The MH was mostly ready to roll, I just had one more section to lock down outside before I could pull out. Placing the remaining bags in the underneath storage, I secured everything before closing the latch.
Ignoring the bikers who were brave enough to make their way outside, I checked my locks once more before heading out. All in all, only about thirty minutes had passed since my little family reunion. Christ even after all these years it still hurt knowing that they hated me. They held me responsible for their son's death and I let them.
There was no reason explaining to them who he really was, no use tainting the memory of their beloved first born. So instead I let them blame me and disappeared. It was what was best for everyone, especially since the military classified all of the Intel, I had no proof.
My proof laid forever imbedded in my skin. It took me years before I could look at myself naked, burns and jagged scars littered my thighs and majority of my left leg. A daily reminder of how deep the betrayal ran.
"Never took you for a coward, traitor yes, but not a coward. What's the matter Major, to hard having you past smack you in the face?" Ethan seethed, once again behind Axel's arm.
"I did my duty..."
"You KILLED my brother! How the fuck was that your duty! A failed mission that was the lame fucking excuse they gave my parents but I know the truth. You failed to protect him and led him to his slaughter in to a goddamn trap. Choosing to save you own neck instead. And they call you a fucking hero."
Irate, the soldier began to push back against Axel's restraint. I could see it in his eyes he wanted a piece of me and frankly I was done being the military's scapegoat.
"Let him go Axel. You want me Ethan, then come get me. You think I am to blame for your brother's death and you want revenge, then come and get me, but be sure you are prepared to lose."
As I spoke I removed my jacket and weapons and tossed them by the tire of the MH. Adrenaline coursed through my body as my muscles prepared to attack. Axel looked at me like I lost my fucking mind but I knew that Ethan would come after me no matter what, it might as well be now.
Sighing, Axel dropped his arm and Ethan shot forward, the brothers began to form a loose circle around us, nobody said a word. They knew there was more to the story and weren't sure who was in the right at this point, but no one could pass up watching this unfold.
Keeping my focus I watched as Ethan's foot shifted forward seconds before he lunged at me, ducking his fist breezed by my face as mine connected with his kidneys. Stumbling back he swore as he tossed of his leather jacket.
The fight continued pretty much the same, I retained the upper hand the entire time. His fighting techniques were textbook, years of military training at fault. Blood was oozing down his face, his eye cut open from my knuckle. His face starting to swell and his one hand was holding his side where my foot continued to make contact. It was like fighting a cadet, he lacked discipline and execution. A grave mistake when you let your emotions rule your actions.
With a final blow his body crippled to his knees. As I wiped his blood from my fists, I circled his body like the prey he was. What a pitiful excuse of a soldier.
"Christ you are a disappointment Captain, pathetic really. How the hell did you survive this long? You would have never made it on my team."
"You mean the team that didn't survive. No thank you. Ironic how you were the only one to walk away from that mission isn't it Major."
"You know what Ethan you are not worth my time, I see the hatred you have for me in your eyes and I allowed for it to be put there. I had the facts of that day buried to save your family the humiliation from the truth. So you think you know everything? You don't know shit."
Just because I could, my knee connected with his face, knocking his body to the ground. The breaking of bones echoed in the air, his nose now gushing blood, staining the dirt red.
"I am done protecting him. You want the truth...fine. For months we were hunting a mole selling military data. That day we found our mole. Your fucking brother, the one you idolize, was selling goddamn secrets to the Taliban, which resulting in hundreds of deaths. He executed no only my men but his own. A single shot to the back of the head. I confronted him after taking out the insurgents surrounding him. Do you know what his answer was? GREED! The bastard had hundreds killed for fucking money! Why do you think your parents live so well and could retire?"
Coughing up blood, he struggled to get up on his hands and knees. "BULLSHIT! My brother was no traitor. You are making this all up to save your name."
"My name, seriously. Like I give a fuck about my name. I lost my men, my husband...but I still decided to seal the records. I loved Ian, but his actions destroyed my world that day. Even after the bastard tried to blow us up, I still protected him. But it doesn't matter what I say because in your mind he was perfect, but I am here to tell you that he wasn't."
"How dare you try to taint..."
"Are you even fucking listening? If I wanted to taint the bastard name I would have never forced the Coronel to seal the goddamn records. As far as anyone knows your brother died in action. His memory still untarnished. And yet you still judge me, ME! But all you care about is your precious brother, well explain this asshole...where did the money come from? Yeah that's right, I know all about the fucking money. Just over six million was it? You parents live quite comfortably now don't they. Newsflash fucker, SEALS don't make anywhere near that amount of money. So get off your fucking high horse especially when your family still continues to prosper from his betrayal...his blood money."
I could see the defeat in his shoulders as his body slumped to the ground. Christ what a fucking mess. Ethan idolized his brother and now seeds of doubt were taking root. Ethan wouldn't stop until he had the facts. And at the end of the day six million was hard to ignore.
"Phoenix..."
Mac appeared by my side with a towel. His movements were slow as he wiped away the blood from my face and hands. Dazed I stood still, allowing him to continue. No one else moved, all still watching me, waiting.
"Juliette."
"Phoenix, don't..."
"No, you wanted to know Mac so shut the fuck up and listen. My name is Juliette Barnes. I joined the Army at 18. During boot camp my evaluations showed I had certain...skill sets they were looking for. I completed ranger training, first in my class. Now woman are accepted, but back then..."
Christ that was a tough time. I swear I wanted to die every day but I kept going on. Ranger training was fucking torture, there was a reason why woman were never allowed in. But I was the exception. The fucking exception. And I excelled at it. It was during that time that the higher ups started to take notice.
"...anyway, Sniper training was next. My average target hits ranged around 2200 meters. From there on my destiny was set. I had my team and together we demolished anyone we went up against. Made a name for ourselves, there was nothing we couldn't accomplish, we moved as one."
We were a family, they were more than men under my command. Brothers. And I missed them every fucking day.
"There are still bounties on my head in the Middle East even though I have been out of the game for years. Ironic that it was one of my own that took us down. My own fucking husband led me and my men to the slaughter. Assassinating us one by one. I was worth a cool two million. Funny that after four years of being together, that was what I was worth to him. He stood there with a smirk on his face as he pressed the fucking button."
And that was the image I still see in my nightmares. That fucking smirk, his last fuck you before he blew us up. And to think at one time I actually loved that smirk, now I despised it.
"I was so shocked by my discovery I made a rookie mistake. Always secure your surroundings. But how could...I just discovered that the man I loved was a fucking traitor, he sold my life..."
Mac's hand crept into mine, steading it. It wasn't until then that I realized I was shaking. The adrenaline burning off I guess. But I didn't want or need comfort, especially from him. Stepping away from Mac I knelt down closer to Ethan who was now laying silently on the ground listening. Even through all the blood I could see the devastated look in his eyes. The truth was starting to sink in.
"It wasn't only my life that he destroyed that day...it wasn't until I woke up in the hospital several days later that they told me the news. I missed my last birth control shot because I was out in the field. Never rescheduled it because we kept getting sent out. I was three months pregnant..."
I watched as tears blended with blood as they ran down his cheeks. I wanted to feel sorry for him, I did...but my heart no longer had the ability to give a shit.
"So don't get in my face and blame me for your brother's actions. He was a traitor and a murderer. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his fucking eyes. Make no mistake you will meet the same fate if you come after me again."
The men stepped back as I grabbed my weapons and my jacket from the ground. They continued to stand there silently as I pulled the MH out of the compound.
After reporting to Agent Timmons of our new situation I planned on disappearing for a while. Maybe Hawaii...somewhere warm...maybe the heat could thaw the chill that seemed to encompass my body. I hated feeling like this and vowed all those years ago to never be vulnerable again.
Yeah...Hawaii sounded like a great plan.