Chapter 1

Sorry Mistake. This is right after the prologue

Chapter 1 Delta Force Division 6

Seven years later, all of the changes were made. The world was a little safer, and though some threats of terrorism was rampant in the Middle East, there was still peace in the United States of America. America did not receive terrorist threats, and all of their former enemies were kept at bay. Nells goal was finally seen, and now it seems that even with a great military force is in his grasp, he did not see a need to use it. All of the soldiers in the wars previous, received the required aid in trauma, and other needs were also met, except few of those who question the current system, some of which were part of the incident regarding Task Force Seven.

Brian Anderson looked outside his window. The rain reflected his hatred and remorse for the world, his depression kicking in. He stepped through his apartment, towards the bathroom, not more than a minute. Taking one step at a time he looked to and fro, left to right, up and down, his eyes never relaxing, his heart pounded with anxiety in the safety of his own home. He opened the door and stepped on smooth white tiles.

He walked in, looked into the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle of anti-depressants. He took one pill, swallowed it, and looked into the mirror, and what he saw was a pair of jaded old eyes, eyes much older than he for he was a mere 35 years, and these eyes saw well over twenty years above that of guilt, pain, regret, and anger manifested into the people he is forced to kill, and his crimes begotten of his guilt, he is forced to hide from himself, and others. He looked at his watch, and got dressed, a simple plain blue t shirt, and khakis, dark shoes, and headed out the door.

He drove around in his car, ignoring any warnings against operating machinery. He drove himself to the Tobin Bridge, gazing out of the ocean, sniffing the breeze of fish that caressed the inside of his nose. Beyond the horizon he couldn’t see the sunrise, of course he wouldn’t see it while it in his state of gloominess, even if the clouds weren’t pouring rain.

Footsteps came down upon him, however lite they were, even the light splashes, they startled him. He turned around, his hand on his side, pulling out a pistol, pointing it at the one who carelessly snuck up on him. It was a man, weathered like himself, though not nearly as paranoid. His hair was snowy, he had a yellow rain jacket, and an umbrella.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” the man said, putting his hand up near the pistol before jumping on the other side of the railing. “What the hell do you think you are doing here Anderson?”

Brian looked closely to him and holstered his pistol. He continued to gaze at the seemingly empty sky, matching the seemingly empty eye. “I am just...remembering, Tesla, that is all.”

“The incident?”

“Yes. The incident.”

“It’s been seven years Anderson. Seven long years. It is well passed the time to move on.”

“Yeah,” he said, sighing and pulling out a cigarette which he lit, it took him a few tries, it was not until Smith allowed him cover under the umbrella. “Well, unlike some I ain’t completely devoid of human attachment.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m still human. I am frail. I feel my mind unraveling.”

“Insanity. That is what that is.” Tesla responded in kind. “However, you should have been well aware of the things you were going to be doing. You should have known, done your research before joining Delta.”

Anderson looked at him coldly, a tear shimmered in his eye. “Smith, nothing on Earth, Heaven or Hell can prepare any man for what we had to do. That is unnatural.”

“So there is no talking you out of your psychotic break down.” Tesla said, leaning against the railing. “Oh well.” The rain shimmered his dark raincoat.

“You gonna leave me be?” Brian said to him.

“Are you going to Adams’ graduation?” Tesla replied.

“No. Why would I do that?”

“Well, she certainly may not be the first woman to see direct action, but she certainly is the first one admitted into the Special Forces.” His voice lowered as a civilian walked behind him.

“No.”

“It would mean the_”

“I said no!” Brian barked. “If I can barely hold myself up, I cannot even begin to imagine what Sarah, poor Sarah could handle. If she_”

“She was there too.”

“She wasn’t on the front lines! She didn’t hold a gun, she was directing us then! She didn’t shoot anything! We did! She wasn’t shot at! We were! Don’t even pin this on her! She is guilt free! She is responsible free.”

“Be that as that may, she doesn’t have her shortage of hardships.”

“She is a woman. They don’t belong on the front lines.”

“The woman who killed your brother would beg to differ.”

“She is dead now. She can’t differ. She is burned like the rest of them. Like the rest of us.” He sighed, crying heavy tears over the railing. He remembered the fires, and of course nothing could prepare him for collecting several scattered pieces of his brother. Even his head was cloven in two. That nightmare would never leave him. Even his hands were missing all of their fingers, just in case having one’s head cut in two wasn’t overkill enough.

Tesla walked closer to him, patting him on the back. “There, there,” he said, unsure of how many times someone should properly pat one on the back to make them comfortable. He patted a seventh time, “There.” and stopped.

“Leave me be!” he cried out, and Tesla walked away.

Tesla walked into his car after walking about a mile. He drove off into the highway, and he relived the tale, the nightmare Anderson was talking about. His nightmares no longer haunted him, but he knew full well the damage it did.

Though he repressed the memories of what happened before, but the one he could never control, was the memory which concluded the incident, it entered his dreams at night, and even during the day,

His legs were heavy. He had been fighting for four straight weeks, little food, little water. Many of his comrades died from exhaustion, starvation, dehydration alone. The bodies littered the earth, not one blade of grass, not one lawn, not one piece of pavement, nor was there any evidence of ground and dust which was below the fleece of corpses. All American, Men and women, few, oh so few were actual targets.

American flags ripped and burned, other jaded soldiers sought various different ways to try to identify the dead. There was no accurate way, the dog tags were all blurred and stained with the smoke and flame, bathed in blood and lead. There was no telling who was who, but one thing was for certain, the targets are dead.

“Today’s the big day!” Sarah’s mom Denise said to her, getting her ready. Sarah looked so proud in her army dress uniform. She was twenty-six.

“So much waiting. So much...advocating...so much death for this moment.” Sarah said, her brown hair shimmering. “Was it all worth it?”

“Don’t think like that sweetheart. It’s a good step for woman. You being the first in the special forces_”

“One...one of the first.” Sarah corrected. The two were in a room, their home in LA, the gasses filled the air, fumes seeping from underneath the cracks of the houses. This was so common, people often ignored it.

The living room in which they were getting ready was relatively tidy, except the paperwork next to a bottle of pills lying on the coffee table. Denise observed the bottle, there was no refill after this prescription went out. “Honey, how have you been sleeping.” Sarah didn’t answer right away. “Honey?” Denise turned around, and all color faded from her daughter’s face. Any look of happiness which was written upon her face was wiped clean, and replaced with a despairing expression. Her hands shook uncontrollably, and a single tear crept down her face. “Sarah! Answer me!” She rushed to her daughter, who looked at her with a blank expression.

“It is all too late. I cannot undo anything.” she replied. “My nightmares, they will not go away. I suppress them for so long and nothing seems to help. That medicine,” she pointed. “Does nothing. It won’t go away.”

“What won’t go away hun?”

“My crimes. N...nothing. It is nothing.” she wiped her tear from her face. “Mom. Let’s go.”

Sarah walked towards the door, and opened it. “Y...yes dear.” she replied, grabbing her purse and followed her out the door.  They walked down the stairs, and into the car, a modest creature.

“Mom? Can you...can you drive? I need to think.”

“Sure.” Denise took the keys and opened the door.

The car beeped and Sarah stepped inside. The car was started, and Sarah rested her chin above her hand and looked out the window as Denise began to drive.

She sat on the seat, her comms in her ear. She looked at multiple different monitors, back and forth. The focus was unreal. Everything was blurry, fire was everywhere. Bullets flew, and grenades blew up, explosions happened. She looked into Captain Plunner’s headset. One of the very few medal of Honor recipients, and his camera was the most out of focus.

“I’ve the target in sight!” he cried out. He fired his M4 at a target, who seemed to have dodged out of the way, into the rubble of what one could only have guessed was once a daycare. Whether or not their were children in it, has yet to be determined.

“Wait for more back up!” Sarah called. “Team eight is right behind you. Two mikes out.”

“Not enough time!” He said, charging through the ashes and ashes.

“Plunners! Don’t! It’s too dangerous!”

“If we don’t silence them now, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”

The smoke filled the scream as he went into the ashes, from ash to ash. “Plunners!”

There was a flash, and the screens went black. “Plunners!” she cried again as his screen was the only one that went snowy. “Plunners.” she said softly.

“He is dead then.” Agent Nells said.

Nells, you were president at the time, still overseeing the missions directed under the military and CIA forces. Was that price worth it? Do you still have the nightmares and flashes I do, or have they stopped? Did you ever have them? All of these thoughts flooded through her brain as she looked at the passing people, going about their lives, walking their dogs, of walking their children home from school, returning from the office, waiting for the busses, not giving a second thought on what happened behind the closed doors of the military. Not one thought. They were safe, for now, and for now, that is all that really mattered.

Sarah looked out the window, observing and thinking about life. “Mom?”

Denise turned her head slightly, still keeping an eye on the road. “Hm?”

“Why did I join the military?” she asked.

“Hun, you said you desired to be part of the sacrifice that put this country into power. Of course we know the Lord is what made it what it is. It was built by God, not by men.”

“You know I don’t believe in that mythology.”

“What’s so mythical about it?”

“It didn’t happen.”

“Historians and archeologists would disagree, but that is why you joined.” she answered her daughter. “You choosing to disbelieve our belief is not of our concern, but your decision is yours to make.”

“Yeah ma, thank you. Nothing seems to damper your spirits, even as one of the very few logical Christians I know.” she answered.

Denise smiled, as her daughter smiled back at her. She looked up, and noticed storm clouds coming in. “Those dark clouds might. They say a bad omen is coming.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I will tell you something, and if what I predict comes to pass, I urge you to consider my mythology, and should it not come to path, I consider your philosophy in which case, consider that my mythology is a lie, and I have wasted my entire life up until that point.”

Sarah looked at her intently. “What do you predict will happen?”

“You will have to make a decision, a decision that will make you think where your true allegiance lies.” Denise replied. “You may have to decide, given the recent court ruling, whether you decide to choose your family, over your country. Right now, what do you imagine you may do?”

“I...I’m not sure.”

“I imagine you might pick your country.” she replied.

Sarah punched the dashboard. “Do you think that little of me?”

“No, not at all. What I observed, that in your pursuit to get to the position you are in, you made sacrifices you otherwise wouldn’t have. That is, if you didn’t desire so much to join the elite force of your country, you would not have alienated your father.” Denise said, stopping at a red light,

“I was on the training field. I couldn’t just leave or_”

“Or the rest of the team will ostracise you, and risk losing all of that hard earned work.” Denise frowned. “I’ve heard that all before. Death is part of the job, you will lose friends and family on the job, and if you can’t handle it, you have no place on the teams. I don’t need another lecture.”

“I’m glad you see it that way, it’s about time.”

They drove all the way through commercial drive, and with the amount of traffic, Sarah got out of the car and walked, walked the lines with the rest of the soldiers, wearing their dress whites, walking in double file, and into the grand hall. Sarah found herself with multiple, at least more than she expected, of proud soldiers, passing the final test.

She was in a dark hall, shrouded in a large curtain, with her fellow soldiers. She could sense a sense of over hyper anxiety from many, and others who were simply content, not excited or dismayed. She wasn’t the only woman either. There was another one. Her name was Jennifer Bulsta, and she held upon her face a scary smile. It was from ear to ear, her teeth were showing.

“You seem rather happy Sergeant.” Adams said. “What are you so cheery about?”

Bulsta turned her head, she was still smiling. “Finally a woman can join the special forces. Finally a woman can see battle. Now all women are in the position to show the men that women can doing anything they can do, even better than they can. And look around us, you and I, we are the only two women in here. We are the first to join the special forces.”

“I wish that was true.” Adams replied bowing her head, waiting for the commencement to begin. She waited to hear Nells voice as she saw him get ready with his microphone and with the Secret Service guards. She tried to ignore anything else that came from Bulsta’s lips. She could already tell she was bloodthirsty, ready for war, and power hungry, not a very good combination of traits for a soldier. She ignored her, nodded a few times just to entertain her.

“Do you have a man at home?” Bulsta asked.

Sarah gasped, and clutched her chest. “I...I...not anymore.” she replied. Her response was short.

“Did he do it for you? Or was it a conflict? Did he not treat you how you ought to be treated?”

“No, he… he’s dead. He died seven years ago. It was a...forbidden romance.” she replied.

“Look Lieutenant, nothing is forbidden anymore.” Bulsta said. “Everything that was once forbidden in this country, is now common practice. America, thanks to Nells, has thrown away the old, and brought forth the new. People are happier.”

Sarah recalled one of her old conversations. This conversation was from one of the members of Task Force Seven, this was about a year before they were accused of high treason. If memory serves her correctly, it was also a year into Nells first term as President. He was now serving his third, and in a years time will begin his fourth term. The longest presidency ever served, and congress all repealed the twenty second amendment. This man was not weathered, and he seemed rather happy.

“My commander also said this, and this he spoke against several times, when you have a nation, that is truly united, and they are all under one collective will, they only have one mind, and that is the mind that controls them all. This is not freedom or free will. This is slavery, one that all can agree on.”

“Is that what you meant? Wraith? I know you can’t hear me anymore, and why would you listen, if we never listened to you. What should we do? I can’t change it, but the only thing I wish, is that you didn’t commit high treason against this nation, but much rather if you did, I only wish we did the right thing, and brought you to trial, instead.” she quieted down realizing that Bulsta was listening to her.

“What are you talking about? That has nothing to do with what I just said.”

“It has everything to do, with why I’m here.” she answered.

Meanwhile, Sergeant James Cross was sitting with his old friend, Lieutenant Ted Konowski of SWCC. They were sitting in Starbucks, drinking overly priced coffee, and sitting by a window. Of course it was still raining outside, but that didn’t stop them from opening up two Bibles one in front of the other. They read Bible verses to one another, in the book of Joshua.

“One verse, is really sticking out at me today.” James said. “‘Do not be afraid nor discouraged; be strong and Courageous, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you are.”

“Well you are getting deployed next week aren’t ya?” Ted asked.

“Yeah.” He replied, sipping from his coffee.

“You may need it, you like this one in particular for a reason.”

“Don’t tell me that.” Cross replied.

“I have about another two weeks to go. Hopefully it is enough time to get some affairs in order.” Ted replied.

“Yeah, you mean about your father?”

“Yeah, he left a note. Only few ever leave a note.”

“What did it say if you don’t mind me asking?”

“It said, ‘Trust your instincts. In the end, those are the only senses you can trust.’ I am not sure what that means, but he was an intelligent man. He left it, probably seeing me question certain things. He was an Atheist, did I ever tell you that?” Ted said.

“No.” Cross looked at his watch. “Were you raised as one?”

“Very much so.”

“What brought you to Christ?”

“Reason. Physics, and biology.”

Cross leaned in his chair, folding his arms across his chest and started laughing. “So, you became a believer because of the very things that lead people away from God? That has to be the most amazing thing I have ever heard.”

“Yeah, Dad always said I was reading too much into it.”

“You can never read too much into anything, but make sure the conclusions that are being drawn are correct. Now however you came to your conclusion, is beyond me, since I don’t study science anymore, but I agree with your conclusion.”

“Some say I’m foolish.”

“And others would say judgmental bigots you idiots!” A man came walking to them with his own coffee. James knew him, Captain Jack Coppley. “God’s not real. The world works fine without him.”

“Says who?” Ted replied.

“Just look around you! Everyone gets along. Everyone’s happy. Everyone’s free to do as they please, as long as everything is consented.”

“Was last week’s lynching consented by both parties?” Ted asked.

“Huh?” Coppley replied.

Cross leaned back in his chair. He knew which one he was talking about. A group of high school kids lynched a couple of catholic school girls on their way home. They were hanged, and allegedly raped. Allegedly, since the court dismissed the case. The parents weren’t very happy. Cross and Konowski both knew them, and knew their parents. This was actually never on the news, nor was there a mention in any obituary.

“That’s right, you don’t know?”

“Know what? Was it on the news?”

“No. Actually the case was dismissed.” Ted wiped a tear from his eye. “You see, four girls, catholics, were raped, and hanged last week. The boys responsible were caught recently, and quite frankly, the case was dismissed, or better, the District Attorney had more pressing matters to attend to. I did my research. He went golfing that afternoon.” Ted replied. “You wanna go ahead and say that to my face? That everyone’s happy? Go ahead Delta, try me!”

“There must have been consent.”

“Can you even hear yourself right now?” Ted turned to James. “Did he seriously just say that? Did he seriously just say that those girls consented to getting raped and murdered? In what way does any of that make sense?”

“It doesn’t Ted, but that is because it shouldn’t. You study philosophy, right Coppley?”

“Yes I do. What of it.”

“‘None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe that they, are free.’” he said. “Do you know who said that?”

“No. Must not be that important.”

“Well, if you can’t see the problem, that is exactly what that says. If you go with the crowd, you lose yourself.” Cross replied, noticing that Konowski was getting heated. “You have lost yourself, and I can sadly say that I don’t know the real you. I never did.”

“That is all very well and said then. But, I’d rather be a part of evil, and not see it, than be in the part of good, and see all the evil around me.”

“That’s luxurious.” Cross replied. “Sometimes I wish I could do that, but I won’t.”

“And why is that?”

“It is because of your thinking there is so much evil in the world.” he said. “There is just as much evil here, as there is on the battlefield.”

“Yeah thats right, cause I am totally ripping little children apart.” Coppley replied.

The cafe went silent. Everyone turned their gaze over to the bickering veterans. All sipping stopped, and all chatter. The silence was deafening.

“Well Coppley, you certainly know how to move people, away from the door.” Ted said. “Idiot.”

“Dumbass.” Coppley said. “This nation is free, I fought for it, and I saw others die for it. Congratulations, you are on my s**t list.”

“When weren’t we?” Cross said. “Now kindly leave us be, we did nothing to you.”

“You pulled out that Bible, that offends me.”

“And stupidity offends me, yet here you are.” Ted replied.

Cross laughed at him.

“Yeah two against one. That ain’t fair!”

“Go cry me a river!” Cross said. “Now if you can’t handle it, walk away!”

“Dam_”

“Walk away!” He snapped his fingers and pointed to the door.

Coppley’s eyes shifted from Cross and Ted, before glancing at the door, and then to the several eyes that were fixed upon them. He slammed his fist on the table, and though Ted was able to save his coffee, Cross wasn’t so lucky. It spilled on his lap. “Fine, after careful speaking, you have won today, but remember, you will not treat me this way on our missions.”

“You were never winning, for one, and two, I only treat you this way when you instigate it!” Cross stood up, and stared at him harshly. “Now, if you can’t take heat, don’t play with fire. If you don’t want to be disrespected, don’t disrespect me, and we will get along just fine. I know why you hate me, and though I would agree that the reason is absolutely stupid and has no place among the lines, and if you can just keep that hatred to yourself, we will work in peace. Now go!”

“Are you going to the orientation?” Cross was taken aback by the sudden change in conversation.

“I’m not. I’m going home after this study, which might be a little short today. You spilled my coffee.”

“Well then it sucks to be you.”

“Oh, it’s gonna suck for the man that spilled my coffee.” he said.

“It’s not my fault you couldn’t catch it.”

“No, but it is your fault that there was a need to catch my coffee.”

“Why aren’t you going to the orientation?”

“Because I don’t treat it with any other special circumstance. It’s not my brother, or my close friend, it is not a relative, or anyone else that I know. I know Adams, but that is about it. Go to an orientation for about three hours? Or spend time with my wife? I choose my wife.”

“Where’s your wife?” Coppley replied.

“Why?”

“So I can show her what a real man feels like!” he cackled.

“Ted?” Cross said, looking right at the one friendly mouth in the room.

“Hm?”

“Are you done with your coffee?”

Ted sniffed his cup. “Yup. It’s cold now.”

“Good.” Cross said. “Let’s go.” Cross grabbed the cold cup of coffee, and spilled it over Coppley’s crotch. The room lit up with laughter, and Coppley couldn’t do much, as he just sat in embarrassment as Ted and James left the coffee shop.

Ted and James walked across the street, and into James’ car. The street was busy, and the of course the rain made things go by less quickly. The rain was heavy, puddles splashed in the street under feet and wheels of cars and baby carriages. The doors closed shut, and Ted was hiding a smirk on his face, while James took out a picture of his wife.

“When is the anniversary?” Ted asked.

“December.” James replied. “I certainly hope I will actually be able to be around then.” James turned his head as he revved up the engine. “What are you smiling about?”

“Thanks to you, that may be the best cup of coffee I ever paid for.” he laughed.

“Well,” James shared in laughter as he started pulling the car out into the street and then drove off. “Don’t get used to it.”

“Oh I won’t. A chance like that doesn’t come often.” Ted said.

“Good.” James replied, eyes glancing to and fro, making sure that he would crash into. “I’m gonna drop you off at the station is that okay?”

“Not a problem. I am a sailor after all. I get wet feet all the time.”

James dropped Ted off at the train station. He tipped his cap to him before he left out of sight, and James drove off, home. Home is where the heart is, or so they might say.

James lived in a modest house, out in a woods, away from all the hustle and bustle from the city. That is the way he liked it, and his wife Sarah also couldn’t agree more. She was six months pregnant, and had long blond hair. She was out on the porch, rubbing her belly waiting for him to return home. The porch was held up by two planks, and it was open, with a few chairs and one table they rarely used. It was mostly for decoration anyway.

He drove up, and ran up to her. He didn’t waste one moment hugging her, or gently placing a peck on her cheek. This was not a public display of affection, they both agreed they wouldn’t do that when they got married four years ago.

“I missed you.” Sarah said to him, holding him tight, but not too tight for the Baby was to be due, and any unnecessary force might damage whatever sex the baby would be. Even at the early stages in the womb, anything too forceful could damage it.

“I’m always missing you.” James replied, always feeling the need to one up her. They went inside, and James went back to his memory, the most important one, when they went to Venice Italy, on the gondolas, on the canals.

It was a bright summer day. James and Sarah sat on the gondolas, observing the sunset. Theie hands held one another, while the other half of the pair, held on to the edge as they were being steered towards more open water. The sea was calm, and the breeze was gentle, hard enough where Sarah’s golden hair would sway in it, but gentle enough, where its presence was almost unnoticeable.

The sun set, and the stars began to shine, and the gondolier took them out away from the city of Venice, and into more open sea, open darkness, so they would see the light from the moon and the stars shining like crystal glass all around them. The Gondolier lit a few candles, and had special placeholders for them, so they could sit gently on the sides of the gondola.

“Oh James, this is so romantic.”

“Well you were always telling me you wanted to see the great cathedrals. None are better than those of Italy.” James replied. He took one hand and put it in his pocket, and Sarah looked over to the edge and made gentle ripples in the waves.

Those ripples extended onto the boat, and James could see that with one sudden movement, the movement with the hand, however slight, will send ripples that affect the far reaches of the ocean, and all bodies of water it is linked to. The will of the hand, will affect everything, as all things attached to the ocean are of one collective mind, and the will of an alien source will send shivers across the sea.

“Will you marry me?” James said, pulling out the box with the ring and diamond.

Sarah covered it with her hand, and closed her eyes. There was silence, but the pounding of the heart felt like it would break free from the flesh of his chest, unsure of what her answer would be, and what his response would be.

“I will.”

Even years after that moment, this was the ripple in his life. It affected everything he did, and though he never took leave long enough to visit anywhere special since then, he chose the special days, because even if it wasn’t one long trip, it was the specific day he chose that really mattered to him. His love for her, though has seen its high and lows were never stronger as they are now, even as he listened to his wife talk, and all he could ever ask for, was the sweet serenity that came from her voice.

A love like this is as close to perfect as anyone can get. This is the closest thing to a fairytale love that any reality can make, the expectations are real, and they give, and take away each other what they choose to give one another, and that thing is everything. Truly, it would be a shame if anything happened to it.