Military Matters Ch. 03

Telling him the truth about my past and the rumours had to be my first priority. He deserved that at the very least regardless of what his reaction might be.

The Brigadier hadn't reappeared by the time I finished work for the day so, tidying my desk, I quickly left to look for Danny. I hadn't gone very far when I spotted him across the compound in the distance.

He turned towards me and smiled and it was then that I felt the softest of touches on my rear as a hand caressed my backside. I spun around to find Brigadier Hyde standing right behind me.

"You're not avoiding me, are you Natasha?" his soft voice did nothing to disguise the undercurrent of intent in it, "Disappearing off like that, without a word."

"Err... I... err... no, no sir. Not at all." Taken totally by surprise I let his hand rest on my bottom as I spluttered a reply.

"Good, good. Shall we go and eat?" His hand went to the small of my back as he started to steer me towards the mess hut, "Then perhaps we can adjourn to my quarters after."

I twisted around and looking back at Danny. I could see him staring after me with a look of total hurt and bewilderment as the Brigadier guided me away from him with his hand on me. It was impossible for me to imagine what was going on in his mind as he saw what he thought was me being marched off to the senior officer's bed.

Trembling I let him walk me away, his hand sliding from my spine onto my rump and back again. Even the fact I was dressed in totally unsexual fatigues didn't seem to put him off.

Sitting in the mess with him I could feel the inquisitive eyes on us although being at the centre of attention didn't seem to bother the Brigadier in the slightest.

"I must say I've eaten better. What do you think?" He grinned at me trying to make conversation as we ate.

"Yeah.... It's ok.... I guess." Stammering I could feel the dread rising inside me.

"Well, we're not here for the fine dining, are we?" his look changed to one of unadulterated lust, "Perhaps next time you'll return to camp Bastion? The food there is a definite improvement."

"I... it depends on how... how busy..." my answer was cut short as Colonel Moresby walked into the mess with Danny Cantwell just a few steps behind her.

My eyes locked onto his as he stopped and stared straight at me. Then without a word he spun on his heel and walked straight back out of the entrance.

"I've spoken to the Colonel about that and......." the Brigadier started to answer me.

"Danny... wait..." I interrupted him calling out before I could stop myself as I jumped up from my seat and ran out of the mess after him, ignoring the open-mouthed stares from everyone inside.

Outside in the compound, on the verge of panic, I paused and frantically looked around but there was no sign of him, he had simply vanished into the camp.

"I don't know what sort of game you're playing young lady but it stops now." Before I could move a hand grabbed my arm, "I think we should adjourn to my quarters. Now!"

Taking a deep breath, I stopped and turned to face him "I'm sorry sir I'm not doing this."

"Doing what Natasha." The Brigadier's condescending smirk made me want to slap his face.

"Anything with you..... sir!" swallowing nervously I yanked my arm out of his grip.

His eyes narrowed and he glared at me "Be very, very careful Captain, if you don't perform as expected I won't be happy and I make a much better friend than I do enemy."

"Perform sir?" I could see Jane Moresby had followed him out and was standing silently behind him, listening to our conversation "Perform how exactly, may I ask?"

"Don't pretend you don't know why you got your promotion and why you were posted here. You were fucking Colonel Stanton and now you're going to fuck me."

I stood my ground "I may have made a mistake in the past but it stopped when I came here."

Brigadier Hyde laughed "You little slut, you'll do what I brought you here for or else."

"Or else what Brigadier? That sounds like a threat to me." Colonel Moresby stepped closer and finally spoke announcing her presence and startling the senior officer.

Hearing a voice behind him he spun around.

The Colonel had obviously succeeded and caught him completely unawares.

"I... err... I... meant... umm... what I meant..." taken by surprise he struggled to respond.

"It seems to me that what you meant was to use your seniority to intimidate a junior female officer into sleeping with you." She stated with assuredness.

"I... I never...." He blustered profusely, puffing out his chest and trying to intimidate Jane Moresby.

"Is that the case Captain?" she turned to ask me.

"Err... yes ma'am." Nervously I replied glancing between the two of them.

"Perhaps if you were to ask her not to make a complaint and you promise to leave Captain Upson-Marsh alone in the future she might agree not bring harassment charges against you Brigadier." The Colonel suggested knowing she had trapped him.

"Yes, yes of course. I apologise Captain, I meant no offence." he was very quick to show his contrition, obviously keen to avoid any potential scandal.

"Will that suffice Captain Upson-Marsh?" my commanding officer turned to ask me.

"Yes ma'am, I guess I can accept that." desperate to go and find Danny I agreed to his apology and left the Colonel to head back to the mess with her superior.

I had no idea where he had gone as I started to search for him, asking any of the soldiers passing if they had seen him. Most just shook their heads and said no but the fourth of fifth trooper I stopped told me he thought he had seen him heading to the medical centre.

'Damn.' That was the obvious place for him to go, to check on the injured soldiers.

Hurrying across to the infirmary I was disappointed to find he had already been and gone. However, one of the patients was able to tell me he thought Danny had gone to the main gate.

As I made my way to the camp entrance, my heart started to pound furiously once again as I tried to think of how I was going to explain everything I had done to him. I knew I had to, irrespective of what he thought of me, and just hope he would forgive me.

Talking to one of the soldiers on duty and standing with his back to me I saw him as soon as I stepped around the corner of one of the huts. My pulse rate jumping again as I swallowed anxiously and started to head towards him.

"Sergeant Cantwell." Trying hard not to cry I spoke as forcefully as I could.

Turning to face me I could see the look of deep mistrust in his eyes "Yes.... ma'am."

Conscious of the other men nearby I tried to keep my voice level "Can we talk please Sergeant."

"I really don't think there's anything left to say.... Ma'am." My heart sank at the way he spoke to me and by the cold expression of contempt on his face.

"Please... Danny." I took his arm and guided him towards the camps entrance and out of earshot of the guards standing nearby, "I need to explain. Please."

"It all seems pretty clear to me." He stated frostily, "Your preference is obviously for senior officers. What was I some sort of game for you? A distraction while you waited...."

Feeling the tears pricking the corner of my eyes I looked into his and underneath the anguish I thought I saw what might be the flicker of his true feelings. I just wanted to throw myself at him and beg him to forgive me.

"No, it... it wasn't like that Danny.... I..."

"Then what was it like... exactly.... Ma'am?" his tone was cynical in the extreme.

"I.... I..." my voice broke and I could feel my eyes begin to tear up.

The sound of the engine interrupted me and I twisted my head to stare curiously at the battered old truck accelerating towards the gates.

"Car bomb!" I heard Danny yell as several automatic weapons opened up around us, the soldiers on guard firing as they tried to stop it before it reached the gate.

Frozen to the spot in sheer disbelief I realised what was happening and yet I couldn't move as the vehicle got rapidly closer.

"Natasha....." I heard Danny yell.

Staring at the truck unable to react I just stood there in shock as he grabbed me, wrapping his arms around me and turning me away from the imminent blast so his back was towards the entrance and his body covered mine.

The next moment, a few feet from the camps entrance, the bomb exploded and everything seemed to happen at once.

Despite shielding me from the blast a wave of heat preceded the sound of the detonation by a fraction of a second throwing the pair of us several feet through the air. Hitting the packed earth hard Danny's weight pinned me down while the ringing in my ears from the explosion made it difficult for me to think coherently.

"Uuuuggg.... aaahhhh!" spitting out the grit and sand that seemed to have coated the inside of my mouth I tried to open my eyes with little success.

It took me several seconds to fully come to my senses as I lay there staring up over his shoulder into the dust cloud around us. Gasping for breath every muscle in my body hurt but the searing agony in my left ankle seemed worse than any of the other aches.

Breathing heavily, I pushed at the man laying on top of me.

"It's ok. You can get off me now Sergeant." I told Danny somewhat sarcastically, trying to wriggle out from under his two hundred pounds of dead weight.

The body on top of me didn't move.

"Sergeant... you can get up now."

It was then, getting no response from him, that I began to realise that something was very wrong.

"Danny!" Trying to push him I stared at my hand as it came away from his body wet and red.

"No... Danny, Danny... wake up... DANNY!" Screaming I struggled to get up from under him ignoring the pain from my own injuries as other soldiers nearby came to our aid.

Lifting his unconscious form off me I felt the heat from the blazing wreck as I was helped to my feet, staring helplessly at the unmoving blood covered body on the floor. I immediately tried to put my weight on my injured ankle and go to him only to collapse at the first step, crying out in agony.

"Danny... oh god... no..." I could only sit there and look at him lying there, lifeless.

"Medic.... Medic." Someone nearby was shouting and more figures came rushing towards us ready to help.

I lay on the ground, my eyes filling with tears, watching as they lifted his limp body onto a stretcher and hurried it away towards the base medical centre. Unable to walk I could only remain on the flattened earth waiting until I was able to follow a few minutes later, four soldiers conveying me on another bodyboard.

Colonel Moresby was already at the small camp infirmary when they carried me in, her grim expression told me immediately that something was very wrong