Angel's Savior

Chapter 1

WARNING: language and violence up ahead, sorry
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It was as simple as get in, look around, get out and report back to base. Nothing else. There was not supposed to be a snipper on the roof 4 buildings over, this was an easy mission compared to last week. Nobody was meant to get killed. Especially not my closest friend.

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**6 hours earlier**
A hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I knew at the instant it was Riggs. Martin Riggs was my bunk mate back in Georgia, but he always complained how he missed Chicago. I kept telling him when we get deported in a month that I'd take a trip with him. He'd then start to plan out everything his mom would make. Lasagna, tortilinis, pasta, meatballs, and that's just dinner.

"Collins, we have orders, gotta check out a building some miles up, Hunt said we gotta go now so we can get back before dusk." We grabbed our helmets, packs, and guns, then made our way outside to the rover.

"About damn time mates. I've been waiting a whole bloody year for your lazy arses to get a move on it." O'Brien's accent could be heard from a mile away, his Irish heritage didn't fade at all in the year we've served here.

The 6 of us crammed into the river and we were on our way, kicking dust up as we sped across the dirt backroads for 2 hours. It was explained what we needed to do: get into the deserted town, make sure there was no bomb indications or anything out of the ordinary, get out, and report what we saw to base. Rumor has it that they want to rekindle the energy here and create a new medical town for the innocent. Simple enough, right?

"Alright boys, stay alert. Cap said it was deserted but we never know what scum is staking it out." Riggs and I get paired with Wes and we get to work investigating room after room of stone buildings.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, it seems like this shit has been here longer than I have." My voice is muffled a bit, but a chuckle escapes from Riggs and Wes.

"Watch it Collins, I've been here longer than you have too." Wes retorts, earning a grunt from me and Riggs. We go through about 10 more of the same stone houses, until we're done and head back to the rover. On our way back something whizzes by and clips the front of a house were near.

"SNIPPER! EVERYONE DOWN NOW!" Riggs and I squat down, using large rocks as our cover as we pivot on the balls of our feet searching for the shooter. The shots have become more erotic now that the shooter knows were aware of his presence. Across the way I see O'Brien and Wes as they attempting to look for the source of the bullets as well. There's already a man down and his partner is trying to drag him into one of the stone houses. More and more shooting, and still in the dark of his whereabouts.

"Collins I found him, he's perched at the top of a building 4 over from us."

"Riggs don't do it."

"SON OF A BITCH! THAT SON OF A BUTCH GOT ME!" Dammnit that was O'Brien, the green of his jacket covering his bicep is now soaking with the red substance. It's either and in and out, or a graze. I can't tell from here though.

"Riggs don't do it. Let Wes take the shot he's lining up for it now. It'll leave you in the open."

"Collins they just got O'Brien. Carver is down in a building 12 feet away and they both need medical assistance." More shooting, but it's mostly from Wes returning fire. O'Brien is muscling through the pain but I can tell there's a lot of it. There's only so much a 19 year old can endure. They are also running low on rounds.

"Fine but on 3, cover me and I'll cover you. Then we'll both line up for the shot." Riggs nods in agreement and counts.

"One." Dear lord I am praying to you now.

"Two." That you will help me help my country and his country and protect my brother.

"Three." On this I roll over to the rock next to mine, where Riggs is behind and we both pop up aiming at the glare at the top of the building 4 over from our current location. A searing pain shoots through my arm, and soon in my leg, bringing me down to one knee, still shooting at the glare. All of a sudden a figure wrapped in black clothing falls from the short building roof and lands with a bunch of cracks. I turn around and scan the area, there was only one snipper. But I am not prepared for the scene laid out before me.

Riggs is clutching his abdomen, more towards the side, as he falls to the ground. I force myself onto both my legs and get over to him as fast as I can.

"Riggs, where are you hurt?" He lifts his hand from him side, covered in the deep red blood, and points.

"Right here-" he coughs. "-Sherlock." God even in a time of death he still makes a witty comment. Wes rushes to our sides, and mentally informs me of what me and Riggs already know. He's not getting out of here alive, but I don't want to admit that.

"Guys I know what's going to happen know-" he coughs again but this time some metallic blood spits out. "-I know my fate."

"Riggs you stay with me buddy, help is already on it's way." I slap his face to sober him up from the drunken sleep he wants to fall into. Dammit he's already lost too much bloody. It's only a matter of time.

"Shut up you asshole, now you know I love you-" he coughs and wheezes. "-but I love my family and my sister even more." He stops and inhales dearly while he take out the only picture he has of him sister from inside his jacket. "Hunter Collins you need to take this picture-" he loses himself to a coughing fit as I attempt to hold back the tears. This guy is a brother to me. "-and you need to promise me-" more wheezing. Hell I know he doesn't have long. "-promise me you will follow what's on the back-"more coughing and more blood. "-you need to be there for her when-" more blood, it's everywhere and at this point I'm gripping his hand like it'll be able to heal him. "-they tell her. Tell her I love her to the moon. Tell her I love her to the-" and then his body went limp and his eyes were sucked of life.

I let out a strangled cry, and slide my hand over his eyelids to close them completely. Before he is taken away and flown back home, I take the picture that he has in his weak grip and stuff it in my pocket.

The pain of today washes over me, and I can't focus on anything during our 2 hour ride back to base. I can't register anything the doctor says about me being lucky. And I can't deal with myself when I take out the tiny pocket calendar and mark off another day with my pen while sitting in the infirmary.   

If this is what it's like to be lucky, then what does unlucky feel like. Because I just got another day, and an honorable discharge from my duties with one arm in a brace, a bandaged wrapped up one of my calves, and a shattered heart from losing the closest thing I had to a brother.