Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 95 - Hard to Swallow

October 8th, 2026. 11:02. 

As the sun shines upon the FOB, the chatter remains as normal as it can be, with each soldier going with their routine patrol in the hallways with their M4 rifles as usual, reporters delivering an interview to certain officers in regards to the war effort and the treatment of soldiers currently in medbay and so forth, all as the days pass by as each soldier yearns for the one wish that could soothe their minds, a liberation of one of the finest cities in the country. 

But while others savor that opportunity by engaging in the most brutal combats ever known, others feel the need to remain quiet and observant, ready to find the exact moment to snatch the momentum seized by the enemy. And once they twist and reshape that very momentum into one that could favor the other side, then it plays another angle in delivering a message to the enemy, that no matter what they do, they'll always find a way to strike them back whatever means necessary in the war. 

In a room slightly darkened with curtains near the windows, Rian conducts his routine as attempts some push-ups in the corner of the room, each pushup followed by a deep breath as he inhales the clean scent in the room, which allows him to keep the indoor exercise at ease. After pushing his thirtieth one, he gets up and moves near his bed where he starts some sit-ups, grunting for a bit as his muscles strain from each sit-up. Once more, once he goes for his thirtieth he stops while taking one more deep breath and a sip of a brown-colored beer near the table. 

He grabs his phone and checks the time.  Three minutes past eleven in the morning, and then checks the timer, going around for half an hour and counting. With one smirk, he pushes the button on the screen, which makes the timer stop. Such is a good routine to spend time with, all while he's away waiting for new orders to receive, even if it wasn't a long while since helping take down Manta in the Pacific Ocean. She was now sleeping with the fish, but there are still two more obstacles to take care of. 

Man, at this rate, I'd be lucky that I would get a car and some house. I don't care how big or small, just one where me and Maymay can live as comfy as ever... Rian sighs as he looks at a photo of Maya with other children in the camp, all smiling as they can while she prepared some plastic boxes with the labels of "fruits" and "carrots". It's been a very long time now ever since he got dragged into the armed forces, to fight for a thankless job, yet for him, it's the only way to make sure she's safe. 

But just as he tried to swipe the screen on the right, two knocks are heard on the door, which makes Rian sigh for a bit as he remains seated on his bed. It's moments like this that he would like to have at least one day without some meeting of sorts that relates to him and the others' perception of him. At least not like this. 

"Hey, Rian, you're awake?" a male voice says on the other side of the door, one with a youthful tone to it and with a sign of composure too. 

"Yeah, what do you want?" Rian asks without glancing at the door, mainly staring at the table for a bit. 

"Well, would you kindly if you open it so we can talk properly?" Rian can only groan in response as he gets up from bed and heads to the door. Opening the doorknob and pulling it away, he gets to see the visitor being a dark-skinned man with thick glasses, buzzcut black hair and a simple green shirt while wearing some equally green pants reserved for these kinds of soldiers.  His expression is as normal as he can get aside from the widened eyes. 

"Alright, what's the deal with me, then?" Rian asks as he crosses his arms. 

"Well, Colonel Sylvester wants a meeting with you in his office." 

"Oh, now that old asshole wants to meet with me, a good-for-nothing dirt poor refugee? Gee, could it be a pay raise?" Rian scoffs as he glanced away from the soldier, still crossed arms and furrowed expression. The dark-skinned soldier, however, didn't seem fazed as he merely scratched his forehead.