Duty and Desire (Honor Bound #2)

Chapter 2

2

SCARLETT

S carlett checked her pack for the umpteenth time. Picks, check. Crampons, check. Flares, check. First aid, food, knife, clips, rope, radio. Check. Check. Check. Yes, she had everything. This would be her first lead mission under the formidable General Carson, and the last thing she needed was to make a bad impression by forgetting the essentials.

Glancing around the room, she could see her squad nearly ready to ship out.

“Right then, listen up, you lot.”

Their heads snapped to attention, listening for their orders.

“The general has received reports of insurgents forming a base on the other side of the range. I don’t have to explain that that’s too close for comfort. This squad is to gather intelligence on their movements. Numbers, equipment, you know the drill. The general has allowed us to use snowmobiles up to the edge of the forest, but after that, we’re on foot. It’s going to be a hard climb up the peaks. Any questions?”

“No, Captain,” they said in unison.

“Good. We’ll be ready to depart in five. Reconvene by the snow mobiles.”

“Yes, Captain,” they all said then started to gather their materials.

Scarlett nodded and shrugged on her pack, snatching up the snowshoes and poles stacked by the door on her way out. She wasn’t bringing her full company on this mission. Stealth was the order of the day, and a hundred soldiers would be difficult to hide, even in camouflage. She and General Carson had decided on only bringing a single squad along for the ride.

Harsh wind blew flecks of snow into her eyes as she stepped outside in the dark. The sky was still blanketed in peach and didn’t seem as though it would let up any time soon. At least they wouldn’t risk leaving any tracks now.

The remainder of her squad filtered from the building in trickles, loading their packs and taking position on their snowmobiles. After a final headcount, Scarlett was satisfied everyone had arrived. Clicking on her radio and raising a fist into the air, she gave the order.

“Okay, squad, move out.”

The drive along the edge of the forest was uneventful. Each vehicle had a soldier armed and ready, standing while facing the rear in case of an ambush, but an attack was unlikely with them this close to the base.

Reaching their disembarking point, the soldiers clambered from the vehicles, shouldering their packs and strapping the snowshoes to their boots.

“Captain Bennett to command. Forest reached; now approaching on foot.”

The radio crackled to life and General Carson’s voice echoed back. “Received, Captain, over and out.”

Scarlett was surprised that the general herself would be the one running point on this mission. Her previous commanders had been much more hands-off, especially on a relatively small mission like this. The more Scarlett learned about General Rosalind Carson, the more impressed she was.

After reaching the other end of the forest, Scarlett was relieved to see the sky lighten; sunrise was close. The peak they were set to climb was not far, just across a snowfield. The ground before them was powdery, untouched. The ground crunched beneath their feet, and the air rumbled with the mountain’s groans. Behind her, Scarlett could hear several soldiers chatting quietly. She should probably join in; it would be good to start bonding with her new troops.

“So, how long has General Carson been stationed here?” she asked Lieutenant Jay West over her shoulder.

“Not long, Captain. She arrived not long before you did. I heard the last general retired, so she’s his replacement,” he said.

“And what was your last general like?”

He hesitated. “I wouldn’t know much, Captain. Your predecessor had more to do with General Avery than I ever did.”

“Say no more, Lieutenant. I understand.” She laughed. “Well, I have high hopes for Carson.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ckkk. The radio crackled, startling Scarlett.

Shit. Had her radio been on that whole time?

No, she could see the green flashing light indicating an incoming message.

Thank fuck. That would have been mortifying.

“Come in, Captain,” Carson’s voice floated across the radio.

“Go ahead, General.”

“What is your position? Over.”

“Forest cleared, proceeding over the snowfield. Over.”

“Speed it up, Captain. There’s a storm incoming. Over.”

“Roger that. How long till it hits?”

“Best guess, six hours. Do you need to turn back?”

“Negative, General. We will proceed.”

“Roger that. Over and out.”

This was not good, but she wasn’t going to fail this mission. This was her chance to impress the new general. She turned back to her squad trailing behind her.

“You heard the general; storm due in six hours. Let's pick up the pace.”

“Yes, Captain,” everyone said in unison.

She glanced upward and saw the rising sun had stained the clouds a deep pink. They didn’t want to still be out here when that storm blew in. Trudging as fast as they could, they cleared the ice field before catching their breath as they stared up at the glacier. Scarlett was the first to steel herself, unclipping the snow boots and replacing them with her crampons. She dug around in her pack, pulling out her axes and screws and clipping them to her carabiner.

“I’ll head up first. Lieutenant, you bring up the rear. I’ll call when the belay is fixed.”

“Yes, ma’am, copy that.”

Right , she thought. Let’s do this.

Scarlett centered herself with a breath before striking her axe into the ice. She gave it a tug, and it held. Good. Slowly, she climbed—one axe, one foot, one axe, one foot. Looking down, she could see the soldiers feeding out the rope, ready for the next soldier to follow her up. She hacked at the wall; the ice was brittle here. A clump of snow fell away, revealing the hard, rock-like ice beneath.

“Ice!” she warned as the clump fell toward the ground. The soldiers scattered out of its way.

At least they’re listening. Scarlett was well aware that being new to the base meant she didn’t hold the authority she was used to yet. She would have to prove herself to earn their respect. Her frozen, gloved fingers fumbled with a screw, unclipping it from her waist. It nearly dropped from her grip.

That would not be a good way to prove my competence.

She screwed it into the wall, clipping the belay into it.

“Belay is on. Climb up.”

“Copy that. Climbing,” a soldier called.

Wind blasted down the mountainside, spraying snow and ice shards into Scarlett’s face; freezing rivulets of water ran down her neck as they melted against her skin. She braced, pulling herself up and climbing a few feet between each fierce gust. Each time she paused to wait for the wind to pass, she added another screw to the wall. She was nearing the top now, not far left to climb. Glancing back, she could see that Lieutenant West was now just beginning to climb, bringing up the rear. Clambering over the top, she sighed in relief, dropping to her knees to catch her breath. That was the one benefit of going first; she would be able to rest until the last climber summited.

“Captain Bennett to command.”

“Come in, Captain,” General Carson replied.

“Ready and in position, General.”

“Go ahead, Captain. No comms until you have established it’s safe.”

“Yes, General, over and out.”