Texas Nights - Book 13 of the Damned of the 2/19th

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Charlie Company Area
15th FSB Area
Fort Hood
Texas, United States of America
09 October, 1991
0930

I'd timed it so morning formation was over by the time Lima-Six Actual followed me across the quad, silent and grouped together. They were wearing PT sweats, the rain soaking the light gray cloth and gluing it too their bodies. I was the only one wearing BDU's, and the only one under arms, the 9mm strapped in my armpit. Thunder boomed off in the distance as I climbed the steps in front of the company. Two guys from Alpha Company were watching us, smoking cigarettes under the little tree, not saying anything as we crossed the quad.

The guidon was out, silently proclaiming that Captain Jane was in her office.

When I pulled open the door, the three enlisted in the office stopped in the middle of their conversation to stare at us. I moved in, pushing my boonie hat off my head so it fell down around the back of my neck.

"Wait back by the supply room," I ordered, then turned to the PAC clerk while my animals shuffled by me. "Alert Captain Jane we have returned and I would like to speak with her," I told the PAC clerk. Private Melissa March, O-Pos, yadda yadda yadda. I couldn't bring myself to care right at that moment.

Three days in isolation had taken in out of all of us.

She jumped up, moving over to knock on the CO's door. Three sharp, distinct, spaced raps. I heard Captain Jane call out "enter" and waited.

"The Captain will see you now, Chief," She said, slipping out the door.

"Thank you, Private," I said, nodding at her.

When I moved into the office, Captain Jane pointed at the light switch, two chemlights already cracked on her desk. I sighed, flipped the switch, and took off my sunglasses as I moved in front of her desk.

"Chief Cromwell, reporting for duty," I said, snapping her a salute. "Lima-Six-Actual ready to return to duty."

She surprised me by standing up and returning it. She motioned at the chair across from her. "Have a seat, Chief," She said, sitting down.

I moved over, sitting down and feeling my left hip pop. She gave me moment to pull the garbage can over next to me, fish out an empty soda can, and light a cigarette.

"How is everyone?" She asked when I put my Zippo away.

"Shocky, but they passed the medical and psych screening," I told her. "They might have a few rough nights in the coming months, but weekly therapy sessions should help."

She nodded slowly. "We didn't hear much back here about what was going on."

I shook my head. "No, Ma'am, you wouldn't," I told her. "It would be heavily redacted."

"Anything you can give me for a heads up?" She asked.

I thought back through our debriefing while I took out my green notebook. I'd need a new one soon, about a third of the pages had been torn out and the majority of the rest had notes all over it. I'd pass it to S-2 to look over, he'd pass it to the PRP Special Weapons rep, and I'd get back what was left after they copied it.

"We treated eight casualties, retrieved eighteen bodies, I preformed one emergency field surgery to repair a severed artery, and we did one crash radiation treatment," I told her. "The majority of the rest of the injuries were heat casualties and one case of strep."

She nodded, motioning at me continue, "All patients survived, only two have not returned to duty although they are expected to make a full recovery. No injuries on the team, except some mild dehydration several times that the team treated me for once I left my Class-Two suit."