An Old Love Story ~ Bob Floyd

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Chapter Thirteen ~ Hope **

Katelyn listens as soldiers around her speak in a language she can't understand. Her arms ache from fighting. Her wrists burn from the rope keeping them together. She sighs, wishing she was back home. Wishing she was cuddled up with Calli on her bed. Wishing she could be with Bob..

She observes the movements of the enemy, trying to read what they're saying through their body language. It's impossible. She's never been around people from this place. She doesn't know what to do..

All she can do is hope she can be tracked.

That's when she remembers the necklace she's wearing. One that her father gave her as a kid. A tracker..

*~*

Sarah's phone buzzes and she sits with Maverick and Bob on the sand, trying to make sense of the situation. She looks at the notification and smiles.

"Katelyn's wearing the tracker necklace Tom got her when she turned 11. I just got sent her whereabouts. I knew she was smart!"

Maverick looks at the notification on her and laughs.

"Do you mind if I can borrow this?" He asks, signally to the phone. Sarah nods and hands it to him.

"Anything to bring my daughter back."

"Bob, can you take Sarah home and make sure she's alright. I'm going to show this to Cyclone." He says, a newfound of hope filling him.

Bob nods and helps Sarah up. Maverick rushes to where Cyclone is staying.

*~*

Cyclone opens the door after Maverick banged on it frantically.

"Maverick.. What is it?" He questions, his hair messy from clearly resting.

Catching his breath, Maverick finally managed to breathe out, "Katelyn.. Sarah.. Mrs Kanazsky has a tracker on her phone... Katelyn... necklace.."

"Okay. Maverick. Breathe." Cyclone pushes, letting him step inside the house.

Maverick catches his breath.

"Katelyn is currently wearing a tracker necklace and pinged her location onto her mother's phone. Here." He hands the phone to him, already on the tracking app.

"An undisclosed base in Iran.." Cyclone mumbles.

"I'll get the Naval intelligence unit looking into this right away. Go get some sleep Maverick."

"Yes sir." He says, leaving the house.. "Thank you.."

Cyclone nods, closing the door behind him.

*~*

"Please.. sit down." Sarah signals to the couch and Bob sits down.

"So.. How did you and Katelyn meet?" She takes a seat next to him, pouring him some tea. He nods a thanks.

"Um.. well the first time we met, was when we all got called back here. All us aviators went for a night in the Hard Deck and that's how we met." He chuckles awkwardly, slightly glad that Sarah's spirits have been raised by Maverick.

"Well I mean, when did you realize you liked eachother!?" She pushes, wanting the entire story.

"Well I knew I liked her from the first encounter. We were playing a game of truth or dare with the other pilots and she got dared to stare into my eyes. That's when I noticed something about her. Something deep within.. I'm sorry. I'm rambling." He laughs slightly, realizing that he had started rambling.

"No it's fine. I like hearing about it. Honestly, Bob, you're the first person she's really opened up to. She's always been a girl who wears a mask and doesn't open up to anyone apart from her family. She must really like you if she's actually revealed herself to you." Sarah smiles.

Bob smiles in return, taking a sip of his tea. Calli curls up in his lap.

"I really like her too.. She's the best thing in my life." Bob smiles, warming up to the woman.

"I'll tell you a story about her. When she was younger, about 7? Her father became the admiral. I've never seen her so happy. But after that, at school, these girls would give her trouble. See, she went to a private school and had straight As. She always worked hard because her dream was to become a pilot." Sarah starts. Bob listens as she tells him the story.

"This bullying went on until she was 16. They would always tell her that she only got into the school because of her father. That he payed the teachers to grade her well. They even told her she'll never become a pilot because she's untalented and set to fail. It got so bad, she almost quit working for her dream. Even nearly.... ended her life after one of the girls boyfriends was sent to abuse her and do horrible things to her. It was after this that she put the mask on. Her father urged her to still join and she did. She started to cheer up but she never told anyone her last name. It was always her callsign."

Sarah sighs and sips her tea.

"It's just nice to know she's got someone who will support her no matter what. Thank you for being that person Bob."

Bob is lost for words. He never knew this about Katelyn. Now he finally understands the true reason why she always hid.

"I... It hurts to know that people could do that to her." Is all he can say. He struggles to find any words to say.

"Yeah. Let's just hope she's found and can come home. I don't want to lose someone else this week." She says, clearly holding back tears.

"Yeah.. I hope so too."

*~*

Katelyn opens her eyes and water is poured on top of her again. Like every time she tries to sleep. She glares at the soldier who did it.

"Stand." She demands. Katelyn does as she's told. The soldier measures her.

"Hm. Good height." Is all the soldier says.

"What do you mean?" Katelyn questions, before being cut off again.

"Silence. You have height of soldier. You can be soldier."

Katelyn scoffs. "You want an American as a soldier?"

"We need all we can." The soldier says, pulling the girl along. "And spy would be good."

A spy!? Katelyn panics for a moment. She doesn't want to be a spy. Especially for the enemy.

"Why would I want to spy for you!?" Katelyn spits, stopping in her tracks. The soldier doesn't reply, she just keeps pulling her. Katelyn is adamant on not moving and plants her feet into the ground.

"No soldier then?" She says, whipping the girls legs. Katelyn falls to the ground, biting her tongue to not scream in pain.

"Prisoner then. You work building wall."

"Better than serving a country who's hold me captive." Katelyn hisses, finally following the soldier.

She leads her to a large dead field. Multiple prisoners are working, building a wall around the compound.

"You stay here." The woman says to Katelyn, attaching a chain to her ankle and untying the rope around her wrists.

She leaves, and Katelyn is alone with all the prisoners.

Where is Maverick when you need him?

Katelyn hopes someone will turn up soon.

Hope...

**End of Chapter Thirteen**