Chapter Text
“Well good morning sunshine.” Ali said as her best friend Heather joined her and Owen in the mess hall.
“Why are you always so cheery in the mornings?” Heather groaned. They had been in the sandbox for nine months and her friend’s attitude never ceased to amaze her.
“Oh you know, just a typical day in the lovely Iraqi countryside.” Ali sipped her coffee. “Ready to seize the day and save some lives.”
Ali and Heather were nurses in the Army while Owen was a doctor who loved hanging out with the two women. Ali and Heather had met on their last tour and quickly formed a lasting bond. During their time between tours, they had meet Owen at a military hospital back in D.C. They had all become fast friends, and here they were, all stationed together yet again.
“Ever the optimist.” The other nurse chuckled. “Me on the other hand, I’m counting down the days to our departure in a month.”
“Ah but what will you do with yourself in the good ole U-S-of A?” Owen asked.
“Hmm let’s see, hang out with my husband.” Heather pondered. “Work with you two back at Walter Reed. You should ask Ali here what her plans are.”
Attention shifted to the brunette and she quieted her voice. “I think I am going to transfer to the reserves after this tour. It’s been almost five years, I’m not getting any younger, and I think I want to try and settle down some.”
“Right, Ali Krieger, settle down. I’ll believe it when I see it.” They all laughed.
“Shut it Heather.” Ali threw her orange peel at the other nurse as she feigned innocence.
“Okay, serious talk. Meet in two hours for kickoff?” Owen said as they all huddled closer. “We should try to start sooner rather than later today; it’s supposed to be a hot one.”
“Oh good, it’ll be 125 rather than our usual chilly 110 weather.” Heather scoffed.
“Well, Heather is just full of jokes this morning.” Ali says and she stands, bringing her coffee with her. “I’m going to make my trek across the sand and get ahead on some stuff at the hospital. See you guys at the pitch in a bit.”
“She’ll never be able to stop this. She is too good at what she does.” Owen spoke softly.
“Preaching to the choir, bro.” Heather said. “Come on, let’s follow miss thing’s lead and start the day so I can look forward to whooping ass later.”
“Alright, we need the whole battalion on their toes for this one.” Major McNutt said sternly. “We are in pursuit of a high value target located in this building. Based on recon done in the last week, he should be in there with four of his men. We don’t know the whereabouts of the rest of his people, but the higher-ups have ordered it and want the best on it.”
The major pulled up a detailed map on the hood of the Humvee as the unit leaders gathered in closer. “I want a front and back entry team, a team to cover the side entry, and team to back up the front guys after they go in. Morris and company take the back, Jones take the side, and Williams you guys will take the front and Harris and her team will cover you. We will have a covering unit outside the hot zone, and artillery at the base is on alert. I know these aren’t ideal circumstances, but they just want this guy out; dead or alive. Alive is preferred, but dead is necessary. Go get your teams ready.”
“Hooah, sir.” The team yelled and went to prepare for the mission.
“What do you say, Cap?” Braxton Hayes, best friend and right hand man to Ashlyn Harris, came up beside her as they neared her team.
“I say this sounds like a shit show and I don’t have a great feeling about it, but we are Rangers and this is what we do.” She replied, quiet enough that only her friend would hear. “And you’re captain too, dummy, enough with the nicknames.”
The leader explained the mission to her team and gave them a few minutes to ready their gear. She grabbed two bottles of water and went to the other captain, tossing it to him. “Better hydrate, it’s supposed to be a scorcher.” Then she took a sip of her own bottle before dumping the rest over her short brown locks.
“Thank you for that breaking news report, ma’am.” Braxton joked as he drank. They saw the teams getting ready to move. Looking at each other in silence, they strapped on their helmets and moved. “Here we go, Cap.”
The troops quickly and quietly got into their positions. Williams called out for anyone in the building to exit with their hands up. One man appeared. Williams had him drop to his knees and lift his shirt. Once cleared they moved the man away and called out one more time before entering. Ashlyn’s team took their position, covering the front door as she watched the other unit go in. Then they heard a radio from the back of the house.
“I have movement. A woman coming toward the back. She’s got something on.” Morris explained. Then they heard a gasp. “Pull out, she’d got a vest on! Retreat!”
That was the last thing the battalion heard before an explosion rang out, followed by an onslaught of bullets. This mission had been a set up and the enemy had been waiting for them.
“I need a medic back here. We have four guys down and are under heavy fire.” Morris yelled.
“Jones move to the back and cover Morris and the injured. Williams get your team out of there.” The order came over the radio. All the teams were busy defending themselves as the fire fight continued.
“Cover me Brax, I’m going in.” Ashlyn turned to her friend. Upon entering, she found two wounded and called out for the remaining soldier three. She pulled on soldier out and went back in, where she found Williams and the rest of the unit. “Grab his other shoulder and pull back to our position.”
Once out of the house, they continued to fire, but couldn’t get the upper hand. “McNutt, we are sitting ducks out here. Call the artillery and get the chopper here for the wounded.”
“All units pull out for artillery to fire on this position.” The leader commanded. “Call out when clear.”
“Williams we will cover you so you can pull these guys the rest of the way out, then cover us.” The captain directed. She and her guys laid out cover fire. When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she stood to retreat. One step in and she felt a sting in her side, dropping down to one knew. “Shit!”
Braxton turned around, seeing their leader with a red patch on her side. He went back to help her while the other soldiers fired. As they moved back, Ashlyn saw it coming from the corner of her left eye. A grenade. Her eyes widened as it landed several feet away. They ran as far as they could. At the last millisecond, she threw herself into her friend, shielding him and gaining another foot of distance as it exploded to her left.