Chapter 10 - Bear #3
Dog smiled as he wrapped the gauze around her leg, securing it tightly. “You’re going to be alright,” he assured her. “We’ll get you stabilized, and once we land, you’ll be checked out by the real medical team.”
Cobra took a deep breath, her expression softening slightly as she felt the pressure of the bandage. “Thanks, Dog. I appreciate it,” she said, though her annoyance lingered.
“Just doing my job,” he replied with a faint grin. “But you’ve got to promise me you’ll take it easy for a while. No more heroics until you’re healed up, alright?”
“Don’t count on it,” she replied with a smirk, her bravado returning. Bear couldn’t help but admire her spirit, even in the face of pain. She was tough, and he knew she’d bounce back.
Havoc and Blast handed out bottles of water, their faces set with determination as they all strapped on their headsets, ready to communicate with the pilots.
Samir sat wide-eyed, taking in the helicopter with a mix of fear and awe.
Bear could see the way his young mind processed the scene, a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety.
The pilots introduced themselves over the din of the rotor blades. “Welcome aboard, everyone! We’ll get you out of here in no time,” one of them said as they banked sharply, dodging incoming gunfire.
Bear leaned back against the wall of the helicopter, trying to catch his breath, but a sudden wave of pain shot through his side.
“Bear!” Dog suddenly exclaimed, his eyes widening as he noticed the blood seeping through Bear’s shirt. “You’re hit!”
“It’s nothing,” Bear replied, attempting to brush off the concern, but the pain was sharper now that the adrenaline was wearing off.
“Nothing? That looks like more than nothing!” Dog crawled across the helo. “Let me take a look.”
Reluctantly, Bear lifted his shirt, revealing a deep graze on his right side. The wound was raw and bleeding, blood soaking into his shirt. “It’s just a graze, Dog. I’ll be fine,” he insisted, but Dog was already pulling supplies from the medic kit.
“Just sit still,” Dog grumbled, his tone rough but insistent.
His hands moved almost on autopilot, methodically cleaning the blood and dirt from Bear’s wound.
Fingers steady and sure, they worked carefully despite his gruff muttering about the mess.
“You need proper treatment. We’re not about to let you bleed out on us, not after all this.
And don’t think Flora won’t slap me upside the head if you show up with a damn boo-boo. ”
“Boo-boo?” Moose chuckled from across the cabin. “I think we need to get you a sticker for that, Bear. Maybe a superhero one?”
“Yeah, maybe one of those glittery ones,” Nova added with a grin. “That way, you can show off your battle wound in style.”
Bear rolled his eyes, trying to suppress a smile despite the pain. “Very funny, guys.”
“Don’t worry, Bear,” Dog said, gently cleaning the wound with antiseptic. “We’ll make sure you’re all patched up. You know, you might want to consider a career in modeling after this. ‘Bear with a Boo-Boo’ could be your new tagline.”
“Just what I always wanted,” Bear replied dryly. “A career in pain-themed modeling.”
“Hey, it could work!” Moose chimed in. “You’d be a hit on the cover of Injured Warrior Monthly.”
“Alright, alright,” Bear said. “Just make sure you guys don’t start calling me ‘Boo-Boo Bear.’ I’ll never live it down.”
Just then, Link leaned over to check on Samir, who was sitting quietly in a corner, looking a bit pale. “Hey, Samir! How you holding up?” he asked.
“I okay,” Samir replied, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, not making eye contact with Link.
“Well, that seemed kinda scary to me,” Link said softly, giving him a small smile. “You did an amazing job out there. But you know what? Once we land, I think we should all celebrate with some ice cream. What do you think?”
Samir’s eyes lit up at the mention. “Really? Ice cream?”
“Absolutely!” Link grinned. “We’re going to treat ourselves after everything we’ve been through.”
As Dog finished wrapping the bandage around Bear’s side, he added with a teasing grin, “Now you have to keep that boo-boo clean.”
“Once we land on the carrier, we’ll regroup and get everyone fed and watered,” Warden spoke up.
“I hope they have ice cream on that boat,” Moose chimed in, a hopeful gleam in his eye. “I mean, after everything we’ve been through, we deserve a treat!”
One of the pilots laughed through the headset, “You better not let Captain Harrison hear you call his ship a boat!”
Everyone chuckled, and Moose blushed in response.
“Only if you promise not to spill it all over the place like last time,” Nova teased, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Hey, that was one time!” Moose protested, feigning indignation. “Besides, I thought we were going for a ‘tactical ice cream operation.’”
Bear smiled, grateful for Dog’s expertise. “Thanks, man. You’re our proper medical team; no one else is allowed to take care of boo-boos around here!”
With the banter lightening the mood, the helicopter continued its flight toward the carrier waiting for them in the Persian Gulf.
The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape.
Even though they destroyed the warehouse, a sense of frustration gnawed at Bear; Al-Harb had gotten away. This mission wasn’t over.
Bear looked around the helo, gauging everyone’s expressions.
“When we land, I want everyone to take an hour to clean up, hydrate, eat, and get checked at medical if needed. Then we regroup and debrief. Link, get with the ship’s command and set up the conference room with a link back to Michaels and probably Admiral Grayson? ”
The atmosphere shifted slightly as everyone nodded, the weight of the mission settling back in.
As the helicopter touched down on the carrier, the deafening roar of the blades gradually softened, giving way to the steady hum and clatter of the ship’s activity.
Bear moved to unbuckle his seatbelt, but fatigue weighed heavily on him.
The adrenaline that had fueled him was finally ebbing, and the pain from his gunshot wounds settled in like a dull, persistent ache.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his trembling limbs as he gathered his gear, every move a reminder of how exhausted and hurting he truly was.
Havoc was already helping Cobra down. She winced but managed a grateful smile as she swung her leg over the edge. “Thanks, Havoc. I owe you one,” she said, her voice stronger than it had been in the helicopter.
“No worries,” he replied, giving her a reassuring nod before turning to join the others.
Link was right beside Samir, guiding him gently as the boy stepped off the chopper.
Bear could see the fear in Samir’s eyes, the confusion from the chaos still fresh in his mind.
“Hey, buddy,” Link said, his voice warm and comforting.
“You’re safe now. You’re with us. Let’s get something to eat, alright? ”
Samir nodded, but Bear could tell he was still processing everything. “I with you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Of course,” Link replied firmly. “Samir will stay with me, everyone. We’ve got each other’s backs,” he announced, his affection for the boy evident.
As the team dispersed to take care of food and cleaning up, Bear watched them, grateful for the team he had built. Conversations buzzed around him, laughter mixed with the sounds of boots on metal as everyone moved about the carrier.
Bear took a moment to pull Warden aside, wanting to ensure everything was in order.
“Hey,” he said, lowering his voice slightly.
“I’m going to find a quiet place to call home and get in touch with Commander Michaels.
Keep an eye on Moose and Havoc and make sure they behave; those two are like two bulls in a china shop. ”
Warden nodded, a serious look crossing his face. “You got it, Bear. I’ll make sure everyone’s accounted for. Just let me know if you need anything. I really hope you get good news about Flora.”
“Thanks, man,” Bear replied, appreciating his reliability. “I’ll check in with you in a bit. Let’s regroup in the conference room in an hour.”
“Sounds good. Just don’t take too long,” Warden said with a smirk. “You know how they get crazy after a while.”
Bear chuckled, the tension easing slightly. “I’ll be quick. I promise. But make sure the conference room has snacks and coffee; I have a feeling the debrief will turn into a planning session as well.”