It's the morning of our departure for the field op. We will be going fifteen klicks from base, kicking it off in a wide-open field. A few other higher ups will be joining us, so I have to act like a Lieutenant. I stand off to the side with the other officers going over the procedures for the two-week field op. There is a new mission every day. The weekend we still have the prechecks and maintenance to take care of but there won't be a full fledge mission. I'll be going back and forth from base and the field with the aircraft as well as helping with the para troopers. There are four scheduled jumps starting on Wednesday. It should be a good time.

I watch the enlisted take care of filling the planes and trucks with equipment. The armory guys just got back with the weapons for the op. I zone out on the work being done, I don't hear my name being called. 

"Jane!" Captain shouts.

I jump at his voice and turn to look at him, wide eyed. 

"Yes, sir?" I question, trying to ignore his daggers. 

"If you would pay attention and not be in la la land, you would know what I just asked you." 

"Well what did you ask me, sir?" I try not to be sassy, but its so hard. He just erks me. 

"Did you complete the range forms for your platoon?" 

I have the other officers now staring at me. I keep my composer and think to myself if I did or not. I remember signing them last week. 

"Yes, I completed those last week, sir." I say as politely as I can. 

"And you turned them into Master Sargent?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Alright, I think we are almost ready to go. Once they finish loading the trucks and jets we will leave." 

I nod and walk back inside, deciding it would probably be best for me to go to my desk and wait. I'm sure there is something in my email I need to look over.

"This is Oscar one Juliet, preparing for takeoff." I speak into my mic, waiting for the go to take off. 

"Oscar one Juliet you are clear to depart." 

I take my que and flip some levers and switches and I feel the aircraft begin to move beneath me. I glance over at the Captain then back to the view in front of me. Moving along the tarmac, we get set to takeoff. I pull against the wheel and we slow ascend into the air. I see clear blue sky's in front of me, the nose of the plane pointed in the air. Once we reach the correct altitude, I even out and we are heading west. We will be landing before the group arrives. Ten klicks don't take that long in an aircraft.

We are landing less then ten minutes later. I call out my destination and landing codes, then I slowly land the osprey to the ground. Landing gear down and the closer I get the more sand and dust flies in the air. The trees bend backwards from the wind created by my blades. I feel the Captain's eyes on me as I prepare to touch the ground. I bite my lip and pray for a good land.

There is a little jolt as the gears touch the ground, but a good landing non the less. I flip some switches and the aircraft slowly slows its rotors and engines and soon she is off. I lower the back end for troops to start getting out and emptying the cargo in the back. I take my helmet off and flight mask, setting it on the dash. The Captain is already out of his chair and in the back before I am unbuckled. I have to complete my log before I can begin to help. Even then there are enough guys it shouldn't take long. By time we are done unloading the trucks should be arriving and we will be able to start helping them out.

The command shelters, camo netting and sleeping tents are the first things to go up as we unload trucks. Each soldier is set to a different area to help. Our operations are set up in no time and everyone is clearly tired and worn out from the days events. Getting field ops set up are always a daunting task. I try and walk through the areas, making sure everything is going over well. I know I should be in the command tent, but its always stuffy in those things. Especially out here in the desert. We may have a/c generators, but it doesn't always help much. My gear is already set up in one of the large tents. It's the only female tent. Its not to crowded, as there is only five females. I'm the only female Lieutenant, the rest are enlisted. All NCO's and below.

Night falls quickly and I volunteer to have first watch. I'd rather get my time done and over with. It's only two hours, nothing serious. Captain and Ssgt say I should be on watch, but I don't think its fair that only enlisted NCO's and below have to do watch. We should all have too. So, I don't take no for answer and I set myself up in the command tent, weapon at my side and I'm ready to go.

I leave the Airman on duty with me in the tent, while I go patrol the perimeter. As I'm passing a thick section of woods, I hear rustling of branches being either stepped on or snapping from someone pushing them out of the way. My curiosity gets the best of me and I point my weapon out in front of me. There's no ammo, but it may scare whoever it is away before I have to shoot. I'm a good fifteen yards in when I hear running, pounding feet shake the ground. There is nothing I know of that would be out here, big enough to shake the ground as it runs. I see something gleaming in the moonlight. Like when the sun shines down on my jet and glares back at me. It has to be metal for how high it is. Its large, but I can't see just how big or what it really looks like. The darkness and brush don't help. 

"Breakdown!" 

An orotund voice calls out from a few feet in front of me. There is someone out here. I need to go back and get help. And by the sounds of it, there are more than one. I don't get a chance to see what they actually look like and its running away from me. Shouting the same name. I fight with myself. Unsure if I should give chase or go back.

I turn around and run back through the woods and get back to the command tent. Dust covering my uniform. I lean against the poll of the tent, trying to get my breath back. The Lance Corporal on duty with me stumbles out of his chair and rushes to me. 

"Ma'am, Are you okay?" He asks me, looking me over for any signs of injury. 

"I'm fine, but we all might not be. I just saw something in the woods, it was large, and it sounded like it was chasing something." I spit out. 

"I need to get Captain." I say over my shoulder rushing to the Captain's tent. 

He's going to think I'm crazy, but I know I saw and heard something. It was hard to miss the loud authoritative voice that rang out in the woods.

I rap my hand against the tent I know my Captain is sharing with other officers and SNCO's. I'd go in, but I don't need a bunch of guys screaming at me to get out. 

"Okay you can stop now." An annoyed voice of my Captain says as he unzips the tent. 

"Sorry, sir, but I just saw something really concerning on my patrol." 

He looks at me with his eyebrow raised. 

"I don't know what it was. All I know it was large, maybe made of metal or carrying something metal and is looking for someone or something. It shook the ground as it ran. We need to get a group together and go after it." 

"Jane, it was probably just your imagination. There is nothing in these woods around here." 

"Seriously, sir. I know I wasn't imagining anything. I heard it shout for Breakdown, whoever that is. I don't know where it was going, but it ran off going north." 

"So, it's probably gone already. We can send a group out in the morning if you're that worried." 

"It will defiantly be long gone. We need to go now." 

"Did anyone else see it?" He asks rubbing his hand down his face.

"No, I was taking patrol." 

"I'm not waking up a group of already tired soldiers to go look for some giant metal man that is or isn't really there. You have always had a wild imagination." 

"I'm being serious." 

"So am I, go back to watch, you have like a half an hour left until the next two relieve you. Go to sleep, Jane." And with that, he zips the tent back up and I'm left alone.

I'm beyond furious. I'm shaking, I'm so angry. It is causing my weapon to rattle against my body. My fingers clench tightly to my rifle as I walk back to the command tent. 

"Wild imagination. Go to sleep. Who does he think he's talking too?" I mumble angerly under my breath. I slap the tent door out of my way and walk inside. 

"What did the Captain say, ma'am? Are they getting a group to go after what it was you saw?" The Lance Corporal comes up to me, looking around nervously. 

"No, he didn't believe me." I growl lowly walking past the Lance. I take a seat in one of the folding chairs, I rest my elbow on my knee and my chin on my hand. 

"I need to go back and check it out." I say more to myself. 

"But you can't go by yourself, ma'am?" 

"I know, but what if it really is something dangerous?" 

"Then I'll go with you." 

I stand abruptly. Staring him down.

"You can't go with me, I need someone here." 

"Then we wait until after our relief gets here." 

I look at him, thinking hard about it. 

"I don't want you to get hurt." I try one more time to get him to reconsider. I'll admit, I shouldn't go alone. 

"It could be worse, if you go alone. What if you don't come back?" 

He's right. 

"Alright, we will wait until relief gets here. We separate like we are going to our respective tents, then we meet at the other end of the field where I saw them. Got it?" 

"Yes, ma'am."

Relief won't be long now. I explain more of what I saw to the lance. Which his name is Garret, his last name I mean. I explain the gleam from the moon light shining down on what had to be metal. The shaking of the ground from it stepping through the woods. Then the strong voice calling out the name Breakdown. Neither of us can think of anything that can be that big and somehow not be human. There is no way it was human. Can't be. Two guys walk into the command tent and we both stop talking and look up. 

"Keep this to yourself." I whisper before we get up. 

He nods and we stand. We give our report quickly then head out and go out separate ways, for now.