Read Online America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 5: Insurgency by Walter Knight - Free Book Online

everybody’s
Ten-Most-Wanted lists. He was already wanted north of the DMZ. Now
he has no sanctuary.”
    “We will issue a press release indicating
Lieutenant Barker may have fallen victim to the same terrorists
that kidnapped me,” I said. “We will release video images of Desert
Claw, David Torres, and the others. I will issue a statement
expressing my personal confidence in Lieutenant Barker’s
loyalty.”
    “Who sent me the video of you in the
hallway?” asked Captain Lopez. “Do we have a spy in the
insurgency?”
    “I can’t answer that,” I replied. “It doesn’t
matter anyway. All I care about is that Lieutenant Barker lives
long enough to win our bet. We need to contain Lieutenant Barker
inside the New Gobi Desert region. If he leaves the New Gobi, the
bet is void.”
    “Actually, the fine print says Barker is to
stay at his New Gobi assignment,” corrected Captain Lopez. “Does
that mean he must remain in the Legion?”
    “I’ll run that by a lawyer,” I advised. “I
think the intent of that clause is to keep Lieutenant Barker from
fleeing to an area of safety. He has not left yet. Anyway,
Lieutenant Barker is still in the Legion, whether he wants to be or
not.”
    “What about Corporal Wayne?” asked Guido. “I
can understand Barker and Toock being traitors, but there is no way
Corporal Wayne joined a human insurgency.”
    “It’s a matter of moral character,” commented
Captain Lopez. “Who knows what goes through the mind of a
spider?”
    “Corporal Wayne is the most moral character I
know,” insisted Guido. “I do not believe he is a traitor. Besides,
Corporal Wayne placed a bet on Barker, too.”
    “How many people are in on this bet?” I
asked.
    “People or spiders?” asked Guido.
    “How many?” I demanded.
    “Just a few,” replied Guido. “Favors have to
be granted and paid back. It’s good business and important to
maintain goodwill.”
    “I learned a long time ago not to ask too
many questions about your business dealings,” I commented. “But
make it clear to everyone we cannot let that information get out. I
still have a conflict of interest issue to deal with in spite of my
precautions.”
    “What about Sergeant Toock?” asked Captain
Lopez.
    “I don’t want him back,” I said.
    “We should contact Corporal Wayne,” said
Guido. “We need to confirm his situation.”
    “Go ahead,” I said. “Captain Lopez and I sent
messages to Barker, but there has been no response. I’m concerned
for Wayne’s welfare, too.”
    Guido sent a text to Corporal Wayne. “Friend,
come back to the Legion. We can work this out.”
    The response was immediate. “I just followed
orders. When the legionnaires stormed G Company’s barracks, I fled
through a new tunnel. I felt I would be killed rather than taken
into custody.”
    Guido showed me the text. “Can I promise
Wayne amnesty if he comes back?” asked Guido.
    “Sure,” I said. “You can promise that.
Promise that traitor anything you want. Find out his current
location and the location of the others.”
    “Where are you?” texted Guido. “Colonel
Czerinski offers you amnesty if you surrender to the Legion.”
    “Under what conditions?” asked Corporal
Wayne. “I cannot tell you our exact location. We are always on the
move somewhere inside the DMZ.”
    “Kill Desert Claw and David Torres. Bring in
Lieutenant Barker, alive,” I texted.
    “Do you offer Lieutenant Barker amnesty?”
texted Corporal Wayne.
    “Yes,” I texted back. “If he comes in
immediately.”
    “What about Sergeant Toock?” asked Corporal
Wayne.
    “Kill him,” I texted.
    “That was harsh,” commented Captain Lopez.
“But I agree. I never liked Toock anyway.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    Lieutenant Barker and the other insurgents
and deserters fled to the old Miranda Homestead. Lieutenant Barker
suggested the hideout because he had used it successfully before.
It had food stockpiled in the tunnels. Lieutenant Barker visited
his