Being back out there in the Hindu Kush was exhilarating. These mountains really did things to her and the scents, now that it was summertime, were very different from what she had experienced there during the winter. The sensations were almost overwhelming. She’d had no problem tracking this team once she’d made her way to the cave where they were normally camped and had found them gone. She’d also had no problem staying hidden from the Taliban search squads and patrols.
Her jump had been especially fun! During jump school training she’d discovered that she really enjoyed the whole experience, but especially the freefall. Wow, what a rush that was! She’d had no difficulty learning how to steer her parachute while training at Fort Benning. This jump had gone really well; once she’d finally pulled her ripcord and let her chute open up, there had been enough light for her to see by. Gliding down to land up at LZ Hancock had been very satisfying. She was back and that somehow was resonating deep inside, somewhere, for whatever reason. She didn’t try to analyze herself but just went forward. She was on a mission.
As Missy settled down now, surrounded by strange men in a cave on a wild mountainside, hiding from Taliban forces and carrying the responsibility she’d willingly stepped up to carry … this mission was one the Secretary of Defense had cleared with the President, after all … she felt very good about the life she was living. She was doing the right thing and making a difference. Somehow, that made all the sacrifices and hardships more than worth it. At this moment in time, she was where she was supposed to be, doing what she was supposed to be doing.
Her extreme gifts, powers and abilities, when she lived up to whatever extreme things she was called upon to do because of them, allowed her to experience some very extreme fulfillment. Sometimes … it was really good to feel fulfilled.
-----
“She’s with the team and everything’s okay. They just called it in. Our good colonel can relax now, hopefully.” Les looked at his wife and smiled. They were sitting together back in the office they’d been given, the same one they’d had before. It felt different, without Mike sitting there dictating Missy Memos and with no map for plotting her GPS coordinates. “I’ll let you call this in to everyone back in the States. I’m guessing Colonel Chory isn’t the only one who’s been worrying.”
Marsha smiled back at him. “Whatever else happens, let’s remember this day, Les. The U.S. has officially placed a supernatural soldier on the field of battle. Whatever Private Missy McCrea does now, her service record will reflect her serving out there with this Special Forces unit. I’m sure some of her service out there will forever be classified, so nothing gets revealed about her being a supnat, but the record will still show that she served. This isn’t training and it isn’t any invisible mission. She’s serving out there as a soldier. For reasons we might not fully understand, it’s what she’s wanted to do for a long time and her day has finally come.
Chapter Thirty-One
July 13, 2019
It was time. She’d been with her team for a few days, returning to their home base cave two days ago. The Taliban had finally given up searching for whatever it was they’d been looking for. Maybe they were looking for what her aircraft might have dropped the night she’d jumped from it. For all she knew, the search might even have been for her. Security at Camp Phoenix was tight but spies were everywhere, right? Someone may have watched her aircraft taking off and possibly even have tracked it during its flight out over the Kunar Province and beyond. She had asked them to fly the beyond portion, continuing out well beyond, just in case.
Carter and Murphy had helped her retrieve all her gear. They’d complained about all the weapons and ammunition, saying how they always needed to be ready to go at a moment’s notice, leaving nothing behind. Case in point, they’d all just finished doing that. Did she really need the sniper’s rifle and scope?
She’d said that was fine, she only needed them to carry the MRE’s she’d brought along, which she thought she might share with them. She’d always be taking care of everything else. But, if they wanted to leave those MRE’s behind, no problem. She’d then packed up all the weapons, strapped on her backpack with the ammo and some personal items and had headed on back.
The guys managed to bring the MRE’s along. She heard them later telling the others how surprised they’d been. They didn’t know how she’d managed carrying so much weight … her being a girl and all. She’d been the one to set the pace and they’d had to hustle to keep up with her. And? She didn’t stumble around out there, making lots of noise. No, just the opposite. She didn’t make any noise at all.
They didn’t know she could hear everything they said about her, of course. Only Captain Grimes knew she had all these supernatural abilities and she knew even he was often oblivious to how much she could hear. She acted so “normal” and the guys quickly stopped wondering about her having any special abilities. Hence, their surprise whenever she did do something unusual … like carrying those weapons plus over eighty pounds of gear and ammo, up and down steep mountains, without making noise.
They all were making adjustments. She was a female and that fact alone was enough to get them aroused and excited. Since she was a very attractive female, that only heightened their awareness. Even with all those Afghan garments covering up all her very voluptuous curves, they knew she was attractive. Hell, even if she were to lose ten pounds and once again be all ripped and shredded, with only eight percent body fat? Her curves might not be as noticeable but it wouldn’t matter. She always moved with such feminine grace, her presence was enough. She was sexy and they knew it.
Did they all want to have sex with her? Oh, yes! Definitely! While that was merely their normal male lust, nonetheless it was constant and she could scent how aroused and frustrated they often would get. No one was admitting to that, of course, but they were males and she could tell they wanted her. But, she’d done her best to make things very clear on that issue. She already had a boyfriend and their having sex with her was never going to happen. Never.
She made a point of getting to know each of them. She visited them out at the OP, she assisted with various chores and she talked to them. She asked them lots of personal questions and she was open and honest about herself. They couldn’t understand why she’d resigned from West Point, just to join them on this mission. But, when she told them she’d actually been the one out there six months earlier, had done some special recon and had assisted in rescuing the three Germans, they couldn’t understand that at all. How could she have done those things? Well, that’s the part she couldn’t talk about in any detail. That’s why Captain Grimes had told them she was special. She wasn’t supposed to talk about that. She liked to just keep saying how she wasn’t a normal girl and that they should just try to accept that. And, yeah … her government knew about her and all the special things she could do were highly classified.
After a few days, most of the men began getting used to her. As she’d found for so many other instances, whenever anything supernatural would happen and humans were witness to those things, they would find ways to make the unbelievable believable. Or, to at least find ways to accept those things. The guys on her team didn’t have to know she was a witch or a werecat … they could accept she wasn’t normal and let it go at that. At least, she hoped so. She’d done her best to be friendly and earn their respect.
She’d gone out and located a small hiding place nearby where she could store her weapons, ammo and gear. She’d shown this to Captain Grimes and he’d even helped her cover everything up so it looked like just another pile of rocks. She had even removed her boots which went in with her other gear. Then, she’d asked him to go with her, out away from the cave and out of sight from the others. He’d almost gotten lulled by just having her around but he knew she was supposed to do some more recon. As a cat. The time had come for her to disappear for a few days.
Once they were far enough away, Missy pointed out the spot where she wanted to Change. She said, “Captai
n, I’ll be leaving this garment behind. Save it for when I return. I do have clothes hidden with my gear but, in case I need to Change back and can’t get there, I might need you to put this back out for me.”
“So, you’re saying … if I see this mountain lion who looks like she wants some clothes?” He grinned at her.
“Exactly! Only, take a good look at the scars on my shoulder after I Change. I’ll give you a chance to study me as a cat before I leave. Those scars are pretty recognizable … that way you’ll know if the cat you see is really the girl in your command!” Missy laughed and so did he.
“Good luck, Private McCrea. Missy.”
“Thanks! Now, do a girl a favor and turn your back while I do this. You’ll know once I’ve Shifted. This will only take a moment.” When the captain turned around, she quickly stripped off her garment, dropped it on the ground, crouched down on all fours and Changed. While the captain didn’t see the shimmer of light, he definitely felt the burst of energy from her doing that. She purred loudly and he turned around to look at her.
“Damn! You really are something, McCrea!” Staring into her eyes, which were now glowing green and yellow but were most definitely the same eyes he’d gotten used to looking into these past few days, he was in awe. She was magnificent and just standing in front of her, with her now looking so fierce and wild -- as a large cat -- sent shivers along his spine. Only the fact she was acting friendly, purring the way she was rather than jumping at him to tear out his throat, made him relax somewhat.
Missy strutted around in front of Grimes, letting him get used to her in this form, letting him examine her scars until she knew he’d seen enough, and then she chuffed at him. Her way of saying goodbye. She bounded out of sight into the trees and climbed up the mountain. She would do a thorough recon of the surrounding areas and then go check out the base.
First, of course, she would hunt. Already, she could scent a mountain goat that wasn’t too far away. The MRE hardship was over. Missy loved to eat and her body really did need all those proteins and calories. She allowed all of her predatory instincts to once again come forth. Sometimes … it was really good to just be a cat.
-----
July 14, 2019
“Mike, are you hearing anything about Missy?” John had stopped by, hoping to find Mike home and maybe learn what was happening. There had been no news about his sister for several days now. It had been over a week since she’d called anyone and he knew she had finally gone out in the mountains over there with some A-Team. She’d been wanting to do that for a couple of years now. Special Forces. Serve her country. That’s what she’d said was her calling. She claimed she could best use all her “gifts” by doing that.
He’d gone to Texas with Tracy after the Jump School graduation. The big celebration that day had been somewhat overshadowed by their all learning Missy was resigning from the academy to go off and fight in Afghanistan. In Texas, he’d again spent every minute he could with Tracy. Naturally, that had included being with her coven as well and watching her “do her magic stuff”. Later, when she had returned to the academy for Cadet Field Training, he’d returned home for the summer. While things with Tracy were going great, whenever they were together, this being separated from her while she was doing her Army stuff -- with Missy now in Afghanistan -- had suddenly become a lot more real.
Like Missy, Tracy wasn’t just playing at being a soldier. She wanted to be a helicopter gunship pilot. She wanted to shoot things. Blow up things. Maybe kill people if that was necessary. Serve her country, like her Dad and Granddad had done, only using her special abilities. He knew she loved him but he also knew she was deeply committed to doing what she felt called to do, just as Missy was. It’s why he loved her so damn much. And, he knew Mike was feeling that way about Missy.
Mike said, “I’ve been talking to Robert. He sees the reports from Les and Marsha. She’s roaming those mountains as a cat right now, doing her recon, doing what no one else could possibly do.” Mike had come outside and had John sit with him over on his patio, where his parents couldn’t hear their conversation. Michelle had moved in with Aaron and was only home on special occasions now.
John studied him. “How are you doing?” He knew this mission that Missy was on now was really affecting Mike in all kinds of ways. “No more mental messages? No Missy thoughts constantly crowding out your own?” He’d heard the distance was too great for that. He’d also heard Mike describe how important it had become for him to always be experiencing her thoughts.
“I’ll be honest, John. Your sister is such a positive person, always looking to do what’s right and so certain she can find a way to do that … this past year, with her thoughts gradually becoming such a constant thing for me … I’m just not the same without her. I can’t be the person I’m supposed to be. It’s like everything is on hold … waiting for Missy to return. I’m in Limbo. I exist but I’m not really living anymore.”
“I was afraid it might be something like that. Before I met Tracy, my life was always about me, and everyone else had supporting roles. Now? My role is to support Tracy. That seems crazy but it’s how I feel. But, it’s not all one way. She’s not the same person anymore either. She’s changed in many ways, because of being in this relationship with me.”
Mike asked, “Do you think it’s like that with Missy? That she really needs me in her life? To be who she is and to be all and everything she is?”
“Oh, yes! That’s the thing, Mike. These aren’t normal girls. They’re witches. I’ve been learning a lot. Tracy’s coven has helped me to really understand this. They can only be what they’re meant to be, with all those powers and abilities reaching their full potential, when they have someone … someone who is truly the love of their life, their soulmate … and they can bond with that person.”
Mike nodded. Yeah, he understood. Only, sometimes … sometimes being bonded meant you experienced a lot of pain. But, that didn’t matter … he wouldn’t have it any other way.
-----
July 17, 2019
Missy had covered a lot of ground during the four days she’d been out searching. Most of that had been at night. Just as she had done six months earlier, she thoroughly checked out the entire region. Only, this time, she focused on the area within a fifteen mile radius of the base. There was a lot more activity now than there’d been during the winter.
The Pashtun locals were tending livestock and growing crops. She’d even found several large poppy fields. Opium. There had probably been a very big harvest in May. Based on the number of soldiers she was seeing, she figured the Taliban were probably benefiting the most from that crop. They were all over, with small camps everywhere and the locals had no choice but to be subservient.
And, six miles further down the Korengal Valley, but high on the mountainside with a new wide pathway leading up to it, there was another base being established. She’d been through the caves up there last January, on her way out. There had only been caves then. Now, there was evidence of a lot of construction. Heavy timbers had been used to reinforce the entrance and she could only guess at how far back all this might go. She saw at least fifty men; some were workers and some were soldiers. But, it didn’t appear as though this new base was really ready yet. It was still a work in progress.
She decided it wasn’t worth taking the time to get inside. The risk of being discovered was great and the additional knowledge was probably not worth the delay. She wanted to go look at the established base, the one they planned to destroy, and learn as much as possible about that one. Then, she’d make her report and see if they wanted any further recon on her part. There was a timetable now and since she wasn’t able to provide reports until she returned to Team Twenty-Two, she needed to get going. Maybe she should have asked to have Mike over there, after all.
The rocky hills and forested mountainside were filled with game. Sheep, goats, all sorts of prey for her to feast on. There were also other predators out there. Wolves, leopards and mounta
in lions … and bears. She avoided them but that forced her to take longer in covering an area. She only took short naps during the daytime and kept busy, prowling carefully to avoid being seen. At least the weather was cooperating.
She was very careful to avoid the other CAW teams. Colonel Chory had given her a pretty good idea where each of them would be. She noted eight of them and she knew there were another half dozen or so in the area as well. Three of them were not in their designated positions, apparently forced into hiding by Taliban squads and patrols. There were a lot of these squads and patrols and, combined with all the Taliban soldiers she’d seen at camps and in the local villages and homesteads, Missy was concerned.
When she finally approached the Taliban base from high above, working her way down to where she had noted openings and vent shafts before, she found several guards were now posted there, with all possible entry points being watched. Getting close enough to each position was tedious. She checked carefully for possible sensors but there didn’t seem to be any. Nothing high tech. Just the personnel out there on sentry duty, day and night. It looked like the Taliban considered that adequate. And, for all of the first night, it was. She had no chance of getting inside the base.
During the day, the activity inside was obvious. The noise, the scents, the energy … she could sense all of it and knew there’d be no prowling around inside except late at night. She retreated to a cave a half mile away and rested. Somehow, she would have to find a way inside.
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