*I am standing next to my mom's open grave. I look up to see my dad looking at my mom's coffin. I take dad's hand and he looks down at me with tears in his eyes. I can feel fresh tears starting to burn mine. I turned around and started running. I ran so fast that I felt like my heart was going to explode. I could hear my dad calling my name. "Van... Van..."*

"Van... Ivanna, hey, you have to get up."

I sit up straight and rubbed my eyes.

"Rick? I must have fallen asleep."

"Your dad is looking for you."

"Why? What did I do this time?"

"I think he is upset because you disobeyed his order to stay behind."

"Dammit."

I fished out some clean clothes from my bag. I made my way to the bathroom, were I took a quick shower. I got dressed and tied my hair back. It has grown back since they cut everything off. I made my way back to my bed and dumped my filthy clothes.

I made my way to dad's office. I hesitated at the door before I knock.

"Come in." His husky voice made me very nervous.

"Lieutenant? You wanted to see me?"

"Yes Sergeant, please come in. Shut the door behind you."

He finishes what he was writing before I came in. He removes his glasses and folds his hands on the table.

"Why did you disobey a direct order?"

"Dad, I..."

"Ivanna. I told you to stay behind and you went anyway. Is that what my commands mean to you. I am very disappointment."

"Dad, please allow me to expla..."

"Unfortunately I have to be fair. I can't favour you just because you are my daughter." He hesitates before he speaks again. "For your punishment you are on 12 hour perimeter duty on the night of One Direction's performance."

"But dad, while everyone is having fun, I have to work. And you know that they are coming to tell us that they appreciate what we are doing."

"Sorry, chica, but you are going to miss it and that's final. Now go. I have important things to do. Also close the door on your way out."

"Yes sir." I turned and walked out shutting the door behind me.

Is he serious? Who does he think he is? Bossing me around. I am almost 20 years old and I have been a part of this unit since I was 17. You would think by now I would know how to handle myself.

"Hey boys, check it out! Hey beautiful wanna show me how to handle a gun?"

Agrh, rookies, they always think that they are so awesome because they signed up for the army. Newsflash.

"Aww, come on baby. There's no reason to be so stuck up."

He touches my arm and with one swift move I drop him to the ground.

"That's Sergeant to you, Private."

"Damn Van, you knocked the wind out of my rookie."

"Well Robinson, tell your rookie to show more respect to the LC's daughter."

"Will do."

He must've seen I wasn't in a good mood, because we always like to joke around.

I enter our base camp and see Rick sitting very comfortably on my bed. I made myself at home on his.

"And? What did the LC say?"

"He put me on perimeter duty tomorrow evening."

"But that's the night One Direction is coming to perform."

"I know."

"Aww, and now you are going to miss it."

"Whatever. Who cares about a bunch of teenagers living their dream, which by the way got handed to them on a silver platter." I stare thru the gaps in the tent. "What I wouldn't give to be free like them."

Just then Welch enters. "Lieutenant Colonel Gutierrez wants to see both of you immediately."

"Did he say why?" Rick asks putting his feet on the floor to put on his boots.

"No, just that he want to see me, the two of you, Robinson and Kelley."

"Sounds serious. We are on our way." He waits for Welch to leave and then turns to me. "To be continued?"

I nod and we made our way to the lion's den, aka dad's office.

We walk into his office and stand in front of his desk. We salute him and wait for his word.

"At ease, Sergeants. We have received very distressing news. The enemy is creating a new type of weapon."

Kelley steps forward. "What kind of weapon are we talking about, Sir."

"Nuclear, it can wipe out an entire city."

"What do you want us to do about it sir?"

"Well Hendricks, I want you to blow up the factory."

"Wait Sir, what about the civilians?"

"War has it's casualties, Sergeant Gutierrez."

I stand back and look at the people in the room all stepping closer and discussing the task at hand. War has it's casualties? Is that all a human life is? I can feel my heart beating faster.

"Sergeant Gutierrez!"

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"So glad you could grace us with your presence. You are taking the back door. Remember to destroy as much information as you can. You leave in two hours. Good luck soldiers."

We salute him and leave his office.

"Are you okay? You really spaced out in there."

"Sorry Rick, my mind was somewhere else."

"I saw that. Are you ready for this mission?"

"No."

"Come on Van. We need you for this."

"I don't like the idea of killing innocent people, who are following orders just like us."