"You back for good? Back to join the Inter-Allied Regiment. The rogues who are AWOL from their prospective home countries?"
He nodded in agreement. Taylor couldn't believe he had made it. After their last meeting, he never imagined the Captain returning to service and leaving his new life behind.
"Damn good to have you back!"
Chapter 3
“Cheers!” called Grey.
They lifted their glasses high and then threw back the French cider. It was, course, acidic compared to anything Taylor had been used to getting back home, but it went down smoothly after the long day they had all experienced. Taylor was surprised Jones had not done the honours, but he was a different man to the one Taylor had once stood beside in battle. He couldn’t blame Charlie for feeling the way he did, now that they were once more serving so close to where he had once been imprisoned by the invaders.
Taylor looked over to Eli, and a beaming smile stretched across her face.
Is this what it takes? A new war to brings friends back together to enjoy themselves?
Taylor was starting to wonder if he was born for war, as he seemed to be incapable of wanting any other venture.
He was deep in thought and reflection when Eli began calling him, and she had to yell his name a few times over the chatter. Finally, he turned to look at her, and she was curious as to where his mind was. She leapt out of her chair and rushed over to sprawl out over his lap, spilling a little cider over his as she did.
“First night in a while we can enjoy ourselves, and you look so serious. What’s up, Colonel?” she asked casually.
“Nothing that you don’t already know. I am merely taking in all that is before us. It is great, is it not? Having everyone back together?”
“I never thought you so sentimental?”
Taylor shook his head.
“No, you never appreciate what you have until its gone, do you?”
She only smiled in response.
Within thirty minutes, the two were falling into bed after just a few drinks, all that they could allow themselves while danger remained so close. Exhaustion overcame them, and they were asleep within minutes.
Taylor arose with the sunrise to find Eli was still in a deep sleep. It amused him to watch her for a few moments before reaching for his uniform. It was the best rest he had gotten in weeks and stepped out of his quarters to feel the fresh morning air on his face. The war hadn’t reached Meaux. At times it was easy to forget they were once more in a state of war. Mitch began to pace through the base, for no other reason other than to take a stroll.
But after a few blocks, a sight that was a grim reminder of their current situation, the base hospital, hit him. Engineers were busy fabricating temporary structures beside it to quell the overcrowding that had already begun. He stood and watched two light armoured vehicles roll up to the hospital. They were battle scarred, and Taylor quickly took interest, recognising the unit markings as those belonging to Dubois’ unit.
He’d no idea if she had returned to service or not, but a feeling in his stomach made him fear it so. The crew of the vehicles leapt out and pulled the wounded out from the rear doors. One of the casualties had the slender female figure that matched her description.
He rushed forward to check, but he already knew it would be her. As he approached, her face came into view, but she was not moving. He didn’t want it to be her, despite already knowing it was. Somehow, he hoped he could wish it away, but as he stepped over, her face was unmistakeable. He looked up to the crew and the medic who were carrying her.
“How is she? She gonna make it?”
“They all seemed to recognise the Colonel, but he didn’t remember meeting them. The medic shook his head.
“We can hope. She’s taken a lot of shrapnel and is in a bad way.”
She writhed a little, and Taylor finally noticed she was at least still breathing. She looked up for just a moment to see and recognise Taylor, trying to reach for his arm before passing out.
“Do not let her die!” he yelled.
They rushed on into the hospital, and he shook his head in disbelief. He lifted up his comms unit.
“Jones, I need you ASAP.”
No response came.
“Somebody find me Captain Jones, and contact me ASAP!”
He looked around and suddenly felt helpless. His old friend had finally returned to them, and he knew this could well break him. “Shit,” he said to himself, sitting down on a small wall outside the hospital. He had no idea what to do with himself. He waited for ten minutes and had still not received contact from any of his unit. He was getting frustrated and lifted his comms unit.
“Where the hell is Jones? Somebody speak to me.”
Grey finally responded.
“No sign of the Captain, Sir.”
Taylor shook his head.
“Well where the hell is he? Keep looking and get him to the hospital quickly. He needs to be here!”
He rushed into the hospital to find Dubois. One of her comrades guided him into her room where he could look in. It reminded him of the time he’d stood watching over Parker when she had been wounded early on in the first war, and he remembered how tough Dubois was.
A doctor stepped out from the room to address him and two of her comrades who stood beside Taylor.
“She will need some surgery, but she is stable. You can have a few minutes with her, but please keep her calm.”
“Thank you,” he replied, stepping into the room.
Dubois was weak and barely able to turn her head and speak.
“You’re a sucker for punishment,” he said. “Every time a war starts, you go headlong into it and almost get yourself killed.”
“That’s rich,” she whispered, “coming from you.”
It brought a cautious smile to his face.
“You’ll have Charlie sick, if we can ever find him.”
She nodded a little in agreement.
“He’s here one minute and gone the next. Always was the same.”
She looked confused.
“Here? When?”
“He got here yesterday afternoon. He’s signed back up with us. Best thing that’s happened since all this kicked off.”
She shook her head.
“No, no,” she said.
Taylor was confused by her comment and tone.
“What is it?”
“He is not here. He would not go and fight again.”
“Maybe he changed his mind.”
She shook her head, coughing and trying to get her breath.
“I spoke to him last night. He was at home on the farm. He begged me to return.”
“Hate to tell you, but he was here drinking with us.”
She shook her head once again.
“No, on video, he was at the farm.”
Taylor almost stopped breathing, beginning to piece together what she was saying. Jones arrived out of the blue and was the only one in the Regiment who hadn’t been cleared by the x-ray scanners.
Taylor opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by an alarm sounding throughout the base.
“What is it?” asked Dubois.
Taylor turned to her two comrades. You stay here and look after her. If you see Captain Jones, you approach with caution and arrest him immediately, you hear?”
They didn’t understand, but they did accept the command. Taylor rushed out of the room as quickly as he could and burst out of the hospital and across the two blocks to the research bunker where the alarm had originated. Two guards were rushing for the door, and he quickly followed them. He had no weapons or armour on him. It took a minute for the guards to get through the security door.