Out Of The Past

Special note

You need to read “The Unit” by Roland to understand this chapter if you haven’t then it won’t make nearly as much sense.

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“Salt Lake City sir” he informed me.

“Salt Lake City?”

“Yes sir” he said.

“Alright then take us in” I told him.

The boys were looking at me as I said “Well it seems we’re going to Salt Lake City and we need to tell the others” 

Randy jumped up saying “I’ll do it” and was out of the office before I could say anything.

“Let’s go” I said as we all got up and headed back to the main cabin.

Whatever Randy had told them had all of them looking silently at me as I walked into the room and I stopped to address them.

“I don’t know what’s going on other than someone close to me needs me real bad. I don’t know what we’re going into but it must be bad if they contacted me the way they did so I want everyone to stay on the plane unless I tell you otherwise. I think it’s a given we’re going to be walking into a bunch of bad stuff but I just don’t know what is going to happen when we get on the ground so be careful and stay away from the windows” I told them.

They all nodded and I went over and sat down only to have Samantha join me.

“What’s going on Mike?” she asked

“Trouble” I replied.

“Are the kids in danger?” she asked.

“I don’t think so and they shouldn’t be but let’s play it safe until we find out” I told her

“Okay” she replied.

The intercom buzzed and upon picking it up I heard the Captain again telling me we were being directed to a private hangar after landing.

I could see the logic of that but then again I also didn’t like isolation of it either.

It was then that I felt the wheels touch down and the plane begin to brake followed by the reverse thrusters being deployed.

We taxied off the active and down one taxi way after another until I felt the plane come to a halt and the engines begin to spool down.

Slowly I stood up and with everyone watching me moved to the doorway where I looked out the window at a group assembling below opposite the door.

I was shocked as it seemed to be primarily a bunch of kids mostly in the faux military outfits which seemed to be all the rage now a days.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open then looking one last time back in the plane at a bunch of worried faces turned and stepped out to the top of the ramp which they had wheeled up to the door of the plane.

I stood there for a moment looking down at them and noticed their intent stares of almost appraisal but thought no that's wrong they're just kids as I started down the stairs.

As I headed down the stairs one of the boys began to move forward. He appeared to be about twelve or thirteen and had dark brown hair almost black looking tied into a pony tail behind him. We each reached the bottom of the stairs at the same time and stood facing one another.

The boy suddenly appeared to come to attention and said "Captain Reynolds, Welcome to Salt Lake City. Thank you for coming. I'm Captain Adam Casey" and did so in a crisp military manner. 

I would have been amused if things hadn’t been what they were to see the kids playing at being real soldiers but this just annoyed me. Even so I returned the salute because I needed to find out how this bunch of play soldiers had gotten the information that brought me here and if it was real just what the hell was going on.

There would be time enough later to deal with wannabes but right now someone was in trouble and while I wondered why the adults were just standing back and letting this kid speak I needed to play along at least a bit.

“You got me here now what exactly is going on and how did you get that information you used to bring me here?” I asked them.

I watched this kid intently as he started to answer but suddenly I heard a scared little voice say “Uncle Mike” and the boy turn around suddenly towards the voice as a figure stepped out from behind a woman.

"Jeremy" I gasped in shock as I saw who the boy was that appeared from behind that woman and watched as she quickly grabbed ahold of the boy restraining him. I stepped to the side and started to reach for my weapon when the boy moved back with quite remarkable speed as one of the other kids yelled “GUN!!!” 

I had barely reached my weapon when the boy drew down on me and said “Sir, I would not advise drawing that weapon. We are not here to hurt you.”

I froze with my hand where it was having seen the safety being taken off. 

The gun sure as hell looked real and he seemed to know how to use it. 

If it was, then I was screwed and it was then I noticed that all the kids also had weapons trained on me.

“Maybe ya’ll don’t wanna hurt him none but I don’t got that problem and the first one is gonna be the woman now drop those guns right now” I heard a familiar voice yell loudly from behind me.

I glanced up to see an arm with a Sig Sauer nine millimeter pointing steadily at the woman who was holding onto Jeremy and I knew that arm was attached to one angry little eleven year old.

“Let the boy go and drop your weapons” I said in a tone that brooked no argument.

The boy looked surprised as we stood there no one moving and I could only hope that they would back down before this got any nastier.

I was trying to see any options but I just wasn’t seeing anyway out of this if they didn’t capitulate.

I had no options. 

I knew I would be dead before I could clear leather as they had all kept their weapons trained on me throughout.

Suddenly I heard young voice screaming “Uncle Mike! Adam! No!” and watched Jeremy break away from his captor and run over getting between the boy called Adam and myself.

I gasped a strangled “Jeremy” as he put himself in the line of fire but to my complete shock Adam immediately lowered his weapon although he didn’t holster it.

Then Jeremy turned to face me and for some reason seeming almost afraid he took a hesitant step towards me and said “Uncle Mike, no. These guys helped me, they’re friends”

Before that could even begin to register in my mind I heard a loud obnoxious voice yell from somewhere inside the hanger “God Damn it Mike, Can’t I even take a fucking piss without you starting world war three?” 

No it couldn’t be I thought as I turned stunned towards the hanger and heard an equally shocked voice from behind me say "Is that..."

As I watched a figure wearing jean shorts, cut off t-shirt with a smiley face sporting a bullet hole and blood dripping from it wearing flip flops came walking out trying to zip up his zipper.

Then I heard Sammy say "He still can't keep it in his pants dad" followed by some Sammy giggles and the figure responded with “I heard that you little brat” as he flipped SamSam the bird which elicited more giggles.

Suddenly Jeremy lunged forward jumping into my arms and holding me for all his worth as I looked at the figure approaching me smiling.

“Tony?” I asked still not believing it. 

How? 

“What ya didn’t go blind on me did ya?” Tony asked.

Then Sammy was bounding down the stairs and jumping into Tony’s arms screaming “Uncle Tony” 

“Hey munchkin”

“Ya know that’s only a myth don’t you and it’s a good thing it is too?” Sammy said giggling again

I had a million questions but Tony being this relaxed and behaving the way he was showed me that whatever was going on these people were on our side no matter what had just taken place. I didn’t understand it but I trusted Tony completely and with that I turned my attention to the bundle of boy in my arms as I hugged him.

“Jeremy it’s good to see you. Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, I’m okay Uncle Mike” he said.

“I don’t understand what’s going on here baby” I said softly.

“They really are okay Uncle Mike, they saved me” Jer told me.

Saved him from what I wondered feeling a shiver run down my spine. 

Suddenly I noticed something, or more to the point didn’t notice something.

“Jer where’s your dad?” I asked and felt the little body tense up and completely freeze.

“Jer?” 

Then I felt the tears falling from his eyes and knew a sinking feeling in my gut.

Something was wrong here, something bad.

But before Jeremy could respond I heard Adam say “Ummm, excuse me sir, but I believe it would be best if we were to explain everything that is going on on the ride back to our base”

I looked over to him and saw the obvious look of concern on his face for Jeremy and simply nodded my head.

“That sounds like it might be a good idea” I told him.

I watched as the boy called Adam nodded his head and then turned back to the rest of the initial group standing there and began issuing orders to get our things out of the plane and loaded onto trucks. 

Then he turned back to me as everyone moved off to the underside of the plane where the cargo hold was located and said.

“Sir we have vehicles waiting and if you would like to have the rest of your party disembark, we can get started back to our base” 

“Alright but I got quite a group with me including two boys in wheelchairs” I told him.

Adam nodded and said “That will not be a problem sir” and then I watched at he moved back to where the other kids were loading our bags into the vehicles he had brought with him. 

I also noticed a small bus which was a very good idea in my opinion to have brought, this kid was certainly on the ball.

I decided to go on up and get the others as well as let them know everything was alright so turned with Jeremy still in my arms and headed back up the stairs.

When I got inside I found some anxious looking kids waiting for me.

“Hey guys it’s alright” I told them which got relieved sighs and looks from all of them as the Trinity came up and asked “What’s going on Uncle Mike?” 

“Well that I don’t know still but Tony and Jeremy are here and both say that bunch are okay” I told them as Jeremy wiggled down and stood facing the kids.

“Jeremy?” Kevin asked

“Yeah Kev it’s me” he said rather sadly

“Anyway we need to get going. They want us to go with them so lets go on down and they have transport lined up for us. I’ll carry Chris and Samantha can you get Brian?” I asked

“Sure” she said 

“Oh and everyone this is Jeremy, he’s one of my unofficial nephews” I told them.

They all said hi as they began walking past us and down the stairs.

Derek had grabbed Chris’s wheelchair and Yuri had Brian’s so I went over and picked up Chris and began carrying him out.

Once we got back down to the bottom of the ramp we found Adam and the rest waiting around in a group with my bunch looking at them suspiciously still.

They knew moments before that we had almost been in a war and while everything seemed friendly they were still unsure. 

The trinity was out in front of the others while Sammy was standing by Tony as I set Chris in his wheelchair.

I barely had time to notice the grins which suddenly came over the Trinity’s faces when they stepped forward and Randy said real friendly like to Adam

“Hey are those real guns?”

“Um yeah” Adam replied when they all rapidly reached under their jackets and pulled weapons identical to what the boy Sammy had had earlier out and said “You mean like these?” with big grins on their faces.

Oh shit

“Randy! Kevin! Danny! Where in the hell did you get those?” I asked as just as quickly they disappeared again.

“What?” they chorused.

I just looked at them while Sammy giggled.

“Where?” I asked

“Uh…well…we got em from Sammy” Randy finally said.

“Sammy?” I repeated

“Well we thought you might need some help” Kevin chimed in with.

I turned to Sammy who had his innocent look plastered on his face 

“Sammy?” 

“Yes dad” he answered

“Where did you get the guns from?” I asked him.

“Umm the plane?” he answered.

“Where on the plane?” I asked 

“Ahh well in your office” he told me.

“Sammy I do not leave guns lying around anywhere including my office” I said

“Oh I know that dad” he said

“Then kindly tell me where you got them from?” was my response.

“Do you really want to know?” he said with an impish grin on his face

“YES!” I said finally getting annoyed

“Well, from your safe” he said

“MY SAFE!!! How the hell did you get in my safe?” I said not believing it as Tony snickered.

“It’s not funny” I told him as I spared a glare in his direction. 

The Trinity were giggling or I should say trying not to behind me.

“Well I kinda know your combination” Sammy finally admitted blushing a bit

“Do I want to know how you know that?” I asked

“Ummm, not really” he said and with that I heard snickers from a number of kids but before I could say anything else Adam stepped forward clearly trying rather unsuccessfully to keep from laughing and said “Sir, If you’ll all follow me we can get going”

With a last scathing look at Sammy who just gave me his usual ‘Who me’ look I turned and began to follow Adam to the vehicles while hearing giggles from behind me.

We climbed up into the bus and I spared another look at the still unrepentant Sammy who just smiled back at me as I took my seat with Tony sitting down next to me. 

It was then that I saw Elena come running with what looked like all the kids up to and into the bus taking seats as quickly as possible.

Jeremy I noticed was had stayed glued to Adam’s side although I noticed he kept shooting looks back my way then quickly looking away if he noticed me watching him.

I didn’t know what to make of that but I also realized that now wasn’t the time to go into it.

“Tony, Elena’s here and with the kids too?” I asked surprised as the bus got under way.

“Yeah Mike. I don’t how to tell you this…” he said before stopping and putting his hand up to his face for a moment but when he pulled it away it seemed that Tony looked suddenly years older than moments before.

“Mike, about a week and a half ago Miguel went to the movies with a friend of his. He didn’t come home” Tony said and I could hear the pain in his voice.

“What do you mean he didn’t come home?” I asked suddenly very much afraid for the boy and what might have happened to him.

Sighing Tony went on “Mike when they didn’t meet us out front I went in looking for them. We found his friend Carlos passed out in his seat, chloroform, but of Miguel there was no sign”

“He’s been kidnapped?” I asked not wanting to believe it.

“Apparently. Carlos said they were watching the movie when suddenly something was put across his nose and mouth. He struggled but passed out rather quickly. He said Miguel fought back but that was all he could remember. We found blood at the scene and it wasn’t Miguel’s so he got at least one of them a telling blow. We’ve been tearing the countryside apart looking for him but haven’t had any luck. No ransom or demands either” he told me.

I was silent thinking for a moment. My first thought was a sexual predator but then again thinking further this didn’t fit, it was too professional. In a crowded theatre no one noticed such a thing, no something didn’t add up here.

I could hear Elena softly begin to cry as well as the younger kids and it broke my heart. 

“About all we could find out is that a supposedly a boy threw a tantrum at some point and then later the boy’s supposed father took him home after he fell asleep. We think it was Miguel. We found out through some contacts that Miguel was brought across the border from Mexico into the United States and we came. Then we got a call from these people saying they had located Miguel as well as another boy who is with them named Ronnie who had also been kidnapped. Mike they had contact codes that no one should have, I can only guess they came from Jeremy” he said looking at the boy in question who suddenly looked away.

I took a minute to digest all of what he had told me looking at Jeremy and wondering. He seemed to genuinely believe that these people were alright but I just didn’t know and that was a big problem because now we were in their hands. 

More importantly though my children were in their hands.

I leaned closer to Tony and almost whispered “Do you think they had anything to do with it?” 

Tony looked pensive for a moment before saying “No, I don’t think so Mike. I’m pretty good with people and I don’t get any bad vibes from them” 

Tony and his vibes were famous but they were also quite accurate much like SamSam’s.

Then he added “But we’re somewhat equipped although not nearly as well as we would like to be if it’s needed”

“Then we need some answers” I said softly before leaning forward but was surprised when the boy Adam suddenly turned and with a emotionless face said in the same tone “Sir, we will address these issues in the briefing that will occur when we reach our base, you will need to hold your questions until that time when they can and will be answered” 

Why the little shit.

“Look…” I started to say angrily but was surprised when I felt a hand on my arm and a voice saying “Daaaad” 

I quickly looked over to Sammy and found him looking at me and shaking his head clearly saying ‘let it lie’

I looked back and forth between him and this Casey boy before I leaned back in my seat but I am sure the boy could tell my feelings from the gaze I was giving him.

He better have some fucking answers and soon, this was family, but for now I would listen to my Sammy, he was usually right somehow.

As if he could sense my decision a small smile came across his face and he sat back in his seat as we continued on our way.

I can’t say I was very happy with it but it seemed as if we didn’t have a great deal of choice at the moment.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, an uneasy silence but there were no more confrontations.

I had my head down thinking when I heard Tony whisper in almost wonder “My God it’s…” causing me to raise me head and say in disbelief “…a Halo”

As the bus pulled in and stopped I continued to stare in disbelief at what lay in front of us. 

It was a Russian MI-26, NATO code name ‘Halo’ and it was sitting right in front of us.

“Cool” I heard from behind me and turned to find Sammy staring captivated at the sight before him.

“No” I said

“But…” he started to reply but I just said again “No”

“Daaaad” I got with a pout and a dose of his puppy dog eyes.

“Not happening” I replied.

“Damn” I heard as I stood up while the Trinity could be heard giggling.

We were escorted off of the bus and I still found my gaze riveted to the thing.

The MI-26 is huge and that doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was one hundred and eleven feet long and almost twenty seven feet wide. 

It was as we walked up to the thing and came to a stop alongside it that I noticed finally that two people were there waiting for us with four other ones off to the side.

There was an adult man who I assumed was the pilot who looked in his early thirties and a boy in a wheelchair of about twelve or so.

The four off to the side were teens and two younger boys all in uniform and surprisingly one of them was a girl.

“If you’ll all stand back we’ll get the truck loaded” the man who had been waiting there said and I watched as one of the young boys stepped forward and did exactly that.

When it was secure I saw him turn to the boy in the wheelchair and say “Okay Bill let’s get you strapped in and you can take us home”

That got my mouth to drop open as I watched him wheel the boy up to and into the aircraft and it didn’t help to see the grin on Sammy’s face at hearing that piece of news.

“NO!” I said again but only received a smirk in reply.

I walked over to where Adam was standing a few feet away and asked “Umm did I hear correctly that the young boy in the wheelchair was going to be flying that?” pointing to the helicopter.

“Sure is, today’s his check ride” the boy said as he began to walk off towards the rear of the aircraft where the entrance was located.

“Checkride?” I asked in disbelief which earned a few giggles quickly silenced as I turned to glare at the offending miscreants. 

Adam turned and stopped a few feet away and said “By the way to answer your other question, no, we’re not Russians” then turned and walked quickly off.

Tony had walked over at that point and asked “Did he just speak Russian?” 

“Yeah and he didn’t have an accent either” I muttered not particularly happy at the moment for several reasons as shaking my head we all followed and were seated inside with the four kids who had been outside going around making sure that all of us were belted in okay.

It would have to be one person who just had to make a comment as we settled back while the engines began to spool up

With a big grin on his face Sammy asked in a syrupy sweet voice “Is something wrong Dad?” 

I just looked at him and if looks could kill.

Why he couldn’t see that I didn’t know and he didn’t seem to care.

I spent the entire ride gripping my harness so tight I lost feeling in my fingers wondering if we were going to make it or not. 

My God they had a little kid flying the damn thing and while I had no problem with Sammy flying I also had taught him which made a world of difference.

I had to admit though that as we came in for landing and then touched down that I couldn’t have done it better myself and feeling my heart start beating again certainly helped at that point.

We waited until the rotors had stopped turning before the doors were opened and we were given the all clear to exit the aircraft.

Sammy just grinned up at me impudently and all I could think was that we needed to have a little talk sometime soon.

Suddenly the grin disappeared as he walked up to me and gave me a big hug.

How could you stay irritated with that?

Then he looked up at me smiling again and said “Chill some dad, it’s gonna be alright” before turning, leaving me standing there, as he scampered down the ramp.

“Hey Sammy hold on a second” Adam called suddenly bringing Sammy to a screeching halt and turning to look back at the boy.

“What’s up?” he asked

“Let’s wait for everyone else” Adam told him and I watched as he went around helping a young boy with getting everyone unbuckled and up to get off the aircraft.

Once that was done we all followed the older boy off the aircraft Sammy being right next to him of course with the Trinity not far behind.

“Wow, cool! You gotta see this dad” Sammy said just as I reached the end of the ramp and saw what he was referring to.

Standing in front of us were what looked like several hundred kids all in military uniforms and all were at attention and saluting towards us.

I took it all in impressed even as I thought it rather cute to see, they even had what looked like guns in their hands and at their sides.

It was so adorable to see even the little ones decked out like they were and I had to admit even a full inspection in the old days wouldn’t have found a better turned out group.

“I don’t think we looked this good back in the day” Tony said smiling at the sight before us.

All the kids had made it down now and were clustered around looking at the other kids confronting us.

As we were standing there Adam moved back slightly and said “Sirs, if you would please follow me, the entire base has turned out, and would like the honor of being inspected by those who had been in the Special Forces.” 

Then lowering his voice to one that couldn’t be heard beyond those immediately surrounding him he continued “You have to understand something before this will make sense. Every single one of these kids has been abused or neglected in one way or another. They've never had any sense of self pride, and the uniforms with the medals, are one which they have all earned. Their ranks are given based on their own performance, and accomplishments, and they take a great deal of pride in them.”

Jesus I thought looking out again at the assembled children only this time in a completely different light as they stood there so proudly waiting for us.

So many and so young I thought but all now watching us with clear eyes without fear in them holding their heads up high.

Cute or not this play acting seemed to have done wonders for their spirit which was self evident from just their appearance alone if not their steady gaze.

“We would be honored” I finally replied “Very honored” 

With that I drew myself up to attention and could see Tony doing the same as Adam led us forward and into the rows upon rows of children awaiting us.

I decided play soldiers or not they deserved to be treated with respect for all the effort they had put into this and walked down each row stopping at each child and doing as I would have done with my teams once upon a time. 

 

Trying without fail to find something out of place or in error I was actually surprised that I made it through completely unable to do so.

Even the kids were taking this seriously as if it were real and all maintained serious expressions on their faces as they moved along behind us.

We left the main rows of kids and moved over to a group that seemed to be segregated into teams.

These kids actually had what looked like MP 5’s in their hands held at the ready even though they couldn’t be.

Leaning close to Tony’s ear as we walked over towards them I whispered “Those almost look real” 

“Yeah they do, cute as hell though” he replied in just as quiet a voice.

“They sure are aren’t they?” I said with a smile as Tony just nodded his head

Suddenly Adam stopped and turned to a young girl of about fifteen and said “Corporal Bethany, please hand me your weapon.”

“Aye Sir” she replied with a thick English accent as she handed the weapon over. 

I just watched as Adam turned and looked at me saying “Sir, I am sure you will realize that these weapons are indeed real, and loaded. If you would like, you may discharge the weapon.”

He had to be kidding and I was sure my expression mirrored my thoughts as I looked around at all the kids holding such serious firepower in their young hands. 

While there were older kids here like the girl there were also a lot of little ones mixed in as well.

He was holding it out to me now and all I could do was mouth the word “Real?” to which he nodded his head slightly in reply.

Just what the hell was going on here I was wondering as I realized that the tension had increased once again.

Tony looked just as shocked as I did at this point and I wasn’t sure whether it would be best to take the weapon which might indicate to them that I didn’t believe them or refuse to do so which they might be offended at for the same reason.

Finally I decided to go with what had been the theme all along and that was to inspect so with that in mind I said “I’ll be happy to inspect this soldier’s weapon” as I reached out and took it from his hands.

I dropped the magazine out of it and handed it to Tony noticing that it certainly was real as I saw the bullets then cleared it making sure there wasn’t a round chambered before beginning to visually inspect the weapon. 

Tony’s mouth meanwhile had dropped open for a moment before he quickly closed it but I could tell he wasn’t happy that children were playing with guns.

As I finished the inspection and was about to hand it back Sammy just had to pipe up with “Hey can I fire it, I’ve never got to shoot one of those before” 

That earned some laughter from around me as I said “Maybe they will allow it at another time” then proceeded to hand the weapon back to the Corporal telling her “Immaculate condition soldier, very good” 

She simply nodded and I could see a small smile on Adam’s face at this as he turned away to continue the inspection.

We were almost to the end of the line when Adam stopped and turned to Mike and Tony. “Sirs, the rest of the group here may seem a little strange to you. They are sort of expecting a surprised reaction, and I will explain fully to you during the briefing. Just please understand that they had no choice in who and what they are.”

I didn’t know what to make of that as I found this entire thing to be more than passing strange but I simply nodded my head for now.

Strange didn’t even begin to cover it as Adam merely turned at my nod and walked us down to the next group.

It took all my training and then some to keep a neutral expression on my face at what I saw when we got there.

Before us were about a dozen or so boys ranging in age from about seven or eight all the way up to early teens I would say at a guess but what was most astonishing was that they all looked like one another.

I don’t mean as in clearly related but they were all sets of triplets, quads and one set of sextuplets but more than that all of them looked exactly alike except for the ages. 

The older ones were older versions of the littler ones.

While I think I managed to succeed in doing that Tony couldn’t as I could hear the gasp which escaped his lips and also the shock on his face.

Before I could say anything though or even before Tony could ask what I was thinking which was “What in the hell?” one of my babies decided to do it for me.

Peter had walked up and was looking at all of them with a quizzical look on his face before he turned to me and said clearly puzzled “Daddy, they’re all the same?” 

I could also see the other kids looking at them with more than a little curiosity at what they were being presented with as I looked at Adam to see just what he would say to that.

That was answered momentarily as Adam squatted down and said to Peter “Well you see Peter, that's because they're all brothers.” 

I watched as Peter seemed to consider that for a moment then said “Okay” and with that it was all answered for him.

Adam stood back up and looked at me and I simply raised an eyebrow and asked “Brothers?” but when all I got in return was a blank stare I drawled out “I don’t think so”

With a little smile playing at the edges of his lips and definitely a big one in his eyes Adam said “Well actually sir, they’re all clones”

I looked at him for a moment in disbelief wondering what he thought he was playing at before saying flatly “That’s not possible!”

Adam just looked at me and I could swear he was fighting back a big smile as he said gesturing towards the ‘clones’ “Well if that’s not possible…” letting it trail off at the end as he turned and began walking down the line once again adding in “Then you’re just gonna love this” motioning with his hand to follow as we were still standing there staring after him.

The oldest of the supposed ‘clones’ had no such qualms about that grin as I glanced at him before following.

Now what?

We walked down the line to the last group which we hadn’t been able to see until now and just before we got there Adam turned and said softly “Sirs, a bit of a warning. They really do not like to be called pussys”

With that he turned around leaving me speechless and took us the rest of the way until we could see that group and there all training, experience or much of anything else left me as all I could do was stare in complete shock as I muttered “Holy SHIT!!!” 

Beside me Tony began a religious dialogue of “Jesus, Mary and Joseph and may the saints preserve us”

“Ain’t that the Irish” I had to quip although I shared his sentiments as he snarled “It’s fucking applicable” 

I also at the same time heard Sammy’s “Wow, COOL!” and then Alexei crying out in pleasure KIIIIIITTTTY CAAAATS!!!” followed by “They ain’t kitty cats they’re Thundercats” from a young voice somewhere behind us.

That kid would find anything that made my heart almost stop ‘cool’ it seemed.

“Jesus Christ” was all I could find to say and I saw that Adam seemed more than a little amused at our reactions while the ‘kitty cats’ were licking their mouths with their long supple tongues much like a cat would it’s whiskers.

They were about a dozen in number and covered with fur and at first I thought I was seeing things when it appeared they had tails but the more I looked the more it became apparent that those swishing things behind them were exactly that.

They seemed to range in age from one cutie of about eight to an older teen who was to put it simply big, very big.

I just couldn’t believe this and finally managed to gasp out “How? What?” before just stopping and staring some more. 

Adam lost his smile and said “You ever hear of black ops?” but before I could even think to answer Alexei piped up with “Can I pet the kitties?” 

“Ah…um” and then I just gave up, looking once more at them as they just looked back, and I could swear they, much like the grin attributed to belong to the Cheshire cat had matching ones on their faces.

Alexei meanwhile had gotten tired of not getting an answer I guess because before anyone realized it I glanced up at hearing a strange noise to find him petting the biggest of them and the noise that was deeply rumbling from the cat kid I could swear was almost like a purr which made my mouth drop open again.

But before I could even think of saying anything I noticed that all of the younger kids from my group as well as Tony’s had found a cat kid to pet and even a couple of the older ones like Derek had went over. Sammy was looking at me like he really wanted to join them but he was at least behaving for the moment.

I finally nodded my head at Sammy whose puppy dog eyes were about to pop out of his head and he rushed over to the little one I had noticed before and actually started talking to him before beginning to gently stroke him.

Suddenly the oldest of the ‘clones’ that had been with us at the airport came running up to them and handed Adam a folder telling him “You need to see this right now” 

I watched as Adam began reading it and heard someone distantly call the formation over and tell everyone to return to their duties. About the only ones who didn’t leave right away were the cat kids who were too busy being petted incessantly by Tony’s and my bunch of brats.

I turned my gaze back to find that Adam’s face had gotten red with anger as he was reading through whatever was in those papers and watched as he lifted his face and with a cold gaze but with a voice filled with anger asked something that made our blood turn cold “Are either of you two familiar with a three star named Adams?” 

I could see Tony stiffen beside me and knew that I had gotten the same way and as he often had a habit of doing suddenly Sammy was running over to me with a look of concern on his face.

“You could say that, although I think you somehow already know that” I finally told the boy who was looking at us expectantly.

“What’s wrong dad?” Sammy asked looking back and forth from Tony and I to Adam.

“I think we’re about to find out” I replied not breaking my gaze from Adam

“Well Sirs, it seems that General Adams actually had something to do with Miguel's kidnapping….” Adam was saying when I saw red and taking a step forward snarled “He WHAT?” 

“What the hell do you mean that son of a bitch had something to do with Miguel’s kidnapping?” Tony asked in the same tone of voice.

“Who is this Adams you’re talking about and why would he kidnap my son?” I heard and realized that Elena had walked up and heard what Adam had said.

“Dad isn’t he that dickhead you told us about when you told us the story of…” then he trailed off realizing just who was here and just what he had been about to say.

“Yeah SamSam that would be him” I replied but I was still looking at Adam

At that point he told me “Well, I wasn’t going to bring this up in the briefing, as we had no proof of this till now. But it seems that General Adams has been planning for a long time to get revenge against the team you used to command. I will explain a lot more once we get to the briefing room, and I think now would be a good time to head there. If you would like, I can ask Janet to take care of the little ones, while we are busy.”

I glanced at Tony and Elena who seemed to have an unspoken discussion before Tony looked back at me and simply nodded his head slightly at which point I turned my attention back to Adam.

“I think that would be a good idea on both counts” I said.

---

Adam led us to a briefing room and he didn’t look too happy either with things but then as everyone began to file into the room he held up his hand holding us back before motioning us down the hallway a bit.

I watched as he looked down for a moment as if to draw courage then raise his eyes to look at us and I could see the pain in them as he began to speak “I will explain all of this in more detail later, I'm sorry to have to tell you like this, but about a year ago, Andy Rose was murdered. It happened when he tried to stop a robbery. You also need to know that Jeremy's time since then has not really been pleasant till he came here a little over four months ago.” 

It was like a blow struck me and I could feel the tears building seeing the same reaction on Tony’s face as I turned away trying to get a hold of myself before this child who had just told us one our of family was no more. 

I had known something had to be drastically wrong for Andy not to be here with Jeremy but still somehow I had convinced myself that it couldn’t be that. 

To have been told in such a fashion as this, while I am sure that Adam didn’t have any choice and could almost figure that it was because something in the upcoming briefing was going to touch on it, it still didn’t make it any more palatable.

Sometime during this I realized that Adam had retreated to give us a moment to come to terms with this news even if it would take a lot longer than a few moments.

All I could think about was Jeremy, what had that poor boy been through during all this time and more importantly why hadn’t any of the ‘family’ been contacted. Even if it wasn’t me there was always Tony, Tom or Josh any of which would have dropped everything and came running. It just didn’t make sense but I am sure I would find out sooner or later.

The poor kid though, Andy was his world as much as Jeremy had been his, they had been two halves of the same coin, now he must be so alone.

Once we had regained some control all we could do was look at one another wordlessly as Tony reached out and clasped my shoulder.

I bowed my head again briefly before raising it and saying after taking a deep breath “I guess we should get in there”

“Yeah” was all we said as we turned and walked onto into the room.

I could see Sammy looking at me anxiously but I just shook my head and took a seat with Tony next to me and felt Sammy reach out and wrap his hand around mine under the table.

I could swear sometimes he knew what I was thinking and feeling as I squeezed his hand in return.

Adam then began the briefing starting by turning over a large board on which were the face shots of a bunch of children then he began to speak.

“Before I begin on the briefing I would ask that you hold all comments or questions till after I am done. I will probably be answering all your questions during it.” He said before looking around at everyone as we all nodded that we understood.

“These twenty seven children are all being held in a secure compound about thirty miles north west of our current location. We have been able to confirm that they are being used to make sexually explicit videos which are being sold on the Internet.” He told us before dimming the lights and beginning to go through slides on an overhead projector.

“As you can see, they are located inside a walled compound that is very well defended. According to what we have been able to find out, they are a religious separatist group that has been paying off the local officials so that they can get away with what ever they want inside. No questions are asked, and no one complains because those that would are kept as little more then slaves who can't escape.

They have approximately one hundred and fifty people inside, not counting the children. However, only about seventy five of them are listed as targets. The rest are women and children too young to be used in their videos. We do know that they are heavily armed, and keep a roving patrol, however, we are certain that they are not worried about people getting in, it’s more that they are worried about people trying to escape. 

Now, as to how your General Adams is involved. It seems that ever since your fated encounter with him many years ago, he has been plotting his revenge. We do know that he had a plan in place to kill off Jeremy's father, however, Andy was killed in a robbery just before he put his plan into motion. We have also been able to link him to the death of two of your team members that have been ruled accidents. One was a car crash, and the other a home invasion/robbery. We do know that it was Adams that had Jeremy's judge killed and made it so that Jeremy went through hell these last few months.” He told us pausing there to reach down and grab two folders which he proceeded to hand to both Tony and I.

In it were detailed evidence of exactly what Adams had done and been doing for some time against my former unit. If all the rest so far hadn’t been enough what Adam had said about Jeremy just sealed his fate as far as I was concerned. 

He was a dead man, now the only question in my mind was how soon would his funeral take place and I could see the same thought in Tony’s eyes as well as Elena’s.

Adam then began to speak again “From what we have been able to figure out from his private and secret computer files, he wasn't just planning on killing you Tony, first he wanted to make you suffer, you and Elena over what happened ten years ago. He decided to go after your children to do that and this porn ring was a convenient tool to extract that vengeance upon you.

“Now I am going to make an assumption here, but I gather that at least some of you will want to go on the rescue. I have already factored that into the plans, and will have equipment ready for you once you let me know who is going to go. We are expecting stiff resistance, and do know they have a plan in place to kill the children at the first sign of an armed invasion. However, I can guarantee that before they know we are there, the cats will have the children secure. If I wasn't interested in killing all the mother fuckers there, I'd just go in and get the kids out quietly.” Adam took a moment to calm down before continueing.

“The current plan is to hit them tonight. We would have hit them two nights ago when we found out where they were, but when Jeremy saw Miguel in there, he insisted that we call you two. To be honest I wasn't going to agree to that at first, but then I got to thinking how I would feel if I was not allowed to get my share delivering justice to them, so we waited.” Adam finished up, and brought the lights back up to full. “Now, if any of you have questions, please feel free to ask them. But remember the full mission briefing will be happening later on once we figure out which of you will be going, and what you want to do.” Looking around as he finished expectantly but he didn’t have to wait long as I along with Tony, Elena, Marissa and Esteban all said at the same time “Kill them” and then Sammy said in such a cold voice that I turned startled towards him “I’m going with you”

Adam just nodded and with that the briefing broke up and everyone began leaving the room as Jack told everyone that if they would follow him he would lead them to their rooms. 

I stopped outside looking around at what I could see of the complex and noticed Sammy energetically talking the ears off of the boy from earlier in the wheelchair along with another one who was pushing it about his favorite subject. 

I just smiled thinking those two were in for it with my SamSam off on that subject I just hoped he wouldn’t be in a helicopter within the next five minutes as I’m sure he would have liked.

“Hey dad can I go with Will and Bill to their room for a while and talk?” he asked suddenly noticing me standing there.

I put on a smile for him and said “Sure just stay on the ground” 

He gave me a little one back and didn’t even argue as he walked off with them.

It was kind of sad not to have one of his usual comments to leave me with but after that briefing I couldn’t blame him.

I hastily stopped standing there and thinking things and jogged to catch up with Jack before I got lost in this warren.

He showed us around briefly as we made our way to the rooms which had been assigned to us telling us we would get the full tour later on and then dropped us off in groups in those rooms.

I found the munchkins playing quietly in the main room with the little cutie I had noticed before. 

He was so adorable I thought as Alexei looked up and said “Mike this is Vishneu he’s playing with us” 

“I can see that little one, it looks like your having fun too” I told him which got a vigorous head nodding as he pounced on the little cat boy and they began wrestling around amid much giggles. 

Samantha was there looking on smiling and walked over to me saying “They’re so cute” 

I smiled and asked “The cats or ours?” 

“Both” she said laughing.

“I’m going to go up top and take a walk, I need some air and time to think” I said looking once more at the kids playing so unconcerned before me.

“Mike, are you alright?” she asked concern evident in her voice.

I paused for a moment before I said softly “I don’t know but I need some answers and I think I know who to get them from. Maybe now he’ll give them to me” 

“Mike…” she softly said placing a hand on my arm.

“Andy’s dead, Jeremy’s been through hell and he didn’t call us and now because of some vendetta Miguel has been put into hell, it’s too much right now Sam” I said as I turned and walked out of the room making my way back towards the conference room where I hoped to still find Adam or at least where he had gone if he wasn’t there any longer.

When I got back up to the conference room I found Adam staring off out the window there lost in thought and although I hated to disturb him as there was such a lost look on his face I also needed to know some things and began to slowly walk into the room.

I was about half way across the room when he turned around and looked at me saying “Why do I get the feeling that you have a few questions?” 

I found myself chuckling as I answered sarcastically “Oh maybe one or two” 

Adam actually began laughing as he asked “Well, where would you like me to start?” 

“The beginning works and what the HELL are those cats?” I said smiling at him.

He pointed me to a chair and we both sat down as smiling he said “Well the cats come a bit later on in the story, but let me start at the beginning”

I just nodded and he began his story and those of the children here. 

Over the next hour amongst many tears for the both of us he related the story of how he and the others had came to be and what they and the rest of the non-genetically engineered children had went through before coming here as well as what they had accomplished since they had. 

I had more questions but somehow I knew they would wait for another time, they weren’t important right now.

I knew that by the time it was over I didn’t mistrust them any longer and all I wanted to do was take this sweet boy into my arms much the way I would have done for my SamSam.

We sat there for a few moments digesting what had been told until he finally broke the silence by saying “There is something that I didn’t bring up during the briefing, mainly because I didn’t know how Tony and Elena would take it…” but he trailed off at that point looking at me with a haunted look and I knew I wasn’t going to like whatever was coming. 

“I take it it’s not good?” I said into the pause.

Looking at me he shook his head and giving a snort but not one of amusement said “That’s one way of putting it. I don’t know how to explain this in any way that will soften it, you need to see these” and with that handed over a folder he had been holding unnoticed til then in his hand.

“The first set of pictures is of Ronnie. He’s one of my guys and also the brother to the kid who flew us in here” Adam said as with some trepidation I looked away from him and down to the folder that suddenly I very much didn’t want to open.

But knowing I had to I did anyway.

“Sweet Jesus” I muttered, standing and staring at the first picture in utter shock and disgust.

On it was an approximate nine year old boy with black hair and eyes that would haunt me to my dying day. The picture showed him bloody, beaten and bruised but that wasn’t the worst of it by a long shot, no it also showed him being brutally sexually assaulted, the blood from that obvious, with his mouth open in a silent scream of pure agony. 

I think what was worse was the man doing the assault had turned his head and was smiling into the camera, clearly enjoying the pain he was inflicting on this child. 

He was going to be the first to die.

The rest of the pictures were no better showing this same boy being forced to perform other acts or being beaten mercilessly.

Then came Miguel.

If I thought the pictures of this boy Ronnie were bad then nothing prepared me for Miguel. 

It wasn’t that the pictures of Miguel were worse really it was because I knew him and while I didn’t know the other boy.

I had had tears in my eyes over Ronnie but now they were running freely as I looked at what had been done to him.

It was when I got to the last one that I lost it for there was that man again and doing the exact same thing to Miguel as he had done to Ronnie.

He was just as pleased with himself in this picture as he had been in the other ones. 

I didn’t even realize that I had started to drop the folder or that Adam had grabbed it only that I had the one picture clasped in my hand looking at it or more importantly looking at Miguel’s face.

For Miguel had the same look in his eyes that Ronnie had had, one of hopelessness, hurt and desperation to be sure but also one filled with only one question ‘Why?’

---

Sammy:

I had left Dad up with Adam after hearing that briefing and knew shit was going to hit the fan real soon but for now I had went with Will and Bill down to their room to talk about flying.

On the way down Will had whispered to me that Ronnie the other boy that had been kidnapped with Miguel was Bill’s brother which explained why he was so sad.

I figured I might be able to get his mind off of it a little at least by talking about flying which I loved anyway so that is what we were doing, besides they loved it too.

I couldn’t believe that Bill had flown that big ass helicopter we had came in on, how cool was that, and even with what had happened to his brother.

We had been in the room for a little while when I got up to go to the bathroom.

It was as I was coming back that I saw it.

At first I didn’t get it, I just couldn’t understand how they had it but then I realized this wasn’t ours this was one of theirs.

I had stopped and after gasping had just stood there staring at it.

“What’s wrong?” Bill asked as Will asked “Sammy are you alright?” 

“Where did you get that?” I asked slowly and barely above a whisper.

“The picture?” Will asked

“Yeah” I replied

“It’s Bill’s dad taken from when he was little” Will said as I turned and looked at them in shock.

Will jumped up and came over to me “Sammy what is it?” 

I couldn’t answer them with what I thought and more importantly what this would mean so I merely grabbed the picture and running from the room yelling “Come on you gotta come with me, now!” 

I could hear them yelling questions as I ran from the room but I could also tell they were following me and I knew I had to get to dad and right now. 

He had to know about this, it would change everything.

Suddenly as I ran I could feel something bad was wrong and it was dad.

It was so strong a feeling of pain and anger that I staggered up against a wall and had to stop and catch my breath a minute.

They caught up to me as I was doubled over with the shock of the feelings hitting me.

“Sammy are you alright?” I heard as I stood up and said “We gotta find dad right now!” and took off running again.

Something was definitely wrong as I came around a corner and saw dad standing there with Adam.

He had tears running down his face and was clutching something in his hand tightly although I could tell he had crumpled it all up whatever it was.

I could also tell that whatever it had been was the cause of his pain and anger.

“Dad” I called as I walked the rest of the way into the conference room.

---

Mike:

Suddenly there was a cry from the doorway of “Dad?” 

I felt myself tense up and without thinking my hand was crumbling the picture as I tried to get control of myself.

Sammy must never see these, never.

“Dad are you alright?” he asked coming into the room and walking towards me with a very worried and concerned look on his face.

I tried as I turned away to get it together but I just couldn’t do it.

I felt someone reach down and take the picture from my hand and looked up to see that it was Adam as I gave him a brief smile of gratitude and then my SamSam was there wrapping his arms around me.

“Dad, what’s wrong?” he asked.

I didn’t, hell couldn’t answer for a moment or two as my throat worked but finally said in a croak “Nothing”

He pulled his head back and looked up at me silently for a moment before burying it back in my chest and squeezing me real tight then letting go.

It was then that I noticed two others had entered that room and stopped a few feet away looking at us uncertainly.

“Dad there’s something you need to see” he said holding out a picture frame to me face down.

“Okay” I replied as I took it and turned it over looking down at what it contained.

I couldn’t help the small smile that came to my face as I remembered when it had been taken and how excited the little munchkin had been even though I didn’t even think he was old enough to know what a helicopter was but that hadn’t stopped him or made him any less fascinated by the birds. 

“Sammy, where’d you get this? I thought we left it at home” I said looking up at him puzzled now because while we had managed to grab some pictures others we hadn’t been able to get before we left and this was one of the ones I didn’t think we had got to.

“You need to ask him” he said pointing towards the boys waiting in the middle of the room looking just as confused as I was.

I walked over to them with Adam and Sammy trailing as the one in the wheelchair looked up at me and said “It’s mine”

“Yours?” I asked startled as the thoughts began running through my head.

“Yeah it’s me and my dad taken when I was a little kid” he replied looking like he wasn’t too sure he liked me asking about it.

I looked down stunned at the picture in my hand as the pieces began falling into place more rapidly and muttered almost in disbelief “You and your dad?” 

I guess he took it wrong or something because rather challengingly he replied “Yeah, me and my dad” 

I saw the tear splash onto the glass of the picture followed by another and another as I slowly looked up and handed the wheelchair bound boy the picture.

He looked shocked to see the tears running down my face as I slowly reached into my pocket and drew out my wallet from where I pulled an old and worn picture out of it’s plastic covering and wordlessly handed it to the boy.

Looking at me questioningly he slowly reached out his hand and took it from me turning it to look at it and I could hear the strangled gasp come from him as I said “Billy” and with that he looked up gazing at me in the same stunned disbelief that I had had moments before.

“Billy is that you?” I asked again going to my knees in front of him and searching that face for the little ball of energy and glee I had known so long ago.

With that he launched himself from his chair crying “Daddy?” as I reached out and caught him in my arms, bringing his now much older body to mine as I hugged him close murmuring “Billy” over and over again.

For in those moments before he had come into my arms I had seen that little boy I once knew, changed to be sure but still there deep in those eyes somewhere but the thing that got me was the pain I could also see deeply buried within them. 

What had my little wild child been through during all these years and where was the woman who had taken him out of my life.

Those were questions I had no answers for and right now I just concentrated on hugging him to me for somehow I knew it was something he didn’t get nearly enough of, and something he had been sorely lacking in his life.

I had my baby boy back somehow, someway, I had him back after ten long years.

It was then that everything came together and I almost groaned aloud for this was the boy who had flown us into the base, the same boy whose brother had been kidnapped.

A boy who I had never met, one who I didn’t even know existed up until today yet somehow I just knew.

The timing, when she had left me, why she had been acting so strangely and her final comments about having my children.

She had.

Ronnie was my son.

Bill cried himself to sleep in my arms and I noticed there wasn’t anyone in the room who wasn’t crying along with us although Sammy had a small smile on his face.

I finally picked him up in my arms cradling him like I used to do long ago and with Will leading the way pushing his wheelchair I followed along with Sammy down to their room after nodding my head to Adam in goodbye.

Once there I gently placed him on his bed and watched as Will pulled the covers up before bending over to softly kiss his forehead and say “I love you” just like I had when he was a baby.

I stood there for a moment with my arm wrapped around Sammy looking down on the son I thought I had lost forever when Will motioned us to follow him out of the room.

With a soft smile for him I turned and led Sammy after Will who was getting sodas and bringing them back to hand to us as we all sat down.

“Will, what happened to Billy, why’s he in that chair?” I asked softly.

Will just shook his head and stood up walking over to a bag and pulling what looked like a small tape recorder out of it and coming back to sit down again.

“Telling you wouldn’t do it justice. Here listen to this…it should tell you everything” the boys said sadly. 

With that he pressed play on the recorder and I heard something that I would never forget, something that I had never forgotten.

I knew that Sammy hadn’t either.

“911, what is your emergency?” an adult voice asked.

“Please I need help! My step dad is trying to hurt us, my brother isn’t moving, please.” A young boy’s voice could be heard crying into the phone and you could tell he was having a hard time speaking through his tears. 

“Okay honey it’s going to be alright, what's your name, and where are you at?” The ladies voice said trying to reassure the terrified young boy and you could hear her typing on a keyboard in the background.

“Please” the boy begged “He’s not moving, please help us,” the child’s voice continued.

“Honey listen to me you have to tell me your name and where you’re at, you have to or we can’t get help to you or your brother” the lady said desperately and clearly trying to get the boy to calm down enough to give her the information she needed. 

It seemed to work as the boy’s voice noticeably calmed as he began speaking “My name is Bill Tompkins, and I live at 335 south tenth st...” but he had just started when you could hear a loud pounding from a door somewhere nearby. After that you could hear a whimper from the boy and the chilling words “He’s back”, followed by the lady asking something that was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a gunshot and then a door being kicked in. 

You could hear the boy scream as the phone fell to the floor and then an anguished plea of “No Greg! Don’t Shoot!” from the terrified boy then various noises followed by desperate cry of “NO!” , a gunshot and then a piercing scream of agony.

You could hear the thud as the boy hit something on the enhanced recording and then nothing for a few seconds followed by sounds of a struggle somewhere and two more gunshots.

There was silence for the most part then a scream of such terror that it still made me jump when I heard it.

Silence again which was almost worse than the other when that boy’s voice yelled defiantly “Leave him alone” and I knew he was talking about his little brother.

Now you were able to distinguish other sounds in the background and voices yelling from far away followed shortly by the clearly articulated order to “Freeze” apparently issued by the police who had finally arrived on scene.

A domestic violence or family disturbance call was every cop’s worst nightmare and these officers were about to have theirs come true.

Then into the silence there was a gunshot followed by multiple more shots being fired and a man’s voice asking “Son are you okay?” and that same boy’s voice gasping out in a struggle with each word “I…Don’t…Think…So” before going silent. 

You could hear the officer screaming for medical assistance on his radio that he had two kids down, victims of gunshots and then the dispatcher coming back with an acknowledgement followed by the officer telling the boys that help was on the way and that everything was going to be alright but it was the words that came next that will always stick in my mind and heart.

In a barely audible exchange between the two brothers in what was clearly thought to be a goodbye the boy who had called 911 trying to save his brother’s life simply as his last act told him the most important thing of all.

“I love you” 

As the tape ended I could feel the tears running down my face as I realized who that boy had been and just what Billy had been through and done.

I had Sammy holding onto me for dear life and I could see him crying as well knowing that he remembered when that call had been played on the national news day after day.

I hadn’t known who it was obviously but the details had come out of the boy calling for help to protect his little brother and then throwing himself over his little brother’s body trying to save that boy’s life twice before taking the final shot that would leave him paralyzed for life. 

They had told of how the boy almost died and how he had been abused for years but it was hearing that tape that put it all into reality for so many.

It had broke my heart then and hearing it now had broken it again.

There was unbroken silence for several minutes until Will broke it with these words.

“Mike I hate to say this and frankly I can only hope you’ll accept it but Bill and I are together, we love one another” he said pausing and if I didn’t know by the final words the emphasis on ‘together’ certainly left no doubt as he continued “Please keep that in mind when I say this. He hasn’t had a lotta luck in the dad department and I’d really hate to see him hurt again. If you’re gonna hurt him or leave him, then just go now, cause if you hurt him…if you hurt him I’ll hunt you down and I WILL kill you” 

His eyes were on fire as he said the final part then he simply got up and left the room leaving me stunned and not having the chance to tell him that I would never hurt Billy and that I also would never ever leave him again.

Sammy and I just held one another tightly for a while slowly finishing our drinks and still completely silenced got up and went into the bedroom where my son and his new brother was sleeping both of us just standing there silently gazing down on the sleeping boy.

“He’s been so alone dad” I could hear Sammy whisper softly.

“Yeah but never again baby, never again” I said.

“Nope he has all of us now” Sammy replied just as softly as we both crawled carefully into the bed with the boy by unspoken agreement and each of us wrapped our arms around him and drifted off to sleep to Billy’s happy sigh of contentment. 

The next morning I woke up to find Sammy watching us smiling gently and I looked to see Billy still asleep a small smile playing at his lips even in his sleep.

Soon enough though Billy started stirring and opened his eyes looking first at me and smiling a big smile then turning his gaze to Sammy who just smiled back at him.

“I guess I got some more brothers to look after now don’t I” he asked softly.

“Yep and we’ll look after each other” Sammy replied as they hugged one another tightly and I heard Sammy whisper “Welcome to the family bro”

We got up and took a shower before following Bill down to breakfast and then on to the briefing for the upcoming mission.

---

We entered the room and took seats along with the strike teams, pilots and anyone else that would be going was assembled and waited until Adam walked into the room and up to the podium instantly bringing quiet into the room

“Okay, here is the plan,” he said, while turning on the projector. “First off, Bill will be flying the Chinook, Charlie will be flying one of the MI-26, with Dierdra flying the other one. Will's gonna be in the Black Hawk. We'll fly in low, and land about three miles out. At that point, we'll have to go on foot till we get to the actual compound. Once there, we will fan out around the building. Alpha and Bravo teams, along with Mike and Sammy, will take the front gate. Charlie and Delta, with Tony, Elana, Esteban, and Marrissa will take the back gate. The cats will spread out before hand, and before we go in, they will take out the guard towers, they head immediately over to the barracks where the children are being held. Juan, Jory, Chang and I will be going in with the cats, but we will be going for the guard barracks. Echo, Foxtrot, and Gamma team will wait in the second Mi-26, and come in as back up if needed.”

He paused at that point before going on “Once the cats have the towers secure, both gates will get blown open, and the other teams will make their way to the barracks. Make no mistake here, the kids are the main objective. Get there as quick as you can, and drop anyone who fights. Remember, there will be non combatants on the field as well, pick your targets carefully, only those that fight back.”

After another pause where he seemed to look at everyone he started again “Once the kids building is secure, and the area around it swept, Charlie will come in with the 26, with Bill and Will flying cover for him. Charlie, you need to land right here,” he said pointing to the area in front of the building. “Once your on the ground, we'll start loading the kids on board. Once that's done, and the kids are on board, Alpha and Charlie team will board, and you'll get the hell out of there.”

Then he stopped and looking over at Janet said the next part with a smile on his face “Remember guys, the kids will be real scared, you gotta try and reassure them as much as possible.” Janet just nodded with approval, and Adam went on.

“Once that's done, the rest of us will clean up and get out on with the Chinook, or the Black Hawk. Any questions?” Adam looked around, and saw no one had any questions, so he dismissed everyone with one last comment. “Okay, we have fourteen hours till we go wheels up. Get some rest if you can, and meet in the hanger in thirteen hours. Until then, dismissed.”

Everyone got up, and made their way to the doors.

We stood back as everyone left and Adam walked up asking “Hey guys, how about that tour now?”

“Sure, sounds good about now” I replied

We took the tour and I was very surprised with how large and well equipped the complex was. 

It was huge and I made a point of telling Adam how impressed I was with everything I had seen here so far, amazed would be more like it though.

As we walked into the hangar I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight which confronted me for in the hangar were three Hueys, four MI-26, a black hawk and finally something I didn’t think could be what it looked like.

“That can’t be a…” I said in surprise trailing off as I just looked at what appeared to be a “Guns-n-go-go” version of the Chinook.

“Yes it can only we did it right” Will said with a big ole grin on his face.

We spent around the base getting to know the kids and then resting for what was to come before finally it was time and we made our way to the hangar and got outfitted with weapons and gear for the mission.

I had given up on talking Sammy out of it and with some trepidation watched as he donned his gear and we boarded the helicopter.

Surprisingly the mission went off just as it was planned and everything seemed to go perfectly which should have been an indicator of things to come but I missed it of course.

They had gotten the barracks secured and we were in positions outside when Donny came out and I said with a smile “Well, it looks like everything went exactly according to Adam's plan.”

Donny shook his head and replied “Not quite everything,…we can’t find Ronnie or Miguel” 

“WHAT?” I cried as I ran past Donnie and into the house. Donny was right on my heals as I ran amongst the kids hoping against hope that maybe they had just missed them somehow. 

Then from the back of the room I heard an accented voice ask “Are you looking for Ronnie and Miguel?”

I looked over to where the voice had come from to see kid wearing a white hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled all the way up standing there.

I couldn’t see his face because of the hood but just nodded as he said “Follow me, I know where they’re at but they’re hidden”

We all ran after Donny and the kid who led us to what looked like an office where the boy was trying to move a file cabinet. 

Donny went right over and helped him move it then we were descending stairs into the floor where a trap door had been and approaching another door. Taking out our weapons we prepared to go in and then Donny slammed the door open, going through it and firing two silenced rounds into the two adults that were in the room.

There were television monitors around the room I noticed after clearing the room of anymore threats but it was the girl Emily’s startled and shocked exclamation of “Oh my God” that brought my attention first to her and then what caused her to have her hand to her mouth in horror.

On two of the monitors were Ronnie and Miguel with two adults in with each of them. Both of them were in the process of being assaulted again.

The boy who had led us here sadly shook his head and moving to the doorway said “Come on” before going out into the hallway and saying “Miguel is down that way” pointing one way while he said “Ronnie is down this way”

Our group split up with Tony and his family running down for Miguel while Sammy, Donny, Emily and I went with the helpful boy who had brought us here.

When I reached the door the boy had pointed out to us I didn’t even stop but slammed into it and into the room placing a bullet into the man standing there watching while running forward to grab the other man and pull him off of and out of Ronnie, throwing him across the room as I did so.

Seeing nothing but red at this point as a rage I didn’t know I was capable of feeling engulfed me I put a bullet into his knee as he started to get up saying “You God-Damned Son of a Bitch!”

Then the gun was in it’s holster and my fist were pounding into him over and over again until I heard a whimpering voice say “Please don’t daddy, no more”

I stopped with my fist inches away from what was left of this guys bloody face and dropped him turning back to the bruised and battered form lying there on the bed.

I walked slowly over to the boy looking down at him “Ronnie?” I whispered as he coughed and some bright red blood burbled up from his lips.

Then it was as if time had reversed and it was another little boy laying there as I asked “Are you okay?” 

“Not really” he gasped as I reached up in a daze remembering another little boy without thinking keyed my mic saying urgently into it “Josh I need you my position, man down and for God’s sake hurry” 

I was brought back to the here and now by a voice asking “Who the hell is that and who is Josh?” 

“We need a medic and we need him right now!” I heard Sammy say into the radio before I could reply

“Help’s on the way” I told him gently taking his hand in mine.

“I knew you’d come dad” he said through his pain and I could feel the tears in my eyes looking down at him.

“You did and how did you know I’m your father?” I asked a bit shocked.

Ronnie looked off to the back of the room where the boy had went to and smiling said “He told me”

I followed his gaze as the boy said “You didn’t think I’d let it happen again did you Papa?” as he began walking towards me.

Papa? 

There was only one boy who had ever called me that.

I gasped in surprise and disbelief as the boy walked up to the bed and taking Ronnie’s other hand pushed the hood back from his head.

“Oh my God, Pablito???” I asked stunned.

“Geez a few short years and he forgets me already” the smartalecky voice I never thought I would hear again said.

“Pablito?” I asked again not being able to believe it as the tears ran down my face now. 

With that Pablito gently pulled Ronnie up amid whimpers of pain and hugged the small boy to him and I watched as a glow seemed to surround them.

“A friend of mine is helping me do this because I can’t and then we’ll get my brother next” he said as the glow began to fade.

When it was gone Ronnie sat there smiling as Pablito stepped back all injuries gone now.

“We’ve healed the physical injuries but I can’t take away the memories Ronnie, they’re a part of you now and you’ll need them” Pablo told him.

Ronnie just nodded.

“How? You’re…You’re…” I tried to say but was at a loss for words.

“It’s called ‘dead’ papa” he said with a smirk as Sammy and Ronnie both giggled.

I got up and walked around to his side of the bed as he looked up at me and took him into my arms pulling him to me tightly and determined to never let go this time.

As if he could read my thoughts I heard a giggle and then he told me “I gotta go Papa”

“No” I said into his head as I inhaled his scent but he simply pushed back from me and smiled up at me with that same impish grin he’d always had.

Then looking at Sammy he said “He sure likes to hug a lot don’t he” 

“Yeah I know” Sam replied smiling.

“See ya round Papa” he said walking over to Sammy and wrapping his arms around him giving him a hug before saying “Welcome to the family little brother”

With that he began to fade away smiling at me and just as he was about gone he added “Hey tell Tony I can still kick his ass” 

Then he was gone although the giggles lasted for a moment or two along with an admonishing voice saying “Angels don’t swear” and a response of “Whatever”

I went over and picked up Ronnie into my arms and holding him began to walk from the room but it was as we got to the door he said “Oh Pablito wanted me to tell you something”

“What?” I asked

“The last thing you ever said to him he said to tell you ‘He’ll always love you too’” he said and I stopped remembering that day.

We walked out and headed to the helicopter and I could see Adam and some others ahead of us shepherding the rescued kids along towards safety.

We were just reaching them when it happened.

It was so fast, so unexpected.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, everything had been cleared, the bad guys were all neutralized, all I guess except one.

I heard a scream and as I pushed Ronnie to the ground and brought up my MP 5 a shotgun blast ring out followed by three rapid fire shots from a 9 mm handgun.

It was then that everything came together that I was seeing.

Jeremy screaming and jumping onto Adam as a man fired the shotgun at close range from where he had popped up and Sammy instantly returning fire only not quick enough as both Jeremy and Adam were down as the man went flying backwards.

“MEDIC!!!” Adam screamed as we ran up to them.

“Jeremy hang on bro, helps on the way” Adam said urgently to the boy.

I could see it was bad as they began to work on him.

I turned to Sammy who had a stunned and shocked look on his face and asked “Are you alright?” as I pulled him close to me.

“I…I…killed..” he said stuttering in after reaction as he looked up at me with tears in his eyes before turning to look down at Jeremy and I knew there wasn’t anything I could do right now except hold him which I did.

“You’re alright?” Jer asked gasping in pain.

“I’m fine, you save me” Adam said tears running down his face now. “You saved my life so you hang on” he went on to say.

“Where the fuck is Chang” Adam screamed only to hear someone say “He’s coming”

He better come fast I thought.

Juan was there trying to staunch the blood pouring from the wound along with Adam muttering all the while “Shit, shit, shit”

“Jeremy stay with me bro” Adam said as I saw the boy start to fade out.

“Tired” he mumbled.

Juan was crying as he said “Don’t be such a wuss, you stay here, you hear me” begging him in the only way he knew how to stay.

“Tell Ty I love him please” Jeremy said 

“No, you have to tell him yourself, you tell him” Adam said crying as much as Juan now or more.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to do that sir” the younger boy said smiling briefly before the smile turned to one of pain as blood bubbled at his lips.

“Adam…it….hurts…” he gasped out looking surprised that it did and then his head fell to one side as his eyes dimmed.

“NO GOD DAMMIT!!! NO!!!! JEREMY YOU STAY WITH US” Adam yelled and I felt the pain he was experiencing at losing a team member for I had lost them myself over the years and this made it even worse because he was family.

“CHANG!!!!!!!” Adam screamed as the medic came running

“JEREMY!!!” He then cried as Chang pushed him aside to work on the boy at the same time Juan was crying “Jeremy no, no”

Then Adam had Juan in his arms and they both stood there crying as Chang worked to save the boy’s life.

Jeremy had saved Adam’s life and it looked like at the cost of his own.

He had thrown himself in front of the blast to save the boy’s life and I knew Adam was taking it hard as I watched Chang try everything he could to save the boy.

We loaded him as quickly as we could into the helicopter and we were off. Charlie was flying for all he was worth, and he knew that the call had already been made back to base. Medical would be waiting for us.

Adam held Juan in his arms throughout the flight both of them crying while Chang and the other medics worked feverishly to save Jeremy and I only hoped a miracle would happen

When we landed, a gurney was quickly brought in, and they transferred Jeremy onto it. He was still fighting, and that was a good sign. 

“JEREMY!!!! NO!!!!!!” I heard as I exited the helicopter after the gurney. Tyler was there, and ran up as Adam took him into his arms trying to comfort the distraught boy.

“What... what happened?” He asked, but Adam just shook his head and led us all after the gurney. 

Janet stopped the boys with just a look when they would have followed her into the ER and with that we all took seats to wait for news.

 

It was a sad procession that went up the hill for what was to come. 

Doubly so for us who had known Jeremy all his life.

Adam though was taking this pretty badly and I was worried about him and what he would do now.

This was brought home when Adam got up to speak.

“I...” he began but had to stop and clear his clogged throat before continuing “I thought I would be able to get up here and say something that would make it alright but I can’t. Nothing will make it alright ever again” He said before hanging his head for a moment then saying “He gave his all to each of us and me in particular and for that he will be remembered, always. It’s my fault that he died and I’ll… I’ll always love him” but that was all he got out as he broke down and ran from the hill.

Logan ran after him and we were left to finish up this last duty you can do for someone, someone much loved and much missed.

Suddenly as we were waiting the door from the ER opened and to our complete shock Adam with an arm draped around Jeremy came walking out through the doors.

We all jumped up in surprise at seeing them as Logan asked “Adam? Jeremy, what's going on?” as he ran forward and grabbed onto Adam helping him over to a seat.

---

With that he stumbled over to Jeremy, and gave him a hug. He put his arm over the younger boys shoulder, and started walking to the door.

“Adam, get back here...” Janet started to say, but gave up when he turned, and she saw the look in his eyes. 

He struggled out of the room, with Janet following right behind him. When they got out to the waiting room, everyone jumped up in surprise. 

“Adam? Jeremy, what's going on?” Logan asked as he ran forward and grabbed onto Adam, helping over to a seat. 

“Adam... Adam gave everything up to save me. He... an Angel came... and... Adam took my injury... the Angel said he's... just a human now.” Jeremy said with tears coming to his eyes

An angel, a short while ago I would have doubted their sanity but not anymore after what had happened earlier.

I watched as Logan looked deeply into Adam’s eyes and said as he wrapped his arms around the boy “I don’t care what you are, Adam…I love you”