Beginning Of The End (Xavierroll & IronMaiden24)

I got up from my prone posture as the Marine finished-of the driver. Looking in the direction of the church, I culd see the section of the tower on fire, vhere the grenade detonated.

Cautiusly, stil alert, I advanced tovard the cowering former captives, vho relaxed noticably as they seen my uniform and recognyzed me as Croatian Army. Once close, I adresed them in as soothing a tone as I culd manage... vhich took some efort, as my adrenaline started wering-off and the nasty bruise on my cheek started pounding vith latent pain and some sweling. Toching it gently, I wiped some blood off it.

<<<"Easy! Evryone, easy... its over. Please... go to one of the homes and stay there, ve have to scout around Zastolje some more to make sure none are left!">>>

Ther individual replys vere lost in the gable of all of them talking at once, but they did calm slightly, moving tovard the nearest house in the vilage, vhere I culd see more residents coming-out of vherever they vere hiding, all around the vilage, some crying over those vho vere executed, others just looking around in shock. Only 1 thing finaly penetrated to me, now that I had time to think - none of them looked sick.

I knew we would need to clear the town but when other villagers began to appear from their hiding, I took it at a good sign. I continued walking towards Natalija and I am not entirely sure what came over me but I wrapped my arms around her and just hugged her. I wasn't sure what her reaction would be and frankly didn't even think about it. I was just so glad to see that she had survived, I lifted her off the ground. I kissed her right on the lips, not a passionate kiss, just a 'damn glad to see you' kiss. "You are hurt." I told her suddenly concerned and setting her back down on the ground. It was then I started to feel more pain in my arm, but still didn't pay it much attention.

"Are you well enough to check a few more houses with me. Why not ask the villagers, I bet they have a pretty good idea if any are left?" I would need her language skills if we were to enlist their help. I took a good look at her bruise, it looked bad but she seemed to be functioning well enough and she was certainly tough. My elation at our small victory was giving way to concern about her and the rest of the village. I could see the men beginning to strip the bandits of their weapons. They were respectful enough not to loot the Croats, but looked as if they would care for their bodies. As I watched them set to work I asked my angel. "Do any of them look sick to you?"

I vas 1/3rd-pleased, 1/3rd-confused, and 1/3rd-annoyed, at the rather personal vay he expresed his relief at seing me alive. Ve had barely known each-other for a hour or so, and it certinly vas not vhat I vas expecting. Not the kiss in the mouth, aniway. Being so forvard as to have lifted me off the ground and kissed me I had to vork hard to rein-in the instinct to shove him avay. In the end I simply smiled at him:

"I'm glad to see you survived, as wel, Corporal... Xavier Rollins, is it?" remembering the name he told my sergent earlyer "...thank you for your help here, I realy apreciated it." before I grabed him by the colar of his uniform and reined him in lighty, leting the temperature of my voice drop a few degrees "...but dont ever do THAT vithout my permision again, cowboy! Clear?"

My voice stayed light, even slightly teasy, and I kept my smile, but I gave him a hard stare, leting him knov I meant it, before I released him. Not that I didnt find this... cocky... Marine intriguing, more so now after his invaluable asistance, but there vas much to be said for not giving-off the impression of being easily aproachable, especialy for a female soldier in a decidedly testosterone-addled profesion, even in the Croatian Army, vhich tended to be quite forvard-thinking in that regard.

"This? Thats nothing..." I shruged-of my bruise, even if I vas planing to have it cleaned-up at one of the houses, preferebly put some ice on it. And eventualy visit a dentist vhen (if) this ever ended, to replace the tooth. Then my gaze fell on his blood-soaked arm...

"But looks like I'm not the only 1 hurt... you might vant to get that cheked up. Here are the keys to the van... why dont you hop back up there and drive it dovn to the village vhile I talk to the residents... I noticed how they'r all healthy. And you can help yorself to the medical suplyes in the locker too. The code is 217AA."

"Aye Aye Ma'am" I said in the most serious voice I could muster at the moment, which was not particularly serious. I wouldn't have gotten away with such a tone back in the fleet but we were a long way from there and just finished a pretty hot battle. I think we were both damn lucky to be alive, even with our minor injuries. "Do you still have the tooth?" I asked, going to the small FAK kit for some gauze. It was hard to tell with all the cultural differences but I didn't think she was too mad at me. I had to admit though, that the feel of her was not something I would soon forget.

I followed her instructions to go get the van, we would both need to resupply anyway before we saw much more action. It was just over the ridge and I double timed it to get back quickly. I still wasn't comfortable leaving her alone, I felt so lucky she survived, we survived that I don't think I could take losing her now. I was growing attached, probably too much so. There was just something about her, I mean sure I had just been on a ship for 2 months that was like 99.9% male but this was somehow different. She was one badass lady, damn good in a fight, better than many men I knew. She hot like a pin up girl though but still it was something more, she was exotic, her English good with an accent that was over the top sexy. Of course I have usually been pretty successful with ladies, but something about her just made me a bit nervous, like I have never been before around a woman.

I drove the van up first and parked it up close to the house the captives had entered, the one Natalija had cleared as she did a bit less damage to hers. I didn't want to get blindsided while next to the vehicle as I began to reload clips with the NATO standard rounds. I should probably get familiar with the VHS I thought but I was still partial to my 16. Once I was restocked on ammo, I opened the med locker. I put a hasty bandage on, keeping as much of my CUU in place as possible. It seemed just a graze but I would need it looked at soon to get it cleaned up. I popped a couple of Ibuprofin from my own stash and figured I was good to go.

I could hear the talking from inside and nodded to villager with the AK standing guard outside before entering. I was going to need to learn quick how to tell friend from foe in this land. I hoped my strong angel would be able to help. "Reporting for duty Ma'am." I said to her in a quiet voice so as not to upset the villagers who were still rather agitated. I can't say I blame them, they had been through a nightmare. One of them looked at my strange uniform, she clearly knew I wasn't from around here as she also looked at my face. I gave her what I hoped would be a reassuring smile, but I wasn't exactly a diplomat. When there was a slight pause in the talking I looked at Natalija and asked "So what's the plan?"

Noticing Xavier came back, I excused my-self from the vilagers and let them continue discusing vhat hapened, mourning their dead, and planning repairs to their homes, motioning him aside to the hallvay, before I spoke.

"Honestly, I do not knov. A incident like this has not hapened for over a decade, since the end of the war. If these vere normal circumstanses, I wuld be on the direct link to HV Comand in Zagreb making a report, and we wuld likely have a couple of full platoons here vithin 6-12 hours, as wel as increse the military and police presence along all land borders. But as it is... I'm not sure. I cant even make a report, since comunications are dovn, and even if they vere not, if this plague is taking its course, vho knows if my report wuld be acted upon."

I took a deep breth. "So right now, after resuplying at the van and geting my dead comrades inside so I can bury them tomorow... I supose my plan is to clean this up..." refering to my bruise, "...get something to eat, since the people have ofered us food, and shelter in one of the homes, make one more swep of the vilage later, then get some sleep until morning. Oh, that reminds me... the soldier in the van... is he still alive?" I asked, hoping against hope.

Once more the perplexing fact nagged me as to how none of the people here vere sick, and none of the attackers, but the villagers themselvs didnt seem to know vhy this vas the case, not even the resident doctor, vho was one of those the attackers have executed. They had heard of the plague on the news, of corse, but for some reason it did not afect them, they told me.

I wasn't sure if I should be worried or flattered that she was so candid with me. Her iron facade was lifted for the first time since I had first seen her. She had been a good leader when the role was thrust upon her, but I wasn't one of her men. I guess I already knew how bad it was from back on the ship. I wondered for myself if anyone was left on board. I preferred we simply treated each other as equals, as allies. "Yea the rules have sure changed." I think the villagers, have things in hand though. I don't think they will put down their weapons so readily this time." I wasn't blaming them, who the hell would have thought they would just start executing people. Of course I had to remember this place had some tough history not all that long ago.

"I think we should take them up on their offer of some rest. I will help with your men, if you don't mind, it is the least I can do." As tough as she was, she had to be hurting, both physically and emotionally. "We should talk about this village too, and those bandits. I hadn't heard of any place being immune. We need to find a way to report this." I wasn't really sure who to report it too, but I couldn't help but think somewhere there was still some semblance of organization. I knew we had a few battle groups that had remained isolated, would they still be healthy, but trapped out at sea? It was all big deep stuff, way above my pay grade, speaking of which I don't think I had a pay grade anymore. All of a sudden I seemed to be an independent operator, well me and Natalija.

"Maybe a Sat phone? Would they have something like that in Zagreb?" What numbers would I even call? I wondered if the internet was still up and running. "Do they have internet access here?" Perhaps the simplest method might be the easiest. If there was anyone left on the ship, they should be paying attention. Or the Pentagon, NORAD, someone had to be listening. I chatted easily with my strong angel as we took care of her comrades. It was hard, sad work, but it needed to be done, they deserved no less.

"Oh ve have a Sat phone back at the comand-post in Dubrovnik... that is, if the post stil stands and has not been looted." I noded. The options vere plenty. Having a armored van, we culd travel back and check. Or even go as far as Zagreb and report directly, again asuming there vas anyone left to report to. But that wuld be a considerable journey, and it wuld mean leaving the village, something I vasnt comfortable doing so soon after it has been atacked. Vhat if there vas another atack? Not that the 2 of us wuld make that much diference, since the residents vere now armed and very wiling to defend themselfs, but they stil were not soldiers, and my duty vas to protect them.

"I think ve shuld try acessing the Net first. I'm sure some household here has it. I'l ask around in the morning." I finaly sugested, as ve vere burying the last of my comrades.

Besides... I culdnt help but shake the feling that the ansver to this mystery vas HERE. Here, vhere there vas no plague. Here or somevhere acros the border vhere those iregulars came from, since they also vere not sick. Maybe we shuld try back-tracking that atack back to its source, and find-out the reason for it? There vas also that one bandit I shot in the leg before... he vas stil alive, taken prisoner by the vilagers, and he culd maybe provide information. At the very least a location.

The posibilitys swirled in my mind as ve valked back to the vilage, and I shared all of them vith my new comrade-in-arms.

"But first, lets get something to eat, and then I'l take a closer look at that sholder of yours. I'm not sure, but I think you took a shot. And DONT give me that macho-crap about hov its nothing!" I snaped, mock-indignantly, noticing his look, "If ve are going into combat again, I have no use for a soldier vho sudenly cant hold a rifle steady or aim true because of sholder-pain. You'd be a liability... and I hate liabilities, Marine!" I grined at him.