The Way Back

- 1 -

June 7th, 1944

The small objective spot was filled with soldiers from all different platoons. The air was stiff and heavy, the blood from the wounded Airborne troopers filtering into the nose of every person who came near the camp; their cries filling the air. Muddied ground stuck to the bottom of every soldiers boots. 

Lieutenant Winters stood on the side of the roadway, flanked on by Lieutenant Compton and Lieutenant Spiers, speaking briefly on the number of men they had rallied. 

"What the hell is that?" A soldier called out some somewhere in the throng of men, catching the the attention of the trio on the side. Their heads snapped up, staring straight ahead. Coming down the road was a group of men, most clad in the Airborne OD's the rest of the men wore. 

A select few stood out from the string of men with uniforms that contrasted the others. They wore a darker green instead of the tan everyone else had on. A sigil plastered on each of their shoulders that the majority of men did not adorn. It was a sigil no one has ever seen. 

Winters glanced to Speirs and Compton, who both shared the same look of confusion. The latter two shrugging their shoulders. 

"They're the 16th Airborne Infantry, Vitale Company." Lewis Nixon came to a stop behind the lieutenants, crossing his arms across his chest.

"The who now?" Buck spoke, his eyes trained on the dark green uniforms. 

Nixon only lifted his shoulders, staring at the green uniforms filtering through the roadway. "I just heard about it today. They're some highly trained airborne soldiers. Been here since 42." 

"42'? Thought we were the first Airborne groups." Buck replied, his voice trailing off as he eyed the new soldiers. The men chimed in with their agreement. 

The four men stepped towards the new group of soldiers who began to blend in with the rest of the camp. Faces became known as some of the missing soldiers from the jump. A man they didn't recognize stepped out towards Winters, greeting him with a smile. Standing taller than Winters, he was eerily frightening. The look on his face contrasted, however, with soft features and a kind smile. He wore the same dark green uniform, decorated with a ranking Captain patch along with the unrecognizable sigil. Three V's sat on each of his shoulders, signifying Vitale Company. 

"You must be Lieutenant Winters." The man outstretched his arm. "I'm Captain William Bailey, 16th Airborne Infantry, Vitale Company 1st platoon." 

"It's good to meet you, sir. I apologize for the confusion, we didn't know you were coming." Winters spoke as he shook his hand in greeting. 

Captain Bailey only shook his head, the smile still gracing his lips. "I understand. We were a covert infantry, you wouldn't have known about us." 

The rest introduced themselves, shaking hands as they went. 

"You running this company by yourself?" Buck questioned, glancing around at the men in green who passed him who bore no marks of a Lieutenant or Sargent.  

"No, no. The lieutenant should be around here somewhere. Sarge should be easier to find. Only two officers. We've lost most of our men after the years and they never sent replacements, so we're a small group." Bailey's words trailed off as he turned his head, searching through the sea of soldiers, his eyes lighting up when he found who he was looking for. "Rivers! Come on over here." 

The three men stood patiently. The soldier came pushing around the men in their way, coming to a stop next to Bailey. 

Shock blossomed across all of their face before they could conceal it. In front of them stood not only a soldier, but a woman. The small girl stood on the right side of her Captain, her blonde hair free of dirt and pulled back into a low ponytail that hung down her back. A bright smile spread out onto her face.