Chapter 28

Flashback – Major M – Undisclosed location

The chopper finally landed and the base (pain in the) Rear Admiral was there to meet us. We snapped to attention, he looked at us and ordered, "At ease Sgts." They relaxed and he left me standing at attention.

He questioned, "Are those the documents from the Captain?"

Sgt. Reynolds handed them to him and replied, "Yes Sir!"

He looked them over, then looked at us and ordered, "Major, Sgt. Reynolds and Sgt. Blaine we need to have a little discussion about this in my office."

He turned and we followed him. I looked at the Sgts. and they looked as confused as I felt. We entered his office, he looked at his aide and ordered, "I don't want to be disturbed." He looked at the Sgts., glared at me and gruffly ordered, "Take a seat."

We sat, he read the papers again, glared more at me and questioned, "Major do you have any idea what these papers say?"

I honestly replied, "No Sir!"

He looked at the Sgts. and continued, "What about the both of you?"

Sgt. Reynolds answered, "No Sir!"

He slid one set of papers to me and one set to the Sgts. I started reading. OH SHIT!

Flashback – Jack – Undisclosed location

I was shocked! The top set was documentation for awarding Banzai and me the Navy Cross for saving the Major and his men. I flipped to the next set and fought back a laugh - it was a severe reprimand for Major M concerning the way he treated us on the sub. I flipped to the final set and about shit my pants! They were transfer requests for Banzai and I to the Navy with a recommendation for the Seals.

Banzai was getting antsy, so I gave him a hand signal to cool it...

Flashback – Ben – Undisclosed location

SHIT! What the hell! I don't want to join the Navy even if I become a Seal. I like the Marines. I like being Recon. And I sure as hell don't want to lose Jack as my spotter. I want to say something, but I notice as Jack gives me the hand signal to keep quiet. Yeah I'll keep quiet until I think he's going to sell us down the river. If that happens, I don't care about consequences - I'm going to raise hell!

Flashback – Major M – Undisclosed location

I couldn't fucking believe it! That damn sub Captain was a dead man if I ever got the chance. I looked at the Rear Admiral, but he grinned at me and questioned, "Well Major what do you have to say."

I prepared myself and answered, "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

He answered, "Within reason. But you need to know that I totally trust the Captain."

Shit this wasn't going to be easy! I got ready to say something when Sgt. Reynolds interrupted, "Sir! Seeing as this concerns Sgt. Blaine and myself might I say something first?"

The Rear Admiral directed his gaze towards Sgt. Reynolds and answered, "Speak freely Sgt."

Flashback – Jack – Undisclosed location

SHIT! There was no way in hell I was going to trust the Major to handle this! Banzai and I would end up in the Navy and I sure as hell didn't want to become a Seal - those fuckers worked too fucking hard and were too fucking crazy. I had a chance to figure this out so I spoke up, "Sirs, I do feel that what the Captain witnessed was clouded by the fact the Major had been incapacitated and wasn't in total command of his faculties."

The Rear Admiral looked at the Major and questioned, "Major is that true?"

Major M lied through his teeth, "Sir! My team had been repeatedly rendered unconscious with some sort of stun device, that's why the L.Cpl. is currently in your infirmary. I would agree with the Sgts. analysis of the situation. I was not in total control of my faculties when I was giving the Sgts. a ration."

The Rear Admiral looked at all of us and asked, "Sgt. Blaine do you agree with this?"

I worried that Banzai was going to fuck things up so I began sending him hand signals like crazy - which he promptly ignored...

Flashback – Ben – Undisclosed location

This was going to work out great! Jack was being a pain in the ass mother hen, but I was going to make sure that we were taken care of. I replied, "Sir! I would agree with Sgt. Reynolds and Major M however there are a few other things I'd like to mention for the record."

Flashback – Major M – Undisclosed location

I just relaxed because Sgt. Reynolds had covered my ass (but I wondered what in the hell it was going to cost me). Then what the hell! Sgt. Blaine had other fucking things to mention?

Flashback – Jack – Undisclosed location

Fuck me! Banzai's going to screw things up. I sent him more hand signals but he ignored them.