Untamed Flame || R. Floyd

1

Afghanistan, Asia...

Trust me, it was the last place she wanted to be. Her father never approved it, but with her grand ability to go against him and piss him off, she succeeded.

Finley Kazansky is what you would consider a heartbreaker alongside a rule breaker. She grew up listening to every rule her father screwed into her head, but when she was old enough to do her own thing she was glad to be able to do it without him hovering over her.

She is a beautiful girl for only thirty years old. Her smooth and lightly freckled face beams at the sun. Its rays light up her emerald green eyes brightening up her long red hair.

To be entirely honest she never expected to make it on the team. She's surrounded by men, and only 2.8% of the population are women. No, she is not a pilot for the Navy. At least... not anymore. She used to fly but after a mission went wrong she figured it was best to not fly anymore. That's when the decision to piss her father off came into play.

"Petty Officer Second Class Finley Kasansky."

The professionalism made her body shake. She stands up abruptly saluting her commander in front of her. She stares ahead as he glares at her from the side.

"Yes, sir!"

Today was supposed to be her day off of training. She leads group training while helping the leaders explore the possible abilities for their current mission. She doesn't understand the importance of this important visit.

She's only been overseas for five months, granted she's missed her loved ones from home, but she appreciates her work there. Not to mention she knows she has over three months to help her mates with the mission they're planning for. At that, her sniper skills are essential to their success as there are only two of them.

"At ease."

She rests her hands behind her back with her legs equally spread apart. Finley gives him a questioning look.

"Sir, is there a problem?"

Andrew McCoy. He is her commander and was always rough around the edges. He always gave equal treatment to his Seals. Though, out of the kindness in his heart and knowing her for decades already he's gone easier on her.

He waves a hand dissing her question. "Andrew. Just call me Andrew. I've known you for years, kid."

She swallows thickly forcing a smile. "Let me call you Micky."

Andrew always hated the nickname she gave him. It was a shortened version of his last name. Luckily, she's the one who could only get away with it.

He rolls his eyes, "only you." He shuffles to her other side pulling out his phone. Their base is in the desert and their tent is small. Andrew doesn't want to stay any longer than he has to. "You got a call."

She furrows her brows peering at the phone being handed to her. It doesn't make sense. She has her phone, why couldn't this person just call her? She shakes the question from her mind taking the phone. Her commander leaves the room giving her the space she needs.

"Hello?" She says taking it off mute.

Her heart hammers until the voice speaks through the other side. "Finley, it's time to come home."

Her breath hitches. "Dad, what are you—"

"There's a mission in three and a half weeks, maybe less. Your presence is needed at North Island within the next couple of days."

"What!" Her eyes widen. "I haven't flown in four years, hell, I haven't even touched a plane in that time. What is this mission?"

No words can explain how confused and angry she is. Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky calls personally for her presence. She doesn't know how to properly respond to that.

He huffs gruffly, earning a cough on the other end. His voice is hoarse making her wince. Her mother mentioned him being sick again, never disclosing how bad it is.

"It's not a request, it's an order. You're being called back to Top Gun." Her eyes darken at the thought. That's the last place she wants to go. "You will be expected at 0600 at the San Diego Airport where you will be flown by helicopter to the Naval Air Station on North Island. Have a good day, Captain." He hangs up on her leaving her jaw on the floor.

She almost forgot that fact. She joined the Navy directly after she graduated. She served in the Navy for nine years. She graduated at the top of her class before moving on to get promoted. It was in her position as Captain that her mission went wrong. Afterward, she enlisted in the Navy Seals where it's taken her over a year to become one. The next three and a half were spent training and doing missions under someone else's command.

She pulls the phone from her ear gritting her teeth together. She saunters out of the tent coming face to face with McCoy. "You don't look too happy."

"I'm being called back to Top Gun."

"I know."

She gives him a disbelieving look. "You knew!"

He sighs, gesturing for her to follow him as he began to walk. "We talked before I gave you the phone. The way he spoke... sounds important. I thought you'd be happy to go home."

Finley bites her lip with a scoff. "Home is in Lemoore with my husband."

There was also that. She didn't want to be home at North Island if her husband wasn't there. The only way she'd want herself to get home would be 1) a family emergency or 2) her husband is home from work. If the job got in the way she'd bend her orders, but she heard from him only a few hours earlier, she knows he's still in Lamoore.

"Then go see him before you go on this mission. It's been five months, Fin."

She rolls her eyes, "you think I don't know how long it's been? There's more to this than that. What about this mission? I'm one of two snipers on this team."

"Don't worry," he tells her, his arms locked behind his back. "We have this covered until we strike. We won't be doing it without you. This is too delicate to do without you."

"Why send me back? Surely I'm more useful here."

He stopped letting out a frustrated breath. "I wish I could help you but your father gave the orders."

She sighed heavily putting her hands on her hips. She shook her head looking at the desert around her. "No, that was admiral orders, not my dad. I don't know what he's playing at."

McCoy smirked, "then perhaps you should get on that flight I set for you and head home to figure it out." Her head snaps to him, her aviators falling to cover her eyes. "Time is of the essence."

She huffs giving in. She travels back to her tent getting her gear. When she meets him back up front she sees a selection of her team waiting for her. Their strong personas and buff bodies looked down at her smaller body.

Her best pal, Jameson, steps in front of her with a cheeky smile. He's always admired her for her bravery and commitment to the job. He is her sniper buddy and the closest thing she has to a best friend. With a small bro hug, he tells her, "you kick their asses and get back to us."

"You know it," she returns his smile. She pats him on the back before stepping away. She hugs the others who she is close to on the team.

With a little mock salute, she heads for a humvee. The driver drives her to the nearest airport where she takes her military idea sending her home to America.

She sighs when she finds her seat. There are some American civilians on the flight, some thanking her for her service. She smiles awkwardly turning to look out the window.

"Back home we go."