by Lee Stephen
“Scott, it can’t be both ways. It says that in Scripture, we both know it! God’s will does not contradict itself! How can He want us together but ask you to do everything that pulls us apart?”
Scott covered his face and lowered his head. He never could explain how he felt. He just knew that EDEN was right. Yet in this argument, he was defeated. “Nikki, I can’t answer that. I can’t explain why I feel the way I do. I just feel like I need to be here.”
“What about us? I don’t think I can last like this!”
His heart broke. “Nikki…I love you. I want to marry you. You know I’ve felt since the beginning that God had something special for us, I still feel that. Don’t you?”
The line was silent. She whimpered. “Yes…I’ve loved you for so long, I don’t remember how it feels not to love you. I don’t want to remember.”
“But…don’t you feel like God has something special for us?”
“Yes.” A burden lifted in Scott’s chest. “I have always felt that, and I still do. I just don’t feel what you’re doing. I don’t feel it, not at all. I feel like you’re running off on your own somewhere, and I don’t understand why.” Sobs cascaded from her voice.
He dropped his hand from his face. “The same way I feel like there’s something special for us, I feel like there’s something special for me here. I don’t understand it either. I wish I could just let you feel this like I do.”
Her voice broke again. “Scott, please…please, I’m begging you…don’t leave me alone. I love you so much. I don’t want you to die…”
“I love you too. I won’t die…”
“All I want is you.” He could hear her shivering. “You’re it. I don’t want to wake up alone anymore. I don’t want to wonder if you’re okay.”
Scott leaned back against the wall. He hated this. He hated it so bad. “Nikki, we’re going to be together. This is a rough spot right now, but I am not putting this ahead of us. This will come to an end.”
“Soon?”
“I don’t know. God, I hope so.”
“It has to be soon.”
“I can’t promise that.”
David cleared his throat from above. “Scott, I really do hate to say this, right now, but…it’s past one-thirty, and the cafeteria stops serving at two…”
“Hang on, baby.” Scott covered the receiver with his hand.
David continued. “And you don’t want to unload how you feel right now. You just woke up, you’re emotional, she’s emotional…trust me, Scott. Hang up right now, and give both yourself and her time to think.”
Scott angled the receiver away from his mouth. “It’s fine,” he said to David, “everything’s—”
“Scott, believe me. I was where you are a long time ago. It will amaze you how fast a conversation like this can shift in an ugly way. A lot of bad things are said when emotions run high. Let it go for now, give yourselves time. She’ll be okay for a few more hours.”
Scott was silent as David finished. David had been with the NYPD for fourteen years, he and Sharon must have gone through the same thing. Probably many times. Maybe he was right. With two kids…if anyone knew how to handle the situation, he did.
Scott uncapped the receiver. “Nikki?”
“Scott? Is everything all right?”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “I actually have to be somewhere pretty soon, I forgot about it…” It was true. He forgot about eating. “Will you be home tonight?”
She fell silent. “I didn’t have anything planned…are you going to call?”
“Yeah. I can’t tell you what time, but it won’t be too late. But we’re going to talk about this, okay?”
She hesitated. “Okay.”
“Nikki…” He hated hanging up. He didn’t want to.
“Just hang up, Scott,” David said. “End it as fast as you can.”
“I love you, girl.”
She smiled. He could tell. “I love you, Scott.”
“I’ll call you tonight.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“Bye.”
And that was it. The phone was down, and the room fell quiet.
The upper bunk creaked as David sat upright. “You did good. Believe me, in a few hours, you’ll understand why you did that. It’ll go fine tonight.”
Scott sighed. It was incredible how quickly things changed. Barely eight hours ago, he was a hero. Now, he was a misguided fool. It had to go fine tonight. If it didn’t…he didn’t even want to think about it. “I hope so…”
David smiled and dropped to his feet on the floor. “It will, I know. Not because I’m smart, or wise, or any of those things. I’ve just been where you are before. Women who marry us are the toughest women on the planet. We put them through hell every time we leave home.”
“Yeah.”
“Few women can rival a soldier’s wife. They’re a lot stronger than we are,” David said as Scott slid out of bed. “She’ll be fine tonight. She’ll cry a few times between now and then, she’ll mull it over in her head, and she’ll make the decision to love you. The decision is just as important as the emotion. That’s real love.”
Scott went to the closet and pulled out his jersey. “What a way to start the day.”
“Don’t think about it.”
“I shouldn’t have hung up.”
“Scott, you did right. She will appreciate the time to calm down and clear her mind.”
“Do you think Sharon’s going to call?”
“Nope,” David answered. “She knows I’ll call as soon as I can. And I will, after we eat.”
Scott pushed his arms through his sleeves and pulled up the zipper. “You ready to go?”
“You’re in the lead.”
Scott grabbed his wallet, and they filed out of the room.
* * *
The rest of the afternoon passed in routine. Lunch was conversational, as could be expected on the day after a massive operation. As the two men finished their meals and returned to Room 419, they were greeted with information—courtesy of a note under their door—concerning a unit-wide meeting. It was scheduled for 1900 hours, and its location was once again the Richmond hangar. With time to spare until that point, they sought the company of Becan and Jayden. For the rest of the open evening, the four neighbors engaged in spirited storytelling, mostly from the aftermath of Chicago.
David excused himself from the conversation to call Sharon, a call that lasted well over an hour. A solemn, yet reassured David returned to them. Jayden spoke of a call he placed earlier to his parents and brother, all of whom met the news with skepticism and then pride. The Texan was in contented spirits. Becan had no one to call, though he listened to the others with quiet satisfaction. For the first time that day, Scott found himself in the midst of smiles and laughter. For the moment, the tension-filled conversation with Nicole disappeared from his head. When 1900 finally arrived, the four men abandoned their room and made their way to the hangar.
The chairs were situated exactly as they had been on the first day that Lilan spoke, though the conversations around them were now much lighter in tone. Lilan and Tacker were there when they arrived, and as soon as everyone’s watches struck 1900, the colonel cleared his throat. The operatives poised themselves at attention, and Lilan smiled. “At ease,” he said. It was a warmer tone. It was a safer tone. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to scare you today. That day has come and gone…and this day is much better.” Scott smiled as he observed the colonel. So Lilan did have a heart. Perhaps today he would find favor with the rest of Charlie Squad.
As the unit listened, Lilan nodded his head toward several empty chairs in the room. For a moment, his pleasant countenance fell. “You may have noticed that some of the chairs among you are empty. The men and women who once sat in them lost their lives yesterday in Chicago. These things happen—but that doesn’t make them any easier.” Scott’s mind drifted to Wilkins as he focused on one of the
chairs. He could see the soldier’s face clear in his mind. He could recall the expression on his face when he died. The Bakma hadn’t killed Wilkins. Henrick’s carelessness had.
“They gave their lives for something they believed in, and I’d like us all to remember them for that for a few moments.” Lilan fell silent, and the hangar hushed. Scott had been standing right next to Wilkins when he died. It could just as easily have been him.
Lilan cleared his throat a second time, and the room’s collective attention was diverted from the empty chairs back to him. “But remorse is not why I asked you here. I asked you here for something much more appropriate. I asked you here for celebration.” Scott and Becan exchanged subtle smiles. “I’m sure you’ve all heard by now about the incredible rescue made by some of our fellow comrades, as well as the capture of a Bakma Carrier, a feat that may very well go down in the annals of EDEN history as one of the most daring captures ever.” All of Charlie Squad broke into open grins.
“It is my pleasure,” Lilan continued, “to recognize those individuals with the first promotions of the new Falcon Platoon.” Scott’s smile widened. Promotions. On their first mission. It wasn’t unheard of, but it was still quite an accomplishment.
“Promotions are meant to recognize skill, bravery, and leadership, and these men and women have shown that to the fullest degree. Those operatives are John Donner, Becan McCrae, Sasha Rhodes, and Jayden Timmons. Congratulations to you all…you are now beta privates. You will receive your patches tomorrow morning, and your armors’ insignias will be adjusted accordingly.” Despite the round of applause that erupted at the sound of their names, the four recognized operatives exchanged perplexed expressions. As they stood to be recognized, they looked at Scott.
Scott’s expression was contented, and he too clapped his hands in celebration. He knew better, even though a part of him hated the fact that he knew better. There was something for him. There had to be. Was that arrogance? No…a team would not receive promotion and the leader of that team nothing. It wasn’t arrogance. It was inevitable. The applause simmered down, and the four new betas lowered.
Lilan smiled. “There’s somebody missing, isn’t there?” The expressions on Becan, Jayden, Sasha, and John’s faces widened. An array of smiles stretched across Charlie Squad, and Scott leaned forward on his knees. He wasn’t forgotten. He couldn’t have been.
“Every now and then, somebody does something so impressive that you can’t help but take notice. Last night, one of our fellow comrades did just that, and a lot of people noticed. Taking the burden of leadership on his shoulders, he led one of the most impressive capture operations that EDEN has ever seen.”
Was it really that impressive? Scott had done what anyone else would have done. Wouldn’t they? Was the success of the capture really…all about him?
“Allow me to put what he did into perspective. A strike team of twenty specialists from Cougar Platoon was assigned the task of capturing a fully functional Bakma Carrier. These ranked officers were decimated in the attempt, and forced to abandon the mission. When Scott Remington arrived on the scene, only two of them were still in fighting condition.” Several of Scott’s teammates slapped him on the back. “Remington rounded them up, and of his own accord, requested permission to continue the operation. He, with only four other men, assaulted and captured the Carrier. They did it without a single casualty. Thanks to his actions, EDEN has captured not only a Carrier, but over twenty-five live Bakma.”
The colonel smiled as he looked at Scott. “It is my honor…to promote Scott Remington to gamma private.”
Even Scott was surprised. It was more than just special recognition. It was a two-rank jump. That, he had not expected. As he rose, applause broke out throughout the platoon. Gamma private. One rank beneath delta trooper, and two ranks beneath epsilon—officer training. He tried and failed to restrain an all-out grin, and after several nods of acknowledgment turned to sink back into his chair. Lilan cut him off before he could.
“Don’t sit yet, private.” Scott halted his descent and stared at the colonel, puzzled. There was more? How could there be more? They had received beta, and he gamma. What else could there be?
“I put in a special request to General Hutchin earlier today, and he promptly forwarded it to EDEN Command. It took only one hour for Command to get back to us.” From Lilan’s right, Tacker smiled broadly and handed the colonel a small wooden box. Lilan continued. “EDEN has a series of awards specifically designed for leaders who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. It’s not an award that is handed down very often. It’s an award that specifically calls for heroism, wisdom, and fortitude against overwhelming odds.” Several hushed gasps crossed the room.
Scott shivered. Only one medal stood for that. A Lion medal. No…there was no way…not for him. A Lion medal was more than just a medal. It was a symbol laced heavily with status. Colonels received Lion medals. And even that was a rarity.
Lilan drew a breath, eased open a smile, and puffed his chest. “Remington, congratulations on being the youngest operative in EDEN history…to earn a Golden Lion.”
An almost audible silence swept through the hangar.
No. That was not possible. He heard wrong. He had to have heard wrong. The silence continued. Before anyone could utter a reaction, Lilan resumed.
“You are the first operative to ever receive a Lion on his first mission, and the first operative to earn one as an alpha private. Congratulations, Remington. You have just made history.” Lilan extended the wooden box.
The applause that exploded was deafening. Amid the hoots and whistles, Scott found himself stepping, almost floating, to the front of the room. A Golden Lion. It was the most prestigious—and beautiful—medal of honor EDEN could offer. The medallion’s surface sparkled gold, and the proud pose of a lion’s head sat confident in its center, prepared with dauntless ambition for anything that might challenge it. A Golden Lion. EDEN’s designation of a hero. As Scott took the medallion in his hands, his pupils dilated. After several seconds of admiration, he snapped to awareness and saluted both Lilan and Tacker. Both men returned the salute and extended their hands.
“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Lilan asked over the roar of the audience.
He didn’t know how to answer. “It’s amazing…”
Lilan chuckled. “If you think that’s amazing…wait till you see your armor.”
Scott shook their hands, closed the wooden box, and returned to his seat. Wait till you see your armor. What did that mean? Was he to get new armor? No…that would be too much. It wasn’t until Scott sat down that Lilan cleared his throat a final time.
“You all did it,” he said. “This unit had something to prove, and you have proved it beyond even my expectations. I have no doubts now that whenever Richmond needs something done, we will no longer be considered a backup option.” He paused for effect. “You have the rest of today, and all of tomorrow, off. You deserve it. You’re dismissed.”
Though the call of dismissal was given, the hangar hovered with activity. Congratulations were given to all those who were promoted, and jovial celebration hung in the air. Lilan and Tacker made their silent departures, as the rest of the unit was permitted to revel in its success.
For Scott, the success was beyond his own comprehension. With a Golden Lion, he was more than an ordinary soldier. He was…well…a Golden Lion.
He engaged in celebration with the others for a short while, though as time filtered past, something familiar resurfaced in his head. The business of EDEN was finished for that day, but he still had one thing left to do. He had promised her a call. It was a promise he intended to keep.
He left the hangar with renewed optimism. She was going to be okay. They were going to be okay. David was right—everything was going to be fine. For the first time that day, he actually believed it.
Scott slipped into his room, locked the door, and patched through to a familiar voice.
The conversation wen
t wonderfully.
8
Thursday, April 7th, 0011 NE
0729 hours
The next morning
Though sleep was well-deserved, it was not uninterrupted. Scott was in the middle of an abstract dream when a knock at the door informed him that his rest that morning was not assured. In fact, he was assured quite the opposite. The media, upon learning of the dare-devil Carrier assault, was requesting an immediate press conference. EDEN jumped at the chance for good publicity. That was where Scott came into play. Who better to address the media than the strike team’s leader—the youngest soldier to ever earn a Golden Lion. And now…here he was, hastened awake, dressed in standard EDEN attire, and waiting outside Richmond‘s media room.
“You ready to go?” The words came from the officer who escorted him to the conference. It took several moments for the question to register, at which point Scott regarded the man with an absent stare. “They’re about to introduce you.”
It had all happened so fast. He had just been asleep in his bunk, and now he was one set of double doors away from a room full of cameras and reporters. His only protection would be a wooden podium and a microphone. “Yes sir.”
The officer nodded and slapped Scott on the shoulder. “Good luck out there. You’ll do fine.”
He had barely had time to slip in a call to Nicole and one to his brother before he left his room. Nicole was excited for him, more so than he was excited for himself. It was a stark contrast to the frightened girl he had spoken to the day before. As for Mark, he offered Scott the typical advice of a younger brother: tell them you got all your ideas straight from God, then flip out and start making all kinds of predictions! Nicole’s advice served him better. Just be you, and they’ll fall in love.
As he approached the double doors, he looked down at the Golden Lion that hung around his neck. That was why they were there. Because he’d been given that medallion. The shock still hadn’t worn off.