Recon 6

Part 9 Ana: Low On The Totem Pole

Kayo and I talked for a little while longer until I inevitably passed out. A very rough first day caused me to oversleep. I woke up in a panic to see the digital clock on the wall read eleven in the morning. It was hours past when I should have been up. Today was supposed to be my meeting with my squad of recruits. I sprung from the bed getting ready as fast as I could and just as I was about to leave I made the decision to take my weapon with me. Everyone at this base was armed at all times in some way or another. I wanted to fit in even if it meant drawing attention by carrying a gun that was larger than my torso.
I headed for the door that lead outside, back to the same area where Midas assaulted me. A German accent started calling out to me before I could reach the exit.
"Oh kleine dame!" He called. My former base was close to the German border so it was easy to pick up on German communications.
"Hi!" He smiled under his cloth mask. He looked the same as last night except I could see his bright green eyes clearly.
"I took care of your recruit class today. After the troubles last night, Mister Phantom said to let you sleep in today." He said to me. I stared up at him, I was in fact distracted by his eyes. They stood out under his mask and the black war paint around his eyes.
"Leibling, did you hear a word I said?" Kayo said placing a hand on my shoulder. All I could muster was a nod. What was wrong with me? It was not like me at all to get distracted so easily. Hundreds of confirmed kills and I'm distracted by a tall.. possibly handsome.. German man before me?
"Come with me, you haven't eaten in a long while." He chuckled. He gently pushed me along with his hand in the middle of my back. He led me to the cafeteria which was almost empty. I spotted a familiar face leaning against one of the counters speaking with someone behind it. His face caught my gaze and he almost sprinted up to me and Kayo.
"Ahh! My favorite new friend!" Wolf exclaimed.
"Did you.. uh.. get on okay?" He said. I could tell he was struggling with his English.
"I settled in fine Wolf, thank you." I said smiling under my mask.
"A little bird told me we may have mission soon." He said. I looked up at Kayo who was avoiding eye contact with me.
"Do you know who is going?" I asked, wondering if I made the roster.
"I am not sure, best to ask Merlin." He pondered for a second. "I see you soon, sweets." He waved before leaving the dining hall. I felt the weight of my gun becoming heavier, I knew I was weak from not having any sustenance for a while. Kayo could tell I was hungry without me having to say a word.
"You sit, I will grab us something." He ordered. I wasn't going to argue. I unstrapped my weapon and laid it on the table sighing softly to myself. My stomach groaned in agony as I tried not to focus on my hunger. A hand came down on my shoulder interrupting my thoughts, startling me.
"A bit jumpy this morning, eh?" It was Phantom.
"Good morning lieutenant." I said turning to face him. He was eyeing my weapon and picked it up single handedly.
"Oo, this has some weight to it. A small thing like yourself carries this around?" He laughed. I could tell he was trying to get a rise out of me.
"Yes sir." I mumbled. I didn't like anyone touching my gun. I found it disrespectful but being low on the totem pole, I wouldn't dare tell a superior to not touch my stuff. A tray of various breakfast foods was set down in front of me as Kayo sat down across from me.
"Lieutenant." Kayo said.
"Commander Kayo!" Phantom said in surprise. "I never got to ask you how the mission went in Germany." He added.
"It went better than expected." Kayo responded digging into his food right away shoveling food in under his cloth mask. I was distracted listening to both of them go back and forth, I unintentionally forgot about my own food. A gentle nudge under the table from Kayo brought my attention back to him.
"Eat." He mumbled motioning his eyes from my face to my tray. The tray was loaded with fruit, small potato rounds and, what seemed to be protein pancakes. I was hesitant to unmask myself in front of them to eat. I had always eaten alone before.
"Come find me when you're done, Marek." Phantom said gently setting my gun on the table. I knew he was trying to push my buttons by using my last name. I sighed internally.
"Yes sir." I said softly.
He left through the double doors as I looked around noticing it was just me and Kayo left.
"Leibling, eat." He said a little louder this time.
"Sorry commander. I'm not used to eating with others. I've always eaten in solitude." I said slowly pulling down my mask to my neck.
"You were given these scars for a reason, whether that reason be disgustingly wrong, you need to own them. Don't be afraid of them. The fear will get in your head when you're on the job here." He said motioning again for me to eat. I couldn't wait any longer, I dug into my food wrapping some of the fruit in a pancake and shoveling it in.
"I've never seen that done before." Kayo chuckled.
"Try it." I gave him a half smile. He grabbed his last pancake and dropped a few pieces of fruit inside then folded it taco style before shoving it under his mask. He ate the whole thing in one bite giving me surprised eyes.
"Beauty, intimidating, and brains? Who would have thought." Kayo winked at me. My faced turned red from the compliment.
"Commander, are you flirting with me?" I questioned continuing to eat.
"That depends if you're flattered or not, sergeant." The corners of his eyes scrunched I could tell he was smiling. I scarfed down the rest of my food as Kayo stacked my tray on top of his.
"I could have done that Kayo." I said as he stood up.
"Don't worry about it." He winked at me again as he walked off dumping the trays in their proper place. He walked to the doors motioning for me to follow him. I grabbed my gun strapping it up on my back, pulled my mask back up and, followed him out of the mess hall. We walked in silence for a few minutes before he stopped short causing me to almost run into his backside. I heard him chuckle before opening up the solid wood door letting me go in first. It was a conference style room and seated at the oval table was Merlin, Phantom and, Hyde. Hyde looked me up and down like I was prey. I hadn't interacted with him at all since I arrived.
"We thought you got lost." Merlin piped up breaking the silence. Kayo brushed my lower back ushering me to sit down. I took a seat across from Hyde as I sat at the edge of the seat so I didn't have to unload my weapon. Kayo sat next to me at the end of the table and he was glaring at Hyde.
"We have a mission in the northeast side of Russia. We're to eliminate a large facility trying to manufacture their own nuclear weapons." Phantom said picking up a tablet in front of him showing a black and white picture of a man.
"When do we leave?" I asked keeping my hands clasped together in my lap.
"Tonight after the sun sets." Merlin said. Once everyone was on the same page everyone left the room and I headed to the range for shooting practice.