Read Online Zombie Killers: Ice & Fire by John Holmes, Ryan Szimanski - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Holmes, Ryan Szimanski
Ads: Link
had walked on it for three days without letting Doc take a look at her blisters. She hadn’t wanted to slow anyone down, but now her feet were trashed and she would be out of action for at least a couple of days. It didn’t matter; maybe she would learn a lesson about teamwork and stubbornness.
Jonesy was on point, but we didn’t expect much this close to the base. Patrols went out regularly to clear the area around the base, and the TOC had been informed that we were coming in. Apparently, though, the guys at the front gate hadn’t gotten the word.
A short burst of machine gun fire chewed the ground in front of Jonesy, and a ricochet plowed off the frozen dirt and grooved his leg. He fell to the ground, howling in pain, holding on to his leg. We all hit the snow in less than a second flat.
“HEY! YOU STUPID FUCKERS! SCOUT TEAM COMING IN!”
Doc crawled forward to Jonesy, who had immediately shut up after his first surprised yell. Looking at it closely, he gave me a thumbs up and proceeded to apply a field compress. I stood up, and another burst drove me back down into the snow, rounds whipping through the air to my right.
“Jesus Christ! Ahmed, pop smoke!” He threw an orange smoke grenade in front of us, and a cloud started to spew out in between us and the front gate. The machine gun started hammering, sending a stream of lead in a wide sweep, way over our heads. I ran over to Jonesy and grabbed the radio, quickly raising the Operations RTO. I nearly broke the handmike screaming into it, and the firing stopped.
“SORRY ABOUT THAT!” was yelled from the front gate, fifty meters away. Ahmed silently buried a round in the sandbag next to the machine gunners’ head, sending a shower of dirt into his face.
“SORRY ABOUT THAT!” Brit yelled back.
As Doc helped Jonesy limp in through the front gate, we shot murderous glares at the stupid teenager behind the machine gun.
“What the hell were you thinking? Don’t you identify targets before shooting?” The kid looked all of fifteen years old, and he looked like he was about to cry as he saw the blood running down Jonesy’s leg. At that point, a Staff Sergeant came running up, with a look of murder on his face. I assumed he was the Sergeant of the guard, and I knew that the kid was going to be in for a hard time.
“Doc, turn him over to the medics and come with me to the TOC, Brit, you get that foot checked out. Ahmed, start getting supplies together. I don’t think we’re going to be staying here too long.”
Doc pulled me aside. As my second in command, he would be in on the Battle Update Briefing, and I knew what he was going to say, but I let him say it.
“Nick, keep your temper in check. We both know that Colonel MacDonald is an ass, but he could screw us, you know that.”
“I know, I’m not going to put the team at risk.” He could see that I was fuming.
“The hell you aren’t. Someday your temper is going to get a hold of you, and I have a feeling today will be the day” he said.
“Maybe. Let’s go find out.”
Chapter 20
The Task Force forward staff was gathered in the Operations Center, in the middle of the afternoon briefing. A projector had been set up, and they were flipping through Power Point Slides. Heads turned as we made our way in through the tent flaps.
“Ah, Sergeant Agostine, Sergeant Hamilton. I can’t wait to hear your report. I hope you have that Battle Damage Assessment I asked for. Took your goddamned time getting here.” Colonel Jackass sat there, chewing on an unlit cigar, the bare light bulbs shining off his bald head. Doc put his hand on my shoulder, and I took a deep breath.
“Sir, I have your report. Give me just a second to load them up on the computer.” I pulled a data stick off the dog tags I wore around my neck and plugged it into the laptop showing the slides.
“Two days ago, IST-1 entered the town of St. Johnsville, as ordered, to assess the effects of artillery fire on Undead.” A
Jonesy was on point, but we didn’t expect much this close to the base. Patrols went out regularly to clear the area around the base, and the TOC had been informed that we were coming in. Apparently, though, the guys at the front gate hadn’t gotten the word.
A short burst of machine gun fire chewed the ground in front of Jonesy, and a ricochet plowed off the frozen dirt and grooved his leg. He fell to the ground, howling in pain, holding on to his leg. We all hit the snow in less than a second flat.
“HEY! YOU STUPID FUCKERS! SCOUT TEAM COMING IN!”
Doc crawled forward to Jonesy, who had immediately shut up after his first surprised yell. Looking at it closely, he gave me a thumbs up and proceeded to apply a field compress. I stood up, and another burst drove me back down into the snow, rounds whipping through the air to my right.
“Jesus Christ! Ahmed, pop smoke!” He threw an orange smoke grenade in front of us, and a cloud started to spew out in between us and the front gate. The machine gun started hammering, sending a stream of lead in a wide sweep, way over our heads. I ran over to Jonesy and grabbed the radio, quickly raising the Operations RTO. I nearly broke the handmike screaming into it, and the firing stopped.
“SORRY ABOUT THAT!” was yelled from the front gate, fifty meters away. Ahmed silently buried a round in the sandbag next to the machine gunners’ head, sending a shower of dirt into his face.
“SORRY ABOUT THAT!” Brit yelled back.
As Doc helped Jonesy limp in through the front gate, we shot murderous glares at the stupid teenager behind the machine gun.
“What the hell were you thinking? Don’t you identify targets before shooting?” The kid looked all of fifteen years old, and he looked like he was about to cry as he saw the blood running down Jonesy’s leg. At that point, a Staff Sergeant came running up, with a look of murder on his face. I assumed he was the Sergeant of the guard, and I knew that the kid was going to be in for a hard time.
“Doc, turn him over to the medics and come with me to the TOC, Brit, you get that foot checked out. Ahmed, start getting supplies together. I don’t think we’re going to be staying here too long.”
Doc pulled me aside. As my second in command, he would be in on the Battle Update Briefing, and I knew what he was going to say, but I let him say it.
“Nick, keep your temper in check. We both know that Colonel MacDonald is an ass, but he could screw us, you know that.”
“I know, I’m not going to put the team at risk.” He could see that I was fuming.
“The hell you aren’t. Someday your temper is going to get a hold of you, and I have a feeling today will be the day” he said.
“Maybe. Let’s go find out.”
Chapter 20
The Task Force forward staff was gathered in the Operations Center, in the middle of the afternoon briefing. A projector had been set up, and they were flipping through Power Point Slides. Heads turned as we made our way in through the tent flaps.
“Ah, Sergeant Agostine, Sergeant Hamilton. I can’t wait to hear your report. I hope you have that Battle Damage Assessment I asked for. Took your goddamned time getting here.” Colonel Jackass sat there, chewing on an unlit cigar, the bare light bulbs shining off his bald head. Doc put his hand on my shoulder, and I took a deep breath.
“Sir, I have your report. Give me just a second to load them up on the computer.” I pulled a data stick off the dog tags I wore around my neck and plugged it into the laptop showing the slides.
“Two days ago, IST-1 entered the town of St. Johnsville, as ordered, to assess the effects of artillery fire on Undead.” A
Similar Books
