A good soldier never gives up

To find what has been lost

   I can't believe that I failed my mission on protecting Juliet. How will I ever be able to face my grandfather and tell him that I lost the girl to the terrorists. If anyone ever failed a mission with Damien, they were immediately punished or sometimes killed for their weakness. I am still learning about the ways of the Military. What will my punishment be for failing such a crucial mission.

Not only that, but what will happen to Juliet? She trusted me to protect her from them, but they still found her and took her away. Where are they taking her? What are they going to do to her? What if Damien kills her in cold blood? Or they abuse her so much that she's unrecognizable anymore? What if they mess with her head to make her think she has no chance of living? She could be sitting somewhere, thinking that nobody will come to her rescue. I can't let her down like this!

"William! Will, what happened? Where's Juliet?" Alicia asked me as she came up to the curb I've been sitting on.

I didn't bother to look at her as I simply replied, "she's gone. They took her away. All because I couldn't protect her."

She held out her hand to help me get back up, but I didn't take it. Kevin came forward and pushed me back on the cement. "You failed one mission. An important mission that could be the difference between the end of the world. Now your going to help us get her back. We suspected that you may be overpowered at some point so your grandfather has sent out a special soldier to watch over her when you couldn't." He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me up, unaware of my injuries.

I held back as much pain as I could but I heard a small whimper escape my lips. I met his gaze before moving away from him. "I tried my best to save her. They attacked us on the bus, but I didn't know he was still alive. I thought I killed him back in the desert."

"Who was there?" Alicia asked me.

I turned to her, "Damien Asher. My father." I looked at the visible injuries on my arms, the ones father fixed. "Please, let's get back to Head Quarters and report this to General Kingston. I want to recieve my punishment for failing such a crucial mission."

"Punishment? Kid, your injured and you did manage to protect her as much you were capable of in your situation. You ran out of weapons and were practically almost killed for it. If anyone deserves punishment, it's us. We didn't give you enough weapons nor did we give you a device to keep in touch with us." Alicia threw my arm over her neck and helped me walk over to the car.

Once we were in the old car, Kevin drove back to the apartment in a hurry. "We'll go in a bit. We just need to get a helicopter on the way and to call a doctor for you. With those injuries, you will not be able to complete your rescue mission."

"How do you plan to discover her location? I have no doubts that the military has that kind of technology, but I don't understand how you plan to locate the terrorists location," I admitted. "How will I be able to help free her if I couldn't even prevent her from getting captured in the first place? The soldiers won't require my skills for this mission. They are very well capable of handling the situation without my assistance."

Kevin rolled his eyes as he parked the car. "I don't want to hear anymore about how you think you're not strong enough for this. That girl was taken because you couldn't protect her. She trusted you with her life and you let her down. Now your going to be the one who rescues her whether you want to or not. You have to be her soldier." He turned around in his seat and said, "Before you start a war, you better know what your fighting for. Well, you started this war with your old man, and now, your going to finish it with us and your grandfather."

Alicia turned around as well before opening the car door, "well William, what are you fighting for?" Before I could answer her question, she stepped out and rushed into the apartment for our stuff.

I looked down at my lap as I tried to come up with an answer. For years, I have been fighting for a false peace. I knew no other reason to fight than to bring harmony to our land. Now that I'm not fighting for him anymore, I had said I wanted to repent for the crimes I committed. Is it possible that I have discovered a new reason to battle? When I think about her, my heart beats faster. I don't understand what is going on, but I just want to be by her side. I want to be the one who can make her smile, who she could trust, and who she wants to be with.

When I looked up, I noticed that Kevin had left the car as well. I was left alone, lost in my thoughts, without even noticing that he was gone too. When did he leave? How did I miss that detail? I, patiently waited for one of them to return, began to check my wounds. Based on my evaluation, I am in no condition to continue fighting in the way I had. Hand to hand battle is not difficult for a trained professional, but it is extremely difficult for a professional to make it out of a fight without major injuries. My left leg needs to heal before I could walk on my own. My arms are covered in scars, bandages, and bruises. My left leg hurts so much that I can't even walk without limping. My lower lip is split and my nose may be broken. I also think I have a black eye.

Alicia was the first one to return with a big box filled with the equipment. Kevin was just a few feet away holding up my heavy trunk with both hands. They placed everything in the back of the truck before taking their seats. Kevin began to drive in silence. Something clearly on his mind.

I looked over at Alicia, who seemed to notice me. She gave me a small, reassuring smile. She then patted my knee, "don't worry about Juliet. That girl will be okay as long as she doesn't do anything to anger your father."

"Please, don't, Don't call that man my father," I told her. She nodded. "Besides, he went down with the helicopter. Hopefully, he actually died this time. I hit him hard enough to make sure of it."

Kevin glanced at me with his eyebrows raised. "So those rumors were true. You were willing to kill your father for the sake of a mission."

I looked away as I said, "you don't choose how you grow up. Nor do you choose the people who raise you." I sat silently for the remainder of the trip. I paid no attention to the conversation the others seemed to be having in the helicopter until we were about to land back at the base. Once again, I was helped out of the helicopter, and was immediately taken to the infirmary.

I was visited about an hour later by my grandfather. He was dressed in his uniform, and had a worried look o his face. He rushed into the room and immediately relaxed a bit when he saw me.

"Thank goodness, you're alright. If you were killed, I wouldn't know what I would do, or how I would tell your mother." He held my right hand as I just stared at him.

Like a good soldier, he would have to carry on. "Sir, I am ready for my punishment. I have failed a very crucial mission." I pulled my hand away from him, a bit too fast. I winced as pain shot up my arm. "Please, I don't deserve this type of kindness. What is my punishment?"

He stared at me with an eyebrow raised. "Punishment? It is true that this mission is an important one, but your still a child. There are no punishments in this for you."

I looked away from him, "father always punished those who failed the mission. Sometimes, he even took their lives. The punishment was always the same for both men and children."

"He killed children?" He asked himself. "This man is a true monster. Who could kill an innocent child?"

I shook my head no. "He didn't kill children. He claimed that if a man is killed by a man, then there should be no difference for a child to be killed by another child." I met his eyes once again, "he made me eliminate those kids. I'm the monster you speak about."

"William Ashton, under charges of cold blooded murder and for failing to protect the girl, your punishment is to rest here. When you are well enough to go into battle once again, you are to join your comrades in the rescue mission of Juliet Peterson and Tim L. Peterson. Do I make myself clear, soldier!" he said in a serious tone.

"Sir, yes sir!" I shouted back. I couldn't help but smile back at him. For a general, he really enjoys spending time away from his job to act like a grandfather. I can see now, that I need to regain my strength for Juliet's sake. I need to be the one to save her in order to make up for not being able to protect her. Stay safe, Juliet. I will come for you.