Tonight's mission was the least I liked. When Captain Frank explained the details of the mission to us in the briefing room, my mood sailed right down to my boots as I stared moodily at the projector screen. We are going to be in the mountains this time, and it was snowing heavily so everything would be covered with a thick layer of snow.
The temperature would have dropped to the negatives which mean two things.
I'd have to dress white, and my rifle has to be modified to take the cold temperature.
Lucas has noticed my expression and he liked to gloat whenever he has the chance so he was laughing in my face at my discomfort – earning confused questions from the bunch of rookies who was happy that it was finally cold.
"She hates the cold," Lucas provided helpfully.
I sighed in annoyance.
"Make sure you wear the heat tech," Frank reminded. "I don't want another repeat of that operation."
"What operation? What happened?" Quinn was the first to ask the question that I dreaded. His eyes went wide with curiosity and the other three mimicked his expression earning another groan from me.
"Come on, tell us!"
"Don't keep it to yourself!"
"Do you want to tell it or I'll do the honours?"
I sighed again.
"It was about two years ago," I said. "It was too cold, the temperature was minus twenty degrees and we were experiencing a harsh winter storm. I was at the lookout point, lying on fresh snow with a white tarp over me and I was freezing my ass there because I can't light any fire."
"I wore a few layers but my hands were frozen, too stiff and numb that I couldn't move them. I had to bail halfway because I couldn't shoot. I almost got hypothermia – my nails went dark purple and Lucas had to pour hot boiling water on them just so I could move them again."
"Weren't you wearing gloves?" Quinn exclaimed.
"Fingerless gloves, mind you," I pointed out. "I needed them to be exposed because the winter gloves are too bulky for me to use."
"Yes and because of that incident, a division in charge of the uniform design had to design a glove specifically for winter weather," Frank added. "And comfortable enough for snipers to wear."
The boys ended up bursting into laughter at me, which made me roll my eyes at them because I knew they'd laugh at me. It was a hilarious situation after you look back on it but honestly, I was terrified for my fingers. I had hiked back from the post, attempting to locate where the rest were hiding and burst into the hut demanding for them to start a fire.
Even though they were laughing about it now, Lucas had turned pale upon seeing how bad my hands were and Frank was afraid for me. Both Keith and Tom had panicked, because they didn't know what to do.
Thanks to that incident, I was unable to use my hands for a week.
"Alright, get yourself geared up and ensure that you keep warm because the temperature will be unpredictable," Frank interrupted. "We'd be heading down to the tarmac in three hours."
"Yes, sir!"
The mission was infiltration and extraction of a news reporter that had been kidnapped while passing the border. He was en-route to the embassy when he was jumped by a group of insurgents who didn't want the information he held to be submitted to the local news agency.
The information was sensitive and highly important. It was about the current country's rebel group leader and if the other factions were to find out about it, they will be repelled and flushed out from governing the country.
The reporter was one of our own.
"Alright, we got more information from Scott," Frank added as he entered our circle and laid out a large map on the table. "He's held here, the area is covered by forests all around and the next cabin is a mile away. They're stuck there due to the snow storm so we only have this time frame before they decide to relocate him to a more secure location."
I stared down at the map. True, the wooden cabin was surrounded by coniferous trees at all fronts except for one. It faces the open sea and a few klicks away was land. On normal days, I would be spotted easily but in the heavy snow storm, there would be low visibility and I doubt I would be seen if I were to spot there.
"I'd be here," I said as I pointed at the spot.
Frank agreed. "Okay, that's a good spot," he said. "We'll have the team break into two teams, as per usual. Team 1 to the front door and Team 2 to take out the remaining stragglers outside. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
.
As soon as I stepped out from the warm hut, the heat disappeared abruptly and I started shivered uncontrollably despite the many layers I had adorn in anticipation for this mission. I pulled down the white wool beanie so it covered my ears and put up the hood of the winter coat that I had zipped up all the way to my neck.
"Let's go!"
Muttering curses under our breath, we piled inside the armoured vehicle – the wheels had been changed to snow wheels so we wouldn't skid and we drove out to the location.
"Are the gloves working?"
"I guess so." I showed him the new white gloves – the warm, versatile material covered my fingers and Quinn poked at the glove, testing it with his fingers.
"It's an odd material."
"I don't even know what it is."
As extra measures for warmth and a suggestion from my sister, I had stuck on heat warmers on my shirt and brought along a number of hot pockets. They filled up my pockets with heat and though they helped provide more warmth, it didn't stop me from shivering.
The vehicle stopped moving suddenly which meant that we've reached my spot and I got out from there, bidding everyone goodbye as I left the warmth again and had to welcome the frigid cold.
The wind buffeted against my winter coat – attempting to sink their freezing cold fingers into any exposed skin and I hunched my shoulders as I trembled like a quaking leaf. The cold felt harsh against my eyes so I put on the goggles as visibility was minimal here. My boots sank in the snow as I began the arduous journey across.
"How're you doing there, Amelia?"
"Just peachy."
"How many more metres to the drop?"
"Five hundred."
Crunching my way across the mostly flat lands, I fought against the freezing gale and harsh snow to reach my lookout point. It was imperative for me to reach there first and ascertain the situation before Frank could allow them to wreak havoc.
"This is ridiculous." I complained to no one but it was heard by the radio comms.
"Are you alright?"
"That's it I'm making an igloo."
"You need ice! Not snow!"
I laughed at Quinn's reply but since my throat had dried up thanks to the dry air, it came out like a croak instead and I coughed as it itched. Upon reaching the good spot, I took out the binoculars to ascertain the distance before I laid down, resting the rifle on the snow. Opening my pant pocket, I pulled out the tarp and threw it over myself.
"Standby," I said as I glanced through the scope. "Switching to infrared."
The wooden cabin was thrown into the infrared image and I was able to establish the numbers of the enemy, as well as to locate the reporter that was being held captive. I panned to the left, noting of a peculiar blob of reds that tells me two or more were close to each other.
I narrowed my eyes. "Someone is getting busy," I commented.
"Hey, I seriously don't want to know about that," Lucas commented in return.
I panned to the right. "Is it because you never get any?" I asked.
"Oi what the f-"
"A total of eight tangos in the cabin: three on the left, five in the living room and the reporter is seated in the middle of the living room. He is tied to a chair," I interrupted. "A total of five tangos are outside along the circumference of the forest clearing."
"Roger that. Get to your places," Frank replied and there was a pause as they moved towards the cabin. "In three."
Counting down, I shot the trio in the bedroom who were having the time of their lives while Team 1 took out the five in the living room. Team 2 handled the remaining five stragglers outside and the operation was complete within a minute.
"Mission accomplished," Frank said. "We'll pick you up in a minute. Meet us at the rendezvous point."
"Roger that."
I pulled the tarp off me and tried to fold it so I could stuff it back into my pocket but thanks to the wind velocity, I gave up trying to fight against the billowing tarp. It's like I'm wrangling with a wild kite. Abandoning it instead, I swung my rifle to my side as I began the trek back to the rendezvous point.
The snow had covered my earlier treks and it was thicker thanks to the blizzard so my legs sank with each step I took – it was right up to my thigh at one point. Struggling to walk, I was huffing and puffing a few minutes later that I even considered crawling to distribute my weight evenly.
I was close to consider doing it as I stumbled and fell into the snow – buried under a thick layer of fresh snow. As I fell, I heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet ripping next to my ear and landed in the snow just a few inches away from me.
Immediately, I forced myself up and ran like my life depended on it. It truly was. I was at an open area and the sniper had a good view of me from where he or she was. Up ahead was the safety and refuge of the forest, and I needed to get there in time.
"Contact sniper!" I yelled. "ETA?!"
Desperate and filled with adrenaline, I began to run in a zig-zag pattern and jumping up and down depleted my energy resources faster than I wanted to but I had little choice if I wanted to stay alive.
"Two minutes!"
"Hurry the fuck up!"
Cursing as I avoided another bullet, I finally cleared the open space and threw myself into the refuge of the forest, gasping harshly as I rested against a large tree trunk. It was hard to breathe in the dry cold air. Giving myself a minute to regain my breath, I got up on shaking legs and continued to put more distance between myself and the enemy sniper.
I need to get out of here immediately.
Suddenly, my right leg gave out and it felt like a punch as I stumbled onto the forest floor. There was another one here, I realised with a curse as I struggled to stand up and find cover. Hiding behind a tree, I pulled out the tourniquet from the trauma kit and wrapped it tight around the leg.
Grunting with pain the tighter the tourniquet got, I took several deep breaths to ready myself mentally and physically for the arduous task ahead – heading to the rendezvous point.
"I'm being followed by two tangos. Heading to the rendezvous now," I reported quietly, my voice was harsh with effort and once I was ready, I ran.
Adopting all the years of training that I had gone through, I began to cut alongside the forest floor, using the trees as my line of protection from the two attackers who were most probably closing the distance towards me. I was no good in the forest, armed with only a handgun and so I had to evade them.
The pursuit was highly fuelled, they made a few more shots as the bullets went through tree trunks so I was able to guess their trajectory. I stuck out like a sore thumb in the forest thanks to my white attire. Within minutes, I could see the end of the forest and so I waited by the undergrowth, wanting to see where the armoured vehicle was.
"Frank?"
"Five seconds!"
My breathing was harsh and ragged as I pulled out the handgun from my holster, preparing for a possible attack from the enemy. My hands were trembling from the adrenaline rush, and my vision was getting spotty. I was about to faint soon, and I needed to get out of there fast.
My ears perked up at the sound of wheels crunching across snow, and I looked up to see the armoured vehicle approaching from the left. Once the vehicle skidded to a stop, the back door opened up and the boys ran out with their guns up so I left from my hiding spot to run up to them.
I knew that I might get shot but it was worth the try. I needed to leave the forest. I needed to come back to my sister.
In the mess of everything, I felt a searing pain passing through my left shoulder and I collapsed to the ground. The last thing I remembered before I passed out was hearing the boys yelling my name.
I could sense their fear, their anger and then blackness.
.
What happens after being shot is usually the realisation that I was still alive. The senses come back – one by one as the body rose to consciousness. I woke up to the loud heart monitor and a soft hand smoothing down my hair. I opened my eyes to harsh white lights, a bunch of balloons and a relieved face of my lovely younger sister.
"Amalina."
She let out a gasp and burst into tears, as she held my hand tightly in hers. Seeing her cry made my heart monitor jump and I looked around to see that Quinn was fast asleep on the only chair in the room.
"How long was I out?" My voice was rough and my throat felt like blades were rubbing on the skin.
"You were out for two weeks," she replied as she tried to stifle her tears. "I'll call the doctor."
I tried to sit up, trying to find the remote around me but failing since I could barely move my arms. The lack of energy astounded me and I stared up the ceiling trying hard not to cry in frustration.
Both Amalina and a doctor entered the ward together.
"Can you bring the bed up?" I asked quietly. "I want to sit up and drink some water."
Amalina nodded, wiping away the stray tears as she helped me while the doctor checked my vitals, asking questions about my well-being.
"What's the extent of my injuries?" I asked. "How long will it take me to recover?"
"Well, you shattered your left collarbone, and tore some muscle in your right thigh," the doctor surmised. "Six months give or take."
"You need plenty of rest, medication and rehabilitation," he continued. "Your left arm will heal in eight weeks, your leg even longer so I want you to be patient with yourself and not to be too hardcore, okay?"
I nodded.
Once the doctor left the ward, Amalina took my hand in hers and gave me a sad smile. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink in weeks and I was barely keeping myself together.
"I'm sorry, I must've frightened you," I said gently, and tried to lift my left arm but couldn't move due to the brace.
"I don't want to worry you too much every time you go on missions," she mumbled. "I know the risks when it comes to your job but I was scared that you're gonna leave me. You were in surgery for the entire day."
She glanced over at the sleeping Q. "The boys have visited frequently while you recovered," she said gently. "Even Kirishima. I have never seen him that angry before in my life."
"I'm sorry," I mumbled as tears flooded my vision and I dropped my head as I burst into tears.
Big, heavy sobs racked my body as the fear and the anguish was finally let out. The shock of the injury has finally made me succumb to tears. Amalina said nothing more as she embraced me, both sisters crying together.
We cried for what seemed like forever, cradled in each other's arms and I was so relieved that I managed to come home to my sister.
I thanked the man above for listening to my prayers.
Quinn woke up eventually and noticed I was awake, so he called the team to come over quickly.
"I'm so glad you're okay," he said, his voice trembled. "I was so scared. I've never seen so much blood in my life. Lucas was so pale. Even Frank. I – I just-"
I held his hand immediately. The younger boy looked like he's about to burst into tears but he was holding himself back. "It's okay," I said gently. "It's okay to cry. You must've been traumatised."
His lips turned white as he pressed them hard together. His hand shook and I began to worry about his mental state.
"I'm sorry I just – it reminded me of that incident," he struggled to explain. "That I wanted... to forget."
I kept quiet and simply waited for him to calm down, to reassess the situation, to get out from the fear in his mind. I kept my grip on his hand, squeezing hard so as to remind him that he was not alone.
We remained that way till noise shattered the silence and I looked up to see the boys entering my room, their faces were creased with relief.
They had brought along more gifts; complete with fruit baskets, flowers and balloons bought from the gift shop below. Their gifts filled up my room and it gotten less quiet thanks to them.
Soon, the boys had to leave to attend to their work duties and Frank remained seated as they left the ward. The noise left a big void and I was not used to that at all, truthfully.
"We weren't able to find out who the two attackers were," he explained. "It was more important for us to bring you to the nearest hospital."
I nodded. I understood the situation. Anybody else would've done the same. Saving a team mate is more important than hunting down the enemy.
"You lost a lot of blood. Your administration of the tourniquet saved your leg. The doctor there was able to remove the bullet in time, and assured us that you'd be able to walk again."
"The doc said I need about three months of rest."
He patted my wrist and look stern. "You take all the rest that you need," he pointed out. "I want you back healthy and fit."
I nodded.
Frank stood up. "I will see you in three months time."
I glanced over at Amalina. "Go home and sleep."
She rolled her eyes at me.
.
Once I regained most of my energy, I began to move around the limited space of the ward despite the nurses telling me to stay put on the bed.
I made my way to the bathroom without assistance – hopping with one leg and went to the mirror to see the extent of my injuries. I wanted to know how bad my shoulder looked.
I was on a metal brace and the hospital attire was thrown over it so I couldn't see a thing. And whenever I get my showers or toilet trips, I was always accompanied by the nurse – in case I topple to the floor in my time of weakness.
Now stronger, I stood in front of the mirror and took off the top to reveal the horror beneath. Honestly I couldn't see much thanks to the brace and since I couldn't move my left arm, I could only see the myriad of bruises and stitches that covered my exposed skin.
"Amelia?"
I heard Kirishima's voice emanating from outside and I grabbed the top from the sink counter, pulling it over my head while I made my way outside to greet the yakuza.
"What are you doing walking around on your own?" he scolded. "You're supposed to be on bed rest!"
"I've been cooped up in this room for weeks," I pointed out.
He tilted his head and looked thoughtful. "Let's get you in a wheelchair then."
We went outside – towards the garden within the hospital's premises after getting permission from the doctor.
Kirishima pushed the wheelchair while humming a melody – passing a few curious exhibitions and numerous plants that were cut into various patterns. The fresh air made me relax and I enjoyed the scenery – noticing there were also other patients making use of the garden.
Up ahead, there was a stone bench and he sat down with a relieved sigh after he locked the wheels.
"How are you?" I asked.
He scoffed. "I should be asking you that question," he stated. "How are you holding up? I heard from Amalina the extent of your injuries."
"It's taking me time to adjust not being able to use half of my body parts," I explained.
Ishikawa Kirishima seemed like he had a lot to say to me, but he didn't speak a word about his worries or concerns. I could sense that he was hiding a lot in his chest and he came to visit wanting to release the tension he was facing. Since he didn't want me to know, he chose not to speak about it at all and simply avoided any topic about my accident.
He was gentle as he held my right hand in his, his thumb playing across my skin and I wondered what was going on in his secretive mind.
We spoke less than we did normally, mainly staring at the other, drinking in each other's facial features.
Kirishima had a maroon suit jacket over a black collared tee, and matching pants. He was always dressed in a suit whenever I see him, and I wondered when I'd be able to see him in normal clothes.
My uninjured hand went to touch his fringe after months of curiosity lingering in my mind – whether it was as fluffy and smooth as it looked.
I was taken aback at how soft it was.
"You look handsome with your hair down," I said without much thought and my fingers froze when I realised that I had said it aloud.
He smiled – bringing up creases along his eyes. "I can't always have my hair down you know," he pointed out with a tease. "I'm a fearless yakuza leader."
"I'm sure you are."
He laughed and he got up – unlocking the wheels before he brought me back to the ward, saying that he needed to return to work as he had a pressing matter to attend to.
Guessing that it was something that includes beating people up and extorting people for money, I bade him goodbye and hoisted myself onto the bed, shimmying upwards till I could lie down.
I was exhausted. Being outside has depleted my energy and I fell asleep a few seconds later.
.