Chapter 6: The Scout

Within fifteen minutes of landing the squad received the exercise's parameters and area of responsibility. With all the information he needed, Bret got to the side with Bob and Gunny Tom available for questions. He began setting up their routes of travel and alternates.

Immediately Bret saw one problem that would have cost the squad time if there had not been his acquired knowledge. The most obvious and easiest route ended in a dead-end ten and a half miles into it. To make matters worse, the most likely escape from the dead-end was also a dead-end, eight miles later. Being able to avoid these dead-ends allowed 1st squad to arrive at their destination one full day earlier than any other team. Any doubts about Bret being on the team were destroyed.

While the squad prepared to execute their assignment Bret was studying the terrain toward there next destination. During the execution of their first assignment the next day, Bret was the rear guard with no duties. This saved three hours, which he used to prepare for the next assignment. Once the exercise was declared successful, the squad gathered around Bret to discuss there next movement. Bret told everyone they were one and a half days from their next assignment. If they left now, he had a campsite they could reach just before sunset. It had water and good concealment.

Gunny made the quick decision. Everyone loaded up, and they were off. Bret's time to reach the site was a little off, because he was considering his speed of travel. The squad did arrive, about half an hour after sunset. It was still twilight, though, and they had plenty of time to set up camp. The next assignment was a hostage rescue at night from a town.

By having traveled the afternoon before, the squad reached the town at sunset the next day. This let them rest, yet still have plenty of time to make the rescue that night. The rescue went as planned with the medic responding perfectly to all injuries. The rescue was completed by 2:20 am, so the squad was able to get half of a night's sleep. 1st Squad was now two to three days ahead of the pack, depending on circumstances affecting the other squads. Plus, they had no deductions for bad decisions.

At 6:00 the next morning, Bret was reading the parameters of the next assignment and looking at his maps. Bret had a dilemma, he had two good routes the squad could take. The first was a fairly level hike, with easy terrain, and no real pitfalls. Water was available at two points along the route. The second was a rougher more tiring hike, again with no real pitfalls, that would take about five to six hours less to complete. However, there was no water along the second route. Bret presented both routes to Gunny Tom and the squad.

The squad selected the first route. They were still two days ahead of the pace, and saving strength now might pay off, later. The judges were perplexed that 1st Squad was already leaving at 8:00 am, apparently without having sent out a scout, earlier. The Captain in command of the Games was enjoying the confusion of the other squads and the judges. Since it was not against the rules, he had not told anyone of Bret's request to scout the reservation forty-seven days before the Games. He was impressed with Bret's innovation, and thought he deserved the advantage it was giving 1st Squad.

The Networks, also unaware of Bret's preparation, were amazed. But they were enjoying tremendously the excitement 1st Squad was creating, by seeming to anticipate problems before they existed, and avoiding them with ease. When informed that the scout for 1st Squad was a fresh from basic private, the excitement increased. Back at the house, the girls, Gunny Bill, and Julie were having a great time laughing and hollering when the networks would make a new statement about the luck of 1st Squad. By accident Mike Miyagi and Judge King discovered what was happening with Bret, and also joined the nightly cheering sessions.

In a house in a small town in the southern part of the state, a little ten year old girl sat staring intently at the screen. When she first heard Bret's name she wondered if it could be her lost friend. The first time they showed a picture of Bret, she cried agonizingly. Her parents, always worried about the quiet little girl they had adopted, could only hug her and wonder. Andy suddenly quit crying.

With the biggest smile they had ever seen, she said, "That is Bret, my friend. I thought I would never find him again. Can you believe how well he is doing? Mom and Dad, I am so happy!"

Her parents and Andy cried and laughed the rest of the night. They did not miss another episode of the Marine Games, either.

After thirteen more days of successful missions, 1st Squad arrived at the first designated R&R station. Since cellphone use was prohibited while on the course, this was Bob and Bret's first chance to call home. Diane answered the phone, and had to talk to Bob for a few minutes.

Bob handed the phone to Bret and the first sound that he heard was "Dada, dada" after a little quiet he heard a different voice say. "Dada, Mama, home."

Heather picked up the phone at that point and said," Surprise, Dada."

Bret was choked up, and handed the phone back to Bob.

Once over the surprise everyone had a great conversation. Gunny Bill said, unapologeticly, that he had won a lot of money with his 'insider information.' On a more serious note Diane asked if Bret knew a ten year old girl named Andy. Once again Bret handed the phone to Bob as he cried his eyes out. It took a long time before Bret could talk about his little buddy, who had been his life for three years. After everyone was talked out, Diane gave Bret the phone number for Andy.

When Bret made the call, Bob was right by his side. A man answered.

"Hello?"

Bret, just barely holding it together, asked, "Is Andy there?"

"Yes, who is calling, please?"

"This is an old friend of hers: Bret."

"Oh, wonderful! Let me get her!"

"Bret, Bret! Is it really you? I love you so much! I miss you so much, but I also love my new home and my new parents."

"I Love you, too, Andy. I am so glad you love your new parents and home. I worried about you a lot."

There is no reason to give the rest of the conversation, except to say that Bret promised to get together with Andy after the Games. A very tired but very happy Bret went to sleep that night, much eased in his mind.

Over the next few days the other twenty-four squads trickled in, tired and confused. It was now time to combine the squads into platoons for the next set of assignments. Needless to say the other squads of 1st Platoon were eager to discover what 1st Squad's secret weapon had been for the first eighteen days. The general conclusion was that they wish they had thought of doing what Bret had done. No other scout would be able to pull that trick, in the future. The immediate reality was that Bret possessed this information, and there was no time for the other scouts to acquire it. So 1st Squad still had their edge. The other scouts of 1st Platoon at least were going to take full advantage of the information while it was available to them.

The next day, the new assignments were handed out. All the gunnies and scouts of 1st Platoon met in the tent assigned to them. Gunny Jackson explained to Bret the assignment, the terrain and the goal of the Platoon. Opening his folder with his notes, maps and calculations for the desired terrain Bret began to plot some courses. Gunny Jackson at this point asked the other scouts to prepare routes so they could all be compared when finished.