officer/subordinate tone.
“Jack Walker,” I say, holding my hand out. He has a look of uncertainty which disappears quickly.
“Captain Raymond Leonard,” he says returning my shake.
I don’t miss the fact that he threw his rank in. I also note his quick glance at Bannerman and Frank noting their ranks. Another quick look of puzzlement crosses his face as, I assume, he is wondering why there is a major and colonel behind a captain. In the world past, due to his rank, Frank would have been the one in front talking. I observe the relaxed stance of the men behind Leonard taking everything in without being overly obvious. More interesting are the SEAL badges sewn into their fatigue tops.
“What unit are you with, captain?” Leonard asks, emphasizing the ‘captain’.
“We’re not with any particular unit. What you see is what’s left of various units. Most here are from Army units but we have a scattering of others. What exactly do you know about what happened?” I ask.
“Only what I’ve heard from you and the chief here,” he replies with a brief nod toward one of the men behind him.
I am about to ask what he’s been told by the chief and the story there when I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I look over to the side and see a group of men heading across an open area toward one of the large buildings nearby.
“Are those your men?” I ask, pointing to the men and fearing they are actually about to head into the structure.
“Yes, captain, they are. We’re resupplying,” Leonard answers, narrowing his eyes.
“Are they going into that building?” I ask, hoping for a negative reply.
“Yes. That one and several others in order to restock our supplies,” he replies.
I turn back toward Leonard momentarily. “Seriously? You did hear what I said about going into buildings, right? About what happened and what is going on?”
Without waiting for a reply, I turn my head quickly back toward Lynn. She is standing in the center front of the teams watching our little group. Even from this distance, I see her eyebrows rise wondering about my quick movement. She knows me well and realizes that something is up.
“Lynn!” I shout and point toward the men about to enter a door into the warehouse. Lynn looks to where I am pointing. Seeing the men poised at the door in the near distance and knowing their intentions, she turns toward the teams standing at parade rest.
“Black, Blue, Charlie Teams on me,” she shouts, knowing exactly what is about to unfold.
Amid a clatter of noise from weapons being readied, Lynn begins trotting toward the warehouse. With their boots pounding on the hard surface, the three teams follow. The eighteen men and women head toward the large building in an attempt to stop the inevitable yet knowing they won’t be in time to stop the other group from entering.
I watch them race after and hear Lynn shout at the group from the sub to get their attention. I see no reaction from the people at the door and know Lynn won’t be able to get there in time. I cast out quickly and sense night runners within the warehouse and in several buildings in the area. My only hope is that Lynn and the teams arrive in time in order to get those starting to enter out safely. The thought of putting the teams at risk entering a darkened building arises. I have a momentary thought of not putting them in harm’s way but there are people in danger. We are here and if we can help, well, then we have to.
“Lynn, there are night runners inside. Watch your asses in there. Assess the risk and get out if you need to,” I say.
“Copy that, Jack,” she replies over the radio.
This happens in mere moments. I hear a clatter of weapons directly behind me. Turning, I see the SEAL team has brought their weapons up. Not aiming at us but definitely ready to do so. Looking over at the sub, I see several sailors lining the sub deck aiming weapons in our direction.
“Captain, those are my men and under my
“Jack Walker,” I say, holding my hand out. He has a look of uncertainty which disappears quickly.
“Captain Raymond Leonard,” he says returning my shake.
I don’t miss the fact that he threw his rank in. I also note his quick glance at Bannerman and Frank noting their ranks. Another quick look of puzzlement crosses his face as, I assume, he is wondering why there is a major and colonel behind a captain. In the world past, due to his rank, Frank would have been the one in front talking. I observe the relaxed stance of the men behind Leonard taking everything in without being overly obvious. More interesting are the SEAL badges sewn into their fatigue tops.
“What unit are you with, captain?” Leonard asks, emphasizing the ‘captain’.
“We’re not with any particular unit. What you see is what’s left of various units. Most here are from Army units but we have a scattering of others. What exactly do you know about what happened?” I ask.
“Only what I’ve heard from you and the chief here,” he replies with a brief nod toward one of the men behind him.
I am about to ask what he’s been told by the chief and the story there when I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I look over to the side and see a group of men heading across an open area toward one of the large buildings nearby.
“Are those your men?” I ask, pointing to the men and fearing they are actually about to head into the structure.
“Yes, captain, they are. We’re resupplying,” Leonard answers, narrowing his eyes.
“Are they going into that building?” I ask, hoping for a negative reply.
“Yes. That one and several others in order to restock our supplies,” he replies.
I turn back toward Leonard momentarily. “Seriously? You did hear what I said about going into buildings, right? About what happened and what is going on?”
Without waiting for a reply, I turn my head quickly back toward Lynn. She is standing in the center front of the teams watching our little group. Even from this distance, I see her eyebrows rise wondering about my quick movement. She knows me well and realizes that something is up.
“Lynn!” I shout and point toward the men about to enter a door into the warehouse. Lynn looks to where I am pointing. Seeing the men poised at the door in the near distance and knowing their intentions, she turns toward the teams standing at parade rest.
“Black, Blue, Charlie Teams on me,” she shouts, knowing exactly what is about to unfold.
Amid a clatter of noise from weapons being readied, Lynn begins trotting toward the warehouse. With their boots pounding on the hard surface, the three teams follow. The eighteen men and women head toward the large building in an attempt to stop the inevitable yet knowing they won’t be in time to stop the other group from entering.
I watch them race after and hear Lynn shout at the group from the sub to get their attention. I see no reaction from the people at the door and know Lynn won’t be able to get there in time. I cast out quickly and sense night runners within the warehouse and in several buildings in the area. My only hope is that Lynn and the teams arrive in time in order to get those starting to enter out safely. The thought of putting the teams at risk entering a darkened building arises. I have a momentary thought of not putting them in harm’s way but there are people in danger. We are here and if we can help, well, then we have to.
“Lynn, there are night runners inside. Watch your asses in there. Assess the risk and get out if you need to,” I say.
“Copy that, Jack,” she replies over the radio.
This happens in mere moments. I hear a clatter of weapons directly behind me. Turning, I see the SEAL team has brought their weapons up. Not aiming at us but definitely ready to do so. Looking over at the sub, I see several sailors lining the sub deck aiming weapons in our direction.
“Captain, those are my men and under my
Similar Books
