The Tiger's Eye

A shattered bond

Lynn's POV
       I sat on my bunk in the barracks and Jackson and his team walked in, Amy asked "hey do you wanna head to the range with me and Jackson?" I looked up from my book and asked "is Sarah gonna be there?" Amy looked surprised but nodded "she said she'd be there once her rug finished drying, it's almost done" I looked back at the page and replied "then no, I don't" Jackson asked "you okay? You sound pissed off" I looked up and replied "I am" he asked "any reason?" I looked back at the page and spoke "I gave them a perfect ambush, my team fucked it up and Sarah blamed me. I don't want to be near her" Jackson's team looked shocked as Amy replied "no that wouldn't happen, she wouldn't do that" I stood holding my book and leaned over whispering "it did, don't believe me ask Thatcher and Valkyrie." She seemed unnerved at my tone before replying defiantly "I will" Jackson looked between the two of us before he sighed and offered  "Lynn, maybe you heard her wrong" I laughed coldly before replying "keep simping dude, have fun. I'm going to blow off steam, don't look for me"
     I stormed off slamming the door behind me looking for Erik, I found him and Craig walking in the hallway and called "boys! Wait up!" They turned and saw me I asked "wanna go a few rounds in the ring? I gotta blow off some steam" Erik looked surprised "you? pissed off? Gotta be something bad" Craig replied "yeah, I'll do a couple rounds" I smiled my thanks as we walked towards the gym Erik asked "what happened?" I replied "you know how we got mentors and our teams today?" He nodded as Craig replied "yea, what about it?" I replied "I got Meghan and Mike for mentors, we got put in a simmunition exercise, I got told by Mike to be a distraction. I did it and gave my team a perfect ambush, two targets, stationary with their backs turned. They fucked it up and then when Mike was tearing them apart for it Sarah blamed me. The one person who did their job and she blamed me, god I wanted to scream at her right there. It happened fucking 2 hours ago and I'm still pissed about it" Erik nodded and joked "that'll piss anyone off"
     Craig opened the gym doors and held them as we walked in, I dropped my book and pulled off my shirt as we grabbed some boxing gloves and I climbed into the ring before putting them on, I put in my mouth guard and thought about what Sarah said feeling my body grow warm as the anger resurfaced. I heard Craig "Ready?" I nodded as Erik did the same, Craig spoke "fight" I came forward jabbing several times that Erik dodged before he fired back, he sent strong hooks into my stomach before I landed 3 jabs to his chest before firing 2 upper cuts into his stomach. He returned with 4 alternating crosses, his signature move, I shook off the disorientation before I jabbed at his head twice before spinning to my right swinging my arm back hitting him with the back of my glove. I reversed the spin and fell to a crouch landing a strong hit to his stomach knocking him back as he gripped his stomach, I pushed my advantage throwing 3 close hits to his flanks before he got off defense. He back me into the corner throwing hooks to my stomach trying to get around my guard to hit my head.
     I ducked and dived trying to avoid the hits before he hit one dropping me to the ground, the anger grew as I pushed myself back to my feet before pushing towards Erik with murderous intent, he realized the situation as his eyes widened for a second while Craig got excited "wooo! He's pissed now!" Erik tried to defend as I jabbed several times hitting him as his head bounced back from the last hit before I switched to his stomach firing off absolute cannons into his abs. He tried to throw a jab that I ducked under before giving him a strong uppercut knocking him on his ass, he looked up at me as he stood and the doors opened. I looked back and saw Sarah looking guilty as did Amy and Jackson while I stood and started mirroring Erik's attacks, we stood trading blows in the middle of the ring neither of us giving the other the satisfaction of making the other yield until I took a strong cross that snapped my head to the left, I grinned as I looked at Erik and channeled all of my anger into the punch. I hit him and watched him hit the mat, he lifted his gloved hand "yield, yield. Jesus remind me not to piss you off" I pulled off my glove and extended my hand to him "thanks for letting me blow off some steam brother"
     Craig laughed "thanks for taking the hits for me bro" as I heard Sarah "Lynn can we talk?" I looked over my shoulder "about what? What's my fault this time?" She sighed and looked down "I didn't mean it" I asked leaning on the top rope "then why'd you say it?" She nervously replied "I didn't want to admit you're better than me, I didn't want to admit that I fucked that up" I chuckled and asked "so you blamed me? That's fucking honorable" Jackson stepped in "bro, you know what it's like" I snapped angrily "no actually, I don't. I don't throw teammates to the wolves to protect my pride, I don't blame friends when it's my fuck up. I don't do that, Jackson" Amy spoke "hey now, no need to get hostile" I laughed coldly "Hostile? You think this is hostile? This is what you get when you take me for granted. Even now, even after you know she did it, you side with her. You think I'm always going to be there for you, well you're fucking wrong!"
       Sarah looked up nervously "What are you saying?" I replied coldly "I'm saying and. Bridger, from here on out. Until you prove that you've changed we're no longer friends, on missions I will support you and try to bring you home. Outside of missions you don't know me from Adam, understood?" Erik whistled as Craig spoke "fuckin' brutal" Amy asked incredulously "you'd throw away a friendship over something so small?" I replied bored "I didn't throw it away, Ms. Bridger did, the second she valued her pride over our friendship. Don't try to make me the bad guy or I'll become the bad guy" Jackson spoke "dude seriously? This is fucking petty, she's trying to apologize" I tilted my head and replied "really? Because I've heard no apology. Don't worry Jackson, kiss her ass anymore and she might actually sleep with you" his face turned red with anger before he start "now listen here-" I cut him off "no you listen, I've had it up to here with you middle school crush bullshit. You better remember who the fuck you're talking to, I'm the one with Purple Hearts, I'm the one with a confirmed kill with a fucking MRE spoon. I will not be talked down to from some Air Force punk who spends his days throwing his dignity out the window trying to get a woman with no interest in him to sleep with him"
He stepped back as I approached before Erik spoke sounding like he just got told something from got "I forgot about the spoon kill" Craig laughed "christ dude, he tore him a new one" as Amy asked "why are you being such an asshole?" I looked over and smiled sinisterly "oh my dear, you wanted me to be the bad guy. Don't act surprised that I'm being the bad guy now" as I lifted my book and shirt from the ground and walked out the door. I heard the door open behind me and when I glanced back I saw Sarah jogging after me, I spun and asked "what? What do you want that's so important you're following me Ms. Bridger?" She looked down before looking at me and saying with determination "I'll make it up to you, I'll be the best support you've ever had" I laughed before turning and walking away.
      I arrived at the barracks and immediately had Zao and Manfred infront of me, Zao bowed and spoke "I'm sorry to have let you down, I have brought dishonor to myself. I will do my best to correct this fault" I bowed in return and replied "I look forward to training with you" Manfred extended his hand "I'd like to apologize, you've helped me grow as an operator but I haven't returned the favor. If you give me the chance, I'd like to get to know you better" I smiled and shook his hand "how about this? We started training together with my friend from the SEALs and Delta. We'll get better as a trio" they looked happy with the suggestion as Zao smiled and nodded while Manfred replied "that sounds delightful. Gute nacht(good night)" they walked off as Andrew appeared infront of me "hey bro, I got a message from Amy about your explosion" I rolled my eyes and asked "what? Are you on their side too?" He shook his head no "she shouldn't of blamed you, you were the only one who did anything right. I'm sorry I'm a bad leader, I'm gonna work on it. I want to be the best, that means I gotta lead the best" I patted his shoulder as I passed heading to my bunk.
      About 25 minutes later, the three walked in followed closely by Valkyrie "Lynn, come with me" I stood with a huff as I stretched before following the attractive blonde out and towards the main building. I asked "What can I do for you Meg?" She looked back and asked "how much have you talked to Harry?" I shrugged and replied "not much, mostly just during the interviews to see if he liked us" she nodded before replying "you've got another interview" I sighed before she spoke "don't worry, it's just because he wants to know about the situation today" I looked at the towering building, it was menacing in the late night. I saw Meghan stumble a couple times before I spoke "You keep tripping, are you okay?" She replied "I can't fucking see, it's pitch black" I suddenly remembered my special mutation "oh yeah, you can't see in the dark" she looked at me "and you can?" I replied proudly "yeah, apparently I have a mutation that gives me perfect night vision. That's why my pupils look like a smokey" her mouth formed an 'o' as she spoke "you know, I always wondered why you never wore nods on missions" I chuckled and replied "I never needed them, all thanks to a special ability"
      She pushed the door open forcing me to squint as my eyes adjusted I opened them again, I saw the somewhat familiar oak desk of the receptionist before we headed up the stairs to the 4th floor. Harry's office when he's on base, he opts to live with his wife in Oxford from what I've collected. I watched Meghan walk into his office without knocking catching me off guard as I froze in the doorway while Harry smiled "hello Meghan, how are you doing this fine evening?" She smiled in return "not badly, I've had to deal with recruit drama all day but they're working themselves out", he seems to exude a positive energy that lifts everyone's spirits. He noticed me "Lynn, come in. Come in" I slowly walked in as he asked "how are you?" I replied "I've been better but I'm here so it's still great" he asked "are you proud to be at rainbow?"
       I nodded "yes sir, it's the closest thing to SOG I can get so I'm proud to have made it this far" he lifted my file "I've read your file, you idolize MACV-SOG don't you?" Meghan replied for me "you'd be surprised, he's borderline obsessed with them" he asked "so what happened today? I got told by Mike but I want to hear it from you" I replied "I failed to properly offer a distraction my team could act on" Meghan cut me off "bullshit, that was textbook perfect. Your team let you down, stop covering for them" Harry looked at me "I've watched the video, I know you're lying. Why lie to me about something so trivial?" I replied after a second of worry "Well sir, I view it as we win as a team, we lose as a team. My team lost so we lose as a team" he smiled for a second before speaking in monotone "do you know what the punishment for lying to the director is?" I almost took a step back before I straightened my back and replied "no sir" he replied "I'm supposed to dismiss you from rainbow"
      I looked down before replying "I appreciate the opportunity to have been here sir" he laughed before replying "I'm not dismissing you, it's honorable you would protect your team from discipline even after what happened. Besides, Erik, Craig, Meghan and now Mike all have good things to say about you. Just remember, sometimes you have to let your team take a fall for it to rise" I asked "Sir, can I ask you something?" He looked intrigued before nodded "of course, of course. What is it?" I asked "what would you do in my situation? Sarah blamed me for the team failing but now she wants me to forgive her, should I? I don't have a clue what to do" he rubbed his hand through his trimmed beard "a tough situation to be sure, well I would ask you. Has she changed? Has she earned the forgiveness?" I replied slowly "no... no she hasn't" he replied while Meghan listened "then give her time to prove she's worthy to be forgiven, as long as it doesn't effect your teams performance I would wait before forgiving" I nodded and replied "thank you sir" he smiled as Meghan stood "well it's almost curfew so let's get you back to the barracks." I turned to follow her before she looked at Harry and asked "did you know Lynn has perfect night vision?" Harry asked "do you mean he can see in the dark without Night vision goggles?" I nodded as he spoke "no, I didn't know that. Lynn would you be willing to allow Gustave to do some test?" I shrugged and replied "as long as there's no needles going through my eyes, then yes sir. I'm willing" he smiled and replied "before your training tomorrow head down to Gustave's office and he'll do some tests to discover the extent of your night vision" I saluted before following Meghan through the hallway and back outside.