The Tiger's Eye

Arriving

Lynn's POV
      I slowly walked out of the plane holding my rifle lazily by my side as Doc and his team rushed forward to bring me to the medical bay, I tried to fight it but I was so tired from the hour and a half of evasion, combat and stress I couldn't put up much of a fight. Gustave pushed me onto the stretcher "Let us help you, we just want to check you out, make sure you're okay" I sighed but didn't fight anymore as they lifted the stretcher carrying me towards the medical building, it was extremely weird being parallel to the ground as we moved. When we arrived I got transferred from the stretcher to a bed that I sat on until Meghan, Erik and Craig burst into the building looking around frantically until Erik saw me and all but yelled "There he is!" Before they stampeded over to where I was sat. Gustave, Lera and the nurses blocked them as Gustave spoke "Let us finish our check up before you cause any more damage to him" they looked impatient as the check up dragged on until Gustave finished taping on a bandage and spoke "you're good to go, try to take it easy, let your head work through all the information"
I nodded and stood shaking his hand as I thought about how cold I felt, I didn't feel happy to be alive I'd become exactly what Harry said would happen, consumed by hate and anger. I was broken out of my train of thought as Meghan lunged forward wrapping me in a bone crushing hug "I'm so sorry, I know you have to be going through the worst pain imaginable, I just want you to know we're here for you" I felt the connection try to form as my knees gave out and I started crying, Meghan followed my to the ground sitting on her legs holding me closely as the pain resurfaced, Erik and Craig took positions on either side of me just making sure I knew they were there. I mumbled as the fear pierced my voice "why do I feel so angry?" Erik replied sadly "that's you weaponizing the pain" Craig asked "what else do you feel?" I looked over and mumbled "hateful, empty. All I feel is anger and hatred" Meghan gasped lightly before her grip on me tightened "Let's go talk to Harry, okay?" I nodded as Craig and Erik pulled me to my feet.
      We slowly made our way through the complex towards the administration building as Erik spoke "we watched the ISR feed, you sure you're okay?" I shook my head no "I want to get after the masks, I need to make them pay" Craig answered "you gotta temper that hunger bro, you're gonna lose everything if you go too far on that road" I replied sourly "I have nothing left to lose, I lost my parents, I lost my team, I lost my happiness and now I'm going to make the mask's lose everything too" Meghan spoke from next to me "You have us, you've got me and Erik and Craig. We're still here with you" I looked down as we moved through the hallway, my uniform was still in tatters and covered with blood, more of the enemies than my own. I looked at my skin through the holes and saw the scrapes and cuts, they were starting to itch, I paid it no mind as I asked Erik "how's my face? Any cuts?" He looked me over and spoke "you've got a pretty big gash on your right cheek, other than that just a could scrapes"
     I ran my hand along the fresh bandage on my cheek, it was pretty deep it'd definitely scar. Just then Meghan opened the door to the TOC a part of the base I'd never been before, I looked around at all the screens and people rushing around trading papers and the maps "whoa, this is way busier than I thought" Erik nodded "it's always surprising" I heard Mike deeper in the room "Meghan do you have him?" Meghan nodded and gripped my hand dragging me through the sea of analysts, drone operators and case officers, I looked behind me and saw Erik and Craig meandering after us before we came to a stop and I saw Mike and Harry sitting at a table. Harry asked "how are you feeling Lynn?" I replied "Restless sir, I want to get back in the field" he looked surprised "so soon? Don't you want a break?" Mike answered "he wants to make the masks know his pain, he wants to kill them all" Harry sighed and asked "so the anger consumes you" I replied simply "no sir, the anger motivates me. The masks brought this upon themselves"
       He asked "so tell me what you're feeling" I thought about it listing them off "I'm pissed, I'm hateful, I feel empty and alone. I have nothing left to lose" Harry asked interested "what about your life? Or your future? You could lose those" I replied spitefully "if they're lost killing masks, I'll gladly make that trade sir. They took my team, my best friends died on that mission, they will know fear, they'll know pain and I'll be the one to put them 6 feet under" he replied simply "be careful how far you go on that path, go too far and you'll lose yourself" I answered defiantly "then I'll create a new me, sir" Harry finished writing on something and spoke "you've got a week to recenter yourself while we figure out what to do with you and where you're being put" I saluted as Mike asked "Meghan, take him back to the barracks please" she nodded as We turned and started walking back. Craig patted me on the shoulder and offered "don't get yourself killed on your hunt for vengeance, I'll be next to you every step of the way" I nodded as my mind was preoccupied.
When we walked in Jackson was waiting for me, he lunged forward yelling "You bastard! You let her die! You let them take her from me! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" Erik and Craig restrained him while Meghan ordered "that's enough! You wouldn't know but when Sarah broke down, he dragged her to safety until she screamed giving them away and even then he dragged her until a round killed her! He tried to bring her back!" Jackson looked at me with hatred as it was clear he didn't buy what Meghan was saying, I saw her open her mouth to continue as I spoke "don't meg, he's right. I should've tried harder to get her out, it's my fault" she hissed at the omission "no, don't you dare go blaming yourself for this. This is on the masks, and no one else!" Craig spoke "We can't leave him here, Jackson'll try to kill him in his sleep" Erik asked "yeah well who is he gonna stay with? My room is full, so is yours" suddenly both of their heads locked position staring at Meghan as she understood "what? You want him to stay with me? But I've got Eliza and Max in my room"
Erik nodded "you've got room for one more" she sighed before pulling out her phone and calling someone as she walked outside. The two let go of Jackson as Erik spoke threateningly "get the fuck out of here, before I hurt you" Jackson stormed off before stopping and looking at Sarah's empty bed. I called "Jackson" he turned and glared at me as I walked forward pulling out Sarah's belonging I got out of her rucksack "I'm sorry this is all I could bring you but I want you to have these" he looked at the Bible, journal, catholic necklace and a couple other belongings before taking them and muttering softly "thanks" as he stormed over to his bed and collapsed onto it balling his eyes out. Meghan walked back in as Craig spoke "that was an honorable thing you did, maybe he'll sleep better now" she walked forward and spoke "Pack your things, you're moving in with me" I spoke with a shrug "I don't need to, I'll be fine. If I die I die" Meghan leaned forward and ordered more forcefully "pack your things, this isn't up for debate. I'll feel more comfortable knowing your safe"
      I sighed and walked over to my bunk picking up my meager amount of belongings before opening my foot locker and pulling out my clothes, weapon kits, war trophies and the last of my belongings sliding them into my bag. She asked "that everything?" I nodded to Meghan and followed her through the hallways, the entire time Craig and Erik talked to me teasing me about Meghan being that protective just trying to get me to laugh but despite their hardest efforts it wasn't happening, they didn't even receive a smirk until Meghan spoke "guys, just let him have some time. He went through a lot in 12 hours" Erik leaned over and whispered "she totally loves you" Meghan spun 180 before opening the door "here we are" I asked "did you get approval from Harry for me to move in?" She nodded and spoke "that's why I walked outside I was talking to him about it. Making my case and all" I sighed but followed her into the room seeing two bunk beds, there was a desk and a tv mounted on the wall so everyone could see it when they were on their bunk, I noticed a curtain in between the bunks.
     I turned and looked at Meghan as she motioned to the top bunk of the bed to the right "that's me," she shifted her finger to the bottom bunk "that's Max" her finger shifted to the top bunk on the left "that's Eliza" and then she shifted her finger to the bottom bunk "that's you" I asked "so what's the curtain for" she answered "this is here to discourage you from spooning with us" as she gripped the curtain and pushed it to the wall. I looked at the foot of the bunk and saw two foot lockers causing me to ask "which one's mine?" She answered without looking "the left one, Eliza likes even numbers and things to the right" I opened the locker to the left and slowly started putting in my belongings while Meghan sent out texts, I'm guessing to inform the other two of my arrival. Erik spoke "You'll like Max and Eliza, they're good people. You haven't met them right?" I shook my head no "I've only met Meghan, Mike, you and Craig out of the higher operators. My experience with other operators has been strictly limited to my training class"
Craig spoke "crazy to think half that class got wiped out in one mission" Erik punched his shoulder as craig asked indignantly "What? What did I say? Oh..... I'm sorry Lynn" I looked over at Meghan who was staring daggers at him, she looked furious as his obliviousness I stood and replied "don't worry about it, I'll have to accept the fact sooner or later." He looked really guilty and I spoke again "Seriously Craig, it's fine. Don't worry about it" he sighed as Meghan suggested "why don't we grab some food? Eh?" Erik and Craig nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion while I shrugged indifferently "I guess" the two smiled at my agreement before they turned and started moving quickly for the door, Meghan leaned over and asked me "they're excited aren't they?" I nodded before she sighed and asked "let me help you, please? I don't want you thinking your alone, you've got me and Erik and Craig. We're here for you" I looked over and nodded "I'll keep it in mind" she smiled as we looked at the escaping forms of the two children that made it through selection, I didn't feel much else besides Hatred and Anger but I felt a small amount of something else, what it was I couldn't put a name to it.