Okay, so this is the next chapter. Read it, tell me what you think and I'll have the next chapter up soon.

Chapter 2

Most of the soldiers were walking around outside, having a barbecue, drinking beers, or tossing a football around. There was music playing loud enough in one of the hooches that it could be heard outside. All of the men were relaxing, as if they weren't even in a war. Most of the guys were wearing green short sleeve shirts and green pants. Others were just wearing pants.

The hooches were lined up so that there were ten on one side of the clearing and ten on the other.

"Officer's quarters?" Mordecai asked one of the men. All the officers slept apart from the enlisted. He pointed to the barrack in the center on the right. Mordecai thanked him and walked into it.

Inside most of the bunks had been taken except for a few in the back. Mordecai took one under a lieutenant wearing glasses and reading a thick novel. He looked up when Mordecai dropped his duffle bag onto the ground.

"You the new lieutenant?" he asked.

"Yeah, lieutenant Quintel," Mordecai said.

"I'm lieutenant Hugy, but everyone calls me Bug Eyes," Bug Eyes said.

"Nice to meet you, Bug Eyes," Mordecai said.

"So you taken over third platoon?" Bug Eyes asked.

"I guess so. Which barrack are they in?" Mordecai asked.

"Hooch eighty-eight, last one on the left," Bug Eyes said, pointing to the hooches across from the officer's hooch.

"Thanks," Mordecai said as he started walking towards the door.

"Oh, and, Quintel." Mordecai turned.

"Yeah?"

"Watch out for Private Darrel. He's a jerk to everyone." With that Bug Eyes went back to reading his novel.

'Whatever,' Mordecai thought as he walked back outside into the hot humid air. As he was walking to Hooch eighty-eight Mordecai noticed how good the barbecue smelled. 'I'll get some later,' he thought.

Mordecai heard people talking inside, but as soon as he stepped in everything went quit. Everyone turned to look at him. Most were humans except for a light green sparrow leaning against the wall and a red fox on one of the bunks. Mordecai felt uneasy as they stared at him. Finally he spoke.

"I am Lieutenant Quintel, your new commanding officer. Since I don't know any of you I'd like to go around and have everyone say their name and their job in this platoon." He pointed to the green sparrow.

"I am Sergeant Sparrow, the platoon leader," the sparrow said. Mordecai noticed that Sparrow was wearing a green bandanna. The person next to him stood up.

"Private Jackson, map reader," he said.

"Corporal Venny, rifleman," a man on a bunk said.

"Private Simon, but everyone calls me Yoyo. Rifleman," the guy on the top bunk said.

"Why do they call you that?" Mordecai asked.

"Because I'm the best in the whole regiment with the yoyo," Yoyo said.

"Okay, next."

A dark skinned guy that was polishing a shotgun on his bunk said,

"Corporal Hillard, rifleman."

"Private Darrel, I carry the M-79 grenade launcher," a man leaning against Corporal Hillard's bunk said.

In the middle of the floor four guys were sitting in a circle. The one closest to Darrel spoke first.

"Private Nathan, radioman," he said.

The next guy was big, probably a football player in high school.

"Private Wolock, M-60 shooter," he said. "And this little guy right here is my bro, Private Turner." He put one of his massive arms around the neck of the guy next to him.

"Yep, and I'm the scout," Turner said.

"I'm Private Smith, the medic. Probably one of the best in the whole company," the last guy in the circle said.

"And I'm Private Fox, sniper," the red fox said.

"Good. Now is there anyone else that isn't here?" Mordecai asked. The soldiers shook their heads. "Good."

As Mordecai left a barrel was suddenly jammed into Mordecai's back.

"Put hands up, dirty American," someone said.

Mordecai yelped in surprise and whirled around.

"Ronny?" Mordecai asked surprised.

"The one and only," the younger blue-jay said, laughing. "You should've seen your face. You thought it was a real Gook, didn't you?"

Mordecai laughed too. He put his arm around Ronny's neck.

"You little devil. I haven't seen you since I left for college," Mordecai said. "What're you doing here?"

"Finished high school but didn't have enough money to get into college," Ronny explained. "What are you doing here?"

As the brothers talked they ate some barbecue and drank some Radicola.

"So you finally got up enough guts to ask out that Margaret girl, uh?" Ronny asked.

"Yep. Happiest day of my life," Mordecai said as he took a sip of his soda.

Suddenly a private came running up.

"Which one of you is Lieutenant Quintel?" he asked

"I am," Mordecai said.

"Captain Wales wants to see you, sir," the private said.

"Alright, let's go." Mordecai got up and followed the grunt.

The enlisted man led him to a big tower with a round dish on top and a small building at the base of it.

"He's in there, sir," the soldier said.

Mordecai nodded and walked in. Inside were ten men making it quite cramped. Five of the men were at a few different desks operating their own radio. Captain Wales was leaning over one of the men's shoulders listening to his radio. The captain's face looked serious.

"Don't worry," he said to the man on the other side of the radio. "We'll get back up for you immediately." Then he turned to a messenger who was standing straight up. "You, go find Lieutenant Bug Eyes and tell him to gather his platoon. Tell him they're going on a rescue mission to get fifth platoon," the captain ordered.

"Sir, yes, sir," the messenger said and ran out of the building.

"You wanted to see me, sir," Mordecai said, bringing his hand up in a salute.

"Aw yes, Lieutenant Quintel. At ease," Captain Wales said. Mordecai brought his hand down. "Your platoon will be going on a patrol to night at twenty hundred hours (eight o'clock). Tell your troops and be ready to move out when it is time."

"Anything else, sir?" Mordecai asked.

"Not that I can think of. Dismissed," The captain said.

"Sir, yes, sir," Mordecai said. He saluted again and left.

Outside an orange haired sergeant with red side burns was chasing Ronny around the whole camp. Mordecai saw this and quickly stopped them.

"Woe, woe, woe, what's going on here?" Mordecai asked, putting a hand out in front of the two to stop them.

"This little devil poured beer down my shirt," the sergeant growled. Ronny snickered. "Shut-up you little brat," the sergeant yelled.

"You'll have to excuse my brother for that. He is a little annoying when he decides to prank people," Mordecai said. "Ronny, come with me."

The two brothers walked away from the fuming sergeant. They stopped when they were out of earshot of the man.

"Okay, I have to admit, that was pretty funny," Mordecai said. Ronny snickered again. "But seriously, don't get in trouble anymore, please."

"Okay," Ronny said. Then he dashed off to prank someone else.

Mordecai sighed. 'He's just like Rigby,' he thought.

Suddenly he felt a pang of sadness. He missed them. The whole crew. Rigby, Pops, Skips, Eileen, High Five Ghost, even Muscle Man and Benson. But he especially missed Margaret. Again he wondered what his wife was doing.

Margaret was had just gotten a job at the movie shack. She had to worked behind the counter with a guy who always wore glasses and a baseball cap. She would start work tomorrow.

Margaret drove home silently worrying about her husband. 'I hope he comes home in one piece,' she thought.

20:00 (8:00 p.m.)

Mordecai watched the chopper as it came in for a landing. He had on his helmet with the picture of Margaret in it, a pack full of things he needed, a .45-caliber pistol and fifteen M-16 clips strapped to his waist, and an M-16 in his hands. His hands were trembling. As the Huey landed Sparrow shouted orders.

"Alright, everyone on the chopper. Move, move, move."

Mordecai and Sparrow waited until everyone had gotten on, then got on together. As the chopper took off Mordecai felt sick to his stomach, but he didn't puke. He looked around at the other men. They all had stony faces except for Wolock and Turner. Those two were playing punchies for a seat.

Mordecai studied Wolock for a second. The machine gunner had two belts of bullets wrapped around his chest to for an X. He had another around his waist. Under the two belts of ammo he had on a flak jacket and a sleeveless green t-shirt. On his helmet Wolock had written "Property Of A Born Killer." In one hand Wolock held the M-60 by the handle as if it weighed nothing at all. Mordecai also noticed for the first time the black mustache that Wolock was growing.

The blue-jay's eyes moved on to study some of the other people on the chopper. Nathan had a radio on his back that looked much too big for him. Fox was polishing his sniper scope. Hillard was carving something on his shotgun with a hunting knife. Yoyo was playing with a yoyo. Jackson was examining a map with Venny. When Mordecai looked at Darrel he was surprised by how he glared back. His eyes seemed to be filled with pure hatred. Mordecai quickly moved on. Smith was eating some M&M's and when Mordecai asked for some Smith obliged. Sparrow was smoking a cigarette. He stared at the scenery below them as his bandanna flapped in the wind. His face was completely emotionless.

As the Huey reached the area they would start the patrol at Turner moved to the side where Mordecai was. When the chopper was ten feet from the ground Sparrow started shouting orders again.

"Off the chopper, move it grunts!"

Turner was the first one to jump off. He was followed by Fox, Jackson, and Venny. Mordecai jumped off next. He fell through the air and landed with a crash, banging his knee. He quickly scrambled away as the next man jumped. After everyone was out the Huey left.

Turner led with Wolock bringing up the rear. Mordecai was around the middle with Venny in front of him and Darrel behind him. His hands were trembling so hard that he almost dropped his gun.

'So this is what it feels like to be scared,' Mordecai thought.

The troops marched for a couple hours through mossy swamps and dense jungle. Once when the platoon had reached a clear field lightening arched through the sky. Mordecai was awe struck by how different it looked from the lightening he saw in the city. The men soon entered the jungle again and reached the ruins of a white temple.

Turner put his fist up and everyone stopped. He and Fox carefully walked into the ruins. After a minute of waiting Fox came out and signaled for everyone to come in. As Mordecai walked inside he saw that the roof had caved in. Chunks of marble had fallen randomly and were big enough to provide cover for at least two people. The blue-jay noticed how well he could hear the crickets and other sounds of the night. Mordecai would have loved to lay down right there and go to sleep, but he had to give orders to make the area safe.

"Alright, Turner, Fox, Darrel, set up a perimeter with trip wires, flares, and claymores. Jackson, you've got first watch. I'll get second. Sparrow, you'll get third and Darrel will get fourth. Let's move men." Mordecai was surprised by how well he gave the orders.

Everyone obeyed and soon Mordecai was a loud to sleep. Before he drifted off it started to rain. He didn't dream.

At about eleven o'clock Jackson shook Mordecai awake.

"Lieutenant, it's your turn," he said as he handed Mordecai the night seeing telescope.

"Uh, wha. Oh, thanks," Mordecai said as he took the telescope.

Jackson soon fell asleep leaving Mordecai to watch for any Vietnamese. It had stopped raining. When his shift was done Mordecai reached over to wake Sparrow. But he stopped suddenly.

Out of the corner of his eye he had seen movement. He turned his head slowly to see a figure with a straw hat on. They both looked at each other for a second, Mordecai too afraid to move. Then the figure raised his gun and fired.