Storm Of Pain

chapter 13

Joshua's P.O.V

When we got to the apartment I got the first aid kit and walked over to her, motioning she sits down on the couch again. I saw her looking at me in confusion as I went to clean her wound, placing the alcohol swab on her arm. She flinched a little at the stinging sensation on her left arm. She looked down at the bullet wound and frowned. She probably didn't realize that she got shot. Calleb just sitting in the corner quietly moved and came to inspect the damage done to her. Luckily there wasn't much other than the bullet that scraped her arm,

"You could've gotten killed, you know,"

"But I didn't," She muttered cheekily under her breath, "But you could have, dammit Jennifer!" I boomed.

"How irresponsible do you have to be, just walking to a man that was masked like that! You didn't know who it was, you didn't know if he had any other weapons, you didn't know how he was going to react! After what we went through in training, did you forget everything!?"

"I knew what I was doing! If I didn't go, you all would've gotten shot!"

"And how the hell do you know that!?" This time it was Celleb. He was as livid as I was with this entire situation,

"Because it's what they did to my team!" She yelled, "I was not about to lose more people that I care about to that asshole!"

Calleb and I watched how she ripped her arm from my grip and ran to her room, "Jennifer!"

"Should we give her space?"

"Probably,"

"Are we going to?"

"We're guys. Definitely not," Walking to her room we opened the door and saw her hunched over, leaning on her knees while sitting on her bed.

"You here to yell at me again? If so please just leave and join the club tomorrow,"

"What are you talking about?"

"General requested to see me, along with Lieutenant Black. I haven't even been moved to train or fly with the Air Force. I can forget about ever being deployed after tonight," Jennifer looked up at us with red eyes,

"Shit," I cursed and looked at Calleb. He had the same expression on his that I knew I was showing, "Listen, Jennifer. That doesn't mean you're in trouble. It could just be to ask you what happened. Remember, the dick mentioned your... brother and your father. It's natural for them to ask you questions."

"I don't want them to," She whispered looking down at her hands. I sat down next to her, Calleb following my lead. "I know you don't, but if they ask you, you will have to answer,"

We sat in silence for a while when she intertwined her fingers with each other and spoke in a low voice, still looking at the floor, "He raped me,"

"The guy at the bar?"

"Him too..." She whispered, "Who are you talking about then?" Calleb looked at her. She squeezed her eyes shut and ran her hand through her hair before looking at the wall in front of her, "My father. My father raped me and got me pregnant. My dad told my mother that I slept around and that my latest one-night stand was the father, but when it was time for the child to be born my mother found out who's child it actually was and accused my dad. He shot her in front of me and killed my child after she was born as well. He's committed fraud, deployed men, simply to get them killed because they knew too much. My father... he's not worthy of his title. He... I don't know..."

I was shocked. I didn't know what to say. The man that we all looked up to... did that?

"I-I don't know what to say..."

"If he is the one who ordered the attack on that base and if he does have my brother... I'll personally kill him. Tomorrow I'm going to tell General and everyone else that's present what my father did. I'm done hiding it to protect him..."

"I agree with you, Jen. But do you have proof?"

"Yes..."

"Then go all the fricking way. We're right behind you."

*****

"So let me get this straight. You had these videos and images and didn't bring them to us, then you also remembered everything that happened on your deployment, yet you didn't come to us either, why?"

Calleb and I refused to leave Jennifer's side when she had to come in today. It's not easy having to talk about this for her, it's evident on her face when she tells the story, explaining every detail of her deployment. I felt really bad for her, having to relive everything she's worked so hard on forgetting.

"Sir, I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, but it's not easy having to come forward with something like that," I spoke up for Jennifer when she went quiet.

"I know it isn't, don't mistake me for being heartless, I understand it's hard. But this has possibly been murder for hundreds of soldiers, soldiers who had families and friends,"

"Lieutenant, I know that, and I live every day with myself knowing that I should say something, but what would you do if he's threatening the only people you still have has family. He wants to keep my siblings from me. They're the only two that I still have as family,"

"Yet, you refuse to pull out of the military as he told you to do?"

"I'm not going to give him what he wants, Sir. He's controlled my entire life-"

"Listen, let's find your brother and then handle your father. Let's keep this on the low, but you can expect him out of the military board as soon as we have Airman Rose safe with us. I think he's been there long enough."

"Sir, but we have reason to also believe that my father is involved with that and the one that ordered the bombing on base a few years ago,"

"How do you know that?"

"The male from last night at the bar, Sir,"

"Did he admit it?"

"Yes, Sir, he did."

"I want Sergeant Rose under close sevailence, but I don't want him noticing. The moment he does, we're done and we lose all elements of surprise." As soon as the words left his mouth, two soldiers left the room.

"As for now, I want things to speed up with your training, you've had a lot of time getting back into the thing, and I was under the impression the General was helping as well?"

"Yes I am, Sir,"

"Then miss Rose, I'm sorry, but you need to speed things up. We might need you in this upcoming battle,"

"Sir, that might be my faul-"

"Sorry for the interruption, General. But I will be ready when you need me, Lieutenant,"

"Good. Dismissed, all three of you. And the next time I call a meeting with miss Rose, I have a meet with miss Rose, am I clear Sergeants?"

"Yes, Sir," We said together and walked out after Jen, making our way out of the building with the General on our tail.

"Jennifer?"

"Sir?"

"You heard him. We'll have to speed up the process of you flying. I'm sorry but we're going to start pushing it. My schedule is fuller now with your father, but Calleb and Noah are more than capable to help you, are you fine with that?"

"Sir, why are you asking me? It's not up to me, it's your choice."

"I owe you my life, the least I can do is make sure you'll be okay," He smiled and walked away,