Chapter 135

"The training regiment is going well, Commandant", the Master Sergeant said to his commanding officer as they walked. The men he was training were PT'ing and getting warmed up for the second part of their training for the day, the trip to the rifle range.

"That's good news, Master Sergeant", the Commandant responded, "but we shall see how well they take to it when we send them on their first missions."

"Any idea as to what those might be, sir?"

"Best in the class get to take out the Pentagon."

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"Major, we still can't find any other leads than Matthew Cartwright isn't dead", the Lieutenant said.

"BULL SHIT, LIEUTENANT!!! I was on that scouting team that went hunting for him after his escape. Hell, I was the one to PULL THE TRIGGER!!"

"We didn't know that sir, but that doesn't change the fact we have no Intel on finding the Ghost Sniper".

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"... Give your soul to me, For eternity, release your life to begin another time with her, End your grief with me, There's another way, Release your life, Take your place inside the FIRE WITH HER...

Devon, One of eleven, Who had be rendered unwhole as a little child she was, Taken and then forsaken, You will remember it all, Let it fill your mind again.." David still had trouble singing that song at times. He didn't sing it often, especially after they had gone into hiding. Not even on Family Jam Night. It reminded him of standing over Devon's casket, and there were time that he just couldn't bare the guilt. Then, there were others, more that the feelings of guilt, where he was grateful that he found Brie when he did. He had started to think that he was going to have to spend the rest of his life alone. She changed that, and had given him eight beautiful children, the youngest of which were now a year old. He marveled everyday at her strength and just plan goodness. At time, and these were as rare, he just plain didn't believe that he deserved her. She was FAR too good for him.

"That, David, what the BEST I've EVER hear you sing that song. You didn't even perform it like that when we took it on tour for Indestructible and Music As A Weapon IV. Brie has had a good influence on you", Dan said as he returned his guitar for the next song.

"I'll be sure to let her know when we go up for air", David responded with a roll of his eyes. "Can we move on please? I'd like to get through at least half of those before dinner tonight, if you don't mind."

Mike laughed and twirled his sticks. "Touchy today, aren't we?"

"Remember, Mikey. Six cups of coffee. Of course I'm a tad touchy. I'm wired. Let's go. I want to get through as many of these as we can. Hell, just one more before LUNCH would be fine with me."

The music came up and right on cue, David came in. "Rrrwoooaaaw! Ah! Ah! Burning now I bring you hell! Ah! Ah! Oh, burning now I bring you hell!

Read me tonight, When the warnings said leave a shudder upon you, Running from all that you've feared in your life, Soul of the night, When the sun mislead paint a horror upon you, Marking the moment, Displaying in my ghost of a life, And I can't get round the way you left me out in the open to leave me to die! So, how can I forget the way you led me through the path into Heaven to leave me to die!

Now I can't stay behind, Save me from wreaking my vengeance upon you, To killing more that I can tell, Burning now I bring you Hell..."

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David jogged up the stairs, leaving the rest of the band in his dust. He got up the stair and threw the door, then went straight to his and Brie's room when he saw she wasn't in the kitchen. She wasn't in their room either, so he went to the nursery. She sat in the rocking chair with Makayla in her arms, singing to her softly. "

"She kissed the little girl on the forehead, then went to lay her down in her crib. Then she noticed her husband standing in the doorway. "Hey, baby. How long have you been standing there?" she asked.

He smiled. "Long enough to hear you sing the chorus to 'Devour' to our youngest daughter. Beautifully done, by the way", he whispered

She smiled softly. "You want to give your little Kay- kay a kiss before I lay her down?" He kissed her little head, and then Brie laid her in her crib. "How is rehearsal going?"

"Not fast enough. They want to waste time talking and critiquing my performance."

"Is there anything I can do?"

He whispered in her ear, "Come take a shower with me", and he kissed her ear.

"I don't want to take a shower. But, why don't we just go to our room? I mean, we have a bed, a floor, hell, even a couch in there." She stepped in closer to him and laid a kiss on his lips gently.

He smiled. "I can't want to take a shower with my beautiful wife?"

"You never just want to shower, David. And neither do I. We both know where it's going to lead to."

He laughed. "Fine, you caught me, but can we get out of the nursery to discuss this?"

"What's to discuss?"