By Dimples
Disclaimers:
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 :) mailto:Dimples_2000_fr@yahoo.com
Copyright © Dimples Jan 2003. All rights reserved.
Part Two
Ch. 4
The following two weeks had been excruciatingly rough for the young soldiers. They were not used to such intense training, neither physically nor mentally. Before much could register in their young minds, they were but a night away from war. Filled with excitement and anticipation tinged with anxiety of the unknown, they were tired after the last drill before their departure and in grave need for a little down time. Even though their training period had been extremely exhilarating and challenging, it had been tiring and stressful.
The captain was very sympathetic to her soldiers' needs because she knew how it was to be in their shoes. Even with all her training and past, she still couldn't hold back a small groan whenever she moved one muscle or another. Since the training period was so short, they had to put more than six months of training into two weeks.
Riley breathed a small sigh of relief now that she knew it was all over and the real thing was right around the corner. Anyone would call her crazy and that this was definitely not the time to take a relaxing breath, but this was the part they had all been waiting for. Until then, everything was fairly normal. Sometimes the training would get rougher, sometimes it would be easier but there was nothing like the thrill before a battle. Most might consider that strange, maybe even twisted in some way, but her strong beliefs in what is good and should be fought for in order to maintain or salvage, made her feel this way. She wasn't keen on war and she still had nightmares from some of the things she'd seen, but she knew that sometimes there was just no other way.
Gathering her company, she smiled dauntlessly at them and said, "Boys, the training period is over as you all know. Tomorrow morning we'll be leaving to "Blue Hawk" base. You've all done remarkably well in the past two weeks and I want to commend you on that. You've been professional, responsible and amenable. I am proud to say I'm part of this company." Riley paused for a moment and tried to capture each and everyone of her soldiers' eyes. Taking a second breath, she continued, "I know you all have mixed feelings right now about what to expect, how to cope with what awaits you and unfortunately, I don't have an answer that would satisfy those feelings. All I can say is that I'll be there with you every step of the way and pledge myself to bringing all of you back home safe and sound." Or die trying...she completed to herself.
Shaking herself from her dark mood, she smiled and added, "On a lighter note for now, I know you're probably hurting..." Her smile grew larger at the collective groan, "Yeah, yeah, save it for your mothers." She smiled when they chuckled, her eyes glinting brightly with pride, "So, I'm going to dismiss you to your barracks. You are allowed to do whatever you desire as long as it's on the base's premises. I won't tolerate disobedience on this matter. Understood?"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."
"Dismissed."
The company scattered about, leaving Riley behind on the main grounds. It was already early evening and the sky began to darken. Riley looked on as a large group of her company remained together, talking and sharing the new experiences with each other. Unity is good for them...They'll need it. I'm glad they connected with each other on their own. Straightening, she started toward the officers' mess hall. She hadn't eaten since yesterday and her stomach was starting to protest the mistreatment. I hope no one would defy me on this partying thing...That's the last thing I want to deal with before leaving.
Riley knew that some of her men might resent her a bit for not allowing them to go out of base and party on their last night in town. She also knew what they needed and partying was not it. In addition to the tough training they endured, there was still the mental part of going to war. Riley was positive that none of them had yet fathomed the meaning of what was going to happen. A free night without any source of stress and a good, long night's sleep would help ease them into realization. It would give them time to think. No matter her reasoning, she eventually did it in concern of their well being. They'll get over it. Riley shrugged, picked up a tray and started loading food onto it, blocking all thoughts from her mind, taking her own advice and relaxing.
Guy and Ashton were sitting on a wooden bench, behind their barracks, talking quietly. "So, you gonna call your girlfriend?" asked Ashton, leaning on his knees and blowing out a puff of smoke he inhaled from the cigarette dangling between his fingers.
Guy's jaw clenched tightly as he answered, "Nope." Without further elaborating.
Ashton raised his eyebrows in question and turned to look at Guy, "But..." Before he could for the question, Guy stopped him, "Don't ask."
Ashton resumed his steady smoking and turned back to look at the ground. "Well then, what do you wanna do?"
Guy shrugged uninterested, "I don't know."
"Hey, I heard there is this great club just out of town. It's a few miles north from here."
Guy frowned and looked at Ashton, his eyes a tad curious, "A club, huh?"
Ashton smiled, "Yeah...So, what do you say?"
Guy bit his lip in thought for a moment, then shook his head, "No, you heard the captain. We can't leave the base."
Ashton smirked, "Since when are you such a goody two shoes, huh? She won't even know we were gone. We'll go, have a few beers, dance, maybe catch some action," he said and winked, "And get back as if nothing was out of the ordinary."
"I don't know, man..."
"Come on, Guy. Lighten up, will ya? We're leaving for war, man, who knows when we'll be back. I gotta get out of here for a little while. Maybe you'll even find some nice girl to write you letters..." Ashton smirked.
Guy chuckled, "Yeah, like that's what I'm looking for..."
"Look, no matter what you decide, I'm still going. You're welcome to join me if you change your mind." He got up from the bench, took a last puff out of his cigarette and stubbed it with his foot, before going inside the barracks.
Guy sat alone on the cold bench for a few more minutes and breathed in the clean, frosty night air. Why can't you be like a normal girlfriend, Ashley? He thought to himself. Since they had gotten together, two years ago, it was always something else that kept them apart. He cared for her, even loved her at one time but he felt like she made it impossible to take their relationship any further. Maybe I do need to get out for a few hours, clear my head...Maybe even find some girl that would enjoy being with me more than running around sewers or dark allies for a damned lead. Guy tucked his coat closer against his body and entered the barracks as well, ready to tell Ashton that he'll be leaving with him.
Ch. 5
It was almost completely dark outside, the only source of light coming from a few well placed lamp posts scattered around the base. The soldiers wee sleeping except for the few that were standing guard and patrolling. Ashton and Guy, who hadn't gone to sleep, looked around the barracks to see if everyone else was asleep. Making sure the coast was clear, they got out of their cots. They fluffed a few pillows and laid them on the mattress so that it might be possible to mistaken them for their bodies and threw the blankets over. Ashton looked at Guy and motioned with his head to the door. Guy nodded and they tiptoed to the exit.
A cold gust of wind blew by when they stepped out into the chilly night air, making them shiver. "Damn, it's cold." Whispered Guy. Ashton just nodded and motioned with his hand to guy that he should follow him. They knew the guards' routine by heart since they had done that duty several times already. Waiting for the patrolling guard to move out of the way, they made a fast dash closer to the wall on the left side of the chain link fence. They knew that the only safe way to get out of base without being detected would be to jump over the wall. How to do that would be a different matter altogether.
Looking at the long expanse of ground they had to cover between the tree they were hiding behind and the wall they had to climb, made them almost rethink their little adventure. "Ashton, are you sure about this?" whispered Guy.
"Yes, I'm sure. If you feel like chickening out on me than do it now and go back." Ashton looked at Guy and smiled when he shook his head. "Good. Get ready to make a run for it." He counted quietly to three and they sprinted to the wall. They smiled at each other triumphantly and started climbing the wall slowly. They used small hatches to prop their legs on and grab with their hands as they slowly but effectively pulled themselves up. All through their "mission" they hadn't noticed the pair of cold eyes watching their every move. When they jumped down on the other side, the owner of the cold eyes growled in anger.
Riley couldn't sleep. She would always get nervous the night before a mission. Her adrenaline from the excitement and apprehension would not let her calm down enough to sleep. After the tenth time she had turned from side to side to her stomach and then back to her side, she beat on the mattress angrily and got up. "Maybe I'll go see how the guards are doing tonight..." She murmured to herself as she pulled on a pair of sweats with an army logo on them and her green army T-shirt. She took her keys and locked the door to her quarters. Shivering slightly from the cold, she crossed her arms over her chest and walked towards the guard's station. When she was halfway, she noticed something flash by in the shadows. Stopping, she blinked and turned around, looking for the source of movement. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she changed her direction and followed whatever she thought she saw moving. Inching her way closer, she suddenly saw two soldiers jumping from behind a tree and running toward the far wall. "Isn't that...?" She said to herself, thinking she might have recognized the two.
She stood still for a few minutes, just watching the two soldiers climbing up and over the wall. Her eyes narrowed angrily and she gritted her teeth. "Those little shits." Shaking her head, she vowed to capture those two in the act when they got back. Not having anything else to do to pass the time, she walked in the opposite direction to talk with the guards.
Three hours later, Riley went back to the same tree she saw the soldiers hiding behind and decided to wait for them there. They had no other way to traverse the long distance without being noticed. She propped her back against the tree trunk and waited. She didn't have long to wait as no more than an hour later, the two soldiers stumbled back into camp. When she heard quiet whisperings and exaggerated hushing sounds, she turned curiously around and frowned at the two drunk looking soldiers. Riley crossed her arms over her chest and stood to her full height, waiting for them to reach the tree. When the two were about to continue on their way back to the barracks, Riley stepped from behind the tree to stand right in front of them. The sudden appearance of their captain made them stumble backwards and almost lose their balance. The angry look on Riley's face sobered the two up slightly and their eyes seemed a little less glazed over than before. Riley could see the two perfectly now, as they were standing right in front of her, looking guilty as could be and facing the dawning of a new day.
"Fancy meeting you here." Said Riley in a deep, barely controlled voice.
Ashton smiled slightly and in his still inebriated state added, "Do you come here often?"
Riley's jaw clenched almost painfully and she sneered, "Did I give you permission to speak, soldier? You are in enough trouble as it is, I suggest you keep your mouth shut so you don't anger me more than I already am."
Ashton and Guy both swallowed hard as they had never heard their captain talk to them quite like this or seen her even remotely close to being this furious.
Riley took a deep breath and let it out slowly through her nose, trying to calm herself down enough to talk normally. "I have specifically asked for you to not leave the base's premises and what did you go and do? You sneaked out in the middle of the night and jumped over the wall. And for what? To get drunk? To dance? To fuck some slut? I see that the army didn't provide you two with anything, beginning with morals and ending with discipline. I don't think I was too strict, I could have made the last day of training a day from hell, but I didn't! Instead, I gave you all the possibilities in the world. All I asked was to stay here." Her voice was rising with each word she spoke and she was sure a crowd would gather soon enough. Ashton's and Guy's faces dropped further down along with the rising of Riley's voice. "You blatantly defied me, a direct command that I had given. I don't even know what to do with you two or what punishment to give you. All I know right now is that you are not leaving to war with us today."
The boys' faces snapped up at her words and looked pleadingly at her.
"Don't even try it! The last thing I need is to baby-sit you two out there in the middle of a war zone and endanger everyone else. I will not take that chance. Here, It's my job to baby-sit you and to protect you and I know you'll make mistakes but that's my job, to teach you how to do things better so that you won't repeat those mistakes. Out there, a stupid mistake or disobedience could mean possible if not sure death and I will not take that on my conscience. I have a company of competent, obedient soldiers that I've pledged to protect with my life and that I promised to bring back home in one piece. I will not let two little brats break my word. Do you understand?"
The boys were on the verge of tears. They had thought about consequences, all sorts of punishments but not this, never this. They wanted to go help their friends win this war, they wanted to be a part of the company they had grown to know and love and it hurt.
"Do you understand, private Robins? Stevens?"
"Yes ma'am." They answered in union.
"I didn't hear you."
"Yes ma'am!"
"You are dismissed to your barracks for now. You are not to go out until ordered to. I will talk to major Stenton in order to see what to do with you while we're away." Riley watched the two young men walk back to their barracks, their shoulders slumped and their heads hung low. Serves them right. I can't be responsible for someone that won't do as I say. If they couldn't follow a simple order as stay in base, I can't rely on them following orders out there. She explained to herself over and over again, trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing.
Riley sprinted back to her quarters in order to get ready for the upcoming day. It was still early but in no more than three hours, they would be leaving for Africa. She showered, brushed her teeth and pulled on her fatigues. After grabbing a small donut for breakfast, she went in search of her commander and friend, major Stenton. She found him to be in his office and she knocked softly on the door to make her presence known.
"Riley!" Bill looked up from the papers that were strewn all over his desk and smiled. "Come in."
"Hey Bill. I have a little request."
"Sure, anything."
Riley told Bill the whole story and smiled in relief when she saw that he accepted her course of action. "You can't take that kind of chance at war. You have to know that all your soldiers are perfectly obedient."
"Thanks Bill."
"Don't thank me, I would have done the same thing. Don't feel guilty because they seem upset about it now, they'll get over it. You're doing the right thing." After a short pause, he continued, "So what do you think we should do with them here?"
"Put them to work."
Bill nodded and said, "That's the best I could come up with as well. They'll stay here and work until you get back."
"Then we'll see about punishment. Thanks Bill, I really appreciate your understanding. I have to go ready them up." She raised from her seat and went over to Bill, who got up as well.
"I'm gonna miss you. Please take care of yourself and get back here in one piece, huh?"
"Yeah." She went to hug him and before he could see a tear sliding down her cheek, she left his office.
Riley entered the soldiers' barracks and started yelling, "Rise and shine everybody! It's a bright new day and we're going to war!" She smiled evilly at their groans and said, "You have exactly five minutes to get yourselves ready and wait for me on the main grounds in formation."
The next three hours practically flew by. The company was almost vibrating with excitement and an assortment of feelings they didn't even recognize. After a short morning run, they went into the mess hall for breakfast and then back to their barracks to do last minute arrangements. They finished packing all the necessities and formed a long line in front of their building. Riley walked along the line and made sure their gear was intact. After one final inspection, she took the lead and maneuvered them through the base to where their plane was awaiting. Other companies gathered around, watching them, respect shining in their eyes. Several other commanders stood to attention and saluted Riley and her company. Riley swallowed, turned in their direction and saluted as well. They marched quietly until all they could hear was the loud roar of the plane's engines. This is it...Thought Riley to herself as they prepared to board.
Ch. 6
Ashley stomped her foot on the marble floor as she again had been refused by her father. For the last two weeks, she had been asking her father on a daily basis if she could go and cover the war. The first few times, she had been blatantly refused and then he just seemed to ignore her. She mumbled a quiet curse under her breath and turned to leave her father's office.
Robert Grayson was a very powerful, influential man. He was the owner and editor of one of the largest newspapers in the state. As much as he seemed distant and ruthless when it came to business, he was the exact opposite when it came to his daughter. Ashley, being his only child, had him wrapped around her little finger. Since she was a little girl, all she had to do was look at him in a certain way and he would give her the world, literally. This time was different, however. He had heard about the war, much the same as the rest of the country and couldn't, for the life of him, figure why his overly ambitious daughter wanted to cover it. He tried over and over to explain to her there was nothing there to find, but each time, he was met with an even angrier scowl.
He thought, at first, that if he'd refuse her the first few times, she would relent. He was surprised to find out how wrong he truly was. Not only hadn't she relented, but she increased her efforts by coming to him several times a day. She had dropped any other cases she was working on and devoted her sole attention on driving him insane. After a while, he just started to ignore her altogether. He knew he was making her more frustrated and angry with him, but this was one thing he wouldn't, couldn't give her. He knew she'd been to many dangerous places and had done many things he didn't even want to think about, but this was different. This was war and war was no place for a young lady, much less his daughter.
When Ashley left his office that afternoon, he hoped that might be the last time she would request this nonsense of him. He was happy and very much relieved to find that the rest of the day went by without anymore clashes with Ashley. He breathed a small sigh of relief and hoped that she had come to her senses.
Ashley, however, didn't relent nor did she forget. She was getting tired of being ignored and decided she had given this thing enough time. It was time for her to proceed or she would never get the chance to get to the bottom of what was happening across the sea. That day she left her father's office, she went to her own office in the large building and collected a few papers that needed to be signed. She tucked them into her briefcase and left the building, trying to avoid any of her co-workers. Her next stop was at the ATM. She pulled her credit card out of her purse and withdrew 2000$ out of her bank account. This should be enough for now, She thought to herself. A plan was starting to form in her head as she walked back to her condo near her parents' house.
Throwing her purse on the coffee table, she started getting undressed as she made her way toward the bathroom. Leaving a trail of clothes behind her, she turned the heater on and filled the tub with water. Going back into her room, she picked up a small note pad and a pencil and then returned to the full tub. She sighed in contentment and let the warm water relax her tired body. None of the jobs she took upon herself as a journalist had been as hard on her as convincing her father of letting her leave to Africa. He had never questioned her gut instinct and it both bothered and perplexed her of his reluctance to trust her now.
"I know there is something there... This could get me the Pulitzer...Why can't he just understand?" She said wearily to herself. "I'll just have to go behind his back..." She said decisively. It had been one of the hardest decisions she had faced in her life. When it was a matter of life and death, it was an easy choice for her. She would jump in without thinking twice, her adventurous if careless nature would always get the better of her. This time she was going against her father's specific wishes and behind her parents' back. I know I can do it...I've been in far worse situations, this should be a piece of cake. He just doesn't want me to get hurt and probably believes it's no place for a woman...She thought sarcastically. Shaking her head and sinking lower into the tub, she thought, They'll be so pissed when I get back... and started planning the course of action she would take.
She knew where the base was located approximately from what little news was broadcast to them. The only real problem was getting inside the base, which she knew to be on enemy territory. Enfolding herself in a large, soft towel, she drained the tub and went into her bedroom. She started looking around her room for something that might help. Lying unused and dusty at the back of her bookcase was an old atlas she still had from school. Picking up the atlas, she dusted it with her hand and sneezed when a wave of dust filled the air. She turned around and took the heavy book to the bed with her.
She sat crossed-legged on the bed and situated the Atlas on her lap. "Okay, let's see if I remember what they said on the news." The newscaster gave a vague description of what was going on and mentioned the name of the place as something of little relevance. Ashley hoped she had caught the name correctly. She opened the Atlas and read through the table of contents, "Africa...Africa...Oh, there it is." She flipped to the right page and searched for a political map. "Ah ha!" She exclaimed excitedly when she found the map she'd been looking for. She took the notepad and scribbled the name she remembered from the news. The name looked strange to her own eyes but she figured she might have gotten it wrong. She started looking for anything that even resembled what she had written on her notepad.
She searched for the Republic of Congo and found that its capital looked similar to the name on her notepad. The city she needed to reach was Brazzaville. The only problem she faced now was, how?
Getting up from her bed she booted up her computer and logged on to the internet. A couple of hours later, weary but successful, she found what she had been looking for. It would be a long, rocky trip but she would make it. She booked a one way ticket on American Airlines from NY city to Brussels. From Brussels she would need to take a different flight, on Congo Airlines that reached Kinshasa, the democratic republic of Congo's capital. The only thing was, that the city she needed to reach was the capital of the republic of Congo, Brazzaville.
She sighed deeply as she flopped back on her bed, I don't have time to think of all these details, Guy said they were leaving in two weeks, which means they had already left, She thought. She knew that she'll face many problems on her way over, however she also knew that now was the time to leave. "I'll figure the details as I go." She said determinedly to herself.
Ashley pulled herself off the bed and took out a suitcase from underneath her bed. She filled the suitcase with a bit of everything she had in her closet and locked it. Looking around the room, she suddenly remembered the papers she had taken from her office at work. She pulled them out of her briefcase and very carefully, she faked her father's signature on each and every one of them. At least this way, she would have something to show if and when she reached "Blue Hawk" base. "Or if I happen to get myself in trouble..." She mumbled quietly. Putting the suitcase in a corner, she went back to bed. She had a lot to think about until morning, when her flight was scheduled to leave.
Ashley didn't sleep more than a wink that night. She kept tossing and turning, images and phrases clouding her mind. Robert Grayson was a very powerful and influential man, Ashley knew. If he set his mind on finding her, he would. She had to outsmart him and find ways to cover up her trail, which she soon found wouldn't be easy. She had faith in herself though, as she was, daddy's little girl.
The warming rays of sunshine brought a smile to Ashley's face. This was the day that would change her life. She would either succeed in her mission and get the adventure and story of a lifetime or she would get caught and never practice journalism again. It was a risk she was gladly willing to take. The thrill excited her.
She pulled a small carry-on bag onto her shoulder and rolled her suitcase into the living room. She spared another look around her apartment and smiled. There was one last thing she had to do before she left and that was to call her parents. She quickly picked up the phone and dialed her father's office. Several second later, the line was picked up, "Robert Grayson's office, how may I help you?" asked Jenny, Robert's secretary.
"Hey Jenny, it's Ashley. Can I talk to my dad?"
"Oh hello, Ms. Grayson. Of course, one moment please."
Ashley tapped her foot to the music in the background and smiled when her father's gruff voice answered, "Hello?"
"Hi dad."
"Ashley, hello sweetie." Robert's voice immediately softened when he heard his only daughter's sweet voice.
"Dad, I know it's sort of short notice and all but I'm leaving on an assignment." She bit her lip in anticipation.
"Assignment? What assignment?" Asked Robert, suspiciously.
"There's this thing I've been working on for quite a while and I've finally got a break. I have to go check it out, dad." Ashley cringed all through the phone call, she hated lying to her parents.
"Well, can you at least tell me where you'll be going?"
Ashley bit her lip, "No dad, sorry. I promise it's alright. Listen, I really have to go now, okay?"
Robert frowned worriedly but finally conceded. He had learned long ago that there was no real way for him to refuse his daughter if she set her mind to something. "Alright. You take care of yourself, you hear?"
"I will, don't worry. Love you dad, bye."
"Bye baby girl." Robert hung up the phone slowly, his jaw muscles working tensely.
Ashley looked at her wrist watch and quickly dialed her mom's phone number. Talking to her quickly, retelling the story she gave her father, she said her good-byes and hung up. Taking another final glance at her darkened apartment, she took her luggage and left her condo, locking the door behind.