Silent Ranks

by USMC Best Friend

  Chapter 84

  Guest

  I felt like a caged animal after two days of being in the house. Mom had been stranded in LA by a freak storm that had everything grounded. I’d hate to be any of the crew or staff in the airport Mom had found out from Uncle Flynn about Justin being out and was like a Tasmanian devil. I had to keep walking out of the room so I wouldn’t say something to Ana or Brit that I didn’t mean. I was so tired it was making me feel sick. Every time I closed my eyes I could see Justin laughing standing over a coffin draped in the Stars and stripes. I kept imagining Ryne not being able to do what he was supposed to and an IED detonating with him to close. I had Images of Ryder and Jack getting caught under a hail of bullets and not seeing either of them after a while only a stream of deep red blood pooling at my feet. I opened the medicine cabinet and picked up the pills that dad took to help him sleep when he gets back from a deployment. One pill would knock him out for twelve hours straight, I’d put off taking them because, well I thought I could handle everything. The door knocked.

  “Hey it’s almost 10 at night and 89 degrees” Brit called through the door. I pulled it open as she handed me a drink “And you wanted hot chocolate”

  “Yeah it used to help me sleep” I sighed putting the pill in my mouth “I’m over tired, I’m so crabby”

  “And here was me thinking you were normal” she rolled her eyes and winked at me “take the pill, take the drink and go to bed. Your Mom should be home in the morning” I nodded “And we understand you being grouchy but you need to be careful as I think Ana won’t want you for her sister-in-law if you keep it up much longer”

  “You’re a dork” I hugged Brit “Thanks for dealing with me”

  “Ah I’m used to it” she turned and walked down the stairs I went across hall to my room and pulled back the covers and got in I put on my I-pod and pulled Ryder’s Marine Blanket over me and closed my eyes. The tablet kicking in plunging me into almost unconsciousness.

  “She okay” Ana asked looking at Brit as she walked back into the living room.

  “As well as I think I’d be if it was me” Brit sat down and absently flicked through the TV channels “I’m sorry I’d have gone insane by now if Justin was after me”

  “Yeah right” Ana smiled

  “Oh believe me I can fight with the best of them but I’m not as tough as Aly is and seeing her like this is killing me” Brit looked at Ana “I just wish Jack was here”

  “Not Marek?”

  “Well that would be a bonus” She smiled “But Jacks the voice of reason with the four of us” Ana frowned a little “Jack’s about 6 hours older than Ryder and Aly… Aunt B went into labor with them early so the three of them share the same birthday and we’re and really still are closer than they’ll admit readily” Ana shook her head with a smile “and then 18 months later I came along and I was the one that was looked after for want of a better word, anyone picked on one of us and they got the four of us to deal with. Ryder and Aly have always fought I mean I’ve seen them get down in the dirt fists flying teeth barred”

  “Oh my god” Ana pulled a face

  “Oh yeah not pretty and Aly’s even upsided Ryder round the head with a baseball bat putting him flat out for telling a guy that she liked that she had Herpes” Ana snorted ice tea down her nose

  “Okay I think I might do the same to Ryne if he’d said something like that” she wiped her face

  “Yeah well she knocked him out cold… oh and the trouble she got into” Brit giggled “She was almost sent to Texas to live permenatnly”

  “So why wasn’t she sent there?”

  “Ryder told their Mom and Dad that…”

  “Ryder told us that if his sister was going to have to finish school not on Base then he’d go as well” Ana squealed and dropped the tea all over her as the front door closed. Brit had got to her feet and picked up the gun from the table. “Okay Honey the safety’s on” Dad laughed Brit dropped the gun on to the table and ran at him swatting him and then hugging him.

  “Uncle J that was unfair” She sniffed “and thank god you’re back”

  “Yeah well it took a lot of string pulling” he sighed hugging Brit tight and dropping a kiss on her head. He looked at Ana.

  “Sorry I have this habit of scaring people” he smiled at her “You must be Ana?”

  “Yeah” Ana gasped trying to calm herself down “You must be Ryder and Aly’s Dad”

  “What gave it away?” Dad smiled

  “You have the same eyes” Ana smiled back “and the Texan drawl”

  “Did you manage to get a message to the guys?” Brit took his bag and put it next to the stairs

  “Yeah I did, well I didn’t talk to them but I got messages to their C.O.’s” He rubbed the back of his neck “Honey I’ve been solid traveling for almost 36 hours any chance you could get me a whiskey”

  “Sure” Brit nodded

  “Where’s Aly?”

  “She went to bed” Ana said getting to her feet and wiping herself off. “She’s not been sleeping well I think the last three days if she’s got 3 hours sleep that’s it” dad shook his head

  “Here you go” Brit handed him a glass

  “Thank you” He leant on the back of the couch

  “She took on of your pills tonight and I think it’s wiped her out” Brit leant next to him

  “Hell if they floor a marine my size then they’ll definitely knock her out, and maybe it’s a good thing” He chewed the inside of his lip “Has he been in touch again?”

  “No… well we don’t know she turned her phone off and hasn’t turned it back on” Brit shrugged “Uncle J, It’s going to be okay isn’t it?”

  “I hope so honey” Dad took a deep breath “I really hope so”

  Chapter 85

  Relief may be short lived

  I must be dreaming. I could smell the dusty smell of a uniform from the desert; the medication must be wearing off. I could hear someone humming ‘Amazed’ I felt myself smile all the times I’d heard that song since forever, it was the song my Dad had always called My Mom’s song and it always made me smile. Okay so the medication I’d taken must be making me think crazy thoughts. I felt something touch my head and then a mumbling comment that sounds like my Mom. I opened my eyes and blinked as if what seemed like a wall of Desert Camo was in front of me. Okay that one little pill was really screwing with me.

  “Hey baby girl” Okay that was really freaky that sounded like my Dad “Hey” I felt a warm hand stroke my hair.

  “I’m never taking one of those pills again” My throat felt scratchy and dry “this is freaking me out”

  “Yeah well baby they’re for big bad Marine Daddy’s” My eyes were wide open now and I was sitting up

  “You’re here” I stammered he nodded “You came home”

  “I’m not going to let my little girl be scared to death and be stuck out in the desert” he pulled me to him and held me like he used to when I was little on his lap stroking my hair. the tears streamed down my face as he held me. there was a sound of footsteps.

  “Sir” I recognized the voice of the M.P. from the night before the. “You’ve been given permission you requested”

  “Thank you Sgt” Dad nodded “Baby, You have a fever right now so your Mom wants you to stay in bed” I nodded looking up and seeing Mom sitting in the chair in the corner of my room “I have to go fill out some papers but I promise I won’t be long” He moved me back into my bed, mom got up and pulled the covers over me her eyes ringed from crying. She smiled at me Dad pressed his lips to my temple “Try to get some more sleep okay” he walked out of my room followed by the M.P.

  “Mom where’s he going?”

  “He’s making sure he has the right to fire at will if Justin comes near you” She sat on the side of the bed “And we know you’re Dad doesn’t think twice about pulling the trigger”

  “Does Dad think he’ll come on the base?”

  “Yes” she nodded. One thin
g I loved about my Mom was she had always refused to sugar coat anything. “But if he does the only way Justin will leave it is in a box” She touched my cheek “I’m sorry you’re going through this” I shrugged and looked down “Aly if there’s something else you know you can talk to me right?” I nodded

  “I’m just scared Mom and it’s not just the Justin stuff, everything’s changing, everything’s hard”

  “It happens sweetheart” she got up “I spoke to Jack and Ryder this morning they’re both nervous and so ready for this deployment to be done… they don’t like not being here to protect you and Brittany… and your brother is kicking himself for not shooting when he had the chance” She smiled a little

  “I’ll kick him when I see him for not shooting” I chuckled “Where’s Ana and Brit?”

  “I sent them both to the boardwalk for a while to get out of here they’re as strung out as you are”

  ‘I was mean as hell to them” I rubbed the dull ache in my temples that had been a constant since the first text from Justin.

  “I know Brit bitched about it” she laughed walking to the window and pulling the blind down “You close your eyes and go back to sleep okay?”

  “Yes Ma’am” I nodded the feeling of wanting to sleep was pulling at my eyelids. I heard my door close before I was wrapped in darkness again only this time the dreams were back, well more like nightmares.

  Mom was pacing in the living room when Dad walked back in.

  “Done?” she asked he nodded and patted his side arm

  “Your Son and nephew are also being allowed back, they weren’t going to let Ryder come because of the injury time he’s had off but once again the family thing kicks in and Ben’s gotten them dispensation”

  “Thank God for having a General in Washington” Mom sighed “What about Ryne?”

  “Nothing we can do” Dad shook his head “He’s not married to her or a blood relation and they won’t even give him the message with him being EOD”

  “You have to be kidding” Mom raised her voice “that boy loves her and her life is in danger and the damn Marine Corps plays god and…” Dad stepped up to her and crushed his mouth to hers in a deep passionate kiss, Mom pulled back “James Jordan Tanner that was unfair” she gulped

  “I know but think about it B” He sat down and pulled her on to the seat next to him “What Ryne does takes all the concentration in the world and then some. Hell all I do is line up the target and pull a damn trigger. He breathes to heavily and it could be all over for him. Would you want to be the one to have to tell Aly that he’s in a million pieces over the afghan countryside because he was too worried about what was going on here?”

  “No” she shook her head “I guess having an EOD as part of the family will take some getting used to”

  “He’s there saving the lives of guys like me making it safe for us to do what we do as well as for normal people to live as safe as a warzone can be” he stroked her hair “I love you B and I love my family, I’d rather you weren’t here right now”

  “You try to get rid of me Col and I will tear you apart” Dad smiled at her

  “I know you will you have a mean left hook Mrs. Tanner” he chuckled He pulled her on to his lap “and you look hot as hell right now”

  “Yeah right Marine” she put her hands on his chest slipping her finger in between the buttons “You’re just waiting for the proper homecoming” he knotted his hand in her hair and pulled her down to him kissing her again.

  My dreams were so crazy and mixed up with blood and death being a huge part of them, that had made me cry in my sleep, I was at the point where you want to wake up but you can’t. Everything was dark and I heard my name whispered in my ear and pictured Ryne’s face his smile lighting it up as lips pressed to my neck.

  “I love you” the voice whispered so low it was almost too low to hear, I felt a body pressed against mine and a rough hand working its way into the waistband of my shorts “I forgive you baby”

  Chapter 86

  Once and for all

  My eyes shot open, the wind was billowing the curtain across the room the dim dusk light giving away the fact there was a storm blowing in. Justin was in my bed. Justin was naked in my bed I struggled against him. Clawing at his back there was something over my mouth all I could do was squeal into the tape.

  ‘Don’t fight it” he stroked my cheek as he tried to push down my shorts “I know you want me even after you got those Marines to take me away and I still forgive you” he cooed. I swear I threw up in my mouth the tears streaking my face soaking the pillow under me as I fought against him. My hands flailed and hit the things on the nightstand I dragged my arm over them sending my lamp clock and everything else crashing to the floor. I felt the sting of the back of Justin’s hand as he slapped my face. "Stop trying to impress your family, I waited till your friends left I know no one is here" I shook my head he yanked at my shorts again I made myself rigid so it was impossible to pull them down. “Stop fighting me" he growled angrily “I love you and I want to make love to you right now and make you remember what we had” I heard a click and saw a flash before the cold steel of the switchblade pressed against the soft flesh of my neck “We should be happy in Texas baby I know you’re scared” he kissed the other side of my neck my body was racked with sobs as I felt the trickle of blood run down my neck. There was a second click only this was the sound I knew from being little the sound of a Marines Sidearm.

  “Get the fuck away from my daughter” Justin looked up

  “Another damn Marine” He growled “She’s mine I’m not giving her up” he pressed the knife harder I heard the skin split and cried harder

  “Fine Son” Dad’s voice was controlled and calm “You just met your worst nightmare and I’m about to send you to hell” I closed my eyes and everything else seemed to go into slow motion as there was a flash and the bang of a single shot I felt Justin slump on top of me. There was a whole lot of movement was round me and Justin was gone I was pulled into someone’s arms the tape pulled from my mouth. “Take My Gun and get the EMT’s” Dad called out the blanket was wrapped round me I kept my eyes clamped tightly shut, Dad lifted me “You promised you’d get him before he got to my home”

  “Sir we lost him we got here as fast as we could” there was a siren

  “Yes and I almost lost my daughter” Mom’s voice was there no and oh boy she sounded pissed “Do you not know that her great grandpa can have…”

  “Aunt B” Brit was there as well

  “Breanna” Dad was still cradling me “Sgt you get the people down here that needs to be and you hold on to my weapon… till I get back”

  “Yes Sir” there was sounds of metal clanking and I felt a bed under me

  “Baby you need to let go” Dad soothed I just shook my head. “Alyssa please they need to check you out” he begged the first sign of him losing it I let go of him slowly and opened my eyes the storm clouds were rolling over head. Dad looked like he’d just aged 20 years in five minutes. “I love you sweetheart” Mom was next to him

  “Col” Dad looked round “they want to talk to you” the M.P. held out his phone

  “I’m going to make sure my Daughter is safe in the hospital and then I’ll be back to talk” He said firmly "If they don’t’ like it then they can come to the hospital” he looked over to Brit and Ana “B I’m going to go with Aly you come with Brit” Mom Nodded before literally pushing the EMT out of the way. Tears pooled in her eyes

  “I love you and I’m sorry he got in” she stroked my hair

  “Is he… Is he?”

  “He’s gone baby” she nodded “You’re safe”

  “Ma’am” the EMT approached cautiously Mom just nodded and stepped back. The EMT pressed a pad to the side of my neck as they put me in the back of the ambulance.

  “I’m sorry” I looked at Dad as he sat down and held my hand “I’m sorry I let him…” the tears flowed

  “Alyssa stop he broke into your room, hel
l I was downstairs talking to the Damn M.P.’s when we heard all the banging” he smiled at me “That son of a bitch wasn’t going to touch you and live” he rubbed his thumb on the back of my hand “He’s done it too many times and was given the chance time and time again to leave you the hell alone” I squeezed his hand he stopped a took a deep breath “Damn your Brothers going to be pissed with me”

  “Yeah he wanted to do it” I swallowed

  “Ma’am I have to ask this did he?” The EMT looked at Dad and then back to me “Did he rape you?”

  “No I wouldn’t let him” I shook my head “he wanted…” the words choked me