{"sf1_id":143963,"sf2_id":"k1V6xQb1","title":"Task Force - Change in Plans","author":"SrA havenofimage","words":2112,"posted_at":"2010-05-05T20:15:00.000Z","tags":["Kissing","Love","Military","Snow Leopard","Spec Ops","Story Series","insubordination","marten"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/143963-task-force-change-in-plans","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/k1V6xQb1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/35/47/3547d407-6c73-49fd-9728-b918cadeb9df","description":"#16 of Task Force","content":"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;I wanted to rebel so badly right now.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to just give the government the bird and tell the others to stay, but I couldn't.\u0026nbsp; Both arguments went against everything I had ever been taught in training.\u0026nbsp; Whoever had decided this was an ignorant ass who knew nothing of comradery and team cohesion.\u0026nbsp; There was no use arguing now though.\u0026nbsp; What was done was done.\u0026nbsp; Now Jessica and I would have to do the best we could with just the two of us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Presently she stepped back inside the bunker, securing the large door behind her.\u0026nbsp; She walked over to the table where I was sitting and sat in a chair next to me.\u0026nbsp; I had no idea how long we sat there in silence.\u0026nbsp; It felt as if a physical part of me had been ripped away.\u0026nbsp; As if, in taking my squad mates, I was now missing an arm or leg.\u0026nbsp; Finally Jessica broke the silence.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What do we do now Harper?\u0026nbsp; What's the plan?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We'll get orders, complete the mission, and go home.\u0026nbsp; That's all we can do for the moment.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Eventually she got up and retired to her quarters.\u0026nbsp; I sat alone for a while longer before doing the same.\u0026nbsp; I lay in my bed staring at the concrete ceiling.\u0026nbsp; Everything about this seamed wrong and I didn't know why.\u0026nbsp; There was something going on in the background that I wasn't being told about.\u0026nbsp; I had no evidence to support this theory, but I had a feeling.\u0026nbsp; I had learned within the first year of training to trust my feelings.\u0026nbsp; They usually served me better than my other senses.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Finally, after lying awake in the dark for an hour, I climbed out of my bunk and walked back out to the main room.\u0026nbsp; I sat on the small couch and picked up my book.\u0026nbsp; I didn't get far because a few minutes later, Jessica came out of her room as well.\u0026nbsp; She looked startled to see me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Can't sleep?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"No.\u0026nbsp; Mind if I sit with you Kirian?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It was one of those rare instances when she used my first name which meant something was wrong.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Sure.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She walked over to the couch in her smooth gait and sat down next to me.\u0026nbsp; Her light hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and, as always, she was bare foot.\u0026nbsp; Her blue violet eyes were turned towards the wall, but appeared to be looking beyond it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Something's wrong here Kirian.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You felt it too?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I felt it the moment I was finished recovering from the bio alterations.\u0026nbsp; We've been so busy down here I never had the chance to think about it.\u0026nbsp; Now it all comes back, only worse.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I agree, the task force has changed.\u0026nbsp; I don't know why or how, but something is different.\u0026nbsp; It's no longer what I had expected and experienced.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; We fell silent until Jessica spoke up again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Do you think we'll ever have the chance to go back to our old lives?\u0026nbsp; Before we came to Center Seventeen?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I still haven't decided if I would ever want to.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I know what you mean.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This statement brought back a question I had wanted to ask Jessica a long time ago, but had been driven from my mind for years.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What did you give up when you left the academy?\u0026nbsp; I never saw your parents at the funeral.\u0026nbsp; You were the one who seemed the most willing to start over with the task force.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"My parents weren't there because I ran away from home when I was seven.\u0026nbsp; They were rich pricks who had no time for me.\u0026nbsp; I felt I hardly knew them when I left and never cared afterwards.\u0026nbsp; I lived in an orphanage for about a year when I ran from there as well.\u0026nbsp; I ended up hiding in the store room of a public library.\u0026nbsp; One of the librarians found me and took me in, but I preferred living alone.\u0026nbsp; He hid me there and allowed me to stay.\u0026nbsp; I began reading again during that time.\u0026nbsp; My parents had paid for private tutors, and I swore I would never learn again.\u0026nbsp; I had no idea how much fun it was when I wasn't having all their information shoved at me forcibly.\u0026nbsp; I started at A and worked my way through. In the three years I was there.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You read an entire library?\u0026nbsp; By the time you were eleven?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yup.\u0026nbsp; It was then when the librarian died of a stroke.\u0026nbsp; Social services took me and put me back in school.\u0026nbsp; I was back in everything I hated.\u0026nbsp; I put up with it now though.\u0026nbsp; I began learning computers, and started programming.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't long before I was hacking to fix grades for classmates.\u0026nbsp; I was almost thrown out, but one of the few social workers I liked pulled a few strings and convinced them to let me stay, under a personalized education program.\u0026nbsp; Senior year I decided I didn't want to go to college.\u0026nbsp; One of my friends was in a program called R O T C.\u0026nbsp; I didn't know what it was, but I talked to the commander and he told me about the academy.\u0026nbsp; We became close friends and he personally helped me study and get in shape for the applications.\u0026nbsp; He was the only person I knew who showed up at the funeral.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She fell silent at this point.\u0026nbsp; I had never known any of that about Jessica.\u0026nbsp; She never talked about her past.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I don't have anything to go back to if I get out, so I see it as a chance to start a new life.\u0026nbsp; No strings, no connections.\u0026nbsp; Why wouldn't you want to go back?\u0026nbsp; You have your family and friends and Traci.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Perhaps.\u0026nbsp; My family thinks I'm dead.\u0026nbsp; I only had a few friends, my closest being Teague since we were both five.\u0026nbsp; Who knows what Traci is up to any more?\u0026nbsp; Probably married.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Don't worry about it Kirian.\u0026nbsp; Everything will work out for you, no matter what happens here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"How can you know that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Because I know you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I wonder what will happen with us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What do you mean?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I mean you, me, Teague, Tank, Trestan.\u0026nbsp; The time we've spent together, our experiences, our connections, it's not exactly something that just ends.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I guess we'll see if the time ever comes.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The two of us fell silent again.\u0026nbsp; My mind continued to race as it had always done.\u0026nbsp; Somehow I never had complete control over my thoughts when I was in this state.\u0026nbsp; My brain was programmed for heightened perception and didn't like being idle.\u0026nbsp; A question came into my mind, one I had not thought about for a long time.\u0026nbsp; It seemed odd, and fitting that it would return to me now.\u0026nbsp; I tried to forget it again but it wouldn't go away.\u0026nbsp; I didn't want to think about it, but something told me that I had to ask it, I had to know.\u0026nbsp; Especially with today's events and the situation we had been put in.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Jessica, do you trust me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Unquestioningly.\u0026nbsp; Why would you have to ask?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Because I need to ask you a question, and I don't want you to think I'm crazy or anything, and I need you to take it completely seriously.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Okay, what is it?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It was amazing that I could take a bullet without flinching yet a simple question made me scared.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Do you love me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She looked as though the question had taken her off her guard.\u0026nbsp; Not as if she had to think of the answer, but more like she had to remember how to say the answer.\u0026nbsp; She recomposed herself and looked me in the eyes.\u0026nbsp; In a calm, serious, and tender tone, she answered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yes.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Why?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Because I know you... and I know you love me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; How she knew that I had no idea.\u0026nbsp; I couldn't remember ever expressing any emotion towards her since that night in the hospital.\u0026nbsp; She continued.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I know you didn't want to.\u0026nbsp; You tried had to keep your emotions free, as you knew you needed to.\u0026nbsp; In the end, you accepted it, but knew you would never need to express it.\u0026nbsp; It was knowledge for you and you alone to contemplate and comprehend.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She said this all in that same voice, as if trying to express that it wasn't just blind passionate love for each other, but a trusting, calculated, mutual, emotional connection that we would need now more than ever.\u0026nbsp; She was right.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Why didn't you say anything?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Because, you asked me not to, in your own way.\u0026nbsp; Neither of us was ready, even though I wanted to be.\u0026nbsp; When the time was right, we would both know.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Sorry it wasn't as soon as you would have liked.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It's better this way.\u0026nbsp; Now I know I'm ready.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I leaned over and kissed her.\u0026nbsp; We fell asleep on the couch, Jessica's body curled up in my arms.\u0026nbsp; It had been a strange day, and undoubtedly more were to come.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I woke the next morning, still on the couch, Jessica still there.\u0026nbsp; Ours was a strange relationship.\u0026nbsp; We both knew how we felt, where we stood, and what it all meant.\u0026nbsp; It required no explanation to ourselves, or to each other.\u0026nbsp; I slowly tried to extricate myself from my position without waking her.\u0026nbsp; This became particularly difficult when I noticed my tail was pinned.\u0026nbsp; Eventually I was free, and Jess was still asleep.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I noticed the blue light flashing on the com consol, the signal for a new text document.\u0026nbsp; I sat down and powered on the projectors.\u0026nbsp; Text appeared suspended in the air in front of my face.\u0026nbsp; I focused my vision and scanned the first few lines.\u0026nbsp; It appeared to be an order describing out next set of missions.\u0026nbsp; I scrolled back to the top and began reading it closely this time.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The further I got into the document, the more I worried about the contents.\u0026nbsp; All of these operations were a load of crap.\u0026nbsp; They were all small, insignificant targets which would have absolutely no effect on ending anything here.\u0026nbsp; I began to realize what was going on.\u0026nbsp; For some reason, someone was trying to split the team, and then keep us apart.\u0026nbsp; I reached the bottom where Dr. Hall had written a hasty note.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Though I was strictly prohibited from showing you this, I feel that the task force has become something I never designed for it.\u0026nbsp; Everything is out of my paws.\u0026nbsp; I'm sorry.\u0026nbsp; I never meant for this to happen.\u0026nbsp; I'm leaving the final decision about the fate of the squad to you Kirian.\u0026nbsp; What happens now is in your paws. \u0026nbsp;They all trust you, and will understand and follow your decision. \u0026nbsp;Good luck. \u0026nbsp;I hope to see you again someday.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I read the document one more time, printed a coppy and then erased all traces of its existence.\u0026nbsp; I knew what I had to do now.\u0026nbsp; Dr. Hall was right.\u0026nbsp; This series of missions would turn us into something we had never agreed to do.\u0026nbsp; We had joined knowing we would make a difference in saving Jardinian lives.\u0026nbsp; Now we would be endangering them, if not directly terminating them.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jessica woke up and looked over at me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"New orders?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"In a way.\u0026nbsp; Dr. Hall sent us the next phase of operations for both Blue and Red teams.\u0026nbsp; I'll let you read through it and see what you think.\u0026nbsp; I've already made up my mind.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I went out to the weapon racks and pulled out my sniper rifle. \u0026nbsp;It was time to finish this, once and for all. \u0026nbsp;I began adjusting the set up for the next mission, my mission. \u0026nbsp;I heard Jessica pound her fist on a counter. \u0026nbsp;She must have finished the document and came to the same conclusion I did. \u0026nbsp;The door opened and I turned to see her standing there, a determined look in her eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What's the plan now Kirian?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We finish this. \u0026nbsp;We finish this and go home. \u0026nbsp;I can't make you come with me, but I could use a spotter. \u0026nbsp;Are you in, or out?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She walked over, wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed me. \u0026nbsp;That was all the answer I needed.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Task Force","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/143578-task-force-divide-and-conquer.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/144149-task-force-long-shot.json"}}