I did the sign of the cross over his body, muttering, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and all that fucking shit.”
The first time we lost one of our own in the line of duty I didn’t know how to send off the soldier, so I found myself doing the exact same sentiment I had seen my father do too many goddamn times to count. I was never a religious man, and that seemed better than saying nothing at all.
“I’m so sorry, brother… we will take every last one of these bastards down.”
“Creed!” Mason yelled, bringing my attention to him, pointing north.
I looked up through the clearing, revealing a scene of complete horror unfolding in the village. Insurgents dragging girls out of the village school by their hair, kicking and screaming. I knew what was in the cards for these girls, and it took every last fiber of my being not to rush in there and take down every last son of a bitch.
Mason came running over, dodging bullets and falling next to us. Breaking me away from the scene. “Creed, you hit?”
“You seein’ this?” I seethed, nodding over to them.
Ignoring my question, he asked again. “Are you hit?”
“For fuck’s sake, I’m fine, just a graze. We need to do somethin’ before those bastards rape and then murder them all. Help me get Andrews over to that fallen tree.”
I nodded toward the massive log, laying just a few feet away. Slipping his pictures and letter into my pocket. Wanting to make sure I personally delivered them to his wife, if and when we got out of here. Owen covered us as we lifted Andrews’ limp body by his pack and dragged him to the tree.
The first rule of fucking war.
No soldier was left behind.
None of us had time to reflect on another stolen life. On another solider not returning home to his wife and kids. On another innocent life taken.
“Sergeant Jameson to headquarters, do ya copy?” I radioed as Owen took some gauze from his pack and started wrapping my arm tight like a tourniquet. He was our medic.
“Copy, Jameson. This is Major Douglas from headquarters.”
“We got one soldier dead and several wounded,” I informed, cupping my ear to muffle out the sound all around us. Searching the area. “We’re near Hesarak, located 33° 59’ 49” North, 69° 2’ 23” east of Lowgar. We have a visual on the village, several Taliban men are raidin’ an all-girls schoolhouse. Fuckin’ pullin’ them out by their goddamn hair, beatin’ them and doin’ God knows what else. We’re going in. I repeat… we’re going in.”
“Stand down, soldier!”
“What?” I jerked back, holding the receiver closer to my ear, thinking I didn’t hear him correctly.
“You heard me! You stand the fuck down!” Major Douglas’s voice screeched through the radio. “That village is none of the U.S. Government’s concern. It is not part of your mission, Sergeant. Do you hear me? You stand the fuck down. That’s an order! Do you copy?”
“You shittin’ me right now? We’re not gonna sit back and watch innocent little girls get fuckin’ raped and killed when we can help them. We got visual of another U.S. Army Troop right outside the premises. We can take these motherfuckers down, complete our missions and be back by dinner. We’re going in!”
Once the coast was clear, I stood, ignoring the surge of pain radiating down my arm, and the blood dripping from my fingers.
“Creed! You heard him! Stand down!” Owen yelled after me.
“If you want those baby girls’ lives on your conscience, then you’re one fucked-up soldier! Grab your shit and let’s go, you fuckin’ pussy! Won’t tell you again. That’s an order.”
Major Douglas’s voice came back over the radio again. “The fuck you are, soldier! Stand down! They have orders not to return fire, not to engage in any way. You go in there, you are dead! We must pick and choose our battles, and this is not our battle to fight. Now stand the fuck down, Jameson.”
I didn’t hesitate, I ran as fast as I fucking could, but not fast enough. A little girl’s agonizing screams filled my ears as I watched her take punch after punch to her tiny frame. Her face nearly unrecognizable from the distance between us. Covered in her own blood and dirt. Muffled by the impact of his fists. My vision tunneled the closer I got. Another rush of adrenaline coursed through me as my heart pumped in my ears at a rapid speed as if I was having a goddamn heart attack.
All I saw was red.
All I wanted was to save them.
Even if it would cost my life.
Another Taliban towered over the girl, ripping her panties off, letting his artillery belt fall to the dirt as he unzipped his pants and pulled out his cock.
“That’s an order!” I heard the major’s voice echo through the woods from the radio.
“You can take your order and shove it up your fuckin’ ass!” I barely got the last word out when a bullet struck my thigh, tripping me up. Time seemed to pick that moment to suddenly slow down.
Everything happened in slow motion.
I fell forward, screaming, “Nooooooo!” As another bullet blurred past my face, an AK47 from behind me struck an Afghani running toward me right between the eyes as I hit the ground.
Mason may have saved my life, but what I was forced to witness in the coming minutes nearly fucking killed me in itself.
“Soldier down! I repeat… Sergeant Jameson is down,” Mason’s muffled voice announced over the radio.
“Fuck! Goddamn it! I have a helicopter en route. ETA—fifteen minutes.”
“Copy that,” Mason stated, suddenly lifting me over his shoulder, walking us back to the unit where they took cover.
We were all forced to witness the deaths of the little girls. None of us made a sound as we watched the brutal violence unfolding in front of us. I swear you could hear their screams miles from the village.
The last bit of our morality was taken from all of us that day as we sat there, allowing the motherfuckers to rip away their innocence. Thrusting in and out of them, beating them until they were no longer screaming, laughing and fucking enjoying themselves the entire time.
Their horrid screams filled the air, bringing my squad to their goddamn knees. Helplessly covering their ears, silently breaking down.
They silently prayed to the Lord above to forgive them for their sins. I fucking cursed him for allowing it to begin with. This wasn’t the first, and it wouldn’t be the last we were told to stand down.
Only fueling my hatred for our government.
NINETEEN
MIA
I went to school that day never expecting what was to come. Rick was in a bunch of my classes that semester at school. Most of my classes were advanced. I was only a Sophomore, but he was in Junior classes. He was the only boy who paid me any mind. Taking every opportunity to flirt with me, asking to borrow a pencil, or questions about math he didn’t understand. I knew it was a ploy. I saw all his tests and assignments were A’s when our math teacher handed them back.
After the final bell rang at school, I went to my locker to put my books away, and a piece of paper fell to my feet. I picked it up, turned it over and it said, “You and me, Friday night? - Rick.”
My stomach dropped, my cheeks warmed, and my hands suddenly became clammy. I peeked around my locker door and locked eyes with him.
Grinning, he mouthed, “So?” from down the hall.
I looked from him to the paper and back, nodding a little too excitedly. Happy on the outside, but flipping the fuck out on the inside. My dad was not going to approve.
Later that day, we had it out to say the least. Hands were flying, feet were stomping, trying to talk some sense into his stupid head.
“Dad! I am fifteen years old! You can’t keep treating me like a baby!” I yelled from the kitchen island. He was helping Momma prepare dinner.
“Mia Alexandra Ryder, you’re not going out with that boy. End of story.”
“You just full-named me?! And no! The story has just begun! Dad, he’s a good kid. Smart, athletic, loves fast cars. Did
I mention smart?”
“I don’t care if he is the president of the chess club, has braces and zits. You’re not going on a date.”
“Come on, Daddy! You were fifteen once. Give me a break! I’m not asking to get married! I’m asking to go hang out. Be a normal teenager. Don’t you trust me?”
“It’s him I don’t trust, Mia. And yes, I was fifteen once, not a good example to compare yourself to by any means, baby girl.” He gave me a smug look, causing Momma to chuckle under her breath.
Papa once told me that Dad was an asshole to Mom when they were kids, and he was surprised she even forgave him for all the stuff he put her through. I bit my tongue, wanting to blurt this tidbit of information out, so he could see that he wasn’t perfect. That I deserved a chance to make mistakes and learn from them like he did, but I decided against it.
Instead, I played the girl-card and went for Momma.
“Mom, you know what it’s like to be a girl. Talk some sense into your husband. Enlighten him, please!”
“Lucas, I have met this boy’s parents. He’s a good seed. I say she goes.”
“He better not do anything with his seed, especially plant it.”
“Are we still talking about Rick? Or gardening?” I looked at them, dumbfounded. “So, I can go?”
“Fine. But on one condition.” He set down the knife he was using to chop up potatoes. “Mason will be home on leave in a few days. If you want to go on this… date,” he said, struggling to say the last word. “Your brother will have to agree to go along.”
I jumped off my chair and ran over to him, giving him a big squeeze hug. Almost knocking him to the floor. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
“Don’t thank me yet. Your brother hasn’t said yes.”
Mason came home a few days later like Dad said. I tackled him at the door, hugging him tight, telling him how much I missed him. Right to asking him if he’d come on my date with me that Friday night. He looked at me like I had two heads, but Giselle agreed immediately, and he wasn’t in the right position to say no to her.
Much like my dad…
Mason was putting Giselle through shit, too.
CREED
I spent two weeks recovering in the military hospital on base, after being shot up in the woods. I should have embraced the fucking down-time, but I hated knowing my men were out on missions without me. I passed the time flirting with the nurses, seeing how many I could get to suck my cock after hours.
Playing the I’m-a-wounded-soldier card.
I got more pussy in those two weeks than I had in months. You’d be surprised how many women were willing to serve their country on their knees.
Getting a slap on the wrist, so to speak, for my actions of not standing down like I was ordered to do by my major. My only saving grace from being fucking demoted was that I was really good at what I did. We were our own entity, and most of the time we did whatever the fuck we wanted, anyway. But once I was discharged, my major handled it with me behind closed doors, man to fucking man.
Meaning he punched me in the goddamn face a few times, rendering me to the ground, and getting another few good hits on my chest, face, and stomach. Threatening me if I ever disobeyed him again, he wouldn’t think twice about taking away my fucking rank. For once in my life, I took every last hit like a fucking man, even though I could have taken him the fuck out. I was just grateful it was only my body that was taking the brunt of his punishment.
We were back in the states, on leave for two weeks. Owen was heading home to Arkansas to see his family and new baby girl. His wife gave birth to their first kid while we were footing the hills. I had never seen a grown man cry like he did when we returned to base. His wife sent him a video recording from the delivery room her mom had taken for him.
“Want to head out with us tonight?” Mason asked as I walked through the door of Giselle’s apartment.
I’d spent most of the day with Diesel, throwing back some beers at a local bar and shooting the shit. Bringing me up to speed on what’d been happening at the club in my absence. Everything from official business down to how many new whores he had fucked.
We talked about how my old man pretty much made the clubhouse his permanent residence. Officially abandoning Ma, but still giving her money to live on. Adding to what I sent her every month. Like that made things right.
He still hadn’t changed, he was still shady as fuck.
“You can help me scare the shit out of him,” Mason added as I sat down in the armchair next to them, throwing my keys on the coffee table. Wondering who the fuck they were talking about.
“I think it’s cute,” Giselle chimed in, bringing my attention to her. “I don’t mind chaperoning at all. You’re just pissed your baby sister is going on her first date. Get over it, Mason, she’s fifteen now. It’s about damn time your dad let her do something normal. Do you know what I had to go through just to go take her to get her nails done and to shop for a new outfit today? That poor girl is stuck at home all the time. Much like me waiting for you,” she emphasized, pushing her finger into his chest.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. Arching an eyebrow, I asked, “Mia’s goin’ on a date?” Caught off guard.
Mason sighed, “Yeah.”
“With who?”
“Some fucking ass-clown at her school, who’s been on her ass to go out with him for the last month. I don’t fuckin’ know, probably some fucking douche who pops his collar, wearing polos and khakis. I guess my mom laid into my dad’s ass to let her go on a date. He only agreed to let her go if I would go with them. Mia begged me as soon as we walked through the door last night,” he stated, nodding to Giselle. “And this one being the hopeless romantic she is, champed at the fuckin’ bit.”
Giselle smiled, wide. “What if they end up getting married?” She clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “We can say we were there on their first date! Oh my god, she showed me a picture of him, and he’s so cute! They’re going to make pretty babies.”
“The fuck?” I snapped at her exaggerated bullshit.
“No shit,” he agreed. “You in?”
“Meet ya there. Got some business to take care of.”
I quickly showered at Giselle’s, putting on a clean pair of jeans, a white shirt I had packed with me, and my cut. Sliding my gun in the back of my jeans before throwing on my leather jacket. I jumped on my bike and sped off toward the warehouse where my meeting was taking place. All I could think about was handling business and getting the fuck out. Feeling the need to put that little shit in his place if he laid one hand on Mia.
I pulled into the lot, parking beside Martinez’s limo. Taking off my helmet, I nodded to his fucking welcoming party of five armed men wearing black suits. One of them opened the back door, gesturing for me to step inside.
I did, taking a seat across from the arrogant motherfucker in a black three-piece suit.
“You’re late.”
Eyeing him up and down with a cocky grin. “Just gettin’ all pretty for you,” I snidely replied. Locking eyes with Martinez.
“I don’t wait for anyone. Don’t let it happen again.”
“I’ll remember that the next time I decide to actually give a fuck. Now, gonna handle business, or just sit here and waste my fuckin’ time.”
He pulled out a disk from inside his suit jacket, handing it to me.
I cocked my head to the side, flipping it around in my hand to read the inscription: “Truths.”
“This it?”
“Were you expecting a goddamn pony? It has everything you need. Now get the fuck out.”
I opened the door. “As always… it was a fuckin’ pleasure.”
I didn’t give him or the disk anymore thought. Sticking it inside the pocket of my leather jacket, I jumped back on my bike, revved the engine, and took off. Parking my bike near the back entrance of the bowling alley just after eight, I removed my leather jacket and securely fastened it to the back of my bike. Placin
g my helmet on top of it.
The place was crowded with kids running all over, screaming, laughing, and already annoying the hell out of me as I tried to make my way through the adolescent chaos. I spotted Mia before anyone else. She wasn’t hard to fucking miss, showing more skin than I’d ever seen before. She was wearing a cream-colored dress that was way too fucking short and hung low on her chest. Her cowboy boots only added to her cutesy goddamn outfit.
The cocky little shit standing in front of her couldn't have been taller than five-feet-ten, weighing no more than a buck-seventy. Wearing a salmon-colored polo shirt, dark jeans, and Nike's.
The kid definitely came from money.
He wasn’t staring at her face while she was yapping away. His eyes never left her cleavage that was on full display. She just stood there twirling the ends of her hair, as her body softly swayed to the shitty pop music playing through the speakers. He reached up, brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear, grinning.
She gave the bastard a look I knew far too fucking well.
Mason and Giselle were nowhere to be found, and I instantly knew that was Giselle’s doing. Probably saying some bullshit like they needed to be left alone.
The fuck they did.
I made my way toward them, grabbing her jean jacket off the table, and shoving it in front of her. Stepping in between them.
“A little cold in here, yeah?” I announced, turning my back to her date, nodding to her tits.
She jerked back, caught off guard, narrowing her eyes at me. Following it up with a questioning glare.
“I didn’t know you slummed, Mia. Who’s the guy in the vest?” the little shit behind me asked, making his presence known. I looked over my shoulder to lay into the motherfucker for his comment but was stopped when I felt a hand on my chest. Bringing my attention back to her.
Mia shoved her jacket into my chest. “Don’t ruin this for me,” she mouthed.
I crossed my heart with my index fingers, giving her a shit-eating grin. She sighed, rolling her eyes, then stepped around me and started to talk to her date again.