Frerard One Shots

The Last Thing I See

A/N: Most of you don't know this but I'm a huge history geek. My father knows EVERYTHING there is about WWII and since MCR has a D-Day video, I figured, let's make this one take place in the 1940's after D-Day. So, it's going to be a little different than the other one shots maybe but hey, I gotta keep this complication series interesting by adding diversity, right? (Also, I'm sorry if I screwed up some of the rankings/events/geographies. I just like history, doesn't mean I'm good at it.)

They said the war was over but I was one of the few people who knew it wasn't yet. To the rest of the world, it ended and we won. The Allies swept through Europe in victory and the Axis Powers surrendered. Mass celebration flooded America and the government wasn't about to cause another wave of terror over nothing major.
Japan has surrender and Germany had fallen but there was one small problem if it got into the hands of the wrong person. The reason WWII started in the first place was because we left Germany in mass devastation and hyperinflation from the first World War. They wanted revenge and millions of people paid for it. If another one of the losing countries gets hold of a single piece of paper, they are capable of rising to power again but much worse. We thought the first World War was bad enough but then WWII came around and we saw combat on every continent, men dying in masses, battlefields in the cities of Europe, and the atomic bomb. If there was a third world was, it will be the end of humanity. Of course, the odds of it happening were less than slim but after the Holocaust and Hiroshima, knowing what this world is capable of, my government doesn't want to take any chances. So as far as the world is concerned, the war is over. However, I know it's not over yet but will be soon. It is my job and the job of a select few to find a lost document and ensure its return to the U.S.
Because this mission was top secret, the people who knew the truth about the war didn't know everything. They only told us one part of our mission, each of us knowing a different part. If you ask me, it's rather moronic to keep us all misinformed in the event one of us gets killed, otherwise, we can't carry out the mission. Then again, no one asked me. I'm only a captain who led a squadron through Omaha Beach on D-Day in the third wave. They gave me a Medal of Honor but it's one I don't deserve. My squadron suffered the least amount of casualties but that's because we were in the last wave, after there has been great progress in advancing to Normandy. I don't deserve a medal because if I was in the first wave, I'm sure we would have been completely obliterated with no survivors like most squadrons during the first wave. Hell, some of them were all killed before any of them made it to the beach. They are the ones who deserve the medal. They gave up their life in honor of their country. I saw all their bodies when I lead my team to the beach. The waves were blood red for miles and thousands of bodies were piled over each other. Limbs missing, burned victims, guts smeared in the sand. A sight worse than hell.
Though the first two waves gave the ultimate sacrifice while fighting, they didn't entirely clear the beach. And though I received a medal for the least amount of casualties, it didn't mean any of men died. I lost a handful and the most painful one was my brother, Mikey.
We rode closer to the shore, anxiety growing among us all. We see our fallen brothers in the water and in the stands only building the fear inside. We could soon be one of them. "Alright, men!" I scream as we near our destination. "What's a four-letter world for surviving a battlefield?" I holler over the sound of echoing gunfire growing closer.
"Luck!" one of my soldier's replies. Iero. He was a good man, he excelled as a sniper but other than that, I didn't know much about him. He was one of my younger soldiers but he followed my orders better than any of the others. When the gate fell down and splashed into the water, we charged forward.
There were several other squadrons storming at our side, spreading out the gunfire. There's no way we can train to avoid getting hit by a bullet. We just need to run as fast as we can and pray we're in the right place at the right time. That when a grenade falls, we cleared the area and when a bullet comes at us, we moved out of the way.
We hit the deck and start crawling with our gear over the sand. The bullets fire over us and explode in the sand. One of my men next to my was hit and his helmet did no good. I didn't bother to look at his remains, I had to keep going. If you stop, you make yourself and easier target.
My doctor said it's expected to have difficulty remembering the events that day. I may have survived the attack but barely. One of my men, Iero, for better or for worse, he saved my life twice.
Everything gets foggy after the minute of storming the beach. The trauma took its toll on me. The next thing I knew, I was sending a handful of my men to advance forward. One of them was my brother. They started running out of cover and charging forward. Then I looked ahead and saw where the bullets were exploding in the sand, where they were trailing. They were going to blow right through them all and going to kill every single one of them.
"No, no, no," I mutter in realization. "MIKEY!" I screamed. "MIKEY! NO!" Of course, he can't hear me. The explosions around us were far too loud. I tried to get up but the bullets started flying towards us.
"Captain!" One of my men grabbed me and yanked my ass back in the sand.
"Let me go of me, private!" I ordered but he only restrained me further. "MIKEY!" But it was too late. The bullets tore through his body and he hit the sand. I frantically tried to run over to him, screaming his name but Iero wouldn't let me go.
"I'm sorry, captain," Iero said, holding me down. One of the medics ran over to him and did their best but his stomach was falling out of him and his blood seeped the sand. My heart started racing so fast until I can't feel it anymore. There's nothing he could have done. My brother was dead.
I completely fell still. I don't know why I got a medal. I didn't anything to earn it. They say I led my troops and brought down several of the machine gun nests but I don't remember doing any of it. I'm not smart enough to figure out a plan like that in the spur of a moment. They say I saved two men and captured several of the Germans but I don't think I did. They said I did all these things but I don't recall any of it. I only remember after Mikey getting killed was a bomb going off and my body going in flames.
I should have burned to death and I wish I did but Iero was there and he saved my life a second time. He shouldn't have bothered at all. He should have let me run across the beach towards my brother and let myself get shot. But he didn't and I'm still alive because of him. I had to bury my brother when I returned home because of Iero. However, it's not his fault. He was just following what I trained him to do. In the moment, I was angry at him for letting me live but now after the shock has left me, I owe him my life. Twice.
Iero was one of my men who survived and came home. I'm glad he did otherwise I would have felt guilty for the kid. He was my youngest soldier, only 19. Most of my men were on the younger side, I myself and one of the younger captains but Iero isn't even 20. Of the men who have survived, I'm glad he is one of them. I just wish my brother made it too.
"Captain Way," one of the congressmen says, "you are four other individuals have been picked for a mission. Each one of you will be informed on a key piece but to ensure the safety of this mission, not one of you will know all the details of the mission."
"What about the events of one of us getting killed?" I ask. "How would we carry on our mission if we don't know everything?"
"Don't get killed," he says.
"Easier said than done," I comment. "Have you been in combat, sir? Because it's not something we can control otherwise we'd have no casualties."
"Captain Way, the reason is in the event of capture, it wouldn't compromise the mission." I don't say anything because there's no point in arguing. "You're in charge of this mission. You make sure you and the men stay alive. You will be in charge of knowing the location where the document would be."
"And that is...?"
"It's in the city of Stalingrad in Southern Russia."
"Lovely," I comment. It's barely a city anymore after the battle there. Finding a stupid document is like a needle in a haystack. "Could you perhaps narrow it down?"
"That detail is someone else's information."
I stare at him blankly. How could he possibly think this mission could be any success with the amount of information being withheld? Sure enough, I had no choice but to go through with it. My job was to solely lead the others to Stalingrad. Where exactly, I don't know. That's Lieutenant Toro's job to know. And the people who would possibly be holding this document is what Private Carson knows. Sargent Urie was informed on the possible destruction of this document falling into the wrong hands. And Private Iero is the only one who actually knows what this document is. Knowing Iero is on this mission brings me comfort as well as fear. He's the only one of them I know and it's a personal matter. I know I can trust him, he's a damn fine sniper, and he follows orders to the fault. However, knowing he's on this mission means he's at risk of getting harmed or worse, killed. I don't want to see him go back in harm's way. I wanted my men to stay back home but if I got a say in the matter period, I wouldn't have involved myself in this mission, to begin with.
Traveling across Europe a second time is very different. We're keeping a low profile and while back home we celebrated the victory, there is still ruins of civilization here. Cities flattened, bodies still lying dead in the masses, chaos across the continent. Not all the violence ended. Though I knew I had to get the men back to Stalingrad, I didn't know which building. Once there, Toro lead us on. Day after day, he said we were getting closer to the building. After a week, I was becoming impatient. I wanted to go home, I didn't want to be back in the war zone.
With just a few miles left to go, we stopped for the night in some deserted trench with remains of buildings. "We're almost there, I'm sure we'll arrive by tomorrow," Toro says.
"Where are we even going?" I ask.
"You know I can't tell you that, Captain," he says.
"How will anyone even find out you told us? Besides, you guys know my part was to lead you to this city. What harm in knowing the building? We're going to be there anyway tomorrow."
"It's in the event of capture, sir," Iero says. "If we don't make it to the building tomorrow, then we won't be able to compromise all the information. It's to ensure it's protected."
I glance at the young kid. He notices my annoyance at him and pipes down. "Come on, we are veterans of war, brothers. We shouldn't have to keep secrets from each other."
"Hey, while you may have been some hero on D-Day and be the leader of this mission, I outrank you, Way," Sargent Urie says. "We have our orders, let's keep them." I roll my eyes at him. "What is it?"
"Look, I don't want to be out here. I wanted to go home when they said the war was over. Were you on the beaches for that battle?"
"No, sir," he responds. "But I have probably the most experience out of all of us. Hell, they put a kid in with us and trust him with these secrets."
My face flares as he for no reason brings Iero into this. "He was on the beach, he took down a machine gun nest. I may not outrank you but he's my man. You don't disrespect my soldier."
Urie stares at Iero and the kid looks down, avoiding eye contact. "Did you really take down a machine gun nest, kid?"
"Yes, sir. I was following orders," he replies.
"He treats this like it's a game," Urie replies. "He doesn't get it."
"What makes you think that? Just because he's younger than us? Because he doesn't outrank you?" Toro snaps.
"He doesn't have as much to lose," Urie sneers. I can see Frank falling small at their words.
"You don't know that," Carson replies. We're talking as if Private Iero isn't right next to us. "Hey, kid. You got a girl back home?"
He looks up wide-eyed. "N-not really," he whispers.
"Is that a 'not really' you got nobody or a 'not really' you haven't won her heart yet?" Carson asks. Frank doesn't answer him.
"Kid, the Private ask you a question," Sargent Urie snaps.
"We're the same rank, sir," Iero says.
"Don't talk back. Answer the question. You got a girl you fighting for?"
Frank looks up at the Sargent. "No, I'm not in a relationship. I don't have a girl."
"You got a family you need to return to?" Urie asks.
I never met my dad. My mother died of TB when I was 17. No siblings."
"See, he's got nothing. Carson, you got a girl at home. Toro, you're wife just gave birth to your daughter. I'm waiting to return to my fiancee," Urie says. "Captain Way, I don't know about you but you're a young, decorated soldier, you'll find a girl." I laugh under my breath but don't dare let them hear me. I may trust them with my life when it comes to combat but I don't trust them with my reputation. "Iero, he got nobody."
"Doesn't make him any less important so just shut your ass, Urie."
"Do I need to remind you I outrank you, Way?" Urie says, getting in my face.
"Just because you hold a higher title than me doesn't mean I am not your equal. I've had my fair share of combat. Nearly half a million men died on that beach," I say.
"Yeah, I know. What are you so angry about? You got a freaking medal for suffering the least amount of causalities. You don't know a damn thing about loss."
I tense up at him. I don't say anything. Urie stares at me indifferent and I turn away. "Captain?" Private Iero says. I don't look back at him as I get up and walk away. Bullshit I don't know a thing about loss. I lost my brother. I don't deserve a medal, he does. He gave up his life to serve his country. He died with honor. I didn't. Iero saved my sorry ass. That kid didn't get a medal, I did, for doing nothing.
"Captain Way," Iero calls out. His heavy footsteps follow after me. "Where are you going?" he asks when he catches up.
"Stay with the others, kid," I say.
"Sargent Urie didn't mean it, he doesn't know about your brother."
"I said go back, that's an order."
"An order I am respectfully disobeying," he mutters. "Captain Way," he grabs my arm and pulls me back.
"What do you want, kid?" I ask.
He looks at me hurt. "Look, I know I'm the youngest soldier under your command and I know I don't have as much experience as you and I know you don't like me but-"
"What a minute," I interrupt and he looks at me concerned, "what makes you think I dislike you?"
"I-I heard you?" I stare at him blankly. I don't think I've ever spoken poorly about the private. "At the hospital, you were rambling and I was next to you that night. You were cursing me out."
"I was drugged up," I explain. "Anything I said that night, don't take for serious. I don't recollect anything I said. I was probably angry at you for saving my life."
"I'm sorry about Private Way."
"It wasn't your fault, Iero. It was my order that got him killed, my mistake, not yours."
"Frank."
"What?" I mutter.
"You called my Iero. My name is Frank, sir." I suddenly feel ignorant. "You are?" I don't say anything. I just keep walking. "Do you not have a first name?" he asks, following behind me like a duckling.
"It's Gerard," I finally answer. I don't see the point in learning each other's names. After this mission, we're going our separate ways. I'm returning home to New Jersey and trying to forget about the war and forget about that beach. I didn't come here to make friends, I came here because I'm following orders. Iero is a good man but I don't want to be his friend. I don't want to get attached to someone else, someone who out of all of us has the highest chance of getting killed. It's the youngest who are the first to die, the ones who don't see the traps, the ones who don't have the luck of dodging the bullets or missing the landmine.
"That's a nice name, haven't met anyone named Gerard before. I was named after my father. He served in the first World War, spent his days in the trenches. He married my mom when he returned, however, he died before I was born so I don't know much about his combat." I nod along listening to him talk about his father. then eventually get tired of walking and sit down in the grass. Frank joins me and the two of us sit together. I don't know what I'm going to do with this kid. Part of me feels obliged to keep him safe since he saved me but I know we're going our separate ways after this mission. Is that wrong? Do I actually owe him anything, considering I never actually asked him to save me either time? In fact, I demanded he didn't save me. I wanted to get Mikey. It was my job to protect my brother. Now I feel it's my job to protect Private Iero.
"Did you enlist for the war or were you drafted?" I ask.
"Huh?" he asks.
"Did you volunteer to fight or were you dragged into this?"
"I volunteered," he says. "Did you?" I shake my head. "Wait, you were drafted?"
"April 9th," I mutter. "One of the first picks." He stares at me, mouth gaping open. "Oh, what? You think just because I'm a Captain means I asked to be here?"
"Well, yeah. You're my leader and I-I look up to you. I thought you enlisted. You're so patriot and a good leader."
"You sound like Mikey," I whisper. "My brother enlisted when he turned 18. Army put us in the same squadron, that was before the rule Sole Survivor Policy."
"What would that have done?" Frank asks.
"Mikey might still be alive. After all five of the Sullivan brothers were killed on the USS Juneau, the military issued a rule how members of the same family are not to serve in together on the same ship, platoon, base, anything. That way if the entire fleet was killed, the family doesn't lose everyone. If it happened sooner, Mikey might still be alive because he wouldn't have been under my command. I wouldn't have gotten him killed."
"Captain, you-"
"If the two of us are alone and you're allowing me to call you Frank, then you are to call me Gerard," I say.
"Gerard," he corrects himself, "you can't hold yourself responsible for Mikey. It's going to eat you alive."
"His ghost is already haunting me," I tell him. "He was the one person I could always rely on. I told him everything and we were inseparable. Part of me, as much as I hate it, is glad I'm on this mission. It gives me time before I have to truly go home and adjust my life without my brother." Frank sits quietly not sure what to say, which is a first for him because the kid always got something on his mind. "It's okay, kid," I tell him. "I'm dropping my baggage on you."
"No, no, I don't find it a problem," he says. "I don't think it's baggage." I scoff at him and Frank looks at me. "What? It's true. You're my Captain. I'd follow you into hell if you ordered me to."
"Now you're just being a kiss ass, kid," I remark. Frank mutters something under his breath. "What?"
"Nothing," he replies quickly and I roll my eyes at him. "We've all lost family. We just need to remember the real enemy is the ones who shoot them, not us. If we keep telling ourselves we're responsible, we're going to forget all the good we did."
"Look, kid, the only reason I haven't blown my brains yet is because my brother would kill me when I met him in the afterlife."
"I don't think you can get killed in the afterlife, sir," Frank replies, which makes me laugh at his sweet innocence in his voice while saying that. "You did good, Cap-Gerard. You got the Medal of Honor."
I shake my head. "I would have tossed that damn piece of metal already if my parents didn't cherish it so much. I think it's the only thing keeping my parents from disowning me as their son."
"Don't say that."
"It's true," I answer flatly. "They loved Mikey. So much and I got him killed. Their screw-up of a son who can't figure himself out got him killed. If anyone finds out, I'm going to lose that medal and I know my parents won't have any respect for me."
"What?" Frank asks flatly.
"Nothing, I've said too much." I rummage through the small bag and look for cigarettes. I've tried to stop smoking but the amount of stress running through a hail of bullets causes you is too much to quit. Besides, until I'm back in the states, I could die within the next five days or within the hour out in this land. I don't need to worry about black lung until I'm safe at home where it may actually be the death of me.
Frank sits pondering, clearing not dropping the subject. I offer him a cigarette to try and distract him. He stares at it for a moment before taking it. For a minute, I thought I just pressured the kid into taking one but when he pulls out a lighter and flicks it open, I can tell this isn't his first drag, considering he doesn't cough it up or struggles to lite it up. "You received the medal though," he mutters under his breath after a few puffs. "Under what circumstance would they take it away from you?"
"I said drop it, Private." The butt of the cigarette glows brighter when he takes another puff and I see his puzzled face, muttering my words "screw-up of a son who can't figure himself out". Then his eyes light up and he looks at me. "Don't speak," I say harshly at him.
"You're-"
"Shut up, that's an order." I don't want to hear him say it. Frank closes his mouth and sucks on his cancer stick. I finished mine and I toss it across the field. "I trust you with my life since you saved my sorry ass twice. I hope that's not a mistake."
"No, sir," he replies flatly.
"Good." Frank drops it to the ground and stomps out the light. "Now that Mike's gone, I think you're the only person I can say I trust on this Earth."
"You do?"
I nod. "No one's really bothered with anyone but themselves out here. Except you. You saved me and I saw you save Private Wentz back on the beach. You defended Sargent Urie just down and came with me for whatever your reason was. You give a damn about others and now, I have no choice but to trust you if I don't want to get discharged from the military and lose the one thing my family respects me for."
"You're my Captain. I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation," he says, "considering I'm the same way..." I snap my head at him and Frank looks at me almost ashamed. I put my hand on his shoulder and he looks up at me, showing a hint of a smile.
The ground shudders and I grab Frank and yank his down in the dirt with me. My face feels the heat of a bomb going off and soon, heavy gunfire echoes in the night. "Shit," I mutter under my breath. The other's start yelling and return with gunfire. I start running back towards the site. "Stay down," I hiss at Frank when he attempts to get up. The fire from the bomb provides light to see where the enemy is. Sargent Urie is down. Toro and Carson have minor burns but as fighting back. There have to be at least 3 shooters. I grab my gun and scan the area. There are small flashes of light coming off to my left where they must be. I take out a grenade and pull the pin. Hurling it over in the proximity of the gunfire, it goes off when it makes the impact with the ground. The explosion erupts flames into the night and a body goes airborne ablaze. The gunfire reduces but there's still a shooter out there. A loud gunshot cracks through the night and a body falls in the distance. I turn around and see Frank lying in the dirt with his rifle set up.
I go over to the others. "Everyone alright?" Carson asks us.
"More or less, Urie?"
Toro works on attending his wounds but I don't a GSW like that means he's not going to make it. I turn away from him, not wanting to see another man die. What even happened out here? How did we take an ambush like that? "Sargent's dead," Toro replies, standing up.
"Shit," Carson mutters. "What did he know about the mission?"
"He only knew what the consequences would be, nothing critical to in order to complete it. We can carry on without him," I say.
"As if his death means nothing?" Carson snaps.
"Listen, I didn't say he died in vain. I just know we can't do anything about him, we lost a brother, it's not something to be taken lightly."
"Did Sargent say anything before he died?" Frank asks.
"Just that if we don't get the plans, America won't be the only one with unlimited power. We'd be outmatched, even though we're armed with the atomic bomb," Toro says. "Wait, kid, don't you know what the document is?"
"Y-yes," Iero croaks.
"Why would they trust a kid with the most important part of the mission? Shouldn't one of the higher officers been confided with that information?" Carson asks.
"If that was the case, then the person who would have just been KIA," I say. "Don't doubt him because of his age, he just took out one of the shooters." There's a pause of realization. "It's best if we keep moving. Someone else might have heard the explosions."
We pack up our gear and strip Sargent Urie of any supplies he had on his person then advance forward. By midday, we wear thin with exhaustion but the destination is just ahead of us. "Up ahead, Peter's Church, that's the destination," Toro says. "We're almost there."
"So close but so far," Carson mutters. "Keep an eye out for any soldier in black and red uniform."
"We fighting Russians or Germans?" Iero asks.
"Yes and no," Carson says.
"Who is the enemy?"
"It's not a single ethnicity," he says. "Communists."
"We're fighting a form of government?" Toro asks.
"Red Scare," I mutter. "Keep a look out." As soon as the words leave my mouth, Iero cries out in agony and falls to the ground. "PRIVATE!" I scream. Carson and Toro ready their weapons and take cover, looking for the shooters. I run over to Frank and turn up over. His eyes are jammed shut and he's holding his breath in. "Where?" I ask. "Where is it?"
"Gah-Leg!" he groans. "N-nonlethal."
"It is if you bleed out." I rip off my bandanna and start making a tourniquet around him. "You'll be fine, Iero. Can you walk?"
"Yes, sir," he mutters. He reaches for his rifle and I help him get it. "Where are they?" he groans.
"Up in the building, on the roof," Toro says, pointing to the specific building. "Give 'em hell, kid."
He flips over on his stomach and sets up his gun. Heavy gunfire erupts from the ground as two soldiers run towards us with guns. Toro and Carson open fire and the soldier take cover. Aligning the crosshairs up to the shooters, Frank concentrates on his target and adjusts the barrel. Carson stumbles backward and drops his weapon, shot in the shoulder. Toro hits both of the soldiers and then grabs Carson trying to see his wound. It's just a graze thankfully. Bullets ricochet off the stone wall we use as cover and we duck down further.
"Any day now, kid!" Carson screams.
Frank fires twice at the two snipers. Two shots, two kills. "Got 'em," he whispers.
"Let's move, get what we came for, and run like hell," Carson says. We grab our gear, Toro and Carson take mine and I lift Frank up and haul him over to the church. I hear him freaking out over me carrying him half upside down while sprinting but I've lifted men twice his size. He's tiny and barely weighs a thing.
Carson kicks down the door and clears the room. I set Frank down and help him walk as we enter the building. Carson sweeps the area and takes out half a dozen men before he receives another hit to his arm again, this time in his socket joint. "It wouldn't be here," Frank mutters. "Where would they keep war plans?"
"Upstairs," Toro says, and he starts leading the way. "Carson!" he calls as the three of us advance up the stairs. There are men shouting in Russian if I had to venture a guess. Private Carson hobbles up the stairs after us. Just as I haul Iero up the last steps, Carson gets a blow to his lower knee and falls forward.
"No!" I reach for him but Toro grabs me as the private is long gone. He flips down the staircase and his body is consumed with bullets. Toro yanks me in the room and bolts the door shut.
Private Iero is hopping around the table, popping open briefcases and frantically flipping through files muttering to himself. "We are never leaving this place alive," I say out loud.
"Have hope, Captain," Iero says going through another briefcase.
Toro walks over me the window and peers out. There's loud yelling through the other side of the door. They're going to break it down and we'll be trapped. "There is a way out," Lieutenant says. He turns and glances at Frank's injured leg. "One that may be a bit of a challenge."
"It's one we'll take. Better die trying than none at all," I say. The door shudders as the soldiers ram the butts of their guns into the frame. "Any luck?"
"Got it," Frank says and locks the briefcase closed. "Let's go."
"What is it?" Toro asks.
"I don't know, it just matches the description. We'll look at it later."
Toro steps up on the windowsill. "Give me the briefcase. Captain, you get bring Iero over," he says. "Be careful, it's a long way down if you fall." Frank passes the briefcase to Toro with a shaky hand. "Follow my steps and keep it down."
Toro climbs outside the building and presses his body against the wall. There is a foot-wide ledge on the side of the stone building. "Let's go, Frank. I won't let you fall." The kid stares at the way out with wide eyes and he's not forthcoming. "Hey, look at me," I say and the kid stares at me fearfully. "I will not let you fall, got it?" He nods slowly and his gaze wanders back down to the drop. "It's going to be okay, kid." I keep my arm around him and step slowly to make sure he doesn't trip. "Easy does it." His breathing shudders as we start moving.
Toro hops off the ledge and down to a lower part of the roof. We're almost at the second roof when a bullet hits the side of the building. "Shit!" Iero groans and flails back.
"No, you don't." I grab him and throw my weight back, taking him with me. My feet slip off the ledge, pushing off toward the second roof and a small amount of anxiety shocks me as my back hits against it. "You're fine, I got you," I reassure him but Iero is hyperventilating. The roof gives a low creak. I look at Toro for half a second when the roof collapse. He screams out and reaches for us but Iero and I fall through. I land on my gear, which provides somewhat of a cushion we smack onto the floor. I'm okay, just the wind a little knocked out of me. "Iero?" I cough out. He doesn't respond to me, he's hyperventilating again. Well, at least breathing means he's alive.
Toro leans over the whole in the roof and peers down at us. "You two ok-" Another gunfire rings out and Toro wobbles over the gaping hole.
"Move," I whisper. His body falls through the roof. "Move!" I get up and drag Frank forward three feet. Just as he's cleared, Toro crashes into the ground where we were. I stop moving and hold onto Frank, staring at the body. "We're dwindling down in the single digits," I mutter to myself scanning the room.
"S-sir, we were always in the single digits. There were f-five of us," Frank whispers. I start laughing softly to myself and shake my head. "Sir?"
"You're something else, kid," I say to myself. "Sit tight, I'm going to find us a way out of here." I get up, grabbing my gun and head towards the side door. There's another one in the back but that's the same direction the shooter must be in. I open the side door and peer out. There's no one here really. If we run straight, we'll be out in the open. With Frank injured, I doubt it's smart to risk it. We'll never make it. Our best bet would be moving sideways across and then heading towards the wooded area.
I look back over and see Frank. He dragged himself over to Toro's body and opened the briefcase. There's terror in his eyes. "Frank?" I call out, walking towards him. He mutters something under his breath, his eyes darting across the contents in the briefcase. "What is it?"
"They lied," he whispers. "This isn't ours. These papers weren't stolen, to begin with. We stole them."
"What is it?" I whisper. Iero looks up at me but a gun fires at us. I dive back behind a row of sandbags and take out my pistol. The back door is open and the shooter runs toward us. I fire at him three times and the bastard eventually hits the ground. "Frank?" I call out. He's lying on the floor, his back bleeding. "No, no, no," I run over to him. Frank rustles through his pocket and pulls out his lighter, then flicks it a few times. "Kid, let's go. I'm getting you out of here," I urge. Frank sets the paper on fire and it starts burning. "What are yo-"
"They're not getting this," Frank says. "This is a power beyond man." I don't have time to argue with him. I hoist him up in my arms and start bolting out the door as the documents turn to ashes.
Heavy fire sprays over us and I flinch up don't slow down. As soon as we get to the tree line, I set Frank down. "Hey, look at me, kid. Look at me." I beg. He's eyes are closing and I tap his face repeatedly. "Stay with me, come on."
"You said it yourself. You were right, Captain," he whispers weakly. My eyes start watering and I hold onto him tightly. "We're not getting out of this place alive."
"No, have hope. Come on, private. Don't let a bullet kill your spirits, you're optimistic and brave. Come on, stay with me." I get on my feet and start pulling him along.
"We are never going home, Gerard," he coughs out.
"Don't say that, come on."
"Please, I-I can't, please, Gerard." I let him go and collapse next to him. "Run, Captain."
"I'm not leaving you," I whisper. I take his hand and squeeze it tightly. "I'm staying with you."
"I'm going to die."
"I'm going to stay with you until you do then." There's no point in lying to the kid anymore. He knows he's not going to make it. I can't save him but I can stay with him until he's passed. Then I'll run like hell and hopefully get out of here. I hold his hand tightly and rest his fingers against my forehead. "You're a good man, Frank. I don't care what anyone has ever told you before. You're a good soldier. I'm glad to have served with you."
"I'm sorry I failed you," he whispers.
"No, don't say that," I say, giving him a shake to try and keep his eyes open. "Listen to me, you didn't fail me, okay? I failed you." I pull him up and I hold onto him tightly. "You did well. You did the right thing."
"We failed the mission though."
"No, we didn't. It was a test and you won. We weren't supposed to return them. You said they were bad. We destroyed them and we made sure the war didn't start again." Frank nods his head and I take his helmet off him, brushing his dark hair out of his face. "You did good, Frank."
"I did good..." he repeats and slowly loosens his grip on me.
"Frank?" My tears roll off my face and splatter on his soft cheek. "No, please, don't leave me, Frank. I need you!" Frank closes his eyes a final time. I shake him again but he doesn't respond. I hold onto him tightly, crying over him. Because I focused on him and nothing else, I didn't know a shooter silently walked up behind me and aimed their gun at the back of my head. The last thing I see is Private Frank Iero die in my arms and then the shooter pulls his trigger on me. Private Iero had already died; he couldn't save my life another time. I didn't stand a chance.

Gun fires. Point blank. Through and through.