a delight snapping the teeth of the trap around your necks,” Eddie said.
“There’ll be no snapping necks in this exercise,” Major Edwards said.
The soldiers stood to attention.
“If I hear of any unsavory actions taken by any soldier it’ll be his balls on the chopping block,” Major Edwards said. “Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the soldiers said as one.
“Get in your choppers,” Major Edwards said.
Eddie’s lips curled up at the corners.
“See you in the theater,” Eddie said. He winked. “Back row. Catch you later, Daoud.”
John growled in the back of his throat and spat at Eddie’s feet. Eddie and his team headed for a second and third chinook. Major Edwards turned to climb into the chinook with Mark’s team.
“You know, spitting’s not a particularly charming hobby,” Major Edwards said.
“No sir,” John said. “But it is satisfying.”
They rose straight up before banking hard and peeling away.
Major Edwards turned to Mark.
“Riled?” he said.
“Of all the people,” Mark said, shaking his head. “Why did it have to be Eddie?”
That’s when he noticed the major’s superior smile. It had been his plan all along to rile Mark and his team up, to take their eyes off the ball. Mark and his team were solid, and worked well together, capable of carrying out any assignment given them. But now one of their number had been replaced and they were against Eddie and his band of idiots, they were offbeat and out of rhythm.
Just what kind of training was this going to be?
16:02pm
The mountains rose like the jagged teeth of a giant beast against the sky, sunlight glinting off their peaks. They formed a bowl, and within their walls, the thick canopy of a large forest.
At a glance, Mark identified the places most likely to have fresh water, the locations best to attack and defend from. He couldn’t make out the compound, but he knew the area it could be found.
“It’s perfect for defense,” Major Edwards said, pointing out the natural pinch point. “One way in, one way out.”
“The locals aren’t going to like our exercise much, are they?” Mark said.
“We’ve commandeered the forest for our purposes,” Major Edwards said. “It’s for an important cause, both national and international. They don’t like it, but they understand.”
There was a large group of buildings in the center of the forest with a great shimmering lake behind it.
“What’s that?” Mark said.
“That’s Uwharrie,” Major Edwards said. “Located in the heart of the forest. Then Charlotte about fifty miles west. Used to be you could barely notice Uwharrie from the air, but it’s grown a lot recently. Rich city people buy up land and properties down here for spring and summer. You’re not thinking of going on a road trip, are you?”
He smiled, knowing it wasn’t in Mark’s character to run from a challenge. He knew this because he was the same. So much of his father was in Mark that his mother’s genes barely even factored. Yet Mark knew they were there. Where his father was a rock, immovable and single-minded, his mother had been as swaying and changing as the wind. That was why he was having seconds thoughts about the baby and what it meant to him and his career in the military. His father wouldn’t – in fact hadn’t – concerned himself with such things.
“Nice to see you were careful in picking the location,” John said.
“We have to give you a challenge,” Major Edwards said.
The helicopter banked sharply over the town and headed west. Mark made out white pitched tents clinging to some of the buildings.
“What’s going on there?” Mark said.
“They’re under quarantine,” Major Edwards said. “A virus broke out.”
“Another one?” Mark said.
“It’s happening everywhere these days,” Major Edwards said.
“Ebola?” Mark said, a pit forming in his stomach.
“No,” Major Edwards said. “So far as we can tell no one who’s been to Africa has
“There’ll be no snapping necks in this exercise,” Major Edwards said.
The soldiers stood to attention.
“If I hear of any unsavory actions taken by any soldier it’ll be his balls on the chopping block,” Major Edwards said. “Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the soldiers said as one.
“Get in your choppers,” Major Edwards said.
Eddie’s lips curled up at the corners.
“See you in the theater,” Eddie said. He winked. “Back row. Catch you later, Daoud.”
John growled in the back of his throat and spat at Eddie’s feet. Eddie and his team headed for a second and third chinook. Major Edwards turned to climb into the chinook with Mark’s team.
“You know, spitting’s not a particularly charming hobby,” Major Edwards said.
“No sir,” John said. “But it is satisfying.”
They rose straight up before banking hard and peeling away.
Major Edwards turned to Mark.
“Riled?” he said.
“Of all the people,” Mark said, shaking his head. “Why did it have to be Eddie?”
That’s when he noticed the major’s superior smile. It had been his plan all along to rile Mark and his team up, to take their eyes off the ball. Mark and his team were solid, and worked well together, capable of carrying out any assignment given them. But now one of their number had been replaced and they were against Eddie and his band of idiots, they were offbeat and out of rhythm.
Just what kind of training was this going to be?
16:02pm
The mountains rose like the jagged teeth of a giant beast against the sky, sunlight glinting off their peaks. They formed a bowl, and within their walls, the thick canopy of a large forest.
At a glance, Mark identified the places most likely to have fresh water, the locations best to attack and defend from. He couldn’t make out the compound, but he knew the area it could be found.
“It’s perfect for defense,” Major Edwards said, pointing out the natural pinch point. “One way in, one way out.”
“The locals aren’t going to like our exercise much, are they?” Mark said.
“We’ve commandeered the forest for our purposes,” Major Edwards said. “It’s for an important cause, both national and international. They don’t like it, but they understand.”
There was a large group of buildings in the center of the forest with a great shimmering lake behind it.
“What’s that?” Mark said.
“That’s Uwharrie,” Major Edwards said. “Located in the heart of the forest. Then Charlotte about fifty miles west. Used to be you could barely notice Uwharrie from the air, but it’s grown a lot recently. Rich city people buy up land and properties down here for spring and summer. You’re not thinking of going on a road trip, are you?”
He smiled, knowing it wasn’t in Mark’s character to run from a challenge. He knew this because he was the same. So much of his father was in Mark that his mother’s genes barely even factored. Yet Mark knew they were there. Where his father was a rock, immovable and single-minded, his mother had been as swaying and changing as the wind. That was why he was having seconds thoughts about the baby and what it meant to him and his career in the military. His father wouldn’t – in fact hadn’t – concerned himself with such things.
“Nice to see you were careful in picking the location,” John said.
“We have to give you a challenge,” Major Edwards said.
The helicopter banked sharply over the town and headed west. Mark made out white pitched tents clinging to some of the buildings.
“What’s going on there?” Mark said.
“They’re under quarantine,” Major Edwards said. “A virus broke out.”
“Another one?” Mark said.
“It’s happening everywhere these days,” Major Edwards said.
“Ebola?” Mark said, a pit forming in his stomach.
“No,” Major Edwards said. “So far as we can tell no one who’s been to Africa has
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