GOLD STRAW

CHAPTER 31

Someone had taken a big trash bag full of ice and taped it to the electric fan that was sitting over in the corner of the tent. It was something that was always a benefit when you had a communications outfit on your base. One thing that they always had were electric generators and the second was all the toys that went with them. That included electric coolers that could make ice and, naturally, fans! As long as you kept dumping ice into the bag, along with emptying the bucket beneath, you had a fairly good makeshift AC unit.

The cool air was about the only thing that Nate actually liked when he reported to this tent. Everything else about it sucked and that was because he mostly sat in a chair for an hour or two and answered the same questions that were given to him by the guy with the bald head and thick glasses who always sat on the other side. What that man didn’t know, a Doctor, a Major, by the name of Byron, was that Nate actually remembered him from CHIEF. How could you ever forget a guy who jabbed a big ass needle in your rump?

Byron never actually looked up from his little electronic tablet as he constantly checked off boxes on it’s screen with a stylus. He tapped at the screen like he was playing the drums. Sometimes Nate wondered if the guy was a Doctor or just a data entry clerk. He kind of looked like both so, it was a question to ponder. Finally, Byron stopped for a minute and said, “if it interests you Captain, I don’t want to be here any more than you do. I was quite comfortable at Coven Hill, believe me.”

“Understood,” was all Nate had to say to the guy.

“You will also be happy to know,” the Doctor told him as he closed his screen, “that I’m taking you off profile today. You will be returning to active duty.”

“That’s fine,” Nate told the guy, “only why was I on profile to begin with, exactly?”

The answer was always the same, “period of observation.”

This time Nate actually had to ask, “what exactly does that mean?”

Byron’s answer surprised Nate, “it means that when my boss says you’re staying here, that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

This guys boss was some one star general, and medical doctor, who was sitting safely on his ass back in England. This meant that it was a good reason, so, Nate protested no longer. He took one last deep breath of cool air in front of the fan and, then, he left the tent. He had things to do if they were returning him back to active duty. The one thing that Nate really wondered about was how his little side kick was going to take that. He had a good idea of where she was so Nate began to wander through the tents, in the direction he thought he should go.

The one thing you learned quickly in the army was about the rhythm of life. Every place had it’s own and Seau-Neaut airbase was no exception. If you learned the rhythms quickly then you could quickly figure out how to make yourself comfortable. Nate considered himself a master at it. After all, his experience with the Army went back way past the day he joined.

Your ability also gave you a sixth sense about when something was wrong or, even just changing. As Nate walked around the tent city he was starting to see some stuff that was a bit out of the ordinary. Then he saw a little group walking in the opposite direction and he greeted them as he passed. The guy walking up front was CWO Briley from the Nightstalkers. He never acted like anything was important and so, was not much of a hint, Nate gave him a high five as they passed, anyway.

The second person, that was noteworthy, and was walking in the small group behind Cliff Briley, was the reporter chick, Patty Walsh. She and Nate had spent more than a few minutes talking after he got flown in from the Hurt. Of course, some Public Affairs dickhead had briefed him, even sat in on the interviews, and was terribly good at cock blocking so, Nate was not really allowed to get to know the woman as well as he might have liked. Still, she smiled when she saw him and they high fived too.

Nate did not recognize the crowd walking along with her so he asked, “where are you headed too?”

“Didn’t you hear?” Patty acted pretty happy, “I’m headed up to Firebase NottaKay! Finally got my permission slip.”

Some smart ass had hung up a sign at the firebase that said “you’re not in Kansas anymore.” No one could figure out who had done it but, the nickname stuck, was shortened, and now the place was unofficially known as NottaKay. Not that Nate had been there to witness it. In fact, he had never been there at all. He was getting the stories second hand from guys who were rotating back here to quasi civilization. Still, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know the score. Three more guys had died in “harassment” attacks since Nate had made it out of the Hurt. That was why he told Patty, “you be careful. The rumor mill has it, it’s not safe up there.”

That did not wipe the smile off her face, “I’ll be fine Nate. Seeya when I get back.”

Was that a bad omen? Nate was not entirely sure but, he was not going to loose any sleep worrying about it either. He went about his business and ducked into the spare tent that had some official use that never happened here. The place had turned into a flop house for some of the support guys who had set up a television and some game consoles to go with them. The little dweebs, who got to work down here all the time, saw the Captain and quickly jumped to their feet. Angie kept right on playing her video game. Nate found it interesting that she was carrying a video M-60 and gunning down zombies en mass.

Nate had to wonder, “don’t you ever complain about being the pig, ever again.”

One of the skinny kids coughed and Angie finally realized they had company. She looked over her shoulder to the back of the couch she was planted on and then said, “hey, what’s up?”

The cougher got nervous, “Angie! There’s a captain here, you know?”

Angie put the game on pause and then tossed the console to her friend. She got up off the couch and then grabbed her over shirt. She was walking out of the tent as she slid her arms down the sleeves, “more tests today? Oh joy.”

“Not today Specialist,” Nate replied to his small command, “in fact, I didn’t get any requests for presents, whatsoever.”

That drew a sneer, “so what am I doing here?”

Nate kept walking but, he did slide the girl a strange look, “what’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” was all Angie had to say on the matter.

“You see,” Nate pointed at her, “right there. The Angie Thompson, that I remember, from a few weeks ago, would have been scared shitless not to say ‘sir’.”

“Fine,” Angie grumbled, “sir! Happy now?”

Nate wanted to laugh. Then he wanted to cry. He wasn’t sure which to do so he chose neither. He just gave her the good news and then added, “so I suspect, you might want to wander over to the hospital and see if they’re ready to cut you loose too. I suspect that’s going to be the case.”

Angie stopped walking and just kept looking in the direction of the hospital like it was a monster coming to get her, “suppose I don’t want to.”

Nate stopped too. He rubbed his chin for a minute and thought about this. He knew what he was supposed to say. He knew what his duty was. He also knew that he couldn’t do that to her. He mumbled under his breath, “I’m a shitty officer.”

Angie must have understood him because she snapped back with anger, “don’t you say that. You’re the reason I’m alive.”

“Really?” Nate was kind of surprised, “I thought I was the fucker that jumped on top of you and buried you ass deep in mud.”

Angie suddenly laughed, “yeah, well you’re that too.” She looked away as a tear began to form in her eye. Then, suddenly, for the first time ever, she said his name, “Nate, I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

“Damn girl,” Nate grumbled, “stop crying. You’re messing with my head.” Then he said resolutely, “Rangers don’t cry.” He followed that up with, “we do a lot of other stuff but, I don’t think crying is on the list.”

Angie took a deep breath before she told him, “proudest day of my life was when I graduated from Ranger school. I never thought I could do it and, I did!” She deflated, “why is it, none of that shit means anything to me anymore?”

Nate just shrugged, “I don’t know what to tell you kiddo. I don’t even know why it still means something to me. It does though, and it’s not the medals…”

Angie gave him a sour and questioning glance, “what medals?”

“Um,” Nate thought about it, “good point. Not my point though. What I mean is, all that esprit de corps shit, doesn’t ring in my head now. I’ve got other thoughts in there Angie, and they do mean something.” She kept right on looking at him and would not stop. This was definitely not that shy little girl he had brought out here. He also knew he would have to explain, “I keep thinking about the rest of the company, up at NottaKay. I feel like I’m letting them down. Right now, I know something, you know something, and they need to know those things. I want to go back and show them what we know. So they won’t go through all the crap that we did.”

“Nate,” Angie said quietly, “I’m scared. You’re the only person I’d tell that too. I haven’t told the doctors. I didn’t say that to the spooks that debriefed us. I didn’t say it to Patty. I.. I don’t even want to admit it to myself but…”

“Angie,” Nate put a hand on her shoulder, “we’re all scared.”

“No,” Angie told him, “I’m terrified. When we were going in on the chopper, then I was scared. This is something else entirely. Ever since… Simmons. Every time I close my eyes I see him Nate. I can’t..”

“Did you tell the doctor that part cause,” Nate was squirming now, “cause I’m no doctor Angie. I can’t tell you how to feel here.”

They both stood there staring at each other. Finally Nate broke down and told her, “look, if you want to get out, if you want to go home, I’ll help you all I can, for what that’s worth. Just remember what we’re doing here Angie.”

“What?” Angie looked at him like he was stupid, “Nate, this is just a job. I joined to get college money and I don’t even know how to file for it. We’re not doing anything special here. You think we’re here saving the world or something?”

“No,” Nate told her seriously, “what I do remember was being on a trail, with a war party of monsters on my ass, staring down three ninja nuns, and there was this spunky little spec four that had my back. You were here for me Angie. There’s a lot more of us that need you.”

Angie was unimpressed, “was that supposed to be a recruitment speech or something?”

Nate had to think that over, “I don’t know but, it’s true.”

Angie broke out laughing, “ninja nuns? Where did you get that from?”

Nate just shrugged but, he never did answer. Sergeant Breathed came walking up with envelops in his hand. He was smiling and told them, “lucky me. Two for the price of one.” He handed over the envelops, nodded, and went skipping along his merry way. Nate had to wonder what that guy was so happy about. Then Nate looked to Angie who had already opened her envelop, “what’s it say?”

Angie looked like she had mixed feelings on the matter, “well, I’ve been promoted to Sergeant.” That did not sound quite right to Nate. Not taking away the army’s right to promote whoever they felt like, there was this system thing in place and that required that you do things like have time in grade, go to schools, and all that other crap. As far as Nate knew, Angie didn’t have any of that. What she did have, according to the letter, were a few other things, “I’ve been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, yadda, yadda, yadda, and oh and I have new orders. I’m going home.”

Now Nate was getting nervous about opening his. He would not have minded the promotion but, he knew there was a snowballs chance in hell of that happening. The army sometimes played footloose with promoting enlisted personnel but, when it came to officers there was a rigid pyramid who’s laws were like the commandments from god on high. When Nate looked at the first of his papers he was kind of angry with himself for being right about the promotion thing. There were no orders for that in his package.

There was something else however, “apparently, I have been awarded the silver star.”

Where Angie did not seem to be happy about any of her good news, she was thrilled to hear about Nate’s, “that’s great! You deserve it!”

“No hell I don’t,” Nate replied. “This is embarrassing is what it is.” He flipped through some of the other pages and even after a quick scan he knew what they were, “and apparently I’ll be taking that big bus ride back with you.”

“Congratulations sir,” Angie stepped back, came to the position of attention, and saluted. Nate returned the salute even if he felt slightly awkward when doing it. Angie dropped her arm and said upon reflection, “you know, I’ve done that hundreds of times. I think that was the first time I really ever meant it.”