Earth,

New York City. Dungeon Born

1321hrs

I looked around once more before resting my eyes again, I seen people, carts, luggage, planes and security an old habit kicked in, I was scanning the crowd for weapons.

Again.

I mentally kicked myself, I need to stop doing that, I focus on my breathing and close my eyes to concentrate but I can’t block out the memories of faces of the dead, I open my eyes and began doing the same thing: Scanning the crowd for weapons, it is a never ending cycle. I was brought out of my trance by what looks like a female flight attendant standing in front of me.

“E-excuse me sir? Is everything okay?” She asks quite frightened by my appearance, it could be the scars on my face or the dark grey beanie hat, or even the part that I haven’t been bothered to get changed out out my army fatigues.

“Yes.” I answered politely and gave her an analytical gaze, I wondered what her reason was for talking to me soon after confirming she isn’t a threat to my safety.

“U-Uhm I don’t suppose you could show me any i-identification?” She asked in an American accent, I don’t know from where from because I don’t live in the States.

“My passport?” I furrowed my brow and hand it to her, she takes a look at it and goes through the list of places I’ve been, I glance around again and find that security is watching from afar.

“You’re a British citizen?” She asked.

“Ex-army, I’m tired from travelling so I’m taking a short break here, is there a problem?” I ask seriously.

“Sherry it’s okay let me handle this.” A voice stated from behind me from the other side of the bench, a deeper American voice, when I turn my head I see him wearing a security guard uniform and I curse in my head, she quickly hands me back my passport and flees before I can bore my eyes into her again.

“Can you come with me?” He asks politely.

“I would but I don’t want to leave my luggage here.” I answered, at that he called the other security officers over and asked them to ‘process’ it.

“Everything okay now?” he asked politely, I rose from my sitting position and nodded at him, I then followed him into one of the private questioning booths.

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“Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea?” He once again asked.

“No thanks.” I reply curtly.

“Keith Mi...Mikolajewski?” He mispronounced my surname.

“Yes.” I confirmed.

“Sorry about this but we kept getting complaints and reports from a ‘suspicious’ person with heavy luggage.” He explained why I was dragged in here. “So let me get straight to the point, why are you dressed like that?”

“I finished my service for the army.” I answer swiftly.

“So you just come here?” He quizzed.

“Yes.” I reply, he sighs and start flicking through my birth certificates and national insurance number, I didn’t even question him if he is allowed to do that.

“Born in… Nineteen ninety one?” He asked and I simply nodded my head, “Do you-” He was cut off but his phone ringing loudly. “Excuse me.” He stood up and left the room to answer it.

I felt safer in this booth than I did out there in the crowd, I didn’t fall into the habit of searching people because there was no people. I looked up to see a mirror reflect my face, I quickly looked away again. Even I cannot stand the look of my own eyes reflecting at me they just look sorrow filled with contempt and hatred filled in it even though I have no intention for them to be like that.

Quickly hours passed before he came back, I was still in the same position I was in when he left the room.

“You’re free to go, a friend should be waiting outside the airport for you and we’ve already moved your bags there for you, sorry for the inconvenience.” He quickly stated and held the door open for me, his previous demeanor of lazy politeness vanished and he just wanted me out with as little trouble as possible.

“Thanks.” I walk out remembering the way from when I entered, I quickly dodged and weaved the crowd but people oncoming quickly made way for me. When I made it outside it was not hard to find the ‘friend’ who was waiting for me. A digital fall forest camouflage covered the car that drew my attention also there were people dressed like me, I was met halfway by one of them when he noticed me.

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“Hunter! How’s it going? You wouldn’t believe the last two hours!” He laughed full of confidence, “I got you something to eat just a McWaggles but I figured it was better than nothing and tonnes better than the MREs.” He laughed again, he quickly opened the door to the humvee and closed it behind me when I was sat, he then got in the drivers seat.

“Whammy and Twinky, this is Hunter the guy I keep going on about that saved my life.” He smiled again showing perfect pearly white teeth.

“I’m Charles Trent, Zach has called my Twinky ever since I ate a box of twinkies when we got back from our first tour.” I shook hands with Charles, he had short hair with brown eyes, well built and maybe a good head taller than me.

“My name is Keith Mikolajewski.” I reply.

“And mine is Eddie Patterson same as Charles as for why I got my nickname from him, but please just call me Ed.” Ed suggested. Like Charles, Ed is built similar but with blue eyes and black hair.

“Where were you stationed if you saved his sorry ass?” Charles asked.

“I was a medic serving in Iraq.” Keeping my sentences small.

“Wham and me are Delta while Twinky is a SEAL, you don’t need to use the cover here.” Zach stated seriously keeping his eyes on the road while he drove.

“Jesus Zach! You can’t just tell him that.” Twinky shouted.

“Sorry, there wasn’t an official name for my unit, I was a marksman and sniper depending on the operation.” I stated.

“What do you mean there wasn’t an official name?” Whammy asked but Zach just smiled.

“There is no name, I was in the Blackwatch originally however circumstance put me into a squad that.. Was below the table.” I answered truthfully.

“Damn man!” Twinky exclaimed.

“Damn! Did you start with a good nickname or was it…?” Whammy asked.

“Originally it was ‘meat-shield’.” I replied smiling softly, I could feel the muscles tense up on my face but it wasn’t visible.

“How long were you in for?” Zach asked just asking something simple instead.

“Five years, I got permission from my family when I turned seventeen.” I explained a little bit more.

“So you’re… Twenty two? Twenty three?” Zach asked.

“Twenty two.” I answer.

“Damn you could be my son!” Twinky chuckled and whammy laughed out loud, Zach as well is older than me by maybe eight years at minimum.

“I would’ve thought you had stayed in the army!” Zach exclaimed.

“I was wounded, honourably discharged.” I explain, I hear Zach curse under his breath for asking that kind of question Twinky and Whammy look like they’re doing the same, “It was about time I left, I promised someone that I would only do four anyway but I got roped into five.” I give an alternate excuse to keep them happy.

“Ooh! Was it a girl?” Zach bellowed with even more laughter.

“Yeah.” I answer.

“Then why aren’t you with her right now!” Whammy pats his hand on the shoulder while Zach blares the horn and screams happily.

“She moved to America and we’re not like that.” I lie about the first part, I’ve never met her but she does live here, over than that she is someone I treasure dearly and would never risk our current relationship, I curse myself mentally for being heavily reliant on her support.

“So you say!” Zach laughed again with Whammy and Twinky.

“Wait Zach wasn’t your house the last intersection off?” Twinkie asks.

“Yeah but we’re going drinking!” Zach grins, Whammy and Twinky give a ‘HooAhh!’ in support of his idea.

Then I felt a familiar shiver go down my spine, one that's always warned me when something bad was going to happen, I leaned around the driver's seat to search for something, we were just now crossing an intersection before everything went black for me.

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