The Callsign Page 5

  "Reaper, Reaper, what's your status?" "Was headed back, but I'm on him now. I can see taillights about two miles up." "Kranz, you'd better answer me or I'm going to fucking crush you." He came back on. "Pike, he's running. He knows I'm on him."

  Jesus Christ.

  "Back off, damn it. Let him go."

  "That's not how it works. We're compromised, and he's got the data with him. I'm going to get it before he burns the information."

  I started pounding the dash, infuriated that I'd let Kurt talk me into taking this walking disaster.

  We were now on the desolate road, and I could see the lights in the distance, off through the desert. Two up tight and one farther back.

  "Kranz, you're right on his ass. He probably thinks you're some sort of militia. He has no idea who you are. Back off!"

  Instead I saw his headlights close onto Khalid's bumper then I saw the headlights of Khalid' s vehicle spin off the road.

  I pulled out my NODs and fumbled for my Glock underneath the seat, saying, "Gas it. Get there now!"

  We closed within a hundred meters, moving over eighty miles an hour, and I saw Reaper's vehicle slide to a stop, broadside in the road.

  Retro hit the brakes and I bailed out the passenger door, Jesse right behind me. I saw Kranz running to the vehicle, then heard the pop-pop-pop of rounds. In stark relief, illuminated in the eerie green of my night vision, I saw Khalid desperately shooting to.ward the sound of Kranz.

  He dropped to the ground and rolled away. I heard another crack and saw Khalid snap sideways, then crumple back into the car. Reaper closed the distance with his Glock at the ready.

  On the run, I shouted, "Kranz, you okay?"

  He rose and moved unsteadily to the car. He reached in back and pulled out the laptop. I ignored him and went to Reaper, now attempting to staunch the life flowing out of Khalid through the wound Kranz had created. But it was worthless. Khalid's head was split at the top, with about a golf-ball-sized chunk missing, brain tissue oozing onto the front seat of the car. I thought about his wife whom I'd just left.

  Kranz said, "Got the laptop. We need to get the hell out of here."

  I felt a rage unlike anything I had ever experienced. I slowly turned toward him, trying to regain control. Trying to maintain the mantle of leadership entrusted to me.

  Reaper said, "You stupid bastard. You just destroyed whatever is on that laptop."

  Kranz said, "Bullshit. It'll be a month before this makes it through the AQ system. You military guys never want to think outside the box. We had a perfect opportunity, and I took it. Besides, I'm not the one that killed him."

  Reaper swung a hard right cross with his entire body behind it, his oversized fist connecting right above Kranz's left eye. The impact sounded like a baseball bat hitting a rack of ribs. Kranz's head popped back, and he dropped to the ground like a puppet with the strings cut.

  Nobody moved for a moment; then Jesse knelt next to Kranz, putting a white light on him. He said, "Jesus, you hit him so hard I can see your knuckles on his skull."

  I said, "Is he dead?"

  "No. He's breathing. But I guarantee he's got a concussion."

  I looked at Reaper, who was now staring at the ground, know.ing he'd be court-martialed for attacking his second-in-command. The rest of the team was a little shell-shocked at the whole event. I felt a crushing disappointment, because I was the team leader and this was about as worse a mission as I could devise. Our first operation.

  "Bull, Retro, clean up the mess. Drive the vehicle as deep as you can get it into the desert. Jesse, load up Kranz in your car. We show up to work tomorrow like nothing happened. Let them sort it out. We get this hard drive to the Taskforce and stay and finish the contract."

  I waited until they were in motion, then looked at Reaper, patiently ready to hear the worst. I said, "What the hell am I going to do with you?"

  He said, "Sorry. I ... just lost it. I didn't mean to hit Kranz so hard."

  I kicked the dirt, considering my options, which I knew should be charging him with assaulting a superior officer. But I really didn't want to do that, since Kranz deserved everything he got.

  Reaper said, "Look, I'll make this easy. I shouldn't have exploded like that, and I know that's not what this unit is about. I understand the risks of my behavior. I'll fly home tomorrow and turn in my kit. The plant doesn't know I'm on the contract, and there's no way both of us can remain on this team."

  The statement made my decision harder, not easier. He was proving to be everything we needed. Then his last sentence hit home.

  He's right. No way can both of them stay after this. Perfect.

  I said, "You still want a job?" His eyes held hope. "Yeah, of course. The mission is why I joined. I'll do whatever shit job you want to give me." "You're the new two IC. Kranz is fired. He'll be lucky if I even get him evac'd." He looked at me in surprise, then stuttered something, unable to stitch together a coherent sentence. I smiled. "There still has to be some punishment, though. Forget about Reaper. Your callsign is now Knuckles."

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10