Spooks

Chapter 2: Shadow One

Act 1: Chapter 2 - Shadow One

It's been eight months.
Eight long fucking months since I was out of the service - all because of that IED, which destroyed my lower part of my right leg where it had to be amputated. I had to wear a prosthetic replacement of my shin to foot. It hurts like hell but I was on pain killers and still work out with it. In return for my medical discharge, I got a medal. Getting a Purple Heart didn't mean shit to me. What's the point? I had to remain secret and tell no one that I was a Navy SEAL. I didn't mind, and on top of that, no one would believe that a woman was a SEAL. Just because that G.I. Jane film was made doesn't mean a lot of women became SEALs. The US Government still does not want women in Special Forces, period.
I was the first and the luckiest to be a SEAL and may be the last. After eight months, I was starting to believe that serving my country was over, meaning that I don't get to be a cop or a firefighter. I probably can't be a fucking paramedic since I have a prosthetic leg. The only chance of a job would be working as a desk job - that was, until that man came to my house.

0400 Hours
August 15, 2007

Somewhere in the Southern United States, there was a nice two story house apartment. Inside a bedroom sat Jessica Sawyer herself. She was only wearing her white tank top and grey undies, sitting on the edge of her with her head and eyes staring at the ground. Her facial expression indicated that she didn't sleep much. Not only that, it also showed that she was very depressed. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened in Iraq, neither could she still get over the medical discharge and the loss of her leg. Suddenly, a loud ringing was heard from the alarm clock on top of her night stand, which grabbed her attention right away. She reached over to turn it off and began making preparations to start her day. A car pulled up next to the apartment building and parked in the lot. A bald African-American man with brown eyes in his early forties exited the car. He wore a black business suit and a pair of dark sunglasses. The man took a deep breath before walking towards the building. When he reached the second floor, he found the door he was looking for and knocked three times for someone to answer. The door finally opened and he saw Jessica standing across from him. Upon seeing Jessica, the man gave a half-smile, but Jessica worked to keep her expression blank, despite her curiosity and growing suspicions as to why a strange man had showed up at her apartment with no warning.

"Jessica Patricia Sawyer?" questioned the man. "Former Petty Officer of the United States Navy SEALs? Team 3 Alpha Platoon."

"Yes. Can I help you?" Jessica asked.

"May we talk inside? This is a private conversation."

"Do you want anything to drink?" Jessica asked as she led the man inside.

"No, no. I'm fine," the man answered. "How's your leg?"

"Still feels a bit strange, but it's fine," Jessica answered before cutting right to the point. "So, may I ask what is this about?"

"How would you like to serve your country again?"

"To do what exactly?" Jessica raised an eyebrow. "I'm handicapped."

"You can still run, shoot, and fight can't you?"

Jessica started to wonder whether she was being recruited into a private military company, perhaps for either Blackwater or Triple Canopy. However, working as hired security or as a mercenary wasn't exactly Jessica's style.

"If you're recruiting me to be some security contractor for some company, then I'll pass. I'm not the type to do that shit," said Jessica, turning down the offer.