MEDIC

Chapter 22. Warmer Climates

The months following Königs recovery had gone steady and the two of you had seemed to go from strength to strength. While König still suffered with pain in his shoulder every so often, he'd managed to successfully pass his physiotherapy sessions and had since returned to active duty. It was bitter sweet in a way. You'd gotten so used to having the big lug following you around everywhere you went that when König wasn't on base you genuinely weren't sure what to do with yourself.

On this particular day you'd been going through some paperwork at your desk when the familiar chime of a new email dropping into your inbox caught your attention. You placed the paperwork back in it's relevant folder and opened the new email, curiosity tugging at your mind when you noticed who it was from.

Dove.

Drop by my office when you get a chance.
There's a cuppa tea waiting for you if you're free now. If not then it won't go to waste. I will drink it.
#TeaIsLife

Price.

You couldn't help but laugh aloud at just how informal Captain Prices emails had become since the first time you met him. Despite his generally gruff exterior and grumpy nature you'd found that he had taken on somewhat of a father figure roll to team 141 and seemingly to KorTac too...whether he wanted to or not. Price wasn't the most emotional man on campus, but these little snippets of humour here and there were just enough to let his crew know that he cared about each and every one of them. That had come to include you too.

Deciding not to pass up the chance for a warm cup of tea, you logged out of your computer and made your way to the captains quarters. König and the other men you usually saw on a day to day basis were out in the field running various training drills, something the Austrian soldier had missed dearly during his recovery period.

By the time you got to the Captains office you noticed the door was already open and peering through you could see Price sat behind his desk flicking through a file. He noticed you almost instantly, the corners of his mouth twitching into a brief but warm smile.

"Knew you wouldn't pass up a cuppa. Shut the door behind you."
You returned the smile warmly, quietly closing the door and joining Price at the desk, quickly wrapping cold hands around the still piping hot cup of tea.
The two of you enjoyed your beverages silently for a few moments before the Captain begun to rummage in his drawer for a cigar, he eyed you briefly before sliding the file he'd been reading prior to your arrival over to you.

"This 'ere is the intel the lads managed to gather at that compound you and König helped to raid a few months back. Did you read through any of it after it was acquired?"

You paused mid drink, putting your cup back down and linking your fingers together.
"No, sir. Truthfully the intel was the last thing on my mind, I had casualties to deal with and it was Lieutenant Ghost and Horangi that found and handled the information they'd found. I've not seen anything to do with it."

Price took a long and steady drag of his cigar, puffing out a satisfying smoke ring towards the ceiling and tapping the table that separated you both idly.

"Thanks to this file here, we've good reason to believe that a man by the name of Vladimir Makarov has ties with arms dealing both here in Russia but also excessively close to United States soil. These papers indicate that a rebel group in Las Almas, Mexico, are potentially harbouring missiles."

Your eyes widened, "Missiles? How would you smuggle entire fucking missiles into a country that is wasn't manufactured in? They're not exactly the smallest things."

"Mhm, you're right." Price nodded, taking another drag from his cigar. "Can't exactly carry em in your hand luggage on the plane can you. Which begs the question of how the fuck Makarov did it. If it even was him."

Your circled the rim of your cup, staring into what little dregs of the tea you had left in the bottom. Confusion was etched into your features.
"You'll have to forgive me, sir, but im not sure what this has to do with me? I mean, im just a medic."

The Captain smiled gently at you, leaning back into his chair and giving a single sarcastic laugh.

"You're not just a medic, kid. You've become a member of the team, fixed up my men and earned the respect of every single one of them in the process. Now I know you've not been stationed with us all that long, all things taken into consideration...But we've been given the go ahead to pack up operations here and hightail it to Mexico to find out just what the fuck is going on over there. So..."

Price leaned forward across the desk, the orange glow from the embers of his cigar lighting his face.

"I'm asking if you're coming with us."

Your eyes widened, the realisation finally reaching you of what Captain Price was asking.

"You don't follow the same stationing protocol as these lads. You know that. You were transferred here to act as medic to us while we were based here in Russia. Say the word and you can be on a separate flight out of here, another medic will meet us in Las Almas."

König. Soap. Roach. Horangi...hell, even Ghost.
You'd grown close in your own way to each and every one of the men stationed at the base. What had started as just another point of station for you had become so much more...and you'd be damned if you were going to let another medic take over.

You stood from your chair, offering an open hand to Price with a determined smile on your face.

"Respectfully, sir, I'm not going anywhere. With you 'till the end."

Price grinned at your response, grabbing your hand firmly and giving it a solid shake, his eyes seemed to twinkle in a renewed excitement of having you with the team for the long haul, as well as the relief of not having to try find another medic in Mexico.

"Well then, best get packing your sunscreen and a good pair of Flipflops, because in seven days we're moving out to warmer climates."