Chapter 6
It has been eight days since returning without Riley in tow.
Thirty-one days and a countless amount of tears since he was taken.
Still, Liz attends every meeting the general will allow, absorbing as much information as possible.
The only thing keeping her from a full-blown mental breakdown is all the hours of extra training she has convinced them to give her.
Mornings are spent in the gym, sparring ring, and gun range, training with Mikey.
Alex takes over with more advanced training.
Small unit tactics, combat-casualty care, and every other day Liz goes to the base and trains on airborne operations so she can eventually jump alone.
When she is not with either of them, she is with Tyler, trying to understand land navigation and how all their special equipment works.
Her hand cramps with the amount of notes she has taken, scribbling down every detail she is allowed so she can go back and study it in the minuscule amount of down time she is left with.
Mission plans are still left for Alex to coordinate, working with all the new information the general is somehow getting.
She keeps trying to make the team understand how suspicious it is.
Scott may be their leader, but something about the information seems wrong.
It is far more detailed than anything she has seen Riley receive.
Granted, she has not been around anything like this before.
Her concerns always fall on deaf ears. Liz knows she would have better luck talking to her guys if Matt would leave them alone, her concerns falling on deaf ears.
Since the moment the general introduced Matt to the team, he is always popping up wherever they go.
Despite his apology, Liz still can’t stand the man.
Constantly sliding himself into their training regimen, trying to give tips on how to improve.
Matt has perfected the art of simultaneously overstepping professional and personal boundaries, offering to take over certain training aspects and take her to dinner after.
Liz begs Alex to drive her to base today, hoping the switch will throw Matt off, allowing her and Mikey to train in peace.
She sits at the island, head resting on the cool marble, arms sprawled out in front of her, waiting for Mikey to finish whatever it is he is doing when Alex comes down the hall.
“Alright, let’s go. I wanted to talk to you anyway,” he says, tossing a large backpack over his shoulder, walking to the elevator without looking back.
Nervous energy fills her as she hops from her chair and follows him into the elevator and outside to his waiting truck.
“So, this is weird, right?” she playfully asks buckling into the passenger seat.
“I don’t think we have ever been alone outside of you going all drill sergeant mode when you train me.
” The tension eases when he lets out a deep chuckle.
“Yeah, it is. That is why I wanted to talk to you.” The truck roars to life and speeds off down the wooded area leading to the road.
“Alright, so that was ominous,” she says, peeking at him from the corner of her eye.
“Sorry. Not great at this. I owe you an apology,” he says. Liz doesn’t miss the genuine sympathy in his tone. Of all the things he could have said, offering an apology was not what she expected to hear.
“I haven’t treated you the best, and for that I’m sorry. Riley and I have a… complicated relationship,” he starts, taking a big breath before continuing.
“We’re both so stubborn and pig headed that it causes problems. I didn’t want him going after you the day you got taken, and we had a big falling out over it.
Even after he proved you weren’t involved, I tried to get him to get rid of you.
He got too attached, and I didn’t want him to end up getting hurt or being thrown out of the military for some woman who could never feel the same way.
Clearly, I was wrong. His demons don’t scare you, and now you are fighting just as hard as any of us.
” The way his knuckles turn white from his death grip on the steering wheel says everything she needs to know. This is hard for him.
“Thank you. I appreciate it, and I appreciate how you have stepped into the leader role and kept pushing everyone to find him. You are doing so much, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
” She lets out a breath of relief, happy to have the animosity being put behind them.
“I do need to ask, though, when you say ‘complicated relationship’, do you mean you guys were like, a thing? Not that it would bother me, but it would explain a lot.”
He barks out a rich, throaty laugh, one she has never heard before. The openness brings a smile to her face.
“No, nothing like that, although he did help me realize I was attracted to men as well as women.”
“So, he was your sexual awakening? I get that, dudes a fucking smoke show,” she practically purrs, picturing Riley at their lake, glistening in the moonlight.
“God, no. I met Riley at basic and he became like a brother to me,”
We got stuck in the same unit and just hit it off.
We’ve gone through the ringer together. He is my brother and nothing else.
I was supposed to be with them on that mission, but he got promoted before me.
We got in some stupid fight that ended with me thrown off the roster, that was the mission he got shot down and taken.
I took a step back in my career to help him through all his shit.
I hated the idea of him getting his own unit to destroy the Komarov Empire Imperial Movement, but I didn’t hesitate to join when he asked.
We fought a lot, but I was there through it all.
It’s hard to watch him risk his life over and over again.
It sounds stupid saying all this out loud.
He is a grown man who can handle himself.
” Alex sighs, shaking his head at his own realization.
“I get it. You worry about him; there is no shame in that. I’m glad he has you in his corner. He is going to need everyone supporting him when we finally get him home.”
The conversation fizzles out, uncomfortableness finally fading between the duo. Trees touching the clouds shoot past as they navigate the winding roads. Eventually, the clearing thins, opening to a small town outside of the base. Dread oozes the moment they pull past the gate.
“Well, we're early. Tank should be here soon. I have to meet with Scott and get the okay for us to leave in a few days. You should be clear to hide in the gym and get a head start. Text me if you need anything,” Alex says, pulling his truck into a parking spot and hopping out, not bothering to wait for Liz.
She follows his lead, climbing down and power walking in the direction of the gym.
“Honey B, wait up!” an agitating voice yells from across the lot.
Unsure of what irritates her more: the obnoxious nickname or the fact he found her within minutes. Liz keeps her head down and pretends she didn’t hear. She can’t ignore it for long before footsteps quickly approach, slowing their pace when they catch up to her.
“Mikey not coming today? Do I finally get to train you?” he asks, a little too hopeful for her liking.
“He’s on his way. You can go bother literally anyone else,” she snaps, keeping her head down, continuing on her way.
“I’m just trying to help. Part of the team now, remember?” he utters.
“Then go follow Alex around and not me,” she argues.
“I would if he had an ass like yours,” Matt blurts.
He stops in his tracks, hanging his head at his mistake. Liz ignores it, still marching her way to the gym. Once Mikey gets there she will be in the clear and left alone, she just has to hold out until then.
“I’m sorry!” Matt calls after her, jogging to catch back up. “That one slipped out. I’m sorry—”
“Oh my god, will you just leave me alone!” she shouts, stops, and turns on her heels, not caring about the attention she is drawing “We have known each other for what? A couple of weeks? And yet you track me down and follow me like a lost fucking puppy. I don’t know you, and you sure as hell don’t know me, definitely not enough to speak to me the way you do.
So, for the love of god, back the fuck off. ”
“I said I was sorry. I’m trying to get to know you, but you won’t let me.
Excuse me for wanting to be friendly with the people in my unit.
I’m cool with every single person, but you, and do you want to know why I think that is?
I think you’re just as attracted to me as I am to you.
You know, if you let yourself accept that you’re not in a relationship with your commanding officer like you want to believe, you would realize that we would get along really well.
You act like a bitch to distance yourself—”
“Did I just hear that right,” a booming voice rings out across the lot.
Soldiers of various ranks scatter across the blacktop, trying their best to look like they weren’t watching the fight between Liz and Matt.
They both snap to attention as Mikey strides over, looking like the sergeant he truly is.
“I will ask again. Did I just hear you call your fellow soldier a bitch?”
“Yes sir, but—” Matt stammers, only to be cut off by Mikey’s domineering voice once more.
“Miller! Front and center.” A scrawny kid, no older than nineteen with buzzed blond hair and thick glasses, rushes to his side, quickly standing at attention.
Mikey ignores him, still aiming all his anger at the man in front of him.
“Since you have no respect for the women at this base, you get to apologize to each and everyone for being disrespectful. Private Miller here will help you get a list of names and make sure you do a thorough job. I expect every name on his list to be checked off by morning, and start with the highest rank, I’m sure they will be thrilled to know how you treat their sisters in arms.”
The two men sulk away, heading in the opposite direction.
They watch as Private Miller leads Matt to the admin building, taking his babysitting task very seriously.
When they are far enough away, Mikey spins, smiles ear to ear, and pulls Liz into a tight hug, lifting her effortlessly off the ground.
“My hero.” Liz fake swoons, giggling into his neck before he places her back down. She loops her arm through his and nearly drags him the rest of the short walk to the gym, ready to focus on anything but their failed mission.
The room is nearly empty when they arrive, nothing more than a handful of soldiers trying to fit a workout into their busy schedule. An hour into their cardio, Liz is dripping sweat. She’s jogging fast on the treadmill when Mikey finally speaks up.
“So, the last week has sucked.” Beeps sound from the machine and the belt slows. Mikey drops from a run to a fast walk. Liz follows suit and slows to match his pace.
“I think sucked is an understatement. I don’t even know how to describe how scared and miserable I have been.
I thought the missions were going to be the worst part, but they aren’t.
Coming home without him and having to live with that is…
” she chokes, wiping a tear from her cheek before anyone notices.
“I would say, now you know how he felt, but what you are going through is so much worse. How about we try to have some fun tonight? Just me and you?” It is clear he is trying to make up for something, but Liz cannot think of anything he has done to warrant it.
“Why? What did you do? I mean, yes, obviously I would love some best friend time and have a couple of hours where I don’t want to bash my head into a wall, but the way you’re saying it, something is off.” She eyes him carefully, and he won’t meet her gaze.
“Sometimes I forget how scary good you are at reading people. I have some not so great news. I promise I will tell you more tonight after Alex is done with his meetings, but right now, the general is forcing you to sit this one out.” The words come in a rush that he can’t stop.
“He can’t fucking do that,” Liz shouts, forgetting where they are.
“He can. He is our commanding officer, and if that is what he orders, then that is what will happen.” Mikey leaves no room for argument.
She can see in his eyes how much he wishes things were different.
“It gets worse, darlin. He says you still need to be supervised by someone who can get you to and from base and keep up with your training. I’ll give you one guess as to who that is.
” His tone is much lower this time, knowing how much it’s going to upset her.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” she angrily whispers. “You know why he is doing this, right? He is not coming to our house; I won’t let him.”
“It’s not safe to talk about this here. I will tell you everything at home, but I think we need to consider moving back to base for a while. Alex and Tyler already have a room, and they pulled some strings to get us one, too.”
Liz is fuming by the time they finish their cardio. Mikey decides to cut the workout short, knowing there is too much for them to talk about once they leave. He needs to get everything out on the table before they can have their fun.