A good soldier never gives up

What is to come

  I blinked twice before saying, "Is that really you? Janet, you look... Different."

She giggled before stepping closer to me. "I see your still the same as always. You haven't changed at all since we've last seen each other."

"I chose to continue fighting. I'm glad that you seem happy to be back in your mother's care. If I may ask, what are you doing here?"

"I was sent to check up on you. Everyone of us settled down close to your area, but your mother told us you decided to stay with your grandfather." She looked down at her shoes before wrapping me in a hug. "I'm just glad your safe."

I hugged her back and smiled. "Thank you. Out of everyone I have ever cared for, you were the most important friend I didn't want to loose."

Grandfather cleared his throat before saying, "little lady, I like the fact that you made my grandson a happy boy. In fact, why don't you stay on base for a while. William will gladly give you a tour."

"Thank you sir. Your very kind," she said as she nodded. Turning to me, she asked "can you give me a tour of the place, William?"

I couldn't help but laugh as I took her hand. "Follow me." Grandfather walked away from us just as Janet stopped me.

"Can I see her? I want to see the girl you were supposed to save," Janet asked as she looked at the door.

I nodded and opened the door, knowing she could be trusted. We walked in to see Juliet look up at us. She looked at Janet as if she were loosing something important to her.

"I have to admit that she doesn't look like she needs this room. How long has she been with the others?" Janet looked over to me, wanting the answer.

"She has been missing for a few weeks, I believe. Juliet was being trained by Damien's followers," I reported to her. "She isn't very lethal yet."

Janet nodded before turning back to me. "Why do you still talk like that? Your not his soldier anymore, you know." I let go of her hand as I thought about what I was told when I had just met Alicia and Kevin.

"L-let's just say I have difficulty with my vocabulary. I have been trained to speak this way since I was a child. He wouldn't have accepted it if I were to have spoken freely."

Janet nodded before turning back to Juliet. "I don't think your capable of murder. You look like the type who would hide from danger, not go looking for it like us."

"Thank you, I think?" Juliet said as she gave Janet a small smile. "I don't want to kill people, but I know William is in trouble."

Janet kneeled down beside Juliet and asked, "what kind of trouble is he in?"

"The leviathan is complete. All it needs is a human operator," was all Juliet said before looking up at me. "And Damien plans on using the child he raised."

The girls looked over at me before Janet grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room. When the door closed behind me, she spun around on one heel to face me. "Why didn't you tell me this? We both know that Damien is a hard man to kill, so what if he really does come after you?"

"It's not a problem. I will continue to fight him and hope he stays dead," I told her. "I will not allow for him to steal away everything I care about."

She frowned at me before saying, "what if he uses those who you were close to in order to get to you? The boys may also be in danger, and so will you."

"I am a soldier for the united states military. If he were to lay a hand on me, my comrades will easily capture him." Her expression showed me that she was not satisfied with my answer.

"You may work for this place, but your just a little fish in a really large pond," she held my hand and looked me in the eye. "I don't want you to get hurt anymore because you got in way over your head."

I shook my head no. "I promise you that will never happen. If I break this promise, you may punish me as you wish."

She leaned closer to me and said, "you better not break it then." She gave me a mischievous smile before whispering in my ear, "you may not be able to handle the punishment." Before I could say anything, she kissed my cheek and stepped back. "So can we see the rest of this place?"

I nodded at her before saying, "follow me." I took her hand and held it as I introduced her to some of the soldiers who passed by. They all smiled at her as some of them messed up my hair.

"I can see why you like it here so much. Everyone is very friendly," Janet said as she turned back to me. "They seem like trustful comrades. I was thinking about something that I wanted to discuss with your grandfather. Sometimes there a jobs that only children can do, so why not have a team of already trained children to fight for the U. S. Military?"

I shook my head no, "I don't think he would accept that idea. Why would you want to trade away your new life for the old one?" I asked her. "There is still so much blood in this job. Would you really want to go back to it?"

She shrugged. "It's nice to experience a normal life, but I feel as if I don't belong with other children. They look at me as if I were some outcast. When they see my scars, they tease me about them. I want to be with you again, fighting our enemies while balancing school at the same time."

"It is not as easy as it may sound. Once I return to school, I will become an outcast too. I couldn't save Juliet from the fate we were given so long ago, but now, it's too late." I looked away from her. "I am fully aware of all the hateful comments I am no doubt going to receive."

Janet rolled her eyes at me. "If I could convince your grandfather that we should reunite our team, you won't have to face that crowd alone. We'll be right beside you in case you ever need us."

"Alright, let's go talk to grandfather." I led the way toward his office, expecting him to be occupied with work. Instead, he was on the phone with his wife.

When he noticed us by the door, he didn't hesitate to allow us entry. He only smiled and handed me the phone. "Speak to her. She's your grandmother" was all he whispered to me.

"Hello?" I greeted, unsure of what I should say.

"William? Could it be?" she asked, quite surprised.

I looked over to grandfather before saying, "affirmative. I am William Ashton."

"Honey, you don't have to speak like that to me," she said. "Anyways, when are you planning on coming to see me? You have so many relatives waiting to meet you."

"That is a negative, ma'am. I am a soldier of the United States Military, and as a soldier, I have a duty I must fulfill."

She said something to whoever was in the room with her before she said, "could you hand the phone back to your grandpa?"

"That's not a problem." I handed him the phone and took a seat in the chair next to Janet. She took my hand in hers and began to trace the lines on my palm. I just watched as she did so, waiting to hear what Grandfather would say.

He laughed before saying goodbye and terminating the call. "It appears your grandmother would like for you to have some time off duty. She wants me to take you back with me to my house." When he turned to us, he looked over at Janet. "Young lady, I don't know if your request is possible. Using children to fight wars will cause an outrage among America. I could possibly loose my job if this gets approved."

"Sir, America may be angry at first, but with all do respect, it hasn't helped much in relieving other children from the duties of war. I have heard of so many others using unwilling children fighters for their cause, but we are willing to fight for America." Janet looked over at me before looking back at my grandfather. "I'm not going to lie and say I haven't spilled my fair share of blood. We have been trained, and if you believe William qualifies, what is there stopping you from believing we all qualify?