Free Project - 16 by Martyn J. Pass

to me. “Good luck, Miller. And you,
Riley.”
    “ Thank you sir,” she said and gave him a salute which he
returned with a smile.
    “ I hope you're as good as your file, soldier.”
    “ Better, sir. I'm much better.”
    Turning to me, he smiled. “Your Dad was one of the good guys
and it looks like it got passed on. I hope we meet again, Miller. I
really do.”
    “ Thank you,” I replied, touched by the compliment.
    “ Head home. We'll have the documents wired to Riley's
equipment. Anything you need, get it today and get gone - by
tonight most of it will be flying across the Atlantic.”
    “ Will do. I hope it works out back there.”
    “ I do too.”

3.
     
    We left the office, walking out into the last hours of the
cold morning and saw a more subdued camp but one still busy in
dismantling the mobile force known as the US army. I looked up at
the stars and stripes flapping on its pole in the centre of camp;
the fabric cracking and slapping in the strong winds.
    “ I'll get my gear and see the quartermaster. Are you running a
generator out there?” asked Riley.
    “ I don't normally but I can if you need the power.”
    “ I do,” she said. “I'll be bringing my computer and stuff.
It'll need charging.”
    “ Okay. I'll load up the 'Rover and we'll meet again in about
an hour.”
    “ Sounds good. Catch you later.” With that she marched away,
drawing looks of longing from the G.Is she passed and falling in
step with another familiar face. I watched her disappear, then I
took my pack to the 'Rover and checked out what I was lacking. The
tanks had been filled without me asking and I suspected the Colonel
was feeling a little guilty for his people pulling out at such a
delicate moment. What would it mean if the NSU did invade? I didn't
have any particular grievance with them - in fact, quite the
opposite. I couldn't know for sure but the Colonel wasn't aware of
the work I'd done for them in the past when their own kids had come
over. I had some contacts with the Russians, but would it help me
if they decided to throw me out? Or worse?
    I remembered that I needed some bits and pieces for the
house, just replacement parts and stuff, and there was a list on
the dash which I began adding to, trying hard to plan ahead for
Riley's stay and also the long journey to which ever bunker we were
destined. The fuel couldn't carry us around forever. Sooner or
later we'd be on foot and I tried to make the most of the free
supplies the Colonel had offered.
    It was always worth knowing where the QM was on any Army
base. Unlike the mess tent and the accommodation I knew exactly
where to go this time. They'd stuffed the stores' office into one
of those portable shipping containers and there were three more
arranged in perfect parallel lines to it, each one lined with
shelves. I knocked on the door and went in.
    “ Morning, Tony,” I said. Tony was another of the old timers,
one of the few people not to be rotated with the other shifts. He
was fifty-ish, greying hair, pot-belly, but above his wide,
alcoholic's nose were a pair of friendly eyes that never failed to
invoke a smile.
    “ Hey Miller. How's it going?”
    “ Good thanks.”
    “ I hear the Colonel filled you in on what's
happening?”
    “ Yeah, I guess it is what it is.”
    “ I know. We're needed back home but I hate to think of just
walking out of here and leaving the door wide open for those Commie
bastards. Man, they've got most of Europe - do they need the
fucking rest?”
    “ Who knows?” I said, looking around at the gaps in the
shelving. It looked like things were moving fast.
    “ Yeah, exactly. Who does?” he said. “Anyway, what do you need
from old Tony? You'd better move fast - they're robbing me blind
here. Whatever you need, just take it. I can have the boys run it
over to your truck if you want.”
    “ How are you for diesel?” I asked. He clucked his tongue and
did a dramatic head shake.
    “ No-can-do I'm afraid. I got orders to fill your