Seven Years (#3 in Military Series)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Afghanistan, 2011

Rummaging through the bag at her feet, mumbling to herself as she did so, Jules found the wrench she needed and disappeared back underneath the vehicle.

That was the last time she let Carlos drive.

She did not know what he had been doing but he managed to tear through a good few cables, which Jules guessed were important to the working of the vehicle, and dislodged the exhaust from its bracket.

A thick layer of grease covered the majority of her arms and the Middle East desert floor was burning her back.

"Jules? Where are you?"

Stopping what she was doing, Jules looked across and saw a pair of army boots stood a few feet away.

Maybe if she was really quiet they would just go away, but she had no such luck when they called her name again.

"Under here!" Jules shouted back, waving her boot for them to see.

"Jules?" Carlos got to his hands and knees and peered underneath the hood, "Jules, what are you doing?"

"Sunbathing," Jules snapped, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm fixing your damn mess."

"Shouldn't the engineers be doing that?"

"They're held up somewhere else and we need this working by tomorrow, unless you want to go on patrol on foot?"

Carlos shook his head, "No, thank you."

Jules stared at him just watching her, "You know you could help me? Afterall, this was your fault."

"You look like you have it under complete control," Carlos nodded, "Besides, I never could do mechanics."

Jules shook her head and went back to tightening the bolt that held the exhaust in place.

After a moment, Jules still sensed Carlos watching her. Looking back at him, she raised an eyebrow, "Was there something you wanted?"

"Oh, yeah, Marc wants to see you."

"He can wait," Jules sighed.

Her and Marc had become somewhat involved in a monogamous relationship since he had found her back in England.

It hadn't happened straight away, Jules still enjoying her independence, but somewhere over the last couple of years they had slowly become a couple.

Jules wasn't complaining though. She wasn't sure when it happened but now when she returned off patrol she was looking forward to seeing him. It would make her smile when she saw him in the mess hall, holding a space on the table for her.

Carlos seemed conflicted.

"What, Carlos!?" Jules snapped, "Just tell him I'll find him later, okay?"

"I don't think this can wait," Carlos winced.

Jules looked at him and knew that he wasn't going away until Jules conceded, and she didn't have the time to argue with him.

"Fine," Jules shuffled out from beneath the hood.

Carlos offered her his hand.

Dropping the wrench into his palm, Jules got to her feet, and rubbed her hands on her trousers, "Alright, where is he?"

Carlos turned and nodded towards her tent.

What was he doing in there?

Jules looked at Carlos from the corner of her eye, "I'll be back in ten minutes."