Free Whole Pieces by Ronie Kendig Page B

could use that as a bargaining tool. “Things are crazy,” Hawk mumbled.
    â€œNo kidding,” Mack said.
    A second later, Jensen and Jacobie returned, hustling into the trench.
    â€œWhat’s the word?” Stratham asked as he angled his body around to look at the two men.
    â€œUnknown,” Jensen said. “We saw forms moving, but we couldn’t make them out.”
    â€œCount?”
    â€œTen, maybe fifteen fighters. Not convinced they pose a threat to us. Their movements seemed intentional. They weren’t on a killing spree.”
    â€œTell him.”
    â€œShut it.”
    Stratham eased up, but not enough to put his head in the line of fire should they be seen. “What? What’s going on?”
    â€œNothing,” Jensen said as he speared Jacobie with a fierce look.
    â€œBull.” Stratham pointed to Jacobie. “Talk.”
    â€œI saw something. I can’t be sure because it was dark, and by the time I swung to search for it, the glint was gone.”
    â€œGlint?”
    Jacobie nodded. “Yes, sir. A glint—like from a pair of binoculars.”
    Stratham looked to Hawk, then back to Jacobie. “Binoculars?”
    With a backhanded swat, Jensen grunted. “See? I told him to keep it to himself.”
    â€œNo,” Hawk said. “What if there’s another team out there?”
    â€œThat’s some leap, Hawk.” Stratham’s words held chiding, but the man’s expression spoke louder. He thought it plausible too. “But . . . it could happen. And if that’s the case, we need to be careful, not kill each other in friendly fire. If they don’t know we’re here . . .”
    â€œWhat do we do?” Mack asked as the others listened but kept watch, took note of the surroundings and details.
    This was it. The chance to change things. To get the team out of here before the mission went south and took six lives with it. Thank you, God. Abda would be safe, the team would live, and Hawk could die in peace—and maybe, in one piece. With all his parts attached.
    Man, the idea of seeing these guys, their ugly mugs, in a year, five—for the rest of his life—jolted him with elation.
    He seized the chance to steer this. “We move,” Hawk said. “Take up a better position that enables us to see north and south.”
    â€œAre you out of your mind?” Stratham snapped. “That would put us in the floor of the valley. We’d get trampled with any and all foot and vehicle traffic, not to mention putting us at an extreme disadvantage—”
    â€œBut we’re at a disadvantage here.” Blood whooshed through Hawk’s temples. “Already we’ve got reports of freedom fighters, and now maybe another spec ops team?”
    â€œOur orders were to dig in, observe, and report.”
    â€œThose orders didn’t anticipate the appearance of that kid.”
    Mack nodded. “Hawk is right. We need to do something.”
    â€œNo.” Stratham nearly growled that answer. “We have less than an hour before extraction. We stay. We get the job done, and we go home.” He looked around at the others. “Clear?”
    â€œLook, man,” Hawk said as he shuffled over the tangle of legs and bodies to get to the master sergeant. “I’m not trying to defy you, but—”
    â€œThen don’t.” Stratham’s breathing came in quick, harsh increments. “I don’t know what’s up with you tonight—”
    â€œThink about that, man. I’ve never given you grief. If I’ve got issues, maybe they need to be addressed.”
    â€œHawk, just hold it together. We’ve had a lot of stress and been under tremendous strain the last two weeks. Don’t let it get to you.”
    â€œIs that what you think this is about? Some stress or shell shock?”
    â€œYou’ve seen a lot.”
    Hawk jabbed his hands to his