Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Puerto Maldonado, 1982

Rays of sunlight danced through foliage from the trees above. The roar of a waterfall reverberated around the two soldiers, sitting inside the hollow of a rocky cliff. Jace wiped the sweat from his brow and looked back through the filmy scope. The weather had been rather unbearable for this mission and it was only going to worsen as the temperatures rose. The amazon had always been known for its beauty, but lately Jace had come to see a much different side of it. On top of the heat, it was also humid which only added to the constant feeling of dehydration. It was pure bliss however, when the sky would cloud over and the cool rain would wash over his body. He had been in this small cave for a good few day, taking notes of the guard shift changes at the compound not far from their camp. The group had not had a job in months and their resources were running low, including food. His stomach grumbled and he groaned, setting his rifle down in front of him. “You bring anymore MRE’s with you, Lex?”
The woman shook her head, and with a sigh rummaged through her backpack. “ Don’t you remember what Aaron told us? There are plenty of resources around us in the forest.”
Jace scoffed and lit up a cigarette. He shoved the zippo back into his pocket and took a long drag. “Do I look like a hunter to you?” She eyed his rifle and coked her eyebrow. The sniper rolled his eyes and stood, stretching his arms over his head. “Come on, we can try some fishing at the bottom of this waterfall.” He nodded in the direction of the falls just ahead of them.

The dull cracking sound of a machete hitting tree vines echoed through the forest. Lexi brushed a strand of hair away from her face as she cut an opening through the dense vines. “Its amazing how much you miss home when you’re out here. The cool air whipping around you on the docks of Port Angeles. The paved side walks.” she laughed, looking up into the branches above. A gunshot startled her and she quickly turned round, gasping as a large snake came crashing down in front of her. It hissed quietly, blood oozing from its mouth. Jace picked it up with the end of his rifle, its body dangling limply.
“Dinner is served, princess.”
“There is no way I’m eating that.”
“What you’ve never eaten snake before? Not even in survival training?”
She shook her head no and pushed past him. “Nope and I don’t plan on trying anytime soon.” Jace snickered, letting the snake fall to the ground and he followed behind her.
“We may not have a choice at this point.”

They continued to make their way through the dense vegitation, the need for sustinance driving them forward. A light mist began to surround them as they eventually made their way to the waters edge, the waterfall now thundering loudly around them. Drops of water splashing onto the bare skin exposed, it was heaven. Jace tossed his rifle to the ground and quickly peeled off his shirt, eager to cool off in the waters before them. Lexi gazed around at the trees surrounding them, despite the noise there was an eerie calmness surrounding the area. The compound loomed in the distance. It was a bit of a risk hunting to close to the enemy grounds. She gasped as a stream of water splashed her face and her torso. “Knock it off, Ashford!” Lexi growled, water seeping through her clothing and chilling her body.
“Don’t be such a hard ass. Come on Lex, live a little!”
‘We might not live much longer if we get caught’ she thought, and she made her way into the river. Jace had the right idea getting in the water, it had been weeks since she had a decent shower. Lexi could feel the stream washing away some of the mud from her body. Closing her eyes, she leaned back and floated on the surface.
It would be so easy to just relax if she knew that this mission would pull through. There was so much riding on this following through. Traveling from city to city, chasing rumours and stories only hoping that something would turn up. About a year ago a contract came in informing them of a company that had possibly been trying to make a type of bio weapon. At first they didn’t think much of, being a fairly new mercenary group they assumed it was just a joke. But more and more reports where coming in telling of strange stories and disappearances.
Silverwing was the dream group she had always imagined being with. If only they could just get a little more money in their pockets, and a real mission they could get the break they all needed.
Something brushed against her lower back and she opened her eyes. Jace grinned slyly down at her. “Having a nice daydream?”
She sat up, standing next to him in the water. “ Ace-“ Lexi was cut off as his lips met hers. Her cheeks flushed and she paused, her brain trying to wrap around what was happening. Pulling her closer, Lexi could feel her body give into the kiss. His lips quickly left hers, and she could feel his body pull away. The water bubbled beneath her and Lexi opened her eyes. “Ace?” Looking around she noticed the spot where Jace was once standing become red with blood. “JACE!” She yelled frantically, diving under the water to search for him. Murky water greeted her, only weeds and fallen tree branches met her gaze.

- - - - -

Chapter Text

Nothing but darkness seemed to fill the tall narrow cavern. The sound of footsteps and a dull scraping sound echoed around.
The occasional droplets of water would fall from the stalactites above, eventually causing Jace to groggily wake from his unconscious state.
Bits of stone and dirt shifted about, as Jace’s limp body was dragged through the tunnel. There was a tug on his legs, as he was pulled over a larger incline of rock. His head thudded against the ground, and a small groan escaped his lips.
The warm blanket of numbness began to leave his body, each nerve and fibre sending messages of panic to his brain. All the training he had gone through seemed to disappear from his memory. Jace searched his mind, hoping for some recollection as to what got him here in the first place.

It was then he felt it, a bullet wound embedded deep in his rib cage. Jace inhaled sharply as he could feel the rocks underneath him scrape the exit side of the wound. Instinct told him to escape, and fight whomever was dragging him along in this black abyss.
‘Kill or be killed’ Jace thought grimly as he carefully attempted to sit up. Searing pain coursed through him as he sat up, spots of white lights danced in front of his eyes. He bit down on his lip, fighting back the cry of agony. Eyes searched the darkness before him, luck seemed to be in his favour at the time. Jace could only hope that the stranger dragging him had poor eyesight. Finger tips slid down the side of his calf, hoping to feel the end of a combat knife. His hand grazed over the pommel and grasped the handle. With bated breath he began to cut the rope wrapped tightly round his ankles. The sense of freedom never felt so sweet.
However with each fibre of rope cut, the pace he was being dragged at began to slow. Within seconds of the rope being severed, Jace knew his run of luck had quickly come to an end. Quickly jumping to his feet, Jace lunged at the figure in front of him. Knife drawn, he plunged the blade into the chest of the attacker. Without thinking, Jace quickly turned and sprinted in the opposite direction. Heart racing with fear, he darted through the blinding darkness. He had to escape, if this stranger caught him there was no telling what his fate would be. His mind raced as he struggled to see, not knowing if his next step would sending him plummeting over a cliff.
All the air escaped his lungs, as he was tackled to the ground. Jace struggled in the grasps of the stranger once more, hands clawing at the ones that now enclosed his throat. It carefully removed the knife from its own chest, blood dripping downward onto the snipers shoulder. Jace struggled against the figure above him, knowing well enough this moment may just be his last.
A dull beeping echoed from the small radio in his pocket.
“…Ashford come in, where are you?” A mans voice broke through the heavy static.
His grip tightened, as the knife sliced down the side of his face. The blade ripping open the skin above his eye, tearing down through the socket and withdrawing below his cheek bone.
“Eye for an eye” a voice growled, before rendering Jace unconscious once more.

-

Cold wet concrete slapped against Jace’s limp body, as he was thrown onto the ground. A heavy metal door slammed shut behind him, leaving him once more in darkness.
Jace coughed, blood splashing into the palm of his hand. He groaned as he rolled onto his back, one hand applying pressure to the wound in his chest. Death at this point would have been a warm welcome. The bullet had caused some internal bleeding, but to what severity he did not know. “So this is how I go…rotting in some fucking cell.” He mumbled to himself.
“You’ll be lucky if it’s death that takes you. Everyone who comes here ends up like another one of their puppets…the muertos vivientes” a voice echoed from one of the corners. There was a shuffling on the ground and a figure approached him. They placed their hand on the snipers chest, and Jace raised a fist in the air in hopes to attack this person. There was a soft chuckle “ I am not your enemy, stranger. I only wish to help.”
“Help me? What makes you think i’ll trust you?”
“We are in the same predicament, I’m afraid you don’t have much choice on that matter.”
The man had a good point whether or not Jace wanted to admit it. Cold hands pressed against his rib cage, and Jace clenched his jaw as a palm brush against the bullet wound.
There was the sound of tearing fabric, and eventually the man pressed a wad of torn cloth to the wound.
‘Muertos Vivientes…’ that wasn’t the first time Jace had heard that name. Through out all the villages Silverwing had wandered through, that was all the locals would talk about. Rumours that corpses became reanimated, an army of the dead.
He tried to dismiss the thought as he sat up, leaning his back against the wall.
Closing his eyes he tried his best to ignore the pain searing through his body. Sleep would not come easy tonight.

-

It was unclear how many hours had passed, but a bright light woke the sniper up. A loud ringing filled his ears when his eyes opened, and quickly he sheilded his face with his hands. Jace traced the large scar on his face, and suddenly withdrew his hand after feeling the cold wet blood. ‘My eye…’ Once more he tried to open his eyes, but his line of vision seemed to stop on his left side.
“Coño! despiertate preso !”
Two men dressed in long white coats and gas masks walked into the cell and over to the other inmate in the room. One of them roughly shook the inmates shoulder and his body slid to the ground, blood pouring out of his mouth. “ Mierda pienso que estas muerto…”
Jace silently watched in horror as the inmates body rose up from the ground, some kinda of black substance dripping from his mouth.
One of the men withdrew a gun while the other tried to restrain the inmate.
“Rapido! Matalo! El se convertio.”
Gunfire echoed loudly in the room, and the inmate dropped to the ground.
“Que pasa con el?”
Jace was roughly grabbed by the arm, and yanked to his feet.
“If you’re going to kill me just fucking do it!” He spat in one of the mans faces, trying to get out of the tight hold.
One of the other men chuckled, and withdrew a pair of handcuffs from his coat pocket.
“You’re pretty feisty, gringo. Seems to be your lucky day after all, If you survive that is” he roughly shoved Jace to the other man and was handcuffed quickly “Process him.”

Chapter Text

     Ice cold water splashed upon Jace’s face, stealing him from what was a rather tranquil state. His eyes flew open, bright lights burning into the left side of his face. It felt like a steal rod was being slammed through his eye socket. Jace twisted his body, in hopes to try and escape the harsh light. He glanced down at the leather cuffs that latched him tightly to a chair, he had no chance of getting out this time.

 There was a loud bang behind him, as a large door closed. A tall man with a white coat approached him, wheeling over an aluminum tray cart. Several syringes and scalpels lay upon it, glinting in the light. Jace eyed them warily then glanced up at the doctor, who in return smiled warmly. 

“You must be” The man peered down at clipboard that he held in one hand, and removed a small plastic ID card from it “Ashford?” He tossed the card onto Jace’s lap, and the sniper mentally cursed himself for keeping his wallet on him during his previous mission. “ My name is Doctor Hayes”

Jace watched him carefully as the doctor grabbed some gauze from the tray, and coated it with alcohol. “You may as well relax dear boy, this is going to take a while. You remember the man in your cell, correct? He was our eighth experiment in the past two years. I must admit I was extremely disappointed at his death but-” Hayes sighed and applied the gauze to Jace’s forearm “ then you came along.”

Each syringe contained a different coloured fluid, none of which looked all too appealing . Hayes pulled a white glove over his hand, the plastic making a sickening slap against the skin once pulled all the way on. Grabbing the first syringe, he gave the glass vile a few taps making sure all the air bubbles were released. 

“What the fuck are you going to do?” Jace growled, as the needle was gently injected into his wrist. With horror, Jace watched as the turquoise blue liquid flowed through his veins. Hayes continued to smile serenely as he picked up the second syringe, injecting it a little higher than the first.

“I know that you must be frightened, so your first instinct is to display this false bravado. But I assure you there is nothing you need worry about. Im not here to hurt you, my dear boy. In fact I wish to do the opposite, and my friends are going to help me.”

Jace peered down at the last syringe, containing a thick black liquid. It seemed as if the fluid was moving around, and Jace froze. Just what exactly was in that vile? He remembered the dark liquid that oozed from the inmates mouth, and fear washed over him. 

“You’re friends? What- “

Hayes walked behind Jace, and yanked his head back. In one swift motion Hayes injected the final needle into Jace’s neck, and let his head fall forward.

“ Eight experiments, all of them reacted differently to my friends…my parasites ” Hayes watched as the dark liquid spread throughout Jaces neck ,and for a second Hayes thought he saw a sinister glow behind those eyes. “For years I have been trying to find the perfect test subject, and each time have failed “   Heart pounding in his chest, Jace could feel the sensations of something crawling under his skin. He clenched his fists tight and grit his teeth, whatever this parasite was it was fast. “ First “ Hayes went on, absentmindedly fiddling with the syringe in his hand “ they attack the central nervous system, taking complete control over the hosts body. Next” The doctor chuckled, placing the syringe on the tray “hmmm, Im afraid is up to my friends. I have yet to witness their true potential-” Hayes grabbed Jace by the chin, forcing the sniper to look into his eyes “ and yours.”

-

Puerto Maldonado, 1982. Location:Unknown.

1 Week After The First Injection

“Doctor, you’re going to want to see this!” Pulling away from her microscope, a young woman ran through the small lab and over to a tall older man. The man looked up from his clipboard, and followed her back to the desk where the microscope sat. He glanced through the ocular lens, turning the fine adjustment knob so he could get a clearer view. 

“W-when did this start?” He stammered, hands trembling as he began to scribble notes on his clipboard. 

“After you gave us the blood sample from E9 this morning, I’ve never seen cells multiply this quickly and- “ The young woman shook her head, removing her glasses to wipe her eyes “Doctor Hayes,I think-“

But she was cut off as Hayes raised his hands for silence. He beamed at the other doctor, grasping her shoulders and wrapping her in an embrace. 

“We have finally done it, Nora! I must let them know, prepare all the staff for an inspection this week!”

“Ill brief them first thing in the morning.”

 She watched as Hayes briskly left the room, and then turned her attention to the large mirror in the room. 

Nora walked over, resting her hand and forehead on the cool surface of the glass. She watched as Jace lay on his cot, his body still and seemingly calm. 

Her fingers tapped on the glass and his eyes flew open, bright turquoise blue in the dim light of the room. Nora screamed and jumped back from the glass, her whole body trembled. This man, this thing…just what exactly had they created? 

-

   Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days.Weeks. Months. All of these seemed to blend together, time felt irrelevant. Jace stared up at the empty void above him, hoping to slip into unconsciousness. 

As of a few weeks ago he had been placed into a new cell, not that it was much better. The only differences it seemed were a bed and a large two way mirror was placed high on the wall, for the doctors to spectate and study from.  

He was beginning to understand what it may feel like to be one of those lab rats. Each day there would be a knock on the door, and a tray of food would slid through a small opening. Mind you it was hard to even call what they served him food. A steal tray of what looked like dry bread and some indistinguishable mush. 

After meal time a doctor would come in, take a blood sample and then leave. Tho after the last incident where Jace punched the doctor in the stomach, a guard was now sent in as well. They would first immobilize the sniper by hitting him with a large baton, and once subdued the doctor would take the blood sample. 

Jace rolled over on to his side, staring at the small opening in the door. How long would he be stuck in this hell?

A few small bangs came from his cell door, and three soldiers walked in all dressed in BDU’s he could not recognize. Dr Hayes followed behind them, clipboard in hand and Jace immediately sat up on his cot.  The soldiers black boots clicked against the concrete floor, dark visors shielding their eyes. 

“Good evening, Mr Ashford.  You seemed to survive the first few weeks, so far you have surpassed the rest of the test subjects.”

“We came here to see a demonstration, Doctor. I would hate to tell my boss that all you are doing is wasting our time with some bullshit patient checkup nonsense.” One of the soldiers lifted the black visor, two piercing blue eyes glanced at Jace. They removed the helmet, long chestnut hair falling down and framing the young woman’s face. She tucked a few strands behind her ear, and placed a hand on her hip. Her eyebrows furrowed as she glared at the doctor. 

“Very well” Hayes adjusted his glasses and glanced at the sniper “ Show them what you can do.”

Jace stared back at the group and blinked stupidly, not quite understanding what he was suppose to do exactly. 

The female soldier watched him, her eyes burning into his. Altho terrifying, she was beautiful and Jace couldn’t help but feel a blush creep onto his cheeks when they made eye contact. 

But this wasn’t like some love story, where if he smiled at her she would fall for his smooth charms. If he made a pass at her it would not cause her heart to flutter, but instead would result with Ashford’s face hitting the hard concrete floor.  

It would be idiotic to assume that he could some how flatter this girl, causing her to drop the rather abrasive demeanour. Unfortunately for Jace, he acted before putting much thought before his actions.  

One of the soldier’s turned his head to the side, in an attempt to hold back a laugh as Jace did a series of moves that resembled the soul train dance. Doctor Hayes stood speechless, nervously glancing at the female solider who began to saunter over to Jace. 

“You think you’re pretty cleaver, don’t you?” She turned her head and nodded at the other two soldiers in the room. “ One of you escort the Doctor out, I can take it from here.”

The door slammed shut, and the male soldier grabbed Jace by the wrists then cuffed them tight behind his back. Kicking the sniper to the ground, the solider roughly grabbed Jace by the cuff link and began to lift his arms. It felt as tho his arm would rip from their sockets, and Jace let out a yell of pain.

“Ill make you a deal, Ashford” The female solider kneeled down, gently caressing Jace’s face with her hand “ You demonstrate to me just what you can do, and I’ll get my man to stop. Sound good?”

“How about this” Jace opened his eyes, struggling to smile “I show you and then you tell me your name, pretty girl.” 

The female solider sighed, and Jace was raised higher. His body shook with pain as his shoulders were about to dislocate. She nodded at the other solider and he tied a rope to the cuffs. There was a large pull as Jace was forced up from the ground, his shoulders dislocated causing a loud scream to fill the room. 

With one quick motion, Jace tore out of the solider grasp and sent him flying to the wall with a strong kick. His eyes glowed, as he ripped the cuffs from his wrists. 

Heavy silence filled the room, and the female soldier gently clapped her hands. She took a cigarette from her vest pocket, lighting it with a small silver zippo. Bringing the cigarette the the snipers lips, he inhaled deeply. 

“My name is Marian. Welcome to X.O.F, Mr Ashford”

Chapter Text

Northern Kabul, Afghanistan.
OKB Zero.
[XOF Phone Logs: 12-31-1982 7:15 PM. Cassette: 084. Side A]
-Incoming call from Puerto Maldonado-

(CLICK)

- (Pause) -

(A woman clears her throat, gathering herself before speaking)

“Captain M. Arlington, reporting for D Company.”

“ You finally have all of them?”

“Yes, however we only managed to extract the one. The others…they didn’t make it.”

(There is a brief pause. A chair creeks in the background, and a heavy sigh soon follows.)

“I see…seems like i was right. The doctor was in over his head with this experiment.”

“Yes. The…the parasites were too much and killed their hosts.”

(Heavy silence followed by static. The tape skips)

“ - - - - - - - - to be determined over time. Whether or not he survives - - - - - - - -.”

“ Seems like you have found just what I needed then. We only need him alive until we have found the Boss. After that…dispose of him.”

-(Pause)-

“Of course. Consider it done.”

(Heavy static as the tape flips over. End of recording)

-

Port Angeles
Olympic Medical Centre, 1983

The dull beep of a electrocardiogram echoed faintly beside Lexi, as she woke from a rather short sleep. Rolling over on the bed, she reached out her hand to touch the small plexiglass case beside her. A soft thud reverberating into her finger tips, as a tiny foot kicked at the glass. She smiled as she could hear a quiet coo from the infant.

“You two sleep alright?” A nurse strolled in, carrying a tray in her hands. Placing it on the table beside Lexi, she stopped to gaze over the baby. “This little one hardly makes much of a peep. Consider yourself lucky, my dear.”

Lexi brushed back a few strands of black hair, watching as the nurse picked the baby up. Gently wrapping a blanket around the small body, and handing it to Lexi.
It was almost surreal holding this tiny thing that she had carried for what felt like an eternity. The pregnancy itself came as quit a shock. She had only just returned from Peru when she began to show signs, the dreadful morning sickness being the first of them. Of course her comrades in Silverwing were exceptionally overjoyed, a few of them cracking jokes that the baby would be the newest mercenary in the group. Her smile faded when her mind drifted back to the flight home. It was anything but relaxing.
After spending weeks searching for their missing sniper Jace, they had all been on edge. She could feel her chest tighten as she gazed into the babies eyes. Tears threatened to flow down her cheeks, as she remembered that last moment with him. Their kiss…
She touched her lips, longing for that feeling once more. His mischievous eyes gazing into hers.

“Hows our little Noah doing?” A tall man walked in, a teddy bear and a bouquet of sunflowers in hand.

Quickly Lexi wiped her eyes and smiled up at the man, a mask of happiness covering her face. “Aaron!”

Aaron chuckled, sitting down beside her on the bed. He brushed her nose with the flowers, tickling her and causing her to let out a small laugh. “Quiet as always.” Lexi gently touched the babies cheek with her thumb.
“Mmmm so the nurses have told me. Who knows we may have a little sniper on our hands”
Her smile faded, the tears coming back once more. Handing the baby to Aaron, she pulled her knees up to her chest.
“Awww baby I’m sorry I should have thought before I spoke-“
“Its fine” She shook her head, looking up at him for a moment before averting her eyes to look out the window. “Im sure Jace would be happy knowing that…”

Aaron placed an arm around her shoulder, kissing her head. “He’s going to turn up, I promise. If there’s one thing I know about Ashford, it’s that he’s one stubborn son of a bitch. He’s not going anywhere, at least not on his watch.”

Lexi sighed and leaned into Aarons touch.

She hoped he was right.

-

Southern Cuba
Camp Omega, 1983

Dark clouds loomed ominously above the camp, thunder quietly roaring in the midst. Rain splashed heavily on the ground outside, as Jace peered through a small window. His forehead pressed against the cool glass, eyes watching the droplets of water slither down the window.

Admittedly this was a hell of a lot better than where he was two months ago, but the thought of slipping into soggy boots once more made him grimace. As he turned round a small black rat sped past him, its nails scratching against the concrete floor. Jace groaned, wandering over to the corner where his boots sat by his cot.

The entire island was littered with sea rats, which always seemed to turn up everywhere you looked. He sat on the edge of the cot and tugged on one of the boots, his socks already getting damp from the moisture inside. Grabbing the other boot, he jumped as another rat came crawling out squeaking angrily. “Get the fuck out of here!” Jace yelled, tossing his boot at the rat in a poor attempt to hit it.

He flopped back on the bed, running a hand through his messy brown hair. Absentmindedly his fingers wandered down the side of his face, tracing the small grooves of his scar. 3 months ago he had completely lost vision in his left eye, but after getting the series of injections his sight was slowly coming back. Whatever these parasites were, they seemed to fix all the injuries he sustained prior to being locked up.
But it was foolish to believe that they could cure him, wasn’t it?
Jace reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small switchblade. He removed the blade from its socket, and brought the knife up in front of his face. His right eye was a bright sea green, the skin around slightly dark from lack of sleep.

His left eye on the other hand…

Jace glanced away for a moment, the sight of it still causing him to feel uneasy. The skin around was a bruised yellow, the lid still severely scared from the damage it took. His pupil was gone, a pale blue iris completely taking over its place. Placing the knife on his chest, he stared up at the ceiling.
A heavy knock on his door seemed to snap him out of his current thoughts.
Jace got up, opening the door to see

Her

Marians hair was tied tightly in a pony tail, her blue eyes gazing intensely up at him. Another XOF soldier stood beside her, a small clipboard in hand. ‘More notes? Still being treated like a lab rat huh?’ Jace thought bitterly.
The young woman stared him slowly up and down, inspecting his look. Hair messy, shirt partially unbuttoned, and…
The smallest hint of a smile graced her lips as she noted the fact he was only wearing one boot.
“Ready for training Ashford? Or do you need a few more minutes getting your shit together?”
Jace blinked, completely forgetting he had not finished getting ready. He chuckled awkwardly, turning on his heel to go grab the boot that was strewn on the ground. Quickly pulling it on, he adjusted his shirt after and met Marian outside the door.
’Smooth move, dumbass’ he mentally cursed himself, following the two soldiers to the training grounds.

Mind you, it was hard to even call what lay before them ‘Training Grounds’. A large embankment was cut into the ground, a messy stone wall keeping the frame held together. With all the rain they had been having, the dirt had become mud. Large puddles scattered all over the grounds, causing any soldier not paying attention to fall into the mess. Jace unfortunately had fallen victim to it several times.

Marian brushed back a strand of hair that had come loose, glancing back at Jace as he followed them. She bumped her elbow against the other soldiers, gaining their attention.
“Winters, you think we will have much of a breakthrough? He’s due for inspection soon…”
Winters lifted the dark visor, a warm smile spreading on his lips.

“Arlington, you worry too much. I assure you after we are finished with the boy today, we will have nothing to worry about. This isn’t my first run in with soldiers like him. We just need to find the right trigger.”

Their boots splashed against the ground as they reached the centre. A few other men were training around them, but stopped and snapped into a quick salute once they noticed Winters. He raised a hand and silence fell upon the field.
“Recruits, attention! My name is Captain Winters, and I supervise all operations of this division. Today-” Winters grabbed Jace by the back of his jacket, flinging him forward. Jace stumbled and gazed up at the group surrounding him, their eyes fixated upon him like a hungry pack of wolves. “I want you to demonstrate to me just what XOF can do. Hell, I’ll even throw in a box of cigars to whoever can rough him up the most.” The men began to move in around Jace, some of them tightening the straps on their gloves.
Winters blew a whistle and the two of them watched as the group of soldiers attacked, Jace almost disappearing from sight as if swallowed up into the sea of bodies. “Just try not to kill him!” Winters yelled out, chuckling quietly as he crossed his arms.

Punch. Kick. Grab. Assaults coming from every angle, it was nearly impossible to defend or fight back. One of the men grabbed him, their fist connecting with his jaw causing him to be launched into another soldier.A swift blow to the ribs caused Jace to fall to the ground, his body curling up in agony.Dirt and blood clouding his vision, as he attempted to shield is face with his arms.

Marian watched, biting her lower lip in anticipation. She remembered what she saw back at Puerto Maldonado. Those glowing blue eyes, she shivered at the thought. Never had she seen someone move that quickly.
As she watched she felt a sense of…pity for the young man. At least that was what she believed it to be. How could it be anything else?
Over the past few months of getting to know him he was anything but sweet. He was crude, arrogant, and never seemed to hold back whatever remark was on the tip of his tongue. But despite all that, he seemed to have a charm about him.
She rubbed her brows in frustration, this little test was getting them nowhere. If anything they would have to send the poor soul to the med bay.
“Call them off, your men are going to end up slaughtering the kid.”
Winters pursed his lips, contemplating the suggestion. Grinning at Marian, Winters absentmindedly stroked his beard. “Growin’ soft for the boy, are you? Alright, we can try something else then.” But before he could blow his whistle, he watched as one of the soldiers was thrown back from the large crowd.

Jace shakily rose up from the ground, a couple of the men drawing away as they noticed a glint of glowing blue in his eyes. One of them lunged at Jace, knife drawn.

‘Kill Him.’

Jace kicked the knife out of the mans hand, then grabbed their wrist and flung them to the ground with a heavy thud. Before the soldier could react, Jace held the man down by placing his boot on their throat.
As he applied pressure the man let out a strangled yell, clawing at Jace’s leg. A couple of men ran foreword, trying to pry the sniper off their comrade.
“Stop it! You’re going to fucking kill him you freak! “ One of them yelled, tugging at Jaces arm.
Jace grabbed the soldier who was tugging at his arm, and ripped him off. Grasping their jacket, he sent them flying through the group of men. The sniper kneeled down, eyes locking with the man under his boot. The soldier began to choke, gasping for air.

Marian and Winters shoved through the crowd of men, most of which were too terrified to intervene.
“Thats enough boy” Winters growled, placing a hand on Jaces shoulder. But his request was ignored, as Jace applied more pressure with the centre of his boot. The soldiers eyes began to roll back in their head, lips turning purple. “I said enough!” Winters withdrew his gun, placing it on the back of Jaces head.
Jace removed his boot and the soldier coughed below him, blood and saliva trickling out the corners of their mouth. A couple of men ran forward, helping their friend to his feet. The soldier glared at Jace, spitting a mouth full of blood at him in indignation.

“Well done boys, enjoy a round of Blue Label on me. Dismissed” Winters called out to the soldiers.
Some of the men cheered in thanks, while others remained silent. Nerves still on edge after what had just taken place.

Marian watched Jace curiously from the corner of her eye, as Winters filled out a forum. Blood and dirt was splattered all over his face and some of his BDU jacket. His green eye fixated on the group of men walking away, as brushed some of the mud from his cheek.
Tapping a pen against the clipboard, Winters beamed at Jace.
“Good work today son. Ms Arlington? Why don’t you take Ashford to do a little target practice tomorrow. Id like to get a full report on his marksmanship. Report back to me at-“ Winters looked down at the watch on his wrist. “ 21:00.”
Marian nodded, giving Winters a quick salute as he walked past them.

-

Waves crashed against the rocks below them, as Marian and Jace made their way along the dirt path. The sun peaked out from behind the clouds, the rain was finally coming to an end. Rays of light beamed down upon them, warming their cold and wet skin.

Marian stretched her arms up above her head, smiling softly at the chirps of birds nearby. She loved coming down to the beach to practice shooting targets, it had become such a great escape for her. At times she would even sneak down in the morning and rip off her boots, plunging her feet into the sand and cool waters of the ocean.
She couldn’t stop herself.
With a faint laugh, she ran past Jace to the beach that lay ahead of them. Tearing off her heavy coat, she flung it to the ground carelessly. The light reflecting off her exposed shoulders and arms.
Breathing in the salty air, she closed her eyes and her head fell back. Marian’s lips parted into a grin, as the gentle breeze tossed her hair around and caused a few strands to tickle her neck. Her eyes opened, and she kneeled down by the waters edge. Fingers touching the cold morning surf, feeling the ripples and bubbles move across her skin.

Jace watched her movements, setting the rifle that was around his shoulder down on the dry sand. It was strange seeing her this way, it was like she was a completely different person. On base she put up quite the defensive wall. A stern, cold, and calculating persona that could cause a man to drop at the snap of her fingers. But this side…
A soft hum caught his attention, as Marian moved her hand back and forth in the waters. It was so soothing…beautiful, and yet the tune was in a way so very haunting.

“Who knew XOF’s little captain could be so sweet.” Jace chuckled, lighting a cigarette.
The humming stopped and she frowned. Rising back up, she tied her hair back in a tight bun. She roughly brushed past him, grabbing the rifle that was on the sand.

‘God he’s such an asshole’

Chapter Text

Part 1: A Parting Glass

Southern Cuba

Camp Omega, 1983

14:00

            “That’s it, just a little lower baby.”

Marian wiped her head around, throwing the sniper an icy glare. Jace chuckled, adjusting his scope to focus back on the intended target. The rifle was quickly yanked from his hands, as a steel toe boot connected with the side of his thigh. Jace bit back a groan, eyes tearing up as he felt his leg go numb from the pain.

“You’re supposed to be lining up a shot, not staring at my ass. If I catch you doing that again, you’ll lose your other pretty green eye” Her words dripping with malice, as Marian lifted the rifle up to her shoulder. “Now…watch closely.”  She lined up the dot sight with the first target, inhaling slowly.

A loud bang reverberated off the large rock walls, as the bullet escaped the chamber. With a sharp crack, it tore through the wooden decoy. A slow round of applause greeted her ears, followed by the flick of a lighter.

Jace inhaled deeply, and then let a slow stream of smoke escape through the corner of his mouth.

“You do all your shooting with a dot sight? Because that’s not exactly a skill sweetheart, anyone can do that.” Jace placed his hand gently on the rifle, their eyes making contact. There was hint of mischief in his glance, and that handsome grin. Marian could feel the sides of her mouth twitch, fighting back a smile she frowned.

No

This man…this boy was just a recruit. She couldn’t let him get away with insubordination. “Ashford, you- “

With one swift pull, Jace took the gun from her. He held up a hand in mock defense. “Don’t cut my nuts off alright? Look…let me show you a few tricks. Ok now, see how your scope maps out the target?”

Marian could feel her cheeks flush. It infuriated her that she was letting him just take control. Although she didn’t want to admit it, she admired how bold he could be. That quick tongue, always ready with some kind of remark.

He was going to be trouble.

Removing the scope, Jace lay on his stomach. Shifting the rifle, so the stock was pressed tight to his shoulder. Jace placed the palm of his hand on the stock, then rested his cheek on his hand. Expert eyes glanced down the small sigh on the end of the barrel. He worked the bolt forward, locking it into place.  With deafening bang, the bullet soared through the air and plunged into the target. One by one the targets were knocked over, a large hole in the center of each of them. With a cheeky smirk, Jace looked up at Marian. “Bullseye.”

Marian rolled her eyes, letting her hair down from the tight bun. “Oh please, you got lucky” She yanked her coat from the ground, pulling it back over her arms. “We should head back; I have reports to file- “

“Just luck, huh? Bet you I can go through another clip and hit the same spots.”

Marian glanced down at him, and her lips curled up into a smile. “Ok fine you have yourself a deal- “she looked him up and down “Ace. But if I win? You get to be on KP for a week and I want you to shine my boots. Every. Morning.”

Jace put out his hand, and she took it shaking on the deal. Suddenly he pulled her closer and whispered, “But if I win, I want a kiss.” Marian laughed and stood up straight.

“If.”

His grin widened, and he turned his head back to focus on the targets. Five shots, each of them fired in rapid succession. Marian could hardly believe what she had just saw. The M2000, though known to have superb range and penetration was also known to be fairly slow bolt action. Each bullet was fired so smoothly and quickly, it was as if he was using a semi auto.

Jace slowly rose up from the sand, brushing away a few strands of hair from his face. He nodded his head in the direction of the targets.

“Care to inspect, Capt’?”

Marian made her way to the targets ahead, and she could already see a few of the bullet casings on the sand. The targets all looked identical, a single bullet hole in each one. That kind of accuracy was near impossible for a second time in a row. “How in the hell?” She murmured, eyes searching for some kind of mistake. There was a light tap on her shoulder, and Marian turned her head.

“I believe you owe me something?”

She raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. “I never said when, did I?” Jace opened his mouth to reply, but she placed a finger on his lips. “Besides, I have reports to fill. And you…sniper-” Marian trailed her finger down his chin, and past his neck. Grabbing hold of his shirt collar, she pulled him close. “Are to follow up with Winters.”

There was a brief moment of silence between them. Jace could smell the faint sent of her perfume, it was subtle but so sweet. Marian’s eyes locked with his, this was his chance. Running his hand up to the back of her head, Jace gently grabbed hold of her hair. Pulling her closer, his lips met hers.

They were soft and supple, like velvet. Gliding his tongue over her bottom lip, Jace gave it a playful bite. A quiet moan escaped her body, and a shiver slipped through his whole body.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, body fully succumbing to the kiss. Lust burned inside and between them, as they pressed closer together.

Jace dragged his hands down to her waist, and in one swift motion lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding her hips against his. Jace groaned, one hand grabbing her ass and giving it a firm squeeze.

Carefully resting her on the sand, he sat beside her and pulled Marian onto his lap.

Panting softly with anticipation, she removed her coat then pulled her shirt up over her head. Jace wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her collar bone and teased his tongue down the center of her chest. Unclasping her bra, he took both breasts in his hands and kissed the soft skin between them.

Marians head feel back in ecstasy, as his mouth enveloped one of her nipples. Tongue dancing in circles around the tip, occasionally giving it a few flicks. She placed both hands on his chest, roughly shoving him down onto the sand. Her heart raced as she quickly unclasped his belt, then lowered the zipper of his pants.

Jace couldn’t help but take a few seconds to gaze up at her. Those beautiful plush lips parted into a smile. He gasped as her fingers teased the edge of his waist band, nudging it down past his hips.

The dull ring of a comms device went off in Marians pocket, interrupting the two of them.  She groaned in annoyance, tugging the thing out and lifting it to her ear.

“Yes?”

Jace coyly traced his finger under one of her breasts, causing Marian to bite down on her lip. He chuckled and trailed it down to her inner thigh, gliding the rest of his fingers to the front of her pants. She swatted his hand away, giving him a firm slap on the wrist.

“Yes, understood. I’ll be right there.” Marian hung up the device, and angrily flung it to where her coat lay in the sand. Yanking a packet of cigarettes from her other pocket, she pulled one out.

Jace watched rather bemused as she searched her other pockets for a lighter.

“Do you need a light- “

“I’m fine, I have one around here somewhere.” She grumbled.

Jace shrugged and lay back in the sand, hands resting behind his head.

“Where the fuck- “Jace plucked the cigarette from her mouth and placed it to his lips. Withdrawing a pack of matches, he lit one up. The tip sizzled, as a small flame appeared on its end. Lighting the cigarette, he motioned her to move closer with his finger.

Their lips touched, and he let a steady stream of smoke drift through her smooth lips. She inhaled deeply and grabbed the cigarette back from him.

“We better go.”

Jace sat up on the sand, brushing some of it off his shoulders. “Now? Marian we- “

“That’s Captain Arlington, actually” She put her hair back into a bun and adjusted a few runaway strands of hair. “You’re just a recruit remember? “

“But we just- “

“Kissed? that right, we did. What are you, five? It was just a kiss, Ashford. Now get yourself in order, we have to report back at base.”

She buttoned up her coat and made her way back to the path. The wind whipped around her, as if telling her to go back.

‘You’re being foolish, Marian! Snap out of it! Winters would send you packing if he knew you were messing around with the new recruit’ Shethought, gazing for a moment back at Jace.

‘But that kiss.’

She shook her head, in an attempt to dismiss the thought. Small rocks shifted in the dirt beneath her boots, as Marian continued up the path.

She dared not turn around to look back, because she knew this familiar feeling all too well. Whether she liked it or not, she already craved his presence.

Marians fingers drifted to her lips, still feeling the phantom touch of his skin against hers.

-

Southern Cuba, Camp Omega

[XOF Phone Call Logs: 03- / /-1983 20:00. Cassette: 107 Side B]

-Incoming Call. Location Unknown-

(CLICK)

-Pause-

Voice 1: This is Winters.

Voice 2: Captain. It’s good to hear from you, how have things been?

Winters: Commander! Things are lining up as planned.

Commander: Good. And our man? I presume the training is nearly complete?

Winters: Yes. He’s surpassed all of our expectations. When the time comes, we will be ready for deployment.

Commander: (chuckles) That may be sooner than you expect. It seems as if Miller has stumbled into our territory. But until then I want you to get the boy ready. The sooner we retrieve Miller…The sooner we can eliminate Big Boss …for good.

(Heavy static and soon the line goes dead)

(End of recording)

-

21:00

         The smoke from a cigar lazily curled up in the air, clouding the dim lighting in the room. It was impossible getting a good amount of electricity on this base. Generators were in short supply, and unfortunately the base didn’t have enough money to get more.

Captain Winters sighed, rubbing his brow in frustration as he continued to look over the document in front of him.

There was a knock on the door, and the Captain took off his glasses. He set them on the desk, then took another long drag of his cigar.

“Come in”

Jace walked in, hair wet from the newest downpour of rain. He was completely soaked, soggy boots dripping water onto the floor. Winters beamed extending his hand, offering the seat in front of his desk to the sniper. After a brief salute, Jace sat down in the small chair. His body shivering from the cold wet BDUs, that now clung to his frame.

The Captain took note of this and reached into one of the drawers at his desk. He withdrew a large glass bottle, and a pair of drinking glasses. Pouring one, he offered it to Jace then poured a second drink for himself.

“Drink up boy, it will help warm you up a bit”

Jace hesitated at first but then nodded briefly, gladly accepting the invitation and downed the drink in one gulp. Winters brows raised in surprise, and a chuckle rumbled from his body.

“Long day, son?”

The older man poured him a second drink, then took a sip of his own.

“Yes, Sir.” Jace wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Admittedly it had been a rather long few weeks. From the grueling hours spent in training, and then of course…her.

Though he tried he could not keep his thoughts off of that kiss. Her presence was intoxicating, and he longed just to be wrapped around her once more.

Swirling the drink around in the glass, Winters took a drag from the cigar. Tapping the ash from the end, he grabbed the small ceramic tray from his desk and put the cigar out. He leaned back in his chair, taking note that Jace seemed to be a bit more at ease now.

Winters glanced back down at the papers on his desk and withdrew a pen from his shirt pocket.

“We have men here from all over the world, and each one has a file with us. As Captain, it’s my job to get to know these men so you are all ready for combat”

The older man removed the lid from the pen and gazed up at Jace.

“You’ve been here just a little over a month, and I have come to realize we don’t know a thing about you. Care to enlighten me?”

Jace shifted in his seat, fidgeting with the glass in his hands. “Permission to speak freely, Captain?”

Winters nodded, and the young man cleared his throat.

“There’s not much to know. I’m no solider, and to be frank I’m not too sure why I’m still here. There are men here with years of training and knowledge.”

“Not a soldier?” Winters laughed and shook his head is disbelief. “From the report I received from Captain Arlington, you’re one hell of a sniper. No one achieves skill like that overnight, son. I’ve been watching you for some time. I’m not sure you’re giving yourself enough credit.”

Jace ran a hand through the wet locks of hair, brushing the few strands from his eyes. He sniffed, feeling a few drops of water tickle the brim of his nose.

He was no soldier. Before Silverwing, he had enlisted in the US Marine Corps but was kicked due to insubordination.

Jace took a sip of the whiskey, the cool liquid warming his throat as he swallowed. His mind trailed off, reminiscing on his younger days fooling around at the shooting range.

Since he was five years old, he wanted to be a sniper just like his father.

The corner of his mouth twitched, holding back a smile.

His father taught him everything he knew. How to track, maintaining a rifle, and even how to shoot.

It was the only real time they spent together, before his dad would leave for deployment.

Jace finished the drink, letting the alcohol burn away a few of the painful memories.

The creek of a chair caused Jace to snap back to attention, eyes making contact with the Captain.

Winters rose up from the chair, arms folded behind his back as he paced over to the map on the wall.

“I heard you put up quite a fight back in that facility we took you from- “

“Those fucking bastards!” Jace growled, jumping up from his seat “for all I know my whole team is dead because of them!”

Winters tapped the map with the tip of his pen, placing a small x. He removed a small picture from the wall, then turned to face the young man.

Jace sat back down in the chair, instantly regretting yelling in front of his Captain.  

“That’s the ugly side of this job I’m afraid. We fight to win, fight for peace, fight for freedom, fight for power” The older man strolled behind him, placing a hand on one of Jace’s broad shoulders.  “But in the end, we always loose something.”

“The equivalent exchange of life. Nothing can be gained without sacrifice.” Replied Jace, bitterly.

The hand gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

“Your men knew the risks just as much as you did, son.”

Jace rested his elbow on his knees and shook his head.

“It’s not fair. It should have been me, not them.” He muttered quietly. The older man titled Jace’s chin up with his hand.

“Then fight back. Use your anger as ammunition and show them…show me just what you can do. One of the main reasons we brought you here, boy” Winters brought the picture up to the snipers’ face.

Four dark figures stood in the photo with an eerie mist surrounding them.  “Although a lot of our men are very talented, none are like you. You’re faster, stronger, and quite the opponent in the field.  Your friends at the facility in Puerto Maldonado saw to that.”

Jace rolled his eyes. “They didn’t do me any favors.”

“Think of this as an opportunity, these abilities give you quite the upper hand. I need you to track down a man named Kazuhira Miller. He has become a problem for us. When the time comes, I need you to lead this group of men and eliminate him.” Winters tapped the picture he was holding.

“Yes, Captain.”

Winters grinned and walked back over to his desk. Leaning against it, then grabbed the bottle of whisky and filled his glass along with Jace’s.

“There’s a lot that rests on the outcome of this mission. But if it’s a success well, “The older man’s eyes gleamed, and his lips parted into a grin.  “You’ll be more than just another one of our recruits.”

The glasses clinked together, small drops of liquid spilling over in celebration.

Thunder rolled through the clouds in the distance, the storm finally coming to an end.

-

            The cool midnight breeze tossed the young snipers hair about, as he made his way along the pavement. Jace stumbled a little, the remains of the whiskey lulling his mind into a state of pure bliss.

 He grinned and gave mock salute to one of the guards on duty. The guard rolled his eyes and firmly pointed to a door on one of the many small buildings.

“Better get your ass to bed soldier, before I report you.” They growled in annoyance.

Jace chuckled, blowing them a kiss as he opened a door the solider pointed at.

He had hardly taken more than a few steps, when he was shoved roughly against the wall. Soft lips pressed against his own, and the sweet smell of perfume danced under his nose. Jace pulled back for a second, eyes searching in the dark for the strangers’ face. Fingers trailed across his jaw line and he heard a gentle giggle. “Marian? What are you doing?” He took her hand in his own, placing it on his chest. “I thought- “

“What can I say, sniper. Looks like you hit your mark after all.” She tore her hand from his and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jace swiftly turned her around, pressing her up against the wall. Marian panted heavily, as she tore off her shirt in excitement.

Bodies entwined in such heated passion; it was impossible for Jace to keep his mind from spinning. At last she was in his arms once more, and this time he wasn’t letting go.

- 

Part 2: Static in The Mist

  - // Call Incoming// - -

-Ring-

-Ring-

-Ring-

-Ring-

(there is a brief pause. Someone picks up the phone and places it to their ear. A woman’s voice speaks into the microphone)

“V has come to.”

  - // End of Call// -     -

-

Kunar, Afghanistan

The Zero Line, 1984

09:00

         “Alright men let’s get a move on! The sooner we get back to base, the sooner we can get into the showers and have a hot meal! Let’s go!” A tall blonde man yelled out, aviators glistening in the hot Afghan sun. Rolling up the sleeves on his olive-green coat, he hoisted up a bag into the cargo truck.

“Commander Miller, there is a call for you.”

The blonde man looked at the soldier in front of him and nodded, taking the comms device from him.

“Yes?”

“Good morning, Commander Miller. I just wanted to inform you that myself and the men have finished our patrol of the road. Everything looks clear.”

“Good. Keep me informed if anything changes.” Miller handed back the device and adjusted his aviators.  Pale blue eyes gazed up at the clear sky. Seemed as if everything was in their favor today.

Once the men got the trucks loaded, Miller hopped into the passenger side of the first vehicle. The engine started up with a dull roar, and Miller could already feel the tension leave his body. The past few weeks had gone so smoothly, it seemed a bit unusual. Of course, he and the Diamond Dogs soldiers were prepared for the worst. They all knew it could potentially be dangerous, but it gave Miller a great sense of comfort knowing he had the best fighting along side him.

‘Diamond Dogs’He thought, smiling to himself as he gazed out the window. ‘A force the Boss is sure to be proud of.’

It had been torture waiting for information on the Boss and his condition. The men needed their leader, their constant inspiration. His legacy burned in the hearts and minds of soldiers everywhere. It was time for him to come home.

Clouds of dirt and dust began to surround the moving vehicles as they made their way down the long road. Miller yawned and leaned back in his seat, tipping his beret over his eyes.

He had almost drifted off to sleep when the radio began to beep.

(Muffled voice) Commander! D- - - - - - read m-! Co- - -der!

Miller sat up and grabbed the mic. “This is Commander Miller! The connection is bad out here solider, can you repeat yourself?”

(Heavy static followed by a few small clicking sounds) Comman- -er! - - - -skulls in - - - mist! You need to - - - - (There is a loud bang. Static echoes out of the small device. The sound of footsteps thudding against wooden boards, and then a sickening gurgling sound of a man being strangled. The line goes dead)

“What the fuck” Miller whispered to himself. Suddenly there was a deafening sound of glass breaking, as something large collided with the windshield of the vehicle. Blood splattered across the dashboard, as a dismembered leg slid down to Millers feet. “STOP THE CARS!” He yelled franticly.

As the vehicle slowed other hacked up body parts came raining down on the trucks. There was a large thud as a helmet rolled from the canvas top of the truck and fell to the ground. Miller and the other soldiers carefully got out; weapons drawn.

Walking up to the helmet he nudged it with his boot. Half of one of his soldiers’ heads looked back up at him, blood leaking from the sides of the eyes. Millers eyes widened in horror, and it took all he could not to get sick.

A thick dark mist began to surround them, and eerie silence filling the air. When Miller looked up, he realized that he could only see just a couple of the men. “Let’s get everyone together again and try to get back in the vehicles. We need to get out of here!”

The men nodded and began to call out for each other. Miller withdrew his pistol and began to search around for the other men.

There was a loud crack of a gunshot, and the soldier beside him collapsed to the ground. A large bullet wound forming in his skull.

“Jesus Christ, Snipers! Get down! Everyone take cover!” but only silence greeted him.

The voices of his men died off and soon all Miller could hear was the dirt crackling under his boots.

Miller quickly ran to the nearest rock, crouching low and checking his surroundings. Heart thudding in his chest as he did all he could to slow his breathing.

His ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching, and Millers grip tightened around the pistol. He took a deep breath, and moved out from cover. His gun pointing to the figure in front of him.

Bright turquoise eyes glowed back at him, a large black cloak concealing most of the figures body. Miller could see what appeared to be a skull carved into the mask on its face.

It raised a large rifle, pointing it at Millers head.

Sweat dripped down Millers face, as he gazed up into those eyes. His whole body began to tremble and shake as lights began to dance in front of his eyes.

‘Im sorry Boss. I failed you’

Chapter Text

     Part 1: Two Birds

       Kunar, Afghanistan

       The Zero Line, 1984

       10:46

       Cold drops of sweat trickled down the sides of Millers face, his mind racing as he stared helplessly down the barrel of the gun. His ears picked up the sound of the rifle being reloaded, the bullet sliding into the chamber.

His head fell back, and his body soon followed. Collapsing onto the cold sand, in a total state of unconsciousness.

Lowering the rifle slowly, the figure paced over to Millers head. It crouched down, examining the man before him. Gently lifting its mask up, the figure rubbed its brows in frustration. It wouldn’t be long before the mist would dissipate, and they would all be left in the open.

A loud beeping caught the figures attention, and he pressed a button on his headset.

“Ashford.”

“ Is the mission complete? ”

Jace glanced back down at Miller, sand blowing over the man’s closed lids and face. “Not yet. We have Miller, the rest of the unit are dead.” The sniper’s attention shifted as he noticed a small piece of paper sticking out of one of Millers breast pockets. Jace tugged at the paper, producing a photograph.

A woman gazed back at him, sunlight giving her auburn hair a bit of a glow. He flipped the photograph over, looking for some kind of description. Was this Millers wife? And what if they had a child.

Growing up with parents who were either dead or off to war. Jace could feel a tightness in his chest, it was a feeling he knew all too well. Tucking the photo back into Millers pocket, he noticed the glint of sunlight on the man’s aviators. Plucking them off his face, Jace slowly rose up and examined them.

“ Well what are you waiting for, boy? Kill him .”

‘Better think fast, Ashford’ Jace thought to himself. He glanced back at Miller, and then again to the sunglasses. ‘that’s it’

“You said we were looking for more than one target, correct?”

There was a pause on the other end of the headset. Jace could hear the sound of a chair creaking, followed by a frustrated sigh.

“Yes. Two Targets. But Ashford- “

“I can kill two birds with one stone. All I have to do is set the trap, and we will have them both.”

Jace placed the sunglasses on a rock, positioning them so the sun gleamed off the rim and lens. A large truck rumbled in the distance, and Jace quickly swung the rifle over his shoulder.

“This is your last chance, boy. If we miss this opportunity- “

“We won’t, Captain. I never miss.”

-

Mother Base, Seychelles

Command Platform

1984

Cool sea air tossed a young man’s hair about, loose curls tickling his face. The man grinned, the wait was finally over. Placing a large green duffle bag on the platform, blue eyes beamed up at the sight in front of him.

Though the platform and the buildings themselves were still undergoing construction, it was still a sight to behold. Light from the sun gave the orange structure a bit of a glow, as it towered over anyone that walked below. The man looked down, a large emblem of a dog inside a diamond met his gaze.

Diamond Dogs.

This. This was to be his new home.

He felt like a child, waiting to open a present. Filled with almost a giddy excitement, he could hardly contain the anticipation.

For years he had only heard stories, rumors about the legendary Big Boss. The man that saved so many from nuclear devastation. It was almost surreal to finally be standing where the legend himself resided.

“Welcome to Mother Base, kid. Grab your bag, we have a bit of paperwork to fill out.” An older soldier motioned the young man to follow him.

-

The young man shifted in his seat, watching as the older man ruffled through his drawer in search for a pen.

“There you are, you sneaky son of a bitch” The man grumbled, finally producing a pen from the desk. Rolling his shoulders back, the older man looked up at the boy before him. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Brett Quinsley, sir.”

The man nodded, taking down the name on the sheet of paper. “On Mother Base we follow a code name system, that we use to identify our soldiers. From now on you’ll be known as Hawk, is that clear?”

“Yes, sir” Hawk nodded his head. Eyes drifted to the many pictures and plaques on the walls. His heart began to race when he spotted the man with the tell-tale eyepatch. “Sir I um- “The boy cleared his throat nervously, mulling over his words before speaking again. “I wanted to thank you for this opportunity. It’s an honour to serve under you and Big Boss.”

The older man glanced up from the paper, a red glove coming up to stroke his blonde beard. He smiled at the young boy before him and set the paper down.

“You know many soldiers have traveled far to work with us, I’m sure the Boss will be proud of his men when he returns. In the meantime, let’s get you into your new BDU’s, training begins first thing tomorrow morning.”

-

Northern Kabul, Afghanistan

Da Ghwandai Khar

1984

            A horse trotted up to a tall man, letting out a soft grunt as a body was hoisted upon its back.

 Jace watched through the scope on his rifle as the man mounted the horse and turned to speak to the body on the horses back. The two moved through the torn down buildings and the horse snorted back at its master, obviously displeased with the slippery ground. The man patted the horses’ neck, stroking its long main. “Boss, I can’t believe it’s really you. “The body on the back of the horse whispered, and the Boss turned his head to glance back at him smiling ever so slightly.

“Not much further now, Kaz.” With a click of his tongue, the horse picked up its pace.

There was a slow hiss of gas emitting from a tank and a figure shifted beside the sniper, the whirl of helicopter blades spinning through the air caused both of their heads to raise, watching as it flew by them and towards the man on his horse.  Jace held up his hand, motioning the men behind him to move out. “Block them off at the bridge, no one is escaping this time” inhaling slowly he glanced through the scope, adjusting the range. “just a little under 309 meters out.” he whispered.

A dark gas filled the valley and Jace put on his mask, breathing through the respirator. As planned the helicopter flew off, leaving all of them in the open. There was a loud crack, and Jace’s grip tightened on the rifle. The Boss raced across the bridge on the horses back, glancing behind him to make sure he was in the clear. “NO!” Yelled Jace, as he quickly got to his feet and began to chase after them.

How did they escape? He was so sure that the bridge was sealed off. There was no way they could have gotten past. Slipping down the rocky ledge, he jumped down and landed on his feet.

It was already too late.

“Report back to base.”

-

Part 2:

Southern Cuba

Camp Omega

2 Days Later

            “You told me you would kill Miller, boy. Said you had it in you”

Crack

“And then what did you do? You let him go free, said that you could get him and the Boss”

Crack

“You had both of them, and a whole unit to take them down. So please elaborate how in the hell you have managed to let them both get away? Tell me goddamnit!”

A whip cracked against the snipers back, skin burning red from the continuous lashes. He was struck again and this time the whip tore through his skin, blood splatter flying through the air as the whip was drawn back. A soldier roughly turned him around, so that their eyes met. Grabbing the young man’s jaw, he forced open his mouth.

“Gotta make sure you haven’t bitten off your tongue boy, you owe us an explanation. Though to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had already. Being how this has been 7 hours so far.” Winters rose up from the desk in the dimly lit room, cigar smoke rising from his mouth. He walked over to Jace and nodded to the soldier holding the whip. “It hurts me to have to do this to you son, you had so much promise. So much potential. We really liked you.” grabbing a scalpel, he shoved it deep into the snipers rib cage and dragged it across.

Tears streamed down Jace’s face, as blood seeped out of his body. “Marina” he whispered. His tongue felt as though it was made of concrete. Pain numbing his brain, as his whole body shook. The stench of blood filling the room and his nose, causing his stomach to turn over. He spit up onto the ground below him, blood and saliva splashing down onto his boots.

“What’s that?”

A knife stabbed into his lower abdomen, twisting around. Eyes rolling back into his head and closed as a scream escaping his lips.

Marina. What he wouldn’t give to be back in her warm embrace, her sweet touch. His eyelids fluttered and he could almost see a smoky silhouette of her figure, her delicate hand reaching to caress his face.

“Marina?” Winters chuckled. “Your Captain Arlington? Why…I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, she’s dead son”

Dead? No, she couldn’t be! Cold steel met his jaw, as a fist connected with his cheek.

“She failed her mission, and so did you. Two promising soldiers, but my god have we been disappointed. You don’t want to give us any answers? That’s fine then. I do so hope you enjoy your new company. See we at XOF might have spared you this exile, if only you told us. I hope the wild dogs and coyotes enjoy having you around as much as we have” Winters nodded at a soldier and the chains that held Jace up loosened, his body crashing to the ground. The older man strolled closer, grabbing him by the arm. “But first, here’s a little something to remember us by when you leave” a knife jabbed into his arm, carving out three bloody letters into the pale flesh.

X.O.F

“Take him away boys. We mustn’t keep Mr. Ashford’s new friends waiting.”

-

Northern Kabul, Afghanistan

34.407204N, 69.050397

            No more running. This was it. Jace crawled across the sand, rocks and debris scrapping through his pants and cutting his palms and knees. Blood continued to drip from his body, leaving a long trail behind him.

‘makes it easier for the dogs to find me’ he thought bitterly.

Eyes squinting into the distance in front of him he spotted a rocky ledge. Jace winced and collapsed on the ground, sand making it up into his mouth causing him to cough roughly.

“Marina”a tear slid from his eye and down his cheek into the dirt. She couldn’t be dead, there was no way. She was so quiet. So skilled. There’s no way anyone could catch her.

Jace could almost see those crystal blue eyes gazing down at him, calling him to get back up and join her. “Ill be with you soon.”

-

There was a quiet bark in the distance, and then a growl as a large wolf trotted up to the unconscious sniper. Panting heavily he sniffed the mans face, and glanced back up. Nuzzling his arm, the wolf laid down beside him.

“DD?”

A tall man walked through the sand over to the wolf and crouched beside it, stroking its ear. “ Guess we better be on our way huh?” The man gazed down at Jace, and slowly hoisted him into his arms.

“Kaz, need you to call a chopper for immediate rescue. “