by Kris Jacen
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Carter was walking out of the unit area heading to Mooney’s office to see if he was available for lunch when he was shoved from behind.
“Faggot, haven’t you had enough yet?” Danner asked.
For the love of God. When would this asshole get over it? Carter turned around and met Danner’s glare. “What is your fucking problem? You stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of yours.”
“That you’ve got on the same uniform as me is my problem. You shouldn’t get to wear it.”
“I earned this uniform just as you did.” Carter paused. “Oh wait a minute, I did better. Didn’t you barely pass AIT?” Yup, Carter was going there. If the guy was going to be an ass, he was going to give it back to him.
“Fucking butt-lover.” Danner growled before he moved in swinging.
“Hold!” a voice commanded from behind Carter.
Carter turned toward the voice, which was a big mistake. As soon as his attention was off Danner, he attacked. How fucking stupid was Danner? Carter took a right hook to his jaw before he got his hands up to defend himself. Siah had shown him a few moves and instinct took over. With a short jab and a straight-arm to the chest, a shift of his weight and his right leg behind Danner’s and that was it. Danner was on the ground. Before he could get up or Carter drop to finish him, another voice yelled.
“Stand fucking down!” Shit, that was the first sergeant. When Carter glanced over his shoulder, the company commander, Captain Harris, was standing there next to First Sergeant Redmond. Great, this couldn’t get any worse, right?
Just as the thought appeared in Carter’s head, Wells and Tank came around the corner and obviously didn’t see the first sergeant or captain.
“Carter, you need to watch out. Price and Stevens were just going off about teaching the faggot a lesson. We ‘cautioned’ them to take their ideas and fucking shove them up their asses,” Wells said then he looked over Carter’s shoulder and stopped dead in his tracks, Tank bumping into him.
“You were saying, Wells?” the Captain asked.
“Shit. Ummm, sir?” Wells had lost all color in his face.
“The captain would like an answer as would I,” the First Sergeant said.
“Ummm, well, ahhh,” Wells tried to back up but Tank was right there.
“May? Do you have an explanation as to what is going on?” Redmond demanded.
“Not really, First Sergeant.” Carter wasn’t going to be the one to open his mouth.
“Danner? What about you?” The first sergeant looked down at Danner who hadn’t moved from where Carter had put him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, First Sergeant.” Danner was going to try and lie his way out of this, Carter could tell.
“You are a fucking disgrace,” Captain Harris said. Carter wasn’t sure who he was talking to at this point since they had all basically just lied to him and the first sergeant. “When Lieutenant Newton came to me a few weeks ago with a story about some NCOs getting into it over someone being gay, I brushed it off, thinking he had to have been mistaken. Guess I should have put more stock in his tale. Pushed it off since he’d just gone through training on harassment.”
“Considering this one…” Redmond pointed at Danner, “along with the other two who seem to have issue, if Wells and Martin are being truthful, were put through corrective training on tolerance just a few months ago, you would have thought they’d learned.”
“First Sergeant, I know—” Carter started to speak but stopped at the sharp look the first sergeant gave him.
“It was bad enough a command sergeant major from CID showed up in my office with three in my unit pointing out to me an issue that had not been brought to my attention by my own soldiers. To see there is still a problem and no one has reported it? Not happy right now, May.” The first sergeant was gritting his teeth by the time he finished. Redmond turned to the captain. “Sir?”
“I’m contemplating the next steps I’d like to pursue, Top. Wonder how these soldiers, and I use the word reluctantly for them, would like to spend some time on additional duty? Maybe upkeep for the common areas? Definitely some corrective training will be assigned. I don’t know about you, Top, but passing on incompetent soldiers doesn’t sit right. Being in this battery is a privilege that they apparently haven’t earned but I just can’t stomach dismissing problem soldiers.”
“I agree, sir. Passing on problems just doesn’t sit well with me,” Redmond agreed.
Wells, Tank and Carter just stood there, nodding, accepting their punishment for their actions. “Yes, sir. When do we report?” Carter asked for the three of them.
Danner apparently was stupider than Carter thought. He decided he was going to argue with the captain. “I don’t know what you think but I didn’t do anything. May started it and I just was trying to shut him up. He acts all high and mighty because he knows a sergeant major. He can’t do shit and I’ve been covering for him.” Danner must have realized he might want to stand up and pushed off the ground, wincing.
Redmond and the captain stood there, blinking. The looks on their faces said they couldn’t believe Danner was that stupid either.
“Danner? Are you saying we have misunderstood everything we’ve witnessed and have been told?” Redmond asked, speaking slowly to make sure he was understood.
“That’s right, First Sergeant. I haven’t done anything.” Danner was looking smug.
The first sergeant turned to Captain Harris. “Do you want to address this, sir, or can I have the pleasure?”
“Oh by all means, Top, have at it.”
“Sergeant Danner! The evidence that we have collected as well as the captain’s and mine firsthand witnessing of you attacking a fellow soldier is enough to start disciplinary actions. That you think we are stupid? Oh yeah, that just adds to our impressions. You will report to my office at zero-six-hundred tomorrow along with Price and Stevens.”
“But—” Carter was amazed that Danner was still arguing. The stupidity was beyond anything he’d witnessed before.
“Enough! You’re done for the day. Report to First Sergeant Redmond tomorrow. Dismissed.” Captain Harris was pissed.
Danner finally got a clue and shut his mouth. As he left, he glared at Carter, Wells and Tank. Once Danner was gone, the captain turned back around.
“Now, you three. Your lack of confidence in the chain of command troubles me.” The captain stood there not saying anything. “I’m not sure if it’s a failure on our part or on yours.”
“Captain, if I could speak?” Tank asked. Carter was surprised he spoke up before Wells or he could.
Captain Harris nodded his approval.
“Sir? I think it was a combination of the two. You and the first sergeant aren’t really seen involved in things on a daily basis, you trust your platoon sergeants and commanders. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. Staff Sergeant Love isn’t the most approachable platoon sergeant in the Army and our lieutenant is new. As for us? Because we don’t necessarily know anything about the backgrounds of the chain of command, we held back.”
It took a minute before either the first sergeant or captain responded to Tank’s statement. “You bring up a good point, Martin. Yes, Captain Harris and I have earned our spots here but the unit doesn’t know our backgrounds or just know part of how we got here. That is something that we can attempt to overcome. If we do it correctly, then hopefully it will start a bridge of confidence. I was aware that Love wasn’t a warm and fuzzy NCO, but apparently he’s more stern than I believed. A teaching point for me with him.”
“Thank you for your candor, Martin.” Captain Harris looked at Wells and Carter. “Do you two have anything to add?”
Carter looked at Wells who looked right back before answering, “No, sir. Tank summed it up pretty good.”
“Good. Now who is this sergeant major that you know?”
“Sir?” Carter was a bit puzzled.
“Danner said that you thought you wer
e better because you knew a command sergeant major?”
“Oh yeah, I do, sir. Command Sergeant Major Luna.”
“From the CID group?” Captain Harris seemed impressed.
“Yes, sir.”
“And how did you meet him? I’d heard of him through some channels at Fort Carson. One of the sergeant majors there knew him.”
“Would that be Sergeant Major Casper, sir?”
“You know him too?” This came from first sergeant.
“Yes, Top. I met him recently.”
“How? Where?” Redmond couldn’t seem to figure out how Carter had met these men.
“I was stationed in Afghanistan with Command Sergeant Major MacNamara before he was promoted to first sergeant. When I was stationed at Fort Polk, Sergeant Major Mac asked me for a favor to pick up his friend who was injured in New Orleans. I drove down and picked up First Sergeant Glenn, who kinda took me under his wing before he retired. I was able to briefly meet his friends at his retirement celebration. This past July I attended a cookout at Sergeant Major Luna’s and was able to get to know them all.” Carter wasn’t sure this was a good or bad thing that the captain and first sergeant knew some of the heptad.
“So you’re saying that you’ve met the entire heptad?” Redmond asked.
“Uhhh, yes, First Sergeant. You know them?”
“I know of them. I didn’t connect the sergeant major that visited my office to the heptad. The seven of them are among the best of the NCOs for the Army. I’ve known soldiers that have served with them and have heard the stories how they’re there for each other and their families. They are excellent examples of how NCOs should teach, training and behave. They truly believe in the military and helping others succeed.”
“Yes, First Sergeant, I couldn’t agree more.” Carter hadn’t realized the reputation the heptad had as a whole. He knew Sergeant Major Mac first hand, Top Glenn too. He was just learning about Mooney and the others. Seemed he’d been “adopted” by those that honestly did believe in him.
“Take a page from them, May. Pass on your knowledge, listen to orders,” Captain Harris said. “You three continue on with your day.”
“That’s it, sir?” Wells asked. Just great. Now he’s decided to open his mouth.
“That’s it, Wells. You three acted as honorably as you could given the situation. Ready to go, Top?”
“Lead the way, sir.” Captain Harris and First Sergeant Redmond turned and left the hallway.
Carter looked at his phone and saw there wasn’t time to head to Mooney’s office. “Grab something quick?”
It was like a balloon popped letting all the tension go. Wells and Tank started laughing.
“Sure, May, sure,” Wells said.
Chapter Sixteen
Siah pulled at his tie as he drove toward Arlington. About halfway there, the song on the radio caught his attention. How appropriate Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” would come on this morning. Debbie had called him the other day to tell him the arrangements had been made for the funeral. After the autopsy had come back with no foul play evident, the family was able to proceed with their arrangements. Britt’s dad had asked there not be a chapel service, just a chaplain at the gravesite. The family and mourners were to meet at the Administration building before being taken out to the transfer location point.
He’d been doing quite a bit of reading on everything that was going to happen during the service. Siah was worried about doing something out of place during the funeral. Debbie was trusting him to guide the twins and he wanted to be prepared if they had any questions. Carter had indulged him by reviewing the order over and over. Siah was just nervous as he really didn’t have a lot to do with the military growing up.
Parking in the designated lot, Siah pulled on his jacket — thank God it wasn’t a scorcher today— and walked toward the building. When he got inside, he checked the board and followed the signs to the room. He quietly entered the room and stood inside the door, just looking over the group.
Totally not the time to drool, but holy hell. Seeing the heptad in full uniform was a sight to behold. Siah had seen Carter in uniform several times but oh my God. This group could put calendar models to shame. He’d heard Scott talking about his first view of Mackey in uniform then seeing them all enter for the wedding which he’d jokingly laughed off. He owed Scott an apology.
Mooney glanced up and seeing Siah standing there, came over. “Siah, thanks for being here for the boys. Britt’s still a mess and her mom is still in shocked. It’s a good thing Debbie has taken over Andrew to keep her from the sister. She’s a piece of work,” he said, shaking his head.
“I’m honored you two trust me to be here for Cal and Cam. Where are they?” Siah hadn’t seen them yet.
“They’re sitting over on the couch with Tristan. He’d trying to hold it together but yeah. He’s just sitting there holding his papa’s Stetson. It’s especially hard for him. They had a close relationship.” Mooney just stood there for a minute. “Follow me. Do you understand everything that’s going to happen?”
“Carter went through it all with me, after I did all this research. Is there going to be a caparisoned horse?”
“You did do your research. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. Yes, there will be. Colonel O’Connor spent most of his service with the Cavalry. That is being honored as much as possible today.” Mooney looked down at his feet. Siah followed his gaze and saw he had spurs on his shoes. “The heptad has on our spurs and we have our Stetsons. Kevin had us all wear them for the wedding, me included even though I wasn’t in the wedding party.”
“Understandable. It meant a lot to the colonel, that you are all here and honoring…?” Siah wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence.
Mooney just nodded. When they got across the room, Siah saw the three boys sitting there. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen the twins sitting so still. Siah had only met the other little boy once but he knew six-year olds, and they were always in motion. This poor one was abnormally still just holding onto the Stetson in his lap, his fingers almost white.
Siah turned to Mooney. “I’ll join the boys in a minute. I see Britt over there with Kevin and what must be her mom. I want to pay my respects first.”
“Sure. I’ll tell Debs you’re here. Think she went to change the baby before everything starts.” Mooney grasped Siah’s shoulder before walking over to Spook and Brian.
Siah moved across the room to the other couch grouping. Britt was sitting there with her arm around an older woman whom she closely resembled. They both looked like if anyone said ‘boo’ they’d shatter. Kevin was perched on the adjacent chair, his legs crossed, light hitting his spurs.
“Brittany? I’m sure you don’t really remember me. I’m Josiah Kent, Siah. I taught Cal and Cam last year. We met at the Lunas’. I just wanted to express my sympathies to you and your mother on your loss. It’s never easy to lose someone close…” Siah trailed off, not sure what else to say. Brittany and her mom looked up at him when he started talking but they didn’t say anything. He looked over at Kevin.
“Nice of you to be here, Siah. Debs and Mooney said you were coming for the boys. I think they’re sitting with Tris?” Kevin looked like he didn’t know what to do.
“They are. I’ll go over there shortly. I just… since we spent time talking at Debbie’s I wanted to see Britt.” Siah shrugged.
Kevin stood up and took a step away, still within arms distance of his wife and mother-in-law but far enough away they couldn’t hear him well. “I’m sorry, Siah. I’m just floundering a bit. Britt and Kate are zombies. Tristan is crying at the drop of a hat or he’s a zombie too. Julia can’t figure out why mama isn’t taking care of her and poor little Andrew is just—”
Siah wasn’t sure what to say so he just stood there. Then it came to him. “Kevin? I know it’s probably hard for you but you need to just ask. The heptad is there for you and yours as much now as when you were on active duty. They all are here, not so much
for your father-in-law, but for you and Brittany. I’ve heard the story of your wedding. Not many friends would go to that extent to impress someone that really didn’t mean a lot to them.”
“Why wouldn’t you just ask us, Kev?” Mackey, Mooney and the others had walked up behind Kevin while Siah was talking. “Siah’s right. Would we be here for just your father-in-law? Not sure but for you, Britt and the kids? We would and have dropped everything. Are you saying if one of us needed you, you’d say no?”
“Hell no. I’d be there as fast as possible.” Siah could see the heptad knew that would be Kevin’s answer.
“Then let us help, jackass,” Danny said, then looked around quickly for children. “Whew, no squeakers. Don’t want Britt on my ass. Wait, I should go teach Julia a new word. Maybe it would snap Britt out of this.” The others nodded their heads but when Danny went to leave the group, Spook grabbed his arm.
“Idea? Yes. Good one? Maybe not. Let’s see if she comes around on her own,” Spook suggested.
“Now that your boys have you, I think I’ll go check on my charges for the day.” Siah touched Kevin’s arm as he started to walk away.
Danny stopped him. “Siah? Grab Liam on your way. In the past few months he’s formed a bond with Tristan. Maybe he can help him.”
“I will,” Siah said as he looked around for Doc Mac. Ah, there he is. Siah walked over to Doc Mac and tapped him on the shoulder, interrupting his conversation with Jeanine. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“Siah, I didn’t see you arrive. Debbie said you were coming for the boys today,” Doc Mac said as he turned around.
“I am here for Cal and Cam. Danny sent me over to get you. Kevin’s worried about Tristan but with Britt and his mother-in-law the way they are, he can’t devote much time to Tristan. The heptad just smacked Kevin verbally over the head for not asking for help.”
“Oh they’re good at that. They sometimes can just do it with a look. I wish I could do that to Spook sometimes,” Jeanine said.
