The Fate Of Nations: F.I.R.E. Team Alpha: Book One (16 page)

              “Why shouldn’t I tell him that?” Mary asked.

              “A wife has to have something to complain about,” Winters answered. “We’re talking about a man who makes the bed with hospital corners every morning, never has to be asked to take out the trash, and never,
never
forgets a birthday or anniversary.”

              Mary Hicks laughed. “He’s a keeper, is he?”

              “You bet,” Winters said. “And I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

              “What do you mean, dear?” Mary asked, leading the way to the kitchen.

              “Okesa just told me that she’s in love with Doug,” Winters said.” We didn’t argue, but she was very upset.”

              “And you’re not?” Mary pressed.

              “No,” Winters replied. “Okesa was honest and up front with me, and she’s my friend. Doug is the most honorable man I’ve ever met. I don’t have to worry about them either of them betraying me.”

              “So what are you worried about,” Mary asked, dumping a strainer full of peeled potatoes into a pan of water .

              “I’m not sure how Doug will react to Okesa having those kinds of feelings about him,” Winters said. “He doesn’t like dealing with emotional issues.”

              “He’ll do what’s right,” Mary said with assurance. “He may be a bit ham-fisted about it, though.”

              Winters chuckled. “I have to work pretty hard to get him to open up to me. Dealing with Okesa’s feelings will really make him squirm.”

              “But he’ll take care of it,” Mary concluded.

              “He will,” Winters agreed.

              “That’s settled, then,” Mary said.

     “For now, anyway,” Winters agreed. “But I haven’t told Doug about it yet.”

              Mary stepped closer to Winters. “Can I ask you about something?”

              “Of course,” Winters said.

              “There a big operation planned, isn’t there?” Mary asked.

              “Mary,” Winters said gently, “even if there were; I couldn’t talk about it.”

              “I know you can’t be specific, but I know there’s something unusual going on. Just the fact that all six FIRE teams are here on base at the same time tells me that. But this is different. Jerry has been acting funny for months.”

              Winters struggled for words. “Mary, you know how things work.”

              “I do know how things work, dear,” Mary agreed. “But there is a big operation in the works; something more important and more dangerous than anything the teams have ever done; I know it.”

              “Mary I can’t…” Winters tried to say.

              Mary took Winters’ hands in hers. “Monica, I’ve been married to a soldier for twenty-eight years. I know when Jerry worried; I mean really worried about something. I know when he thinks things are going to be really bad. I can see it in his eyes. I could see it in Doug’s eyes when he came in and I can see it in your eyes now. Whatever this new mission is, it involves all six of the teams and you all think that you are going to lose a lot of people.”

              When Winters remained silent Mary continued.”Just tell me one thing; between friends. Whatever the mission is; do you think it will be worth the price?”

              Monica thought for a moment and nodded. “I think so,” she said.

              Mary hugger Winters again. “I hope so,” she said.

                  [][][]

              “Damn fine smoke, Sir,” Carter said, sending a smoke ring into the night air. “There’s nothing like a good cigar after a long day.”

              “Yeah,” the general agreed. “Cuba is one territory I’m glad the Corporate Consortium claimed as an exclusion zone.”

              Hicks sent his own smoke ring skyward. “I remember when your old man and I gave you and David your first cigars. Right after you graduated from high school. Your dad and I were waiting for you both to gag. We expected to have a good laugh.”

              Carter nodded his head and smiled. “Dave and I had agreed not to give you two the satisfaction.”

              “You were both hard headed,” Hicks said. “I could see you fighting the urge to cough. Neither of you did though. I thought your dad was going to burst he was so proud.”

              Carter took another long pull from his cigar. “You know, Sir. I never doubted that dad loved me, but I’ve always wondered if he was proud of me.”

              “Why would you have doubted that?” Hicks asked. “He never stopped talking about you. Shit Doug, you were everything to him.”

              “I’m not complaining Sir,” Carter said. “Like I said I never doubted his love, but he never told that he was proud. No matter what trophy I won, no matter what I achieved, he would always point another goal for me to go after. I thought I’d never do enough to satisfy him.”

              Hicks gestured at Carter; smoldering cigar in hand. “I remember when you and David won the Best Ranger competition. Your old man cheered you guys on until he lost his voice. When they announced the winners his was so proud he was shaking. I think he actually shed a tear. It was never that he thought you weren’t doing enough. He always gave you new goals because he had total confidence that you could accomplish them.”

              Carter smiled. “I remember that night too. Dave and I were so tired after the competition we could barely move. All that we wanted to do was sleep. But you and dad insisted we all go out and have a beer.”

              Hicks nodded. “If the two of you could win the toughest infantry competition the United States military could devise; then you could man up and have a beer or two with you fathers. We had to show off our boys,” Hicks added. “Shit, you just won Best Ranger for Christ’s sakes. Your old man bought drinks for everyone in the Officer’s club.”

              “That was the last time I ever saw him,” Carter said studying a column of cigar smoke as it drifted upward. “The Amazonian war broke out three weeks later. He was killed a few days after that.”

                            Hicks looked intently at Carter. “Doug, pushing you they way he did
was
the way your old man showed his pride.”

              Carter thought for moment. “I get that now, Sir,” he said. “But, back then, it would have been nice to hear the words.”

              “Hear this Doug,” Hicks said. “Your dad was damn proud of you. I wish he and your mom were here see the soldier you are now. You’ve become the kind of man that they wanted you to be. Don’t ever doubt that.”

              “I never doubted mom’s pride,” Carter said. “She always told that she was proud of me. Hell, she went on for ten minutes the first time I tied my shoes by myself.”

              “It had to be a tough time for you: losing both your folks in the same year,” Hicks observed.

              “It was,” Carter admitted. “But mom’s passing wasn’t a surprise to me. I knew she wouldn’t last long once dad was gone. It sounds like a cliché but mom and dad really were part of each other. One really couldn’t live without the other. Like you and Mama Hicks.”

              There was a heavy silence for several moments. Both men retreated into themselves. “I couldn’t be prouder of you if you were my own son, Doug; and Mary loves you like you are her own.” Hicks said finally, “David was proud to have you as a friend.”

Another period of silence followed.

              Hicks moved on to another topic. “Doug, have you thought about what you are going to do when the war is over?”

              “No Sir; not really,” Carter said. “I’ll be happy if Monica and I are both alive a month from now.”

              Hicks shook his head. “That’s not the way to think, Doug. You got to look for that light at the end of the tunnel.”

              “Don’t get me wrong, Sir.” Carter said. “I’ve day dreamed about growing old with Monica and having a houseful of kids, but I don’t see the point of actually making plans.”

              “Doug, Doctor Atkinson tells me that an active paranormal like you might live for as long as three hundred years; maybe even longer. That’s a long time to be soldier. With your ability you could be so much more than that.”

              Carter tensed in his seat. “I’ve never wanted to be anything but a soldier, Sir. I wouldn’t know how to be anything else.”

              “I know,” Hicks replied. “But three hundred years is a hell of long time. Think of what you might be able to learn during that time.”

              “Sir, I could intercept a bullet with my head on my next op,” Carter said. “Looking three hundred years ahead seems pointless. Besides, what else would I do besides soldiering?”

              Hicks raised his voice slightly. “Anything you damn well please,” he said, answering Carter’s question. “You’re tough minded, smart and you’re a natural leader. And you were all of that before your paragene was activated.”

              Hicks leaned toward Carter. “You don’t see it in yourself, but you have the seeds would greatness in you, Doug. I see it, Mary sees it, and so did David and your folks. I’m betting all the people in the teams see it too. I know Monica does. You inspire people Doug; you bring out their best and you do all of that without having to try.”

              Carter became still. “Thank you Sir,” he said finally.

              “You don’t believe any of what I just said do you?” Hicks asked, smiling slightly.

              Carter tilted his head. “Not really, Sir. I’m a good soldier; and I hope I’ve been a good leader, but I’m nothing special.”

              Hicks’ voice became harsh; almost angry. “Bullshit,” said. “Doug, modesty is a fine thing, but too much of it can hold you back. You’ve got to give yourself the credit you deserve. This war will end Doug, and we’re going to win it. When it is over, the United States will have to rebuild. There will have to be people who’ll step up and lead that rebuilding. The first thing those people will have to do is grab the politicians by the throat, force them to end the state of emergency, and restore Constitutional government. I’ve got news for you, Doug, you’re going to be one of those people; you won’t be able to help it.”

              “I’m not saying you’re wrong, Sir,” Carter said. “But right now I’m focused on the next mission. In the future, if I’m still alive, I’ll serve my country, as best I can; in any capacity that I can. But there are better people out there than me to bet the future on.”

              “Shit,” Hicks said. “Maybe your old man should have praised you more when you were a kid. If you would just get out of your own way you’d be one unstoppable motherfucker.”

              Carter had retreated back into silence. Hicks continued. “Doug, you have a responsibility to live up to your potential; you have a duty. You can only do so much with a rifle. But you have the gift of natural leadership; and that can change history. Good people like you have to be there to keep the country; hell, the whole damn human race, away from the Popes of the world.”

              “That’s a lot to live up to Sir,” Carter said.

     “Yes it is,” Hicks said. “But you will live up to it. You’ll do it because it just won’t occur to you to do anything else. That’s the thing about you, Doug; you always do the necessary things at the necessary times. You intuitively know the right thing to do. You’ll do the right thing when the time comes; it’s just who you are.”

              Carter smiled slightly. “I’ll try not to disappoint you Sir.”

                              
Chapter Four

              “Shit!” McNamara said as the holographic simulation ended. “Boss, this just isn’t working,” he added as inspected one of four robotic targets. “This guy would still be alive to hit that damn panic button.”

              The targets mimicked a human torso and were mounted on radio-controlled wheeled platforms. Covered with simulated flesh which was imbedded with holographic receptors and with fully articulated arms and hands capable of hold and firing weapons the robots made convincing simulated enemies when covered by ultra-realistic holographic projections.

              “It’s this damn armored box the guards are in,” the Canadian observed. “Our M-61s can penetrate the armor, but it slows down the rounds and deflects them so much that they’re not always lethal. At least one guard lived long enough to hit the button in twelve out of twenty sims; even when we use strait armor piercers and fire whole magazines.”

              “And when that button gets pressed three blast doors slam down in three different places in the tunnel, seal it off, and the whole assault comes to screeching halt,” Carter said, finishing McNamara’s thought.

              The guard station which presented such an obstacle was essentially a ten foot by ten foot box with walls comprised of polymer laminated steel layered with impact absorbing ceramic plates. It was flanked two turret-mounted, remotely operated heavy machine guns that were linked to motion sensors. Situated at the end of a one hundred and fifty foot corridor; it protected four guards that monitored access also a large concrete and steel vault door that allowed access to the tunnel that led from the officer’s quarters to one lower levels of the central complex’s main building. And identical arrangement lay at the tunnels opposite end.