shifted right here.”
The footsteps quickened. The second man had dark-brown hair, cropped just like his friend Pyeatt. Recognition slammed through me.
Brick.
“Ace,” Brick said. “We came to find you. We’ve been searching for two days.”
Though I didn’t remember exactly how I was connected to Brick, to all of these men, I knew I was. Somehow I got separated from them and they had come to find me.
No man left behind.
The realization I had just been fighting with people who were not my enemies took all the steam out of me and I suddenly felt exhausted. My body seemed to shrink and tighten, almost as if it were sucking in all the strength and power I was exhibiting on the outside. I closed my eyes, feeling the changes happening to my body and willing them to happen faster. When I opened them again, I was back in the body I recognized. Only this time I knew why I sometimes felt caged and restless. I knew why I seemed to move so fast and had exceptional hearing. I knew why I felt different.
I was different.
“Brick,” I said, trying out the name, trying to make the connection.
“Ace.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
Brick glanced at the guy beside him, Pyeatt. Then he looked back at me, worry in his eyes. “Because that’s your name. It’s what we call you.”
I shook my head. “My name is Vance.”
Brick nodded. “Yeah, but all of us have nicknames we call each other.”
I nodded.
“Snake! Throw me the bag!” Brick yelled outside.
A large canvas duffle bag came flying through the door. Brick caught it with ease and held it out. “We brought you some clothes.”
“Are they mine?”
“Yeah, dude. They’re yours.”
In my situation, most people wouldn’t care whose clothes they were given, but I cared. I wanted something that was mine. Something I knew belonged to me.
“We’ll wait outside,” Brick said. After he said the words, he hesitated, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave me alone.
I nodded. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
When he turned to leave, I spoke again.
“You guys brought a ride, right? We can leave?”
“Soon as you get dressed we’re going home.” Brick promised.
I paused. I didn’t know where that was. “Brick,” I said in a low voice. “Where is home?”
He walked back into the room, coming close, not even seeming the least bit worried about being so close to someone like me. “What happened, Ace? We were all jumping out of the V22, you were right behind us… and then you were gone.”
The shadows in his eyes at my disappearance made me feel better. It made me feel like I found where I belonged. The thought made me glance behind me, at Rachel. My chest tightened and I looked away quickly.
“I can’t remember. I got hit by some debris when the plane exploded, and then I woke up here.”
Brick nodded, grim, his eyes sliding to Rachel.
I stiffened. I didn’t want him looking at her. I angled my body, trying to conceal her from his line of sight as I stole another, more thorough glance her way. She was pressed against the wall, watching us with wide eyes. Her entire body was trembling and she did her best to muffle her terrified sobs.
“I’ll be right out,” I told Brick, my eyes not leaving her face.
When he was gone, I took a step toward her, and she flinched.
Something about that cut deep.
I sighed and pulled out the uniform in the bag and the boxers and socks that went with it. When I had my trousers and socks on, I pulled on the green T-shirt and looked over at Rachel. “Are you okay?” Please don’t be scared of me.
“What the hell are you?” Her voice shook.
“I’m… not sure.”
“How can you not know?” she accused.
“You’re the one who found me and you ask that?” I wasn’t angry, but I was still confused. I pulled out my blouse and shook it out. There was a nametape on the left breast that read MAGRILL. Vance Magrill. I never thought I would learn my name off an article of clothing. I shoved my arms into the blouse and began buttoning it up.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I…” I didn’t know what to say. Hell, I didn’t know what to think. Apparently, I was in the military and I was some sort of… whatever. I had been in a plane crash, and now I couldn’t remember anything about myself. How was I supposed to explain that to someone else when I