Chapter 4: Casey

4 years ago:

It's been a long journey over the last 7 years. Me and Oliver spent our 21st birthday at home on leave. We got back a few days before our birthday, and we spent most of the time slumming it at home.

Only to be re-deployed 2 months later to Japan on a mission that took 9 months, but when we got home, we were reassigned to the same mission because the problem caused more problems and it wasn't done. It took another few months in the hot weather, but we managed to get ourselves to safety. We turned 24 last month and had just come back from base after our birthday for a few weeks before we were sent back to San Diego.

You never know when you're about to leave so they always prefer you to be back on base so you can leave the moment your captain tells you too.

Our younger sister, Sophia, has turned into such a sassy, clever young lady and has surprised everyone when she has a school project that asked her to write about the people who inspired her most.

She wrote about me and Oliver in the military, how we make her proud and scared because she always fears we won't come home, how independent we both are, and how the twin connection only made her wish she had a twin as well.

She also wrote about mom and dad and how well they have treated her when we aren't here, how they smile a lot even when she knows that mom cries at night and no one thinks she can hear it, but she can, and she always wishes to hold mom the way mom holds her when she's sad.

♾️

We're currently on our third and final deployment and heading to Africa. Our base is held at Camp lemonnier, situated central Africa and apparently it's our biggest destination and mission yet. Everything feels heavy and nothing feels right about this. We're 2 months into the deployment and have not seen what we officially came here for.

"Guys and Girls"

"Yes Captain" we all say in unison as we stand up straight.

"We have been assigned this classified mission, as you all very well know, but..."

"Sir," I say as I raise my hand.

"What is it, Hamilton?"

"Sir, we've been here for two months and nothing. I have a bad gut feeling about-"

"I know. No locals are saying anything. The moment we step foot into their turf, they all clear off"

As soon as our captain had finished, there's a loud crash somewhere further off the compound. Opening the gates, one of our helicopters is caught a light. There have been a fair few injuries and casualties while we have been here but no major casualties or deaths, which I'm thankful for. Me and Oliver have both spoken and agreed that this is our last mission and we will be retiring from the Military with our health and probably start something on the lines of outdoor training. I can't be an office person; it's too risky for my restless legs.

After our commanders, the captain and other forces around the compound told everyone to go back to the barracks, it led me to my brothers and his teams so we could sort through our stuff and make sure everything's ready and working incase we need to make a quick exit.

"So when we go home, what's the plan, bro?"

"Well, I spoke to dad and there are a lot of things we could do but I do have something to tell you. I got sent a photo and a letter from Leah"

"Oh-Er," I say, flicking through my weapons and checking each one is clean and loaded. Which they are. As always.

"She's nearly 2 and a half months pregnant," he says, grinning so widely it's a catchy feeling. I drop my stuff and pounce on Oliver, hugging him tightly to me. "Your... OH MY GOD! Olly! You're going to be a dad?"

"I am! God, I'm going to be a dad, Casey!" His excitement is short-lived when our Captain enters, shouting for everyone to gear up and head out of the Barracks.

All ready and ready to go, me, Jackie, Oliver, Tyler, Flynn and the rest of the crew make our way out. 20 minutes into the light walking and checking under bags, zipping through homes, and using a metal detector to detect any signs of explosives around which there weren't, thankfully we keep going only for an IED to hit right where we are.

Everyone calls out there names but I step around and another explosion hits just near the house where we're all standing, causing the house to collapse. This happens, trapping our men and launching me and a few others back.

The ringing in my ears keeps going, blood dripping from my head from where I have hit it somewhere.

"OLIVER!" I shout over the screams, hoping he isn't one of the men under anything and that he's probably just waking up from being knocked out.

"Cassi! I'm over here," he groans and my heart feels heavy. It feels like a heavy and painful weight is sitting on my chest.

"I'm here. Hey I'm here Let me shift all of this, bandage you up and send you back, okay. It will be just fine, okay"

"Not me. Don't save me; go get captain. I'm stuck."

I look over at Captain, who is out cold with a tonne of debris all over him.

"I can throw you in that helicopter and save you or I can loose you, which I won't do so shut the fuck up, okay, you, my other half. My soul and my life. You're going to be a dad, okay. Just bear with me," I tell him as I remove what I can and clean dust and sand off him before wrapping him up in antiseptic stuff and bandages the best I can with the supplies I can find.

"Come on, hold on to me," I shout over the sounds of guns going off. I find it hard to concentrate but I have to get him out of here and then save whoever else I can.

Oliver grips my shoulder as his screams echoed over everything else going on, His leg definitely broken and will probably need surgery but we have to keep going.

"Right, I'm going to grab whoever else I can and check on our team, okay. Keep breathing, Olly! I love you"

"I love you too, Casey! When you get back, we will head home and we will get a plaster on my leg, yeah," he says as he laughs at me while trying to cover up his pain.

"No time for jokes but I love the humour, bro" I head back and save our Captain, then Jackie, a guy named Flynn and another guy Named Luke. Luke is the one in the most critical condition.

"Casey, look behind you!" Oliver shouts and I pull my gun out and look directly behind me at the gun aiming for me. I don't even want to hit him, but with the extensive training I've had to carry a gun I fire it and it hits him in the middle of his head. I don't even think about the repercussions of my actions; I get on with what I need to do.

After getting them on the helicopter, I go to jump in when I feel a pinch in my neck and slowly my limbs go all heavy. My body feels heavy and weak but I vaguely hear Oliver's voice shouting. And then the helicopter goes out of site. I am out of site and I don't know where I am or where I am going.

-

My mouth feels as dry as the sahara desert when I go to move; I can't. I'm chained to something.

Looking down, I see I'm shackled to a metal chair on both arms and both legs.

"Good. You're awake," the voice beside me says. English words but an accent I don't recognise.

"Where am I?"

"Home. of course"

I look around and there's no light in here, just walls covered in cement and I can see rats running everywhere. My body aches so bad it feels as though I have been hit with a truck. Then I remember my brother and how they were going to safety. I don't even know the day or what time it is. Am I still in Africa? Am I really back home in America?

All Questions have no answers.

"This isn't my home"

"You have information that I want. That's why your here"

"I know nothing so let me go, okay. Let me go"

"Sorry. No it can't be done. If you don't give me what I need, then I'll make sure your beloved brother dies too"

"He's not here..."

"ah. Yes." He says in his bad English accent. "The helicopter that blew up. Sorry for your loss," he laughs in my face. I try to fight the restraints but it's not useful.

That information gets my pulse racing my heart beating and the sweat drips from my head onto my body, but I can't wipe at it.

"Fuck you, you fucking prick," I shout in his face, spitting on the floor near his feet.

My actions greet me with a slap across my face.

Son of a bitch!

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jabari Ada. I run all of this state and I would like to know what you were doing snooping in my territory"

I spit on the floor beside him again but I notice the blood in my mouth. Doing this earns me another slap to the face. The slap fucking hurt a lot, I will say.