BROTHERS

 

CHAPTER ONE

Baghdad, Iraq

"Aaron! We need to fall back!" said Jake as he grabbed him by the collar.

The air was filled with dust and bullets, dead bodies were astwern on the ground, women and children crying for help but the mercenaries showed no mercy. They killed anything that moved, on this war zone, hell-like vicinity. Those who survived bore grave injuries: broken arms and severe bleeding just to mention a few.

"What about the daughter of the local prince? I am not leaving without her, I have done so many wrong things, killed so many people, spilled innocent blood but not this time round. I will make things right" said Aaron as he rushed into the burning building to save Aisha the princess.

Jake in disbelief watched his brother enter the small duplex as he held off the mercenaries that seemed to kill anything that stood in there way. Jake was a skilled marksman, the best in his platoon, aimed with a sniper he got to a good vantage point and shot at the assailants with precision and accuracy.  

"I will hold them off! Hurry!" shouted Jake at the top of his lungs.

Inside the burning building, the heat was immense and smoke filled Aarons' lungs until he coughed up blood. "I need to find the girl" said Aaron as he called her name "Aisha!" shouted Aaron. He searched from door to door with no avail. Smoke billowed through the air, the remaining residents were badly bruised by the inferno that almost consumed them.

"Aisha!" cried Aaron as if his life depended on it.

And then finally came a small girl crawling on all fours, crying for what seemed to be her mother. Aaron quickly grabbed the child. The child seemed to be calm as Aaron wrapped his hands on the child.

They went down the flight of stairs and reached the main door.

The scent of fresh air filled their lungs and made them feel alive again, coughing out sputum. Aisha finally stopped wailing at the sight of her sweet mother who wore shock all over her face speaking rapidly in Arabic,  Aaron could not understand a single word. She grabbed her child so tightly she could barely breath.

"Calling all soldiers! We need reinforcements! I repeat we need reinforcements!" said Jake over the huge briefcase like telephone that hang over his bullet proof vest. He reached for his pistol and one by one he massacred the mercenaries that were trying to take the local regalia's family hostage. Each shooting them in the temple with fatal headshots.

Finally, the cavalry had arrived and the mercenaries retreated.

The casualties were immense but the number of dead bodies exceeded that of the wounded and gravely injured. The dusty roads were filled with blood that had coagulated into a dark purplish color. Air strikes bombed the assailants into a stupor, limbs flying in the air due to the harsh impact of the bombs.

The brigade had finally arrived and the clouds turned dark as a slight drizzle was given away by the rain laden heavens. Sergeant Grimes stepped out of the hum vee. His neatly shaved mustache could be seen from a far. He wore a grave facade that couldn't be shaken off by anyone or anything. His body was muscular and strong despite him being middle aged.

"Aaron and Jake! In my tent now!" said the corporal.

"You defied my orders and went on a silly goose chase for the Local prince's daughter! Why?" asked the sergeant.

"Sir! With all due respect..." said Jake.

Jake always was the one to protect Aaron and cover up for him, even when they were kids. Their mother would always end up punishing Jake for what mischievous activity they were up to. Jake would always lie and say it was his idea. Jake was the type of person to face fear head on without excuses and all the more standing up for his younger brother.

"Enough of this charade! Now, my superiors are breathing down my neck on why we are doing rescue ops for the enemy of this war...Aaron and Jake you have been dishonorably discharged from the U.S army." said the sergeant.

Jake's jaw dropped. He had always been the exceptional soldier within his platoon, a skilled marksman with a knack for artillery. His precision and his combat awareness with both short and long range guns was impeccable. Aaron was the opposite he had a unique skill set in acquiring information, computers and gadgets was his special ability.

He always had the most technologically advanced gear in his platoon. Other than being a techie, he was also a hand to hand combat master. He was a black belt in the Karate clan and also a multiple champion jiujutsu master. 

Their mom passed away when they were young and grew up in foster homes for the most of their childhood. Jake always looked out for his brother even at a young age, bullies wouldn't dare touch a hair on his head. Jake was as protective as a mother bear towards her cub.

"Jay take care of Aaron..." his mother's last wish.

Them being disbanded from the US Army was a huge to blow to them their comrades were really their only friends. They took their next flight back home wondering what they would do with only limited cash in their bank accounts.

They did not know what would lie ahead...