Coming Home

Chapter 5 - Bad News

WARNING. MAY TRIGGER RAPE VICTIMS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

James' P.O.V
             Hearing the sirens police sirens in front of the house send me running outside. A police siren approaches me and when we're face to face, he asks me who I was.
            "Private James Harding, sir!" I salute. Whoops, that was out of forced habit.
            "Uh, at ease?" The cop seemed to ask. HA! I think. A rookie, I bet.
            "Oh, sorry. Force of habit. I just got back from Afganistan today." I state awkwardly while scratching the back of my head.
             "Well thank you for your service," the officer stated gratefully.  "I'm Officer Cox. I'm looking for a Lucas Michael Brown." He looks at me questioningly. I turn out to face the house, and my dad is walking up to where we're standing.
            I wait until my dad is within hearing range before I say my response. "Uhh, dad, is Luke still in the house?" I ask as non-chalant as possible.
            "Yeah, your sister was touring him around." My dad basically screams 'Uh-oh, what happened this time...?' I turn to Officer Cox, and and completely cange my attitude from innocent bystander to cocky douchebag.
            "Yeah, why?" I spit venom, standing straighter.
            "There is an active warrant for his arrest. He missed a very important courtdate." Officer Cox smiled weakly. "Or, he can pay a fee of $250, and he will be free of anything of anything else.
            "How about this; I pay you the two fifty, you put it on his record, you leave, we go back inside, and everybody's happy. Hakunah Matata, eh?
            "No, James," my dad's deep voice finally states. "Luke needs to pay his own debts."
            "Okay, dad." I look at the cop and say "Stay here; I'll go get him."
            "O-okay." Officer Cox stutters.
            I run full speed up to the house. Once inside, I spot mom and ask her of Luke's whereabouts.
            "Umm, Bambi was touring him around the house, but she said after they got done, they were going into her room to work on a song or something."
            Before she could ask why, I somewhat rudely turned and bolted up the stairs. I check every door on the hall until I come to Amber's bedroom door.
            Before I start knocking, I briefly hear the sound of a guitar and not one, but two voices singing. I stop and listen for a little bit, noting that the two voices combine together extremely well. I began to fall under the deep spell of the music, but I remembered that I was on a mission. I bang on the door three good times before I fling it open.
            "Luke, the cop in the driveway is looking for you. He says he has an active warrant for your arrest.  Something about a missing court date?" I half-rush my words, almost reminding myself of my mother.
            "Courtdate? Did he say what for?" Luke seems genuinely surprised.
             "No, but he said that if you paid him two fifty, he would let you go free of anything else." I look up at him, and the moment I see his face,  I'm sent into a flaskback.

FLASKBACK
           "What do we do, Corporeal? " Luke was asked by another soldier. Wondering the same question, I look up, waiting for the same answer. While waiting, I look at Corporeal Brown's features. His eyebrows furrowed, his teeth clenched, the tightness in his jaw visible, and his lips were slightly pursed. He brought one hand up to stroke his chin, and rested his elbow on his other arm.
            "There's only one thing we can do." He says gruffly. Privates Harding, Payne, Bryant, and Creekwood will skillfully choose their teams. Before the attack, we're going to need a distraction. I'm going to sacrifice myself and--"
            "No, Corporeal," I spoke up. "No one is going to be sacrificed as 'bait.'"
            "Well, what do you suggest we do, Private?" Luke snapped, and in his eyes was a raging fire, filled with worry and frustration.
            Instantly matching his tone, I started quoting the soldiers creed.
            "I am an American Soldier. I'm a warrior and a member of a team--"  I began. Before I can continue, Luke stops me.
            "I know but--"
            "But nothing." I interjected. "We stick together, no matter what happens."
            "You're right." Luke sighed,, giving in. "But we're going to need a sniper."
END FLASHBACK
            Shaking off the memory, I look back at Luke once more, just in time to see a look of realization hit his face.
            "Oh no!" He facepalms. "I think I know what it is." He says while taking two fifty out of his wallet and running downstairs.
            I look over at my sister who has a shocked expression on her face.
            "I tried to warn you." I told her coldly. "He has a rough past."
            "And I told you that I was willing to take  the risk." She snapped, just as sharply. "I really like him, James, and I'm willing to give him the chance he deserves. Look, I know you don't want me getting hurt, but Luke is exceptional. He is crazy talented and next semester, I'm transferring to Louisiana State to take some classes that are completely hands on with music.
            "Luke will be there with me, and he'll be majoring in Performing Arts because he has always wanted to be in a band." She rushed, gushing about the semi-fantasy.
            "Amber, why would you want to go to a state school? You worked hard for your Berkeley scholarship. Are you really going to throw it all away for a guy you just met?" I tried talking the least little bit of sense into her. Yeah, I know Luke and I are best friends and all, but I really dispise the very idea of him dating my  little sister.
            "Well," she sighed, proving my point. "That is true, but LSU was my second choice and I'm -- don't tell mom and dad-- failing two classes at Berkeley. Not to mention,  I'll be twice as close to home than before. Plus, I've always wanted to go to New Orleans  for Mardi Gras." She smiled, sitting down on her bed.
            "But isn't Louisiana State in Baton Rouge?" I asked, completely confused.
            "Yes, but it's still in Louisiana, correct?" She asked, making me feel somewhat dumb.
            "Oh, haha, yeah, so knew that..." I tried playingit off.
            "Ha, whatever," Bambi laughs. "But I really do want to get to know Luke. He is... interesting."
            "Be careful, Bam, he's not who you think he is." I warn her once more.
            "I know," her exasperated tone tells me. "I just want to be happy. James, nothing has been the same since I left. Did I tell you thatI've had to move three times in six weeks? Or that my student loan is running out? What about the fact," she pauses, regaining herself from where she had started crying. "What about that fact that I was unknowingly being stalked for two-and-a-half months, before I was," She cut herself off by sobbing, so I pull her into a hug to try to comfort her.
            "Before you were what?" I ask soothingly, wanting her to calm down enough to tell me. After a few minutes, Amber sniffles and wipes her eyes, slowly pulling away from the hug.
            "I was beimg stalked before this man kidnapped me and he, uh," she clears her throat, obviously scared of my possible reaction. "He beat me and raped me." She sobbed. She pulled me back into a hug, and I think it was more of her holding me back than me holding her up.
            "Did you tell anyone?" I asked, unsure if I push the subject or not.
            "I didn't have to," she sighed." After he raped me, he put a robe on me and threw me out of his truck, and I landed on the side of the road. A really sweet lady took me in and called the police for me. He had beaten me so much, I could barely see and speak."
            "Did they find him?" I couldn't help but wonder aloud.
            "Yeah, he was convicted." She trailed off. "But--"
            "Glad that's over with." Luke says as he bursts through the door. "Hey, you know, always pay your speeding tickets.  It'll save you a whole bunch of money." He laughs, but then quickly realizes that Amber had been crying.
            "Hey, what's wrong?" He goes over and hugs my sister, sending flames of rage and anger down my back.
            "I'll tell you some other time." Amber smiles. "Speaking of, does anyone know what time it is?" Checking my phone,  I tell her it's half past midnight, and when I look back up, she's passed out on the floor.

END OF CHAPTER 5

A/N: HEY you guys. Sorreh ite been so long, but here it is. Finally. Yaay school is finally over and I have two whole months of nothing sooooo..... 
Tell me what you thought of this chapter. If you liked it leave a vote. If you loved leave a vote amd a comment. If you didn't like it at all, tell me what I can improve with this story.... so I can laugh and say "lol idgaf" hahaha jk. You guys are awesome. Chapter six will be up soon, so keep waiting.