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Saunders swiped at a drop of sweat rolling
down the side of his nose. The afternoon had turned uncomfortably warm and
humid after the incessant rain of the last few days. The grit being
churned up by the jeep wheels thumping into craters and potholes settled
on their damp skins and clothing, turning all three men a uniform, albeit
ghostly, gray. He wondered if the Captain was a supersititious man. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the trees
around them. The air was still and heavy, too muggy even for the birds to
sing. His Thompson was cradled in one arm; his feet were braced on the
floorboard in a desperate attempt to keep himself upright and in the
vehicle. His helmet bounced up and down on his head, adding to the dull
ache behind his eyes. He absently rubbed at his eyes with thumb and
forefinger, then squinted again into the sunlight, scanning treetops for
snipers. "You do know that this is unsecured
territory, and there have been reports of snipers in the area, don't you,
Captain?" he asked the superior officer, as they jounced into a rut
caused by a tank. "Don't get your panties in a bunch,
Saunders. You always were a little yellow. Don't think you're getting out
of the mission that easily!" the Captain retorted, swiveling
malevolent little piggy eyes toward the NCO. "What IS the mission, Captain? Are
you going to fill us in, or just let us wander around blindly, hoping
we'll get ourselves killed?" Grady had no patience for being yanked
around, literally or figuratively, and he was getting mightily tired of
both the jeep ride and the Captain. "While that is a tempting offer,
Long, in the interest of protocol I suppose I'll have to tell you sooner
or later what you'll be doing." The jeep lurched as it struck a deep
pothole, and Miller struggled to keep the wheels straight. Grady was
thrown forward, and his BAR jabbed the Captain in the back. "Oops, sorry..." the Corporal
smirked. "You did that on purpose!" the
Captain sputtered. "I'll have you up on charges...AGAIN!" "Captain! The mission?"
Saunders' voice had become a purr, a sure sign that he was nearing the end
of his rope, too. Captain Miller's face took on a dream-like
quality. "This mission is my baby," he
preened. "I came up with it and presented it to the General Staff,
who approved it wholeheartedly. I would have carried it out myself, but
they thought I would need logistical assistance, which is where you two
come in. They told me to pick whoever I wanted, and when I saw you two
sitting there doing nothing, I decided you were the perfect ones. If
you're killed on this operation, it will be no loss to your unit or anyone
else." He was almost gleeful in this pronouncement. A sudden chill passed over Saunders, and
he glanced back at Grady. Long's face had paled under the gray coating. If
there had been any doubt before, now they knew for sure where they stood.
Saunders wondered if either of them would survive the day. |
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