Missing in Action

Chapter Forty One

Missing in Action

Chapter Forty One

James' P.O.V

I sat by Ben's hospital bed. He was out cold because they had given him a drug for the pain in his leg, but the doctors had told me that he would be awake soon.

Peter was finally awake and had been on his feet again for a couple of days. I hadn't had the heart to tell him about Cassidy yet.

Her week was up today. The Admiral had been glued to his seat in the control room since the early hours of the morning, but I had only gotten back from India two hours before.

I sighed deeply and walked to the window. It was a cold and the sky was full of black storm clouds. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Please don't let her die," I whispered to the window.

The rain started to fall and everyone began to move towards things that needed to be covered up. Most of those tasks had been completed earlier when the news had promised rain.

Peter walked through the door and stood beside me. He didn't say anything, he just stood by me.

"I don't think I could face another funeral Peter," I said.

He looked at the floor. He looked tired.

"Is that why you went out there without us? To prevent another funeral?" he asked.

I sighed and looked out across the harbour to where H.M.S Illustrious should be docked. There was a wide gap; it just looked like she had been taken out for a maintenance run.

"I don't know why I went," I told him.

He nodded. Maybe he understood better than I did.

"Have you read Captain Johnson's letter yet?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I haven't been able to bring myself to open it yet," I said.

"I think he regretted it in the end," Peter said.

I looked at him. I wondered how he could defend the man who had killed Henry and still might cause Cassidy'd death as well.

"How can you say that?" I asked.

I didn't have the energy to be angry anymore. I just felt numb. My body didn't feel like I was in it.

"Peter's right James," a croaking voice said from behind us.

I turned around to find Ben looking at me straight in the eyes. He was too pale; I couldn't help but thinking that Captain Johnson might end up causing his death too.

"I don't understand," I said.

Ben and Peter shared a look.

I was so confused. I didn't understand why they were siding with the men that caused Henry's death.

"You weren't there James," Ben began.

"Why does that matter? He killed Henry and he wouldn't send anyone to look for Cassidy! She could die Ben!" I exclaimed.

Ben closed his eyes for a moment. I could tell that he was in pain and maybe he was thinking the same thing that I was.

"Do you know why he left Cassidy out there James?" Ben asked.

I shook my head.

"He left Cassidy out there so that he could save you James, so that you wouldn't die," Peter said.