Chapter 104

Flashback – Masha – The night

After the discussion with Louise about attending school, she yawned and said, “Masha, I’m tired and I need to wake up early tomorrow.”

I asked, “Louise, why is that?”

Louise giggled and said, “I guess you forgot - tomorrow is moving day.”

I gasped and confessed, “I totally forgot about that. What time are you starting?”

Louise said, “Michael is going to be here with a truck at 7:30 sharp.”

I inquired, “Where did he get a truck?”

Louise replied, “He rented it from a local hardware store.”

I said, “Then we need to go to sleep now so I can make breakfast for everyone.”

Louise said, “Masha, I’m not sure that Michael will eat your breakfast. I sort of told him about your crusade against sugar and he said he was going to get his sugar fix before he showed up.”

I smiled and replied, “Michael could probably get more benefit from removing sugar from his diet than anyone else.”

Louise asked, “Why’s that Auntie Masha?”

I smiled at her and explained, “He’s overweight and I think he has some health problems.”

Louise said, “Well I’m heading to bed - this is the last night of sharing a bed.”

We went into the bedroom. Louise and Linda went into the bathroom first, then I went to the bathroom and they were fast asleep when I climbed into bed.

Flashback – Ben – The Stryker mission continued

I saw some movement that I didn’t like and announced, “It looks like we have some towelheads moving into range.”

I was just getting ready to fire when a helicopter gunship came around the corner of a building and lit the fuckers up. It then flew patrol over the site to make sure we were clear. The main agent came out of the Stryker and asked, “How are things going?”

I replied, “From what I saw, this isn’t going to be a walk in the park for Michael. I’m sure he’s taking his time digging up the vest. If I were you I would stay inside the Stryker.”

The agent provided more information, “We have a new Stryker coming and it should be here in about an hour. Do you feel we will be safe until then?”

I replied with disgust, “I can’t promise you anything with these mercs responsible for protection.”

The agent asked, “What do you need to make sure the area is secure until the next Stryker arrives?”

I waved my hand toward the mercs and said, “I’d love to replace these worthless fuckers with some of my Marines.”

The agent asked, “Could we get them here safely?”

I replied, “If the gunship kept the towelheads busy we should be fine.”

The agent asked, “How many of your Marines would you need here?”

I surveyed the area and said, “Another five would be great; make sure they are fully loaded and several should have M203s on their rifles.”

Michael strolled up and said, “Other than loading the suicide vest into a EOD transport container my work here is done. By the way, that fucking gunship about did me in. Next time a warning would be nice.”

The agent said, “Shit, I didn’t know you would need an EOD trailer. I didn’t ask for one with the new Stryker that’s coming.”

Michael said, “There’s no way I’m moving the vest without one, so get one here.”

The agent swore, “Shit! That means it will be closer to two or three hours before we can leave. Let me go make some calls.”

I noticed the look in Michael’s eyes and asked, “So this was a real son of a bitch?”

Michael looked at me and replied, “That’s putting it mildly. The guy that built this was a fucking genius. I would love to meet him.”

I smiled at Michael and offered, “You might just get your wish because unless something has happened to him he’s over there in the hospital.”

Michael rubbed his hands together, motioned to me to head into the Stryker where I yelled at the mercs, “Keep your fucking eyes open, I will be right back.”

I followed Michael into the destroyed Stryker as the main agent said, “Perfect timing Sgt., this is for you.”

I pick up the mic and George asked, “Banzai, I hear you need five men to help establish a perimeter. When can I send them to you?”

I replied, “Sir, wait a moment.”

I looked at the main agent and asked, “Michael would like to talk with the prisoner. I was thinking of taking him to the hospital and leading my men back here.”

The agent’s face showed concern (which it should since he was protected by the worthless mercs) and he asked, “Will we be safe until you get back?”

I suggested, “Get the gunship to patrol the area and you should be fine. If the shit really hits the fan, lock up the Stryker and wait for us to arrive.”

The main agent suggested an alternative, “How about you get your Marines in place before you and Michael head to the hospital?”

I grinned at the agent and sarcastically asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t you trust your mercenaries?”

The agent confessed, “Of course we don’t - not after what they let happen to this Stryker. It’s going to be hell justifying the loss of the Stryker to our bosses.”

I laughed and said, “So you’re going to throw the mercs under the bus and let them take the blame.”

The agent asked, “How did you know?”

I replied, “You’ve forgotten that some of your compatriots tried that with me and my spotter.”

I picked up the mic and replied to George, “Sorry Sir to keep you waiting. We’re going to have the gunship fly cover. Once it starts, get our sniper team going and send me five damn good Marines. Once we set up a good perimeter, I will be bringing a EOD expert to the hospital because he wants to talk to the prisoner.”

George asked, “Are you planning on staying when you come back?”

I replied, ‘Negative Sir! I need to be onsite until the new Stryker arrives and the suicide vest gets loaded into a EOD transport trailer.”

George didn’t give me any shit, he simply replied, “I understand Sgt.”

I handed the mic to the agent and said, “Get the gunship moving.”

The gunship started flying patrols and firing at I don’t know what. I stepped out of the Stryker and saw five of my Marines haul ass, in a zig-zag pattern toward the Stryker while my sniper team began to light things up.

My Marines arrived, I ordered, “The new Stryker won’t be here for several hours. We need establish a defendable perimeter to keep the towelheads from getting to us.”

One of the Marines asked, “What about the mercenaries?”

I commended, “Good eyes, Marine! The mercs are worthless so don’t count on them for anything substantial.”

I deployed my Marines, and like I assumed would happen, the mercs wandered back into the Stryker.

I looked at the lead agent and asked, “Any problem with me taking Michael to see the prisoner?”

He said, “No problems now.”

I looked at all the mercs, found one close in size to Michael and ordered, “Strip out of your tactical gear and give it to Michael.”

He began to complain until the main agent said, “You heard the order.”

He complied with the agents order. I helped Michael out of his EOD suit and into the newly liberated tactical gear. I checked it and swore, “You sons of a bitches didn’t put plates in your plate carriers? Are you fucking crazy?”

The lead merc replied, “We almost never do that, we find it slows us up too much.”

I shook my head, pulled the extra pair of plates out of my tactical vest, loaded them into Michael’s tactical vest and he asked, “Banzai, won’t you need these?”

The stupid merc commented, “You wear two plates in your tactical vest, you must get shot all the time.”

I replied to Michael and then the idiot, “Thanks Michael, I don’t have any plans for getting shot so I don’t need these.” Then I glared at the merc and said, “I can’t remember the last time I was shot, but if I am I want to be alive to return fire.”

I handed the mic to the main agent and asked, “How about getting the gunship to make another run.”

He called in the gunship, we heard it firing and I ordered Michael, “Make sure you stay right on my six, zig when I zig and zag when I zag.”

Michael replied, “Don’t worry Banzai, I was once an active Marine.”

We hauled ass toward the hospital - it made my heart feel good to hear my sniper team covering us...

Flashback – Jack – Convincing Colonel Maggie

I spent some time in thought about the best way to handle getting Tod deployed with me, and I knew what I needed to do. My back still hurt but I wasn’t sure if it was from the surgery or the injury from the plane. Either way I needed to suck it up and get my ass and Tod’s ass to the hospital and check with a couple doctors and some nurses. Then I came up with another idea that should justify my trip to the hospital.