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30 days later

The last month Brain, AJ, and Nick prepared to leave for the Middle East. Nick tried everything possible to get out of going. He had obviously failed. Not even being a multi-millionaire pop-star could get him out of going. He had refused to believe it was true and did nothing to prepare until three days before it was time to report.

Brain spent every day with Leigh Anne and Bayleigh. He took Bayleigh to the zoo, the park; ice skating, the beach, hunting and fishing. He made sure that he was going to make that last months with his family memorable. Leigh Anne cried every day for a week and once the day for him to leave grew closer she began crying again. This was going to be the most difficult thing he had ever done in his life. How do you leave your family and go fight in a war you aren’t even sure you believe in?

AJ, well AJ drank everyday once he found out he had been drafted. After 10 years being sober all it took was one letter to change it all. He wasn’t really that upset about it now. He had kind of become numb to the idea. He had just accepted it. There wasn’t anything he could do to change it, so he figured why wallow in misery. At least put on a happy face and act like you aren’t scared shitless.

These three guys somehow couldn’t get away from each other. All three of them were members of The Backstreet Boys. A boy band that was huge in the late 90’s and early 00’s. They were on hiatus right now. Each of them was working on solo projects and hadn’t really seen each other in months. Knowing that the three of them had been drafted, they meet for lunch before reporting.

“AJ man what is up?” Asked Nick as AJ walked up to the table where the other two guys were already sitting.

“Not much, just ready to get this over with. I am sick of it being on the horizon. I just want the day to be over. You know, so I can quit dreading it.” He said sitting down.

“I feel you man.” Replied Brain. “I seriously don’t know how in the world I am going to get through this. And Leigh, if you guys would have seen her face this morning. It was way worse than ever leaving on tour. It was like she thought it was the last time she was ever going to see me.”
“I just can’t believe that all three of us were picked, but not Howie. How the fuck is that fair. You can’t take three Backstreet Boys and throw them to the wolves and leave one here. It should be all or nothing.” Stated Nick shaking his head in disbelief.

“I don’t know. He just got lucky I guess. I would hate for him to have had to come though. I mean they just had a baby. I don’t know if I would be able to leave a new born. Leaving Bayleigh who is 8 is hard enough.” Brian replied.

The guys made small talk as each of them secretly prayed that all of their lives would be safe. Although Nick and AJ weren’t that religious, they knew that there was a higher power, and they wanted to be on its good side. Brain being a devote Christian had spent the last month praying to God to have his will be done. If it was in God’s plan for him to go fight in this war, then that is exactly what he was going to do.

The three men finished their lunch and entered their separate cars that would take them to meet the life that they would share for the next six months.

***March Air Force Base, Riverside, CA***
The line of men reporting was all the way around the building. AJ, Brain and Nick stood side by side and the line slowly but steadily moved forward. No one said much, just a little small talk now in then. How were you supposed to just pretend that it wasn’t happening? As the guys looked around though, it didn’t seem that everyone was as sad as they were. Some people were actually goofing around and laughing. Were there really people who were excited to go?

After an hour standing in line they were finally able to step up to the table and check themselves in. AJ went to the table first. “Full name, please.” The girl sitting at the table asked.

“Alexander McLean.” He responded.

The girl immediately looked up and smiled at him. He of course being AJ smiled back. “I seen that name on here and I wondered if it was the Alexander Mclean.”

“What do you mean ‘The Alexander Mclean?”

“Oh come on,” the girl replied rolling her eyes. “You know AJ Mclean, Backstreet Boy.”

“Fan?” he questioned.

“Used to be when I was younger. I think I am a little old to fawn over you now.” She replied laughing a little.

“Well doll face, what is your name?”

“I am Corporal Holden, but my first name is Audrey.”

“Well Audrey it is lovely meeting you.” He said flirting a little.

Audrey handed AJ all of his paper work and sent him away to fill them out. Nick and Brian both followed gathering their paperwork and making their way over to the lounge to fill them out.

“Guys, did you see how hot that girl was?” AJ asked when they arrived.

“What girl?” asked Brian clueless?

“The girl that took out name and handed us this shit.”

“Yeah, I seen her, she was cute.” Nick pointed out.

“Cute, cute? That girl was fucking fine. I didn’t realize that girls in the military looked like that.” AJ replied licking his lips. “Her name is Audrey.”

“You know her name already?” Brian asked as he looked at his friend like he had lost his mind. “We are about to go to war and you are talking about a cute girl?”

“Hey man, we are going to war. I am not dead. I still look and notice fine girls. And she my friend was fine.”

Brian rolled his eyes and smiles at his horny friend. Leave it to AJ to make light out of this situation. The three men filled out there paperwork and turn it in. Now it was just a waiting game. They were instructed that they could be in the hanger for as long as 48 hours before leaving. They would be flying into Kuwait and then convoying into Iraq, were they would go through brief two week training on how to be a soldier. Then they would be off to fight. Them fighting, it just didn’t make any sense.