Chapter 23-24 - Adopted into a Modern Family

Chapter 23 – The End of the Break and the Return to Training

Grant's month off flew by. He enjoyed every moment with family, friends, and the comfort of being home. It was weeks of laughter, get-togethers, barbecues at Jay's house, walks around town with Hailey and Alex, and even a few trips to the beach with Luke. But as happy as he was to be home, he knew his life was now in the Army. And the call of duty was never far away.

The day of his departure arrived faster than he expected.

The morning sun lit up the Pritchett-Tucker backyard. Grant stood on the lawn, wearing beige cargo pants, a tight black t-shirt, and a backwards cap. His duffel bag was by the door, ready to be loaded for the airport.

Cam and Mitchell tried to hide their sadness, but it was impossible to hide. Lily, now older and more mature, hugged her brother tightly.

"Do you promise to call me whenever you can?" she asked, burying her face in his chest.

Grant smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Always. But you know how it is, sometimes missions can be difficult. But I always come back."

Mitchell put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"We know, but... it's never easy."

Cam, always emotional, wiped away a tear.

"You need to eat well! Don't forget to eat!"

Grant laughed.

"I'll try, Dad. But no promises."

Jay and Gloria arrived soon after, along with Manny. Jay slapped Grant hard on the shoulder.

"Go out there and keep being the best. But this isn't hard for you."

Gloria hugged her adopted grandson tightly.

"I'll pray for you every day, mi amor."

Grant smiled.

"Thank you, Gloria. That means a lot to me."

The last to say goodbye was Luke, who had been one of the people who spent the most time with him during his break.

"Dude, seriously, come back soon. You need to teach me more tactics. My Call of Duty has improved a lot since your tips."

"I'll try to be back before the next game comes out," Grant joked.

After hugs, laughs, and a few tears, he grabbed his suitcase and got into the car. His family waved as he drove off, knowing it would be a while before they saw him again.

The trip back was smooth. Grant was already accustomed to taking military flights, and the routine of checking in and boarding no longer caused him stress.

When he arrived at Fort Moore, it was as if he had never left. The smell of the training ground, the sound of soldiers running in formation, and the commands shouted by the instructors felt familiar. He took a deep breath.

"Back home," he muttered to himself.

Upon entering the barracks, he was greeted by some of his teammates.

"Look who's back!" shouted Logan, one of the most experienced Rangers in the platoon.

Grant dropped his bag and greeted each of them.

"Did you enjoy your break?" asked Johnson, a tall, muscular Ranger with a neatly trimmed beard.

"Yes, but now it's time to get back to work."

Logan laughed.

"That's right. And tomorrow morning we'll have a hell of a PT. I hope you haven't lost your rhythm."

Grant smiled.

"You'll see."

The next morning, Grant woke before his alarm clock rang. He put on his training clothes, laced up his boots, and left his barracks. The cool morning air was punctuated by the sound of soldiers marching and drill instructors giving orders.

On the training ground, his unit was already assembled. The drill sergeant, a burly man with a voice like thunder, looked around at everyone.

"I hope you enjoyed your break, because now it's time to get back to reality!"

Everyone responded in unison:

"Rangers Lead The Way!"

The sergeant smirked.

"Exactly. Now, do fifty push-ups to start!"

Grant dropped to the ground easily, moving in sync with the rest of the group. He could feel his muscles working, but he was in excellent shape.

After the push-ups came the five-mile run. Grant ran with controlled breathing, keeping pace with the group. He knew the instructors always watched the younger ones, but he already had a reputation to maintain.

After the run, they moved on to the technical part of the training. They practiced building entry, shooting on the move, and ambush strategies.

At one point, Logan approached Grant and lightly tapped his helmet.

"Still sharp. You haven't lost a thing."

Grant smiled.

"I'm not stopping, Logan." You know that.

The day was intense, and that night, back at his barracks, Grant sat on his bed, exhausted but satisfied. The rest had been good, but returning to training was where he felt truly complete.

He looked at the Rangers badge hanging on his uniform and smiled.

"Back in the game."

Chapter 24 – The Second Deployment

The following months passed in a blur. Time never seemed to stand still for a Ranger, and for Grant, that was a fact.

Since returning to Fort Moore, his life had been an endless cycle of training, simulated missions, and tactical exercises that pushed his endurance to the limit.

His days began before dawn with PT (Physical Training), where he and his fellow Rangers ran miles, did hundreds of push-ups, and completed high-intensity circuits to maintain impeccable physical fitness. Next came marksmanship, where they honed their accuracy with rifles, pistols, and machine guns. Sometimes, they practiced hand-to-hand combat with specialized instructors.

Grant was already respected by his peers. He had proven himself an exceptional soldier from day one, and now, as a Specialist (E-4), his experience was growing rapidly.

But the routine would soon be broken by something bigger.

It was November. The temperature was beginning to drop, and autumn was taking its last breaths before the arrival of winter. Grant was on the firing range, adjusting his sights on a distant target, when Logan, his teammate and close friend, approached.

"Did you hear the news?" Logan asked, leaning against the trench next to him.

Grant didn't look away from the scope, firing three precise shots before answering.

"Which one? There's always something new."

Logan smiled, but his tone grew more serious.

"Deployment. We're going back to Afghanistan."

Grant lowered his gun slowly.

"Really? Do we have a date yet?"

"Two weeks."

Grant took a deep breath. His first deployment had been intense. He'd seen real combat, felt the weight of carrying his teammates' lives in his hands, and experienced the adrenaline that only a real mission could provide. Now, he would return. But this time, he wasn't a rookie anymore.

"What do we know about the mission?"

"Not much yet. The official briefing will be tomorrow, but from what I hear, we'll have an important role in night operations against high-value targets."

Grant nodded.

"Well, that's what we train for."

The next morning, the entire platoon gathered in the operations room. The commander entered, his imposing presence silencing everyone. He turned on the projector, displaying a map of Afghanistan.

"Listen carefully, Rangers. Our next deployment begins later this month. We'll be assigned to support counterterrorism operations in a critical area."

He pointed to a region marked in red on the map.

"Our objective will be to identify, capture, or eliminate high-value targets, as well as provide support to Afghan forces and CIA units operating in the region."

Grant exchanged glances with Logan. This was no ordinary deployment. Operating so close to the CIA meant they'd be handling extremely sensitive and dangerous missions.

The commander continued:

"Our work will be highly classified, and we will often not have immediate air support. We must trust each other and operate with absolute precision. Understood?"

Everyone responded in unison:

"Yes, sir!"

Grant felt a chill run down his spine. Not from fear, but from anticipation. He knew each mission would be a test of everything he had learned.

In the following days, the Rangers began preparing intensely. Equipment was reviewed, tactics refined, and each member of the team trained exhaustively to ensure they were ready.

Grant spent hours testing and adjusting his M4A1 carbine, ensuring the aim was perfect. His Glock 19 pistol was also constantly disassembled and reassembled in a matter of seconds. Every detail mattered.

The night before departure, while organizing his equipment in the barracks, Logan sat on his bed and looked at him.

"Have you told your family yet?"

Grant paused for a moment.

"Not yet."

Logan laughed.

"It's going to be hard for them again, isn't it?"

"It always is. But they know this is my life now."

Grant picked up his phone and took a deep breath before calling home.

The screen flashed as the video call connected. Cam and Mitchell appeared first, followed by Lily, who smiled at the sight of him.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Cam said cheerfully.

"Hi, everyone. How are you?"

Mitchell narrowed his eyes.

"You have this particular tone of voice when you have important news."

Grant smiled slightly.

"Yes... I have something to tell you."

Cam and Mitchell looked at each other.

"It's going to happen again, right?" Cam asked, her eyes already welling up.

"Yes. I'm going on another deployment."

There was a brief silence. Then, Mitchell took a deep breath.

"When?"

"In a few days."

Cam closed his eyes for a moment before smiling.

"We knew this day would come again. But it never gets easier."

Lily, who had been quiet until then, spoke up.

"Do you promise you'll take care of yourself?"

Grant smiled.

"Always."

The conversation continued for a while longer. It took a few minutes before Grant had to hang up. He knew his grandfather Jay would be proud and that the whole family supported him. But the worry was always there.

On the morning of departure, Grant donned his full uniform. His combat shirt clung to his body, his Glock was holstered, and his sunglasses reflected the early morning light.

The Rangers were gathered near the C-17 military transport plane. Each carried their backpack and weapons. The commander made one final check before authorizing boarding.

Grant took a deep breath, looked up at the sky, and walked up the plane's ramp.

Soon, the engines began to roar and the rear door closed.

The second deployment had begun.

Chapter 13 - Chapter 23-24