Desolate

The monthly check in

(5 years later)    

     Alli lived in a small trailer in the county of Ana, just outside Cruses. She was putting make up on to cover what her fake husband Eric had done the night before. With everything in her Alli hated this mission but not more than she hated Eric. He had four children and she posed as his wife so she could get closer to his uncle Raul. the Uncle basically ran Cruses and if you did not work you stayed off the streets for the most part now a days. Raul was a ruthless man, and the militia bombed the city often. Though Eric tried to seclude the woman, his uncle gave her a job as his personal secretary. Today she was to meet with her cousins Jan, and Sam, Lee, and her handler Joey. Though everyone thought Lee was her cousin and Joey was her brother because that is how she introduced them.

Eric had given her a black eye for them wanting to visit, he had tried to keep her secluded though his uncle had hired her as a secretary. He hated that her brother and cousins came every few months to see her. Today was supposed to be a day of shopping at one of the most overpriced malls, Lunch and more shopping. As soon as she escaped Eric's watchful eyes as the car pulled away from the drive, Alli started to breath easier. Lee took her hand into his as she gave a detailed report for the full drive to the mall. The visit to the mall had gone better than she had hoped for. While the other were busy getting the things needed and just browsing the stores. Alli set up meetings for Raul. Three of the store owners shut down after her visiting their stores. When they left the mall Jan needed to go to the college, Alli started to get nervous.

She had been there during some of the bombing and prayed that today would not be a day for that. As they pulled up to the college Jan and Sam got out and went inside one of the brick buildings. Joey got a call and also stepped out of the car, leaving Lee and Alli alone. Lee pulled Alli into his lap, he felt her tremble till he ran a hand down her back. Pain shot through her spine she moved slightly but it was enough for him to know something wasn't right, he knew her better than anyone and he knew she didn't normally wear makeup. As Alli looked into Lee's eyes she tried hard to cover the fact she was on the verge of tears. tenderly He kissed her forehead.

"Talk to me," He whispered.

"I can't" was all the woman could reply looking away.

She knew he knew and it killed her inside that she had to keep this to herself. She went to slip off his lap but he tightened his grip. Accidentally she let out a whimper from pain on her side...

Lee's eyes

Anger flashed in his eyes from the moment she had walked out the house he knew the rumors were true. She had been lying every time, she denied being abused. She was doing what she had to but he was still angry. For the entire three hours he had to keep to himself except for the fact in the car she allowed him to hold her hand. Now they were alone and she was flinching in pain and stifling the whimpers as he held her in his lap. Slowly he lifted her shirt, he watched her as she made to stop him. He needed to see for himself what was there, once her shirt exposed the bruising all over her ribs and some deep cuts across her stomach, she started to break down in front of him. Carefully he put her shirt back down. Gently he pulled her closer to him sighing he kept her there. He knew the proper thing was to let her do what she needed to but the darkness of anger made him want to kill the man.

Allis eyes

Just before everyone piled back into the car Alli slid down off Lee's lap. Emotions and guilt flooded her. She could not comprehend that there were gunshots on the east side of campus, in her current state of self loathing until much later once she was alone. Later that evening Alli had said her goodbyes and had gone back home to her step children.

Several hours later her eldest stepson Jr. was helping her off the bathroom floor, where she had passed out after Eric had left. She had bled a lot so he was surprised she could stand. Jr., had always done his best to make Alli smile, even after his father had beaten her. The house had been clean until Eric raged out on her, she was protecting her step son and she took the beating meant for him. She could not express the gratitude or love she had for the boy. He had been there helping her clean up and he cleaned her up as well. He had even made sure his younger three siblings were out of the house during these times.

She was in the middle of cooking dinner for the children when Eric returned. Neither spoke as he crossed the house to his room. He was surprised she had cleaned up already, he knew she was pretty f****d up. Eric had smiled sickly once he reached the room and saw the bed was still messed up.

    A man entered the trailer he said not a word to the woman or the children. The oldest boy looked to be about fourteen. Lee walked straight to the back of the trailer down a long hall. He passed the living room, the children's rooms, and the bathroom. As soon as he entered the master bedroom he knocked Eric on his ass. He let himself beat the man as Eric had beat his Alli. Once he was satisfied he would not wake too soon after he was knocked out, he took the woman and left.

Alli passed out almost as soon as he placed her into the truck. she didn't remember anything after he had buckled her.

Lees eyes

    Lee loved his Alli but this was too much. Knowing that the prick Eric would and did hit her, made him call Raul. Normally he stayed out of her missions. But what he saw in the back seat he knew he needed to get her to base now, not later. Once the uncle found out that his nephew was abusing her he released her from her duties and told him to keep her safe. That he would make sure the children were safe and he planned to make an example out of Eric. This was one thing war had not changed was the fact that bad men who harmed woman and children were to be made to pay for their actions.

    Lee knew the moment he saw Alli had new bruising, and the eldest boy had a black eye, that Eric had done it again, he lost control. He beat that bastard to an inch of his life and he did not regret any of it. She had been safe in the truck beside him, he had sped to get her to the base hospital. She was his first priority though he knew in the back of his mind that his second wife would be wondering what was going on. He looked over at her often during the drive, even in sleep she looked lost. Once there he carried her to medical and waited to see how bad it truly was...

(past memory) 

    Lee was sitting in the back of a pool hall in downtown Cruces. It had been months since he and Alli had seen each other, he was there to give her a message and then he felt he could be done. He hadn't known what to say since they had split up, he had remarried due to an assignment and had a son on the way. Jack had been the one to set all this up.

    Alli walked in she was still a blonde and she was wearing some of the tightest blue jeans he had seen her wear. She also had on a small black tank top and a black cap. She looked beautiful to Lee, but the moment those blue eyes met his she spun to walk back out. He caught her wrist and spun her back  towards him, her cry had caught him by surprise. Before he could stop himself he pulled her into a hug. He had seen the bruising that looked like she had been tied up, and now it made since why she would run from him. This had only been her third mission he recalled. The first had lasted two years and that was when they had to split up. She was really good at what she did, if she didn't talk to him. The moment she heard his voice or saw him she would start to break down. So for the sake of the missions he had to tell her it was over between them. He had hated it very much and he still had regret that he he had left her, but it is what it is. He knew his new wife would never understand how he felt. Lee knew for a little while his Alli had broken down, but she had put herself back together. He pulled her to a booth and held her for awhile, as he told her what she needed to know. When she was leaving a man came for her and did not like the response she had given. The man slapped her, with out a second thought Lee walked out and started to beat the man till he apologized to her for touching her that way. Then Lee took her back to the base with him. He may not be able to have her, he thought to himself, but he wasn't about to leaver her with someone who would harm her.

present day

She was out of surgery she had been cut up as well as beaten, which led to broken ribs. She was strong and he was proud she had held on as long as she had all by herself. Lee hated that he had to be distant.  He prayed all would work out, suddenly his phone rang, he knew it would be his wife, and he needed to get home.