The Rejected Alpha

Chapter 11

William, just heard a loud sigh, and then Luna Delilah continued. “If you dare go to Angola, do not ever expect a call from us again, is that clear! You are going to be an Officer, you can decide where you want to go!”

“It is not that simple,” William said, “as long as you are in the military service, you go where they deploy you, you have no say,” he told his mother. “I am going …..” but he couldn’t continue, as he heard his mother end the call.

The morning of the passing out parade, William was asked who will be presenting him with his rank, as everyone has handed in the names except him. William looked at his Corporal and asked, ”if you don’t mind Corporal, would you hand me my rank”. The Corporal just looked at him, and nodded in agreement.

Two days later, William is boarding an aeroplane for the first time in his life, on his way to South West Africa, from where he will then continue with his new Battalion to Angola.

“Can we all say Happy Birthday,” William’s new Battalion Commander said, “one of the new Officers here today is turning 19. What a great achievement” he said. “Lieutenant Von Tromp,” he said, “please join us.”

William walked to the front of the group as everyone wished him well for his birthday. After settling in to his new Battalion, William met his troops and NCO for the first time. All his troops were permanent force members, and the only National Service Men were the new Officers. “I would have to gain their trust and respect by being an example,” William thought to himself.

Over the next few weeks, William would slowly gain everyone’s trust and respect, especially after they all went for a run, and as William was challenged by the best runner in his platoon, William decided to show them that he might be only nineteen, but he is very mature. As William headed out, running away from them, he heard Sebastian talk to him for the first time in a long while. “We can do this all day” he said, “but we need their trust and respect. You should wait for them to catch up and see if there is anyone that you can help on this run, not everyone can run as fast as us with a full kit on their backs.”

William decided to turn around, and as he ran past his troops, they all seemed surprised, why was their Lieutenant running in the wrong direction? When William arrived at the finishing point, his troops all stood up, and as one person, they saluted him when they saw what William was doing. William was running with two full sets of kit on his back, as well as carrying an extra rifle, just to make sure that all his troop members completed the run in time. From that day, William felt like the King of the World, because he could see the respect in everyone’s eyes.

The remainder of his two years in Angola went quite uneventful, apart from the times that they were attacked by the Terrorist forces wanting to invade the country. This always happened at night, which gave William a great advantage, and through all of this, he never lost a single troop, never lost a single battle.

“William Von Tromp, can you report to Commander Blaauw’s office,” William got instructed by his Captain.

As William entered the office, he noticed the telephone in the office was off the hook. “William”, his Commander said, “please come in. We have your mother on the line here, and she has requested that you return home immediately due to a family emergency. She would like to speak to you also.”

William was handed the phone, and when his mother heard him, she responded with, “It is Gabriella, please come home.” William immediately put the phone down, thoughts of his sister, the only person in his family that ever showed him kindness, the thought of something being wrong with her, made him feel sick, he just wanted to get home.

“Lieutenant”, the Commander said, “due to your exemplary service record, we are able to accommodate your mother’s request. We understand something has happened to your sister, therefore you will be returning home tomorrow morning on the earliest flight. Please go to the stores, your release papers have already been signed, just hand back all the required military items.”

It was already late in the afternoon when William returned to his hometown Howick, and as he walked down the streets to his parents’ home, he could only wonder what happened to Gabriella.

As William entered his parents’ house, he could feel the negative energy from all the years he lived there flooding back at him. “Welcome home,” William heard from behind him, and as he turned he saw Gabriella smiling in front of him. “You are home early” she said. William walked over to his little sister and gave her a hug, “but what is wrong?” he thought to himself.

“Hello William”, his mother said, and William let go of Gabriella.

“Hello mother”, William replied, “how are you?”

“Oh, I am fine” she said, “but don’t you look quite the sight in your military uniform”, she continued, while looking at him from toe to head. The shining brown military boots, the neatly pressed pants, the jacket with his medals, name, and William’s pride, his sharp shooter medallion all displayed on his chest. She continued upwards, then she noticed the stars on his shoulder, and tears started filling her eyes, as she recalled the ceremony she did not attend. The clean cut hair covered by his green beret completed his military look. Luna Delilah quickly recovered from her tears swelling up when Alpha Gabriel spoke behind her.

“The mutt has returned”, he said, disdain still prevalent in his voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I asked the military if William could finish early,” his mother answered before William could say anything.” I asked William to come home” she continued. “He needs to know what has happened to Gabriella.”