I'm Not Special, I'm Just Unlucky

Chapter 13 - Returning to the Past

Matt Bomer as Henry Kingston

**** 3 Years Ago ****

"Kingston! Tighten your straps!"

I jumped up, "Huh?"

The commander of Company Lima Sierra Zero-Five rolled her eyes and walked over to where I was sitting. She pulled firmly onto the straps of my parachute.

"I said, tighten your chute!" She berated and walked back up to the front of the aircraft.

Eva Clinton, Company Lima Sierra Zero-Five; this was my second company (unfortunately, my previous team was disbanded because they need people to fill in spots for other teams) and my twelfth mission. By now, I should have gotten used to the jitters and adrenaline coursing through my body but not today. This mission was different. Nervousness and fear racked my brain as we flew towards our destination.

"Alright, listen up!" Eva shouted. The group of six, including me, gave her all our undivided attention, "We closing in on Halcyon City..."

My body tensed up at the sound of the city. Stop it Kingston, you have this under control. You promised Eva you would keep your emotions checked. That was true, two days ago, Eva warned me about this. If I kept struggling to contain my feelings, she would report to Captain Wess and I would be yanked out of the mission. Of course, at that time, I said I was more than capable of concealing my emotions but that was two days ago. Look at me now, in the crossfire between fear and assurance.

"... task's simple. Go in, take out Lucas and his crew and grab the data. Christine, Henry, and I will take Lucas. The rest of you, keep his men busy."

"Yes madam!" We all shouted in unison.

ETA 2 minutes to Halcyon. Drop off just a mile away from target, an Enterprise van will be there for transport. Please standby for HALO jump.

The whole squad got up on their feet and double checked their gear; one slip up in midair and you're a goner. The red light took forever to turn green and it was nerve racking. I wasn't afraid of heights or falling, I dreaded the feeling of going back to Halcyon City. What happened after I left? Is Uncle John and Aunt Amy okay? Tommy, Lauren, and Rachel? Lilly?! What if I bump into them? What if--

"Go! Go! Go!"

The light was green already. I was at the back of the line and almost everyone else had jumped. Next to me, Christine was violently shaking my shoulder. "Kingston! What the hell are you doing?! Jump!"

Dazed, I inadvertently nodded and hopped off the aircraft. The air was crisp and cool as I fell into terminal velocity. While the adrenaline seared through my body, I squinted my eyes at Halcyon. Are we really that high up? From up here, Halcyon was no more than a dot on a map.

We were freefalling for some time, I didn't know how long, but as Halcyon began to expand in my line of vision, Eva notified the whole crew, "Open parachutes in fifteen seconds!"

Fifteen. Ten. Five. Four. Three. Two...

I forcefully pulled down on my strap and my chute shot out from the back. As the parachute opened up, I was brutally yanked from falling 120 miles per hour and lifted up reducing my speed. Our desert brown parachutes contrasted with the bright blue sky. Soon, we were down on the ground and releasing our chutes. Of course, I was the last to land. I landed with a grunt and quickly threw off my pack. There was a white van waiting for us just meters away.

"Hurry up Kingston!" Eva shouted.

I sprinted towards the van and as soon as I jumped in, the van moved. We sped down the freeway and in no time, we were cruising down the streets of Halcyon City. Everything was the same as before but there were definitely more buildings. Halcyon City Shopping Center was clearly a big attraction, so was its Finance and Trading Towers. There was more greenery everywhere and every street was filled with life, needless to say, Halcyon was prospering.