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"I killed people," he finally murmured with a sigh. "Just a simple pull of the trigger and they're dead... I've never killed anything before, really. Not a human, at least. A human's different. I shouldn't think that way but I can't help it."

"Come here. Don't worry, I don't bite." Jacob said, scooting down towards Josh. The kid needed help, and help was on the way. "I know, Josh. It's just the way things are. But you can't let it get to your head. Look at me. I'm Shattered. I'm in Tatters. But more than that, I'm alive, and I'm sane. But I started out just like you, killing one person. Now, you know I am trying real hard to get you a peaceful job. Really, I am. You just have to know that it's hard to do that when we are in a war against an army."

Jacob closed his eyes. It was a stupid thing to say. Of course he said that. The kid had so much to think about, and what he was going to say was even worse. Really was.

"Josh, Randall, I know your parents aren't alive anymore. I'm sorry about that. I know how it feels. But if it makes any of you feel any better, I can take care of you two,"

"If you did bite you woulda done it a long time ago," Josh commented, thinking about what he had said. "I don't even get why we're in this war... But it's inherent in human nature to destroy each other so I guess we can't really help it. It was bound to happen at some point."
Randall had looked up when Jacob had finished his last part. "Thanks... I can't look after this idiot all by myself."
"Oh, shut up," Josh replied, swatting at his shoulder before looking back up at Jacob.

"I still bite real damn hard. Just not at my friends. But this war happened for a reason. This man, Vladimir, wanted us dead. He wanted all of America dead so he could take it. Just realize that we may be the last thing holding up their advance." Jacob chuckled at his joke, but stopped there. He did bite, and when he bit, he bit hard. Real. Damn. Hard. That was his nature. If he needed to kill someone, he did it. And fast. But he was glad to be with these boys. Maybe he would have the sons he never thought he would get. "That's right, Rand. You got yourself to deal with. Come here. I'm messing with you. Sit down. So, Josh, whadda think? I owe you, and hell, it might be a fun time,"

Randall gave him one of his rare grins, coming over to his other side and sitting next to him, looking across at Josh.
"So long as you don't run off and die on us, I'm fine with that," he replied honestly, deciding to ignore the last part about Russia and them being the last defense- that was just too freaky to think about at the moment. "Enough people have done that already, Jacob, and it's rough. I get attached to people easily, it's kind of a curse if you think about it."
"We're gonna need all the fun we can get if we don't want to go completely insane," Randall commented somberly, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Run off and die? Well, I'll try not to do that. I won't die on you two. I promise. I won't leave you two alone. Not again. Thanks for being there for me. And I owe you two for saving my life." Jacob realized that they might be a little short on fun, but it didn't matter. They would make their own fun. Some how, some way, they would get through it. "But we have to sleep. You two are welcome to stay up here,"

"Good night, Jacob," Josh murmured as he snuggled into the sleeping bag, effectively soothed by his words. Randall crossed over to him and lay next to him to help keep him warm; he was asleep soon, although it took Josh a little longer to pass out.

"Good night," But Jacob didn't have a good night. The most he slept was through a single nightmare. It was horrible. And when he woke up that morning, he only slept four hours. The kids were both asleep, and he had nothing to do. He so desperately wanted to get out of this. But there was no way to die and leave these kids here. He would never do that.

Kevin was washing his dishes when a knock came on his door. He opened it, and lo and behold, who should be standing in front of him than his loyal customer! Jacob Robbins! And he didn't look to good. Kevin knew that this kid needed a big dose of something from his Officers Bar. Jacob closed the door behind him, and walked in.

"What'll it be, Hollywood?" Kevin was good at remembering nicknames. Jake had so many nicknames from all over, though. That one was from school.

"Whiskey Gin and Brandy," Hollywood, or Jacob, quoted, and lit a cigarette. He had put a note on his sleeping bag that said 'gone drinking'

Josh was back on the plane-
Randall's hand slipped from his grasp-
And suddenly he was falling... Falling down to the ground below littered with bodies of both passengers and people he had seen earlier that day...
Falling...
He woke up with a jolt, bolting upright and scrabbling at the ground like if he could hold on to it it would save him from imminent doom. He finally realized where he was and looked down at Randall; he was yawning and stretching like he had just been jostled out of sleep as well.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Josh replied, running a hand through his hair and reading the note Jacob had left them. "'Gone drinking'... I hope he has a high tolerance. I remember when D-"
He cut himself off with a shake of the head, walking out to the balcony he was on last night. Dammit.

((Pink stars are falling in lines... ))

Jacob was jamming to The Clash's London Calling album, bopping up and down and drinking the whole time. The room smelled of smoke, but he didn't mind. The music was too good.

"Up the route of the 19th bus! We're here singing! How can you get a rude and reckless, don't be so crude and a feckless, you've been drinking brew for breakfast. Rudie Can't Fail!"

Kevin joined in, grabbing his own bottle. They were loud, obnoxious, drinking, and smoking, and they didn't give a damn.

After a moment Josh decided to go find Corinth again to keep going with his training.
"I'll be back."
Randall nodded, watching with some concern as Josh worked his way onto the ladder. "I'll be here. Be careful- don't fall."
"I won't," he replied with a sigh, slowly working his way down. "Say hi to Jacob for me when he gets back."

Corinth had a sign that said, 'Be Back,', Sanders had a sign that said 'gone fishing,' and just about everyone else was doing something. No one really knew what, but they could guess. It was getting loud.

Jake, Corinth, Sanders, and Kevin jumped up in the air, air guitaring, and drumming to some sort of music. It was the same album, and they all had the same idea. The looks on their faces was amazing. One of joy and happiness.

"Spanish songs in Andalucia
The shooting sites in the days of '39
Oh, please, leave the vendanna open
Fredrico Lorca is dead and gone
Bullet holes in the cemetery walls
The black cars of the Guardia Civil
Spanish bombs on the Costa Rica
I'm flying in on a DC 10 tonight
Spanish bombs, yot' quierro y finito
Yo te querda oh ma corazón
Spanish bombs, yot' quierro y finito
Yo te querda oh ma corazón" They all sang along, dancing with it.

Josh wandered around for the longest time, finally stopping in the middle of the complex and wondering aloud,
"Where the hell is everybody?!"
Finally he thought to poke his head in the bar and almost immediately recoiled, the scent of smoke and alcohol slapping him hard in the face.

A man walking by couldn't help but notice the kid screaming. He pointed to the Pub, which was full of people singing. Then he walked away.

"We gonna raise.. Trouble... Gonna raise... Hell! WE GONNA FIGHT BROTHER, RAISE HELL! DEATH OR GLORY! JUST ANOTHER STORY! DEATH OR GLORY! JUST ANOTHER STORY"

Josh took a deep breath and poked his head inside again, noting that pretty much everybody was in here and didn't look like they'd come out anytime soon.
If the Russians had any brains at all they would attack now since everyone looked stoned out of their minds, but he wasn't about to go plant that idea in their heads. They had enough problems already, such as: Would there be enough strong black coffee to go around to keep the hangovers at bay, or at least wake everybody up so they'd be semi-coherent?

"Josh! Come in! Join us! Don't worry, we aren't drunk. Only drunk guy in here is Sanders and I, and we've been drunk since birth," Jacob cracked up. He wasn't really drunk, to be honest. Never could get drunk. But if Josh wanted him out, he'd get out. That's how it was. "Coffees coming up next, boys! We've had enough to drink!"

"Thank you for that lovely mental image, Jacob," he began before accidentally inhaling through his nose and letting out a violent sneeze. "GOD-"
He swayed there on the spot, making sure his brain was still intact. "Dat was a miztake."

"Sorry guys. I gotta go. Corinth, you come with me," Jacob said, and got the kids out of there. It wasn't nice of him to do that, but he kinda had to. "Sorry about that, Josh. Didn't mean it,"

"No, you're good," he muttered as he rubbed his nose. "Dang, that was by far the weirdest sneeze I've ever had, like, ever in the history of my existence."

"You'll have worse as the day goes by. So, Corinth, follow me. Randall, Josh, same thing. We are going to start another day of training. Corinth, while Randall and I go shoot things, work with Josh, okay?" Jacob said, and he cracked his neck, looking behind his back.