Before Conflict: Stories of Zarley CHAPTER 1 FIRST PAGE

Chapter 1

Ever since I was a kid, I remember that I always wanted to be in the army. I know what you’re thinking. Why would anyone want to be in the army? Don’t you know you can loose your life? I love the feeling of getting a combat high, acting on what your commanding officers has taught you. Or not knowing what to do in a situation you weren’t taught in training. Police work is dangerous, and even being a CIA agent is dangerous, but nothing is better than the front lines of the battlefield. That’s why I spend most of my days wishing that I was accepted into the US Army. Too young, they say. Not enough experience and overall, I didn’t finish high school. The easiest way to put it is, you’re a girl! We don’t want you in our Army, why don’t you try Canada? I would still be upset, but damn I would still understand. Men – selfish egotistical pigs!

But not all was lost. I was accepted into a special force that works along the government, but unknown to the Forces to a certain extent. They call themselves the SAI, an abbreviation for Special Alliance for Intelligence. They’re known for working on covert operations, and this was my second resort. I give my thanks to a certain somebody that had connections with the SAI. I actually worked with the top agent of the SAI, Zarley Samerai. Zarley and I were on different missions, but he was given a mission to rescue me. No, I was not some damsel in distress, I just needed some assistance. Anyways, I cannot discuss that mission, it is strictly confidential. Not on my part, but basically any mission I am on is confidential by the SAI. But since that day, and it’s been a good, long time since that day, I mostly have been bored. Train a few soldiers, do some exercises, surveillance from our watch tower, eat, sleep, bed, and do the entire routine all over again. For goodness sake, can’t there be something interesting I can do? I guess this is what I get instead of becoming an artist. I’m a good artist, if you ask me! I love to draw pictures of Japanese anime characters, especially from Final Fantasy. I guess you can call me a tom boy. I’ve been called that my entire life.

I hear a faint noise coming from my TC Radio. I reach down to my utility belt and turn up the volume. The colonel was talking to me. “Sergeant Saria Rudyard, what’s your status?” asked the colonel from my radio.

“Neutral, sir” I respond in shock. I was wondering if I had done something wrong. Normally, I only get a call if I have done something wrong or if one of the recruits has made a complaint on my performance in training.

“Good” he replies, “I need to see you in my office. I hope that won’t be a problem”

“No sir. I’ll be right there”

Startled, I make my way to the commander’s office. My heart racing, and a thousand thoughts speeding past my mind every single second. I approach his door, the only one in this hallway stained chestnut brown. I can still smell the faint scent of the wood. At the top of the door, there’s a golden plate that reads, ‘Colonel Vaughan’. Hesitantly, I reach for the handle and swung the door open. A man with a white mustache and slick-back grey hair sat at his steel desk. He gave me a gesture to come into the room and I sat down at the front of his desk.

“You nervous, Sergeant?” asked Vaughan

“To tell you the truth, I am, sir” I replied