Three Strikes [✓]

The Enemy

Chapter Fifty: The Enemy

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Tyler Island, Spring Sea.
October 10th, 2019.
1300hrs.

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An entire hangar had been converted into some sort of temporary hospital type of area for the refugees they'd found and brought back, along with the number of injured Osean soldiers and the Erusean soldiers that had defected. When Naomi and the others landed and parked on the flight line they were immediately met by the sight of families with small children and a battered group of soldiers. But among them were several familiar faces, all of whom Naomi had worried they'd never seen again.

The first to break away from the group was Hans, having searched the crowd for Kathryn and immediately ran to where she stood next to his brother and his uncle. She turned, the motion catching her attention, and it was just in time for him to practically crash into her. His helmet clattered to the floor as he pulled her into an almost desperate embrace, which she immediately returned. She buried her face against his chest and dug her hands into the back of his shoulders like her life depended on that hug.

Naomi and the others kept their distance for a few moments, Beckett and Major Grimm all doing the same, allowing the couple to have their moment. A few things were said that were too soft for them to hear, and when they finally pulled away they remained close to the other. Hans cupped Kathryn's face in his hands, brushing away a stray tear she looked to be fighting back as well as taking notice of a few minor injuries. She said some word of reassurance and nodded, prompting him to lightly rest his forehead against hers for just a few seconds before he gave her a gentle kiss and they pulled away from each other.

Once their exchange was over, Clown quickly approached, giving Kathryn a hug just as well. A different level of intimacy between them than that of Kathryn and Hans, the embrace more like the kind of bear hug an older sibling or parent might give a younger sibling or their child. He made a teasing remark that Naomi and the others couldn't hear, but it prompted both Kathryn and Hans to crack a smile so she guessed it was an inside joke.

Naomi and the rest of the group finally felt it was appropriate to move closer, certain all the reunions that didn't need to involve them were over and done with. For Naomi, her father, and Tailor, they all had a connection to Kathryn as well, though in Naomi's case it wasn't a very strong friendship. For the rest of the group, they all likely wanted to hear what Beckett had to say following the operation.

"Glad to see you're still kicking. You really are hard to kill, huh?" Naomi's father playfully asked Kathryn as soon as he was in earshot, bringing her in for a quick hug that she was willing to return. "Are you holding up okay?"

"I'm not the one anyone should be worried about," Kathryn said, sucking in a breath as she glanced around the hangar. It wasn't as chaotic as it could have been. Scattered, overlapping conversations echoing around them along with a few small children crying while parents tried to shush them. Kathryn's expression was unreadable as she looked out at all of the people before her, nodding to them. "These people have been in a living nightmare for weeks. We had been lucky enough to avoid the Eruseans for a while, but...we were tempting fate."

"Just how long have the Eruseans had it out for anyone with Belkan heritage?" Naomi asked, looking around at everyone. They all looked like they'd been marching through a warzone for days. Covered in grime and mostly minor injuries, some of them looking as though they were barely able to stay awake.