Playing Soldiers (Updated)

Sunday Bonus

When I saw this guy in the arcade I could tell he had a military background, fuck he was built and could handle the gun even though it was a fake.

I pushed past his friend knocking his money to the floor, it was all the time I needed to sidle up behind the soldier and push in.

Sure, I missed a couple of targets as I rolled my shoulders and got used to the feel of my new body but fuck! it was worth it. My new buddy slapped me on the back and laughed, “beers on you buddy.”

I just turned and smiled.

---

I had a couple of messages come through on here and YIM asking me to extend this story so I took aNa suggestion and used it. Hope you like this addition.

I knew I needed time to get used to my new disguise so I said nothing and followed my new friend out of the arcade.

"Beers?" He asked. I nodded, although I was underage I felt confident enough that I would be OK in this new muscled giant. Deep down, I knew that this was the start of a new adventure.

My friend; James, I pulled at my lip memories were starting to come through. My new name was Jay, I was right, a soldier on leave. I fazed out for a moment as memories washed over my own, things of horror; friends lost a hard dirty history of the past six months.

"Jay?" My friend snapped his fingers a couple of times in front of my face. "You OK? You sort of zoned out there for a minute."

I nodded. "Yeah fine, just... just thinking of something." Jay's memories had caught up with me, and I felt that I had just aged eight years in only seconds.

"Just need to shake the weasel, be right back." James stands and makes his way to the restrooms.

For the first time, I check my new form. Thick strong arms, I look at my hands; strong and rough. A rush of guilt hits me and I rest my head in my hands regretting what I had done.

I feel a hand rest on my shoulder, its James. "Jay, you OK? You've been acting weird since we left the arcade."

"Yeah, I'm OK. Just thinking about the rest of the guys, and... you know, Tony."

"Bastards," Jason squeezes my shoulder, "he was a good soldier, and we'll never forget him."

In the minutes I've been Jay, I've aged; experienced anger, control, loss of a friend and ultimately the emptiness of what appears to be a loss cause.

I can hear James talking but it's not really registering; I take a couple of deep breaths, and something catches my interest, a noise in the bar.

Voices; I can't tell what they are saying but the tone isn't right. Jay's training sparked in my head, a tugging feeling. I hold up a hand, "Shhh." James instantly stops talking. "Listen."

Slowly I raise my head, glancing cautiously around the bar. It's practically empty with only small knots of people dotted around.

A raised voice catches my attention and I turn to see a group of three, one in his early twenties, the other two in their thirties. Something inside Jay, something I inherited let's me pick out the details. There's a glint; something in the hand of the youngest catches my eye. Quietly I stand giving James a tug, he nods and follows.

I chat quietly with James, about nothing in particular just enough not to raise any suspicions. Suddenly the youth knocks a beer from one of the guys, and step back brandishing a knife.

It was a blurr; Jay's no, my training snapped into focus and I think I must have caught James out, as before I knew it I had disarmed the kid forcing him to the ground with his arm up tight behind his back. "Drop it!" I growled, he complied. I pushed my knee into the small of his back; my whole weight. It didn't take long for the police to pick up the little shit.

I sat down again, the adrenaline receding. James slapped me on the back and crouched down and looked me in the eye; "This is why--WE need to go back, you are the best on the team. You can pick up these signals that the rest of us miss. Tony, sadly died but it wasn't YOUR fault there were just too many of them." He slams a palm on the table, and I flinch a little caught off guard. "YOU have saved the team time and time again, we need you."

I slowly nod realising the importance of Jay's work, I look up at James, "Yeah, I believe... I believe... I can MAKE a difference." I gently slap his face "We both can make a difference. Can't we?"

James smiles, "I think we can, but not without you buddy."