Soldiers And Beasts

9. Drinking Spree IV

―Lauren―

"Hello, Spec Ops Division." I greeted them all. My hands were folded behind my back professionally. Dr.White and ADA stood behind me on each side.

After finally picking up the courage to tell them to meet me at their suite, I knew that they would be pissed once they found out the truth of why I had to call them here―and I'm sure that they're going to be even more pissed because from the groans that I heard on the background of the other side of the phone gave me the idea that they already knew what was happening.

Ruth and Sloan were in the bathroom, and from behind the door I could hear them retching their guts out. If I had to guess (although knowing them and their history with booze, I shouldn't be surprised), they were the first ones to get drunk and they were the drunkest out of all of them.

"What is it, Lt. General Hoffman?" Faith asks me, stepping up a bit. I looked at her for a brief moment and then looked at the rest of the team that stared back at me, expecting an immediate answer. I inhaled a deep sigh and exhaled through my mouth slowly. "You're all going to hate me, but you're going to hate John even more."

"What? What did that little shit do now?!" Annika roared. "What? Did he disrespect you?!" Nina spoke up just as angry as Annika. "No, nothing like that. He..." I sighed and finally told them the truth. "He's here in Affluence City. And... I don't mean that he just arrived. He's been here the whole time." I said to them. Everyone's eyes shot themselves open and even Frostine gasped. Ruth and Sloan opened the bathroom door and came out screaming at the same time: "What?!" They both screamed in unison as they walked out of the restroom. "Yes, John's been here the whole time. He was supposed to come to the planning room but when he didn't show up I sent a G.I. to fetch him for us... come to find out that he's gone. And I have a fairly good idea where he did go to. And I have an equally good idea who brought him here." I said, already knowing the culprit―or the culprits behind this stunt.

"Wait... you think those three snuck John out of the base to bring him here? To Affluence City?" Sloan asks me. "Yes, I do, and I'm sure as shit that he's out there wandering the streets like some hobo," I said to her. "But... how? If John was going to be sneaking out, we should have known! Matter of fact, we should have seen him! If those three did sneak John out, then how did we not see him? They left at the same time as we did... wait a second..." Faith paused, staring blankly at the ground for a moment. "The wolf they took with them wasn't on the list to go to Affluence City... and I've never seen that wolf before." She muttered. My ears twitched a little as I approached her closely when I heard her say that. "What, what is it?" I ask her, setting a hand on her broad shoulder.

"Guys, didn't we see some guy in a red coat walking out of the hotel?" Faith turns to the others. "Yeah... it was some guy who left while I was talking shit to Sable and the others," Ruth said, still breathing heavily after she threw up. "And... when we were leaving... I saw them get together with the guy in the red coat..." That made Annika turn to her in a flash. "What?! You saw them and you didn't tell us?!" Annika shouted at her. "I didn't think anything of it, okay?! I just assumed they were putting in a good word for us on our behalf! I didn't think that it would matter!―" "Well you thought wrong! Goddammit, now our trip is ruined and all because of this fucking asshole who couldn't just sit his fucking ass down and do what he's told!" Annika roared, slapping her face with her hand furiously.

"Believe me, Annika, I'm just as angry as you are," I said to her, already wanting to find John and bring him back to base―so I can rip his ass apart personally.