Silva slumped down at a canteen table. Command had pushed hard to ensure they had good food to keep their morale up, but it went unnoticed by the Sergeant. He had to keep up a brave and confident persona around the Company, but it was taking its toll on him. He’d not ever dreamed to see the kind of vast scale death and war that his ancestors had. Reading about such conflicts had been a pleasure. He’d wished to be given the opportunity to gain the glory and respect they had earned.
Parker and Hall leapt onto the bench opposite his table. He looked up at them and smiled as best he could, but they too looked beaten. They each looked to one another for some answers to make them feel better, but they didn’t come.
“Shame to see Friday go. He was a good man.”
Silva nodded at Parker.
“They all were, every god damn man and woman in this Company,” he muttered.
“I hear Chandra got a pass to see Taylor?”
Silva glared at her. For a moment he was irritated by her selfish hounding so soon after the death of one of their friends. But then he settled, realising just how much concern she had for the Major. He knew they could lose Taylor for good.
“She got it alright, and it wasn’t an easy feat. She chose her moment carefully. Our boys were ready to tear Schulz apart.”
“Should have let us,” snapped Hall.
Silva sighed and shook his head in dismay.
“So you could all share a prison cell with Taylor?”
“Something has to be done. We can’t leave him there to rot while we get sent out to die on pointless missions,” replied Parker.
Silva smashed his hand down on the table, causing it to shake violently and several nearby troops turn and look. He gazed around at them until they looked away. He turned his attention back to the two marines.
“I’ve had enough of this bitching and whining. Taylor shouldn’t be locked away, but there is nothing we can do about it. The morale has been shit since that time, and there is no excuse for it. That morale could get many more of us killed. Do you think Taylor would want that? Or do you think he’d want us to pick ourselves the fuck up and continue in his stead?”
The two NCOs looked sheepishly down at their food. Silva had successfully shamed them, but he didn’t feel good about it.
“I know we need the Major back. Parker, you think you need him more than any of us, but you don’t. We all need him back, and when the time comes, we will make it happen. But until that time, we act like god damn professionals and are ready for anything.”
Parker looked up with a doleful face.
“You really think we’ll get him back?”
“Fuck, yes. You hold onto that knowledge, and you carry it in battle with you. He’s getting out, and he wants us there to greet him when it happens.”
Three weeks had passed since the news of Friday’s death. Taylor hadn’t seen anyone but the guards in all that time. He prayed to see Dupont again, so he could vent his anger if nothing else. He knew Chandra and the others were doing everything in their power to help him, but he also knew what bastards Schulz and Dupont were.
He closed his eyes and thought back to his nights with Eli back before the war had started. Their sneaking around seemed dangerous at the time, but now it felt little more than harmless mischief. Everyday, he tried to think of her to stop his imagination taking him back the horrors he’d witnessed or been told of.
Then his mind swayed back to Friday. He remembered the first time they met early in their careers, and how competitive they had been. Within months, they had become like brothers and remained so through their service. The only friend who could come close was Jones. It pained him to know that he could do nothing for Friday, and he couldn’t even attend his funeral. But it pained him even further that Jones had been left to become a hollowed out wreck.
Charlie’s absent staring eyes came back into Taylor’s mind. It frightened him that such a strong man could be reduced to such a lifeless state. With the loss of Friday, he held onto the fact that Jones was still alive, praying that he could return to the lively and joyful friend he used to know. As his mind crept to darker places, and he began to mutter to himself once again, the corridor doors opened and footsteps strode towards him. He jumped up out of bed and stood anxiously waiting to see a familiar face.
Chandra appeared before him once again with a smile on her alluring face. It was the most beautiful thing he had seen in recent memory, and instantly painted a picture of Eli in his mind.
“Come to get me out, Major?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“Sorry, but I have at least managed this, five minutes, once a week outside my duty hours.”
“That’s generous of the General,” Taylor spat sarcastically.
She grinned at his sharpness. It pleased her to know he hadn’t been beaten by his detainment. He was still the strong and sharp officer he always had been.
“No chance of me getting out, then?”
She shook her head and looked in with sympathy.
“No. I have tried everything I can. Anyone who could help with procuring your release is out of contact, fighting their own battles.”
“So what you’re saying is, unless a bomb happened to drop on the two Generals, I am not getting free?”
“That about sums it up. But for all of their hatred of you, they also know how useful you can be. There will come a time when they need you.”
“How is the Company holding up?”
Locked up for months and still putting his friends first, she thought. Taylor never ceased to amaze her. She could only hope to have his strength if she had to endure the same.
“They’re holding. The fighting has hit a lull. There continues to be skirmishes along the lines, but nothing like the onslaught we have become used to. It’s given everyone a little time to rest and recover, but also more time to dwell on how shit the situation is.”
“Any plan for an advance east?”
“Even if I were given access to such information, I’d never be allowed to share it with you in here,” she warned.
The two went silent for a moment as they listened to the guards’ footsteps trail off into the distance. Taylor dipped his head and thought before finally looking up and pleading with the Major.
“You promise me one thing. If those alien bastards push through this base, you won’t leave me here. Not like Jones was.”
She could see the despair in his face. She had never been able to fully comprehend what he had seen the day of Jones’ rescue, and the state he had found the Captain in.
“There’s no way in hell I am leaving anyone else behind. You can count on that.”
“Thank you,” whispered Taylor.
She could tell that it was the only fear Taylor had in life, and being behind bars made it all the worse.
“You hold on, Mitch. I’m getting you out of here, one way or the other. That’s a promise, too.”
The ground rocked beneath their feet as a huge artillery shell landed outside the building. Taylor looked up in fear, and they both quickly jumped to the correct conclusion; the enemy was advancing. Further explosions erupted all around the base that were deafening even through the thick walls. The guards came rushing down the corridor.
“Major Chandra! You are to report back to your unit immediately!”
“What the fuck is going on?”
“The enemy, they’ve launched a massive attack at our lines!”
“Jesus Christ!”
The guards grabbed the Major and started to lead her out. She strained to turn back to the Major and shout to him one last time.
“I’ll come for you, Taylor!”
Chapter 6
“Kelly! Kelly!” shouted Doyle.
The enthusiastic Private came charging down the dusty hallway into the storage room that was now their command centre. He was met with little positivity as the grim faces glared at him. Martinez turned to look at the furore. The Captain’s face was badly scarred, and he wore a makeshift eye patch over his left eye. He had the look of a man who was awaiting his death with dignity.