Long gone days au fic where Rourke, Adair, Lynn, and Ivan all started in the Core.
Spoilers for Long Gone Days
The Core has been here for many years raising many soldiers.
They are always loyal to their 'father.'
Always loyal to their 'family.'
Nothing can shake that loyalty.
Right?
The soldiers always start with stars in their eyes, ready to serve the cause.
Ready to die for the 'world's peace.'
Or at least that's what they think.
Adair has been on many missions with Raven squad, his first being a relief mission which he won't admit gave him great pride.
Rourke hasn't even been on one but he is now ready to join on a mission with the Raven squad since Coyle broke his arm.
....
"I can't believe you get to go with the Raven squad on this. It seems almost too good to be true."
Lynn, Ivan, Rourke, and Adair were eating together in the cafeteria. In just a mere few hours they would have to call it a night so Adair and Rourke could rest up for their mission.
"I know right? It's great. Not that Coyle broke his arm I mean. I just hope I can make even Sgt. Branna proud."
Ivan shook his head. "We know how she can be. That's going to probably be impossible."
Rourke shrugged. "You never know."
....
Rourke and Adair never return from their mission.
....
Lynn and Ivan ended up getting questioned because of Rourke and Adair's defection. The thing that the both of them could agree on is the fact that they have no idea how or why this happened.
Either way, they need another medic on the field and the next person on the list is Ivan.
Sure he might not be jumping for joy on this but he is ready to help however he can.
Ivan with some other troops show up at this one town very close to where Rourke and Adair defected from, just up the river actually.
It was small and quaint; already looking more like a ghost town save for the troops going about their business. Sgt. Gareth could be heard nearby giving orders while Ivan finished setting up his medical building.
Just when he stepped outside he heard something fall in the nearby woods.
Ivan hated getting himself into trouble, especially if it lead to violence but something about this peaked his curiosity.
He just couldn't keep away.
Ivan crept closer to the trees, not letting out a single sound save for the footsteps on fallen leaves before freezing at what he saw.
It was a dirty young girl, no more than 10 years old, curled up on the ground in absolute fear.
Ivan glanced back a moment before kneeling beside her, already set on getting to work. "Hey, it's alright. I'm here to help."
The girl looked up at Ivan with wide eyes brimmed in tears. When she saw him, her breathing hitched and she did her best to crawl away but quickly collapsed in pain from the shot in her side.
His heart wrenched at the sight. Ivan raised his hands up in a sign of surrender. "I, I'm not going to hurt you..."
She fearfully watched Ivan before nodding.
Ivan grabbed the antiseptic and-
....
Lynn was devastated at hearing that Ivan had defected.
She had absolutely no clue as to how this would have happened but it did and just... she's confused.
Either way the Core needs their best bomb expert for a mission in Kaliningrad.
....
Ivan ran.
He didn't know where he was going.
He didn't know how far he would go.
Not that he cared.
He just wanted to get away.
He just wanted to get as far as he could as fast as he could because darn it this isn't right!
Ivan stopped at a river and collapsed by it.
"H-how, could they kill her... she was, she was innocent..."
Ivan sat there staring into the river not noticing his surroundings.
Or the fact that someone was staring at him.
"...Ivan?"
Ivan stumbled up, practically tripping over himself, and turned to the figure behind him.
Or should I say figures.
There stood Rourke and Adair in different attire looking at Ivan with concern.
"We, have a lot to talk about."
....
Lynn ran behind many buildings making sure everything was set up before ducking behind a safe barricade.
With one last scan she pushed a button and everything went up in flames.
She never realized how intense this would be in person instead of in some training simulator or how much she would feel her adrenaline rush but this is what she was trained to do and so this is what she will do.
Once the dust settled enough for her to see, she ran to her next position.
Past all of the fire and the sounds of her friends yelling-
Hold up.
Lynn stopped and turned to see Rourke, Adair, and Ivan facing off again Sgt. Gareth and some men.
She narrowed her eyes at them. *How could they really betray us! We're family and they turned their backs on us! On me!*
Lynn looked between her friends and Sgt. Gareth figuring he's got this covered before running back to her job.
She sets up the next charges, just as usual.
She ducks behind cover.
She goes to push the button.
She stops.
In the window she sees kids running out with their assumed mother.
She drops the remote. "I, can't..."
"What do you mean?"
Lynn turned and pointed her gun up at Sgt. Branna. "Oh, Sgt. it's you."
"What do you mean you can't?"
"There is kids inside, sir. We aren't here to kill kids we-"
"No loose ends right? We have to kill them."
"But sir-"
"You say you are loyal. Well, are you?"
"Of course I am..."
"Then press the button."
Lynn stared up at Branna before looking to the button. She hovered her thumb over the button before squeezing her eyes shut and-
not pressing it.
"What are you waiting for? Just press it!"
"No."
"What?"
"I said, no. I am not pressing it. I can't press it. We are supposed to be bringing peace but killing a bunch of kids isn't going to bring that. It's only going to start a war!"
Sgt. Branna let out a long sigh and held out a hand. "Give me the button."
"Why would I ever do that?!"
"Because I am your superior and if you ever want a chance at Father Eugene ever being pleased with you again you need to give the button now or set it off yourself."
Lynn stared up at Branna before gritting her teeth with narrowed eyes and running.
Branna spoke into an ear piece before glaring at Lynn and shooting at her.
Lynn kept running, never once looking back.
She understood now.
Understood why the others would defect.
She also understood that she should duck into an alleyway or something right about now.
Lynn turned the corner just in time to see people fleeing to some sort of ferry and upon looking around, spotted her friends filing in.
Lynn only had to think for a second before chucking the button into the water and running onto the ferry after her friends.
