Page 64 of Salute, To Bravery
That was a decision we’d all make together. We’d turned thirty now, and we’d saved a shitload of money between us. We lived at base in a bunkhouse (when home), ate at the mess hall, and therefore our outgoings were low. Every single one of us squirrelled a good eighty per cent of our wages away. The time was coming when we’d either sign back up for a fourth tour or move aside and live like civilians.
That was a strange notion. It unsettled everybody. Be a civilian again? How? Our formative years weren’t great, and the army and the division we operated in had regimented our adult life. Captain Shere had recruited us to be a special ops team that nobody knew about. The training we’d gone through would and had broken many, but we’d thrived. And since then, we’d rescued countless armed forces personnel, taken out strongholds and committed quite a few assassinations of threats to our country.
It may seem strange, but none of those bothered me or my friends. We were still as tight as ever despite what we’d seen and done. People thought we might be too dependent, but honestly, who the fuck cared? Even the other teams didn’t operate as well as us, and we weren’t universally liked by them. However, the grunts we shared a base with loved us to bits. We received better shit than they did and didn’t hesitate to share when possible. Not everybody got the good stuff. And unlike the other teams, we mixed with the grunts and base personnel.
Maelstrom stiffened as we both caught sight of a glint of light shining off of something. We both came to attention, whichalerted everyone else. Guns rattled as everyone got ready. If this were an ambush, they wouldn’t take us so easily. I slowed the GMV-S we rode in so Maelstrom could look for mines and IEDs. He’d a special talent for finding them. Rogers slipped up to man the .50 calibre Browning M2 machine gun. As we crept forward, I pointed to where the beam of light had been seen, and Denning kept a watch in that direction.
I radioed into the base, letting them know what we’d seen and to monitor us if possible. Lately, our fuckin’ tech had been glitchy, to say the least. Everyone was tense but battle-ready.
“Stand down,” Denning murmured as her eyes narrowed in on something.
“What is it?” Maelstrom demanded.
“Take a look, Sergeant,” Denning replied and passed Maelstrom her binoculars.
Maelstrom looked and then laughed.
“What is it?” I asked as I monitored the road.
“That lad from the local village, seems he’s cleaned his truck up,” Maelstrom said.
Everyone partially relaxed, but we didn’t relax our guard until we hit camp.
“Captain Travers would like a word, sir,” a private said, approaching as we climbed out of the GMV-S.
I wiped sweat and dust from my face and nodded. The grunt saluted and walked off. Inwardly I smirked; once that had been me. As an enlisted man, the highest rank I could achieve was Sergeant Major of the Army. However, somehow, Captain Shere had overstepped that rule, and I ranked First Lieutenant. Maelstrom held sergeant, and the rest ranked as corporals. None of us really wanted to progress beyond where we were. Plus, we had the decision to make on whether we stayed after this tour.
I nodded to the team and headed straight towards Captain Travers. Travers was the base commander here, and while wedidn’t answer to him, we still reported in. It was a matter of courtesy and good relations. Our purpose was to protect them, but we might need their help one day.
After reporting, I ambled to the bunk room that was ours. It was nothing more than a shack, but it provided a roof over our heads. I was unsurprised to find it empty, apart from Maelstrom.
“Okay?” he asked without looking up from his e-book reader.
“Yeah, just wanted to know what we’d seen, which was nothing,” I replied and sat at a table where there was a covered plate. “This mine?”
“DiMarco fetched it for you,” Maelstrom replied and waited for me to begin eating.
“What’s up?” I mumbled through half a sandwich.
“Got an unpleasant sensation, Tommy, we shouldn’t sign up again,” he announced, and my spine prickled. We didn’t use first names anymore. Not unless it was serious and we wanted someone’s attention. The fact Maelstrom was using mine meant he was really bothered.
“Talk,” I asked, taking another bite. I was starving but could eat and listen.
“Ain’t got much to go on. Just a bad feeling that’s eating me. Every time we go out lately, my skin is crawling. One of us or all of us ain’t coming back,” Maelstrom said.
“I hear you. What’s your plans for civilian life?
Maelstrom wouldn’t be approaching me with this unless he’d a plan in mind. The question was, what was it, and would it suit us all?
“Maybe security or private investigations. Shit, Tommy, we can open a gun range, I don’t care, but we can’t sign up again,” Maelstrom insisted, and this time I heard the emotion in his voice. This was really bothering him.
“Fine. I’ll inform the others we aren’t signing up,” I said.
“Easy as that?” Maelstrom looked surprised.
“You got a gut feeling, I’m not going to ignore it. The army’s had twelve years. That’s plenty. Also, I get the inkling Rogers and Foster want to become official. Can’t exactly do that out here. We’ve earned some peace and relaxation, Jake,” I replied, his name sounding strange on my tongue. I frowned.
“Yeah, Tommy doesn’t seem right either,” Maelstrom said, and we both laughed.
