Chapter 40

 FORTY

“Define missing?” Fick growled

The Marines stood in the living room with the Belkans, Morgan, Fick and Zhao had just enough time to unclip their plate carriers and drop their rifles when Adams rushed to update them on the situation.

“I dunno, like he was there one second, storming off the next.” Adams replied.

“And no one went after him?” Morgan chimed in.

“No, thought he’d at least take a radio with him but.” Adams replied.

“What happened?” Fick interjected

Adams shrugged shaking his head “No clue, He just seemed pissed off and wanted to talk to Morgan. Then he stormed out”

Morgan could sense the sniper knew more than he let on, but decided it wasn’t enough to pursue.

“Stormed out. Great. Did he say where he was going?” Zhao interrupted.

Kyle and Adams shook their heads.

 

Morgan scratched the stubble on his chin and thought for a moment. “Did he have anything with him?” Morgan asked.

Adams thought for a moment. “Yeah, a crumpled piece of paper, looked to be a newspaper or something.”

 

Morgan hissed to himself “Shit, I know where he probably went.” He groaned.

 

Fick raised his eyebrow “Really? Care to enlighten us?”

Morgan shook his head “Frankly, not really important to the mission. Probably just letting off steam at Bula. I will go get him.” Morgan explained.

Lauren cleared her throat “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

“Why?” Morgan asked confused.

“Fellow Belkan and a Pilot. Unless you speak both those languages.” She shot back.

Morgan shrugged. “Fine. We will radio when we got him.”

 

“And what if he’s not there?” Fick interrogated

“Roanapur isn’t that big a city, shouldn’t take long for us to find him.” Lauren replied.

***

Trigger stared at the burning lighter for a moment. The flame dancing back and forth.

Was this all it was for? He asked himself. He felt a wave of emotions crashing upon him at once. Hate, despair, sadness, rage, depression. It all felt so raw to him.

 

He had his own fair share of kicks to the gut in his life. The Chaplain’s knock at his door, His court martial, loss of more wingmen than he could count. All those things seemed to pale in comparison to what he felt right now. Only one word seemed to stick out in his mind.

 

Betrayal.

 

Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, He sloppily unfolded it and held it to the lighter, within seconds the image on it burned away as Trigger threw the paper into the ash tray on the bar. With the smokey atmosphere in the run-down establishment, Trigger’s act of arson largely went unnoticed aside from the bartender.

“You’re going to regret that later.” Morgans voice said from behind him. “Bao really doesn’t approve of people lighting shit on fire here.” He said taking the empty seat next to him. Trigger couldn’t help but snarl slightly at the bald interloper. “Why the fuck should I care?” Trigger slurred.

 

Morgan leaned back and made a disgusted face, trying to fan the air away from his nose. “Whew, and I thought I could go on some serious benders.” He said sarcastically.

“Fuck you.” Trigger slurred, Morgan reached across Trigger and grabbed a bottle away from his grasp.

He read the label and chuckled “Of course, you would drink this shit.”

“That cocksucker, motherfucker, Jeremiah Weed” Trigger sang off key.

“Yeah, let’s make that the first and last time you sing, ok?” Morgan said.

“So, you want to tell me why you lit that picture you were carrying around all this time on fire or do I need to say it?” he continued.

“You knew?” Trigger mumbled, reaching for the empty glass of ice, he jingled the glass slightly towards the marine.

“Well aside from you telling me when we met, of course I noticed when you walked out with that magazine. Guys like you read Janes Air Force, not the celebrity pieces.”

“I swear it’s only for the articles.” Trigger said grinning, he shook the glass again with more force. Morgan stared at the empty glass and the bottle of whiskey in his hand. “Lysol, Alcohol and Gasoline? I think you’ve had enough.” He spoke. Trigger snarled and set the glass down.

 

“Come on Trigger, I don’t have all day here. Either you can tell me when it’s just us two, or you can say it when everyone else shows up.” Morgan said pragmatically.

Trigger sighed heavily.

“Whats the point. You already know.”

Morgan took a long drag of the cigarette “Yeah, but its better for both of us if you tell me. Just so we are on the same page.”

“Fine.” Trigger hissed. “She fucking left me.” He spat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Morgan asked, knocking the excess ash into the tray.

“What the fuck do you think?” Trigger hissed.

“What I think? -“ Morgan took a drag off the cigarette “-I think you have been missing for going on Four, nearly five months now. I think your officially either dead or worse, and finally, I think your overreacting for someone who is still wanted in the event of worse. Especially running around alone, without your radio or handgun.” Morgan said pointedly.

 

Trigger mumbled and slouched forward. “How long did you know?” He asked.

 

Morgan sighed. “Official announcements came down through Intel about a week ago. It was my call, not the Lieutenants, to have it censored. Didn’t want it to affect your judgement on the mission.”

Trigger shot Morgan a glare “Really? What the fuck else have you been keeping from me?” he interrogated.

“Anything that might set you off. I read your evaluation as a pilot and looked at your history. Seemed a reasonable guess you might go off the rails if you found out what actually happened in the interim.”

 

“So this was to spare me? What gives you the right?” Trigger spat.

“I weighed your need to know with the lives of my men. It wasn’t for anything more than a need make sure our air support had his head in the game.” Morgan explained.

“You know, you can be a real piece of shit sometimes.” Trigger grumbled.

“Yeah, Shit happens. As it stands, I don’t really give half a damn about your feelings. If they get in the way of the mission, then I have no qualms about leaving you in that hangar we found you in. I’m sure those Soldiers wouldn’t mind having a second round with you.” Morgan paused and chuckled “Shit, I bet they would have loved to have a go at that little princess of yours. Not so much a white rose after that.”

 

“Fuck you.” Trigger spat as he swung around to deliver a wild haymaker. In one swift motion, Morgan grabbed Triggers fist in one hand, and with his other slammed Trigger’s face into the bar.

“Get the fuck over it.” Morgan hissed as Trigger recoiled from the blow, blood and snot flowed from his nose.  “Your little waifu fantasy went up in smoke, so what? Big fucking deal. My job has been to keep your fucking ass alive so you can keep my marines alive. That is all, Its not to keep some shit-stain officer who isn’t worth his rank happy. Got it?” he continued

“Oh yeah you wanna fucking go?!” Trigger yelled as he shot up, stumbling and swaying, trying to keep his balance, he brought his fists up into a defensive posture.

Morgan rolled his eyes. “Really?” he asked incredulously.

“Come on you bitch!” Trigger yelled, garnering a look from the previously uninterested patrons.

“Trigger, you’re making a scene, sit down and clean yourself up. Save a little face why don’t you.” Morgan ordered.

“No, we’re doing this right here, right now!” Trigger yelled.

 

Before the situation could escalate, a short blond woman walked up, “Oh, a fight? Can I watch?” Lauren asked, distracting the two Oseans.

Morgan stepped back and waived a dismissive hand “Wouldn’t be much of a fight if he was sober, right now? Two hits at most, Me completely breaking his nose, and his ass hitting the floor.”

Lauren gave a pitiful look to Trigger “ooh, you’re having a bad day?”

“Girl problems” Morgan interjected.

“Interessant. Say Trigger do you want to tell me and Ben about it? I am a pretty good listener.” Lauren offered, trying to diffuse the situation.

Morgan clapped. “Sounds like a great Idea. I’ll be over there when you all are done having your little therapy session.” Morgan said point a thumb behind him toward an empty booth.

Lauren snatched a bar towel for Trigger to wipe the blood off his face and motioned towards the barstool. “How about you tell me about it.”  She directed.

“danke” Trigger said in a nasally voice taking the towel, 

“So? was ist los?” Lauren asked. What is wrong?

Before Trigger could answer an uninterested looking bartender came by to take the Belkan’s drink order. Waiting until the man left earshot, Trigger sighed.

“She left me.” Trigger said simply.

Lauren pursed her lips to the side “Tough break, who’s the lady who has stolen our fixed winged fools heart?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Trigger slurred

“Try me.” Lauren reiterated.

Trigger took a deep breath for a moment before sighing heavily. “Princess Rosa Cossette D’Elise.”

Lauren laughed “You’re right Trigger, I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true!” Trigger pleaded. Lauren held up her hand “Fine, a thousand pardons for laughing at that. For arguments sake let’s say I do believe you. Where did you and her meet?”

“Selatapura, I was on assignment.”

“Oh, let me guess. You were one of those aid workers, right? Worked in the refugee sector of ISEV? Betcha anything she fell for you there in that depressing pit, right?” Lauren interjected.

Trigger ignored the insult. “No, I was her Military Liaison, things… escalated.” Trigger explained.

“Bad breakup? I hear those royals can be so fickle when it comes to romance. What was it, not enough zeros to the family bank account?” Lauren asked.

Trigger shrugged. “Everything happened so quickly, Farbanti, the dance, I haven’t seen her since the attack that night.” He said bitterly. “Guess I hoped she’d wait for me.”

“And clearly she didn’t” Lauren said slowly. 

Trigger held up his empty glass “A Toast to Alex Schmidt and his new bride!” He shouted halfheartedly.

 

“Really going all in on that aren’t you?” Lauren asked.

“What can I say, I am dedicated to a flaw.” Trigger replied.

 

The two Pilots sat in silence in the bar for a few moments before Lauren spoke up again. “That’s not what it looks like if you ask me.” Lauren said, eyeing the empty glass in Trigger’s hand. “I’m not going to say you shouldn’t fight for her, but recognize the situation you’re in.” She said

Trigger glanced at her confused. “What do you mean?”

“It sucks but you need to think about what this girl needs in a relationship and if you could even provide it. Right now, your galivanting in one of the armpits of the world running close air support for guys who could fight and win a world war, all against people whose job description is rape, pillage, and murder. Are you really sure she would even want to be in a relationship with a partner who could never come home?” Lauren asked.

 

Trigger stared into his empty glass “I just want to talk to her one more time. See where it all went so wrong.” He said softly.

“And what would that do for you?” Lauren prodded

“I dunno, give me closure? I love her unconditionally. She’s the only reason I have been doing all of this.” Trigger said clenching his fist in frustration. He felt a reassuring pat on his back.

 

“I can’t tell you how to feel, But I can tell you one thing. Theres still people who are relying on you. You’re the one covering our ass on these missions and if this girl knew that she’d be proud.” Lauren reassured him.

Trigger smiled weakly. “So, you’re saying there’s a chance?” he slurred.

Lauren shook her head “Not at all; What I am saying however is you’re drunk, and we should probably get you back to bed so your hangover isn’t entirely hell tomorrow.” She joked dodging the question.

 

She got Morgans attention both positioning themselves to aid Trigger out of the building.

“Maybe a few more rounds?” Trigger protested.

“Nope, None for you.” Morgan replied grunting

“Ja, ja, immer mit der Ruhe” Trigger dismissed waiving his hand. Take it easy

He could hear a slight commotion as the two assisted him to his feet. Between the alcohol and the blow Morgan delivered, Trigger was uneasy on his feet, having to loop his arms around Morgan and Lauren for stabilization.

 

What happened next seemed to be unreal to Trigger. The sound of a glass shattering and an ear-splitting Pop

 

A silence hung in the air.

“GET DOWN!” Morgan Yelled as he pushed Lauren and Trigger to the floor. Trigger fell over the smaller Belkan and rolled to his side onto his back, just in time to see the front windows erupt in a shower of glass. The walls quickly started to deteriorate as hundreds of holes were punctured through them from gunfire.

 

Patrons unlucky enough to not hear Morgans warning were cut down instantly in the hail of rounds.

Glass bottles of alcohol behind the bar burst open as they became the backstop for the assault. The different liquids pooled at the base of the bar with the blood of the bartender killed in the opening volley. The once dimly illuminated room had been plunged into darkness as every light fixture and bulb had been destroyed.

 

It was chaos.

 

Trigger froze.

 

Unlike the last time he was in a gunfight, there was no clear plan or route of escape. Trigger looked around frantically, the rear exit of the bar seemed impossibly far away with the continuous onslaught.

 

His ears were ringing, He could see Morgan frantically rushing for cover. Trigger fumbled around to pick himself up, but his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated. There was a tugging on the back of his shirt, slowly Trigger started to turn before a small arm was wrapped around his torso.

“wir müssen umziehen!” Lauren yelled as she dragged Trigger’s limp body across the bar towards cover.

Trigger shielded his eyes as a beer bottle exploded above him. After what felt to Trigger as an impossibly far distance, The two pilots found safety behind one of the bar’s booths. There, Trigger came back to his senses.

 

“Whats your status!” Morgan yelled from his cover, Trigger could see the Marine had produced his 1911 and had found refuge behind an overturned table, its concealment reducing by the second into splinters from the intense gunfire.

“We’re fine for now!” Lauren shouted.

 

Trigger weakly lifted his head up. “What are we going to do to get out of here?” he slurred.

His answer was met with gunfire as Morgan started to return fire. Trigger yelled in pain as he covered his ears. “Warn me before you do that you douche!” Trigger yelled.

 

“Belkan, Radio the compound; immediate exfil required, unknown force and makeup.” Morgan ordered.

Lauren nodded and pulled a radio from her pocket. “Scheisse!” she hissed. Trigger could a jagged plastic corner where the antenna connector formerly was attached, rendering the device deaf and mute. “Radios busted!” she reported, throwing the broken device away. “I guess we’re fucked?” She asked rhetorically, pulling a compact Walther handgun from holster in the small of her back.

 

Trigger surveyed the bar. Morgan had moved to a far Booth and had returned to firing out the front of the establishment. Dozens of patrons laid dead or dying, Trigger could see some had their own handguns but not firepower that would be immediately useful to the three in their current situation. Through the alcohol haze, Trigger thought about anything that might be helpful.

“Any chance one of you has a grenade?” Trigger joked.

Lauren shook her head. “Cover your ears!” she warned before squeezing off a few shots. The diminutive handgun replied with a rapid snap snap snap of gunfire.

 

Trigger thought back to what he knew of the bar, he had come by a dozen times before and something stuck out in his brain that he noticed.

It had been something Bandog had pointed out the first time he had come to the bar.

 

The pilot grinned and got in a crouching motion, by his math, the bar was less than fifteen feet away, All he would have to do is to run and get behind the bar to find a way to even the odds.

“Cover me!” Trigger shouted.

“What?” Lauren replied dumbfounded, before she could continue, Trigger started his run.

 

Within the second of his stepping off, he slipped and lost his footing. Tumbling out of control into the center of the bar room.

 

“Goddammit Trigger! What the fuck are you doing?” Morgan yelled.

 

Trigger blinked for a moment to regain his bearings. He seemed further away from his goal, but that didn’t bother him. Just gotta run straight ahead he thought to himself. Awkwardly, he rolled onto his front to scramble towards the bar.

 

As Trigger started to crawl on his hands and knees, he could hear Morgan and Lauren shouting to each other and to him. As he got closer to his objective, he could see Lauren rush out of her cover to intercept him.

“Trigger what the hell are you -” she froze momentarily, crumpling to the floor.

Trigger stopped in his tracks in horror. “What the fuck are you doing? Go help her!” Morgan ordered.

 

Trigger couldn’t move. His gaze glued to Laurens unmoving body, only briefly illuminated by the muzzle flashes from Morgan’s handgun.

 

He could hear more gunfire before Morgan ran to him and shoved him back behind cover. When the Marine was sure Trigger was safe, he rushed to the Belkans side and dragged her limp body to safety as well.

Trigger looked at her, she was unresponsive and looked unnaturally pale. A bright red pool leaked from her lower abdomen, Morgan leaned close to her head and nodded. Trigger could see him say something, but it didn’t register.

 

Lauren had risked her life, and possibly died, to save Trigger from a stupid plan. I wanted to save everyone, but I probably just got us all killed instead.

 

Morgan said something else, but it all came as noise to the pilot. Morgan sighed, then slapped Trigger across the face hard. Trigger could taste copper in his mouth, and he spit up a wad of blood.

“Keep pressure on her wound!” Morgan barked.

Trigger nodded. And placed his hands on the center of the red splotch of her shirt. After a moment, he could still feel blood oozing from between his fingers.

“She’s still bleeding! What do I do?!”

“Fucking lean on it? Do anything to keep her from bleeding out!” Morgan yelled as he fired a few more shots at the attackers. The marine shook his head. “Down to the last mag; Any chance she still has that piece on her?” he asked.

Trigger turned her over briefly before shaking his head. He then placed his knee over her wound and leaned forward to apply pressure. Lauren yelled in pain briefly before becoming unresponsive again.

 

Well, that’s something. Trigger thought.

 

“What the fuck were you thinking anyway?” Morgan hissed.

Trigger shook his head. “Dunno, figured if I could get the rifle behind the bar, might give us a chance.” He said somberly, looking down at his wounded friend. “didn’t think anyone else would have to die.” He said softly.

 

Morgan pursed his lips “If they breach the building, we’re done for anyways. Let’s just hope our buddies hear about the shooting and send the cavalry.”

“Like what are you thinking?” Trigger asked.

 

Morgan shrugged. “Marine expeditionary unit would be nice, maybe a Spooky or ten. But frankly anything would help right now.” He replied.

 

The Gunfire subsided after a moment.

 

An early silence filled the air as well as the stench of gunpowder, smoke, and death.

 

Beyond the ringing of his ears, Trigger could pick out another noise. It seemed out of place.

 

“This is it.” Morgan growled. Trigger looked over his shoulder as two shadows approached the shattered front door. Morgan lined up his pistol for a final stand.

 

The foreign sound was louder now. More distinct. Trigger tried to place it, but with the ringing of his ears and the sudden sobriety and hangover from the adrenaline, he was coming up empty on what it was.

 

“Do you hear that?” Trigger asked.

 

The door swung open as three armed men entered the bar, the bright lights on the sides of their assault rifles sent shadows across the room. Trigger could hear them speaking in hushed tones as they searched for survivors.

 

Trigger’s heartbeat pounded as he waited for the inevitable. The foreign sound got louder, then it was followed by more gunfire.

 

It originated outside the bar, and not from the attackers position. Trigger watched as the three intruders were also caught off guard by the noise.

That’s probably a good sign.

 

There was a frantic voice crackling over a radio one of the intruders had, cut off by a bright explosion.

The foreign noise was deafening now, a distinct chop chop chop chop.

Trigger glanced to Morgan hopefully “I think our horsemen are here.”

The marine cracked a slight grin, “I hope your right.”

 

Trigger couldn’t see what was happening outside, but from the noise, a third party had arrived.

 

The three intruders quickly ran outside and opened fire. The battle seemed intense as flashes could be seen through the shattered pieces of wall of the bar, and as quickly as it had all begun, the gunfire once again ceased.

 

There was shouting outside. One set of voices was in a language Trigger couldn’t quite understand and was spoken with a harsh and thick accent. The other set of voices were more familiar to his ears.

 

Trigger could see a group of shadows huddle next to the door.

“Bellerophon!” a voice shouted from the group.

 

Morgan chuckled. “Medusa” standing up and holstering his weapon. Quickly, almost a dozen armed men rushed into the bar, Trigger could see some were Osean despite face coverings, but others reminded him of the photos of the Yuktobanian soldiers from the last war.

“We got a casualty here! Get us a medic!” Morgan yelled pointing to Trigger and Lauren. Without a word of protest one of the Oseans rushed over to the wounded Belkan.

 

“Any idea when she was hit?” The Osean who Trigger guessed was Hernandez asked.

Trigger shook his head. “Few minutes to half an hour ago?”

 

The Corpsman gave Trigger a puzzled look before turning his attention back to the wounded woman. “I need some light over here.”

“Is she going to be, OK?” Trigger asked. Hernandez ignored the question and ushered him off the wounded woman. One of the other soldiers Trigger didn’t recognize brusquely shoved Trigger to the side to aid Hernandez.

 

“What’s your status?” Fick asked Morgan.

The marine shrugged “Trigger and I are miraculously unharmed. She-“ he pointed a thumb at Lauren “-unfortunately got caught in the crossfire.”

 

“How’d you know we were in trouble?” Trigger asked.

Fick nodded and helped Trigger up off the floor and guided him and Morgan out of the bar. “We were screwed. A lot of it goes over my head but the Broker will explain when we get back.”

 

The parking lot looked like a warzone, burned out vehicles littered the front entrance, and the mysterious soldiers were dragging dozens of dead bodies into a large pile. Above Trigger could see three UH-1 ‘Hueys’ hovering above the shattered bar. Trigger couldn’t help but notice a yellow and red pentagon painted brightly on the aircrafts belly.