The Night Prior
Being called for a de-briefing is one thing, but when it is given by a high brass? It's important, strategically so. As the briefing went on, he began studying the maps given, starting from the largest photographed area down to the smallest detailed one. After the briefing he stood up, saluted and left his backpack on his back. It was going to be a long mission and he needed a drink and what better place to go than Civies. It wasn't a Docs or 36th&Main, two well established chains, but it was a place for military personnel and their families. Civilians inside Anselmo, they didn't understand what rangers did. No, that would be selfish to say. More like, many didn't experience what rangers did. It wasn't like guarding a wall or transporting people into the brush. They were in the brush, finding old new technology, taking out crazed Wild people and reclaiming old territory. Many kids in his housing area, as well as those who stop in the bar, want or wanted to be like him and many others. But those kids reminded him of himself in the past and thus, he would warn them about was out there. He was never rude, just real as it was his reality.
He walked down a few streets before reaching Civies. A bouncer outside greeted him with a nod. Former Guardian Thomas Jones was a bulky man. Six foot six, three hundred and thirty pounds and most of it earned from military fitness and bodybuilding. His nickname...
"Hey Tiny Jones smirked.
"James, how's da Mil treatin ya?" He bobbed his head side to side.
"Not too bad. I'm heading out tomorrow into the brush." Tiny nodded silently.
"Take care of yaself buddy." James nodded.
"I try Thomas but no garuntees. Oh yeah by the way, figured out what it is yet?" He stopped in the doorway.
"Its a girl." Jones smiled. James eyes lit up and laughed a bit, shaking Jones' hands before saying goodbye and entering the bar.
It was a bit hazy inside, mostly because they allowed smoking inside the bar. Music played softly overhead, with some of those at the bar tapping their fingers to the rhythm. The sound of clacking could be heard for the pool tables to the left and others playing darts behind them. on the right was a small stage with two people setting up guitars for the live music that night.
"Look what the cat dragged in...Better yet, I don't think even the cat would drag you in."
"Would need something bigger than a cat to drag my raggedy ass anywhere." The bartender giggled. Samantha Hewitt, his favorite bartender and girlfriend.
"How you been." James nodded, his tongue sticking slightly out as his focus came down onto the glass of whiskey before him. He nodded slowly before clicking his tongue with a smirk. She sighed.
"Where this time.." Slight sadness entering her voice, muffled slightly by the ambience but enough for James to hear it and he shook his head.
"Classified..." She rolled her eyes before dropping the cleaning rag into the sink.
"Everything is always classified with you. When we first started dating that's what you told me. Every single time. How long? Classified...To where? Classified...With who?-
classified..."
"Classified, I get it. heheh..." He stayed silent for a bit but looked up from underneath his boonie with a light smile. The music overhead stopped as the man and women setting up the guitar greeted everyone and talked a little about themselves. Not like he cared anyway. They began playing acoustic, a light hearted song compared to many vet bars whose music just reminded them of the past. There was never anything wrong with that, but sometimes something upbeat could be beneficial.
He gestured for her to lean closer.
"What time do you get off?"
"Well I'm covering for someone right now so its whenever. The next shift just got in so-" He nodded.
Back at his apartment Samantha and himself sat down in front of the TV, listening to the news with a glass of beer and wine. She laid against him, holding swirling her grape based alcohol around in her glass.
"So do they think its going to benefit humanity?" He shrugged.
"Not sure. Duration out there can be from a week to a month. But its not going to be easy. New group, new personalities. I'm just hoping we don't clash. Plus I don't want to watch some greenhorns ass. This isn't some simple patrol or salvage mission. This is big, real big." He seemed to stare past the TV, not even noticing right away that Samantha's bosom was now blocking his view.
"Well soldier, I have a mission for you...Down south there is a monster that needs to be slain. Its been known to be a man-eater." She cooed, rocking her hips back and forth. James snapped out of it immediately with a smirk.
"Oh yeah? Is it dangerous?" She laughed before leaning in to kiss him.
"Just stop and kiss me..."
Present...
@deadpixel101@Mataus@Deos Morran
James had gathered his gear and went through it. He of course had his own back and was big enough to add what they gave him to it so he did just that. Sorting through the necessities and discarding what he already had. He added the information packet into his bag towards the top, some reading material for the ride up. He opened up his rifle case and took out Severence, his trusty sword. He pulled the lever back, opening the chamber to check how clean it was and continued through the rest of the gun. He moved on to his assault rifle and then loaded and locked them so when he landed, he was ready to go. With all the gear gathered up he made his way to the chopper.
Stepping on, he looked around to those onboard and to the big cat in the cage. He scratched the side of his eye and coughed before taking a seat. There wasn't much time passed before he felt the chopper lifting off. There was a bit of turbulence but that was to be expected on a chopper like this. He leaned his head side to side until he heard a crack each way and pulled out a pack of smokes, lighting one of them and taking a long drag from it, his ghillied hood resting on his shoulders. He currently wore his boonie but his helmet was on his lap, fitted so it could latch onto the hood of his ghillie suit. Custom made to fit his mono-optic headset.
He listened to the chitchat that went back and forth over the comms. Rolling his shoulders he looked at their expedition leader.
"Nervous? No...Not nervous. Scared? Most definitely but fear keeps you alive, keeps your wits about you so no sir I'm not nervous. You can keep you bullet sweat. I don't know what kind of diseases you carry, heheh." He looked at the leader and then towards Rig with a smirk and short chuckle before leaning back again.
