Love on the Line

By Dimples

The characters in this story are all mine and the story is all mine. The characters may look like two of our favorite actresses that are not mine, but that's where the similarity ends.

Love/Sex/Language:

Yes to all of the above. This story depicts an explicit loving relationship between adult women. If you're under-aged or live in a place that this isn't allowed or this isn't your cup of tea, I suggest you move along and look for something else to occupy your free time.

Violence:

This story deals with war hence it will have scenes that depict violence, sometimes quite explicitly. I'll try my best to make them as tasteful as possible but if this offends you, I suggest you skip them.

Thanks:

To my beta-reader AC D'amato for everything. For reading, correcting my stories and doing a great job of it and for coming to my rescue just in the nick of time! AC, you rule babe!

To my wonderful, amazing friend, Stormy. Thank you for everything. I hope you know how much I care and appreciate you.

To all the readers that took the time to write to me and tell me what they thought, you encouraged me to keep on writing.

And to all the great bards around and their amazing stories that I loved reading and gave me the inspiration to start writing my own.

Author's comments and Feedback: This is an uber novel, much the same as my previous ones and I hope you'll like it. Unfortunately, the story is yet to be finished because I'm quite busy in my day to day life at the moment so I apologize ahead for the delays in my posting of the parts. I promise to try and write as fast as I possibly can. I hope you decide on reading it anyhow...

The same as my other stories, everything in this story is meant purely for fun and I hope you find it funny (in places it was meant to be funny), dramatic (the same) and so on. I would really appreciate knowing what you think of my stories. Tell me if I'm doin' alright or if I royally suck. Some plot ideas would be very much appreciated also. Actually, come to think of it, any comment would be very much appreciated :) Dimples_2000_fr@yahoo.com

Copyright © Dimples Jan 2003. All rights reserved.

Ch.1

The sounds of ragged breathing, small nightly creatures and crunching of dried leaves and twigs beneath thick heavy boots were almost deafening. The air moved thickly around them, making it hard to breathe. The smoke and sand still lingering in the air grated their already bloodshot eyes. The camouflaged group of soldiers walked slowly, quietly, tensely through the thick brush. Trying to hear anything else other than the irritating sounds of false calm. It was so quiet, almost too quiet.

The soldier that was in the lead motioned with his hand for the company to gather together and take cover behind a fallen tree. Sitting on the cold, moist ground with their rifles pointed on an unseen target, they waited. The darkness that surrounded them grew darker and thicker, swallowing them whole deep into the middle of it. The cover of darkness that was supposed to make them feel comforted, cradled by it, brought their nerves almost to a snapping point.

Everything that happened at that moment seemed like in slow motion. The darkness was lit by dozens of bomb shells, the lull of a moment before seemed like a mere fantasy. It didn't take long for them to be found. Screams were coming from all around them. They couldn't recognize their own voices. No one was sure if it was he who yelled or the enemy soldier. Through the panic and suddenness of it all, they fired rounds and rounds of bullets at the attackers. Some were hit, most weren't. It was over quickly. The attackers weren't satisfied until every last one of the soldiers was lying on the hard ground, taking his last breath.

The stillness, the quiet has returned, like nothing ever happened. Nature ran its course, the earth continued to turn, the sun kept on shining and all the animals came back to life by the break of dawn, searching for food. It was as if the cold, lifeless bodies of all those young men weren't laying on the ground, staring at the blue sky with unseeing eyes.

All were dead but one. He continued to lay on the ground motionless, fearing that the enemy might come back and finish the job by the light of day. All he could hear was the sound of his own harsh, shallow breaths and his pounding heart. He slowly checked his limbs to see if everything was still attached to its proper place. Satisfied with the rapid analyses of his injuries, he scrambles slowly onto his knees. He looked around and felt tears sting the back of his eyes. He knew there was no one there to see him lose his composure so he let himself break down. Letting the slow, salty tears run down his face, he vowed to get his revenge and to tell these men's stories. He picked himself up and started collecting the men's dog tags. After making sure he got them all, he started on his way back to camp.

***

The camp was quiet mostly. Most of the soldiers hadn't woken up yet. The ones that had were either washing up, talking to a fellow soldier or writing a letter to their families. When Bradley stumbled into camp, two officers were just coming out of the tent that was used as the main eating area. The officers did a double take at the looks of the soldier and ran to his side. "Private Benson? What happened to you? Where is everybody else?" asked Sergeant Dean Hudson.

The other officer, Rick Sorenson, who was his superior motioned for him to quiet down. "Private, what happened?"

Bradley took a deep breath to begin retelling the story and was overcome by a coughing fit. Several moments passed as Bradley tried to regain his composure. He kept breathing shallowly while he recited what happened.

"All of them? Dead?" Asked Sergeant Hudson unbelievingly. His face was grief-stricken.

"Every last one, sir."

The officers exchanged worried glances and then Lieutenant Sorenson averted his gaze to Bradley's injured shoulder. "Were you hurt in any other places other than the obvious?"

"I don't think so, sir." The officers noticed Bradley had trouble breathing and were afraid that his lungs might have suffered an injury as well. An injury more severe than the almost flesh wound on his shoulder. "Soldier, you did a good job out there. You remember that. Now go to the infirmary and get those injuries taken care of."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." He handed the dog tags he had collected to Lieutenant Sorenson and started on his way tot he infirmary tent. Sergeant Hudson was about to join him when the Lieutenant's voice stopped him,

"Sergeant?"

"Yes sir?" Dean motioned for Bradley to continue on to the infirmary while he talked to the Lieutenant.

"Arrange for a company to go out there as soon as possible and bring those boys back, alright?" He said, tears choking his throat.

"Of course, sir."

With the help of Sergeant Hudson, Bradley hobbled slowly to the infirmary.

The Lieutenant rushed immediately after into his private tent. Pulling a block of paper out of a wooden box that sat in the tent's corner, he sharpened a pencil and started writing.

Central Marine Corps. base

Washington DC

Col. Joshua D. Harland

Dear Colonel,

The situation is very bad. I don't even have the words to describe it.

A company of 50 soldiers, our largest one, have set out into the woods on a mission, five days ago. Only one has returned. Every single one of them was killed. The private that survived suffered fairly minor injuries as far as I know but I can't be sure of his mental state. The other soldiers aren't in very good shape either. They are not stupid, they see what goes on around them. Their morale dies down with each and every day that passes and we lose another soldier, another friend, comrade.

I am sending all of the soldiers' dog tags with this letter so you could inform the families.

We need help. Fast. We won't go back out until we receive reinforcements. Please consider all the facts known to you about this god forsaken land and the ones I've provided you with and send us only the best. I hope we'll be able to survive that long because I'm afraid that only god can help us from here on out.

Reading the letter over, he folded the paper in two and shoved it into a white envelope. He sealed it closed, wrote the address on the top and laid it down on the small box. He threw himself onto the cot and cringed at the sound of rusty springs tightening and releasing under his weight. He leaned forward and propped his head on his hands, shaking it from side to side. He lowered his head further still, almost touching his knees with his forehead and cupped the back of his neck. In the privacy of his tent, he let a few hot tears slide down his face. In memory of the young soldiers that were lost today and for the sake of the soldiers that remained, he sent a silent prayer to the heavens.

Ch.2

Washington DC

The office of Colonel Joshua D. Harland was quiet, only the soft shuffling of papers could be heard when a soldier entered through the door. He stopped in front of the secretary and asked, "Is the colonel in?"

The secretary looked up from her desk and nodded, "Yes, how may I help you?"

"We received a letter addressed to the colonel. We've been told to deliver it as soon as possible since it's urgent."

"Alright, I'll make sure he gets it." She reached out to take the letter and got up to walk into the colonel's office. She knocked on the door softly and waited to be acknowledged. She cracked open the door and entered. "There's a letter for you, sir."

"Thank you, Ronnie." He took the letter from her hand and dismissed her.

Turning the thick, white envelop in his hands, he heard something jingle from within. When he noticed the return address, his heart sped up. With shaking hands, he tore open the seal and gasped when dozens of dog tags spilled into his hands. He swallowed hard and began reading. Deep down, he had been waiting for this kind of letter. It had been only a matter of time. He neatly folded the letter back to its previous shape and tucked it into his coat pocket. He gathered the dog tags and put them into the first drawer of his desk. He locked the drawer and took out the key, shoving it into a different pocket. Finishing up with something he had been in the middle of, he picked up his personal phone and dialed a familiar but rarely used number from memory. He waited for the line to be picked up, sweating more profusely with each second that passed. Finally, a deep, scratchy voice answered, "Yes?"

"General, we have to talk."

General Pierce Farrows, the base commander, had dreaded hearing those words. The sound of the colonel's voice was enough to alert him of trouble but the words were his undoing. He cleared his throat and said, "Come over to my office and we'll talk." With those words he ended the conversation.

Col. Harland cleared up his desk, picked up his briefcase and got up to leave. He closed the door behind him and turned to his secretary, "I'll be out for a few hours. I won't be available for anyone, understood?"

"Yes sir."

The drive over to the general's office took a little less than an hour. He never really liked elevators, they tended to get stuck so he took the stairs. He began perspiring yet again as he took one step after another. Standing in front of the General's office door, he took a deep breath as his hand tightened around the handle of his briefcase. The surrounding sounds of people talking, typing away at their computers, using the copy machine over and over again made his head spin. He didn't even have to say a word to the general's private secretary as she got up and ushered Joshua in.

Pierce raised his gaze from the desk and looked at Joshua. He asked for his secretary to hold his calls and motioned for Joshua to take a seat in the plush leather chair in front of his desk. The office was fairly large and expensively decorated. Another leather chair stood next to the one Joshua was sitting on and pressed to the right wall was a long, black leather couch. On either side of the door were two large, natural-looking plants. A white wall-to-wall rug complimented the black leather furniture and the large, brown oak desk.

Neither one spoke up, they continued to gaze at each other for several, nerve-wrecking moments. The colonel was the first to talk, "A few minutes before I called you, I received a letter from Lieu. Rick Sorenson." Joshua waited to see if the name registered any sense of familiarity within the General. The general nodded slowly. Joshua took the letter out of his coat pocket and handed it to the general. Pierce read the letter, his jaw muscles bunching and releasing in strain. the second time he read over the letter, Joshua could swear that he could hear the general's teeth grinding. Pierce finally placed the letter on his desk. He continued to stare at the neatly written letters and then casually, folded the piece of paper.

"Have you made the necessary arrangements for the bodies?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Make sure to take care of that as soon as possible and then inform the families."

"Of course, sir."

The general knew they were in a very bad situation. It wasn't as though the nation didn't know there was a war going on, it was the fact that not many details were known about said war that worried him. He knew that his decision would be fatal, irreversible. "Colonel, what do you suggest?"

"Sir, I do have someone in mind, I'm just not sure how you will take that suggestion."

"Well out with it."

"General, as I'm sure you're aware of, I receive a monthly report on all out officers." When Pierce nodded, he continued, 'There is one officer that has captured my eye. This Captain is amazing in every sense of the word. Her name is Riley Watkins." Joshua narrowed his eyes into slits and waited for an outburst that never came.

"Captain Riley Watkins, huh? I think I may have heard that name before."

"It would be quite probable that you would have. She has been in the army for over a decade, she's experienced, a talented fighter and strategist and her skills override those of most, if not all of the men in base."

"I don't know what to tell you. How can I send a woman to command our forces in a war? Especially this kind of war. We've lost so many..."

"Sir, all I know is that we don't have much choice. We need to send the best and as far as I know and see, she is it."

"I can't...I just..." The general was debating with himself on what course of action to take. This might be one of the hardest decisions he had encountered in all his years. It wasn't as though he had much choice in the matter. Of course he could send a man that was almost equally as good as Riley but what would happen then? What if he lost more men out there? The situation would be all that much harder. They could try to keep this under wraps, but what if someone leaked this out? They'd be buried. She's our best possible choice, we just have to hope that she has it in her to do this.

"Colonel, are you sure of this? Are you sure this is the only possible solution?"

"I'm positive she's the best for the job. I'd put my position and word of honor on the line for this."

"You might just have to."

"I'm still concerned and have much too many reservations about this but---I feel there is no other way. Make sure she and her company are ready to go in two weeks time. I want this to be considered extremely confidential. You share this with people on a need-to-know basis only, understood?" Continued the Gen.

"Of course, sir."

"Once she reaches "Blue Hawk" base, she'll be taking command. The slightest mistake could cause monumental damage, keep that in mind colonel."

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed."

The colonel nodded and got to his feet. Saluting the general, he left the office quietly. He had all sorts of arrangements to take care of and so had to be back at his own office as fast as possible.

The Col. entered his office quietly and threw his briefcase onto the sofa. He walked behind his desk and plopped himself down on the plush leather seat. Most days, his chair seemed the most comfortable thing in the world, suited perfectly for him, but today it felt different. He would have given anything to be out of that chair and be able to find someone else to take his place. He sighed deeply and looked at the phone in sorrow. First thing's first, he said to himself. Picking up the phone almost reluctantly, he dialed a not so familiar number.

Joshua Harland was nothing if not organized. Once he entered into this position, he made sure to learn by heart all the necessary phone numbers. Major Bill Stenton's number was somewhat different though. The Col. had long ago heard about the phenomenon called 'Riley Watkins'. Not one of her commanding officers could hold back on their praise of her. In a relatively masculine environment, she had not only done her best to fit in but she exceeded all expectations and her magnificent skills outshone all else's.

Major Bill Stenton was her direct commander and friend of many years. They had been together from the start , but since Bill was a man, he received a lot more opportunities than her, which made him a major faster.

Joshua waited a few heartbeats and then the phone was picked up, "Yes?" Asked Bill's voice, briskly.

"Major Stenton, this is Col. Harland."

Unconsciously, Bill stood up straighter and his tone of voice changed immediately, "Yes sir. What can I do for you, sir?"

"I have a somewhat private request, major."

"Anything sir."

Joshua ran his hand through his graying hair and rubbed his eyes tiredly, "We need reinforcements at "Blue Hawk"." Without elaborating, he knew Bill would understand.

"Um, of course, sir. When do you need them?"

"I need them to be ready in two weeks time."

"No problem, sir. They'll be ready."

"Major?"

"Yes sir?"

"I'd like the reinforcements to be under the command of Captain Riley Watkins." Joshua hoped that Bill would accept his request without argument or any kind of questioning.

True to his military training, Bill immediately complied without a single moment of hesitation. His heart, however, could not stop itself from skipping a beat and then resuming at double speed.

"Oh and Major?"

"Sir?"

"This whole thing should be kept on low and on a need to know basis. No one hears about it, no one leaks it to the nosy press."

"You got it, sir."

"Good day, major."

"You too, sir."

Bill hung up the phone with difficulty since he still had trouble digesting what he had just heard. "Damn it, I knew this would happen. They shouldn't have sent them out there...And now Riley..." Bill closed his eyes tightly and tried to hold back his tears. He truly cared for Riley, who has been like the sister he never had. They would talk about anything and everything, tell each other their deepest secrets and hold one another when feeling sad and lonely. He shook his head and cleared his eyes, taking a deep breath then exhaling slowly. "If there's one person that can do this, it's Riley."

Walking out of his office with determination, he headed towards the training grounds, where he knew he would find Riley. Bill looked at the training woman and shook his head sadly. Riley was one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on and she was always pretty much alone. Oh he knew about all her exploits with most of the women in town, but she'd never give enough of herself to be in a relationship with someone.

The fact that Riley dated, bedded and loved women was no secret to Bill. He had been the first to know. From time to time, he would even help her sneak in and out of base to meet one woman or another and was always extremely careful to protect her. Just like a brother would do.

"Yo Captain!" Bill shouted suddenly. Riley, who was in the middle of an obstacle course, stumbled on her feet and almost fell flat on her face. At the last minute, she managed to put her feet underneath her and straighten up. With an evil gleam in her eyes, she growled and marched toward the now cowering man. Bill gave a half of smile and said, "Now, now, Riley, why so upset?" Bill was biting his lip, trying to stifle the laughter he felt bubbling up in his chest, when Riley flipped over his head and landed behind him. She grabbed him in a headlock and threw him to the floor, straddling his waist. "You're just lucky that none of my soldiers were here or I'd have to kill you." Riley smirked and got to her feet, offering a hand to her smiling commander and friend. Bill dusted himself off and chuckled.

"What are you doing here, training on your free time? You do need to rest from time to time, you know?"

Riley simply raised an eyebrow, slicked back her long black, sweaty hair and shrugged.

Bill rolled his eyes and said, "Stupid question."

Riley just shrugged again.

"You really should lighten up."

Riley looked at him quizzically as though not understanding the meaning of his words and quickly shrugged again. A shadow of a smile slowly transforming itself at the corner of her lips.

"God, you are hopeless." Bill said finally, chuckling softly at his friend's antics.

"So, did you come here to just grace me with your compelling personality or was there an ulterior motive?" asked Riley as they started walking toward Bill's office.

Bill's smile quickly vanished and a frown took residence, "There is something I have to talk to you about."

Riley immediately noticed the change and her playful mood sprang into hiding. "What is it?"

Bill scratched his brow and said, "In private."

Riley nodded and followed her friend in silence. She wiped at the sweat that gathered on her forehead and upper lip and dusted herself before entering Bill's office.

"Have a seat, Riley."

"Bill, you're scaring me, what's wrong?" Riley's blue eyes were drilling into Bill's brown ones and he had to break the painful contact. Looking down at his table, he started speaking, "Before I came to see you, I received an interesting call from Col. Harland."

"The Colonel?" Asked Riley in surprise.

"Yes. He asked for reinforcements to "Blue Hawk" base."

Riley frowned in confusion, "Alright, then what does that have to do with me?"

"Riley, their not stupid. They apparently know the situation's bad and they need someone to go there and finish the job, do it right."

"I'm still not getting what you're..."

"Riley, think! You are the absolute best at what you do. They are going to risk everything and send you." Bill said finally.

"You're kidding me! When I asked to be sent, I was blatantly refused and now, suddenly they need me? I guess the situation is pretty bad if they're that desperate."

"Now you know that's not true, Riley. They tried doing it their way and failed miserably. They finally realized there's only one person that can do this. They know who you are, they've heard of you. Do you honestly think there is even one other soldier or officer out there that they haven't even met but know of? Riley, I wasn't given much choice, it was a request that we have to follow. Do you still want to go, because if you don't, I'll do anything in my power..." Before Bill could finish his sentence, Riley interrupted him,

"No Bill. I still want to go. Besides, like you said, I don't have much choice in the matter. And I do believe I can do this, but still, thanks for the encouragement." She smiled slightly. "How much time do I have to prepare?"

"You and your troops have two weeks."

"Alright. I'll notify my soldiers tomorrow morning so they have time to mentally prepare themselves for this and notify their families."

"No Riley. The Colonel asked for this to be kept on a need to know basis. It's a very fragile situation and even the smallest mistake can bring this whole thing down on us."

"But Bill, how will these kids explain to their parents not coming home for I don't know how long? They have to have a reason."

Bill swallowed hard and looked at Riley's piercing eyes. "I don't know, Riley."

"Look, I'll tell them to talk only to their parents and ask of them to be silent about it."

"If you tell such a thing to a parent and he knows his kid is going to war, it'll be all over the news by the next day."

Riley thought about it for a minute and decided, "Fine Bill, I'll tell them to keep their mouths shut. This whole secrecy is because of me, isn't it?" She asked in anguish.

"No, no Riley..."

"Then why? It's not like people don't know there's a war going on?"

"They know but they don't know the details. They don't know how bad the situation is. The higher ranks of the military are just afraid. They're afraid that if people knew what was going on over there, they would start a riot against this war. They want to finish it as quietly as possible. As I see it, this thing will eventually blow up in their faces."

"I think you're right. Someone's bound to talk eventually."

Bill hated the fact that he was the one to put the sour look on Riley's face. "Once you take command everything will be better. Not only I have faith in you, those boys out there idolize you. I know you don't much care about the higher ranks, but they have faith in you too."

"They don't have much choice, now do they?" She asked bitterly.

Bill inhaled deeply, "I'm sorry, Riley."

Riley smiled tightly and said, "Nothing to be sorry for, its not like I didn't want this. I'll round up the boys and tell them. I'll just explain that they are leaving as reinforcements, nothing out of the ordinary and that's what they should tell their families."

"Good idea. If this does get out, we'll just have to handle it when you come back." Bill said in assurance.

Riley smiled softly, "Yeah...Thanks buddy." She raised from her seat. Bill got up as well and went to her, pulling her into a strong, heartfelt hug.

"You come back to me alive and well, you hear?" He bit back tears that threatened to leak out.

Riley squeezed him tightly in return, "Don't worry." With a final squeeze, she turned on her heels and left his office.

"Be safe." Bill whispered to the empty room.

Ch. 3

Riley walked purposefully toward her barracks to get ready. She took off her sweats and pulled on her army fatigues. Pulling her hair into a tight ponytail, she glanced in the mirror to check if everything was in its place. Not seeing anything amiss, she locked the door behind her and walked to the main offices. "Hey Julie." She greeted the head secretary.

Julie raised her head from her computer screen and smiled at the beautiful captain, "Hello captain."

"Julie, I need a little favor. I need you to call up my company to the main grounds."

"On their day off?" Julie asked confusedly.

Riley smiled a bit sadly, "Yes, I have a small announcement that can't really wait. Would you do that for me?"

"Of course, captain."

"Thanks Jules, you're the best." Riley winked at her and left the office. Julie couldn't keep the smile from spreading over her face. Radiant from the tall, dark captain's attention, she quickly picked up the PA and called, "Company 24 is requested to attend the main grounds in five minutes. Thank you." A smile still resident on her face, Julie went back to her work.

Riley was waiting patiently on the main grounds for her company to assemble. Five minutes later, company 24 was in full attendance, standing on the main grounds arranged in rows of three.

Riley straightened and looked at her soldiers, a small, proud smile peeking at the corner of her lips. "Ten hut!" She yelled. The soldiers quickly adjusted their positions and straightened in place. "Attention everybody, I have a small announcement." When she saw she had everyone's sole attention, she continued, "I'm sure you've all heard about the war your friends went to fight in. Well that war needs to be quenched down and fast. In order to do that efficiently and quickly, we need to send reinforcements to "Blue Hawk" base. I've been told that we have been chosen for that mission." She stopped for a moment to let the information sink in. The soldiers started murmuring quietly. "That's enough! Did I give you permission to speak?"

The whisperings quieted down and Riley continued, "We are going to start training intensely for this mission since we are leaving in two weeks time. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to keep your reactions to a subdued level and to keep from spreading this information. You are allowed and even encouraged to tell your parents but that is it. No girlfriends, no friends, no neighbors, not even your pets. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" The company answered.

"It's too late to start training now, so go back to your barracks, call your families and get some rest. Dismissed."

The company scrambled away from the grounds, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Riley knew what the young soldiers were feeling. She remembered the first time she'd been told she was leaving on a mission. It wasn't war but it was close enough. She remembered the adrenaline rush spread through her blood, the feelings of elation that made it all that more clear to her why she had chosen this career path. Shaking her head, she decided to go to her own barracks as well and take on her own advice. Since she had no one to notify of her leave but Bill, she simply took off her clothes and threw herself in bed, falling asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

***

"Finally, some action. I wonder why they are sending us?" Said Guy Robins to his friend, Ashton Stevens.

"I know, so many companies to choose from and they chose us? I guess it's because of the captain, she's the best. I mean, if I have to go to war and all, I don't think there is anyone other than her that I would want as a commander."

"Yeah, know what you mean. Damn, two weeks though...it's gonna be some rough time." Said Guy as he entered the company's barracks. He moved to sit on his cot and opened his kitbag. "I wonder how long we'll be gone."

"I have no idea. Hey, she said we're just going as reinforcements, maybe the war would be even over by the time we get there..." Said Ashton, plopping down on the hard mattress.

"I don't know..." Guy took a small picture out of his bag and gazed at it longingly. Ashton raised himself on his elbow and looked over Guy's shoulder, "What a cutie."

A soft smile curved Guy's lips when he looked at his girlfriend's picture, "Yeah..." Her golden hair shined in the photo and her bright green eyes made the meadow behind her seem lackluster. "I'm gonna miss her."

"You should be used to it by now, Guy. I mean, the girl left you on so many occasions to go after one story or another that..."

"That's different." Interrupted Guy.

"How so?" Asked Ashton, truly curious as to what Guy's explanation might be.

"That's her job..." Guy explained weakly.

"And this is your job."

Guy shrugged, "I don't know. All I know is that it's going to be hard..."

Ashton clapped him on the back, "You're gonna be fine, man."

Guy nodded and got up to wait in line to use the phone. He decided that even though the captain said not to tell anyone other than the parents, he'd tell Ashley. She's practically my fiancée, I can't just not tell her. Besides, my parents will tell her anyhow. He tried to reason with himself to lessen the guilt and doubt that was slowly creeping up into his heart and mind. Finally, it was his turn to use the phone. Picking up the phone, he dialed his parents' number, "Hey mom."

"Guy, it's so good to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, mom. I needed to tell you and dad something."

"What is it, Guy?" Asked the worried mother.

"I'm leaving to war in two weeks." He winced when he heard the sharp intake of breath.

"What? Why?"

"Mom, you know about the war...We've just been told that we'll be leaving there too."

"Oh God, Guy..."

"Mom, it's going to be okay, you'll see...When I get back you'll have a hero for a son." He said teasingly.

His mom chuckled dryly, "Yes, my little hero."

"Mom, I gotta go, there are other guys that need to use the phone..." They exchanged a few more words and with a final 'I love you', he said his good-byes and hung up, deciding to call his girlfriend later in the day when there wouldn't be so many people to listen in on his conversation.

After dinner, most guys retired to their barracks, some went out to smoke and others found a quiet spot to talk with some friends. Guy went to the phone and dialed Ashley's number.

"Hello?" Answered a sleepy voice.

"Ash?"

"Hey Guy." She said, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs.

"Did I wake you?"

"Nah, I was just taking a nap. I'm following a lead later tonight so I have to be rested...How are you?"

"I'm fine, Ashley. I just wanted to talk to you before I leave." He said bravely.

"Leave? Where are you going?" Ashley frowned at the phone.

"I'm going to war, Ash." He said it with such finality and false bravado that it made Ashley chuckle.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean 'you're going to war'?"

"We've been told that they need reinforcements out in Africa and that we'll be leaving in two weeks."

"Reinforcements? Why? What happened to the troops already there?" Ashley's journalistic mind started working, thinking of all the possible scenarios that made the army need to send reinforcements and on such short notice to boot.

"Ashley, I really don't know anything more, I know what I've been told. Besides, what does it matter? Here I am, telling you I'm leaving for war and all you can think of asking me is what happened to the other troops? Will you ever stop acting like a reporter all the damn time?"

Ashley rolled her eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Guy. I was just wondering, I mean, aren't you the least bit curious? It's kind of short notice, isn't it?"

"Ashley, stop! I don't know and I don't care. You are my girlfriend for God's sake, aren't you supposed to be like, upset or something?" Guy was starting to lose his patience. He hated it when Ashley acted this way.

Ashley chewed her lip thoughtfully, totally absorbed in her own imagination, letting her thoughts run wild that she didn't hear what Guy had said, "What did you say?"

"Ugh, just forget it. Goodbye Ashley."

"No Guy..." The rest of her sentence fell on deaf ears since the line had already gone dead. "Damn." She muttered as she hung up the phone. She looked at her watch and saw that it was almost 9:00PM. Putting her feet back up on her bed, she laid down and looked at the ceiling of her room. At 25, Ashley Grayson had her own little apartment next to her parents' house. Right after she finished high school, she went to study journalism in college and after three years, graduated at the top of her class. Since her father, Robert Grayson was the owner and editor of one of the largest papers in the country, she had no problem finding a job. However, she was not one to use family connections to get herself ahead in life. She worked hard to get where she was, harder than anyone else and by the time she was 23, she was a world known reporter.

Her keen sense of finding the truth behind walls of lies and deceit made her best in her field. Her reckless sense of danger helped her get where she was as well. She could smell a story from miles away even when everybody else had already given up. The others would just scrape the surface but she, however, would dig in deep and get to the bottom of things.

These qualities were indeed perfect for a wonderfully talented and appreciated reporter but they definitely were not a good influence on her parents' health.

As she gazed at the white ceiling, images kept running through her head. Her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, Guy had never actually told her anything about what went on in his base. He would give her a small piece of information and then retreat and clamp up. Until then, nothing ever really seemed interesting enough for her to dig deeper. However, this time was different. She didn't know why she felt there was something more behind Guy's words but she never ignored her gut feelings and she wasn't about to now. "There's nothing unusual about sending reinforcements to a war..." She thought to herself, speaking out loud.

"But no one really mentions this war, it's almost as if it doesn't exist. Something's not right, I can feel it. A war should cause more commotion than this---silence...And now reinforcements...I wonder what they're hiding..."

Since no one was really speaking of the war, there wasn't anyone covering it. Ashley decided there was definitely something up and she wanted...needed to know what that was. All she had to do now was convince her father of the same. Easy task indeed...She thought sarcastically.

Continued in Part 2...

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