A Risen Hope

Prologue

Light streaked through the window of the room. Dancing through the dust as it rested on the bed. It was a bland room. Nothing too special or fancy. It had just the bare necessities to live in comfortably. There were a small kitchen and lounge not too far away from the bed. Everything was close and easy to get. Sighing a low yawn, John woke up. Sitting up, looking around the room. It was a mess. His clothes were thrown across the ground, but it wasn't just his.

Pivoting on the bed, John looked down at Annabelle. She was calm, collected, and peaceful in her sleep. His lips started twitching as a smirk spread across his face. Slowly taking the sheets off of him, John stood up, being careful not to rock the bed too much. A silent moan came from Annabelle, as she stirred in her sleep. This was the life. Stooping down, a small ache jutted from his back. Ugh, last night was exhausting. Fun, but exhausting as fuck. Yawning again, he collected all of the clothes into his arms and folded them up. Into small neat piles. Walking over to the cupboard, he grabbed some fresh clothes.

As he walked across the room, he slowly put on his shoes and opened the door. Quietly, as not to stir Annabelle in her sleep. The second he walked outside of his quarters, it was a whole new world. Bustling people were everywhere. Some were in rough PT (Physical Training) sessions, others were running errands.

Walking across a gravel road, the sun glistened off John's forehead. A bead of sweat starting to form at his left temple. A great tree loomed in front of him, casting a shadow long across the ground. At the base of the tree, there were two men, each stretching. "Oi, you guys ready for a run?" John called out to them.

"Yeah John, we've been waiting a half an hour for you. What the hell were you doing to be so fucking late?" Sylvester yelled as he started approaching him.

"Probably having a fun time with Annabel, as you do most nights." Christopher chuckled. "Dude, you know that sometime you'll be having too much fun screwing her, you are probably gonna get us killed."

"Nah, I'll make sure to not kill all of us, maybe just you Chris," John called out as he started running across the field. "Now are you guys coming with me or not?" Christopher, and Sylvester realising that John had already started running. Catching up to him, they all slowly started running together. This is the start for most days at Campbell Barracks for them.

Their PT session was a tough one, but it had to be tough. Those three, and five others, was a part of a special team. They were Delta Force 9 Special Forces. They were the best of the best. Always chosen for the hardest missions, because they could get in, and out, without a single casualty. They have never failed a mission.

Sweat was dripping off John's forehead, as he was drawing close to the end of the PT session. After completing a ten-kilometre run, one hundred push-ups, a hundred and fifty sit-ups, and twenty-five pull-ups. They were all finished. As they jogged back to the tree, they split ways and went into their own quarters for a cool down.

John quietly opened the door to his quarters, and there was no one there. Huh, Annabel must have left to her quarters. After he stripped off his stinky clothes, John stepped into the shower. Feeling the cold water running down his back sending shivers up his spine. The water came to a stop, as he left. Drying off, John grabbed a fresh set of clothes. Pulling on his shirt, a buzz came from the radio on his table, "Hey John, we need you to be at the Intel and Recon building meeting room. ASAP, we have another mission." Annabelle's voice crackled.

"Ok, I'll be right over," John replied, as he picked up the radio.