Dear Romeo, Where Do You Think You're Going?

I dive behind a vehicle just as a volley of bullets hit the ground where I was just moments before. That was too close, I think as the attacker continues his assault on the truck, wait, why is he still...shit, he's trying to blow it up. I get up from behind the truck and run towards a big rock to the left, when I was shot in the leg by another soldier, and then the truck explodes, slamming me into the rock. Ugh, damn that hurt. Where was a medic when you needed one? I think lying behind that rock, bloody and broken, while bullets whiz by overhead… Where is that medic?!?!

“SEBASTIAN!!! Hang in there!” I hear someone scream at me, I can just make out a figure heading my way through the smoke and the flames.

“Annie??” I call out and seconds later, she drops down beside me behind the rock.

“Yeah, it's me,” she says as she starts inspecting my wounds, I wince as she pokes a particularly deep and painful wound. “What did you do!?! You’re lucky to be alive!” I laugh, she can always make me laugh, even in near-death situations, but ow it hurts...and OW what is she doing? I think,
“This isn’t funny!” she yells at me, making me laugh harder, “Drink this,” she says, shoving a stimpack (it’s like a first aid kit) down my throat. I jump up and say,

“Jeez woman!!! Are you trying to kill me!?!?” She hauls me back down as a bullet whizzes by my head. “Oh yeah, hehe opps, it’s so easy to forget where I am when you’re with me... Oww! What the hell was that for!?!” I say as she slaps me across the face.

“For being an idiot, now the stimpack worked so you’re all healed. Hurry up and finish this we don’t have much time left” she says to me, smiling,

“Will do captain!!” I tell her with a mock salute, and I receive a glare in response. She’s so cute when she’s mad, I think as I take out my gun and sneak over to the side of the rock, now where are those... I think just as another spray of bullets, sends me diving for cover; at least I know where they are now.

“Ok, full clip? Check. Smoke? Check. Frags? Check. Well, here goes nothing”, I say, sighing as I toss two smoke grenades into the middle of the field, and a frag grenade over into the trees, taking out 3 men. Good, I think smirking, only6 left now. I run through the smoke, towards the other 3, at least the smoke s keeping that sniper off my back, I think as I pick off the first 2, but where is the... a glint of metal makes me dive behind a wall of sandbags, just in time to miss a volley of bullets. Damn, of course he’d have a machine gun, and what the hell did I land on? Molotov’s (an explosive), huh? Primitive, but they might come in handy, I think grabbing a few, his clip should run out just about...NOW! I think as the bullets stop flying and I jump up and take him out,

“Sucker” I say smirking, now only the 2 hiding in the field and that sniper...wait. Hay field? I think, looking back at the molotov’s I’d just picked up, perfect. I toss two near their location, and I head off in the direction, towards the sniper, trying to ignore the cries of the 2 burning soldiers. Don’t think about it, don’t think about it... I tell myself heading towards the safety of the trees, once I’m in the safety of the trees, I check my supplies. Damn, this is 3009 for cryin’ out loud! You’d think they’d make guns able to carry more ammo! I’m out, I think tossing my gun aside and hauling out my blade, poor soldier won’t know what to hit him, I think, climbing up the small hill behind him. He doesn’t even know that I’m here, I think, smirking as I look down at him from the top of the hill, he’s still looking for me down there!

Jeez, I hate war, all these senseless deaths. I look away as I knife him; I really don’t like
causing deaths for petty reasons, then I walk away.

Click

....SHIT, land mine!!

BUZZZZZZ

Test Over
Simulation complete
Enemies' on this level-8
Number of enemies’ killed-8
Deaths- 1 by landmine
Stimpacks used-1
Time completed in 00:12:35s
Level-veteran
Score: A+

“Sebastian!” Annie cries, running towards me and giving me a hug, “That was amazing!”

“Ow, that hurts! You know just survived a battle,” I tell her smiling; I look over at the 2 men over by the machines controls. “Hey, Pops why did you make this thing so real? I mean it still feels like I have those wounds.” I ask my dad, he just shake his head at my question, uh-oh, what did I say now? I think as the co-ordinater aka my Gramps walk over to me.

“Now son, you did very well. Better than most people, I mean you beat the simulation on its hardest setting. But you must realize that this IS NOT a game, you can get hurt or die in battle, so you must be careful. If I let you be invincible in the game then how would you learn to be careful and stealthy? The first rule of battle is to never stay still, for too long, always keep moving. However, I think you... and Annie... are ready to join the actual army as soon as you can...” My grandfather says and then my father buts in,

“They’re leaving tonight, they have nothing that needs to be done.”

Of course dad, why not? Someone’s excited to ship their son off to his death, I think to myself sarcastically. Then my grandfather begins to drone on again and I don’t really listen until he says “Annie you will be a part of the medic team,” he passes her a data disc, “read that later, young one. Now,” he walks up to me so that he is in my face, “it gives me great pleasure to assign you as part of team Tenshi. One of our most prestigious teams in the army, here’s your mask. Good luck.” he says as he walks away, then he’s gone leaving us with my Father. We get into the limo and the driver starts the car and we head away from our home,

“Dad, isn’t home that way?” I ask, pointing behind us expectantly.

“Yes, but that’s not where you’re going. I said you were leaving today, and your flight leaves in an hour. I already called ahead to the house and got the servants to send your luggage ahead, it will be waiting for you when we get there. Do you remember the promise that you made to this family, right Sebastian? Annie? 3 years, survive the 3 years and you’re both free, free to do whatever you want, and to marry who you want. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?” he says as he glances back at us from the front of the limo, we both numbly shake our heads. No one spoke for the rest of the drive, and at the airport, only a few numb goodbyes. As I sat in my seat all I could think as Annie cuddled up to me was, we’re going to war...

All too soon, the plane had landed and Annie was whisked away by her unit, who were actually waiting at the airport for her.

“Damn,” I say, sighing as I sit down on a bench, I barely got to say bye to her, and worst yet WHERE"S MY FRIGGING TEAM!?!?! I think as I sit there for what seems like forever, until, finally, I hear a large group of people behind me. I begin to turn around and....

SMASH

A flying blur of a person smashes into me and knocks me to the ground.

“CUZZY!!!” the person screams in my ear... Oh hell no, I think, trying to push the person off,

HELL NO!!

“Get off me you crazy woman!!” I scream at her as she finally lets me up.

“Awww, Sebi!!!You know you loved it!" she replies, childishly sticking her tongue out at me, jeez, I will never get this girl; explain to me HOW she's in a war again? I think sadly, as she jumps up and down beside me, as the squad laughs, sadly I think they’re laughing at me...

“Yeah, so anyways I'm so excited that you’re in my squad, you’re going to love it....” She continues to ramble, wait HER squad??? Oh, please no, be some kind of cruel joke, please... the silent praying (begging) in my head is cut short as the she-devil slaps me upside the face.

“HEY!!!” I yell at her going to take a swing at her, she just pats my hand away. Now I’m sure of it, the squad... her squad is laughing at me.

“Rule 1 - Always listen to your commanding officer, me” she says smugly, “Second…”

BANG

Next thing I know I'm staring up at her, and she’s looking smug, “NEVER raise your hand to your commanding officer, especially me” she says, then she walks away, grabbing my bag, while one of the other soldier's extend their hand to help me up. Bitch... I think as we follow her out of the airport and towards our transport.

Sadly, I’m forced to sit in the back between the soldier who helped me up, and that thing who calls herself my cousin.

“So cuz, you have no idea how excited I was to have someone new come into this squad! It's been the same old faces here for 2 years now, although I guess that's a good thing we haven't lost anyone yet... anyways, gramps told me everything so we'll help you anyway we can, ‘kay?” Uh-oh, she's being nice, last time she decided to be ‘nice’ her and Jay ended up pushing me out of the tree house...

“So Jenn, how'd someone like you get to be captain anyways?” I ask her, watching her in case she tries anything funny, she laughs,

“Well you see, I was visiting gramps, and I got bored and started to snoop around and found his simulator thing and managed to beat the thing in less than 5 minutes so they sent me straight here... What do you mean someone like me?!?!” she yells, Ugh, I hate it when she yells..., I think before answering, "Nothing, now you going to introduce me to the others on this team and explain to me what goes on?”

“Sure, but the only people you'll have to worry about are you, my second in command, Dylan and me. We all have codename’s mine is Dragon, Dylan's is Tiger and yours will be Shadow. Each army is made of many different squads/units like medics, artillery, heavy gunners, snipers, the list goes on and on, but we're the special ops team. We’re the best of the best, and we’re at the top of the enemies "Most Wanted" list, I'm #1, Dylan's #2, and one of our other friends, the Bear is #3... You cause enough destruction and mayhem and your rank goes up.” She explains to me “Got it?” I nod... it seems easy enough,

Good enough, well I guess playing all those ancient war games on that relic system (XBOX 360, COD 1-5) gramps owns with Jay and Lil... Opps... I mean, playing them must have helped us get where we are today, right?” I just nod again, she knows how touchy that subject is with me... we haven't spoken since that day, well actually that's what I wanted but... ugh I hate this, I think looking out the window, and I'm glad to see that we've reached the camp, finally a bit of peace and quiet.. Or at least some freedom. Before I can exit the vehicle, Jenn grabs my arm and I’m going to say something when I see her expression, she looks so... so pained.

“Just, whatever you do Sebi, if you see the Reaper or any other member of his team 'Shinagami', don't try and be a hero, hang back and wait for us. They will not hesitate to kill you, they're the most notorious killers in the enemy army and like us they top every wanted list.” She says, I just nod, I can tell she’s serious, then she let’s go of me and I head towards my room. I wonder how Annie is doing... speaking of which, wonder if there's a way I can contact her?? I think, dropping my bag off at my "room", hole with a cot's more like it, but whatever. Now, if I was a phone where, would I be?? I think to myself as I walk towards the control room. Just as I’m about to enter the control center, there’s announcement.

“TENSHI! CODE BLUE!!!” The announcer screams, luckily I have my mask so I run towards Jenn, she looks a scared. Then she looks at me,

“Shinagami has been spotted a few miles from here” she tells me, as she hands me a gun, “We have to go deal with them” Dread fills me as I hear these words, this isn’t going to end well, I think as we move out.