sir.” Noah’s expression was implacable, but his eyes sparkled with humor.
A thrill ran the length of Lucas’ spine. “Of course. You have your orders, Sergeant. Dismissed.” He hoped he didn’t sound as out of breath as he felt.
The hours it took Noah and his teams to get into position, gather their intel and make it back to the platoon were excruciating. Lucas stood watch and walked the perimeter, checking in with his men. This was his job, but he still wanted to be out in the dark, doing recon with one of his teams.
Lucas was in the front seat of his Humvee, red penlight cradled between neck and shoulder, making notes about the day’s events. He gasped as a wave of adrenaline-fueled anxiety spiked through his system. He jumped from his victor, holding his M16 in a white-knuckled grip.
“What’s up, Lieutenant?” Vince asked, coming to stand beside him. His presence was welcome but not nearly as comforting as Noah’s usually was.
“I don’t know; I can’t explain it,” Lucas answered, squinting as he scanned the dark horizon. His heart hammered, and his fingers curled tight around his weapon.
Vince squinted in the same direction Lucas stared. “Did you hear something? See something?”
“No…it’s just a feeling…” The feeling was waning, even as he stood there, trying to identify its source. Lucas’ heart was slowing, his fear and anxiety easing.
“You need to stay calm, sir,” Vince said quietly. “Let him know you’re okay, and just try to think calm and reassuring thoughts.”
“Who?” Lucas asked, turning to Vince in confusion. “Let who know I’m okay?”
“Sergeant Hammond,” Vince replied as if it was obvious. “He’s dealing with something out there, and it’ll help if you just give him a calm presence to reach out to.”
Lucas looked back into the darkness, trying to feel for more information, some idea of what had distressed Noah. He took several deep breaths. He had no idea how this worked, but what Vince said made sense. Lucas steadied his breathing and tried to will his heart rate to slow even farther.
I’m all right. He thought. Things here are just fine. Stay focused, do your job and come back to me.
Immediately, the anxiety ebbed. Lucas still felt keyed up, agitated, but it was nothing like it had been. This too, would probably pass as his adrenaline burned away.
He couldn’t help but smile when he was flooded with a warm sense of relief and renewed determination. Whatever Noah had encountered, it had passed, and he and his team were oscar-mike once again.
“I take it all is well out there?” Vince asked.
“It feels that way,” Lucas sighed. He turned to face Vince. “How did you know that would work?”
“Not sure,” Vince said with a shake of his head. “Think I read it somewhere. Noah can explain it. See if Captain Madison has anything to say about it.”
“I will, thanks.” Lucas remembered Madison’s offer of help and decided it was worth taking him up on. Strange things were happening, and he needed to understand.
Lucas decided to try to sleep. He climbed into his seat in the Humvee and managed to doze but stirred at the slightest sound or any radio transmission.
He knew the teams were on their way back thirty minutes before they actually arrived. It gave him a head start. By the time Noah led both teams back into their lines, Lucas had the remainder of the platoon gathered and maps spread out on the hood of his Humvee.
Noah gave a subtle nod of his head, and Sergeant Rodriguez delivered a succinct report.
“They’re hiding three, maybe four Taliban fighters,” he concluded.
“How can you be sure of the number?” Lucas asked.
Rodriguez looked at Noah.
Noah lowered the bottle of water from which he was drinking. “I smelled at least that many, sir.”
“You smelled…” Lucas began dubiously before he remembered just how acute werewolf senses were. “Is there any way to
A thrill ran the length of Lucas’ spine. “Of course. You have your orders, Sergeant. Dismissed.” He hoped he didn’t sound as out of breath as he felt.
The hours it took Noah and his teams to get into position, gather their intel and make it back to the platoon were excruciating. Lucas stood watch and walked the perimeter, checking in with his men. This was his job, but he still wanted to be out in the dark, doing recon with one of his teams.
Lucas was in the front seat of his Humvee, red penlight cradled between neck and shoulder, making notes about the day’s events. He gasped as a wave of adrenaline-fueled anxiety spiked through his system. He jumped from his victor, holding his M16 in a white-knuckled grip.
“What’s up, Lieutenant?” Vince asked, coming to stand beside him. His presence was welcome but not nearly as comforting as Noah’s usually was.
“I don’t know; I can’t explain it,” Lucas answered, squinting as he scanned the dark horizon. His heart hammered, and his fingers curled tight around his weapon.
Vince squinted in the same direction Lucas stared. “Did you hear something? See something?”
“No…it’s just a feeling…” The feeling was waning, even as he stood there, trying to identify its source. Lucas’ heart was slowing, his fear and anxiety easing.
“You need to stay calm, sir,” Vince said quietly. “Let him know you’re okay, and just try to think calm and reassuring thoughts.”
“Who?” Lucas asked, turning to Vince in confusion. “Let who know I’m okay?”
“Sergeant Hammond,” Vince replied as if it was obvious. “He’s dealing with something out there, and it’ll help if you just give him a calm presence to reach out to.”
Lucas looked back into the darkness, trying to feel for more information, some idea of what had distressed Noah. He took several deep breaths. He had no idea how this worked, but what Vince said made sense. Lucas steadied his breathing and tried to will his heart rate to slow even farther.
I’m all right. He thought. Things here are just fine. Stay focused, do your job and come back to me.
Immediately, the anxiety ebbed. Lucas still felt keyed up, agitated, but it was nothing like it had been. This too, would probably pass as his adrenaline burned away.
He couldn’t help but smile when he was flooded with a warm sense of relief and renewed determination. Whatever Noah had encountered, it had passed, and he and his team were oscar-mike once again.
“I take it all is well out there?” Vince asked.
“It feels that way,” Lucas sighed. He turned to face Vince. “How did you know that would work?”
“Not sure,” Vince said with a shake of his head. “Think I read it somewhere. Noah can explain it. See if Captain Madison has anything to say about it.”
“I will, thanks.” Lucas remembered Madison’s offer of help and decided it was worth taking him up on. Strange things were happening, and he needed to understand.
Lucas decided to try to sleep. He climbed into his seat in the Humvee and managed to doze but stirred at the slightest sound or any radio transmission.
He knew the teams were on their way back thirty minutes before they actually arrived. It gave him a head start. By the time Noah led both teams back into their lines, Lucas had the remainder of the platoon gathered and maps spread out on the hood of his Humvee.
Noah gave a subtle nod of his head, and Sergeant Rodriguez delivered a succinct report.
“They’re hiding three, maybe four Taliban fighters,” he concluded.
“How can you be sure of the number?” Lucas asked.
Rodriguez looked at Noah.
Noah lowered the bottle of water from which he was drinking. “I smelled at least that many, sir.”
“You smelled…” Lucas began dubiously before he remembered just how acute werewolf senses were. “Is there any way to
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