NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 10- FIX THIS MESS

She spent the next few minutes on her knees, sobbing. The ship still burning in the distance, sides of it could be seen falling apart. Diane felt an arm on her shoulder. It was Russo trying to console her.

"I'm sorry." She heard him say but at that moment, nothing was going to help.
"The Colonel died for a good cause but now we need to keep moving." He added.
What?

At that point there were two options in her head. The first one being that she turned around and emptied the last of the bullets in her gun into his skull and the other being that she fulfills the last promise she made to her father before he died. Getting on her feet she wiped the tear off her eyes and it took her a great amount of effort to tear her eyes away from the chaos in ocean.

"Let's find somewhere to Kip for the night. I doubt if we can make any progress by this time." Diane said.

They turned around into the forest and kept walking through the trees in silence. A sniff could be heard from Diane every once in awhile but apart from that, it was dead quiet. While it seemed that there was no way they could find a shelter, it was obvious they would have to pass the night under the open sky. They stopped at a small clearing and sat down, both finding a tree and sitting with their backs resting on it. Diane placed her head on her knees, obviously still sobbing.

"There's a chance he might survive." Russo said, after awhile, breaking the silence.
Well there's also a chance, I might change my mind and blow your head off in a second.
"You don't know that."
"Warner is one of the most resourceful men I've ever dealt with. My father holds him in high esteem and if there's anyone who can survive that kind of situation, it would be him."
"What are you doing?" She asked, sniffing.
"What?"
"Why are you trying to make me feel better?"
He smiled. "Because we're comrades and brothers look out for each other."
"Brothers?"
"Wearing the uniform automatically makes you one. It has nothing to do with gender."
Maybe that was what my Father was missing all this time.
"I understand."
"It's fine if you don't want to be consoled. Personally, when upset, I prefer to be left alone."
"What do you do then?"
"I drown myself in things that can only aggravate my rage and my pain."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to feel better and it's no use lying to yourself that you can make me."

Before she could reply, a few drops of rain poured down on her head and another and yet another.

"Fuck it! It's raining." Russo said, getting to his feet.
"Could this night get any worse?" She muttered as she equally got up.

They both started walking again, deeper into the woods. It was no use wishing for greener pastures but walking through it was far better than sitting under the rain.

At first it looked like a mirage but then as they further approached the figure, it was clear that they had come across an abandoned small cottage. They reached the front door and realized the locks had gone rusted over time so it came off easily.

With an outstretched arm and a gun in her grip, Diane went in first and surveyed the inside, ensuring there wasn't any chance of a threat. Seeing that it was empty, she retreated her gun.

"All clear." She said.
"There's no one here." He noticed.
"All the better for us."

Diane found her way to the fire place. It was still raining outside and she tried her best to get the fire going again. Given that it was ages since anyone set up the fire place. After a few failed attempts, a stray spark flew into the logs and the fire started.

"You're quite the little genius." Russo said.
"I'm not little."
"It's a miracle the smoke isn't flooding back into the room." He said, ignoring her. "I had doubts of the chimney still functioning."
"Seems this used to be some sort of recreational camping lodge." Diane said, as they could now see the contents of the house now that the fire was on.

A few couches, pictures and badges of teens on the wall, a first aid kid, some board games and other toys. Russo took a seat on the largest couch just by the window. He held onto his left arm as he watched the rain drops trickle down glass pane of the window.

She realized something was wrong. The other blood stains on his shirt looked faded given that they had swam through the water to get to land but the one on the arm he was holding, was only spreading.

"At what point did you get hurt?" Diane asked.
"It's only a nick, I'll be fine."
"That doesn't look like a nick."
"I was involved in a fight with one of the assholes at the dinning room. The fucker had a knife."
Diane went over to the first aid box on the table and took it by the handle.
"We can't risk that getting infected." She said as she opened the lid and took out a small bottle of medicated disinfectant and a half used satchel of cotton wool.
"Do you even know how to tend to a wound?" He asked.
"I've seen people do it a lot of times. It can't be that hard." She shrugged.
"So help me God." He muttered.

Diane laughed. Forgetting her initial objective in the Man's life or his Father to be precise and the fact that she just lost her dad a few minutes ago. Tearing his sleeve open, she could see the knife wound wasn't too deep but still it was an ugly one.

"That looks horrendous." She said as she dabbed the cotton wool into the disinfectant and wiped his wound with it.
"I don't often get compliments so thank you."
She found a medical needle and thread. "Hold still.... I have no admit that I have no idea what I'm doing but hopefully, we can get you to a proper doctor by tomorrow."
"That's if I'm still alive by tomorrow." Russo said.

She smiled at his joke, proceeding do be doctor for a day. He barely flinched throughout the whole process and when she was done, she plastered a bandage over his arm.

"Thank you."
"Let's say we're even now."
He nodded, understandably.
"Why did you join the army?" Russo asked, out of the blue.
"What?"
"I'm curious."
"Or you just want to start a conversation?"
"Either ways." He shrugged. "So tell me."
Because of my father. To please him. To be the son he never had. To make him proud of me. She wanted to say but it was better to let out only the good part.
"I've always had a passion of some sort." She said.
"What triggered this passion?"
"As a kid, I loved watching my father train. I loved the feel of a gun in my hand."
"A gun in hand is like a suit and a tie to a Soldier. It makes you feel like a Man." Russo said.
"I also wanted to serve. The resources happened to be there and when I made my intentions known to my father, he was more than glad." She smiled, wearily.
"When did you start training?"
"When I was ten years old."
"That's pretty young."
"Mmm."
"It must have been hard. Choosing my life over his."
"It wasn't easy." She admitted.
I still want to kill you even now.
"Then why didn't you just save your father?"
"Your life must be saved first, Commander. "
Besides the old sucker insisted on saving your sorry ass.
"We all look up to you. You're the hope of this nation." Urgh! Sweet talks didn't suit her.
"Hope?" He asked, turning away. "Then God help Russia." He muttered.
"What's that?"
"Nevermind. You can retire now, Major. I'll keep the first watch."
"I'd rather be on guard duty, sir. You're injured and...." She realized he was no longer paying her any attention. She wondered if she had said something wrong. His gaze was now outside the window, the rain had reduced to a mere drizzle.
"That's an order, Major. Go to sleep." He said, getting to his feet, he walked out of the room and went outside.

Looking out the window, she could see him leaning against the clapboard wall, his rifle clutched in one arm. The last two hours were the closest she had ever had with the Commander.

Oddly, Diane realized his Father might be the problem afterall. He did look normal and humane until just now. What the hell? Was she really having second thoughts? Kill the shit, Diane! After tonight, she would go back to Shadow and find a way to fix this mess.