Dan, The Early Years.

Dan, The Early Years. 2039

Year 2039

Senior Cadet Dan Haeckel

Age: 19

Location: Apartment Block, Dublin

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"Hunt! Hu-unt! Hunter!" I called out in a sing-song voice. I knew that he was probably still in bed, we'd celebrated his promotion to Second Lieutenant last night and Hunt was infamous for his dark and tempestuous hangovers. I opened his door with a bang, looking around at the mess, clothes flung everywhere and notes falling off his desk. I didn't understand how this guy could've possibly gotten a promotion before me. How did he find anything in here?

"James Hunter! Jimmy-boy! It may be the start of our week off but you are NOT sleeping in!"

He mumbled something into his pillow.

"What?" I said brightly.

"I am sleeping in," he said grouchily, opening one bright, green eye to glare at me.

"Oh no, you're not." I grinned as he rolled over to face the wall.

"If you dare try to get me up, you'll have to begin learning sign language because I will smash that annoyingly, loud mouth off of your face."

I heard the doorbell ring and folded my arms. "I'm gonna go answer that. If you're not up by the time I get rid of whatever salesperson stupid enough to make a morning call, I will drag you into the shower and turn on the frosty, cold water."

I chuckled at the sound of him muttering under his breath and opened the door to our apartment to see the familiar, pretty sight of Jasmine Fairlie. She had her auburn hair down so that it curled around her shoulders, framing her thin, angular face. When I'd opened the door a white toothed grin had appeared on her face.

"Danny-boy!" She jumped at me, wrapping her small frame around my body. I lifted her effortlessly, she was so small.

"Jaz? When did you get back? Did you find the weapons cache? That was rather quick, even for you, Miss Lieutenant."

She dropped back down and poked me in the stomach. "I may have missed the celebrations but I got here as soon as I'd heard about his promotion. Is he in bed still? That lazy hobo."

I snorted. "Hunt! If you don't get up right now I am going to take advantage of your gorgeous girlfriend!"

Jaz glanced at me sidelong. "Oh, I don't think you'd be able to take advantage of me, even if you are that big." She pursed her lips. "But I could go willingly."

Suddenly, lithe arms appeared, wrapping around Jasmine's stomach and pulling her back against a lean, bare chest. Sometimes I wondered if Hunt knew more spells than he was telling me. I didn't understand how he could sneak around so easily.

"What was that about going willingly?" he growled playfully into his girlfriend's ear. His dark, brown hair was dishevelled from sleep and he sported an overnight's amount of stubble. I didn't understand how he had managed to attract anyone, let alone a stunning, American lass who was in the same line of work as us both.

Jaz slid easily out of Hunt's firm grasp and slapped him on the rump before leaping behind me, her small hands holding tightly onto my biceps. I laughed as she pretended to peek frightfully out at Hunt.

"He heard us, Dan. We'll have to run away together."

"I'd find you," said Hunt, folding his arms and looking smug. Of course, his promotion was for several successful tracking missions. "Give me back my girl, Haeckel."

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. "She prefers men that wake up without being grumpy and ones that know the meaning of organisation. I'm sorry, James, but you're not the one for her."