"Hey, that the bastard who loves having girls grind on his rotten mug all the damn time!?" Dan sneered, pointing at the man in the photo.
The colonel clapped his hands, laughing loud and proud. "Ho-ho! That's the kind of talk I like, son! You're damn right! Kasarsz's been trying to snatch an oil field from the rebel unit—codename Warfly. After we and Warfly boxed his forces in, that fuck-face has been stuck with nowhere to crawl! Your mission, boys, is to hold those two sectors—tight. After that, we'll push 'em back once we capture the flags." He slammed a fist into his palm. "So drive that bamboo stake right through that son of a bitch's mouth till he chokes on it!"
"Hoorah~~!~~"
He started pacing before the troops, his voice rising with each word. "You men will be the warriors they carve into the dog tags hangin' around your necks! Your faces—your names—will be written into history as the heroes who did what no one else could! Because you are the ones shaping the future of this world!" The ending of his speech sent a rush of fire through Brian's chest.
"I pray God keeps every one of you safe! God bless America!" The colonel shouted, throwing up his hand like a priest. Then he grinned wide. "Now answer me this—between me and him, who's the better-looking son of a bitch?!"
"Colonel Dobbleman, sir!!" the soldiers barked in unison.
"Company, dismissed! Move your asses, grab your gear, and wait for orders from Sergeant Walsh—move it!" Dobbleman's roar echoed through the barracks.
"Aye-aye, sir! Hoorah!" The soldiers snapped to attention, then broke formation, sprinting after Sergeant Walsh toward the armory.
"Hell yeah, it's go time!" Dan shouted, running alongside Brian. The two shoved each other playfully as they ran, blood pumping, hearts still burning from the colonel's speech. Brian's combat armor suddenly felt like his old football gear—heavy, familiar, alive. For the first time in years, it felt like he was back under those Friday night lights.
Ahead of him, the goalpost stood tall, shaped like a giant letter H. All he had to do was get the ball across the line. His teammates rushed up to block the opponents closing in, giving him a clear path. Brian picked up speed and slammed the ball down past the line with everything he had.
"It's Dixon, Dixon! The beast breaks through! And~~~~ touchdown!" The announcer's voice boomed across the stadium as the crowd went wild. Brian's cleats skidded on the turf—his helmet smacked hard against the steel goalpost. The world went black as he hit the ground, slipping into unconsciousness.
"I'm the hero." Brian said,