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Chapter 1

There was a roar in the crowd, everyone clapping and cheering. Some even had tears in their eyes and then the view of the adoring faces were blocked by the think black curtains. The smile on Amelia's faces stretched from ear to ear. Her arms still high in the air, her breathe rapid, and her toes pointing to the floor.

"Great job everyone!" The director said coming out from one of the stage wings. Amelia's arms fell to her sides and her feet flattened.

"Thank you, so much." She said smiling before running throw the crowd of dancer, who were talking about the show, to her dressing room. She changed faster than light, leaving her hair and make-up in its show ready look she tossed on jeans and a long sleeve shirt. She grabbed her purse and rushed out the door and down the hall, if you hadn't of known who was waiting for her in the lobby you might have thought there was a fire. She ran through the doors into the lobby stopping just before she ran into anyone.

"Hey twinkle toes!" A voice called from her left, she knew that voice, she loved that voice. She turn and slimed at the tall man. Amelia calmly walked over to him.

"Hello James." She said ever so calm and smoothly before being picked up in a hug.

"You were wonderful darling!" He cheered for her holding her close. She wrapped her thin arms around his neck.

"Thank you, my darling fiancé." She said before she leaned in and kissed him.

There was a loud crash and Amelia was awoken from the delightful memory. The ground was slushy and the rain would not stop. Her comrades were on both side of her, guns loaded and ready to fear. The platoon had been walking her what seemed to be close to a week, only three fights had broken out when someone made a wrong turn or the camped for too long.

"Will this goddamn rain ever stop?!" One of the men, Jonathan, mumbled to Amelia and another one of the soldiers.

"Doubtful." She responded keeping her eyes locked on the horizon, looking through the trees as best as one could with the down pour. The group had come over a hill and to what looked like a small camp.

"We'll be staying here with this squad for a few days, don't get comfortable." The platoon leader, Bruce yelled back to everyone. There was a feeling of relief that washed over the group. As they walked towards other men and women fighting for the same cause.

Hours later the pouring had turned into a little spitting and everyone was sitting by a fire. Telling their stories of their lives before the war, before the attacks.

"Come on James!" Amelia said laughing pulling his arm, they were married and had just bought their first house together. It was a fixer upper but they had been working on it for about 3 months and it was finally ready for the newlyweds to move in. The two walked through the front door, all the rooms were white and completely vacant.

"I love you." He said wrapping his muscular arms around her small figure. She smiled up and gazed into his green eyes.

"I love you too." She said standing on her tip toes and kissing his nose. "Your eyes and green today." She added as she wandered into the kitchen. He said something about it being his grey shirt before following her into the empty room.

"What about you?" Someone asked nudging Amelia's leg.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asked, waking up for the daydream. The stranger asked again, he was questioning why she joined the force. An African American chuckled, noting how her frame didn't look like it could carry more than a bullet.

"My husband, James Mericato, he was in the first half or this war. He was captured, and I'm going to find him." Most of the men laughed and went back to talking about their heydays.

"Do you think you'll find him?" Asked a woman. She was a nurse, even though it was 2017, not many woman wanted to fight against Isis. Amelia nodded.

"They've always posted videos of killing the men they've captured, my husband wasn't been posted yet and I'm going to find these sons of bitches and get him back before they can." She said looking from the young nurse to the fire. "He's still alive, I know it." She added. Hours later the fire was just ash now and mostly everyone at the camp was asleep, 5 men kept watch during the night.

Miles away, through the forest and over rivers, locked away from the moon light, the lost platoon sat on the floor, hands behind their backs and heads hanging low. A few coughs and stomach grumbles echoed off the walls. A bang at the door made all of the men's head shoot up. The metal door opened allowing a yellow light to flood the room.

"Anthony Willison?" A foreign voice said as it stood in the door way. The man looked around scared, looking for help for his fellow comrades. Two tall men came and dragged him by his forearms out of the room, the echoes of his cries lingering around the room.

"It's okay, we'll get through this." The commander said after the door was slammed shut. His voice sounded like he meant it, but even James knew they were doomed.

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