Operation: Pointed Spear

Settling in

Alik's POV
      I followed Monika through the hallways as she wordlessly led me to my new room for the next 6 months, I looked around as it set in I didn't have any friends here. I sighed softly before I looked forward and just slowly made my way through the winding mess of halls until monika stopped infront of a door, she turned "this is our dorm, we've got a kitchen, living room and bathroom. Come, I'll show you where to put your things" I nodded and walked in after her closing the door with my hip before turning the corner and seeing the room. It was a bit messy but it was a major upgrade from my apartment, she pointed out a dresser, which bed was mine and showed me where everything belonged before I pulled out my phone and sat on my bed looking at the last text from my ex, I reread it several times before clicking the power button turning off the screen with a sigh before moving through and unpacking everything before I laid out shadow's bed and bowls before I let him out of his carrier, he bounced around the room exploring it.
      Monika spoke sounding like she was observing me "you look upset" I faked a smile covering it well as I replied "no, I'm fine. Just been a long day, I had to fill out paperwork all day" she nodded not looking convinced as Shadow jumped up on my new bed and started rubbing against me, Monika spoke "he loves you a lot" I nodded and spoke "it's just us now, his other.... friend... left" she nodded and asked "You and an Ex got him didn't you?" I chuckled as he flopped onto his side before I looked at Monika and nodded. She went "pspspsp" getting Shadow's attention as he jumped up and walked over meowing at her. I opened my phone and looked at the text one last time before closing my messages and looking at a picture of my parents and wondered 'will I ever have what they have?' As Monika walked over and sat down pulling out the book and reading again while I slowly ran my fingers through Shadow's fur as I checked the clock and grabbed my rifle slowly disassembling it cleaning each individual component to a state that looked as if it just came off the factory line.
I stood and grabbed my lighter before I walked out the door, I wandered around aimlessly until an accent behind me asked "you look lost Little lamb" I turned and spoke "I'm looking for a place to smoke, I'm new here" he extended his hand "I'm Adrianno, Maestro on the field" I mused "Master, cool callsign. I'm Alik, Achilles on the field" he nodded and motioned me to follow him as he tried to get to know me "So when did you get here?" I replied after a second of thought "Maybe 40 minutes ago" he asked "what's your unit?" I replied "Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officer" he asked for clarification which I spoke "The British version of FBI SWAT" he nodded and replied "I come from the Italian G.I.S." He spoke like a father "You look troubled" I weighed my options before replying "Just getting used to the new reality, plus I'm dealing with internal turmoil. I lost a majority of my team on the last mission and my relationship ended recently." He patted my shoulder before speaking "it will work itself out, life like a balance. If you ever need anyone to smoke with, let me know"
I chuckled as we walked outside as I pulled out a cigarette and lit it, I took the first drag and asked "So how does this team work?" He replied "only half of us are on base at any given time, we do 6 month deployments and then get 6 months paid leave to spend time at home and reset from the horrors of our job" I nodded as I looked out at the storm clouds on the horizon and spoke "a storms coming" he nodded "yep" I fell silent and just smoked my cigarette. Adrianno paused as he stomped out his Cigar "Can you tell me one thing?" I looked over as I finished off my cigarette "Yeah?" He looked over and asked "why are you here?" I replied slowly "I guess.... I guess I just want to make sure me teams deaths weren't in vain. Six offered me a chance to get back at the Masks." He replied simply "find a better reason, weak reasons get people killed" I thought over his words as he disappeared into the base while I stayed outside thinking. Once the storm arrived and I knew for a fact no one would be able to tell I was crying I let the pain surface.
I cried for each of the officers I lost, each of the men and women I failed, I was their commander and they were counting on me. I heard the door creak open behind me causing me to sniffle and stifle my cries as I heard it close and turned seeing a thatcher sitting in a chair "So this is what you do on your first night here? Stand in the rain and let it conceal your pain?" I walked back under the roof and spoke "I'm not crying" he looked over "you're trying to bullshit a bullshitter and it ain't gonna work, what's got you all mucked up" I replied "nothing that won't pass in time" thatcher replied with annoyance "listen ya muppet, if you think for even a second it's your fault those officers died you're dead wrong. It's the mask's fault, you couldn't have done anything to stop it. Don't take the weight from the masks when you don't deserve it" I rubbed my eyes before asking "want some tea? I could use some" thatcher stood and replied "of course I do, call me Mike Lad. You're one of us now"
I asked "are we allowed any alcohol here?" Mike replied "no, Harry's got a strict no alcohol rule on base. Drunk soldiers and police with weapons is a dangerous mix" I nodded as I wordlessly followed Mike to his dorm where we put on a kettle and started making tea before he asked "still as quiet as you were during training last year?" I nodded and replied "words have power, I don't like wasting that power on meaningless conversation" he chuckled and replied "You'll get along well with Mark, he's a quiet bastard too. Barely ever talks" I nodded as I saw down. Mike sat across from me and asked "mind if I play some music?" I shook my head no and continued rolling my quarter across my knuckles as AC/DC started playing, I raised an eyebrow at him as he spoke "Remember mate, I grew up in the 70s" I shook my head and spoke "I keep forgetting you're that much older than me" he scowled as we fell into a comfortable silence until the kettle started screaming and Mike stood and pulled out two cups before putting in tea bags "I hope you like Black Tea" I nodded as he poured in the water before handing me my cup I lifted it and spoke "cheers"
      Mike lifted his before we silently sat there and drank our tea before Mike spoke "I don't know what you're going through but hopefully this helped" I nodded before saying "thanks mate, I just... I felt like I let them down" Mike replied "you did everything you reasonably could, sometimes we have to accept that we can't save everyone" I sighed and spoke "I wish that weren't the case" he nodded "we all do, sadly reality doesn't much care what we want" I finished my tea and spoke "I should probably get back to the dorm it's getting late" Mike spoke as I stopped at the door "be awake by 6:30, I'll swing by and grab you so we can put you through your physical" I nodded as I pulled the door open and spoke "goodnight lad, see ye in the mornin" as I closed the door and slowly retraced my steps back to the dorm. When I walked in, I saw Shadow curled up next to Monika while she looked up nodding to me as I wordlessly walked over to my bed as Monika asked "how was your adventure?" I nodded mumbling "good, therapeutic"
       She dog eared the page she was on before placing the book on her night stand and turning off her lamp as I walked into the bathroom after grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste. I brushed my teeth used the bathroom and then collapsed on my bed onto have Shadow appear on my back meowing for attention, I lifted my hand and scratched him as he did laps around my arm before I faded to sleep. I was in the middle of a dream when suddenly the floor below me dropped out from underneath me causing me to bolt upright in my bed panting heavily as Shadow meowed. I mumbled to myself "fuckin' 'ell" shadow curled up closer to me while I laid back down staring at the black abyss of the ceiling for what felt like forever until my eyelids grew heavy. I tried to force them to stay open but I was quickly losing ground as they grew in weight before everything turned black and I resumed my dream, when I woke up the next morning I checked the time before standing and walking into the bathroom with a change of clothes.
     When I came out I saw Monika had just woken up and still had her wild hair, I slowly pulled on my uniform and gear before I heard a knock at the door. Monika stood in her panties and oversized Tshirt walking over and opening the door "hello Mike" his gruff voice that always sounded disappointed returned "I'm here for Alik, is he in?" She nodded as stepped out of the way as Mike walked it, I waved as I walked into the kitchen "I'm making some tea, want any?" He replied "yeah, I'll take a glass" I looked at Monika with an eyebrow raised as she shook her head no "I'm more of a coffee person" I nodded as I sat down at the table with Mike "what can I expect?" He replied "Deadlifts, push ups, pull ups, bench presses, 2 mile run in 14 minutes. There's a swim test, we've got a training sim using live ammo in a kill house. Then finally you do hand to hand combat with one of the operators" I nodded as the kettle started to whistle and I got out the tea bags.
      We sat and drank our tea as Monika asked "is it true that you brits always drink tea?" I replied simply "no, I do drink it a lot but it's just because it helps calm my mind" she nodded as I finished my tea and carried the cup and small plate into the sink before Mike did the same and spoke "Let's go lad, the sooner we start the sooner the days done" I nodded before walking out behind him as Mike asked "so why the gray fatigues? Don't cops usually wear blue?" I nodded before replying "It's so we're easy to differentiate from standard cops, anyone looking for CTSFO just has to spot the grey fatigues" he nodded before I asked "so why do you SAS members wear blue?" He replied "So at dusk we aren't as noticeable. Anyone in black is darker than their surroundings at sunset" I nodded as we walked through the hallways until we ended up at the gym. I noticed a man with a white shoulder pad and the patch of a medic standing with a clip board as I extended my hand "Names Alik, Achilles on mission" the man shook my hand "Gustave, doc on mission"