by Dirk Patton
“Sir, I would submit that it will most likely be triggered by the actions of our SEALs and Major Chase. We should cancel the operation.”
“Cancel it?” Packard asked in surprise. “Captain, have you forgotten the whole reason I approved this? The clock is ticking and we need to start moving our people to the mainland. We cannot do that without engaging in another major conflict with the Russians. Not until Barinov is dead and Admiral Shevchenko is able to assume power. Speaking of which, have you received an update from the team in Siberia?”
“Yes, sir. Just before our visitor arrived. Unfortunately, Admiral Shevchenko is dead.”
Packard shook his head in frustration, smoking as he processed the information.
“Sir,” West said, interrupting his thoughts. “If we accept everything the prisoner claimed, we have no choice. He was very clear that the Russians attacked Hawaii with nuclear missiles. We must step back from the brink and devise a new strategy. We cannot run the risk that the strike team in Australia will trigger those events. I understand we need the way cleared to begin evacuations to the mainland, but if all the civilians are killed in a nuclear attack sometime in the next two days…”
“Point taken, Captain,” the Admiral said, shoulders slumping slightly. “Very well. Contact the team and give the abort order. And find me the moment the Reagan is in secure contact with that goddamn platform. I want some answers from those people!”
3
“Twenty-four million,” Lucas said softly. “That’s a bleedin’ lot of people to relocate in less than a year.”
“That’s why I said you need to tell whoever you think is the right person,” I said, nodding in agreement with his comment. “There’s no time for the goddamn politicians to play games.”
“I’m thinking it should be us that goes in,” Lucas said. “The Regiment, I mean.”
I turned and met his eyes. Understood his thinking.
“All that matters is it gets done,” I said. “Who pulls the trigger or twists the blade is unimportant.”
“You sure about that?” Lucas asked, squinting as he watched me closely.
I sighed after several seconds of his scrutiny.
“Truthfully, I’d love to feed that motherfucker his balls before I choke the life out of him. But what I want isn’t as important as all the people that will die if this isn’t done fast, and done right. So, yeah. I’m sure.”
He kept looking at me for several long, uncomfortable moments, finally turning his attention back to the festivities.
“What I wanted to hear!” He slapped me on the back. “Now, let’s go get a beer before it’s all gone.”
We walked forward, Rachel spotting us as soon as we stepped into the light. Smiling, she grabbed an unopened can of beer out of Nitro’s hand, ignoring his protests and hurrying to greet me. Lucas peeled away, passing her as he headed to help his wife with the cooking. Rachel wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me deeply before stepping back and popping the top on the Foster’s.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
I had failed to notice that Commander Sherman had followed Rachel and was now standing a few feet to the side.
“What’s up?” I asked, grabbing the can of beer out of Rachel’s hand and taking a long drink.
“Got a call from Pearl while you were off playing with the seagulls. We need to talk,” he said, tilting his head in Rachel’s direction.
She noticed his gesture and looked back and forth between us for a moment before raising her hands in surrender.
“I’m starting to get it,” she said, taking the beer away from me. “Time for the men to talk and the women to go back into the kitchen.”
“It’s not like that!” I protested, but she was already laughing.
“You are so easy,” she said, shaking her head and walking away.
“So?” I asked Sherman again, not taking my eye off Rachel’s swaying hips.
“We’re aborted,” he said.
“What?” I asked, turning to face him. “Why?”
“No explanation, but it’s directly from the Admiral.”
“Are we recalled?” I asked, trying to control my feelings.
“Yes,” he nodded. “We’re leaving at first light.”
“Bullshit!” I said, a little too loudly, drawing the attention of a few of the men seated around the closest table.
“It’s not bullshit, Major,” Sherman said, moving closer and peering intently at my face. “It’s orders.”
I glared back at him, several emotions churning in my gut. He didn’t blink and he didn’t back off. Finally, I nodded. There was absolutely no point in arguing with him. It wasn’t his decision.
“Sorry,” he said after several long seconds of staring at my face. “I know what this meant to you.”
I nodded again without saying anything and he gave me another look before turning and walking away. Rachel had been watching closely as she helped with the grill, then headed my way as soon as Sherman left. Nitro, who’d noticed the brief but animated discussion, grabbed several beers and followed her.
“What was that all about?” Rachel asked as she walked up.
I snagged a flying can of Foster’s out of the air when Nitro tossed it to me, then waited for them to draw close enough to hear without me having to raise my voice. Popping the beer, I took a deep drink before answering.
“The operation has been aborted,” I said. “We’re not going after Barinov.”
“What the hell, boss?” Nitro asked. “Thought we didn’t have a choice.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” I said. “Apparently, the Admiral disagrees. He’s the one that issued the order.”
“But why?” Rachel asked.
“No explanation given,” I said.
“He can’t do that!” she said. “Not without telling you why!”
“Yes, he can,” I said, pausing to drain the beer. “That’s the way it works. He doesn’t have to explain his orders. I just have to follow them.”
“Then call him!”
I was already shaking my head.
“Not how it works,” I said. “Majors don’t call up four-star Admirals and ask them to explain their orders.”
“If there’s one that can…”
Rachel stopped speaking when I shook my head again.
“So, what’s next?” Nitro asked before she could continue protesting.
“Recall. Leaving in the morning.”
Rachel started to say something but fell silent when I touched her arm. Nitro was looking closely at me, like he could read my mind.
“What?” I asked him.
“Known you a long time, boss,” he said. “Seen that look before. You got something up your sleeve.”
Rachel looked at me, pulling her hand away from mine and crossing her arms across her chest.
“Me too,” she said, glaring at me. “What are you thinking?”
“Not here,” I said after a minute, noticing that Commander Sherman and Master Chief Baldwin were speaking with their heads close together, frequently glancing in my direction. “Now, let’s have some food and beer.”
Rachel wasn’t distracted so easily and started to protest, wanting to know what crazy idea was rattling around my empty head. I pulled her close and kissed her hard.
“Later,” I breathed. “Let’s join the party.”
Looking distinctly worried, she nodded and allowed me to lead her toward the tables.
“Make sure the guys stay somewhat sober tonight,” I mumbled to Nitro before he peeled away to rejoin his men.
It was a subdued gathering as Sherman spread the word amongst his men that we were leaving at first light. But that didn’t stop us from devouring every bite of food and making a big dent in Lucas’s supply of beer.
Not much more than an hour later, Rachel and I thanked our hostess and excused ourselves. Looking around, I couldn’t immediately spot Dog, but he came running when I whistled. As we headed for the small outbuilding where
we would sleep, I caught Nitro’s eye and gave him a subtle signal. He gave me a barely perceptible nod, disguising it by rotating his head and cracking his neck.
“What are you planning?” Rachel asked the moment we were inside.
Dog ignored us and curled up on a rug at the foot of the bed, let out a deep, contented sigh and closed his eyes.
“I’m getting in the shower,” I said with a grin as I began taking my clothes off. “I was planning on convincing you it would be a good idea to join me.”
She watched me undress, then smiled and stripped naked as I stepped into the tiny bathroom. By the time I had the water adjusted to the right temperature, she walked in and followed me into the cramped stall.
An hour later, I sat on the edge of the bed, thumbing through a five-year-old magazine devoted to living in the Australian outback. Rachel was in bed, asleep, wet hair soaking the pillow I’d end up using. After our tryst in the shower, she’d pressed me for answers, but I’d put her off. I didn’t feel like repeating myself.
There was a soft knock and Dog immediately leapt to his feet, staring intently at the door. Rachel woke, quickly getting up and pulling on a robe. I padded across the room and admitted Nitro, who slipped through the opening with a quick look over his shoulder. Dog bumped his hand with his nose in greeting, then returned to his spot.
“What’s going on?” he asked, dropping into a chair.
“I’m not going back,” I said, earning a nod from Nitro and a frown from Rachel.
“Didn’t figure you were,” he said.
“Hold on,” Rachel said before I could continue. “You’re going to do this alone? Are you crazy? There’s a reason the Admiral sent the SEALs and not just you!”
“He ain’t alone,” Nitro rumbled, drawing a glare from her. “And we sure as fuck don’t need a bunch of squids to turn those fuckin’ Russians inside out.”
“Hoping you’d say that,” I said, smiling at my old friend.
“Wait!” Rachel barked, holding up a hand like a traffic cop. “You’ve managed to convince me that I’m not going to be able to talk you out of this. I’ve kind of known that all along and I’m really trying to accept it. But, weren’t you the one that talked about following the rules? Obeying orders?”
I nodded, then we all spun when there was another knock at the door. A pistol appeared in Nitro’s hand and I was reaching for my rifle when I heard Lucas’s voice.
“Open the bloody door!”
Shaking my head, I pulled it open and he hustled inside. Glancing at Nitro, he saw the pistol and smiled.
“Just me,” he said. “But Smyth and a couple of the lads are keeping an eye out to make sure we aren’t disturbed.”
“What are you doing here, Lucas?” I asked.
“Why the fuck are you leaving? Thought this was a big deal for America.”
“Don’t know the answer to that,” I said. “But, I’m not leaving.”
He looked at me for a moment before nodding slowly.
“Thought it might be something like that when I saw him sneaking in here.”
“Homey don’t sneak,” Nitro said, putting the weapon away and resuming his seat.
“Aye, mate. Subtle as the night breeze, that’s you.” Lucas turned back to face me. “So, the SEALs are leaving and you’re staying. Doesn’t change anything we talked about earlier. Barinov has to die.”
“Agreed,” I said. “But I’ve got a feeling that they’re prepared to try and force me to return to Hawaii with them.”
“Good luck with that!” Nitro snorted.
“Aye,” Lucas said without hesitation. “But you’ve got some problems. I believe it’s called refusing to obey orders and desertion. This isn’t going to go over well. The PM may be a pussy, but if he gets a call from your Admiral, asking him to round up a rogue soldier and put him on a plane, he’ll bloody well do it.”
I walked over to a small table and picked up a letter I’d written while Rachel was napping, holding it up for them to see.
“Resigning my commission as an officer in the United States Army,” I said. “Not sure how legal it really is, considering I received a mandatory recall to service when the shit started. But I’m going to hand it to Commander Sherman tomorrow morning for delivery to Admiral Packard. That’s where Nitro and his guys come in. I’m a bit outnumbered if things start to go off the rails.”
Lucas reached out and took the letter from my hand, moving under a dim light to read it. When finished, he handed it back.
“You sure you want to go down this road, mate? There’s probably no coming back once you do.”
Rachel placed her hand on my shoulder and I turned to face her.
“He’s right,” she said. “You do this…”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “We’re staying here. Lucas is going to let us build a house on his land. Haven’t had a chance to talk to you about it, but I’m hoping you’re okay with the idea.”
She stared at me for a beat before smiling and looking at Lucas. He nodded, confirming I was serious.
“Dumbass,” she said. “Of course I’m okay with it!”
Nitro made a production of clearing his throat to get our attention.
“About to tear up over here,” he said, sarcastically. “Can we get back to the problem at hand and you two discuss your domestic arrangements later? I need my beauty sleep.”
“Ain’t enough fucking sleep in the world,” I said, earning a scowl that quickly turned into a smile. “OK. If you’re both on board, here’s what I’d like to do.”
4
I was up well before sunrise. It was almost chilly in the pre-dawn Australian desert as I walked Dog. Even though I didn’t see them, I knew Nitro and Lucas would be up, preparations already in place. I expected problems from the SEALs, but I wasn’t going to let this turn into something bigger than it needed to be. I liked and respected Sherman, Baldwin and the rest of their team and wasn’t interested in seeing anyone get hurt.
So, it wasn’t a complete surprise when I headed back to the building where Rachel and I were staying and saw four figures waiting for me. They were spread out, standing away from the small pool of light cast by a dim bulb mounted above the door. Dog saw them too, growling softly before I calmed him with a hand on his scruff. I didn’t slow or break stride, walking directly to where Commander Sherman stood.
“Commander,” I said pleasantly, noting the other three SEALs subtly moving to enclose me in a circle.
“Major,” he said, nodding. “We’re about to start loading up. Thought I’d stop by and make sure you found your way to the plane.”
I glanced around at the men who now had me surrounded. None of them were armed beyond pistols, which was a good sign. If they were willing to escalate this beyond a scuffle, they would have brought their rifles. For my part, I only had a pistol and knife. Sure, we could start shooting at each other, but I understood the message Sherman was sending by having left the heavier weapons behind.
Pulling the resignation letter out of my pocket, I handed it to him. He frowned slightly, then stepped nearer the light and quickly read it.
“I’m not going back,” I said when he looked up from the page.
“That presents us with a problem,” he said, folding the letter and slipping it into his pocket. “I’ve been instructed by the Admiral to make sure you come back.”
I shook my head.
“I’m no longer a member of the military,” I said. “That means the Admiral has no authority over me. Nor do you.”
Sherman stared at me for a few seconds, then sighed.
“Major, don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. I really don’t know why we’ve been recalled, but something significant must have happened for the Admiral to abort. You’ve been around the block a few times and know how it works. If you go after the Russians on your own, without knowing what’s changed, you could end up making things worse.”
“True,” I acknowledged. “And who said I was going aft
er the Russians? I’ve decided to settle down here with my friends. There’s nothing left for me back home.”
Sherman thought about that for maybe half a second before shaking his head.
“Sorry,” he said. “You’re coming with us. Hopefully you don’t have to be in restraints for the flight home, but if that’s the way it has to be…”
There was the scuff of a footstep in the darkness to the side, then Lucas stepped into the light. He had a ceramic mug of steaming coffee in one hand, the other thrust into his pocket and appeared to just be out for a stroll.
“Good morning, Commander,” he said, greeting Sherman. “Thought you’d be loading up by now.”
The SEAL had been around the block a few times, too, and wasn’t fooled for a second. Stepping back, he looked around quickly.
“My lads were extra helpful this morning,” Lucas said, taking a noisy slurp of his coffee. “They’ve already escorted the rest of your men to the hangar and are keeping them company until you arrive. Oh, and their weapons have been unloaded for safety during the flight.”
There was the sound of more feet in the dirt, which I knew would be Nitro and his guys taking up positions behind each of the SEALs. Sherman slowly surveyed the area and I could see him weighing his options. Finally, his eyes settled back on me.
“The Admiral isn’t going to be happy,” he said.
“I don’t expect he will be,” I said. “Please pass along my apology.”
We stared at each other for a beat.
“I’m genuinely sorry to put you in this position,” I said, stepping forward and extending my hand until he gripped it.
“You understand, if he sends me after you, I’ll do whatever needs to be done,” Sherman said, shaking my hand.
“I’d expect no less, Commander. But I hope it doesn’t come to that. It’s likely that none of us would walk away.”
He nodded, releasing my hand and stepping back.
“Commander, allow me to escort you to your plane,” Lucas said in a friendly tone.
