Elements of the Mountains

Mason Weaver

Once the debriefing is over James and I make our way across the deck, James wanted to make sure that we had everything we'd need, but he also doesn't want to leave alone of a ship full of men. As we walk, I notice the charges, helicopters, and even machine guns. I know I don't have a lot of field experience but I can't imagine a simple geological inquiry should take this many guns or this many soldiers. What is it that expect us to find out there? After a little while James and I find a restricted area of the ship, so of course, the two of us poke around to see if we can find anything. It's dark so James and I use lighters to read the boxes, since our flashlights are in our bags.

As we read the boxes, I hear the click of a camera. I look over to see a woman, holding up a camera, I can only guess that this is the photographer Packard mentioned. "What are you doing down here?"

The woman steps around the box she's hiding behind, "I could ask you two the same thing." While it is dark I can see that the woman has light brown hair, "Why does a geological mapping mission needs explosives."

"That's what I'd like to know." I sigh, placing my hands on my hips.

James chuckles, putting his hands in his front pockets, "You two weren't listening in class. Seismic charges for the geological survey."

"Uh huh," The woman nods, "And you believe that?"

"I didn't say that."

"Have you two met Colonel Packard yet?"

I nod, "yeah. The guy's wound pretty tight."

James shrugs, "The man's a decorated war hero, that's the package they come in. and you?"

I chuckle, "Isn't shooting a mapping mission, a step down for a photojournalist?"

The woman shrugs, "The right photo help shape opinions."

"And win you a Pulitzer." James nods. "Miss?"

"Weaver, Mason Weaver." The woman extends a hand.

James shakes her hand, "I'm James Conrad and this is Amelia Davis."

"Well, Captain Conrad." Weaver looks up to James, "How did British Special forces get dragged into this?"

"Just Conrad. I'm decommissioned. They offered us money."

"Us?"

"Us." James nods as he wraps an arm around my shoulder and I place a hand on his chest, as I smile.

"Oh, I didn't know the two of you were together." Weaver nods, a bit disappointed.

Yeah, we are the only two people on this ship who haven't left each others' side and you didn't know we were together. Why would we be down here together if we weren't, I find rather unladylike thoughts running through my head, but all I say is, "Yes, for almost a year now."

"Well, congrats. But the two of you don't strike me as mercenaries."

James shrugs, "You don't strike me as a war photographer."

"Anti-war photographer."

I can't say I'm really looking forward to bunking with this woman, but I don't really have a choice, before I head into the cabin James kisses me and whispers, "be nice."

Weaver doesn't really speak to me for the rest of the night other then, 'hello' and 'goodnight,' I can't tell is she's upset or uncomfortable with me. Early the next morning I head up on deck and look around, the sunrise is beautiful. I find a spot on the side of the deck in order to see the sun, so I'm not in anyone's way. Weaver is on deck taking pictures of the men, a few are getting hair cuts, others are listening to music and dancing around, just having fun. But they all seem more than happy to pose for the pictures. As they pose and flex for the pictures I laugh as does Weaver.

Before long Weaver walks over to me, "care for a picture?"

"I don't know, I'm not very photogenic."

"Oh, come on, you're beautiful. Plus we can't have people think there were only men on this mission." I chuckle and nod, leaning against the rail so Weaver can snap a photo. "Perfect."

I laugh, "thanks."

"Hey, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. Wanna come take pictures with me?"

"Uh, sure why not." I nod and step away from the railing, walking around with Weaver, joking with her and the men as we take pictures.

After a little while, everything dies down and Weaver and I are just walking on the deck, talking, "so, how did you and Conrad met?"

"Well, we actually met when the squad I was translating for was stopped in the same city as James'. We had a couple of days off and the guys convinced me to go to a bar with them, loosen up, have fun, you know. 'Come on, sis, it'll be fun'." I do my best impression of the guys in my unit. "After we had been there for about an hour, keep in mind I had one beer, I thought there should be one sober adult in the room, James walked in with his squad."

"Captain James Conrad?"

I chuckle, "in all his glory." Weaver and I laugh. "When I first saw him, I was in awe. Then after a little while, he asked me to dance."

"And you said yes?"

"Actually, I told him, no." I shake my head, "so we just sat and talked. After a little while he asked again and then I said yes. The next morning I ran into him while I was out in the market, which he later told me was planned."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I guess one of the guys told him that was my plan for the next morning." I shrug, "but we ended up spending all day together and then we found out that we were going to stay in the Can Tho for longer than we thought. Can Tho was the city that James' squad was stationed in and we spent as much time as we could together. Before we got word to go anywhere else we got word that they were abandoning the war, since we weren't stationed in the city full time my squad was one of the first to leave."

"So what did you do?"

"We stayed in Can Tho. Neither of us have any family, so there wasn't anything to go home to. So we stayed for about a year, before this happened." As I talk to Weaver I look up and see James on one of the higher desks, looking out over the flight deck. I smile and wave up to him and he waves back.