SECRETS: Passion, Deceit, And Revenge (Beauty 0f Life Book 8)

by Laura Acton

  As the vehicles stopped, seven weary men piled out. The destination for five would be a slow slog towards their unit’s quarters, while Blaze and Winds must report to Major Plouffe before they could wind down. This camp, located two days travel from Kandahar, consisted of three tents for units, one for command, a basic shower facility, and a cargo container which housed supplies. The unit preferred being here since it was further away from the general, the man they all despised because of the way he treated Blondie.

  Blaze clapped Blondie on the shoulder. “Hit the bunk, Kid. You have gone too many days without sleep. You can shower later. Winds and I will bring you food for when you wake.”

  Dan nodded and yawned as he scratched his scruffy three-week growth of beard. The damned thing was an annoying sand collector, and he wanted to shave but didn’t possess the energy. “I plan on sleeping for a week, so make sure whatever you bring won’t spoil.”

  Blaze chuckled since they lived on freeze-dried prepackaged meals and the occasional apple or orange at this base. “Still possess a sense of humor. A sign a few brain cells are still active.”

  Dan gave his CO a lopsided grin, grabbed his C14 Timberwolf rifle and gear bag from their transport, and pointed himself in the direction of his cot.

  Standing with Blaze as Blondie shuffled towards their tent, Winds smiled as Mason sidled up to the kid and took his pack and rifle from him. “Blondie’s dragging. He’s so tired he didn’t bother to resist Mason taking his stuff as he would normally.”

  “Yeah, this op was a bitch. We all need some downtime.”

  The ripe body odor assaulting his nose as the wind shifted, Winds responded, “Showers are a must. Shall we go report so we can join them?”

  Blaze nodded. “Less time spent in Plouffe’s presence the better. I can’t stand the man. He takes too much pleasure in issuing the general’s orders sending Blondie out each time.”

  “Our chain of command sucks when it comes to Blondie. Plouffe and Sutton don’t give a damn what General Badass does to him.” The men trudged toward the major’s tent.

  Remote Special Forces Camp – Plouffe’s Tent – 1615 Hours

  Instructed to wait as Plouffe briefed another unit, Blaze and Winds spotted a private leave as they stood at parade rest while Sergeant Parsons received details. Neither had experience working with Parsons but were aware he recently assumed command after Sergeant Redding retired.

  Blaze noted Parsons’ unit appeared to be full of fresh-faced rookies, three in fact. Two rooks at the same time was challenging for a seasoned leader, three with a man new to command was a disaster waiting to happen. Blaze was pulled from his musings when the flap opened, and Blondie strode in, came to attention, and said, “Corporal Broderick reports as ordered, sir.”

  Plouffe’s hate-filled eyes turned to William’s son. “About time you arrived. This operation is delayed enough without you taking your sweet time.”

  Winds bristled at the comment, and that Plouffe kept Blondie at attention. Damned Major. Can’t he see the kid is dead on his feet? He clamped his jaw and gritted his teeth to keep from blurting out his thought.

  Keeping Broderick standing rigidly, Plouffe said, “You are assigned to Parsons’ unit since their sniper is ill. Grab your gear. You’re heading out with them in less than fifteen minutes.”

  Unable to hold back, Winds let loose. “Blondie’s in no shape to go. We only got back a few minutes ago. Sending him out without adequate rest is unconscionable.”

  Major Plouffe turned on Winds. “Master Corporal Simons you are out of line. This matter does not concern you.”

  “You’re dead wrong. Blondie is in my unit. I won’t stand for him being abused and his safety compromised,” Winds bellowed and strode threateningly towards Plouffe.

  Grabbing Winds’ shoulder, Blaze restrained him. Christ! Another demotion is on the horizon for my friend. Winds is blowing at a category three today.

  Plouffe squared off with Winds. “If you do not stand down now, I will be writing you up for insubordination and busting your ass to Private.”

  “Do it. I don’t give a damn about rank. I do care about my teammate though. This can’t be allowed to continue. We’ve been in the field for three weeks straight. Even a prisoner receives better treatment than Blondie!”

  Turning to Blaze, Plouffe demanded, “Take your man out of here before I order the MPs to take him into custody. Broderick received orders from the general, and my hands are tied. Unlike Private Simons here, I respect my superiors.” Plouffe turned back to Broderick. “Grab your gear and report to Parsons in five minutes. He will brief you en route to your target zone.”

  “Yes, sir.” Dan pivoted to leave, and his eyes landed on Winds. He silently mouthed, “Thanks for trying.”

  Remote Special Forces Camp – Unit Tent – 1620 Hours

  Blaze and Winds followed Blondie catching up to him outside their tent. Winds said, “Sorry, Kid.”

  “This isn’t your fault. It’s fine.” Dan entered and hurried to his bunk ripping open his bag to determine what he needed to restock.

  “What’s fine?” Brody asked at the same time Blaze bit out, “No, it isn’t.”

  The guys gaped for only a moment when Blondie started packing his gear.

  “He’s sending you on another stinking mission?” Brody roared.

  “Yeah, got four minutes left to get ready,” Dan said.

  Spurred into action, Mason and Ripsaw high-tailed it out to the supply depot to replenish Blondie’s ammo, MREs, and water. Patch pulled out the med kit he developed for Blondie to use when he was away from them. He checked to make sure it was complete before shoving it into the kid’s pack. Winds ran to grab Blondie some fresh fruit. More often than not apples or oranges were around, and Blondie could use the liquid and sugars. Brody took over packing for Danny when Blaze made Dan sit down and shoved a water bottle in his hands.

  Dan did as Blaze ordered and drank the entire bottle of warm water and a second as his CO briefed him as best he could.

  Unhappy he couldn’t prepare Blondie better, he shared all he knew and made a mental note to begin gathering intel on other units. “Not much I can tell you about Parsons since none of us have worked with him. Though, he’s been around for about five years most the time was in Sudan. He assumed command and transferred here when Redding retired.

  “I noted most of the men appear fresh out of training. Never set eyes on them before. They’re still all shiny, so they’re likely to screw up out there without meaning to. Nicholls is in his unit now. Don’t need to tell you to keep an eye on your six with him around. Why the man is so blind and continues to believe you receive special privileges is beyond me.”

  Blaze clenched his fist. “I wish you weren’t going out with them. Don’t trust Nicholls and I’m unsure of Parsons’ leadership capabilities. My gut says your head needs to stay on a swivel.”

  Dan gave Blaze a half grin. “Always is. I’ll be fine.”

  Brody came forward with Dan’s pack and rifle. “All packed, Danny. Promise me to come back in one piece.”

  As he gave Brody a quick embrace, Dan said, “I promise to do my best to comply.” He grabbed his things and flashed the guys a weary smile.

  Blaze clasped the kid’s shoulder and squeezed. “That’s all we can ask.”

  Each man either bumped fists with him or patted his back as he exited their spartan quarters. He broke into a jog as Parsons shouted for him to hurry.

  Mason, Winds, Ripsaw, Brody, Patch, and Blaze all stood outside and watched Blondie climb into a Humvee. They caught Nicholls scowling at Blondie, and it appeared as if he said something to him but the motors drowned out their exchange.

  They stayed put until only a faint dust trail remained. After the others went inside, Blaze turned to Winds. “Gotta learn to control your hurricane of words, Private Simons.”

  Winds chuckled but sobered. “I would gladly do it again if it would make any difference. Damned General is gonna kill Blondie at this r
ate.”

  Brody sat on his cot and raked his hands through his hair. “This is my fault. If I had not told Dan about my dream of Special Forces, none of this would be happening. He wouldn’t be dealing with all the assholes who think he is privileged and believe that is reason enough to target him. I never thought his father would do this to him. Never. How the hell did he achieve the rank of general with this blatant disregard for a soldier’s health and welfare?”

  Weary, Mason sank to his bunk. “Buddy, there is no way anyone could’ve foreseen how the general treats Blondie. All my dealings with him before Blondie came along led me to believe he was an honorable man who cared about the soldiers under his command. I would’ve never dreamed he would be capable of this behavior.”

  Stretching out, needing sleep badly, Ripsaw added, “Brody, you can’t blame yourself. You’re not the one ordering him on consecutive missions. You’re the one who keeps him sane and laughing. We’ll do everything in our power to help you help him through these trials and to the end of his contract. Then he can leave Special Forces and be out from under the general’s control and choose a living of his liking.”

  Brody nodded and laid down. This isn’t fair. I wish I could do something more to keep Danny safe from his asshole father. As sleep claimed him his mind filled with worry. The death count Danny racked up in only nine months weighed heavy on his soul. And every day Brody questioned if today would be the day the general succeeded in killing Danny. If that occurred, Brody couldn’t guarantee he would not seek revenge against General Broderick.

  Humvee En Route to Target Zone – 1700 Hours

  Dan munched on an apple as he listened to Parsons, who rode in the armored vehicle behind his. Their task was to hit a village near the Uzbekistan border and pick up one package. A man named Surat Hakimov, who intelligence believed would provide critical information on the location of an elusive terror cell. The village, deep in insurgent-held territory, required them to do a quick snatch and go. The odds appeared in their favor as the agent who sanctioned this raid indicated only four men guarded Surat.

  Once Dan understood the goal and his role, he dropped the apple core on the floorboard and allowed his eyes to close. Needing to gather some energy, he let his guard down slightly to catch a catnap. Although he sat in the vehicle with Nicholls, a master corporal who hated him solely because he was General Broderick’s son, he figured Nicholls wouldn’t pull any stunts when they would be relying on him to provide overwatch for them, ensuring their safety. Dan allowed himself to drift into a light doze.

  Remote Special Forces Camp – Unit Tent – 2055 Hours

  Brody blinked open his eyes to find Patch and Mason sitting on their cots eating. With the aid of the lantern, he noted both had showered and no longer stank like him. Dragging himself up, he shifted his feet to the floor as his gaze moved around the room. Blaze was still sacked out, but Winds and Ripsaw were missing. “Where are …” he stopped as the two men entered carrying towels.

  Grinning, Winds flung his damp towel at Brody’s head. “Go shower, Thumper. You stink.”

  Still a little groggy and slower than average, the fabric hit its mark, and Brody groused, “Hey, it’s Brody, not Thumper, Windy. What time is it anyway?”

  “Twenty fifty-five,” Patch supplied then added, “Keep it down. Blaze needs more sleep.”

  After using the cool towel to wipe his face, Brody rose and recalled he had been too tired to ask any questions before and so posed one to Winds now. “Any idea long Danny will be gone this time?”

  Stirring water into his MRE, Winds shared, “Unsure of their destination, didn’t overhear that part. Sounded like a simple package pick-up.”

  Mason chimed in, “Nothing’s ever simple around here. The shit hits the fan all the time.”

  Rolling over and opening his eyes a slit, not ready to rise, Blaze said, “Caught a glimpse of the location on the map. They’ll have to ditch the vehicles and hike in. Don’t expect Blondie back for two, maybe three days. Now, shut up so I can sleep.” His lids shut, and he dropped back into an uneasy slumber. He never slept well when the kid was out with another unit, especially one he didn’t have enough confidence in to cover his rookie’s back.

  Brody shuffled out, the desire to wash and eat begging for dominance now that his need for rest had been sated. Shower won out when he got a whiff of himself. The food was bad enough without adding body odor to the mix. Besides, sand had worked its way into some rather uncomfortable places.

  Humvee En Route to Target Zone – 2110 Hours

  Startled awake by Nicholls shouting, “Where the fuck did you take us, Kirk?!” Dan glanced at the two men in the front seats. Wondering how long he slept, he checked his wristwatch. Twenty-one ten. Wow, four hours.

  Nervously, Kirk confessed, “I think I went the wrong way at the fork.”

  Josh Nicholls fumed as he reported, “Parsons, the little pissant must’ve taken us so far off track it ain’t funny. We should’ve been there by now.”

  Dan listened as Parsons groggy voice requested, “Where are we?”

  “No fucking clue! The GPS cut out. Damned equipment failures.” Nicholls growled. “Is your GPS working?”

  After a long pause, Parsons replied, “No.”

  “Pull over and let me take a look at the stars,” Dan interjected.

  “We are on a real mission, not a cushy one General Daddy usually sends you on. We don’t have time for stargazing, Broderick,” Nicholls snarled.

  Swallowing a nasty comeback which wouldn’t solve their problem, Dan explained, “I can navigate via stars.” When Parsons gave the order to stop, Dan reached for a vest pocket and pulled out a map he always carried. Stepping from the vehicle, he stretched his cramped muscles, as he gazed upward into the inky moonless night, enjoying the view as he oriented himself.

  Kirk eyed his angry second-in-command realizing he royally screwed up.

  Glowering at the rookie, Nicholls held off, if only barely, from punching Kirk. “If we don’t obtain our objective this will be your last mission!”

  Levasseur exited the Humvee and went to stand near Broderick. The soldier appeared exhausted when he joined them. He had wondered if he was General Badass’ son, but Nicholls just answered that for him. “So, you can use stars to determine where we are?”

  Dan retrieved his penlight as he strode to the front of their vehicle and spread the map on the hood. “Yeah.” He located their remote base to serve as a point of origin. Once he approximated distance by employing time utilized … or squandered in this case … and speed traveled, he determined a rough position based on the original course heading. However, after he nodded off, their direction might’ve changed. If I carried a sextant, the issue would be moot. I could’ve adjusted according to the position of the stars and horizon.

  Wendell Parsons marched over after relieving himself in the bushes. “So where are we?”

  “What are the coordinates of our target zone?” Dan asked, needing to narrow down the options.

  After providing them, Parsons stewed. Trusting Nicholls revealed a serious command flaw. He erred in the choice of his second-in-command by basing his selection solely on his recollection of the soldier’s abilities when they trained together and not demonstrated abilities in the field. Not that I had many options with three rookies and a loaner sniper to replace the only other senior member of my team. How the hell did Lachance come down with the flu in the friggin desert?

  “Here, we’re here.” Dan pointed to a position.

  “Well, fuck!” erupted from Nicholls.

  “We’ll need to backtrack and find someplace to hide during the day, then we can hike in tomorrow night and snag our quarry,” Parsons stated.

  Kirk swallowed the lump of fear as he said, “Um, Sarge, we can’t do that.”

  Turning hard eyes on his rookie, Parsons asked, “And why not?”

  Moving forward when Kirk took three paces back from their sergeant, Riley answered, “Because we won’t have enou
gh fuel to return to base.”

  “Fuck!” Nicholls yelled and didn’t hold back this time. He lashed out and punched Kirk in the face, knocking him to the ground.

  Swiftly, Dan put himself between Nicholls and Kirk, protecting the rookie. He glared at the hot-head. “Strike him again, and you deal with me.”

  “Josh, go cool off,” Parsons ordered as his eyes returned to the map.

  Storming around to the other side of the Humvee, Josh seethed. He spied Broderick’s rucksack, and as Parsons called Broderick over to ask for his opinion, which pissed him off further, he decided to teach Broderick a lesson. Nicholls opened the bag and rummaged around. Locating a first-aid kit, Josh removed a syringe and proceeded to poke holes in most of the water bottles.

  Levasseur observed Nicholls, dumbfounded by the action. When Josh closed Broderick’s pack and threw the kit and needle into the bushes, he quietly asked, “Why did you do that?”

  Nicholls eyed the rookie. “Broderick thinks he can get away with anything. This is only a little of the comeuppance he deserves.” He then filled Levasseur in on his views regarding all the special treatment Broderick received because of who his father was, ending with, “Right out of training he is placed on the top-tier team. Broderick didn’t have to pay his dues to join Blaze’s team like the rest of us. He even got to bring his lover boy, Hunter, with him.”

  “He’s gay?”

  “Yeah. Sickening, huh?”

  An expression of disdain covered Levasseur’s face. Of all Nicholls shared, the fact Broderick was gay disgusted him. Homosexuals had no place in the military … they were an abomination. His whole attitude towards the blond man shifted, and Levasseur didn’t want to be anywhere near Broderick.

  Drawing out a path, Dan said, “If we follow this route tonight, we can hunker down here during the day. Then we skirt this village tomorrow night and go in from this direction to get Surat. I can take up a position here, which will provide you all cover.”