Blood Lily Company - Afghanistan - Year 2

XXIV

Kris woke up before the Rover arrived, but as he had a big dark bruise on his chin and as Erk wasn't there, I didn't want to knock him out again. Especially since he was quite calm.

Well, at the beginning. After a while, I saw in his eyes that he remembered everything, Erk's disappearance, our attack to prevent him from following the Viking, the blow with the butt of my gun to his chin. He started trying to escape my arms and I hit his bruise, just a little, hurting him, just a little, just to get the three seconds I needed to catch his hands and try and block them.

I had so much trouble keeping him still that I needed Baby Jane, JD and Quenotte to help me and Kitty to tie his hands in his back with zip-ties to stop his urge to sock me.

- Kitty, his feet too.

- Archer, fuck, I forbid you... he started screaming.

- You fucker, Kris! You're dangerous for you and for us, so if you can't stay put, we'll force you to.

- You'll pay for that, Corporal!

- I know, I said tiredly.

I knew he wasn't in peak condition, his mind dominated by the Viking's disappearance, and I could forgive a lot. I got an idea.

Completely still, eyes open but unseeing, the Swede hadn't moved since I had made him sit next to me. I turned to the Icelander.

- Kris, I want you to listen to me.

- I...

I put my hand on his mouth and frowned.

- Listen, for fuck's sake. You're not the only one who lost someone. Bear too. Just like you.

I took my hand off, pushed Kris up.

- Look at him, Kris.

The Icelander went still. He was as tense as a violin's string, but he had stopped fighting.

- Be... Bjorn, I said gently, touching his shoulder.

He turned his head towards me.

- I would like to entrust Kris to you. He's like you, he lost his brother and... would you mind comforting him?

- Of course I don't mind.

I picked up Kris, put him in Bear's arms, who embraced him tightly, rocking back and forth, speaking in Swedish and Kris looked at me, at a loss, not understanding anything anymore. Then, Bear's kindness, his concern for him when he too was heartbroken, got the better of the little brother's anger and he burst into tears, bringing out those of the Swede. I hoped it was cathartic. (yes yes, I know big words too).

I took my knife and cut the zip-ties.

Kris put his arms around Bear's waist, and they stayed like that, crying in each other's arms, comforting each other, perhaps.

I was relieved to see that our Swede was no longer catatonic and that Kris wouldn't do anything stupid. Well, not right away. I expected the worst for the future.

The Land arrived and Kris started fucking around again. I was about to knock him out again but Bear beat me to it.

- No, Kris, enough. We have lost enough today.

- But, Bear, if they need help...

- We're going to go on the radio to listen to the others' frequency, and we'll know.

I gave myself a big mental kick to the ass. Damn, he was so right, our northern bear. Quenotte got to work, contacting Mike at base to do the research.

- But, Kris, we have to go home. We are not enough, we have...