“Talk to your buddy Smith and see if he’s got some people he thinks are ready,” the sergeant said, accepting the weapon and setting it aside. “If not pull some people from the night shift… you’re doing double shifts, why shouldn’t they?”
That seemed a pretty clear dismissal, so Matt headed outside. His squad was waiting for him, including Pete. Matt wasn’t sure he was ready for that confrontation just yet, so he sought out Trev at the training grounds for replacement fighters.
His friend saw him coming and called for his recruits to keep going before heading out to meet him. “Hey. I followed your ambush on the southern slope over the radio. Glad it went well.”
“Better than I could’ve hoped.” Matt took a breath. “How are your trainees doing? Davis said I could pull your three best to join my squad on a temporary basis. One for good, maybe.”
Trev gave him a worried look. “Three? I thought it was just Mitchell, with a wound that wasn’t too serious.”
“And Eddy to help him out for a few days.” Matt took another breath. “And Pete, who’s getting reassigned to camp to help Davis.”
He thought that was pretty vague, but his friend picked up on the implication. “What did he do?”
“Let’s just say I have my doubts about putting him in combat.” Matt motioned towards the training volunteers. “Who do you have?”
Trev led the way over to the range and called out a few names. Three middle-aged men peeled away from drilling and trotted over, slinging their rifles over their shoulders on the way. “Matt, these are the Carlisle brothers Les and Nick, and Wally Peterson. They used to head into the mountains every hunting season before the Gulf burned, and visited the range a couple times a year too. They should hold their own.”
Matt shook hands all around. “Sergeant Davis said I could get three people to join my squad for the next few days, and one possibly for longer. We’re going to be heading out to the southern slope in a few minutes to resume our duties, so go grab your gear.”
“Sure thing,” Nick said, nudging his brother. They trotted off towards their camp with Wally in tow.
“Hopefully we won’t see any more action down there after the thrashing we gave the blockheads,” Matt said, watching them go. “It should be uneventful for them.”
Trev nodded. “You ever imagine what it must be like for the enemy, ambushed the moment they get within a hundred yards of the mountains?” Matt shrugged but didn’t respond, thoughts turning to the next item on the agenda, his confrontation with Pete, as his friend continued. “I mean I try to imagine it myself, and I decide it’d probably be a good idea to not go to the place where I’d get ambushed.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Matt said, shaking his head. “With the numbers they’ve got, they’re not going to be fazed by losing a few dozen people here and there.” He clapped the shorter blond man on the shoulder, waving a farewell to anyone glancing his way from the training grounds. Then he turned and started for his squad.
“We heading back out?” Gutierrez called as he approached.
“Yeah, once a few temporary additions to the squad report in.” Matt gestured curtly. “Pete, got a second?”
Wary, his friend followed him to well out of earshot of the others. “Look,” he began, “if it makes you happy I’ll admit that I—”
“No.” Matt took a breath. “On Davis’s orders I’m assigning you to permanent duty at base camp.”
He hadn’t expected his friend to take the news well, and he wasn’t disappointed. “You’ve got to be kidding,” Pete said, face already reddening.
“It’s where you’re needed.”
“BS. You’re seriously benching me because I took a few shots before you even gave the order to cease fire?” His friend began pacing back and forth in clear agitation.
Matt sighed. “It’s not just that. I’ve been watching you for a while now, man, and I’m worried about you.”
“Why are you doing this?” Pete demanded. “Did I piss you off or something?”
“No!” Matt stepped forward and caught his shoulder, halting his pacing. “You need to get your head right, Pete. You’re going off half-cocked, you’re chomping at the bits to go off and shoot blockheads, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed you’re on edge. I mean, you’re even starting fights with your friends over nothing!”
“What, you mean that thing with Rick before he changed squads? He started that!” The young man was getting angrier and angrier. “Just because I’m friends with Alice and he can’t grow a pair and tell her how—”
“Pete,” Matt cut in, quiet but firm. His friend reluctantly shut up. “I’m your friend, man. I’m doing this because I’m worried about you. I have to be the one to tell you your judgment’s off, because I don’t think you can see it right now. I don’t want you to get yourself killed, and I can’t take the risk of you getting anyone else killed. But even more than that, I want you to get your act together. So you can have whatever sort of normal life this messed up world will allow.”
The young man looked away resentfully. “If you don’t trust me then fine, I’ll stay behind washing pans.”
“You’ve got it wrong. There aren’t many people I trust more than you. But I don’t think you’re yourself right now.” Matt squeezed the tense shoulder beneath his hand in reassurance. “Just give it a few weeks. Get some sleep, sort out your grief for your parents and everyone else you’ve lost. I’ll be here to talk every night if you need me. And once your head’s in the right place you’ll be welcome back in the squad. We do need you.”
“Whatever.” Pete shook his hand off and stalked back towards the Aspen Hill camp, posture tense and angry.
Matt watched him go, feeling tired. He probably could’ve handled that better, but he couldn’t think of how.
Chapter Four
Night Lights
“Lewis, you still in radio range?”
Lewis blinked. As far as he knew Chauncey was back at the refuge, while he was halfway down the slope of the foothill just south of Aspen Hill Canyon. He obviously was in range, although the retired teacher’s voice was faint and grainy, but he wasn’t sure how. He lifted his radio. “Yeah I am. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to send along the good news. Matt’s squad ambushed a couple dozen blockheads south of 31 and killed or captured the lot.”
That’s what he liked to hear. “Are they all okay?”
“From what I hear Mitchell took one in the neck.” Before Lewis’s heart could sink at that Chauncey hastily continued. “Nonfatal, I mean. He should recover pretty quickly, although he’ll be out of action for a few days. Everyone else is fine.”
“That’s good to hear. Send along my congratulations and best wishes next time you get in touch with them.”
“Will do.” There was a brief pause. “How’s your thing going?”
Lewis glanced down the foothill at the nearest blockhead emplacements a mile or so away, then along the slope to the north, beyond the mouth of the canyon. He couldn’t see his dad’s team from here, of course, but they were probably in position by now. His own team would’ve made the agreed on noon deadline too, if they hadn’t been delayed by that scrub oak thicket.
It turned out his dad was also in range of the refuge. “Two is go,” he said in reply to Chauncey’s question.
“Copy that. One needs a bit more time. Too bad you’re at the refuge, Chauncey… you’ll miss the fireworks.”
The retired teacher chuckled. “Yeah, well I’m not too mobile these days. Good hunting.”
“Thanks.” He thumbed off his headset’s mic and glanced over at Jane and Uncle George. Tam and Carl were with his dad, and that was everyone he needed today; smaller teams all around for this attack. Truth be told they probably could’ve managed it with just him and his dad, but it never hurt to have backup. At least one person to carry the munitions and one to serve as a spotter.