Call Of Duty

Summary: Huey and Riley Freeman join the US Army after granddad loses all his money. They go through training, deployments and everything together, they even fall for the same girl in the process. H/J/R story. A/U Rated M for violence, language and other things.

Chapter 2: The Light At the End of The Tunnel

Every since they went to the mall a week ago all Huey heard was Army, army, army. He felt like that dumbass commercial he heard whenever he was in his friend Cairo's car. Riley was laying it on thick to granddad and he couldn't have been more proud. Granddad being an Army man himself for about 15 years knew how good it felt for someone to accomplish only the things you can do in the service.

What granddad didn't understand was why Huey was so against it. Well he knew how Huey felt about politics in this country but him being so negative about the Army was putting a downer on how Riley felt, even though Riley tried to deny it. Granddad never heard Riley talk so animatedly about anything before and the Army was a great opportunity for a career, especially for Riley.

The phone rang in the house and Riley answered it before anyone else could get to her. "Hey Sgt Williams" he said excitedly. Huey rolled his eyes and went on the front porch and sat down on the steps. Granddad was sitting outside as well on an old rocking chair.

"Hey Huey why so glum" he asked

"All I keep hearing about is the stupid ass army granddad I'm so fucking sick of it, its like Riley doesn't even care if he has to go to war and die for a country that enslaved his people for hundreds of years" said Huey angrily.

"I aint no slave boy"

"I know Granddad that's not what I meant, I just don't get why he's so excited"

"Come here boy lemme show you something" said Granddad getting up out of the chair. Huey got up as well and followed him in the house where Granddad went up to his room and closed the door. He motioned for Huey to sit down on the bed and Huey did so. Granddad went into one of his boxes he had packed up earlier and pulled out a smaller box. He sat down on the bed next to Huey and opened it. He pulled out some memorabilia

He placed something in Huey's hands. Huey looked down at it and read what it said. "Henry Freeman, granddad what are these"

"Those Huey, are Identification Cards, commonly known as dog tags"

"Ok" said Huey slowly, "But who's Henry Freeman"

"My Father, he fought in World War 2, with the 82nd airborne division," said Granddad, he shuffled through the box again and pulled put some more dog tags. Then he took the ones Huey had and placed the others in his hands.

"John Freeman Jr." Huey read.

"My uncle, fought in the Korean War" He then took those and gave him some more.

"John Freeman Sr." he asked

"My Grandfather, World War 1" he shuffled through the box, through pictures and medals. "Ah here we are," he said handing Huey the last of the dog tags.

"Malcolm Freeman" he said tracing the metal with his fingers. He held it up and said "My Father"

"Right, you've heard of Dessert Storm I'm sure?" Huey nodded "There's a story I wanna tell you, one your mother didn't want either of you boys to hear." Huey nodded again and set the dog tags back in the box.

"When you were born Huey, your father had no clue how he was going to take care of you, he knew he loved your mother, even though the two were very young when they had you and unmarried."

Granddad took a deep sigh.

"I had been out the army for about 6 or 7 years and I always told your father how much they helped me. Your father was only 21 when you were born, your mother was 18, and his job didn't pay like he needed it to. Your mother was trying to be a nurse she didn't have a job her job was school. Your father proposed to your mother before he told her he enlisted. After he did about a week later he went off to basic. He came back to witness your birth after training and then he shipped off to war."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this?"

"Let me finish the story." Huey nodded "Your father was a good solider Huey, he was an infantry man, just like me, my father, my uncle and my grandfather. He fought hard in that war even though it didn't last a year. When he came back your mother got pregnant with Riley. Malcolm liked Army life and saw that it could benefit you all. Your mother was still able to go to school and you boys were being taken care of."

"Ok but why didn't you tell me"

"In January 1993 your father got a call about a mission in Somalia. They were only going to take a small group of American soldiers and wanted him to be one. Your mother didn't want him to go, but he wanted to serve the country that helped him take care of his family." Said Granddad then he started to get teary eyed.

"In August 1993 he went over there, he was a paratrooper and getting ready to jump out of a chopper it was shot down before anyone could get out and all 6 people on board died instantly. Your mother made me promise at your father's military funeral that I would never bring up the way he died. She didn't want you or your brother knowing that side of his life"

"But that side of his life was the biggest part of his life," said Huey starting to get angry. "Why are you telling me all this now?" he asked.

"Because I want you to try an understand that as bad as this country may be in your view, there are good things about it and the Army is one of them. It may not be perfect but it is an opportunity for young men and women to make something of themselves when they feel like the world has turned their back on them."

"Fine whatever," said Huey sighing. Riley came bouncing into Granddads room with the phone in his hands and saw Huey and granddad sitting on granddad's bed.

"You sitting on granddads bed. Nigga you gay" Huey rolled his eyes. "Granddad Sgt. Williams said he'd be by tomorrow to gimme a practice test to get into the Army"

"That's great son"

"Oh and Huey your boyfriend is on the phone" said Riley tossing Huey the phone. Huey walked out the room and smacked Riley on the head before holding the phone up to his ear.

"Aye nigga Wassup" asked Cairo

"Hey Cairo"

"Did I just hear Riley correctly, this nigga's joining the Army"

"Yep you heard correctly"

"Damn, man, good for him, you know my brother's a marine, he over in Afghanistan right now, he did…."

"Two tours in Iraq already, I know man I know"

"Well smart ass nigga if you know so much, why you not tryna get in on this"

"I don't wanna be in the fuckin Army man"

"Huey, nigga, you gon let Riley have all the fun himself"

"Yeah I guess so"

"Shit I was thinking about joining the marine corp. next year, Military can do great things for you nigga, and though the army aint nearly as tough as the Corp, they can help you out with a lot of shit, plus I heard they be giving out bonuses and shit too man, I'm talking 40 to 60 g's man that'd be a good opportunity for you college nigga"

Huey's facial expression changed a little. "What?"

"Yeah man when my brother joined the marines they gave this nigga a 40 thousand dollar bonus, but he's recon and shit that's like uh, special forces in the Army I think, anyway it's something to think on nigga, I gotta go, holla at you later iight"

"Alright man talk to you later" Huey hung up the phone and went downstairs where Riley and Granddad were talking about the test Riley was going to have to take.

"Riley call your recruiter back, I wanna take this test too." Said Huey

"I knew you was gon come around nigga," said Riley smirking as he went to go find the phone. Granddad smiled at Huey and Huey smiled back nervously.

Huey and Riley paced nervously as they waited for the recruiter to come back with the results of their practice test from his laptop. Sgt Williams walked from the kitchen into the living room with a huge smile on his face.

"Huey Freeman you scored a 87 overall," he said beaming.

"Is that good," asked Huey.

"That's fantastic Huey, the highest score you can achieve is a 99 you're only off by 12 points, Riley you scored a 75, both of you got high GT scores, above 110, so you can pretty much get any job you want in the Army."

"Infantry" they both said at the same time.

"I thought you boys would say that, now when would you want to ship out for training" he asked.

"As soon as possible" said Huey. Riley nodded in agreement

"Excellent now all you boys have to do is do this well on the real test and I'll have you in the Army faster than you can say basic training" he said smiling. "Now let's talk bonuses" he said smiling wider. Huey smiled at him as well but still felt a little uneasy.