The Secret Corps
Page 54
“Who do you think?” Bartone countered. “This comes from the top.”
Johnny stood. “Well, Director Bartone? Secretary Voigt? Thanks but no thanks.” He regarded the others. “We’re out of here.”
Bartone rose. “Johnny, wait. Let’s talk numbers. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
Johnny turned his back on the director and moved toward the door. With a sarcastic wave good-bye, he said, “Easy day. No drama.”
As they left, Johnny overheard Bartone confide in his colleague, “They’ll come around. They always do.”
* * *
Moments later, Johnny led the others toward his truck at the far end of the parking lot. He felt vindicated for sticking it to those Feds who wanted to use and exploit them. They had wrapped the package in patriotism, but Johnny could smell the manure a mile away. Bartone was right about one thing: Johnny, Corey, Willie, and Josh did love their country and never forgot their fellow Marines who had sacrificed everything. One day Johnny and the others might help, but on their terms.
Corey cursed and said, “Did we just do that?”
Johnny snickered. “If you don’t believe you’re all that and a bag of chips, who will? They want janitors? Let ‘em hire janitors.”
“That’s right,” said Josh.
“Yeah, but we just turned down a whole lot of money,” Willie said. “We could’ve just listened to the numbers...”
Johnny cocked a brow.
“You’re not curious?” asked Willie.
“No,” Johnny snapped.
“So what now?” Corey asked.
Johnny threw an arm around his friend. “Now we put on our man pants and get busy. Those fools can’t screw us out of every contract, especially the local and state jobs. I’ll see what I can pick up out in Colorado. Gentlemen, we’re back to work like a fat kid on a cupcake. Imagine that.”
As they walked on, the sun finally set over Courthouse Bay and the Special Missions Training Center. Anyone watching from a distance would have seen four men with shoulders held high against the looming darkness.
About the Author
Peter Telep is the author of more than forty novels. With the assistance of technical advisors from all branches of the service, he has documented the exploits of U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, tank platoon commanders in Korea, and mercenary fighters in Angola, Uzbekistan, and Vladivostok, among others.
His collaboration with Tom Clancy, Against All Enemies, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Additionally, he has written many bestselling novels based on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, Endwar, and Splinter Cell video game series.
Mr. Telep’s work on The Secret Corps involved extensive research, including a trip to the Sig Sauer Academy in New Hampshire, where he received hands-on training in many of the weapons featured in this novel. He also traveled to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he had the opportunity to pilot a Riverine Patrol Boat and make an “unauthorized” J-turn, much to the surprise of his soaked but smiling hosts.
Find him on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Telep/194193593950279
Or email at ptelep@mac.com.