***
On a vast clearing in the middle of the Achiase Jungle, somewhere in the Western part of Africa, twenty men and a lady stood with bated breath, their eyes trained on a gun-wielding, furious, hunky soldier and his target…a man with an absolutely wicked physique that was complemented by his handsome good looks. The tension swirling in the air around them grew by the second, tenser than the tension usually felt in the air before a thunderstorm. Except for the smirking, sexy, dark-haired lady who looked to be in her mid-twenties, all the men standing around looked panicky.
"Don't do this, Will." The handsome man, who had a Desert Eagle Mark XIX…one of the most powerful and sophisticated guns ever made, pointed at his chest breathed. "Please."
In response to the man's soft plea, the gun-wielding soldier rather released the safety catch on the gun, the sound causing a collective gasp from the men watching. The tension in the air ratcheted up a notch.
"Will, don't." The man, whose life was in danger at that very moment growled low in his throat, a myriad of expressions on his face. There was surprise, regret, desperation, hope, and subtle affection but no fear at all. Somehow, the man looked more concerned about his adversary than he was about getting killed. "You will regret it if you do this." He added softly.
"Wanna bet?" Ian Williams uttered his first words since stepping into the clearing where the recruits of the Arrowheads were being trained by a man who made his blood boil.
Then he pulled the trigger.
***
Months Earlier…
In a quiet hospital room, two siblings…a pretty pregnant lady and a young man of about twenty-five who stood about six feet tall, stood by a bed staring down at a woman who was fast asleep. The IV pumped fluid into her body through a tube stuck to the back of her hand.
"I think she looks better today." Sharon Dennis said tiredly as she looked at her sleeping mother.
"She looks so pale and weak.'' Lt. Ian Williams, Sharon's younger brother mumbled, a worried frown on his face. "I'm not comfortable." He let out a ragged breath.
"The doctor said the swelling has gone down so she's okay for now, Ian." Sharon muttered as she leaned over their mother to tuck in a tendril that had escaped her cap. "We have to stay positive." She stood upright again and turned to look at her worried brother. "Try and look a bit cheerful. I miss the bubbly you."
"I will look cheerful when I know for sure she's out of the woods, Shay." He said as he draped an arm around his sister's shoulder and pulled her closer.
"She will be fine." Sharon said, wrapping an arm around her brother's waist. "Just go do your thing. We will take good care of her."
"You think I can concentrate on work knowing that mum is lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life?"
"You being here will not change anything." Sharon sighed. "I hate seeing the worry in your eyes. Go do something that can get your mind off all this. I will call you as soon as there is any change."
"I'd rather be here." Ian Williams muttered stubbornly.
"Go, Ian."
"You sound like you don't want me here."
"You're right, I don't." Sharon responded smoothly. "Not when you're so panic-stricken and grumpy." She snorted, moving away from her brother to take a seat in the only chair in the room. "Besides, you said yourself that this training cannot be postponed."
"Well, everyone is already there. I'm sure they can keep themselves busy till I get there."
"Hey, it will be good for you." Sharon said softly. "Go." At her brother's resigned nod, she asked. "Which part of Africa did you say the Jungle school is?"
"It's not a jungle school." Will chuckled. "It's called the Jungle Warfare School. And it's in West Africa. Ghana to be precise."
"Great. Maybe you'll come back with an exotic princess." Sharon grinned.
"I won't be seeing any princesses in the jungle, Shay." Will snorted. "Besides no princess in their right minds will spare me a…." He trailed off when his phone started to ring. "Err…I need to take this." Will muttered as he started for the door. "Hello?"
"How is Mrs. Williams doing?" Rosanne Jones, one of Will's colleagues asked without preamble.
"Well, hello to you too." Will said dryly. "The doctors claim she's better. I don't think she is."
"And that's why you're a SEAL and not a doctor." Rosanne chuckled. "Just as they don't tell you how to do your job, leave them to do theirs. When are you coming?"
"I'm yet to decide, Jones. I really don't want to leave but..."
"I think the best thing to do right now is work, buddy."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been talking to my sister." Will groaned.
"Well, great minds..." Rosanne laughed. "How is she holding up?"
"You know her…strong." Will smiled and waved at one of the nurses. "I'll call the Admiral and inform him that I'm ready to leave." He sighed.
"Good." Rosanne spoke to someone offline, then, "You can leave tomorrow and be here by Wednesday."
"I'd rather leave on Thursday and be there by Friday. Hopefully, she'll be better by then."
"That's alright. Can't wait to have you here." Rosanne's exaggerated sigh brought a smile to Will's lips. "I need to see a familiar face."
"Just admit you miss me, darling." Will drawled teasingly as he dropped into a seat in the virtually empty waiting area.
"Screw you." Rosanne gave a mock growl, drawing laughter from Will. "Stan is fun but I need you here."
"Stan, huh?" Wil chuckled. "I see you're on the first name basis already."
"Oh, he insists everyone calls him Stan. Even the recruits."
"Really?"
"Yep. He told them to save the titles for you. Oh god, you should see him training those recruits, Will. He's so strong and fast it looks almost unreal." The tone with which those words were uttered gave Will pause.
"You don't say!" Will responded dryly. "So at what point did you start crushing on the guy?"