Learning Romance

Chapter 7

"William? Are you alright"

Angela asked with concern laced over her features

Just a few hours ago she disclosed the reason for the Rhina incident to the DVl team of which she was now a part of, as a Doctor. James and the others left William with her so she could run more tests.

"Yeah, I'm good, it's just a lot to take in" was the cold reply he gave without even looking at her.

"Want to talk about it?" She pushed ignoring his attempt to brush her off.

William gave no reply and they both kept silent for a while.

"It was my last R7 drill in Starcut, I was told of a small terrorist camp in the outskirts of Rhina since I was in the last session I got to lead the team. All we were given was dumb short guns, we were told to hit and be out in 30, it was no issue until they told us to recover a drive from the watch tent of the camp.

It was hell there, they had heavy weapons our guns were simple toys, completely outnumbered but we managed to form a bridge, we held our lines for days, the chopper came back in 30mins yes. But it was blown out in no time, I watched my friends drop like leaves in autumn, we all thought we were going to die, after the first day we all knew our defense lines wouldn't hold...we were running out of arms and we didn't even have food with us. Every day we had one loss then another, of thirty men we were only five who got to retreat, and from that only I survived, I had to call for help, for someone to get me out, by doing that I lost my chance to R8, it was these two who came for me, James and Chelsea.

They wiped out the camp Angela, just the two of them, and with the same short guns, we had. And guess what they got for the rescue, another insane drill, they were beaten to s**t for coming to me, my training was off, I graduated R7. Do you see these two? I don't know how they are sane, I don't think they are. Starcut is no place for humans, Atratia is a beast it suffocates its victims but never kills them." William paused and turned away from Angela, gazing into space he whispered loud enough for Angela to hear.

"There is no way James could have lost his badge." He jumped down from the bed and pulling out the needles in his hand he said.

"Call the team back in"

****

"You're right William, there's no way James would lose a badge" after a pause she continued.

"He's right brother. You need to be tested too" Chelsea patted James on the shoulder and walked to the table to arrange events and see where they might have gotten the unknown chemical into thier system.

"Alright guys, I should go, you guys can have the Souter case, if you won't report to the agency at least report to me, and let me know if you need something" Albert announced, he was DVl head not a member of James team.

"See ya old man," James said making the man frown and exit without another word.

"So while we wait for test results, anyone wants to tell me what happened at Rhina?" William asked.

****

(Flashback)

James was speaking with KS and the chairman when he heard Chelsea say over comms,

"s**t! We need to get out of here, evacuate the building, get everyone out now!!!"

"Sir, ma'am we need to leave now"

He turned around and said loud enough for everyone to hear

"We need to leave now, please follow the agents and we'll get you out safely, the building is being surrounded"

The chairman immediately excused himself and joined Chelsea as she led people out.

"You know you're quite amusing," KS said walking to stand in front of the R8 agent she was sent to kill.

"I'm glad you find me amusing, I'm sorry but you need to leave too, we'll get you out safely I promise" James grinned back.

Instead of replying to him, she put a hand on his stone-hard abs and pushed him back to the wall. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"It's just us"

James was fast enough to hold her hand as she pulled a knife to stab him with.

"Damn it KS, I'm not stupid" he growled.

She pulled out another knife with her free hand and slashed James abdomen with it.

"Aww, your abs will make that more painful than I hoped R8" KS mocked.

"You are really crazy, you shouldn't be this close right?" James ignored the pain

He headbutted her and while she recovered he pulled out the knife from his waist and threw it at her thigh, KS was too slow to react and she screamed in pain when the knife pierced her skin.

James walked toward the door leaving her to attend to herself.

"Never let your opponent know how much he affects you," he said nonchalantly as he pulled out his gun.

"You're too scared for a fistfight?" KS had succeeded in pulling out the knife and was headed for James, as she closed in and was about to run into him with the momentum she had gathered, James raised an elbow and she was completely knocked out as her head hit his waiting frame.

He looked at her on the ground and hissed angrily, sure he had won but he couldn't take her with him since he wouldn't go far with the weight.

"Any eyes on Karen?" He asked on comms desiring a reward especially since he got a knife hole.

"Satellite spotted her heading for Atratia soon as I began evac" Chelsea answered.

"How are you holding up Stacy?"

"This car is awesome, tell me something it doesn't have."

"Stacy" James called with a stern tone.

"Right, there's more coming in and I can't hold them all out."

"Alright I'll come to you"

He reluctantly abandoned KS' body and ran to where he had left Stacy with the car, as he ran, Stacy came back on comms.

"Tell me something James, can the car take on an RPG?

"GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE STACY, NOW!!" He shouted alarmed at the thought of Stacy being hit with an RPG.

He stopped running as he saw the car racing towards him,

"Open the driver's door and go to the back"

"Why the back?"

"Just do it for God's sake"

He jumped into the car as it came by him, looking through the rear camera he saw they were being followed.

"Okay Stacy, take the sniper and take out the one with the RPG, you miss and we're dead" he touched something on the screen where his map should be and a sniper lifted at the back of the car.

All Stacy could see was the handle, the trigger, and no more...oh right! The aim.

"Where's the rest of it?" She asked frantically as she had to hurry.

"Just lie down woman, the rest of it is outside the car.

Stacy lay down and with focus on the aim she shot the man with the RPG square on the head, and the loaded and fired weapon exploded. Most of the men chasing were unfortunately within the blast radius.

"Take this, find William, strike team will be picking you up soon," James said handing her his tablet.

He pulled over and a blood-stained Chelsea joined them in the car.

"What happened to you?" James questioned, concern taking over his impassive expression.

"Relax little brother, these are not mine, evac was almost screwed, I lost a few but the majority got out"

"I thought he was older?" Stacy asked amused by Chelsea's wit.

She regretted asking as soon as she noticed mischievous eyes staring into her soul.

They waited in silence until the strike team came, Stacy went with them and the twins went after William.

They arrived just in time as two agents dropped to the ground, before the attacker could take William too, Chelsea threw a knife straight into his skull.

****

"That was a crazy lot" William exclaimed

"Tests are in, James has same composition, only lesser concentration"