Timing

Iraq and the Plan

Forward Operating Base Loyalty, Baghdad, Iraq (2011)

"We're being told that the blast happened just outside of the Forward Operating Base called Loyalty. Several members of the 1st Battalion and 1st Infantry Division have been reported as injured, but there are no deaths reported at this time. This is the fourth attack that has occurred here since the year began. While it has mainly quiet here at Loyalty for the past several years, General Vermillion has told me that he and his units have seen an increase of activity since 2011 began."

"Turn that shit off."

Cory jerked upwards in his seat, along with several of the men around him, due to Cece padding in silently into the Green Beret barracks. She dropped her bag on the ground near the wall and began to strip out of her gear to put it on its place on the wall. Cory signaled for the TV to turn off as he got up and inspected Cece. Blood was everywhere on her battle fatigues, her bag was also soaked and sagging, as if it was practically empty of the supplies it had left with a few hours ago. Cece's hands shook as she unclipped her helmet, leaving pale expanses of white where the straps had protected her against the dust, blood, and grime.

"How bad was it?"

"Would've been better if a second blast didn't hit the 1st Infantry when we came up on the first blast site," Cece said quietly, beginning to pull her vest off and slinging her gun onto its peg.

"The whole base is in lockdown," one of the men said. "They aren't telling us anything."

"You don't want to know anything," Cece said, without looking up. "It was bad, alright? Let's just leave it at that."

"Yes ma'am," the voices chorused around the room. They were still silent as Cece peeled down to her tank top and yoga pants she wore underneath her uniform. She kicked her boots at the wall with a defeated anger.

"I need a shower," she turned back to the group for the first time. Her hands were coated in blood and dirt; it trailed up her arms, creeping towards the tattooed lines that embraced her arms and shoulders. Her face and neck were an equal mess, as if the blood smears were trying to meet in the middle of her torso. The muscled men in the room looked at their medical commander in silence, unsure of what to say. "Where's Max?"

"He got pulled to surveillance. They're trying to figure out what happened and where they went wrong." Cece snorted at Cory's statement. "They're gonna call you in too. You're one of the only people that-"

"I know," she snapped, glaring at her friend. Her face softened and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know. Let me shower and then I'll head there."

The shower was a chilling requiem for Cece. Blood streamed down the drain as the water hit her skin, quickly chased down by grime that always weaseled its way underneath her uniform. Cece could hear the TV being flicked back to life from her shower on the second floor; she shut her eyes and blocked out the noise by reciting the human anatomy in her brain as she scrubbed her hair out. The shower had lasted a total of five minutes before the sound of voices downstairs echoed up to her. Captain North angry, sharp tones contrasting Cory's pleading tenor. They've come for me, she sighed, sliding the water off and snagging a towel. Now that the water was off and her head was clearer, Cece could hear the words clearly.

"-directly to me," North barked. "Not only because she was the second doctor on sight, but also because she is a witness! We have to see what she knows."

"And it can't wait until she cleans the horrors of the day off of her?" Cory's voice was closer than the Captain's. "I know what she's been through and what she saw, but she needs time to process.