--Samuel’s POV---
I sighed softly at the feeling of the cuffs around my wrists as I was brought back in. Everyone was giving me looks of compassion and pity while I stared at my fists. My hands burned and twitched as I thought back at that son of a bitch…
He hadn’t expected me to come find him but as soon as he saw my face, he knew why I was there. Too bad that I wasn’t a sadistic bastard like he was, because I would’ve enjoyed torturing him for what he’d done to my family.
“My gorgeous wife…and my little girl.” My mind was reeling as the two soldiers behind me pulled me along until I was seated in front of a worn wooden desk. I straightened in my seat and blinked when I realized the other teams were in here as well…along with our superiors and the President.
This isn’t how things normally go… My eyes flashed back and forth, observing every movement, every twitch and microscopic change in their expressions as I tried to find out what was going on. Normally I should’ve been hauled into jail, debriefed and face the consequences of my actions.
“Please.” The President said politely as he gestured towards the cuffs that held my arms behind my back. The soldiers quickly removed the metal from my wrists so I could sit more comfortably.
I rubbed my wrists as I glanced at Josh and Declan, trying to probe my position in this situation. Judging by the tense smile that Declan shot me and the way Josh glanced from me and the president, things weren’t that bad…but they weren’t good either.
“Evening gentlemen.” I focused back on the president as he leaned back, placing his fingertips together in thought. “You can imagine my surprise when my meeting with the Vice-President was cut short by our troops. I’ve been explained what has been going on behind the scenes and I’m astonished that it has gone on for this long.”
Killjoy smirked slightly but didn’t respond; he was too busy looking around the presidential suite with a hint of disdain in his eyes. His head swiveled back towards the influential man as he stated, “Why hasn’t anyone notified the higher ups? I’m sure that the Secretary of Defense would’ve offered your troops some help.”
“He was compromised, Sir.”
The president blinked in shock, “The intelligence services?”
“Compromised. Not all of them but there were enough for the enemy to get the Intel he needed.” I stated dully before adding, “The Black Sun was smart and didn’t focus on just the higher ups. There were members of the police, FBI, CIA, DARPA and PFPA… Do I need to continue?”
Killjoy walked around as he added; “There were bugs in numerous offices, hidden camera’s in the White House as well as several of the agencies. His biggest opponents were being watched 24/7 and 7/7. Every little thing you did Sir, they knew about.” Killjoy took a few files we found at the Black Sun’s HQ and slapped them on the desk, gaining a few disapproving glances from the Combatant Commanders that weren’t compromised.
The President reached forwards and paled as he spotted several pictures of himself and his family, whether they were out on official visits or at home enjoying their false sense of privacy.
You could see he tried to distance himself from the subject, but knowing that his family had been close to harm or possible death? It would shake any man’s nerves. He shot a glance at the Commanders before looking back at me.
“I’ve also been informed that you’ve gone AWOL and killed a man. I’ve read the reports and I can imagine what you’re going through but…You should’ve let the authorities handle him, Mister Ellis.”
My lips pulled in a twisted grimace as I leaned back and crossed my arms. “With all due respect, Sir,” I said, trying to keep a grip on the growing anger and bile inside me. “That man was nothing more than a monster that did everything on its master’s bidding. You’ve just heard that almost everything remotely related to authorities were compromised, and you expect me to hand that man over to them?”
The most powerful man of our nation was ready to defend himself but I was ahead of him as I motioned with my hands to the Commanders. “What they hadn’t told you yet was that the same man that killed my wife and child point blank, was going to be used in a carefully plotted plan that would’ve been executed to perfection.”
All of the Commanders flinched when the President’s stern gaze landed on them, their faces paling slightly as I revealed, “A plan that would’ve put you in my place and the Vice President in charge.”
In that moment, I could almost feel the fear, horror and pain that the man in front of me felt but it was nothing compared to what I had to go through in the past. I carried the coffin of my four year old on my shoulders for crying out loud!
I barely heard Killjoy explain what the Black Sun had planned to do, how they were going to make sure that his wife and daughters would’ve found their end in a carefully executed car crash. They had already rigged the car with small explosives that wouldn’t leave any trace behind, but it would blow the brakes to smithereens.
My mind was still stuck on that dreadful day that my commander had pulled me aside and gave me the news. Or the day after that, where I had insisted to carry my little girl to her final resting place, like how I had intended to give her hand away in marriage. All things that would never happen.
Stolen, by power-hungry sons of bitches that disregarded the lives of innocents like they were pawns on a chessboard. Expendable. Replaceable. Collateral damage. My little Marley and my gorgeous wife were buried six feet under all because some guy went into politics to get more money and fame and was placed just below the position he hungered for.
“Viper!”
I snapped out of the nightmarish memories to realize several things. My memories had managed to rile me up so much that I was digging my nails into the palms of my hands until there were small rivulets of blood running down my forearm.
And I had hot, salty tears running down my face because I would always remember the still forms of my family when I was called into the mortgage to recognize and identify them.
I quickly rubbed over my face and cleared my throat, daring the guys to say anything about my red eyes before one of the Commanders cleared his throat and softly suggested that a doctor should see to my self inflicted wounds and to test me for PTSD.
A wry smile slipped on my face at that; I already had an inkling that I indeed had PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The combined weight of my profession and the losses of my family and team was more than enough to push me closer to the edge.
But I was going to make sure that those fuckers were rotting behind bars before I even considered of taking a breather and focus on my own state of mind.
---Declan’s POV---
It was safe to say that after Samuel’s breakdown and the medics coming in to tending to his wounds, the mood in the room had turned from tense and accusing to a more mellow, apologetic and compassionate one.
I could almost see the pain in the President’s eyes, as he realized that Samuel’s past could’ve been his future. At the same time, Sam had crossed a line when he went after the bastard that killed his family.
There was no doubt in my mind that if I’d been in his place, I would’ve done the same damn thing, only I would’ve taken my time to make the man pay. He would’ve regretted every laying eyes on my family.
But, bottom line was, Sam had murdered a man that wasn’t related to warfare casualty or any other mission. He went out for blood and vengeance and now it was going to bite him in his ass.
This could get him a Dishonorable discharge and that would be an insult on injury; it was shameful for any man or woman of the military to get booted out this way. It was only granted after serious charges, like sexual assault, desertion…murder.
If this went to court, Sam could lose all the benefits of being a veteran and his name and service would be spat upon. That wasn’t something I’d every wish on the guy, especially not after all he went through.
We’ve spent hours talking to the President, the Commanders and the representatives of the Intelligence forces that supported us with proof of their own. Eventually the President sighed and leaned back in his seat, rubbing at his temples.
I’m sure the guy had a major headache coming his way.
Sam, who had been guided out of the room before to undergo some tests, was now brought back in. The doctor, a middle-aged man, pressed his glasses up his nose and rushed around the desk to whisper something to the president.
He nodded a few times, muttering something before allowing the man to leave the room. His eyes landed back on Samuel and for once, I couldn’t tell what was going to happen now. Either he was going to let Sam walk out of this room in chains and sent him down to court.
Or…I doubted there was an or.
Even the Commanders who sat huddled together knew there was no way out of this…but I guess they didn’t calculate Mr. President in that. Because the big man opened his mouth and gave Samuel the freedom and respect he deserved.
“My doctors have just let me know that you indeed suffer from PTSD. They assured me that whatever happened between you and that man could be blamed on your condition and that you had a temporarily laps in judgment and sanity. Just don’t let it happen again.” He stated sternly, gaining a sharp nod from Samuel before the President actually smiled and reached a hand to Sam.
“I’d like to thank you folks for your service for our nation and defending the rights and ideals of our citizens with your lives. And if you accept, I’d like for Team Neptune and Wolfpack to be Honorably discharged.”
I grinned at that, a bit stunned because we weren’t injured or too old to fight but clearly the man saw what we went through and deemed it enough. I was going to accept his offer and love and dote on Sage as soon as I was out of here but I didn’t know about the others.
Josh and Samuel instantly agreed, Echo seemed to have some doubts before he sighed deeply and agreed as well. He stated it was a good time to make sure his foolish fiancé wouldn’t kill himself again on a mission, and he politely asked for Benjamin to be discharged as well.
When they finally settled on an agreement, we were all sent back home. Josh had to laugh at the big grin stuck on my face but he too was nearly bouncing with excitement. “Seems like Sage is going to have us as permanent guests, huh?” He mused before barking out a laugh.
“Yeah, seems to be the case.” I grinned back before hopping in the car. I sure was going to miss the structure and discipline of the army but if I had to trade that in to settle down beside Sage? I would do it in a heartbeat.