Chapter 49 – The Last Look
Los Angeles, California – Pritchett-Tucker House
The afternoon sun streamed softly into the living room of the Pritchett-Tucker house. Mitchell and Cameron sat on the couch, a glass of iced tea in hand, while Lily absently watched the news. The TV was tuned to CNN, and ever since they began covering the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the family hadn't been able to take their eyes off the screen.
Jay Pritchett and Gloria had arrived earlier, accompanied by Claire, Phil, and their children, and now everyone was gathered here. The tension was palpable.
"This is crazy," Claire muttered, crossing her arms. Her blue eyes were fixed on the screen.
The image showed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, packed with Afghan civilians trying to board evacuation flights. The chaos was indescribable. Thousands of people ran through the courtyard, some carrying children, others clutching desperate documents, trying somehow to convince the soldiers to let them in.
And then, the camera shifted.
The footage now showed a group of heavily armed soldiers, wearing camouflage uniforms, tactical helmets, sunglasses, and rifles ready for action. They were in a forward security position near the airport's main entrance, watching the commotion.
Mitchell's heart raced.
"That's him."
Everyone looked more closely.
In the middle of the group, one soldier stood out for his firm posture and the way he analyzed every detail of his surroundings.
Grant.
There was no doubt.
Cameron covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes wide.
"Oh my God… He's right there."
The CNN cameraman focused on the group for a few seconds, and in that instant, Grant looked directly into the lens, albeit unintentionally.
His sunglasses hid his eyes, but his expression was serious. Deep. Filled with something no one there could ever fully understand.
Jay Pritchett frowned, taking a sip of whiskey.
"I bet he's pissed."
Everyone turned to him.
"PISSED?" Gloria repeated, surprised.
Jay pointed to the TV.
"Take a good look at him. I know that look. Grant has always been dedicated, disciplined, a warrior. He spent years in this place, fighting for this country, and now… now he's having to swallow this shameful retreat."
Silence.
Mitchell ran a hand through his hair uneasily.
"My God, Dad… Do you think he's sorry?"
Jay shook his head.
"No. He would never regret serving. But I know he feels it was all for nothing."
Lily, who had been silent until then, asked an innocent but weighty question.
"Does this mean Grant wasted his time going to war?"
Everyone looked at each other.
Phil cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension.
"Of course not, honey. Grant helped a lot of people. He saved lives. He did incredible things."
Jay took a deep breath before answering, his voice deeper than usual.
"The problem, Lily, is that men like Grant fight wars that aren't decided on the battlefield. They're decided by politicians, sitting comfortably in their offices, never having gotten their boots dirty."
Claire lowered her gaze, crossing her arms.
"And the worst part is, he can't do anything but follow orders."
The TV continued to broadcast live footage. Now, a Black Hawk helicopter was hovering over the airport, and the soldiers were in a defensive position.
Mitchell felt a tightness in his chest. His son was there. In the middle of one of the most chaotic moments in American military history.
He turned to Cameron, who looked equally shaken.
"I just want him to come home."
Gloria placed her hand over her chest, overcome with emotion.
"He'll come back, Mitchell. Grant is strong. He always has been.
Jay nodded slowly.
"And when he comes back, something tells me he won't want to hear about this anymore."
The CNN camera returned to the group of soldiers. Grant was now speaking on the radio to another operator. He seemed calm, but his posture made it clear he was listening to everything.
Claire pressed her lips together.
"We should send him a message."
Phil nodded.
"Yes, when he can see."
Lily looked at everyone and, in her soft voice, said something that made everyone stop.
"I think he just needs to know we're here, waiting for him."
Silence.
It was true.
Grant was there, doing his duty. But when this was over, he needed to know he still had a home to return to.
Chapter 50 – The End of an Era
Fort Bragg, North Carolina – Delta Force Barracks
Grant sat at his desk, staring at his laptop screen. Exhaustion was etched on his face. The withdrawal from Afghanistan had been one of the most frustrating moments of his career. He had never felt so disillusioned with the country's political leadership.
The years of combat, the physical and mental scars, the operations in which he had risked his life countless times… And now? All handed to the same enemies he had fought to defeat.
Grant took a deep breath and clicked the button to start the video call with his family.
The screen loaded for a few seconds until Mitchell and Cameron's faces appeared. They were on the couch at home, and in the background, he could see Lily sitting on the rug, scrolling through her cell phone.
"Hi, honey!" Cameron said cheerfully, but his expression quickly changed as he noticed the exhaustion on Grant's face. "My God, you look exhausted."
"Yeah, well…" Grant sighed. "It's been a rough time."
Mitchell leaned forward, frowning.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
Grant opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the screen filled with new windows. Jay and Gloria joined the call, followed by Claire, Phil, and the kids.
"Look who decided to show up!" Jay joked, taking a sip of whiskey.
Grant chuckled lightly.
"Hey, guys."
Hailey, Alex, and Luke were in the back, curious.
"You look tired, cousin," Alex commented.
"Man, that was crazy," Luke said. "We saw you on TV. I paused and was like, 'Dude, I know that guy!'"
Everyone laughed a little, but the mood was still tense.
Claire was blunt:
"Grant… Are you okay?"
Grant took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. He glanced at the screen and realized they were genuinely worried.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about this."
The room fell silent.
Grant looked at his father and grandfather.
"I've made a decision. After everything that's happened, after this deployment to Afghanistan, I realize it's over. I'm retiring."
There was a moment of absolute silence.
Then Jay nodded, as if he already knew.
"I knew this day would come."
Mitchell blinked a few times, processing the information.
"Retiring… Like, leaving the Army for good?"
"Yeah," Grant nodded. — "After years of service, I've reached a point where I simply can't do it anymore. I did what I could, I fought where I had to. But I won't continue serving under a command that simply turned its back on everything we've built."
Gloria placed a hand on her chest.
"Oh, my… Are you sure about that?"
"I am. I love this unit. I love my teammates. But I can't ignore what's happening anymore. I've risked my life countless times to capture terrorists, and now the government just hands them billions in equipment? They killed our friends, our brothers. I can't keep pretending everything's okay."
Claire nodded seriously.
"I understand. It must be disgusting."
"It's more than that." Grant clenched his fists. "It's like it was all for nothing. But I know it wasn't. I know I helped people. I saved lives. And that's what I'll take with me."
Cameron wiped his eyes, overcome with emotion.
"So… What's next?"
Grant relaxed slightly in his chair.
"Well, I still have a few weeks until I make everything official. But when the day comes, there will be a farewell ceremony here at the base. Unlike what you might imagine, Delta has a tradition for this, and family members are allowed. So… I wanted to know if you're coming."
Everyone started talking at once.
"Of course!"
"Obviously, Grant!"
"You think I'd miss this?" Jay said proudly.
Grant smiled.
"That's great. Because I'll also be able to show you around the base. I know most of it is restricted, but there are a few things I can share. You'll like it."
Mitchell nodded, still taking it all in.
"So that's it. After all this time, you're finally… coming back."
Grant looked at his father and gave a small smile.
"Yeah. I'm going home."
And for the first time in years, he felt it was the right decision.
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