Operation: Pointed Spear

2 months later

Alik's pov
     I sighed since it was my turn to pull overnight security, I looked at Monika sleeping peacefully on the couch and hooked my arms under her knees and under her shoulders as I made my way through the now familiar house before I laid her in her bed and tucked her in before I walked back to the main room and sat in the darkest corner holding my MCX wearing my nods just waiting. A couple hours later, Monika walked out groggily rubbing her eyes as she walked over in her night gown, she sat next to me and asked "how'd I get back to bed?" I replied "I carried you, want a cookie?" As I took a bite of one of my most recent batch of cookies. She took it and nibbled on it before saying "thanks for moving me" I waved her off as I asked "can't sleep?" She nodded before replying "I thought for sure the masks would have attacked by now, maybe the mask was lying about them targeting my family?" I suggested in reply "maybe they've waited this long to make you doubt the validity of the threat? Feral isn't an idiot as much as I wish he was"
She sighed and spoke "I hope this ends soon" I looked out into the forests of Norway, the country we'd selected to move Monika's family for protection "I don't think it will, Corey told me today that they keep finding bread crumbs to the next target." She asked out of the blue "Hey, do you believe in Bigfoot?" I looked at her oddly before asking "what does that have to do with anything?" She shrugged and replied "it's a pretty big point of contention within the family, I wanna know what side you're on" I shrugged and answered "I guess? I mean I'm sure people are seeing something, is it a giant ape? I don't know but.... I think there's something in the woods" she went to speak as I gave a quiet 'shhhh' and whispered "I think there's something in the woods, the shadows move" she nodded and we stopped our small conversation waiting for any movement. 30 minutes later and still no movement I sighed and spoke "my eyes must be playing tricks on me, I've had the nods on since 6 last night" she asked "what time is it?" I checked my watch "06:16, hour and a half to sunrise"
She suggested "why don't you go take a break?" I shook my head no "I can last another hour, go try to get some rest" she shook her head no "nein, I won't be able to get any rest anyway. My insomnia is acting up" I nodded as she asked "so do you believe in Bigfoot?" I asked "I though I already answered this question?" She responded "Nein, you got distracted before you could finish answering" I sighed and spoke "I guess I do, if there's any credibility to the report I think he'd live in Alaska or the west coast, I couldn't see something that big living anywhere other than thick forests and in the mountains. You know placed humans don't spend that much time" she nodded and spoke "so you're on my side" I asked intrigued "what are the sides?" She replied "the skeptical believers and the outright deniers" I chuckled and spoke "let me guess, Reinhard is a believer?" She nodded and spoke "he's the cryptozoologist so it is kinda his domain" I laughed "he's an excitable kid, I hope he gets an answer for us one day"
She nodded as we kept talking until just before dawn, I sighed causing Monika to look over "what's wrong?" I replied tiredly "I'm getting complacent, the masks are wearing us down without ever firing a round. The moment we let our guard down they'll strike" she stood and answered "come, let's get some food while we wait for Thatcher and the others to arrive" I looked at Monika before asking "We got night shift this week right?" She nodded "tomorrow's my night, you get to sleep" I dreamt of the night I actually got rest as we started cooking, well I cooked Monika helped but she said she likes watching me cook, her Father likes my cooking too. We finished making breakfast just as her parents walked out, I handed them their plates while her father Gunther smiled "danke, another boring night I presume?" I nodded and answered "as much as I hate them, I'm glad they're all we've gotten." He nodded and replied "you and I both, you should get some sleep kids. You look exhausted, Your insomnia kicking up Mon'?" She nodded and responded "sadly we can't go to sleep yet, we have to wait for Mike, Lera and Jack."
Anna, Monika's mother, asked "why not?" She replied "we can't afford to give the mask's a window, mama. You know that" I grabbed mine and Monika's plates handing her hers as I sat down and talked with her father. "So how comes your taser?" I replied tiredly "I'm trying to trouble shoot the optimal length and weight of the barbs to get the maximum range. I keep landing around it, sometimes it goes way far others it lands two feet infront of me. It's so frustrating" he chuckled and replied "Son, it wouldn't be inventing if it were easy. Have you tried scaling everything up to allow for a more powerful propulsion plant?" I nodded as I pulled out my draft design "I've got most of it working but I can't get the barbs to fly far enough accurately for it to be worth actually carrying it in the field" he pushed his glasses up before inspecting the design before he suggested "why don't you scale it up by about 25% and use a heavier propulsion unit with a heavier duty metal for the barbs?" I shrugged and replied "I'll give it a shot, can't do much worse than what I've already done"
He smiled as we looked over seeing Monika and her mother talking excitedly amongst each other before Gunther spoke "she seems like a different person, nein?" I nodded before looking over "it's nice to see her alive for once, she's really reserved at our base. Doesn't talk much to anyone besides me outside of missions" he nodded before taking another bite "this is the true Monika, she's always been this lively." I smiled as I watched the wild gesturing and excited tone in their German "I wish she was like this at work, it'd make my job more exciting" Gunther spoke "exciting? Son, you get shot at, it doesn't get much more exciting than that" I nodded slowly as I spoke "I suppose you're right" we heard the clattering of plates as Monika's little brother, Reinhard, walked around the table holding a stacked plate. I teasingly asked "got enough?" He nodded happily as I stood and excused myself, feeling like I was encroaching on their family time. I walked out and sat on the porch, until I heard Monika's sister Zara behind me "what are you doing out here?" I replied simply "guarding"
She spoke knowingly "you're trying to avoid feeling like you don't belong aren't you?" I looked back and asked "how the 'ell?" She replied with a cheeky smile "I'm a psychologist, it's my job to read people" I stood and spoke "it's not my family, I shouldn't be there during your family time. I'm just an officer who got picked to protect you guys" she answered "that's a gross oversimplification, I know you care about us" I shrugged "still doesn't change my place in the situation. I'm an outsider" Zara pointed out "an outsider that's lived with us for 2 months? Interesting outlook" I stopped her "stop getting ideas, I'm just giving you guys some private time" she chuckled and spoke "come back in, I know Monika's probably wondering where you are" I rolled my eyes as I got dragged back into the house. Monika asked "where's Alik?" as Zara dragged me around the corner "guess who I found outside?" Anna asked pointedly "were you smoking?" I shook my head no, Zara confirmed "nein, he wasn't smoking. Just sitting there since he still feels like an outsider" Gunther gave me a look as he spoke "you've been a part of this family for 2 months"
I rubbed the back of my neck as Zara forced me to sit back down in my chair before she took her own seat, Monika looked at me and asked "seriously? After all this time, you still feel like an outsider?" I shrugged and nodded "I mean, I'm an Englishman surrounded by Germans. If this was the 40s it'd be a nightmare situation." Reinhard pointed out "but it's not the 40s and you're a welcome addition" I asked "how am I an addition? I'm not married to any of you, unless... Gunther when were you going to propose?" He laughed before replying "not any time soon" I listened to the rest of the table laugh as I heard the door open, but not the typical call of Mike's voice. I stood and lifted my MCX as I went to see who it was until I gripped the front of someone's shirt pointing my pistol at them seeing it was Mike "Christ, mate, I almost shot you in the face" he replied with a laugh "good thing you didn't, that's out a real damper on my mood" I looked to the right and saw Lera and Jack watching the scene.
I put my plate in the sink before speaking "I'm off to bed, wake me up if you need me. Cheers" I heard Reinhard and Anna try to mimic my accent as they responded "cheers!" I laughed as I slowly pulled off my gear hanging it up in the closet before I pulled off my shirt and boots. I sat on the edge of the bed gripping my hair before sighing as I pulled off my knee pads and belt, I placed my holstered pistol on the nightstand before rubbing my face and walking into the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I felt a sense of contentment fill my body, I'd started to grow comfortable with who I am. I took a piss before I walked out and looked at Monika's side of the bed, it was undone and a mess from her tossing and turning as a result of her insomnia, I laid down and closed my eyes praying to every god I could think of for one instance of peaceful sleep before I opened my eyes at the sound of the door opening, I looked over and saw Monika walking in.
I asked "any reason you're coming back to bed?" She replied "I sleep better with you there, i think it's the warmth" I nodded and spoke "if it helps come as close as you'd like" as I turned over and got comfortable until I felt Monika's ice cold feet touch my back. My back arched in an attempt to get away from the source of the deep freeze causing me to ask "why the fuck are your feet that cold? Do you put them in the freezer before you come to bed? I mean what the fuck?" She laughed before replying "you figured me out" I sighed before closing my eyes again and slowly drifting off to sleep, feeling more comfortable now that Monika was here as my eyes stung as my eye lids closed. It had been a long night and I couldn't wait to get some rest, I needed it desperately. My sleep had been restless and spotty the entire two months, my nerves had grown to be hair trigger as I was held back from engaging the masks by their own unwillingness to come forth, a problem I had yet to figure out a solution too, something that wore heavily on my conscience.