Coming Home Pt. 01

The last of the insurgents jerked his Kalashnikov up and opened fire without aiming, a line of bullets stitching through the dirt. One hit Sean in the left arm while another went into his side just below his Kevlar vest before the extremist's gun jammed with a loud click

Trying to clear his weapon the terrorist never got another chance as Sean lifted his SA80 and returned fire. Just metres away from the other man he couldn't possibly miss, even though he was in shock and pain, and three bullets hit the fanatic killing him instantly.

With that final exchange the firing quickly died away, the few remaining radicals disappearing into the maze of alleyways and ramshackle buildings.

Dragging himself to his feet Sean had struggled over to Liam, his heart shattering as soon as he saw the young Marine. Both his legs were gone and he had known immediately there was no hope for him.

"Sarge?"

"Take it easy Liam. Helps on its way."

"Am I gonna be ok sarge?"

Biting his lip Sean had lied, "Yeah you're gonna be fine, you just hang in there, son."

"I... I'm glad I... I got to serve with you. They all said... you're... the best."

He had seen friends die and it had never been easy but for some reason, holding the young Marine's hand, he knew then, with an absolute certainty, that he couldn't do it again.

"You to Liam." He struggled to remain conscious and not to let the tears fall, "You're a good Marine."

"Will you... write my.... mum... if I..."

Sean tried to smile, "You're gonna be fine but yeah I'll make sure I speak to her."

"Will you tell her.... tell her I... I love her."

He could feel his eyes clouding over as he struggled to hold on to consciousness, "You'll be telling her yourself soon enough."

The youngster tried to smile as he gasped, struggling to breathe. "Yeah, guess.... guess I'll.... be going home.... soon."

In the distance he could hear the roar of engines and the steady whump of the helicopter rotors.

"You hold on now. Helps coming." Sean urged despite knowing that there really was no hope.

"Thanks sarge, you really... are... the...."

With those final words he let out a breath and, as the light left his eyes, died in Sean's arms.

'I'll tell her Liam, I promise, I'll tell her if it's the last thing I ever do."

It was his only thought as he stared down at the body of the young Marine.

He was still holding the corpse, tears streaming down his cheeks, when he lapsed into unconsciousness.

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"You ok son?"

He turned back to the old soldier sitting opposite him and smiled, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine... just remembering, thanks."

"It's ok lad, you don't have to tell me, there are just some things you never forget."

Sean sat back and reflected on what the old man had just said, thinking that he was certainly right, there were things that were definitely impossible to forget.

Chapter 02 - Mackenzie

The sun was barely above the horizon with its first rays filtering through the gap in her bedroom curtains when a yawning Mackenzie Frane stopped what she was doing and stretched her arms. Easing the tightness out of her shoulders for a moment she went back to brushing her long dark brown mane and tying it into a ponytail. Satisfied with her hair she began putting on a little eyeshadow and adding just a touch of mascara to her long eyelashes.

"Ugh!" She groaned to herself.

She hated early mornings and she would have loved to go back to bed but it was already twenty minutes past seven and she had been up since 6:45. Now, after showering and putting on her make-up, she was hurrying to get out of the house.

It was her first day in her new job as the HR manager at WestTech Industries and she didn't want to be late.

Discarding her towelling robe, she quickly pulled on her plain white underwear and her tan hold-up stockings before slipping into a white silk blouse and the navy-blue skirt and jacket she had selected the night before. Finally dressed, she eased her feet into a pair of low-heeled shoes and she was ready.

Content with how she looked she headed to the kitchen to grab some toast and a mouthful of tea before setting off.

She had just taken her first mouthful when a tap on the front door alerted her to her mother's arrival. Rushing to let her in she greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi mum, Tab's is still asleep and I have to go soon but you know where everything is, don't you?"

Slightly flustered Mackenzie flitted around the kitchen as she swallowed her final piece of toast followed by the last of her tea.

"Right mum, I'm off."

Christine Frane chuckled and gave her daughter a smile, "Have a good first day sweetheart and don't worry about anything here, we'll be absolutely fine."

"Tabs should be awake in a minute so give her a kiss from me, won't you." Glancing at her watch Mackenzie frowned, "You'll be ok to pick her up from school?"

"Yes. Susie is opening up the coffee shop this morning so I can drop her off." Her mother grinned at her as she urged her daughter towards the door, "And Maggie will be in this afternoon. Now off you go and don't be late."

"No that would never do on my first day." She snickered.

"Bye sweetheart."

"Bye mum. Don't forget that Tabitha goes in at 8.45 and I should be at the coffee shop by five."

"I know, I know. Now get yourself off to work." Christine laughed as she waved her daughter away.

With their brief conversation over Mackenzie started for the front door of her flat, pausing only to kiss her fingers and touch them to the framed photograph of her younger brother Liam.

'I miss you little brother.'

She still missed him desperately even though it had been more than 3 months since the funeral.

It had been hard for her and her mother when he had joined the Navy but they had had his e-mails and regular zoom calls. Now there was just an emptiness where he had been.

Blinking away the tears she forced the sad memories out of her mind and let herself out of the flat, setting off for her new job.

Despite the fact it was June there was a slight chill to the early morning air and she pulled her jacket tight around her body, putting her head down as she hurried along towards the bus stop at the end of the road.

She didn't have long to wait for the bus and, taking a seat towards the back, she hunched down and stared out at the world waking up around her. Watching the shops and houses passing by the window she sat and thought about how her life had worked out so differently to the one she had dreamed about when she left school

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By the age of twenty-five she had always imagined that she would have finished university and gained her degree before taking up a career, possibly in the city, working as a teacher at a nice school somewhere.

However, as so often happens things hadn't quite worked out as she had thought.

After taking her 'A' level exams there had been little too do before she finally finished school other than help with the arrangements for the last event of her school life, the prom.

The eagerly anticipated event was always held at the function suite of a prestigious hotel in the town centre and that year was certainly no exception. Most of those leaving had been involved in the preparations in some form or other and everyone was going to be dressed up for the evening.

Like all her friends Mackenzie had turned eighteen that year but unlike them she wasn't particularly looking forward to attending the big party. Going to a mixed school she had had plenty of interaction with boys but had preferred to concentrate on her studies. It had meant the few boyfriends she had had were all fairly platonic and she had earned the unwanted nickname of the ice queen.

As always, it turned out to be an alcohol fuelled party when they all said their last goodbyes before going off to do whatever they had decided on. Like some of her peers her plan had been to go to uni, provided she got the results she anticipated, she had been accepted at a number of academic institutions.

However, no matter what people's final plans were, most of those attending thought it was an amazing party.

Mackenzie might have agreed with that conclusion except for the simple fact that she had spent most of the evening on her own. Having had a little too much to drink she was slightly drunk and, without a dance partner or anyone to talk to, she had wandered out of the party and into the hotel bar.

That was when she had seen him.

He had been a similar age to her and sitting alone nursing a seemingly untouched beer when she had, totally uncharacteristically, gone up to him and asked him to buy her a drink. She was sure it had been the alcohol talking to begin with but the moment he had turned and she had looked into his brown eyes it had become so much more.

Tall, cute and apparently carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders she had fallen for him on the spot. But even now, knowing how she felt about him, she could hardly believe she had asked him to do what she wanted.

He had been shocked for sure but there had been something between them, something more than simple lust, and it had scared her when she realised what it was.

They had finished their drinks and then gone up to his room where she had given him her virginity.

After making love for the second time, he had fallen asleep. That was when she had crept out of bed and, with tears running down her face, left. It was a decision she had regretted every day since then.

It just a few weeks later she had discovered she was pregnant and all of her plans came to a complete standstill.

Without knowing his name or where he was she had no way of finding him, as much as she wanted to, and all she could do was pine for the love of her life.

Going to university had been out of the question and so, after leaving school, she had taken a dead-end job in the local supermarket. She had stayed there for seven months until she was due and then she had left to have her baby; a little girl named Tabitha.

Living at home with her mother and younger brother she had struggled through a half-a-dozen jobs after giving birth to her daughter. None of which had any prospects or lasted more than a month or two at most.

Finally, she had given in and gone to work at the coffee shop that her mother owned. The café barely made a profit but it was her mother's pride and joy, apart from her family, and Mackenzie had always tried to resist putting even more demands on an already stretched financial situation.

It hadn't paid very much but it at least meant that she could take the time she needed to bring up her daughter.

However, once Tabitha started at nursery school, she had begun to look for something else, that was when her friend Belinda Foulkes had told her of a vacancy coming up in the HR department at WestTech Industries where she worked.

The position was only as an assistant to Grace Ledbury the HR manager but it was doing something more interesting than making coffee and paid better, so she had applied. Much to her surprise she had got the job and settling in to her new post she had found herself feeling happier as her life took on a new perspective.

Then, just a few months after she had started, the fateful company Christmas party had occurred.

She hadn't intended going but Belinda had talked her into it, insisting she went along with her and her husband Denny. So, putting on her little black party dress, stiletto heels and some make-up she had, somewhat reluctantly, gone.

As with all company parties there were more than a few who over indulged in the free bar and amongst them was Alex Donaldson, a senior accounts manager. The married, 36-year-old had spotted Mackenzie early in the evening and, bolstered by the amount of alcohol he had drunk, had trapped her in the corner and was endeavouring to persuade her to have dinner with him one evening.

"How about having a meal with me one night." He leaned close to her, the reek of his beer breath making her turn her face away.

"No thank you." Her reply had been firm but polite.

"Aww c'mon, it's only dinner. We'll have some fun."

"No thank you. I'd really rather not."

"Why not you stuck up bitch. What's wrong with me?"

His comment brought back memories of all the taunts she had endured when she was at school.

"Please. Your married. Get out of my way."

Trying not to be rude she was attempting to get away from him and failing miserably when Charles Marwell had intervened.

"Alex! I think you've had a little too much to drink. I suggest you go home."

The charismatic and commanding voice had startled both of them and, much to her relief, had immediately got Alex Donaldson to scuttle off mumbling an apology to her as he went.

"Are you ok miss err....?" Once Alex had gone the company CEO had turned to Mackenzie and asked, clearly not knowing who she was.

"I erm... I'm Mackenzie Frane. I umm... I work in HR with... with Mrs Ledbury."

Feeling more than a little overawed she had stammered and blushed, his presence and authority overwhelming her and sending a shiver down her spine.

"Ah yes, I remember now." He looked her up and down, his eyes undressing her, and slowly smiled.

"Err... I should be getting back... my friends..."

"Of course. I hope you have a nice evening."

And with that he had walked away leaving her standing alone.

It was several weeks into the New Year before she saw Charles Marwell again.

She had just arrived for work when her phone rang. It was his secretary asking her to come up to see him. Going straight up to the fifth floor she had felt a twinge of excitement wondering what she was being summoned for, before being shown straight into his office.

Sitting almost reverently in front of him she waited, his charismatic presence sending a little flutter of arousal through her. Then he looked up, smiling at her and she felt her stomach tighten.

"Ah Mackenzie. Thank you for coming so promptly. Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Err... yes, thank you. You?"

"Good, good." His smirk was somewhat unsettling and she fidgeted in her seat as she waited for him to continue.

"Was there umm.... something you wanted to see me about?"

"Ah yes. You know Grace, Mrs Ledbury, is retiring, don't you?"

Mackenzie had nodded, "Yes, she did tell me. It's in March isn't it?"

"It is, March 31^st to be exact. So, how would you feel about taking on the role of HR manager?" The company CEO asked her.

Taken by surprise she had had to stop and catch her breath before saying yes. The prospect of a promotion and the associated pay rise thrilled her.

That was when he had suggested they have dinner to discuss it properly.

She knew she should refuse but she was so eager to get the position he had dangled before her she had nervously agreed. The fact he was married, forty years older than her and her ultimate boss did not deter her. He was her boss and radiated power and a magnetism that she found hard to resist.

Agreeing to meet him she had found herself walking into the Grand Metropole hotel the following Thursday evening.

Putting on a little more make-up than she did for work and wearing the same little black number she had had on at the Christmas party she was very conscious of the fact she was dressing for a date rather than a business meeting.

At 5' 8" Mackenzie was tall for a woman, and in the short black cocktail dress with her long straight brown hair worn loose rather than in the pony tail she habitually wore at work, she cut a striking figure.

Her slender 34C-24-35 figure was clearly accentuated by the tightness of her dress while her 3" heels helped to emphasise her long legs.

She liked her blue eyes which were large and expressive, especially when they were properly made up and, while she considered her mouth full with nice lips, she didn't much care for her rather sharp aquiline nose.

Checking her appearance in the mirror she decided she was satisfied and with a quick kiss for her daughter she had said goodbye to her mother and headed out of the house.

If only she had turned around and walked away then, she thought to herself as she sat on the bus.

Dressed as she was with her heels clicking on the tiled floor of the hotel entrance she had attracted the attention of several men, their eyes turning to follow her as she walked across the foyer.

Looking around she entered the bar noting that amongst the small group of businessmen and a handful of early drinkers she was the only woman.

Sliding up onto a bar stool Mackenzie carefully tugged down the hem of her dress before ordering a glass of white wine from the barman and settling in to wait for her date. Pointedly ignoring the interested looks of the couple of single men glancing her way she took out her phone to check for any messages.

She was still scrolling through her screen when she was jerked back to what was happening around her.

"Punctual Mackenzie, I like that."

Glancing up she saw the figure of the tall, portly 63-year-old Charles Marwell, the CEO of WestTech Enterprises standing next to her.

"Gin and tonic." He snapped boorishly at the barman, making no attempt at politeness.

Rolling her eyes she groaned inwardly, the confidence and charisma that he had demonstrated at the Christmas party that had made him appear powerful, suddenly seemed more like arrogance and simple rudeness, irritating her immensely.

"So, good day? Bad day?" He slid onto the stool next to her letting his hand drop onto her thigh outside of her dress making his intentions blatantly obvious.

"Pretty average thank you. I'm sure you know how it goes in Human Resources." She glanced down at his hand but resisted the temptation to remove it from her leg.

"Oh, I do." His small eyes roamed lasciviously over her body making her shudder as it became very clear what he wanted from her.

Mackenzie took a sip from her wine and didn't bother responding. She now knew for certain that there was only one reason why she was here. If she wanted the promotion, there was only one way she was going to get it.

"How long do you have?" She asked quietly not bothering to look at her boss.

"I told my wife I was having dinner with a client." His smirk sent a shiver of disgust at what she was about to do down her spine, "There's no need for us to rush things. We can eat first."

It wasn't a surprise when he mentioned his wife, she knew he was married, she had known it from the start. However, the casualness with which he dismissed the poor woman made her squirm and she wondered how many affairs he had had before her.

Continuing to stroke her leg Charles smiled as he squeezed her thigh a little tighter, feeling her suspender belt clasp through the material.

"Let's save that for later and have dinner." He took his hand off her, his knowing leer sending another shudder through her.

Finishing her drink Mackenzie resigned herself to an evening of very dull and unfulfilling sex with a man old enough to be her grandfather, just to get the job she so badly wanted.

"Shall we eat then?" Mackenzie swallowed the last of her wine and carefully slid off the stool.

Charles did likewise, drinking his gin and tonic down in two hurried mouthfuls.

"Certainly, my dear." He sniggered placing a hand in the small of her back as he guided her towards the dining room.

In different circumstances she would have appreciated the meal. The fish she had chosen had been absolutely delicious as had the dessert but the knowledge of why she was there had completely overshadowed her enjoyment.

He had insisted on buying a bottle of wine to go with their dinner and she had drunk several glasses hoping to dull her senses to what she was going to submit to.