Short and Simple

My Brother's Last Mission

"Duck!" I crouch as a missile comes screaming at me. Shrapnel flies into my arm. I ignore the pain and keep on shooting at the enemy. My team is disorganized. My medic lies dead a few feet away from me. The Russian military are gaining.

"Retreat! Get away!" I shout as I run away. I cover my last man as he makes a dash for it. Darn! I ran out of ammo for my rifle. I'll just have to use my hands and feet. I throw my rifle at the enemy and charge. I punch one in the face and duck.

I wake up to the repetitive sound of my phone ringing. I look at the caller ID and it doesn't look familiar. I turn over, ignoring the obnoxious trill, getting ready to sleep, until my cell phone rings again. You don't give up do you, I look at the phone. 

I give up, "Hello?" I ask. 

"Krystal? Go to the cemetery. I'll see you there," a deep voice says.

"Do I even know you?"

He says, "Just get there." Heh. That sounds like something my brother would say, but he died 6 years ago in the 922 war.

"Ok," I agree. I get ready with all my gear, check for any new texts on my phone and I -- Wait! Today's MEMORIAL DAY! I hop in my BMW, a gift from Mom, and drive quickly on the D.C. streets to the cemetery. When I get there, I see only one figure. He's tall, has broad shoulders, and is muscular. When I see his face, it's scarred, but his facial structures are similar to mine. 

"Umm, sir?" I ask.

"Krystal?" That voice... it was the guy from the phone! In an instant, he embraces me while sobbing.

"Excuse me, but I don't know you! Back off!" I shout to him offensively. He looks at me with tears; his brown eyes disbelievingly.

"Krystal, you don't know me?" he asks, slightly hurt.

"All I know is that you're the one who called me," I explain.

"I'm your brother, Ben," he asks in an understanding tone. The man steps towards me, but I step away.

"You're not my brother! You can't be! My brother has been dead for 6 years! No one could be him, not even you!" I burst outrageously. Silence covers the cemetery.

After a few minutes, he says, "Remember the prank you played on Bobby when you were 12? The one that you pretended to be a twin?" I'm astonished.

"We can talk about this later. Can we grab a lunch?" he whines.

"That was Ben's favorite thing to do!" I gasp.

"I disappeared so I could escape the enemies. Everyone thought I had died." he explains to me as we get in the car. I hear a ring and answer the call.

"Hi" I answer.

"Hello, Ms. Ross? I'm Agent Field of the MIA. You are now part of our agency as you took our test two weeks ago."

"Woohoo!" is all I say.

"Good Agent Ross, because I have your first mission," Agent Field becomes serious, "You have to find Bobby Wasabi and capture him". "But Wasabi is the cleverest, wanted criminal on this planet. Nobody could capture him, let alone a teenage girl on her first mission," I argue. "That's the point. He doesn't know that you are on a mission. You'll figure it out," he replies. I take a deep breath in and accept to do this mission. "Ben, change of plans. We have to go to MIA Headquarters to get my gear and head on out on my first mission." I quickly explain my conversation with Agent Field and Ben replies with a solemn nod. He then smirks, whispering, "You always spied me when we were little." I smile at his comment, truly believing that my long-lost brother is sitting next to me right now.