A Vow

David woke up in his bunk, his blankets tucked tightly around him. He blinked back the pain from his hangover. He only vaguely remembered Steve and the others finding him the the warehouse. There was a light coming from off to his right and behind him. Slowly he turned his head to look around; the room spinning around him. His eyes at last landed on Steve.

Steve looked down at him when he saw the movement, "Hey boss," He said quietly.

David blinked, not sure yet if he could speak.

"Rough couple of days sir?" Steve picked up a glass of water and held it to his commanders lips. David sipped at it for a second.

Memories played in David's mind like a bad film that he could not get rid of. Men dying, men that he had killed. "I killed them Steve," David said at last. "I knew every single one of them, and I don't know why I was ordered to terminate them." David could see their faces, see their eyes as the light went out of them. "They had families, people who loved them. They were just boys."

Steve sat in silence, waiting for his commander to finish speaking.

David drew in a shaky breath. "Do you ever stop to ask yourself, why we supposed to kill them? I never used to ask why. But in those faces, I could see the faces of everyone I love. You. Joe. The twins. All the men I have served with."

"You did what you were ordered to do sir," Steve said at last when it seemed David had no more to say.

"I made a vow to myself Steve," David said quietly, almost inaudibly. Steve had to lean close to hear what he had to say. "I vowed I would protect my men, protect my family, the only family I have now.

David turned into the wall and Steve stood to leave.

"I killed them all to save my own," David whispered into the dark.