A Risen Hope

Chapter 3

A violent rumble shock John awake. Looking down at his watch, it was 05:30. One hour until dawn. The plane had just landed at the small military base. Coming to a stop the rear door opened up. The early morning sunshine starting streaking through the cargo bay. A forklift came into the plane, grabbed the crates, raised them up, and proceeded to exit. Like it has done it every day. Exiting the plane, with the entire team of DF9, John walked into their teams quarters. Resting his pack down on the ground, several thuds followed as everyone else dropped their packs onto the gravel dirt. Kicking up, dust, Anastasia let out a small cough. "Ok, we have 12 hours until the V-22's take us up for the HIHO, get some rest, grab your gear, and be at the airsrtip at 17:30!"

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The sun glared through the camp as the day's final rays slowly died. Looking at his watch, John grabbed his MP5, a Heckler & Koch USP, holstered them, and started his walk towards the V-22. It was a glorious VTOL (Vertical TakeOff and Landing). Checking it out, the sun streaked through the propellers and the wings. The ramp was lowered down, so John walked up into the beast. Placing his pack down on the ground. He went up to the cockpit, and had a look around. Huh. This looks exactly like every other cockpit I've ever been in. Oh well. It'll get the mission done. This thing looks fucking awesome though. Stooping out of the cockpit and into the cargo bay. Grabbing onto one of the cargo nets that was dangling from the roof. He looked up, and Annabelle was standing there, ready to go.

Setting her bags down, "Hey," she said, while giving John a smirk. "I've missed you. You have been awfully quiet and it's kinda making me feel nervous. Is everything alright?" Annabelle said as she came up to him, slowly wrapping her arms around his waist, and giving him a kiss. Staring into his eyes. Annabelle, pulled up, and they hugged. "I mean it, what's going on?"

"Nothing, it's just I'm a little worried about this mission. I just can't stop shaking this feeling that something's gonna happen." John replied

"Honey, nothing's going to happen. Trust me. We are family. You, me, and the team. Every single one of us are like brothers and sisters. The best part about that, we are all family. We will never leave each other, and we will always look out for each other, because that is what we do. Judy, myself, Chris, and Sylvester, and hell, even the fucking newbie Anastasia. We are family. We all love each other and care about each other. I also want you to know that I love you. And as a family, we will always be here for you."

"Thanks baby, we have to stay together, otherwise we are weak. It's just I have a feeling, a bad feeling, that I am going to lose you. I don't know what to do." John sighed as his head fell low in dismay. There was nothing he could do to shake that feeling. It was always lingering in the background of his thought.

"Johnny, don't worry about that. It's fine." Annabelle responded as she came into John's arms to give him a loving tender hug. " I will never leave you, that is a promise. We have done things like this all the time anyway. There's nothing that could go wrong."

"Yeah, well that's what I've been telling myself. It doesn't work. It hasn't worked. I have had this bad feeling ever since I heard the mission plan back in the I&R Building back at base. It's just...I don't know...I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well, trust me, it'll be fine. We will go through this mission, and at the end. I can say, I told you so. I am thinking, anyway, after this one last mission, to request a discharge. Perhaps, you could as well. We could get married, have some kids. It would be fun. There's a plus side as well, we can do so much more. Think about it John, we have a proper family, a happy family. I need to go grab something to eat. I'll see you here at 17:30." Annabelle called out from the ramp as she slowly walked out of the V-22.

"I'll see you then Anny. Eat well, but not too much!" John called out in a half joking tone.