by Susan Stoker
Brain stepped forward to beat the punk-ass’s face in, but Trigger and Oz each grabbed one of his arms, stopping him. He shrugged them off and leaned into the other man. Derek was taller than Brain, but that didn’t intimidate him in the least. His hair was black as night and greasy from not being washed in who knows how many days. He stunk to high heaven, and the BDUs he wore were filthy.
“You’re a sorry excuse for a soldier, let alone an Army Ranger. Look at you—you look like you just crawled out of a gutter. Modified grooming standards are one thing, but looking and smelling like you haven’t showered in weeks is unacceptable. Be an example to your team, Spence, instead of an embarrassment. And if you ever give Mesmer or me shit again, you’ll regret it.”
“Don’t threaten me,” Derek growled.
“I’m not threatening you. I’m making you a promise,” Brain told him in a low, even voice. Then he turned and stalked away from the other man before he did something that would hurt Aspen’s career…like punch the sergeant.
Derek wasn’t taking rejection well, which was ridiculous since he was a grown-ass man. Now Brain understood a bit more the ups and downs Aspen experienced from day to day. Working with someone like Derek would be enough to make anyone want to quit and find a new career.
“You handled that surprisingly well,” Trigger observed as they headed for the chow tent.
“He’s an ass,” Brain said between clenched teeth.
“Yup.”
Taking a big breath, Brain did his best to rein in his temper. The last thing he wanted to do was make Aspen anxious by showing up in a piss-poor mood and having to admit it was because of Derek. “We’re headed out this afternoon, right?”
“Right,” Trigger agreed. “You gonna have your head on straight by then?”
“Yes,” Brain told him. And he would. Just seeing and being able to talk to Aspen would calm him down.
The team entered the chow tent, and Brain immediately searched for Aspen. He spotted her coming toward him with a smile on her face.
“Hi,” she said, her eyes on his. “How’d it go?”
“As expected,” Brain said. “We’re headed out after we eat.”
Her face dropped a bit, but she continued to smile for him. “Then we’d better get you something to eat so you can have some energy for walking around, huh?”
“You eaten yet?” Lucky asked.
She shook her head. “No. I was just reading a book on my phone while I waited for you.”
Trigger, Oz, and Grover headed for the line, and Brain put his hand on the small of Aspen’s back, urging her to fall in behind them. He made sure she was sandwiched between the seven of them, just in case Derek decided to come in and give her shit. Her Ranger team might not have her back, but he and his friends would.
They grabbed trays and went through the line. There was a young woman standing behind a large tray of green beans with a name tag that said “Sierra.” Her red hair was pulled into a bun at the back of her head and covered with a hairnet. She greeted Aspen with a huge smile.
“Hey!”
“Hi, Sierra,” Aspen said, smiling back. “How’s it going? Are you settling in all right?”
“I am. Thanks.”
Aspen turned to Brain. “Sierra’s new here. Just got in a week ago. She’s working for the contractor supplying the food to the base.”
Grover was behind Brain, and he leaned in. “What brought you all the way out here to the middle of nowhere?” he asked, a hint of interest in his voice.
Sierra shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to serve my country, but I can’t shoot worth a darn, and I’m too short to be very effective at all the other Army stuff.”
“Too short? You aren’t that short,” Grover argued.
Sierra took a step backward—off the box she’d apparently been standing on to serve the food. She lost several inches in height. “I’m five-two, and most people mistake me for a kid,” she said, not sounding upset about that at all. She stepped back up on her box and smiled at them. “Everything about working out here has been fascinating so far, and I’m thrilled to finally be serving my country in some way, even if it’s just by cooking and dishing up food to the soldiers who go out and risk their lives on a daily basis.”
Brain liked the young woman immediately, even if she sounded a bit naïve.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” Aspen told her. “But if you ever want to hang out, let me know. I could use some more friends around here.”
“Deal,” Sierra said with another huge smile.
“Most of the contractor tents are on the outskirts of the base. Tell me they didn’t put you out there too,” Grover said gruffly.
Brain looked at his friend in surprise.
“Um…yeah, of course that’s where I live,” Sierra replied.
“Hey, hurry it up!” a soldier called out from behind them, impatient with the delay in getting his food.
“See you later,” Aspen told the other woman and moved down the line.
Brain followed close on her heels, and he heard Grover say, “Be careful, this isn’t Mayberry.”
“I know it’s not,” Sierra said in a harder tone that was totally at odds with her innocent appearance. “I might look like a child, but I’m not one. I’m perfectly able to take care of myself. I wouldn’t have come all the way to Afghanistan if I was scared of being here.”
“I’m just concerned,” Grover told her. “You aren’t a soldier, and things around here are heating up, fast. Just be careful…okay?”
Sierra and Grover stared at each other for a long moment before she said, “I will. And I’m sorry for jumping down your throat. It’s nice to be worried about.”
Grover nodded, then moved down the line with his tray.
Brain wanted to warn his friend about getting involved with anyone out here, since they’d soon be back in Texas, but he kept his mouth shut. Grover was probably just worried in a general way about the woman, like he would be about anyone he perceived to be in potential danger.
“There’s a table over there,” Oz said from in front of them, motioning toward an empty circular table with eight chairs. Everyone ambled over and sat. Brain moved his chair a little closer to Aspen’s, resting his thigh against hers under the table.
She gave him a small smile, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge his actions.
Brain should’ve been worried about how happy he was to see her. Should’ve been freaking out that his mood lightened immediately after hearing her voice. But he wasn’t. Nothing intimate could happen between them while out here, but the weeks they’d been apart had seemed to bring them closer somehow.
“So, did you guys have a good meeting?” Aspen asked the group in general.
Doc nodded. “Yeah. It seems you and your team have been busy since you’ve been here.”
Aspen grimaced. “For all the good it’s done. Akhund isn’t stupid, and he seems to always be a step ahead of us. It’s annoying.”
“You think someone’s feeding him information?” Lefty asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Aspen said, not dismissing his suspicion. “I’d like to say no, but it’s possible. Seriously, every time we think we have a lead on his whereabouts, when we get there, it’s as if he’s a ghost. No one knows anything, no one’s seen anything, and no one’s heard anything. It’s been an exercise in frustration.”
Brain was only half listening to his friends, because the conversation going on at the table next to theirs had caught his attention. There were five Afghani men sitting together, speaking in their native Farsi. He wouldn’t have thought twice about them…except what they were talking about disturbed him.
“I’ll never get used to seeing females in uniform.”
“It’s disgusting.”
“I agree. They should be at home cooking, cleaning, and raising children.”
“That woman seems to get around. Look at her, sitting with the new men who arrived today.”
One of the men
snorted in disgust. “As if it’s not enough to flirt with the men she works with. Now she’s moved on to the newcomers. Whore.”
That was enough. Brain was done. He didn’t usually broadcast the fact that he could understand people when they were speaking a different language. He’d used his knowledge to his advantage on plenty of missions. But his need to protect Aspen, to stand up for her, overwhelmed his better judgement.
He pushed his seat back and stalked over to the other table. He heard his teammates moving, backing him up even if they had no idea what had set him off.
Putting his hands flat on the table, Brain leaned over and glared at the five men before addressing them in their own language.
“Sergeant Mesmer is a highly trained medic. She’s an experienced Army soldier. If you can’t handle working on this base, then you should seek employment elsewhere. The soldiers here are to be respected, regardless of their gender.”
The men stared at him with wide eyes. It was obvious they were shocked an American not only understood their language, but could speak it.
“Of course,” one of the men said in English, his accent thick but easily understandable. “We meant no disrespect.”
Brain glared at him. “Could’a fooled me. You need to apologize,” he said, still speaking in Farsi.
“I’m sorry,” the man said immediately.
“Not to me,” Brain said, motioning to Aspen with his head. “To the lady.”
All five men stood, bowed slightly at the waist and gave their apologies.
“Sorry.”
“I apologize.”
“Many sorries.”
“No offense meant.”
“So sorry.”
Brain straightened. Then he said, “In the future, you shouldn’t assume no one understands what you’re saying. If you’re not on our side, you’re our enemy. Remember that.” He nodded at the men, who hadn’t sat back down, and turned toward his table.
All six of his teammates were standing behind him, looking pissed off, even if they didn’t know what had just happened. They were somewhat used to this kind of behavior from him. The thing about understanding so many different languages was that he often overheard talk that was unpleasant. Many people disparaged Americans in general, felt free to gossip loudly about them in their presence, and generally had no problem saying exactly what they thought because they assumed there was no chance they’d be understood.
The second Brain turned his back on the Afghani men, he heard them picking up their trays and heading to the trash bins on their way out. He didn’t even feel bad about making them cut their lunch short.
The team sat back down at the table, and when they did, Aspen asked, “What was that about?”
“They didn’t think anyone understood what they were saying…and had some not-so-nice things to say about you,” Brain told her.
Aspen frowned. “And?”
“And what?”
“That’s it? That’s all they were saying?”
Brain nodded.
She stared at him. “Kane, I don’t know what they said, but honestly, it’s probably nothing I haven’t already heard from people on our own base. I’ve worked around men my entire career. I’ve had to claw and fight my way to where I am today. If I got all worked up and bent out of shape over people talking about me behind my back, I never would’ve made it. My skin’s pretty thick.”
“I. Don’t. Care,” Brain countered. “No one talks shit about you when I’m around.”
She blushed, and Brain wanted to reach out and take her hand in his more than he could admit. But he’d just made a scene, and they were being watched. Derek had entered the tent after they’d all sat down, and if he made any inappropriate moves toward Aspen, the other man would definitely report it. Not that Brain was scared of him, but he’d never do anything that might reflect negatively on Aspen.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“So…want to tell us the gist of what was said?” Trigger asked after they all started eating again.
“No,” Brain grumbled, still pissed off. “My bigger concern is the fact that the Army’s obviously employed some locals who aren’t as supportive of the US as they might seem to be.”
“You gonna say something?” Doc asked.
“Fuck yes,” Brain told him. “It’s hard enough to distinguish friend from foe over here. If we’ve invited the enemy to eat at our table and work with our soldiers, we’re asking to be fucked over.” He looked at Aspen. “I’m assuming they’re employed as translators?”
Aspen shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I mean, they could simply be a part of the Afghani Army. From what I’ve seen, they rotate in and out, learning tactics from the units here.”
Brain huffed out a breath. “Stay away from them,” he told Aspen.
She immediately nodded. “Hadn’t planned on inviting them to my tent for tea,” she said with a small smile.
“I mean it.”
Aspen frowned. “And I heard you. Despite meeting you guys when you got here this morning and eating lunch with you, I haven’t had a lot of time to socialize. Today is one of the first breaks we’ve had in a long time. Usually we’re out patrolling from sun up to sun down, and I fall into my cot at the end of the day, exhausted. I don’t dilly-dally with the locals like you’re insinuating.”
Brain heard a muffled snicker from one of his team, but he didn’t take his eyes from Aspen’s. “Dilly-dally?” he said with a raised brow.
“Yeah. Hang out. Socialize. Chill. Whatever,” she said with a huff.
“I’m sorry, I was out of line. I’m just worried about you,” Brain told her.
She nodded. “Apology accepted. Was what they said so bad?”
“Not really. I just don’t like hearing anyone talk smack about you. Especially shit that isn’t true.”
“Okay.”
That was another of the one-thousand-and-one things Brain liked about Aspen. She didn’t hold grudges.
He opened his mouth to ask her what was on her schedule for the rest of the day when Derek suddenly appeared by the table. “We’re headed out in thirty, Mesmer. If you’re not ready, we’re leaving without you.”
Brain clenched his teeth. What an asshole.
Aspen’s platoon sergeant appeared behind Derek. “We’ve got a new lead on Akhund, and we’ll be working with the Deltas to see if we can’t corner him.”
She nodded. “I’ll be ready,” she told the two men. Sergeant Vandine nodded back and immediately turned to head out of the chow tent. Derek glared at Aspen, and the rest of the men at the table for a beat, before following the other man.
“He’s such a dick,” Grover said under his breath.
“Yup,” Aspen agreed easily, then she scooted back her chair and picked up her tray. “Looks like we’re all about to be busy.”
Everyone followed suit and picked up their trays and headed for the trash and tray depository.
Brain had worked with female soldiers before. He respected them as much as he did anyone else. But his protective instincts went into overdrive thinking about Aspen headed out into the villages to search for a murderous terrorist who wouldn’t think twice about putting a bullet in her brain.
But he reminded himself that she’d been in the country for over a month and was damn good at her job. She wouldn’t be attached to a Ranger unit if she wasn’t.
After they’d deposited their trays and left the chow tent, Brain caught Aspen by the upper arm. The rest of his team headed off to the tent where their duffles and other equipment had been sent. “Be careful out there,” he told her.
“I always am,” she said immediately. “You be careful. You don’t know the area yet and some of the villagers are pretty damn hostile.”
“I can handle them,” Brain told her.
Then Aspen smiled. “So…we’ll be working together? I mean, sort of?”
He grinned. “Looks that way.”
“You aren’t going to be all cavemanish and protectiv
e while we’re out there, are you?”
“Can’t promise that,” Brain said honestly. “But I’ll do my best to rein it in.”
“I’d appreciate it,” Aspen said. Her eyes swirled with uncertainty though.
“What?” Brain asked.
“I just… Never mind, it’s stupid.”
“What, mpenzi? Tell me.”
“What language was that?” she asked, stalling.
“Swahili.”
“Seriously? Jeez, Kane, I think I doubted that you really knew so many languages, but I don’t anymore. Swahili? Good Lord.”
“What was that other thought?” Brain asked firmly.
She sighed before admitting, “I just don’t want you to think less of me for any reason. I know you’re the best of the best, and while I’m confident in my abilities, I’m probably not up to the standards that you and your team are used to. I want you to be proud of me. To make sure you don’t regret standing up for me.”
Not able to keep his hands to himself, Brain reached out and put his palms on her shoulders. He wanted to pull her into his embrace, but had to settle for this. “I don’t expect you to be perfect, just as I hope you don’t expect me to be. All we can do is keep our eyes out for the enemy and be prepared to act however we need to in order to stay alive to see the sun rise another day. Understand?”
She nodded.
“I’ll always be proud of you,” he told her softly. “From everything I’ve seen and heard, you’re making the best of a shitty situation. Your team should always have your back, and for some reason, your guys can’t seem to get their heads out of their asses. It’s probably because the leaders—namely Derek—have them so confused they’re retreating from you just to make things more comfortable for themselves.”
“I don’t blame them,” Aspen said.
“Of course you don’t. Because that’s not the kind of person you are. But I do,” Brain told her firmly. “Now, go get ready. We’re gonna kick some terrorist ass and take down this Akhund guy. The sooner the better, so we can get back to Texas and move our relationship to the next level.”
