Trustworthy help

22. Standing.

I wake up.
The green roof of a military tent is the first thing I see. Intravenous drip in my hand, slowly adding more medicine. My whole body feels stiff and sore. I look around, having a nurse catch my eye. 'Ma'am, you'll be transported back to America today. Please stay in bed.' He says. 'Where's my team?' I ask. 'I don't know ma'am.' The man says. My upper left arm is bandaged. 'I have to get up.' I say. 'You should rest, you have a gunshot wound to you lower abdomen.' I look at the man. 'Did the bullet hit anything?' The man nods 'nothing too serious, just your appendix. It barely missed your kidney. We cleaned your abdomen and stitched you up, though it shot through your muscles. You'll need rest and time to heal.' I sit up, ignoring the pain. 'I need to check my men.' I say as I take out the intravenous drip and stand up. I wobble a bit before being able to stand. 'Ma'am I highly advise you to stay in bed.' He says. 'Just my appendix, didn't you say?' I ask. 'Yes but-' 'I'm all good. Thank you for your work.' I say before walking out barefoot.

'Lieutenant Harris! Why are you out of bed already?' Someone from Marksen's group walks up. 'I need to check my men.' I say. 'Do I need to help with anything?' He asks. 'Where did my stuff go?' I ask more to myself then him. I look around disoriented 'it's on your bunk ma'am.' He says. I sigh, squinting my eyes in the sunlight. 'I need to....' my head goes foggy. 'Corporal Eversman!' The guy in front of me calls out. 'Yeah?...... Shit!' He jogs up and holds me by my arm 'Why the hell are you out of bed lieutenant?' Eversman says. 'I need to know....' I take a deep breath before looking up at him 'How we did. And if everyone's okay.' I say. Eversman sighs and looks back at the medical tent. 'No fucking way, just help me get there.' I say.

He helps me to my bunk and I change into my normal uniform. When I step out Eversman is waiting to escort me to my guys. He opens the door and I step in. Everyone turns to the door before cheering when they see me. 'Lieutenannnnntttt!' 'Ma'am!' Everyone comes up, making me smile as I quickly count the numbers. I miss one. I remember Dolson getting shot. 'Glad to see all of you standing.' I say. Everyone seems cheerful 'we're heading home today ma'am!' I chuckle 'I know.' I say.

After a bit with the guys I stand up 'where are you going lieutenant?' I turn back with a smile 'to have a talk with the higher ups.' I say. 'Oehhhhh' one says 'go whoop their asses!' I nod 'I will.'

I make my way over before nodding on the thin wooden door 'lieutenant Harris reports.' I say before opening the door. I step in on everyone being there. Lucky me. 'Lieutenant.' A man says as he stands up. I recognize his voice from over the radio. I step up to the table and look everyone over. 'I don't care what happens here, or how busy you people are. But when I'm out there with my men, and you don't fix what I tell you to fix, people die.' I start. 'We couldn't do anything about the supplies being late. The choppers needed to refuel and the airmen were on break.' My irritation builds up. 'Then you wake them the fuck up. Being in the army is a 24/7 job. If they knew that for the fact of them having a lovely break, people got shot and some died, would they be happy about your choice to let them have their lovely break?' I ask with clear anger in my voice. 'No ma'am, I-' 'no! No of course not!' I say.  Now a different man steps forward 'ma'am we understand that it's hard to be out there during a fight-' 'do you?! Do you now? From what I know, we're risking our lives while you sit here drinking your tea, lieutenant-admiral.' I say. 'Risking lives is part of the job.' He answers calmly. I laugh out of anger 'my men aren't pawns in you fucking game!' I take a breath, trying to calm down. I lift my shit so show a bandage with a bit of blood. 'People got shot. I watched him get shot while trying to run to my team to be save. Then Another ran up to help the one that got shot. He got shot too. I got the out of there with this as price for it. You guys didn't come to pick them up. One of my guys got shot in his chest. They could have bled to fucking death. I'm not risking their life's like that.' I say. They lower their head. 'I got send into a mission without any knowledge about anything last time I was deployed here, admiral. I nearly died that day because of the lack of intel. Me. Fine. My men. You cross my line.' I say. I step back from the table 'make sure you have your shit under control and prepared next time.' I say before walking out.

I huff when outside.

'Nice going in there.'

I look up to see Marksen with an amused grin 'bet they learned their lesson.' He says as I walk up. I let out a breathy laugh 'they better, those bastards.' We walk back to the bunks and get our stuff ready for our leave.

In the plane i sit in between Jackson and Eversman.
It's quiet as we all calm down from our hectic four weeks.

The closer we get to home, the more nervous I get.
We're two days late on getting back.