Chapter 1

Bits of wood and white dust exploded above my head as I knelt over the polymer box. I kept low to the ground to avoid being shot. My ears rang and everything was muffled as I went back to pulling out the equipment I had left inside. Plate carrier, check; Bug out bag, check; Magazines, check; Pistol, check; Rifle... Shit!

After I pulled out everything and put it on, the most important part was gone! I felt the bottom of the dark box as only a few dim rays of sunlight came from the bullet holes in the exterior wall behind me. I felt around again. Then again, but there wasn't a rifle. "No! No! I should have-"

I was suddenly pulled off the box by my carrier and came face to face with my brother. I could see his lips form words, but my ears rang and each word was muffled. Maybe he saw my lost eyes, but he figured out I couldn't understand what he was barking about. He looked over me quickly as he made sure to keep checking the entrance to my room.

Once he was done, he pointed to his rifle and pointed to my box. I quickly conveyed my confusion with my head and hands. I could see him bite back that stupid f.u.c.k.i.n.g snarl he always gave me when he knew I f.u.c.k.i.e.d up something really important. One that I would have gladly argued with him over, but more bullets tore through the wall again and he jerked me towards the door.

I got to my hands and feet as my brother kept low by the doorway. He was fully geared up with his HK416, full package plate carrier with a few grenades, a screen on his forearm, and a large kevlar helmet on his head. He was going through his backpack and pulled out a device that was the carbon copy of the one on his arm, just white rather than the black casing.

He did some voodoo jumbo stuff with it before he threw it to me. It bounced by my hands and he gestured to put it on. The device had four straps on each side of it that connected to each other. I slipped it on and left it tight. When I looked up again, my brother slid me over a large headset that crashed into my hand. I didn't ask this time and put it on. The muffled noises around me became even more stifled by the headset. He pulled his pack onto his back and checked his rifle. He then got adjusted his grip and stepped into the hallway. The hallway flashed erratically as he let out a burst of fire in the hallway before he stepped back into gesture for me to follow.

He slipped away and the dust swirled in his tracks.

I quickly scrambled after him with a bit of effort as my limbs shook with fear and adrenaline. When I stepped into the hall, I saw the slightly obscured figures of my brother's squad members peel of their positions on both sides of the staircase. That part of the house faced the neighbor's home, no more than fifteen feet in distance from ours. When I got closer, I saw it was riddled with bullets and all the windows were shot out. The scent of gunpowder filled the air along with a heavy scent of iron and something else.

Out of nowhere, my brother grabbed my arm and I yelped in surprise. My hearing had already begun to clear up with the help of the headset and I heard a slightly muffled. "What the f.u.c.k?" From one of his squadmates. "It's nothing." My brother barked at him. "Your bro sounded -" He was cut off by my brother "If you have time to comment on Kian, you have time to secure the area." As the leader of the squad, my brother's word was law.

["Don't gotta be so protective, Jacob."]

A voice popped over the headset's speakers before my brother growled into his microphone. "The package is moving." Ooo, he's pissed... I whispered in my heat as my brother led me to where my dust-covered boots were by the top of the staircase. I cleared away the hot brass at the top step and sat down. I reached into them, grabbed the socks inside and tried to put them but my nerves played hell on my motor functions. "Hurry up!" My brother yelled at me as he waited for me a few steps down. "I'm trying!" I squeaked back. "Why..." He was about to berate me, something he had usually done, but he stopped.

I looked at him, glad of it and finally managed to finish with the boots. For once, I was glad I slept in my jeans. I got up and tried to hurry down the stairs, but Jacob was still there. He looked at me, with a sad tint somewhere in his eyes before he pulled my headset off and brushed my hair back before he replaced the headset. I felt a little weirded out at the sudden tender care he showed, but his scold returned back as he forcibly led me back down the stairs. Somehow, it felt like I might have imagined it.

By the time we reached the first floor, my hearing returned and I could hear jets fly past overhead as well as distant explosions.

I looked up at my brother who towered half a head over me as I waited for some sort of explanation, but none came and he led me through the kitchen to the backyard where his squad was. "This is Kian...?" One of the men posted by the large French doors said. He didn't have a helmet on, just a headset like me. His confusion showed on his face as he sized me up, probably to compare me to my bear of a brother next to me. Jacob was wider, larger, and all-around – much more of a bear than a human in my eyes than me. "I thought you had a sister for a moment." He chuckled before my brother grabbed one random piece of décor and threw it at him. Ah... My iPad... It wasn't a piece décor; I reside that observation.

The delicate piece of tech flew through the now windowless doors and landed in the grass beyond.

I couldn't fault my him though. I did look feminine, especially when placed side my side by my brother. My brother let me go. "Stay in the kitchen. Get some water. We need to secure a new route." He said as he let go of my arm and I took his suggestion. The communication line buzzed with activity as more and more people talked as they tried to formulate a new plan. Apparently, they were supposed to get me out of here by car, but since everything had gone to hell; They had to check their options.

I looked back towards the front door and saw that it had been blown apart. A few other men were there on standby. I wanted to say something witty and edgy about this lonely shit hole of a house was finally going to come down, but I couldn't. I felt sick and afraid. I ventured off to the bathroom beneath the staircase. I hung the headset on the towel rack and splashed as much water over myself as possible.

I could still hear the buzz of activity on the comms while it was hung and I could only stare into the mirror as I took deep breaths.