Numb3rs drabbles: "is & isn't, vol. II"
title: Is & Isn't, vol. II: Lives
sequel to: Is & Isn't.
Author: Keenir
Dedicated to: Mustangcandi.
prompt: #023: Connection.
Characters: Colby.
Summary: In Afghanistan, there's more than life and death to chose from. And if Carter had been a second or three late...
Warnings: AU.
Rating: M
Word Count: 262 & 202
Spoilers: any and all references to D.Carter and Afghanistan, episode #3.06
Disclaimer: All canon characters are the property of CBS, Heuton & Falacci. All original characters are mine.
Note:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colby sat outside the tea shop, sipping slowly, blowing on it to cool it down. Most days, he sat here when nothing else needed his attention, sat here and looked out at where he and Carter and their buddies had been attacked. Where he'd performed his last full measure of devotion before asking his commanding officer to accept his resignation.
Some men in suits and uniforms had argued on his behalf; officially, Colby was honorably discharged. Unofficially, he wasn't sure, but had a feeling they regarded it as deep cover. They see me as their man in Havanna, Colby suspected.
Granger knew he wasn't the first in the family line to go bamboo, to leave it all behind and just bury yourself in the day-to-day of where you are. You simply didn't count them when you tallied - the aunt who came by for the annual strained Christmas, the great-great-uncle who fought in Normandy and made a home in France.
While our buddies push the war onwards and forwards, Colby knew. He just didn't think he was ready to get back out there, couldn't wear the uniform again just yet.
"I believe they are being pushed out of the province," said the man - who was once a contact, an informant, always owner of a tea store - in Pashto to Colby.
Granger was about to nod, when the distinctive cry of an exploding IED sounded. Same alarm clock whether I'm serving or not.
"It seems I was wrong," the man said as Granger ran to see if anyone needed medical help.
~~
Catching the railing, Colby came to a stop at the top of the hill, having failed to catch the guy they were pursuing before the guy went down the concrete steps to the park grounds. "Stairs?" Colby asked himself. "Why stairs, man?" They're the one thing that still gives me a hard time. Particularly steps that were less than a foot's-length in length.
"See where he goes," David asked him, practically diving down the length of the steps.
Got a better idea, Colby thought to himself, reaching down to disconnect the ankle point, and picked up his foot. Oh yeah this is coming out of my paycheck. he thought as he hurled it at the fleeing felon.
Colby'd lost the foot and part of his ankle thanks to an IED attack in Afghanistan. One real foot remained, partner to the prosthetic.
The criminal was struck just after doing all the steps, and fell into the clipped grass of the park.
"Wow," Charlie said, having caught up to Colby.
While David was cuffing the bad guy and picking up Granger's foot - shoe and all - Colby told Charlie, "Don't say it."
"Don't say what?"
"'Nice arc, man.'"
"You said it."
Granger groaned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End
sequel to: Is & Isn't.
Author: Keenir
Dedicated to: Mustangcandi.
prompt: #023: Connection.
Characters: Colby.
Summary: In Afghanistan, there's more than life and death to chose from. And if Carter had been a second or three late...
Warnings: AU.
Rating: M
Word Count: 262 & 202
Spoilers: any and all references to D.Carter and Afghanistan, episode #3.06
Disclaimer: All canon characters are the property of CBS, Heuton & Falacci. All original characters are mine.
Note:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colby sat outside the tea shop, sipping slowly, blowing on it to cool it down. Most days, he sat here when nothing else needed his attention, sat here and looked out at where he and Carter and their buddies had been attacked. Where he'd performed his last full measure of devotion before asking his commanding officer to accept his resignation.
Some men in suits and uniforms had argued on his behalf; officially, Colby was honorably discharged. Unofficially, he wasn't sure, but had a feeling they regarded it as deep cover. They see me as their man in Havanna, Colby suspected.
Granger knew he wasn't the first in the family line to go bamboo, to leave it all behind and just bury yourself in the day-to-day of where you are. You simply didn't count them when you tallied - the aunt who came by for the annual strained Christmas, the great-great-uncle who fought in Normandy and made a home in France.
While our buddies push the war onwards and forwards, Colby knew. He just didn't think he was ready to get back out there, couldn't wear the uniform again just yet.
"I believe they are being pushed out of the province," said the man - who was once a contact, an informant, always owner of a tea store - in Pashto to Colby.
Granger was about to nod, when the distinctive cry of an exploding IED sounded. Same alarm clock whether I'm serving or not.
"It seems I was wrong," the man said as Granger ran to see if anyone needed medical help.
~~
Catching the railing, Colby came to a stop at the top of the hill, having failed to catch the guy they were pursuing before the guy went down the concrete steps to the park grounds. "Stairs?" Colby asked himself. "Why stairs, man?" They're the one thing that still gives me a hard time. Particularly steps that were less than a foot's-length in length.
"See where he goes," David asked him, practically diving down the length of the steps.
Got a better idea, Colby thought to himself, reaching down to disconnect the ankle point, and picked up his foot. Oh yeah this is coming out of my paycheck. he thought as he hurled it at the fleeing felon.
Colby'd lost the foot and part of his ankle thanks to an IED attack in Afghanistan. One real foot remained, partner to the prosthetic.
The criminal was struck just after doing all the steps, and fell into the clipped grass of the park.
"Wow," Charlie said, having caught up to Colby.
While David was cuffing the bad guy and picking up Granger's foot - shoe and all - Colby told Charlie, "Don't say it."
"Don't say what?"
"'Nice arc, man.'"
"You said it."
Granger groaned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End