Friendly Fire

Colonel Hitchen - (15) The Reality

I thought nothing of Lieutenant Davis, Lieutenant Willow and Private Riley after they had left base to investigate why and how our supplies were going missing along with our scouts.

I had been too busy looking at our newer recruits, assessing them and trying to figure out who I can replace Private Bane with.

All I saw amongst the rows and rows of our new recruits were living pawns. Another life that will fall under my command. Private Riley is right. I can't seem to ensure that everyone makes it home safely but that's how it is in the military. You will put your life on the line and can lose it in warfare. It's just the way it is.

I shook my head at some of the recruits I saw training. They all lack endurance, have poor aim, and can't fight. Not my standards and most certainly not to the standards they need to be since they will be assigned with Lieutenant Davis, Lieutenant Willow, and Private Riley to fight against the rebels that threaten to end us all. I had to pick the best out of the bunch and assign them to Sergeant Collins for further training to better prepare themselves for what the world can throw at them outside of this base. I fear that even with drill training, they still won't be enough to stand a chance. 

Just as I was about to make my choice, I heard someone yelling for a medic. Pivoting, I see Lieutenant Davis carrying Private Riley in his arms along with Lieutenant Willow following close behind them.

It took me a few seconds to analyze the situation and that's when I saw a trail of blood. Private Riley's blood. Not only was there a trail from the gates to the infirmary but Lieutenant Davis' hands were covered in it along with what was once his camo green uniform is now stained a muddy crimson red at the front of his chest and down towards his waist.

With urgency I followed them to the infirmary to ask questions as to what happened out there, what had they faced, and what went wrong. Clearly they ran into something.

"Private Riley?! What the fuck happened?!"

He looked so pale, so weak and limp, it takes no fool to see that he is dying, even as his eyes have already fallen shut. He won't live much longer.

No words left his mouth as I asked the question, I was only met with the gurgling of blood which he was coughing up. Internal damage. I then saw the big, deep open wound that stretched across his stomach. I gasped at the sight of it before myself, Lieutenant Davis and Lieutenant Willow were being shoved away by our medics who quickly got to work to try and save his life.

"No... No, stay with me kid! You're gonna be alright!" I tried to reassure him, not caring if he could or couldn't hear my words. 

I didn't hear much of what was going on around me after my poor attempt of reassuring Private Riley that he'll make it through this, my mind fixed on what I had seen. On what I had caused. Another one of my men could possibly fall tonight.

The moment we were away from the infirmary was the moment Lieutenant Davis finally crashed. I couldn't tell if it was because of the lack of sleep, the exhaustion, or the pure shock he must be feeling right now.

"Cole!" Lieutenant Willow cried out as she caught his body, breaking his fall since she wasn't strong enough to lift his weight.

"Lieutenant Davis?!" I yelled out in hopes he can snap out of it and grabbed his legs. "Here, hold his arms. I'll help you take him to his bunk."

She only nodded and didn't say a word as we took Lieutenant Davis back to his bed to get some rest. I made sure that he was stable and not suffering from any 

Luckily he was, he just needed rest.

I sat with Lieutenant Willow as we both waited for Lieutenant Davis to wake up or for any news about Private Riley. I didn't care what came first. I need my men to be healthy.

"This... Is all your fault Colonel." She seethed between her teeth as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "If you never sent us out there to deal with the rebels from day one, Private Bane wouldn't be fighting with the enemy. Cole wouldn't have developed depression from thinking that she's dead and Private Riley wouldn't have been stabbed."

I frowned at her words.

"Private Bane... is working for the rebels?"

She turned to face me. Arose from the edge of the bed which she had been sitting on to monitor Lieutenant Davis and had this newfound strength to shove me against the wall.

"Yes! I was right! She was alive down there! You left her on enemy grounds! Instead of death she's working with the enemy and stabbed Private Riley! Her brother in arms! You did this to us! Both you and Sergeant Collins! You're leading us all to our doom! Who's next to suffer?! Who's next to die?!"

I take a minute to process her words. Private Bane. Alive. Stabbed Private Riley. She wouldn't hurt or kill him no matter what. Something is definitely not adding up here. I know Private Bane. She's strong, stubborn, and at times very arrogant. She would never submit to anyone.

"Are you sure?" I spoke with doubt and disbelief in my voice.

"Positive." She fixed her dark brown eyes on mine as the word was spat at my face. "I know what I saw. My eyes never deceive me."

I simply shook my head and reversed our position, slamming her back firmly against the wall and held her there by the wrists.

"I've heard enough! Clearly losing Private Bane has made you hallucinate! You're praying that she's alive! She's dead! Admit it! You're seeing things and making shit up! On top of that, I never want to hear you question my leadership and what I do with my units! You're more than welcome to quit and go the fuck home if you can't handle it! But if you do, the military will not recruit you back into their ranks if you walk off here and now!"

I squeezed her wrists slightly tighter as a warning then let her go and stormed off back towards the debriefing room to stay focused on my job at hand. Recruiting new members to The Elite Strike Force. Not only do I need to choose one, but possibly two if I am going to lose Private Riley any minute now.

But they're right about me. I keep sending them to their deaths and put them in harm's way while I sit here and do nothing but supervise. Sure myself and Sergeant Collins do dispatch ourselves to go with them but only when we believe that the mission is more than what they can handle. The scout routes should've been safe for them to investigate on their own. How could I be so wrong? How could I be such a bad leader?

This needs to change. 

Before anyone else dies under my command.