Page 31 of Cry Havoc
“Hope he taught you well.”
Tom smiled as they approached Amiuh.
“Quinn-son, Tommy-son, did we get Seiko?”
His eyes sparkled in anticipation of his prize.
“Afraid not, Amiuh. We barely kept our rank,” Quinn said.
“What mean?” the Montagnard asked, puzzled.
“Being an unauthorized mission, we are in the doghouse.”
“What mean doghouse?”
“Just an expression meaning we got caught breaking a few rules andthere are consequences. Like ‘number fucking ten,’?” Quinn said, using SOG slang to describe something terrible, with “one” being the best and “ten” being the worst.
“There is some good news,” Tom said. “We are getting that R&R, and you are coming with us.”
“To Thailand?”
“No.”
“America?”
“Well, little America. Da Nang.”
Amiuh looked confused.
“We leave in an hour,” Quinn said. “We are taking our prisoner to CCN for questioning.”
“No Seiko,” Amiuh said, looking at the dirt. His face was the picture of disappointment.
“Shit,” Tom whispered. “Here Amiuh, take mine.”
He slipped the Seiko from his wrist and handed it to the Montagnard tribesman, whose eyes widened like he had just been given the keys to the kingdom.
“Thank you, Tommy-son.” He bowed his head. “Compass too?”
“Both yours now.”
“But you need watch.”
“I’ll get one from supply. I’ll tell them I lost it on a mission or something. That’s yours now. You have more than earned it.”
Amiuh bowed his head.
“I not forget this, Tommy-son.”
Amiuh fastened the Seiko on his wrist, beaming with pride.
“I cannot accept gift without giving you something in return,” he said, pulling the tiger claw from around his neck. “From my first kill.”
“Amiuh, I can’t,” Tom said. “That’s yours.”
“I insist, Tommy-son. You do me great honor.”
Tom looked at Quinn for help.
