Perifidy

Chapter Sixteen: Homecoming

Note: Hey guys! Just wanted to say a couple things. Now that our favorite operators are back home, the chapters are going to be a little shorter (between 3,000-5,000 words) unless I decide to make it longer for narrative reasons. Due to them being shorter, I'll be able to publish them a little faster so be on the lookout for more chapters as the days go on! Feel free to private message me or reach out to my inbox with any questions, comments, or perhaps things you'd like to see more of in the story. With that, I take my leave. Enjoy the chapter and happy Spooktober everyone!

0500 Hours

February 5th, 2018

Herefordshire, England

Hereford Base, Fitness Center

          As Ela ran around the indoor track, her mind could only focus on one thing. Today, Kade and Montagne were coming home. Her disappointment and fear were nearly immeasurable when she didn't see him exiting the plane with the rest of the crew. Zofia had told Ela that she wanted to stay with Kade until he fully recovered, but Mabari, their contact in Colombia, insisted she go and see her family. He would send the two heavily wounded operators back home once they recovered enough. To pass the time, she had read the reports of Operation Subterfuge, only to be horrified at their contents. Kade had nearly died several times over the course of the operation, the number of drugs found in his body the first-time making Ela's hair stand on end. It was baffling, how he'd managed to survive so many close scrapes with death. And infuriating. She would be sure to chew him out vigorously once he arrived. She'd made sure to comfort Blitz, who was worried sick about his mountain of a man.

"He was a dummkopf! A dummkopf!" (translation: idiot) the German had sworn, when informed Montagne had been hospitalized with nine gunshot wounds to the chest and legs. Doc was also beside himself when he'd heard the news, wishing he'd been assigned to their mission from the start. Kade hadn't gotten off much better, five gunshot wounds, a broken arm, and a case of walking pneumonia. Her heart had ached, knowing she couldn't be there for him as he recovered. That was why it was so fitting, that his birthday happened to be the day he returned. Ela had many things planned for his special day. Although Robert and Maverick had told her Kade was notorious for not celebrating his birthday, she was determined to make him love it. After doing another lap of the track, she decided to go into the gym and do some fairly relaxed weight lifting to finish her work out. Her gunshot wound had healed nicely, leaving little soreness or discomfort in its wake. After she finished a few sets of squats with ten-pound weights, she decided she'd done enough, hitting the showers and bundling up so she could go to her room for proper clothes. Her sister had woken up the same time she did but instead of going to the gym, her Alfons and Amanda had stayed in bed, watching episodes of Young Justice, Amanda's favorite show. Ela smiled at the little family. At one point, seeing Zofia so happy had made her bitter. Now, the happiness she felt to see Zofia smile and laugh as she did with Alfons and Amanda was nearly limitless.

"Zof. I don't know what to wear." she said, looking desperately through her meager selection of clothes once again. Zofia let out a dramatic sigh, untangling herself from her husband and child before coming over to look.

"I really must take you shopping, my dear sister. It pains me, seeing you wear the same things every day." she teased. Ela punched her arm, giving her a pleading look.

"Mind if I look in yours?" she said. Zofia softened, giving her sister a kiss on the head.

"Of course moja siostra, take what you would like." (translation: my sister) she said. After much perusing, she found an outfit she liked. It was black boots, with black wool stockings, a black skirt and a soft and warm red sweater that exposed her pale shoulders. She also decided to put her growing hair up into a short pony-tail. She inspected herself in the mirror.