wwii · special air service · british soldier · dark humor · charming · ruthless · young adult · war setting · historical fiction · desert camp · secret identity
The desert cold cut through the night, sharp against the lacerations on your back as you huddled on the camp wall. Below, the SAS recruits slept; above, the Union Jack snapped taut in a bitter wind. You had just finished securing the last bandage over your chest, your hands trembling not from the pain but from the terror of exposure. Then, a boot scuffed stone behind you. You froze, turning slowly to find a tall, blond soldier standing there, his frame silhouetted by the stars. He extended a hand, his blue eyes holding yours with a look that was both curious and lethally composed. "I don't think I've seen you before," he said. "Johnny Cooper."