Georgetown
Washington, DC
Oakwood Apartments
December 18th, 2015
1300 hours
Jawa POV
After about a half-hour's worth of driving later, our little group reached Georgetown, an area within the District of Columbia northwest of Washington.
I did my research earlier: it's said to be one of the most popular and safest areas of DC, and has a relatively urban feel, with plenty of options for eating, entertainment, and such.
Unfortunately, I didn't get too far into this research before Chip yanked me away from my computer, jokingly calling me a nerd and telling me to "get off my keister and get moving." As usual, my best friend absolutely loves to dive into everything headfirst with maximum force at the ready. I swear, if you placed him into the US military, Chip would be the guy going full Rambo.
Picture an operator in heavy-duty body armor toting an M240L machine gun and an M32A1 grenade launcher for maximum firepower, his "sidearm" is an MP7A1 personal defense weapon, and he has enough M67 frag grenades and M18 Claymore mines to wipe out a couple city blocks. He'd also have, at minimum, an M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle with him as well, hoping to destroy some tanks along the way.
In other words, he'd be a standard Call of Duty character, carrying ordnance for at least a platoon's worth of troops (seriously, why does nobody talk about the sheer amount of gear that CoD and other videogame operators carry while running around like Sonic? While I enjoy such videogames every now and again, I facepalm at how unrealistic they can be).
'It must be his parents,' I thought. 'He's got that door-kicker Devil Dog attitude.'
Yes, his parents are United States Marines; his father is a Master Sergeant in the US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) while his mother is a Captain and an AV-8B Harrier II pilot.
You like the excessive details I'm pouring out? I'm the brainiac, it's what I do. Seriously, this stuff is natural. Throw in the fact that my dad's a Chief Petty Officer and a US Navy Special Warfare Combat-craft Crewman (SWCC)... I think I just might know too much about the military for my age, my CIA connections notwithstanding.
'Yeesh, no wonder Chip called me a walking encyclopedia,' I mused.
Anyways, mine and Chip's lineage aside, the entire car ride there, I kept glancing at Ben. I think I just wanted to make sure he was there, still alive and breathing. What happened early this morning... Seriously, I've been shot at before, but I was barely able to sleep after witnessing what happened in Alexander's office. How Ben kept himself going was beyond me.
I noticed that Chip and even Erica were doing the same. Although I couldn't say I was surprised about the latter.
The Academy's unrefuted valedictorian for our year—or as we liked to call her, the "wonder girl"—had eyes for Ben (which she seemed to prove by whacking me upside the head when I teased her about using military lingo—which she certainly learned from her crush). Of course, the almighty Ice Queen was refusing to admit her feelings.
So much for letting it go and feeling rather than concealing... but this didn't make it any less obvious.
I don't have any dating experience, and even I could see the jealousy in Erica's eyes when Zoe pulled Ben to the car. Of course, Zoe doesn't like Ben in that manner (not anymore; that was in the past), but rather a certain third-year in the car with us. And that third-year had the hots for her.
Thank goodness, because I don't think I have the energy to handle a love triangle. The catfights would be utterly brutal (i.e., at minimum, the Academy infirmary would have to stock up on several bags of Zoe's blood type, equipment for sutures, and painkillers... maybe some sedatives, restraints, and a tactical unit to handle Erica. I would just try to make sure that Ben didn't jump into the fray and attempt to break up the fights).
Now, according to Zoe, we had a secondary objective on this vacation: set Berica up.
Yes, they are my OTP, but it's getting painful watching them skirt around each other. Maybe one good push ought to do it.
Chip suggested a contingency plan before we met up with the rest of the group: tie Ben and Erica together and barricade the exits of the room, trapping them there until they confess to each other.
While there is the simple problem of the two probably figuring out a way to escape, I cannot deny that I, for once, like one of my best friend's direct, brash plans. I suppose that's why he brought along about a hundred feet of paracord, a few rolls of tape, several zip ties, and some pairs of handcuffs.
In the end, though, we decided that we would save that as a last ditch effort and adopt a more subtle approach. Unfortunately, since we didn't have enough time to discuss this with Zoe and Mike, we agreed to just play things by ear.
Eventually, all eight of us arrived at Oakwood Apartments (Author's Note: This apartment building is fictional), a nice-looking three-story building in a quieter area of Georgetown.
According to Alexander, who got it from the landlady, we'd be having the building to ourselves, and the area would be relatively calm due to the holidays. The landlady herself wasn't there, having left with her husband to go visit their family. However, she had already mailed Alexander and Catherine the visitors' guide and the keys to our room.
We let ourselves in, admiring the Modern Victorian feel of the building (like I said... I know details). Most of the apartments were undergoing renovations and were thus off-limits, but we still had our spacious reservation on the first floor, complete with two bedrooms, a fully stocked kitchen, a well-sized living room (large flatscreen television, couch, reclining chair, and sofa included), and two-and-a-half bathrooms.
"Sooo," Mike began. "Sleeping arrangements?"
"Well, you children will take the living room. Cyrus has one bedroom, and Alex and I have the other," Catherine said. "Cyrus isn't keen on sharing."
"Damn right I'm not keen on sharing," a deep voice agreed.
From one of the bedrooms emerged Cyrus Hale, otherwise known as the FRICKIN' LEGEND HIMSELF!
"Grandpa!" Erica exclaimed, jumping forward and giving him a hug.
"Hi, Princess," he chuckled as he returned her hug.
"Hey, Dad," Alexander said, also giving his father a quick hug, which Cyrus reciprocated. After that, there were quick "hellos" and nods all around, until his eyes finally rested on Ben.
"Afternoon, Ripley," Cyrus said with a nod.
'Interesting... a bit more cordial with him than anyone else, save for the Hales... Cyrus must have been briefed on the plan,' I realized.
"Cyrus. How are things?" Ben asked almost hesitantly.
"I'm absolutely fine, Ripley. Same story as usual."
"Kids, set up. Dad, I need to talk to you and Cath about something," Alexander said, motioning for the door. The three adults subsequently left the apartment, leaving the rest of us to unpack.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned, I saw Chip pointing his thumb at Ben and Erica as they opened their duffel bags in the center of the rug between the "U" formed by the sofa, couch, and reclining chair.
'What are you saying, Chip?' I wondered as I shrugged, confused.
He pointed at Ben and Erica again, then pressed his index fingers together, grinning.
'Oh...'
Quickly passing the message along to Zoe and Mike, the four of us surreptitiously moved ourselves and our belongings around, setting up our sleeping bags and sleeping pads such that Ben and Erica were stuck right next to each other.
'Hehehe... this should be an interesting vacation.'
Cyrus POV
To say this was an interesting vacation would be putting it lightly.
Not only were my family's friends also partaking in this gathering, there was an issue concerning Ripley: severe depression.
After we stepped outside the building into the cool December air, Catherine and Alex quickly briefed me on Ripley's case of near self-harm, and his history of grief and anger over the past one-and-a-half years.
I suppose it made logical sense, inviting Ripley and his friends on this little trip. Spending time with friends and family (in a wholesome manner, mind you) has been shown to help with depression in some circumstances. Although I wasn't sure how I fit into this group of people, nor did I have the slightest idea how I could possibly help.
Nonetheless, I let Alex and Catherine take the reins on their operation, and I decided to play by their rules. However, there was one thing I made absolutely clear (and it was a good thing only adults were present for this part):
"I understand you two are sharing a room, but for the love of God, please think of the children and don't do 'it!' We're all sharing this apartment!" I groaned. Frankly, I hate the fact that I know about my son's... *ahem*... private life (it was a complete accident that I found out, and I consider it one of the worst mistakes of my life): the one thing I never wanted nor needed to know.
"Don't do what, Dad?" Alex replied with a cheeky grin as he slipped his arm around Catherine's waist, making the Briton flush red.
"You know what I mean, Alexander Nathaniel Hale," I said exasperatedly as I crossed my arms. "Your girlfriend is blushing redder than the USSR at the mention of you and her doing the deed!"
"Who said we were doing that, Dad? You just have a dirty mind!" he quipped.
"God help us all," I muttered, facepalming as Alex laughed and Catherine somehow turned redder and covered her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment.
'These two are acting like love-struck teenagers while an actual teenager has some serious problems that me, a man who has largely cut himself off his emotions, has to try and help with. Could this situation get any stranger?' I thought.
Several hours later...
Erica POV
We didn't do much else for the rest of the day. Grandpa was tired from his trip (surprisingly), Mom and Dad had some phone calls to make for work (unsurprisingly), and Ben was plain tired (unsurprisingly, given the rough night he had).
Ben was talking with Chip and Jawa as they helped him learn some theory of urban combat, focusing on room-clearing. Zoe was helping Mike with one of his foreign languages assignments, which the two seemed to have a real aptitude for.
'They just might make fine DO (Directorate of Operations) Language Officers one day,' I thought as I looked up from my own homework assignment from my perch on the window seat.
'Now, as for Chip and Jawa... most definitely Paramilitary Operations Officers (PMOOs). But Ben... considering how much he's been studying up on the paramilitary side of the CIA, he could be a PMOO as well, or maybe a...' I stopped as he looked up from his assignment, and I saw his face fully.
His eyes were a deep, chocolatey brown, which I found quite... nice. Long gone was the innocent face from when he was twelve years old, a newbie used as bait to trap a mole. His face was hardened, like a warrior, but his beautiful eyes ruined that image.
'Beautiful, eh?' that nagging voice asked.
'Oh Lord, not you again!' I sighed internally.
'Oh, blah blah blah. "Beautiful?"'
'Oh, come on! Chocolate is my guilty pleasure! Of course I'm going to think his eyes look nice!'
'You idiot, even Zoe, who loves chocolate to death, wouldn't go that far. You said beautiful because you liiiike him!'
'SHUT UP YOU STUPID LITTLE—'
'Okay, Little Miss Cranky. By the way, you're busted.'
'What do you even—' I wondered as I refocused, seeing those eyes again. Only this time, they were looking at me.
'Uh-oh...' I thought. Ben's cheeks were slowly turning red as we simply stared at each other. I felt my own face heating up before I turned back to my textbook, trying to push down those... "feelings..." in the pit of my stomach.
I avoided him for the rest of the evening. Even at dinner, which consisted of pizza takeout courtesy of Dad, I just talked with Grandpa to avoid Ben as much as possible. However, I couldn't help taking a peek every now and again out of the corner of my eye. He mainly talked with Mike, with the others jumping in from time to time. He seemed quiet, but so did everyone else for the most part. We were tired, and we were ready to sleep.
Eventually, Mom, Dad, and Grandpa turned in for the night, and the rest of us followed suit, changing into sleepwear before moving back towards our sleeping bags.
I got into mine, only to realize that I was right next to Ben's.
'What the—' I thought. It was at this moment that I quickly realized why Zoe, Mike, Chip, and Jawa were shuffling around earlier: they moved in such a way that Ben and I were next to each other! Why, I had no clue, but it was still a ridiculous move!
"Er... good night," said a voice in front of me. I brought myself back to the real world, only to realize that while lying on my side in my sleeping bag, I had been staring at Ben... again.
'Nice sight, eh? Those eyes...'
"Goodnight!" I squeaked hurriedly as I turned around, feeling my cheeks heat up.
'Squeaked? I don't squeak!' I mentally scolded myself.
'Hard Erica doesn't. But soft Erica, the side that's slowly taking over... she does, especially when an absolutely adorable Ben Ripley appears!' my mind laughed.
I was screaming internally of embarrassment and confusion until I finally drifted off to sleep.
Apologies for the wait, but like I informed everyone last time, updates are going be an issue. They continue to remain an issue to this day (because the real world is chaotic, and history is repeating itself).
Thank you for continuing to read, and I hope y'all enjoy this chapter.
Until next time. Stay safe!
- ADF-2