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Fidelis Et Parabellum (Brandi X Vinaein)

BimboBrandi

BimboBrandi

Queen of Everything
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Location
Outer Space, to find another race
I'll chain you to the truth,
for the truth shall set you free
I'll turn the screws of vengeance and bury you with honesty
I'll make all your dreams come to life
And slay them as quickly as they came

The lyrics came from the dark colored mustang as it pulled up outside of the bar, it was your typical biker bar for the most part, but a lot of the people from the nearby base came here to unwind. It wasn't pretentious, there was no bullshit, no frills, just beer on tap, whiskey behind the bar and a decent pool table. Of course, the fact that the bartenders were hot didn't hurt either. Natalia wasn't even that into girls if she was honest, though she could appreciate the feminine form when it looked good, and the girls that worked here looked good. Spaghetti was only straight until it got wet so they said.

Her cowboy boots clicked on the asphalt of the parking lot, her long legs on show from her little shorts. To most she looked like a stereotypical cowgirl, and her long blonde hair didn't help the image. What did work in her favor though was the muscle tone, Natalia was no stranger to the gym, it had been necessary for her job, first as a Marine and then later in the private sector as a part of Darkstone Executive, an up and coming private military contractor that had seen more and more of the action recently. They prided themselves on taking on the contracts that national governments feared to touch, and her most recent mission, rescuing a hostage from a K&R crew based out of Saudi Arabia, had been just one of those.

Leaning against the bar she looked the bartender in the eye, at 5'9" she was taller than most of the women in here, though the tattoo sleeves down both arms helped her fit right in, as did the ring in one side of her lip and the one in her nose. Darkstone were less picky about uniform codes than the marines had been, and it had allowed her to express herself more.

"Jack and coke, and keep 'em coming"

she told the girl there, a girl who looked no older than 21 herself. Placing her card on the bar Natalia relaxed, tonight she was going to get drunk, get wild and forget all about battle and war, after all, she had fucking earned it.
 
Luke was flexing as he arrived at the bar, seeing it was about level with expectations. The former marine was a tall man, black hair cut short, the tattoo of a serpent coiled to his right bicep, blue eyes taking the place in as his shoes crunched against the gravel on the path in.

He'd just returned from another job, before being offered the 'interview' elsewhere with a certain company after the injuries he'd taken several years ago. Seven months following doctors and medical professionals, in safeguarding refugees at checkpoints before the end of the crisis had left him weary, exhausted even, even after several nights-worth of decent sleep. Some around them were still troubled by the nightmares of what they had witnessed during such missions, from exhuming mass graves to the aftermath of carnage.

He was still giving lodgings and had enough money for drinks, which he planned to take full advantage of at this bar. He walked in, offering those who saw him a friendly, disarming smile, even as his gaze turned analytical. He folded his hands in his pocket, wearing a dark shirt, simple jean, along with a coat, almost humming under his breath as he stepped in.

Hey, little victories where he got them, he thought as he set down his money, giving the waitress a smile as he placed his order. "Jack and coke," he said. Nothing exciting, but it was a favorite of his and an old friend from the service. He leaned back, scanning the bar comfortably with his relaxed eyes before he saw....

Well, well, he thought as his drink arrived. "Nat," he said, his voice level. "Fancy seeing you here...."
 
She was surprised when she saw him, she hadn't seen Luke in a few years now, not since she had left the corps. He looked.. good. Cold and calculating like normal, but at the same time she knew that there was more going on underneath, that he actually was a pretty chill dude when you came to know him. She had seen both sides, the cold and calculating Marine, and the guy he was off the clock.


"Luke.. fuck.. how are you doing? what are you doing here?"

the last time they had seen each other they'd both been in Germany, they'd just gotten back from some time in the sand and were going through the debrief. They'd both gotten into some pretty big trouble for a night outside the wire and mixing with the locals. After that Natalia had left the Marines and gone private, she'd been tired of the bullshit and the amount of times they could have intervened and saved lives in the sand but it meant going against orders. No she wanted to actually make a difference, that had been the reason she had joined in the first place after all.
 
Luke couldn't help but grin openly now. Nat, he thought to himself. Holy hell, he'd be damned. "Natalia," he said. Tough, no-nonsense...she'd sure grown her hair out, but she looked liked he remembered: tough, taking no shit from anything, firm business and more. Natalia had been someone you could trust yourself to in the field, someone who knew the job and got it done. He couldn't help but whistle in surprise, for once briefly caught off guard as he looked at her.

"Nat...holy hell," he said as he slid closer, raising his glass to her. "all the bars in the world and you're in this one?" He grinned, shaking his head. "Holy fuck is right! Hell, I was just grabbing a drink here!" he said. God, the memories they had made, he thought. Everything they'd been up to together, foxholes and more. Look at them now, he thought. She looked... "You look fucking great," he said happily. "Seriously, look at you. What've you been doing with yourself? Hell, drinks on me!"
 
"that would be a first"

She joked with a laugh, in truth she had never really minded that their nights out together had ended up on her tab. They'd been having a fun time and that was much more important than who paid for it.

"You look good too"

And that was true, he did look good, but then he always had. Natalia had always had a bit of a thing for him, and there had been many times that she had thought about something happening, but she had technically been his senior in the corps, not by much, but she had slightly more time in grade and that had been enough for her to edge him out for the promotion.

"I'm just blowing off some steam, I'm working for Darkstone these days..but you? What are you up to? Still in?"
 
Luke couldn't help but grin wider. So maybe he had stuck Nat with the bill a few times. Wasn't his fault he'd been short a few times, but neither had ever minded. He was sitting closer by her now, smirking. "Hey, first time for everything, right? Maybe you'll save my ass next time, huh?" He chuckled softly, holding his glass while the ice clinked against the sides.

He couldn't deny he'd always had an attraction to Nat, to say the least. She'd been above him in rank, though. To say it was 'frowned' upon would be to put it rather mildly. Thy had held off quite a bit, but....damn, he thought as he looked at her. "Hey, you look fucking amazing," he said before she asked... "Darkstone, huh?" He lifted an eyebrow, unable to be surprised at that. "Left a while ago, actually...What got you into Darkstone of all places?"
 
Nat took a drink of her whiskey

"what is this? a fuckin job interview?"

she joked before gesturing towards his glass as his own drink sat on the bar.

"come on, drink.."

She laughed and then shook her head, It definitely attracted a few looks from people nearby but Natalia didn't mind. They would soon loose interest in her in a moment, that was how this place worked after all, people minded their own business.. and that was why she liked it.

"OK, I'll be serious for a second.. but only cause its you. I got into there pretty much as soon as I transferred out. I just grew tired, that last tour in the sand, there was so much red tape I almost forgot it came in other colors. Darkstone aren't like that, they do the jobs that most cant or wont, but they are actually smart about who is paying them too. They're not gonna take the money of some rogue state or terrorist kingpin just because they can afford the contract. Plus they aren't the military, they actually let people be themselves.."
 
He snatched his drink up, grinning back at Natalia. "What, you want it to be!?" He asked. "You're the one with the leverage there!" He said back as he lifted his hand, as if fending her off before he took a sip of the whiskey and coke. He sipped delicately, loving the good, bitter taste of the whiskey. "I'm drinking, I'm drinking! As I recall, you were always the one who had the harder time, Nat," he said as gazes slipped away from them.

He leaned back, listening with interest as he raised an eyebrow. "No shit," he said. "But still, mercs? I mean...who's paying for all this, what kind of jobs? You know full well how easy it is to get mixed up in the wrong stuff, Nat, even if they seem like good guys at first."
 
Natalia nodded, then took a drink from her glass, enjoying the flavour of the whiskey and the cola mixed together. It always had been her drink of choice, ever since she was eighteen and getting into mischief by drinking underage.

"Yeah, I know. But this isn't like that. The most recent job I did was paid for by a private businessman who didn't want to wait for the state department to do it's thing. The pentagon sure as shit weren't sending anyone and we saved a young woman's life."

She took another drink and then sighed

"Look, you were there, you saw the shit that went on when we were in the sand. That young Suni girl we saw beaten by her father because he didn't approve of her Shia boyfriend, we could have stopped it, maybe that girl would still be alive if we had, but we didn't. We let it play out, we let him get away with murdering her. We could have prevented that from happening, and working for Darkstone I can..."
 
Luke continued to sip his own drink, setting it down so the liquid swirled within the glass. The drink of choice was shared with Nat. Hell, they'd been out drinking before, on a friendly capacity. More than once, with good conversation and fun times that always followed. Hearing about jobs like this, though... "Hell, good people still exist in the world?" He quipped. "Even with profits liek that? Just following your heart?" He asked.

He didn't exactly enjoy memories there either, frowning. "I know we saw some stuff," he admitted. "A lot of stuff....I was even debating going into the peacekepers for a bit..." he glanced aside there. "...What other kinds of jobs do you handle there?"
 
Natalia nodded, knowing what he meant. She really didn't want to think about that anymore, but as he asked her about the other kinds of work she did she had to smile a bit

"That's classified"

She responded simply, teasing him before laughing

"Na seriously, I don't really wanna talk about work, I don't do recruitment. But you can trust me when I say it's the good fight.."

She smiled and then took another drink before ordering a second one

"But how about you? What's bought you to town"
 
Luke couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Classified, huh? More things change, the more they say the same!" He lifted his glass up to toast it, laughing right along with her. "Yeah, you're right. Fuck work right now. Let's have fun!" He drained his glass and ordered a second one. "Actually...funny story on that..." he said. "I was doing a bit of...work before discharge, right now? Kinda going by savings while I look elsewhere..."

He had meant to keep it confidential, before taking a deeper breath over the rim of his glass, eyes downcast for a moment as a lifetime flashed across his eyes. "...They offered me an interview. Darkstone. Among other places. I sent my info out and...I got a few hits. Headhunters poach stuff all the time, but...I haven't responded yet. I know we're not here to talk work, Nat, but..." He looked up at her. "You really think I should?"
 
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Nat was taken aback a bit by that, he'd been headhunted, well that was definitely cool.

"Yeah I think you should. I mean, I know I just said I don't do recruitment, but I can say that they will look after you well, and pay you a fuck lot better than the Military ever did. Seriously, Just a little bit and you can get those savings back up in no time."

She knew that Luke wasn't really money focused per se, but he had been out of the game for a bit and burning through his rainy day fund, that wasn't a long term solution by any means.

"Plus, you know, the two of us kicking ass and taking names again, assuming we get assigned to the same contract of course.. It'll be like old times."

She was actually getting excited and she had to remind herself that he hadn't even interviewed yet.

"feel free to use me as a reference if you do take it OK, and thats the last I am going to say on the subject of work."

She laughed and then gave her friend a playful shove.

"Fuck I have missed you man."
 
Luke couldn't help but notice that Nat looked surprised. He gave a little shrug at it. "Hey, don't worry, not asking you to recruit me. Jut asking for your opinion. So that's it, huh? Fight the good fight, help people and get paid for it?" The thought, he couldn't deny, was appealing...and he had burnt through his savings pretty quickly. But the prospect of tethering himself...Still, looking at Natalie, she'd been in it and done remarkably well for herself if the current sight before him was any indication.

Then she said something that made him grin. "Like old times, huh? Kicking ass and taking names...well, hold up, Nat, what if they don't like me?" Before she pushed him. "Oka,y okay, shutting the hell up about work! Missed you, too!" He gave her a light shove in turn, grinning back at her with a light in his eyes.. "Missed you...a lot, actually." he said, punching her shoulder. "How's...life otherwise? What're you doing in the downtime?" He intended to ask if she was seeing anyone, but couldn't find the proper words.
 
"hanging out in bars and talking to arrange men.."

She joked, not that Luke was very strange. She definitely still would if he wanted to go that way.. though that would probably complicate things at this point. They flirted like crazy, their friendship was practically built on it, but they'd never actually crossed that line, no matter how much she had wanted them to.

"No, really, I'm just ya know, work, gym, working on the house, sometimes I hit the beach or catch a game.. it's just me, myself and I so whatever I feel like doing really.."

Natalia laughed and then shrugged

"How about you?"
 
"Oh, now I'm a strange man, am I?" He reached and he poked her, changing it to more of a shove to her shoulder. Perhaps a bit harder than intended, but Nat was a tough girl. She could take it. He threw her a broader grin....he'd always had an attraction to Natalie. She was strong, smart, funny....damn, had he wished to cross the line, even if they never had. He shrugged lightly at her question.

"Beach still, huh? That why you're so tan?" He teased. "But hey...I'llgo for anything. Cards, jobs, reading....still working on getting a steady place. Hitting a bar, talking to gorgeous ladies who think they're the toughest gals on earth...?" He threw her a wink. "Anyone...you're seeing?"
 
Natalia shook her head and chuckled

"Nah, you know me, I don't do relationships"

That was a lie, she did want a relationship, it was just that she wanted one with the right person, someone like Luke. There was also the fact that most men tended to be intimidated by her service, they wanted someone that would stay home and be a wife and mother to their kids. Natalia couldn't have kids, an accident when she was younger had seen to that, and she wasn't the type to just sit on the sidelines. She preferred to be in the action, taking care of business.

"How about you? Anyone special in your life?"
 
He couln't explain the odd feeling within as she said that. What was it? Relief? He couldn't help but exhale at it there...Luke, for his part hadn't done relationships in a bit, just quick flings, short terms here and there...But he didn't have much by way of stability now, and...

Hell, if Nat did...he would be, what was it? Jealous? Was that it? He tried to push these feelings down, his eyes on her. They'd confessed so much to one another, had talked about everything, from hopes and dreams and dammit, she was his FRIEND...he felt the old line again before he smiled and shook his head. "No...nobody like that," he admitted. "Haven't had...time..." something occured to him and he said it before he could stop himself. "Darkstone? I'm do the interview, Nat. Mind throwing me a recommendation...?"
 
Natalia smiled as she heard the confirmation, he was gonna do it, that was awesome. She was really into the idea of getting the band back together, the two of them watching each others backs.

"Of course I will."

She told him, as if it wasn't a thing for him to ask.

The rest of the night was spent with the two of them catching up, having fun together, just two friends out on the town. When Natalia woke up the next morning she was sure it was a dream for a moment, but when she realized it wasn't her excitement came back in full. She was practically dancing as she left the door on the way to her base.

Months had gone by since that night and Natalia was in the armoury, she had just finished on the range and was stripping and cleaning equipment. She was alone, but she liked that. It meant she could get her head down and work, and with any luck she would get out of here quicker
 
First day on the new job. Background checks done. Interviews complete...Luke was signed up. Now of Darkstone, Inc, he thought as he tried on the new uniform. He was being led into work, being given the tour. Hell, the office was nicer than the service, he thought with a gleeful grin, almost like a kid now. He whistled as he was shown the eating areas, common room, he'd been given the benefits, the gym, the shooting range and more. He was already good at taking orders, so there was little anyone needed to educate him on...and then? He saw her before him.

He nearly ran over, leaving his guide behind as he called her name happily, now dressed in the Darkstone uniform. "NAT!" He called. "Good to see ya!"
 
She looked up as she heard the call, Fuck he had decided to do it after all. She was looking forward to spending time working with him again, training together. Her heart fluttered a bit as she thought about being in close proximity with him regularly, but she tried not to let it show

"Hey Luke"

she said with a smile, brushing a hand through her blonde hair. Her eyes moved over him as she set her weapon to one side

"Good to see you too, that uniform really suits you."

and it did, he really filled it out good. Mind you some would have said the same about her, the black combat gear looking sexy as hell on her body
 
Luke grinned, boyish and handsome now, positively bursting with pride "Hey, Nat," he said quietly, staring full on at her. He couldn't help but feel his own heart skip perhaps several beats as he watched her. God, being in front of her like this, he thought...he couldn't believe it.Being back on the same side, in front of Natalie again, his best damn friend from the service. She brushed her hair back, Luke notiicng it was longer than before.

"Me? You wore it first!" He said. "And...wore it better." Holy hell, he thought; in combat gear, Nat's toned body was more than a bit incredible. "...So, gonna give me the tour?" He said. "Since you've been here longer...?"
 
She finished reassembling the rifle, Setting it to one side. Now it was ready to be used again. The good thing about this place was that everyone had their own loadout, granted it was tailored for the job, there was no point in bringing an LMG on a sniper mission for instance, but rather than be like the military where everyone got the same kit you simply requested the gear that you wanted for what you had to do. If you needed a sniper and your preferred one was the Cyclone Rifle favored by the British then you could simply ask, and unless there was a serious problem you would usually get.

"Tour.. Yeah.. Well, you have found your way to the armory. This computer over here is for requisitions, it'll show you what we have in stock, and all you have to do is to fill in the right logs to check it out. Through that door is the range, but we wont go in there without need, pretty sure you know what one looks like."

she joked before leading him on a tour of the campus. Mostly it was like another military base, but there were some differences. The kit here was shinier, more up to date, more expensive. The only tax dollars at work here were the ones the CIA paid with to do the kinds of things that even their assets couldn't do. I'd done a couple of jobs involving pulling an agent out of the fire, they were pretty thankless but they paid well enough and at the end of the day you got to know you were saving an American life, even if you did kinda wish that they hadn't fucked up so badly.

The other difference here was the accommodation blocks, gone were the communal bunkrooms of the corps, gone were most of the blocks all together in favor of offsite housing, but if you did need to spend the night here you could, in what basically appeared to be a five star hotel. Each room was its own with a king sized bed and all the luxuries that you would expect, though of course professional conduct said dont be draining the bar the night before heading out on an early mission.

"So what do you think?"
 
Luke noted how meticulous Natalie could be, with any detail, weapon or otherwise. He had already been informed of his weaponry, perfectly suited to get the jobs done, he decided. The officer who'd be showing him only give them a grin and clearly passed him off to Natalie. Luke gave an apologetic shrug as he looked to Nat's weaponry. "I see you're favoring the old styles," he said with a little nudge. "Already got the armory down..." he looked at the computer, finding the system more than simple enough. "And range? Yeah, I might have an idea there..."

He was looking around while they walked, taking in the place. Now his new base, maybe even a new home he thought. It beat the old military every day. People looked happy to be here, joking and laughing, comparing jobs...he could, he thought, get used to this. And the lodgings, hell...better than he'd ever had. No reason not to stay over. "What do I think?" He nudged her again. Fucking incredible is what I think. Why the hell didn't I sign up sooner, Nat?"
 
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