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

Meep Meep

Log Base Delta
Sarajevo International Airport
Sarajevo, Bosnia (Contested Zone)
10 June, 1992
1300 Hours Local - Wednesday

Operation Shield Strike - Day 13

CW2 Cromwell, Heather - 15th FSB, Task Force Hatchet

Colonel Krait walked up next to me, still in his mask, staring at the Logistics Base in front of us. A Chinook had landed only a few minutes before, disgorging masked troops in MOPP 4 gear that were moving around, double-checking my work.

No, it wasn't insulting. Special Weapons doubled up on everything.

"Why don't you have on your mask," he asked me.

"It's safe. I know the type used. Non-persistent, water-soluble, the chemicals debond quickly. Between soaking everything in water and letting it dry twice, the time, it's completely inert," I held up my detector. "This thing is cranked up so high a whiff of anything out of the ordinary would set it off. If I get it too close to a running vehicle it'll go off," I faced him. "Trust me, sir, this is my area of expertise. It's inert, washed away. It's safe."

He looked at me for a moment, then stripped his mask off, taking a deep breath of air.

"I hate the mask," he said. "Have you checked on all the patients?"

"Positive pressure system worked. Chemical sheeting on top of the tents prevented the chemical from soaking into the canvas. Our precautions saved lives and make it so we don't have to abandon the Log Base," I told him. "Which I believe, Colonel, was the actual objective of the attack."

He frowned at me. "Do you think it has anything to do with," he started.

"Yes. And don't say it," I told him, holding up one hand. "I'm not sure if it's bad luck or not to even mention his name at this point," I saw a masked soldier enter the isolation tent.

Colonel Krait nodded slowly. "Is it always this complicated with him involved?"

"This is Special Weapons complicated, sir," I told him, looking around. "Remember how complicated it got in the Charlie Company Orderly Room that day Stillwater got to the battalion?" I asked, lighting a cigarette.

"A sign of things to come, we just didn't know it at the time, Chief," He said. "Have I congratulated you on your promotion?"

"No, sir, but thank you," I said, looking around. "I know they gave it to me to handle the mission, but I'd rather have stayed a One for a while longer."

"You know, Chief, I believe you," he said gently.

"I made sure the filters on the airport positive air pressure system were replaced, checked for contamination, reset the system," I told him. "The airport terminal is fine. Atmosphere and environmental is clear. Additionally, I ran a quick maintenance on the system. Whoever was in charge of it before kept up on the maintenance, parts are all within lifespan."

He nodded at that. I knew he was wondering if I was making small talk.

We were walking toward the toward the isolation tent. There were no guards on the tent yet, the whole Task Force element at Log Base Delta was still in the airport terminal. I could hear heavy vehicles in the distance, my brain identified that some of them were tanks, in clear violation of the treaties the UN was trying to lay down.

The cease-fires weren't holding worth a damn.

Explosions had begun to sound out, plumes of smoke rising up from where the shelling was crashing down into the buildings.

"There they go again," Colonel Krait said.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"They'll be refugees here soon," He said, shaking his head.