The Golden Soldier (Call of Duty: WW2 Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

The rope binding my wrists together was tighter than a python's grasp. It rubbed on the points of my wrists, stinging just like the bite of one too.
    Around me, rough-looking men glared as if I were unwelcome; I was, just not to the degree of glares, I assumed. Many of them held rifles, positioned in ways to make them look intimidating. It definitely worked as my hands were shaking in front of me as if I were getting ready to roll two dice.
    "Leg sie ans Feuer."
    To the short and snappy command of the German, I was shoved onto a narrow tree trunk by a small fire. Nearby, a large tent the color of bark wiggled in the chilling breeze. I watched in silence as the head of the group marched up to the entrance of the tent and then slipped inside.
    "Wo hast du diese Schönheit gefunden?"  
    I didn't listen to the reply of the guard practically holding me at gunpoint. My eyes were flickering around like the fire, trying to find out where I was and how the hell I'd gotten here.
    It was a rough and difficult process, but I did remember most of it.

--•--•--•--

    "These things are going to eat me alive!"
    "As if," Penny let out a snort of amusement. "Mosquitos aren't that aggressive. There's a myth that after ten bites, they leave you alone."
    Scott whipped his hands around twice more. "There's a reason why it's a myth, Penelope."
    "Here, take some bug spray," Adam tossed the can towards a jittery Scott.
    I watched the simple situation unfold from on the other side of the morning campfire. In my lap was the rest of breakfast, a package of oatmeal drizzled with the packet of honey that came with it. I'd eaten about half of it; my appetite was never huge during mornings.    
    "You don't even seem bothered. What the hell?" Scott glared at me and I shrugged.
    "Guess they just like you more."
    Scott shook his head and sprayed more bug repellent on his arms and legs. Across from me, Penelope--Penny to most--sighed and threw her paper bowl in the dwindling fire.
    "I was thinking we should go to that zip lining park today," Adam suggested, rubbing his stomach in appreciation of a heavy meal.
    "Ava was hoping to go to the World War Two museum."
    "I won't go if no one else wants to," I quickly intervened.
    "Afraid to go alone?" Scott taunted.
    "No," I shrugged. "This is a group trip, which means we do things together."
    "We could do the zip lines while you do the museum," Adam mused.
    I gave him a thankful glance, him catching it with a subtle dip of his head. He was the only one who knew I hated heights. Zip lining was everything I disliked and more.
    "Google maps shows them rather close to each other," Penny was looking at her phone.
    "What'd I say about using the technology while camping?" Adam teased.
    "Hey, I'm trying to figure things out so we don't get lost!"
    "Take it easy," Adam chuckled. "If they're close, then we can go with that plan. How long will the museum take you, Ava?"
    "I wouldn't imagine any longer than two hours."
    "Plenty of time for zip lines," Scott rubbed his hands together mischievously.
    I only gave a tiny smile as everyone parted to get ready for the day's adventures. Penelope and I shared a tent while the boys had their own. Friends since the fourth grade, we all had stayed close through high school. Now that those times were over and college took most of our time, we'd made a vow to always have an annual camping trip--in varying places of course.
    Unlike Scott and Adam, who were both 22, I was freshly 21. Penny was the same, yet older than me by five months. Of course I got the lucky card of being teased about being the youngest; not that I truly minded though.
    "What's so special about this museum anyways?" Penny asked as we changed.
    I threw on my black tank top and then my favorite ocean blue sweatshirt with the words STATE CHAMPIONS 2009 printed across the chest. In high school, I'd played basketball and, well, gained that sweatshirt senior year. That was also the same year I'd broken my ankle; it still bothered me at times to this day, three years later.
    "I'm just interested in it, that's all. You know how much I love military history."
    "Yeah, yeah," Penny waved a hand.
    I put on a pair of black skinny jeans--not the skin tight ones that cut off circulation, but tight enough to be considered skinny--and slipped on my comfortable black and white Nike's. To top it off, I pulled my black hair up into a loose pony.
    "You're really doing makeup?" I questioned Penny as she used her mini mirror to perfect her eyebrows.
    "Yes, I really am. Want to borrow?"
    "What are you trying to say?" I playfully raised a naturally perfect eyebrow--perfect according to Penelope herself. "That I'm looking ugly?"
    "It was a kind offer," Penny stroked her lashes with mascara. "You're naturally beautiful without it, though."
    "Thank you," I rubbed my cheek, feeling the soft skin that resided there.
    My mother had always said that I had her side of the family's skin. Never having to deal with terrible acne--the stubborn pimples did pop in every now and then, no doubt--I typically always had an even skin tone with soft, flush skin. My eyebrows only needed occasional plucking around the edges and my thick lashes naturally curved upwards. To words of my father I was "blessed with natural beauty." I always shrugged it off...what parent wouldn't say that to their child?
    "Are you two princesses ready to go yet?"
    "I'm not a princess!" I shouted to Adam and opened the tent. "Penny is."
    "Hey!"
    I stepped out of the tent before she could attack me with a shoe or something. Scott was walking towards the car, designated driver because it was his vehicle. Adam glanced back to where Penelope was finishing up and rolled his eyes.
    "Oh come on, you love her anyways," I shouldered him. "Shotgun, by the way."
    "Oh come on! Every damn time!"
    I laughed and then bounded over to the black Ford, ducking into the passenger seat. "I won again."
    "When do you not?"
    I grinned to Scott's assumption and then reached over to honk the horn. "Let's go Pen!"