Chapter 7
CHAPTER
SEVEN
JESSICA
When Noah walks out of the tent, I scrub my hands on my face. I sit back in my chair and stare off, my thoughts running rampant.
I replay every word Noah said. “Watching you fall and knowing you can’t catch them.”
I’ve been falling for years, and for the first time, someone saw it.
I count the names in my head—five. Five soldiers who died under my care. Five faces I couldn’t save.
I rub my eyes. The fatigue is bone-deep, and I know I need to go back to my tent, get some sleep, otherwise I won’t be any good to anyone. I walk back to my tent, take my boots off and lay down.
When sleep finally takes me, it’s the five soldier’s and Noah’s faces that I see.
When I finally wake, I find I only slept for a couple of hours. I look over and see Rachel getting dressed for the day.
“When did you finally go to sleep?” she asks.
“A couple of hours ago,” I respond, sitting up and putting my boots back on.
“I figured as much,” she says.
Once we are dressed, we both head to the chow hall to get something to eat.
While in line, I hear footsteps behind me and turn. It’s Noah.
He’s limping slightly, boot tied this time, but still favoring the injured ankle. “You’re supposed to be resting,” I say, not unkindly.
“I did,” he replies.
We stand in line, getting food served on our trays before walking to separate tables. He with his team and me with Rachel.
“So, what’s going on with you and Captain Reyes?” Rachel asks as she takes a sip of her watered down coffee.
I take a deep sigh, before responding. “I took care of his ankle early this morning when I caught him outside the medical tent.”
“Is it bad?” she asks with a frown.
I nod. “He didn’t do himself any favors yesterday on the mission, I just hope he stays off of it as much as possible today,” I tell her softly.
She nods as we both finish our breakfast up before heading to the medical tent to check on the soldiers this morning.
The medical tent is quiet when we arrive. The wounded soldiers are either asleep or staring blankly at the canvas ceiling, lost in their own thoughts. I check charts, adjust IVs, and make notes while Rachel moves through the other side of the tent.
I pause at the Sergeant’s cot. He was a soldier we pulled from the convoy yesterday, who had been shot in the shoulder. His vitals are stable, but his eyes are distant. I sit beside him and offer a small smile.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Like I got hit by a truck.”
“More like a bullet, but I get it,” I say gently.
He chuckles, then winces. With eyes glassy, he admits, “I thought I was going to die.”
I don’t respond immediately, I just place a hand on his good shoulder and squeeze lightly.
“You didn’t,” I whisper.
After checking the rest of the patients, I step outside for air. The sun is climbing, casting long shadows across the sand. I spot Noah across the yard, talking to Sergeant Mitchell. His posture is tense, his face unreadable.
I know that look, something’s coming.
Rachel steps beside me, arms crossed. “You feel it too?”
I nod. “Something’s shifting.”
She sighs. “I heard whispers about a new mission. High risk. Civilian extraction near the border.”
I glance at her. “You think they’ll send us?”
“Maybe.”
I look back at Noah. He’s watching me now, eyes locked. There’s something in his gaze, warning, worry, maybe something more.
I turn to Rachel. “Let’s get the tent prepped. Just in case.”
She nods, and we head to the triage tent to make sure everything is prepped for the just in case.
Twenty minutes later a Lieutenant comes in.
“Major Stevens, the Commander, wants to see you right away.”
“Yes, Lieutenant,” I reply, looking over at Rachel, before walking out of the tent and following the Lieutenant.
When I walk into the tent, I see the Commander behind his desk.
“Sir, you wanted to see me?”
“Major Stevens, take a seat.”
I do as I’m told, sitting straight in the chair and waiting for the Commander to speak.
“Captain Reyes had some things to say about you yesterday,” he starts, while coldly staring into my eyes.
I say nothing as I stare back, waiting for him to get to the point.
“He says you were reckless out there, but that it was also warranted due to the circumstances. You saved those soldier’s lives.” He shakes his head and I can see a faint smirk on his lips that he tries to hide.
Still, I don’t move or make a sound.
I watch as he takes a deep breath. “We have some civilians near the border that need to be extracted. I’m going to assign you to go with Captain Reyes’ team, but I want to make it very clear, he has authority over you. You will do what he says and how he sees fit, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Sir,” I sound off.
The Commander looks at me with knowing eyes, then says, “There will be a briefing in thirty minutes. Dismissed.”
I stand up, salute, and then leave the tent.