verify this info?”
“We all verified Sergeant Hammond’s intel, sir,” Corporal Hubbard interjected. “There are three, possibly four scent signatures that don’t match the rest of the families living there.”
The werewolves were all in agreement. Lucas realized he’d never get any better intel. “How did you determine they’re Taliban and not insurgents?”
“Anyone who enters from another region, let alone another country, carries smells from the entire journey,” Noah replied. “None of us smelled anything that came from outside of Afghanistan.”
Lucas stared hard at Noah’s inscrutable expression. After several long moments he asked, “Is it really that easy?”
“For us it is, sir,” answered Noah.
“All right, lay out a plan,” Lucas ordered. “I want to go in just before first light, and our objective is live capture and no civilian casualties.”
Inside of an hour, they had their strategy. It was time for Vince and Lucas to pick it apart, find the weaknesses and holes. Noah coached the platoon through shoring it up until it was as solid as it was going to get.
“All right, gents, this is it,” Lucas said, tucking the map into his armor vest. “We’re oscar-mike.”
“A word, Lieutenant,” Noah said, as Marines began to head for their vehicles.
“Certainly, Sergeant.” Lucas moved several yards away, trying for some modicum of privacy.
“I know I startled you earlier,” Noah said, voice low, head lowered right into Lucas’ space. “I didn’t mean to alarm you.”
At first, Lucas had no idea what Noah meant. When he remembered the inexplicable emotions that had overwhelmed him earlier, he understood. “Obviously, you handled whatever that was, for which I’m thankful. I think not understanding what was happening was the worst part.”
“We thought we were about to encounter a hostile patrol,” explained Noah. “Turned out to be nothing. For not understanding what was happening, you did an admirable job of calming me down.”
“I did?” Lucas was embarrassingly happy he’d been of help to Noah. “I had no idea what I was doing.”
“Looks like you’re a natural,” Noah said with a smile.
“A natural at what? What was all that?”
“That’s our connection. Our bond,” replied Noah, as if it made perfect sense. “That’s how we keep each other safe and happy.”
“When we have more time, I need a little better explanation,” Lucas said, glancing around and realizing the platoon was waiting on the two of them.
“When we have more time, there are probably a few things we should discuss,” Noah agreed.
“For now, let’s go secure a village.” He suddenly couldn’t meet Noah’s eyes.
“Aye, aye, sir.” Noah turned on his heel and strode away, calling out to Corporal Branch as he went.
Lucas crawled into his Humvee and reached for the radio. He hailed Captain Stanley and outlined their plan. Approval wasn’t necessary, but if things went to shit, someone needed to know where the hell they were.
Just before sunup, the platoon encircled the village with their Humvees. It was no more than a grouping of ramshackle buildings and flimsy livestock pens. The structures looked as though they might once have been sturdy family homes. They had since been allowed to lapse into such disrepair; Lucas wondered how some of them were still standing, let alone sheltering large, extended families.
The heavy gunners ranged their weapons on the nearest structures while the rest of them closed in, M16s pressed to their shoulders. With one last look around, Lucas saw that not even the penned goats or hobbled cows were stirring, so he gave the order to proceed. In a sudden blitz of sound and motion, Marines kicked in doors that were little more than cardboard. They shouted orders and instructions, forcibly shoved villagers where they wanted them to go, moving through the small village until they had entered every
“We all verified Sergeant Hammond’s intel, sir,” Corporal Hubbard interjected. “There are three, possibly four scent signatures that don’t match the rest of the families living there.”
The werewolves were all in agreement. Lucas realized he’d never get any better intel. “How did you determine they’re Taliban and not insurgents?”
“Anyone who enters from another region, let alone another country, carries smells from the entire journey,” Noah replied. “None of us smelled anything that came from outside of Afghanistan.”
Lucas stared hard at Noah’s inscrutable expression. After several long moments he asked, “Is it really that easy?”
“For us it is, sir,” answered Noah.
“All right, lay out a plan,” Lucas ordered. “I want to go in just before first light, and our objective is live capture and no civilian casualties.”
Inside of an hour, they had their strategy. It was time for Vince and Lucas to pick it apart, find the weaknesses and holes. Noah coached the platoon through shoring it up until it was as solid as it was going to get.
“All right, gents, this is it,” Lucas said, tucking the map into his armor vest. “We’re oscar-mike.”
“A word, Lieutenant,” Noah said, as Marines began to head for their vehicles.
“Certainly, Sergeant.” Lucas moved several yards away, trying for some modicum of privacy.
“I know I startled you earlier,” Noah said, voice low, head lowered right into Lucas’ space. “I didn’t mean to alarm you.”
At first, Lucas had no idea what Noah meant. When he remembered the inexplicable emotions that had overwhelmed him earlier, he understood. “Obviously, you handled whatever that was, for which I’m thankful. I think not understanding what was happening was the worst part.”
“We thought we were about to encounter a hostile patrol,” explained Noah. “Turned out to be nothing. For not understanding what was happening, you did an admirable job of calming me down.”
“I did?” Lucas was embarrassingly happy he’d been of help to Noah. “I had no idea what I was doing.”
“Looks like you’re a natural,” Noah said with a smile.
“A natural at what? What was all that?”
“That’s our connection. Our bond,” replied Noah, as if it made perfect sense. “That’s how we keep each other safe and happy.”
“When we have more time, I need a little better explanation,” Lucas said, glancing around and realizing the platoon was waiting on the two of them.
“When we have more time, there are probably a few things we should discuss,” Noah agreed.
“For now, let’s go secure a village.” He suddenly couldn’t meet Noah’s eyes.
“Aye, aye, sir.” Noah turned on his heel and strode away, calling out to Corporal Branch as he went.
Lucas crawled into his Humvee and reached for the radio. He hailed Captain Stanley and outlined their plan. Approval wasn’t necessary, but if things went to shit, someone needed to know where the hell they were.
Just before sunup, the platoon encircled the village with their Humvees. It was no more than a grouping of ramshackle buildings and flimsy livestock pens. The structures looked as though they might once have been sturdy family homes. They had since been allowed to lapse into such disrepair; Lucas wondered how some of them were still standing, let alone sheltering large, extended families.
The heavy gunners ranged their weapons on the nearest structures while the rest of them closed in, M16s pressed to their shoulders. With one last look around, Lucas saw that not even the penned goats or hobbled cows were stirring, so he gave the order to proceed. In a sudden blitz of sound and motion, Marines kicked in doors that were little more than cardboard. They shouted orders and instructions, forcibly shoved villagers where they wanted them to go, moving through the small village until they had entered every
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