Free Ice War by Brian Falkner

Wall,” Barnard said.
    “I’m just saying,” Wall said.
    “Well don’t,” Barnard said.
    “So what’s the plan, skipper?” Wall asked.
    “How the hell should I know?” Price snapped.
    “You’re the LT,” Wall said. “You’re supposed to have a plan.”
    “What’s your problem, Wall?” The Tsar asked. “Can’t take the pressure?”
    “Pressure I can handle, bro,” Wall said. “Incompetence, not so much.”
    “Be careful,” Bernard said. “Or it may not be the Pukes that you have to worry about.”
    “And I’m not your ‘bro’,” The Tsar said.
    “Damn right you’re not,” Wall said. “Not even close.”
    “Your brother was on Operation Magnum, wasn’t he?” Price asked softly.
    “He was,” Wall said. “And he didn’t come home, thanks to that all-American hero, Ryan Chisnall.”
    “Be very careful what you say,” The Tsar said. “Ryan was our friend.”
    “What are you going to do?” Wall asked. “Come over here and beat me up? Have you noticed that you’re chained up like a dog?”
    “Your brother’s death had nothing to do with Chisnall,” Barnard said.
    “Right. I’ve heard that one before,” Wall said. “Chisnall did what he had to do.”
    “No, I mean your brother …” Barnard began.
    “Leave it, Barnard,” Price said. “Wall, Chisnall made some hard decisions on that mission. One day you might have to make some hard decisions of your own. You’ll find out it’s not easy.”
    “I’ll be certain to make the right ones,” Wall said.
    “Jeez, Price,” The Tsar said. “I don’t care about his brother. When we get out of here, I’m going to smack him one.”
    “If we get out of here,” Wall said.
    “Easy, everyone,” Price said. “Wall, you lost someone you loved. Do you think you’re the only one rowing that boat?”
    Wall stared at her. Price lowered her eyes so he wouldn’t see the tears that were starting to form.
    It was her fault. She had ordered Emile into something rash. Monster knew that. He could have, he should have, done nothing. But Monster would never leave a person in need. So her decision had sent them both to their deaths.
    “Let’s concentrate on fighting the Pukes, not each other,” she said, in a barely controlled voice.
    “Can’t fight them with our arms stuck around our necks,” Wall said.
    “That’s my point,” Price said. “But we’re going to have to escape before the transport arrives to take us away. Otherwise it’s next stop some PGZ prison cell, and there’s no going home from that.”

SILENT ANGELS
    [MISSION DAY 1, FEBRUARY 16, 2033. 1810 HOURS LOCAL TIME]
    [OFFICE FC7001, THIRD LEVEL, WEST QUARTER, THE PENTAGON, VIRGINIA]
    The time for the scheduled radio call had come and gone. Even if the Angels had been delayed in reaching the next checkpoint, they should have checked in by now.
    Bilal had arrived in time for the call. He had shut the door behind him and the room felt like a tomb. He sat with Wilton in front of the silent screen.
    Wilton was aware of his hands starting to shake, and he clenched them so Bilal wouldn’t notice.
    “Perhaps they have broken their radio,” Wilton said. Soundproofing on all the walls sucked up his voice, giving his words a flat, dead sound.
    “Perhaps,” Bilal said. “I believe we currently have satellite coverage of the area. Does that show anything?”
    Wilton hooked into the satellite feed and examined the area the Angels had last reported in from. There was nothing visible. Many eyes would be watching this feed, he knew, and no one was reporting anything.
So where were the Angels?
    “Tell me about your friends,” Bilal said.
    “Tell you what, sir?” Wilton said.
    “The team leader, Price, what is she like?”
    “Tough as.” Wilton laughed, although the humour quickly faded as he thought again about the missed check-in. “I mean I think she had a tough childhood. Got beat up a bit. Made her hard.”
    “So tell me something I can’t read in her personnel