Unconditionally (Operation FALLS Trilogy - Book 1)

Chapter 1

Fifteen years ago...

The freshly forming scar on his cheek burned as he stepped out of the cold night air and into the already overflowing bar. Vince hated crowds. He hated bars, too. They had one thing in common: people. People loved to stare, and Vince hated feeling like he was underneath a microscope. Even before the scar, people had stared. Vince had always found himself to be the tallest man in the room, and coupled with his large build, it made it impossible to blend in.

There was, of course, another reason that Vince never found himself out on a Saturday night like this one. Why he never strayed from the military base where he was stationed, had changed in recent years. Now, in almost every bar he stepped foot in someone knew of him. He'd never wanted to live long enough to watch himself become a legend.

He'd always thought he'd die a nameless hero.

Tonight, though he was pushing aside all the hatred he held for the endless, hushed whispers of his fellow soldier's telling glorified versions of the hell he had lived. It was a big night, after all, he had to celebrate. What better way than to drown away shitty memories than in a bar?

The bar Vince had chosen was new - The Fox Hole. He hadn't expected something so new to be so crowded. However, the inside certainly didn't look new to him. It looked like he had stepped into an old hole in the wall bar. Nothing to write home about. Everyone seemed at ease in the bar, huddled about in their little groups. Some rowdy games of pool were happening in the back, the line at the bar was steadily flowing, and almost every table was taken. Tables had even been pushed together to make room for bigger parties. People appeared to feel right at home here and for a room full of mostly soldiers that was high praise.

Vince could feel the shift in the room the second the door shut behind him. It was gradual, much like warming up after coming out from the cold of winter. It started with a single whisper, then a hush off to his left side as several eyes watched him. He didn't let his eyes track it, that would make him too nervous. He'd probably tuck tail and that didn't match the image of him everyone created. So he kept his eyes forward, letting the news of his presence flow around the room, knowing that soon he'd be catching bits and pieces of conversation that were a glamorized version of true events.

He slumped his shoulders not that it did much to make him look smaller and it certainly didn't help him to disappear. He slunk into one of the empty bar stools, running his hands through his premature greying hair. What he wanted to do was hide his head in his hands and wait for everyone to leave. That was an unrealistic wish.

"Alrighty, Hulk, why'd my bar get a weird vibe the second you stepped in here?"

The voice jolted Vince out of his thoughts, his head whipping up to see a man of average height standing in front of him on the other side of the bar. The sandy brown hair and calming blue eyes lured Vince in.

"The...vibe?" Vince asked, not sure how someone was supposed to respond to a question - or accusation - like that.

"Yeah, the vibe. Ya know? The overall atmosphere? Or did you just miss the way my whole place went oddly quiet? And how now all these grown-ass super soldiers are whispering to each other like teenage girls?" The bartender tilted his head to the side as he folded, surprisingly muscular arms over the bar, staring more intently at Vince. "So?"

"You're pretty young to own a bar," Vince stated, his face blank.

The bartender raised an eyebrow at him, "Fine. Have your weird ass entrance, Hulk. I don't get paid enough to investigate anyway. Whatcha drinkin'?"