Time flew by so quickly for Jade. Each day comprised of Jade going to work, going to the gym then going back to her apartment only to continue working out plans and getting herself ready for another tour. She grew to know her team better and found they had no trouble with a female being in charge. She made sure her men were in tip-top condition and pushed them daily to strive beyond their best.

At first, her men thought she was too tough on them, but as the plan began to unravel and they put the men into positions and roles, they soon realised that all her pushing was for the better. So not only Jade could get the most out of her men but also so they were in their best form for the mission ahead.

She was sitting at home organising her bags for her departure tomorrow when her doorbell rang. Confused by who could come over this late in the afternoon, her body was on high alert as she made her way to her front door. She slowly opened the door and relaxed when she saw it was her boys.

"What are you guys doing over here, and how the hell did you know where I live?" Tucker smiled and winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"We're here to take you out for drinks before we depart tomorrow so get dressed Sergeant we leave in 5." She watched as 4 men shuffled into her apartment and balked at how small the room became with 4 large men filling the space.

"4 and a half minutes' clocks ticking." Jade looked at her pyjamas and sighed as she went into her room and quickly threw on some jeans and a nice shirt and some heeled boots. She tied her hair up in a ponytail and grabbed her bag before re-joining her team in her living room.

"Okay, all ready." They all filed out and Jade locked up and they all wandered into a taxi that was waiting for them.

"So where exactly are we going, and you know we're not supposed to drink before we leave?" Lance Corporal Mass waved his hand dismissing her knowing she needed to loosen up before they all departed.

After a 20-minute trip, Jade wanted to go home when they arrived at their destination.

"Please tell me you are not taking me to a strip club." They all grinned mischievously, and all but grabbed her out of the cab. They pushed to the front of the line and Taylor waved his hand at the guard let them in despite the people lined up waiting to get in.

The moment they entered Jade's body vibrated as the sound of the bass ricocheted through her body. Glancing around the room was smoky as shirtless men and topless women walked around serving drinks while light flashed around the room making you feel as if you were in another planet.

"First round is on me." Sergeant Smith shouted over the music as Tucker led them to a reserved table where they all sat down.

"So Jennings do we finally get to call you Jade." She huffed as the surrounding men laughed as she crossed her arms.

"No." She said bluntly as the continued to laugh as she realised her team was a bunch of idiots. Smiling to herself, she watched as Smith came over with shots and passed one to each of them.

"To a successful tour and hope everything doesn't turn to shit." They all cheered on that and took the shot. Jade felt the liquid burn down her throat causing her to cringe as it slowly warmed up her chest.

"Christ, that taste like horseshit." She said as she coughed as the others laughed. Jade spent the rest of the night talking and laughing with her guys and she was glad that they bought her out tonight. Towards the end of the night after a few too many drinks they all laughed as Corporal Taylor took off his shirt and stood on their table doing a strip dance trying to be sexy in his drunken haze.

Jade's stomach hurt from too much laughing as they were politely escorted outside after Taylor's shirtless display. When they reached outside the fresh air was a shock to her system after being stuck inside the stuffy club for a few hours.

They reach got their own taxi home and Jade said she would see them all bright and early in the morning for departure.

When Jade got home she quickly finished the last of her packing in a semi-drunken phase before crashing for an early start the next day.

When her alarm went off at 4 in the morning Jade groaned and rolled over cursing the guys for staying out so late. Knowing she would be late if she didn't get moving Jade rolled out of bed hoping a shower would wake her up. She knew she could get a few more hours of sleep on the flight.

She got dressed in her uniform that was neatly pressed and felt the excitement and adrenaline rush through her as she tied up her boots and grabbed her bag. Her brother offered her a lift to the airport, but she declined saying she would take a taxi and they could meet her there later to see her depart.

When she arrived at the airport, she wasn't surprised that she was the first of her team to arrive, so she grabbed a coffee and waited for her team and anyone else who was going on this tour. It didn't take long for people to arrive which as always drew attention from those civilians who were travelling.

Jade wasn't surprised when Sergeant Smith was the first to arrive who greeted her with a nod as he held his 4-year-old daughter in his arms.

"You're the lady who will keep my daddy safe." The little girl said to her and Jade smiled.

"That's right and before you know it, he will be back." The little girl nodded her head in approval and Jade left him and his family to have some time before they all left. Half an hour later her whole team had arrived, and she wasn't surprised when she saw Corporal Taylor looking like death after last night. She was about to say something witty to him when she saw her family arrive with little Emily wide awake in her mother's arms.

"Look at you." Her father said examining Jade in her uniform. For her, this was just another tour, but for her family, it was the first time they were seeing her off and she wouldn't be surprised if her father cried.

"How long are you going to be gone for?" Her brother asked even though she had told him many time before.

"3 months hopefully, it's only a short tour, but if we need to stay back, I'll let you guys know." She looked around to see soldiers both men and women saying goodbye to loved ones as officers started to usher sections onto the plane.

"Sorry, we have little time." Her father understood as he bought his daughter into his arms giving her a hug wishing he didn't have to let her go.

"I'll be safe Dad, I promise." She whispered hugging him back not realising how hard it was to say goodbye to them. She thought it would be like normal, but she felt sick to her stomach at the thought of leaving them because she was leaving behind a family that wanted to be part of her life.

Once her dad left her, go she said goodbye to everyone else and watched as her dad shed a tear as she picked up her bag and gave one final goodbye before following her men. Jade was never fond of goodbyes, but she felt as if she was leaving a piece of herself behind.

"Fuck I hate leaving them." Sergeant Smith said look at his family one last time and Jade saw the sadness in his eyes.

"You ever thought about finishing up," Jade asked as they walked towards the plane.

"Yeah, but what would I be able to do afterwards. They say there are heaps of job opportunities for those who leave, but in reality, there's not." Jade knew this to be true, it was hard to find work after the army life especially if your main role was one that would not have many uses outside of the army or police force.

Jade said nothing else wanting nothing more to get her ass on a seat so she could get a few more hours of sleep because she knew when they landed things would get chaotic quickly.

After a long flight they finally touched down Afghanistan, each section was quickly ushered off into tank trucks that were waiting for them once they had all suited up. Jade sat in the back as they took the bumpy road to the base as fear and excitement flowed through her body and a sense of calmness settled into her body. They were given a rundown of the conditions and as the top Alpha team they got first priorities. Jade took in the bare barren scenery as she got anxious the longer she sat in the car out in the open vulnerable to attack. Her team picked up on her behaviour, and she watched as her men became tight and alert gripping their guns tighter ready for anything.

"Sergeant you have nothing to worry about. We take this route regularly and never have been hit by the Taliban." Jade nodded, but that was why she was nervous. If they kept taking the same route and not changing it up, then their enemy could strike as they knew the path. Jade knew the moment they hit base she would request that routes to transport and get supplies to be changed on a daily bias to keep the enemy guessing.

Like the driver said they arrived at base perfectly fine and as they slowed to a stop, she saw men and women stop what they were doing most likely aware that her team was coming.

Her team got out and Jade was last and the first this she was hit by was the heat and humidity. She forgot how hot it was in summer as she shielded her eyes from the harsh sun wishing she had her sunglasses on her. Once her eyes finally adjusted, she glanced around to see it was like any other base. Her men stood next to her as they took in the place watching as soldiers wandered around and some even stopped to see the team.

As Jade was looking around waiting for someone to show them to their sleeping quarters Jade locked onto a person she never thought she would ever see again.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." She said angrily causing her men to look in direction to the poor soul she was staring daggers at because there stood none other than spineless, condescending, prick known as Marcus fucking Blackwood.