the soldiers of Mobility troop seated inside one of the briefing rooms on their base.
"Thank you, sir," a lot of the soldiers began to mumble.
"If the longstanding traditions of teams wagering against each other is still being continued, then I will also offer my congratulations to Red Team, in finishing the operation a small sum richer," Colonel Wood joked, which earned laughter from most of Red Team, while Blue Team remained mostly silent due to their misfortunes in the wager.
"Wager? What wager?" Big Dan deflected with a straight face while glancing at the Regimental Commanding Officer.
Colonel Wood shook his head. "Who was the bookmaker, out of curiosity?" he asked, glancing around the room to find the culprit.
"Big Dan!" The entire room said in unison as the room quickly filled with laughter.
Big Dan, who was seated in the front row of the briefing room, quickly darted his glance behind himself to glance at his comrades. "You fucking snitches!" he said with a wide grin, and the laughter in the room extended further.
"Is there any chance of us getting some more money out of them, boss? Because they paid us for one jihadist, but we got three of them," Bryce complained, and the entirety of Blue Team all started to glare at Bryce with hostility, which only furthered the laughter of Red Team as half of the team began to bend over in stitches over Bryce's remarks.
Smirking, Colonel Wood asked, "Well, how about it, Neil?" while glancing at Blue Team Leader Staff Sergeant Neil Williams.
"Not a chance in hell, sir! The bet was for a jihadist, not for three of them!" Staff Sergeant Williams complained to the displeasure of Red Team, as they all started to groan at the missed opportunity of accumulating further money from Blue Team's pockets.
Once the laughter in the room had calmed, Colonel Wood continued on, "Well, Mobility troop, I am pleased to declare that you have the next three days off."
The entire debriefing room quickly filled with loud voices of approval over the Colonel's declaration.
"I thought that would make Blue Team happy," Colonel Wood joked, which set laughter off between the whole troop this time.
"That about wraps things up. Box 500, please relay our thanks towards your agency for your help in allowing us to prevent the attack," Colonel Wood said, glancing at Morgan.
Morgan nodded, and he began to smile at the Commanding Officer of 22 SAS.
"That is all, ladies and gentlemen. Dismissed," Colonel Wood finished.
Mobility troop all moved to stand, and the soldiers inside the room quickly split off into subsections as they sought out their friends inside of the room.
Half of Red Team headed in the direction of Bryce, and John Murray and Jamie Hughes moved to put their teammate under their arm.
"Nice try, mate! We can't fault your ingenuity in your attempt at extorting them for more of their money," Jamie Hughes said while glancing with pride at his teammate that was now under his arm.
Bryce nodded as he began to chuckle.
"Yeah, you get brownie points for that, Bryce," Chuck declared.
John Murray nodded.
Chuck, Bryce, Jamie and John were then joined by Joe Lewis and Kyle Rogerson of Blue Team.
Both of the Blue Team members began to shake their heads at Bryce. "We're out for you!" Joe Lewis said to Bryce.
The members of Red Team present in the discussion began to laugh it off.
"Don't be a sore loser, mate. It doesn't suit you. Especially after how you've been behaving with me recently. You lost fair and square, accept it," Jamie Hughes said.
"We can take losing, Jamie. It's just this gobshite poking in the needle at every opportunity he's had since you won that we can't stomach," Kyle complained.
"Like you haven't done that to us before on the rare occasion that you've won a bet, you tossers," John Murray said.
Chuck and Jamie began to nod in agreement.
"I'm just having a laugh, lads. It's all in good spirits," Bryce protested.
"We'll have you lot next time," Joe Lewis stated.
"Not even in your wildest dreams will you ever get the better of us, fella!" Big Dan said as the rest of Red Team joined up with their mates, and the team began to laugh at Big Dan's comment.
Joe Lewis and Kyle Rogerson then departed to link up with their own team, which left Red Team to be alone in their own company.
Glancing at the four members of his team, Chris asked, "What was that all about?"
"It's nothing, Chris. It's just Blue Team kicking up a fuss 'cause they lost the bet," Chuck said.
Bryce, John and Jamie all nodded.
"When have they ever not done that?" Cole asked.
"Never, mate. They're serial fucking complainers," Big Dan said.
The entire team all began to nod.
"So, who's hungry then?" Jamie Hughes asked, changing the topic.
"I could eat a horse," Cole declared.
Red Team began to share laughter over Cole's sudden declaration.
"You greedy bastard," Chris stated endearingly as Red Team began to depart for the canteen in joyful moods as most of the team placed their arms around each other as they strolled towards their destination.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
"So what are you all planning to do with your days off then?" Sarah asked, glancing around her team that were now seated together inside the canteen.
"Whatever my missus has me do," Big Dan complained.
Red Team shared laughter together over Dan's remarks.
"Though I'm not sure why I'm laughing, because my marriage is the same. At least Dan's is a happy one," Chris stated.
Sarah smiled in sympathy with her team leader.
"Oh, here he goes. Chris, mate, if you're not happy in the marriage, just leave it for God's sake!" Big Dan said.
Most of the team all began to nod.
"I can't. I still love her and the kids. It's her who doesn't love me," Chris declared.
"Chin up, Chris. She still must, or you'd have been kicked out a long time ago mate," Chuck said reassuringly.
The team all began to nod, and Chris conceded to Chuck's point.
"What about the rest of you? Are you doing anything special?" Sarah asked as she glanced around the rest of her team.
"Maybe a drive to Manchester to catch up with some people," Bryce stated.
"That sounds decent actually," Jamie said.
"You could come along if you want to, mate," Bryce suggested.
Bryce and Jamie shared a warm glance with each other as Jamie began to nod. "Sure, why not? I don't exactly have anything else on."
Bryce nodded, and the two teammates continued to share their warm gaze.
"And what about Chuck and yourself, Sarah? I suppose you'll both be hooking up officially now that you're off duty. Though after that extended kissing session you both had in Birmingham, I'm not sure I blame you," Big Dan teased.
Sarah shot Big Dan an immediate glare as most of Red Team burst into laughter over his comment.
"Don't even start any of that, you prick!" Chuck warned as he began to point at Big Dan.
Dan couldn't help but look smugly as he shifted his glance around his team with all of them except for Chuck and Sarah now smirking in approval.
Red Team then began to tuck into the food that they had ordered for a few minutes until Chuck noted as Morgan Grimes entered into the canteen. Chuck paused from eating, and he continued to glance over at Morgan until Morgan met his gaze. With Morgan now looking at Chuck, and with most of Red Team now looking at Chuck to see what their teammate was doing, Chuck proceeded to wink at Morgan. Morgan instantly turned nervous, and he quickly dashed over towards the dinner ladies, and he almost clattered into the back of a soldier that was queuing up to be served in the process of doing so.
Chuck couldn't help but snort with laughter before he broke his gaze onto Morgan, and he turned his attention back towards his team once more.
"What was that all about mate?" Jamie Hughes asked.
Chuck continued to glance around his team, and they had all paused what they were doing, and they were all gazing at him as they waited to find out what the joke was.
Chuckling, he said, "I told him all about GBB."
Every single one of his teammates filled up with puzzlement and confusion as they began to ask themselves what the acronym stood for, which only furthered Chuck's laughter on seeing the puzzled states that his teammates were now in.
"GBB?" Cole asked eventually as he gave up trying to work out what it stood for, and the rest of Red Team all stopped attempting to work out the acronym themselves, and they all began to gaze at Chuck once more as they waited to learn the meaning of the mystery acronym.
"Gay before bed," Chuck admitted, and he couldn't hold in his laughter once more on watching as all seven of his teammates began to shake their heads in disgust at him.
"You're sick!" Chris declared as Chuck continued to laugh strongly in satisfaction.
"A fucking men!" Big Dan said in complete agreement with his team leader, and the rest of Chuck's teammates promptly began to nod in agreement as they continued to shake their heads at Chuck while he continued to laugh at his joke and his winding up of Morgan while they were in Birmingham.
"He really believes that?" Sarah asked as she rotated her gaze between Chuck and Morgan in bewilderment.
Chuck nodded. "Yeah. It was too easy. And make sure you continue the joke!" he said as he glanced around his team once more, while occasionally continuing to laugh.
"We'll have to, mate," John Murray said, grinning.
Chuck nodded as he began to laugh once more.
Red Team then began to observe Morgan as he collected his food. He then began to make his way towards one of the benches, but he paused what he was doing because Jamie Hughes shouted, "Morgan, come and join us mate! We've saved you a seat!"
Red Team watched on as Morgan began to gaze at the team wide-eyed before he quickly abandoned walking towards the bench. Instead, he rushed off to another room and out of sight of the team, and as he did so, Red Team quickly burst into roaring laughter, and the whole team began to shake their heads in a humorous way.
Once the laughter had died down a short while later, Bryce asked, "Anyone for a game of pool?"
Jamie, John and Chris all began to nod, and they stood up, and they collected their plates before they departed away to head to the R&R section of the canteen. While Chuck, Sarah, Dan and Cole remained behind.
Dan and Cole then began to engage in a conversation amongst themselves, and Chuck turned his attention towards Sarah. Glancing at his teammate, he noted that she didn't appear to have much appetite, and she was only picking away at her food.
Smiling as he continued to gaze at her, he said, "Not hungry?"
Sarah broke from looking down at her food as she glanced up, and she met his gaze. She quickly returned his smile, and she shook her head.
Holding his smile, he said, "It's normal. Over time, it will become easier, and you will be able to eat more."
Sarah nodded as the teammates held their glance.
"Look at me, I'm still not eating my normal load either," he stated, glancing down at his plate.
Sarah broke from looking at Chuck, and she glanced at his plate before returning her gaze to her teammate once more. "Yeah," she said.
Still holding his smile towards her, he said, "You're not upset about it, are you?"
She shook her head. "No. He was a jihadist. It's totally different from what happened in London."
He nodded, but he said nothing, and he waited for her to continue.
"On our first operation together, I felt how I did at the time because it was exactly as you said to me. It was most of the bodies that I saw laid out all over the ground that had me feeling the way I did," she said.
Chuck nodded again. "Yeah, it was a horrible experience. It will take everybody that was involved in that operation a long time to cancel out what we saw," he stated.
She nodded. "Exactly. But our operation in Birmingham is totally different. No innocents were hurt, and the person I killed was a jihadist that came seconds away from killing a comrade of ours. I'm glad I neutralized him," she said.
Chuck continued his warm smile toward his teammate, and as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes, he said, "Sarah, it's not easy… But someone has to do the job. You're good at it, and if you need to talk about it, then you know where I am."
Not breaking the eye contact with him, she smiled affectionately at him, and she said, "Thank you. And you know where I am too. Anytime you need to talk to me, Chuck, then call me. I really mean that."
Chuck nodded as the teammates and friends held their unyielding warm gaze towards each other for a prolonged period...
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Red Team entered into the barracks housing their on-base accommodations, and they were preparing to change into fresh clothing before retiring to the civilian world for the next three days.
"Does anyone have a thirst then?" Chris asked, glancing around his team.
All of Red Team suddenly erupted with smiles and all seven members began to nod.
"Did you even need to ask that, Chris?" Big Dan said.
"No, but it's the polite thing to do rather than to force it upon you all," Chris declared.
Big Dan nodded. "Fair enough."
"Besides, we need to spend Blue Team's money anyway," Bryce stated.
Red Team suddenly erupted with laughter, and the team moved to pat Bryce, approvingly.
"In that case, I'll see all of you chaps, and Sarah, soon," Cole declared.
The team all began to nod.
"I'm looking forward to it," Jamie said.
Chuck suppressed a laugh at Jamie's comment. "I bet you are, mate," he said.
"What did Joe even do to you, by the way, mate?" Bryce asked.
Jamie shook his head in frustration. "He set me up with his ex-girlfriend, who turned out to be just a regimental groupie. Blue Team have been on my back, and they've been pissing me off about it for a while now," Jamie declared.
Sarah and Bryce, as the newest members to Red Team both began to wince.
"Ouch," Bryce said in sympathy.
"Yeah, it's a sore topic for him!" Chuck declared as the team shared laughter.
"Now I'm super glad I took their money. They deserved it," Sarah declared as she began to feel bad for her teammate.
Chuck started to scoff. "Pfft, you didn't even want the wager! You're barred from boasting about Blue Team's misfortunes," he said, grinning at her.
"Make me," Sarah said in defiance as she stared into his eyes.
"Ooh!" Big Dan said in excitement.
"The girl's got attitude," John Murray said in approval.
"Style, I call it," Cole declared.
"That's why she's in Red Team!" Chuck declared as the team shared strong laughter once more.
The team then began to disappear into their respective quarters, with most of the team proceeding to shower before they began to change into a fresh set of civilian clothes. On departing the showering area of the barracks, Chuck bumped into his best friend, Cole Barker.
Smiling at his best friend, Cole said, "Hi, Chuck."
Chuck returned the warm glance as he began to grin at his best friend. "Hey, mate."
"Do you fancy doing anything this weekend, Chuck? Maybe the usual?" Cole suggested as the best friends continued to gaze at each other from where they stood idle.
"What, head to the gym together then head out to the pub for a few before finishing at a steakhouse?" Chuck asked grinning.
Cole nodded as he held his warm glance on toward his best friend.
"Then it sounds like a perfect day to me, mate. I think there's even rugby match on. We can watch it at the usual place we go to," Chuck suggested.
"I'm already looking forward to that, Chuck," Cole said.
"Cole, I always look forward to spending time with you whenever it's available to us, mate," Chuck declared warmly.
The best friends shared another warm glance.
"Are you sure Sophie won't mind, though?" Chuck asked.
Cole scoffed as he shook his head in disapproval of his best friend's question. "Chuck, you always ask me that every time we plan something. You know Sophie almost as well as me. You were with me the night I met her, and you've been in her company many, many times since. You're going to be my best man for God's sake," he complained as he began to laugh while he continued to shake his head.
Chuck shared the laughter with him. "I know, Cole. I just don't ever want her to think that I'm coming between you both as the third wheel, 'cause I'd never want that," he stated sincerely.
Cole patted his best friend on the shoulder. "Chuck, if she heard you say that, then she'd give you a right good telling off. She loves you as a little brother, and she does not resent or mind how much time we spend together. You're my best friend, and she would never even dream of taking that away from you. You know that."
Chuck nodded in concession. "You're right, mate. So, Sunday then?" he asked.
"Sunday," Cole agreed as he began to nod, and the best friends shared an affectionate smile.
"I look forward to it," Chuck declared.
"Me too," Cole declared as they affectionately shook hands, before they returned into their respective quarters and they also began to change into a fresh set of civilian clothes as they prepared to depart for the pub together with the rest of the team to unwind in each others company.
Chuck changed himself into a navy blue tailored shirt and jeans. He then spent a moment fixing his hair before he gathered his things, and he promptly left his room as he wanted to catch Sarah alone before they departed for the pub with their team.
Arriving outside her door, Chuck proceeded to knock. He then waited in pause for a short moment until Sarah said, "Come in."
Chuck breathed out a short sigh before he took hold of the door handle, and he proceeded to enter into Sarah's quarters.
Arriving inside, he glanced over at Sarah, who was sitting on the bed. She was wearing a white tank top with a grey cardigan and blue jeans with heels, and she looked simple, but yet oh so gorgeous.
"Hi," he said, holding his gaze towards her.
"Hey," she replied, meeting his gaze, and she smiled at him.
Chuck then began to do something bold, which shocked both himself, but also Sarah, as he moved to close Sarah's door, and he proceeded to lock the door.
"Chuck?" she inquired in a startled tone.
Chuck turned to face her once more, and smiling, he said, "Sorry, that surprised even myself a little bit. I just wanted to talk in private, without people eavesdropping on us if that's ok?"
Sarah took a moment in contemplation before she began to nod, and he held his grin towards her, and he moved to sit on the bed a short distance away from her.
The two teammates then paused in an awkward silence, until they both went to speak at the same time as they said, "So…"
"You go first," Sarah quickly interjected.
Chuck nodded, and he grinned at her once more. "Sarah, we agreed to put aside what happened between us until we got back and well, here we are..."
"Yeah, here we are," Sarah said as she then broke her gaze away from Chuck for a brief moment before she returned it back in place, and the two teammates continued to gaze into each other's eyes from where they sat a short distance apart.
"Look, Sarah," he started. "I'm going to be honest and blunt with you now because I think it's the only way we can clear any awkwardness between us after the kiss. At this point, I can say with total certainty that I am highly attracted to you. You are breathtakingly gorgeous, even in what you're wearing now."
Sarah broke her gaze from Chuck, and she looked down at the floor briefly as she began to feel her cheeks burn, and she started to blush in shyness from his blunt but welcome complimenting of her.
He continued on again, and she looked up to gaze into his eyes as he talked to her, "And I know you are attracted to me too. Otherwise, you wouldn't have invited me to come inside the other day."
Sarah gulped a nervous breath of air, and she broke her gaze briefly. "Chuck, I am, but..."
He quickly interjected, "Sarah, totally, I get it. We were on active duty, on a serious and dangerous operation, and it wasn't the ideal time for us to be kissing."
Continuing to gaze into his eyes, she smiled, and she said, "God, it was so awkward," as she began to laugh.
He nodded as he also began to chuckle. "Agreed."
"It was probably the longest kiss I've ever had also," she stated as she held her affectionate smile.
He continued to chuckle. "Me too. But Sarah, it could have been worse, trust me."
Sarah scoffed. "Chuck, how could it have been worse?" she asked as she continued to gaze at him with a bright smile.
He suppressed a brief laugh. "Well, Sarah, instead of Jamie and Dan watching us, I want you to imagine what it would have been like if it were Blue Team, or hell the entire troop with eyes on us at that exact moment," he stated.
Sarah suddenly gulped with dread, and her smile ceased. "You're right, it could have been worse!" she quickly agreed.
He vigorously began to nod his head, and they shared a laugh with each other.
"Sarah, there's always a positive to everything in life, you just have to find it," he declared with a loving grin.
She returned his warm gaze. "Well, aren't you the philosopher?" she teased.
He winked at her, and she suppressed a laugh as she moved to gently swat his arm.
"God, Chuck, I wouldn't have been able to look at anybody again if Blue Team had watched us kissing, and especially how we did, and for how long we did it. That is actually a sobering thought," she declared.
"Yeah," he agreed.
The two teammates continued to share an affectionate gaze towards each other.
"Plus, I mean, if I had to be forced into kissing anybody on the team, at least it was you," he joked.
Sarah shook her head as a wide grin formed, and she suppressed a laugh as she continued to gaze into his eyes. "That's so not fair. You're only saying that because I'm the only girl," she teased.
He nodded, and with a wide grin, he said, "Exactly!"
She shook her head once more, and she held her affectionate smile. "I hate being the odd one out," she declared.
"I'm sorry," he said.
They shared another warm glance, and Sarah moved to touch his arm affectionately.
"Are you ready to head out and have a good time then?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah."
He gave her the biggest grin yet as the teammates moved to stand, and Chuck followed on behind Sarah as they moved to the door of her quarters. Sarah proceeded to unlock the door, and they departed from Sarah's quarters, and they entered into the hallway of the barracks where they immediately encountered Big Dan who was stood idle out in the hallway.
"Oy, oy! I take it you've both already progressed to kissing each other in private now then, ey?" he teased.
"Piss off, Dan!" Sarah shouted with distaste, glaring at her teammate.
"Yeah, piss off, Dan!" Chuck said as he did the same.
Big Dan began to laugh. "You're even talking in the same language now. Sharing a bed together will soon follow," he said as he continued to torment his two teammates, and his attempts succeeded as Chuck and Sarah began to get more visibly wound up in the form of biting their lips.
Luckily for Chuck and Sarah, the rest of the team promptly arrived out in the hallway, and Red Team prepared to depart the barracks together.
"So, who's driving tonight then?" Jamie Hughes asked.
The team paused in contemplation for a brief moment before Cole began to speak.
"I'll do it. I'm heading out with Chuck on Sunday, so I'll save my drinking for then. Sophie wouldn't approve if I got slaughtered two nights in just a few days, so I'll save the heavy stuff for Sunday," he declared.
Red Team all began to nod in acceptance.
"I can probably drive as well. I guess I can save the heavy stuff for Sunday as well," Chuck offered.
"Nah, you're alright, mate. I'll be driver number two. You won us the wager along with Sarah, so it's only fair that you end the night rotten. Most of our rounds will come from Blue Team's money, after all," Jamie said.
"He's right," Big Dan said.
"Of course he is," Chris said in agreement.
"Fellas, it's fine, seriously, I don't mind," Chuck protested.
"Chuck, it's already settled, mate. I'm doing the driving, and you're doing the drinking, and I won't hear no more about it," Jamie Hughes said, and Red Team sharply began to voice their agreement with Jamie's argument.
"Fair enough," Chuck conceded with a grin, which turned Red Team joyful, and they began to depart the barracks together in fantastic moods.
"I wish we would have upped the wager," Bryce complained at the missed opportunity of taking more money from Blue Team.
"You and me both, mate!" John Murray said in agreement.
"There's always the next time," Cole said.
"Hopefully, Sarah will be more willing next time," Chuck teased.
"After how easy that was, I will be totally willing," Sarah joked as Red Team burst into laughter.
"That's what we like to hear," Big Dan said.
"She's becoming one of the lads," John Murray joked.
"Becoming? She already is one," Jamie Hughes argued.
The team all nodded. "Fair point," Chris said.
Red Team had now arrived outside their barracks when they encountered Morgan Grimes walking over to his car a short distance away.
The team all began to glance at each other, and they quickly began to get excited at the prospect of continuing Chuck's joke.
"Alright, Morgan! We're heading out to the pub! You're welcome to join us, mate!" Bryce shouted over at Morgan, who quickly began to shake his head sharply, and he waved his arms in an attempt to refuse the invitation.
Red Team began to shout further words of encouragement at Morgan, who continued to protest.
"Come on, fella!" John Murray encouraged.
"Come and get to know us, mate! We don't bite!" Jamie Hughes shouted, and Red Team had to fight off the urge to laugh after that particular comment from their mate.
"We've been teaching Bryce gay before bed lately! You'd be welcome to come and learn the ropes!" Big Dan shouted, which caused Red Team to be unable to fight off the laughter, and Morgan to increase his attempts to refuse the invitation.
"Fuck off!" Bryce complained as he began to laugh, which only furthered Red Team's laughter.
"Cole has even brought the vaseline!" Chuck shouted as Red Team continued to laugh.
"Yeah, I've got tubs of the stuff in the boot of the Merc!" Cole shouted as he nodded over at the Mercedes.
"Thanks for the offer, guys, but I can't, seriously! I have to get home!" Morgan shouted in a panicked state before he quickly entered into his car, and Red Team observed as Morgan quickly sped off out of the base at record speed.
It took Red Team a long moment to be able to bring under control their laughter, and many members of the team now had stomach cramps from how much they had been laughing at the expense of the Box 500 employee.
"To the usual place then?" Cole asked his teammates.
The team all began to nod, and they quickly entered into Cole and Jamie's cars, and they departed to begin their long night together…
End of Chapter
I know, I know! Another chapter without the teaser. But this is actually a long chapter! It's 5,000 words, and the night isn't even CLOSE to being done. In fact, it hasn't even begun yet!
The next chapter will be at least another 8,000 words, and if they were both in the same chapter, then you would be looking at a 14-16k worded chapter. That's TOO MUCH! Plus, the next chapter will VERY likely be the first M rated Who Dares Wins chapter. So, if you don't know how to find M rated stories on this website, then I would advise adding this story onto your follow or favourites list, so that you can get an email update once the chapter has been updated.
I PROMISE, and pinky-swear that I will endeavor to ensure that the next chapter will contain the teaser, but it will DEFINITELY include Jeffster arriving at the pub.
Until next time, and if you decide to leave a review, then you will have my continued thanks :)