Redamancy ✷ Simon Riley

Chap 1)

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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞
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Sergeant Poppy Dargie strode along the tarmac with a confident posture and an expressionless face. She regarded busy soldiers with single glances as they jogged past her to get into trucks or helicopters.

The base was bustling with activity. It didn't matter if it was morning, afternoon or midnight, the place was always doing something. Soldiers were departing to go overseas on classified missions with men and women they knew or soldiers they were going to get to know.

A cold chill was flowing through the air, brushing a breeze over her skin. It wasn't chilly enough for her to shiver and her teeth to chatter. No, it was just like a nip to the flesh which didn't bother her very much.

She was getting used to having her hair tied up in a secure bun again. Poppy had been on maternity leave for a long time and during that period, she had her hair down and flowing down her spine.

It had changed over a few months after giving birth as her daughter had found great entertainment in tugging on her brown waves. Her little fingers would tangle around locks of hair and pull and chew.

She never knew babies could be so fascinated with hair until she had Alba. Sometimes she even had trouble trying to remove her little girl's hands from her hair as she wouldn't let go. Occasionally, if she attempted to remove Alba's grip, she'd burst into a fit of hysterical cries.

It wasn't until Poppy's own mother, Kirsty took the baby that she would relax in her nana's sweet embrace and take her bottle.

She couldn't help the way a small smile graced her face at the thought of her baby. Turning her arm, Poppy peered down at the ticking watch on her wrist to take a peek at the time.

No doubt her mum had put Alba down for a nap right about now. The wee girl loved her sleep and especially loved having her little rabbit plushie tucked in with her.

Lowering her arm by her side, Poppy made her way into the hangar where the briefing was being held. She took note of the marines standing in a group around a table. At the end of the table was a large screen which showed that Kate Laswell and General Shepherd were online and on speaker at the moment.

Before coming to the base, Poppy had been shortly informed about Major Hassan Zyani. She knew that Hassan wanted to retaliate after the missile strike on Ghorbrani and that he was planning something but Laswell and General Shepherd didn't know what.

Some of the marines acknowledged Poppy with slight nods in her direction before everyone turned towards the screen and began listening to what was about to be said.